Two-Realm Living

Ephesians 1:3

A Christian is someone who lives in two dimensions. There is the spiritual dimension, and as we walk in the Spirit, we know God in the Spirit. Yet we live on the earth. And we need to transfer what we have in the spiritual realm to the earthly realm.

The apostle Paul wanted believers to know what was waiting for them in the spiritual realm. He wrote, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

When Paul spoke of the heavenly realms, he wasn’t talking about something that is merely waiting for us in Heaven. He was talking about the supernatural realm.

For example, when you travel outside the United States, You still maintain your citizenship as an American, but you are living in the culture of the country your visiting. There are things that you need to adapt to. You need to exchange dollars for the currency of that nation. And you need to be aware of the exchange rate so that you know how much your spending.

Spiritual resources are waiting for the believer who is walking with God. Although there are treasures in the heavenly realms, there are resources that God wants us to start using here.

As Christians, we often don’t know all that God has given to us. We don’t know the resources that He has placed into our spiritual bank accounts.

For example, we sometimes pray for things that God has already given to us. We might say, “Lord, give me more love,” when the Bible says that God “has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (Romans 5:5).

We might pray for more power, yet 2 Peter 1:3 tells us that “by his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life”.

Maybe we have prayed for peace, but Jesus already has said, “I am leaving you with a gift peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27).

It is not a matter of needing more; we need to use what we already have. We need to stop living like spiritual paupers and start laying hold of what God has given to us. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we have God’s approval. He has adopted us, loves us, has chosen us, and has called us.

Therefore, we don’t have to sit around doubting our salvation every other day, feeling defeated and unworthy. We never were worthy and never will be worthy. It is not about worthiness; it is about Jesus and what He has done for us.

You and I don’t have to do X, Y, and Z to gain the approval of God. Rather, we need to understand what God has done for us and let it impact the way that we live.

No Higher Calling

Ephesians 1:1 

We might think that people in the church who are called to be pastors, evangelists, or worship leaders are the spiritual elite of today.

However, every one of us is called to be something by the will of God. Paul began his letter to the believers in Ephesus by saying, “This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1).

Not many people were called to be apostles, and indeed Paul was in a position of significant leadership. But we also need to realize something. Paul’s Hebrew name was Saul. No doubt his parents named him after the first king of Israel. King Saul was known for his attractiveness and his remarkable height.

Young Saul of Tarsus probably took great pride in his name. He also had a notable spiritual pedigree and ultimately became a member of the Pharisees. And he possibly was a member of the ruling council known as the Sadducees.

Yet Saul found emptiness in his life, which sent him on a quest that ultimately resulted in his committing his life to Jesus Christ. And then he started using his Roman name, Paul. We may not see this as all that significant, but the name Paul means “little.”

Perhaps this gives us some insight as to why God so powerfully used the apostle Paul. He saw himself as little in the sight of God. Before, he might have boasted in his accomplishments, learning, and everything that he had. But after his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, he recognized that he was a little man before God.

This reminds us that we can never be too small for God to use, but we can think of ourselves as too big.

God, according to His will, called Paul to be an apostle. In the same way, God might call someone to be an accountant according to His will or a police officer according to His will or a doctor according to His will.

Let’s say, for instance, that you were having chest pains. Would you want a pastor by the will of God? No, you would want a doctor by the will of God. You want someone who knows what they’re doing.

Or, if someone is threatening your life, would you want a doctor by the will of God? No, you would want a police officer by the will of God.

Then again, maybe you’re having problems with your finances and can’t balance your books. You don’t need a police officer, a doctor, or a pastor. What you really need is an accountant by the will of God.

Each of us has a part to play. Maybe you think that preaching is a higher calling. Granted, it is a high calling and a privilege. But don’t feel as though you’re a second-class Christian if you’re not in full-time ministry.

The highest calling is what God has called us to be. There is nothing higher. Therefore, we need to be faithful to what God has set before us.

Life In Balance

Philippians 4:19 

I’m thankful that God overrules some of my prayers. Imagine, for example, what would happen in a family where parents gave their children everything they wanted. The kids want hot fudge sundaes for dinner and demand everything at the toy store. Whatever they want, their parents give it to them.

What those parents will end up raising are spoiled, undisciplined, hyperactive brats. And they will live to regret it because their children never will move out of the house. Parents need to teach their children responsibility, including how to work for things and how to save.

God knows what is good for us as His children. He knows what we need, and He also knows what we don’t need.

A Christian might pray, “Lord, I want to be incredibly wealthy. I want to be as wealthy as Bill Gates or Warren Buffett. Give me billions of dollars.”

For some people, probably most even, receiving a great amount of money could be the worst thing ever to happen to them. It would come with a lot of responsibility as well as a lot of temptation they may not be facing right now.

The apostle Paul wrote, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Notice Paul said that God would supply all your needs not all your greed, or even all your wants or desires.

The writer of Proverbs 30 prayed, “Give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name” (verses 8–9).

In other words, “Lord, don’t give me so much that I would forget about You. But don’t give me so little that I would feel that You had forgotten about me. Give me as much as You think is right. I leave it in Your hands. I just want Your will for my life.”

We can go through life saying, “I need this” and “What about my needs?” Or, we can say, “God has blessed me. He has provided for me. I had a meal this morning. I have clothes on my back and a roof over my head. What can I do for someone else?”

When we start thinking of others instead of ourselves, one day we will wake up and realize that we’re happy. But it won’t be the result of chasing after the things we thought would fulfill us. Rather, it will be the result of having our priorities in order.

If only we would do things God’s way. Then we would be able to say, like Paul, “I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little” (Philippians 4:12).

If we have our lives in balance, we can be confident that God will provide.

A Sweet Smelling Sacrifice

Philippians 4:18

We can talk all day about walking with God and relying on His strength, but if it doesn’t affect the way that we live and the way that we give, it means nothing.

There is perhaps no clearer evidence of spiritual maturity than financial generosity. Martin Luther, speaking of the Christian life, pointed out, “There are three conversions necessary: the conversion of the heart, the mind, and the purse [or wallet].”

Writing to the Christians in Philippi, the apostle Paul said, “As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once” (Philippians 4:15–16).

Our finances are often the last area that we’re willing to turn over to God. We want to retain complete control. In fact, we are uncomfortable when someone brings up the topic. It may be that our discomfort is an indication that this area is not in its proper order in our lives as Christians.

The Bible does address it quite frequently. Not only does Paul address it in this passage, but it’s worth noting that money is the main subject of nearly half the parables that Jesus told. In addition, one in every seven verses in the New Testament deal with this subject.

How does that compare with other topics? The Bible offers about 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, and 2,000 verses on money. God wants this area to be in balance in our lives.

Paul continued, “At the moment I have all I need and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God” (verse 18).

Epaphroditus had brought a special offering from the believers in Philippi. This deeply touched the apostle because it was a sacrificial gift. These believers gave sacrificially and cheerfully when others who were more able to give weren’t giving at all. That meant a lot to Paul because there were others who could have helped him but didn’t.

Paul was saying, “God bless you for this. It is a sweet-smelling aroma to God that you have given in such a way.”

Today most churches are supported financially by a relatively small percentage of people who give their tithes and offerings on a weekly basis.

Others, at best, give sporadically, while some don’t give at all. However, there is a core group that understands what the Bible teaches about giving, and they faithfully engage. And it’s because of their faithfulness that we have a ministry today.

God knows who they are. And through their faithfulness to Him, they make it possible for a lot of other people to be ministered to. They have discovered the joy of giving. And we might even venture to say that as a result, they have probably discovered the secret of contentment as well.

Living In His Strength

Philippians 2:13 

The Bible doesn’t say that Christians should do everything for themselves. Nor does it say that God will do everything for Christians. Rather, the Bible shows us that God will do certain things, and we must then respond to those things. It shows us that the power and resources are there, but we must appropriate them.

The apostle Paul wrote, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 NLT). This is a great balance because it shows us that there is our part and there is God’s part. Instead of saying that Christ does everything and we do nothing, it says that we “can do everything through Christ,” who gives us strength.

God has given us the strength to be the people He is calling us to be, but we must appropriate it, apply it, and utilize it.

There are some things that only God can do and some things that only we can do. For example, only God can enable, but only we can yield. Only God can guide, but only we can follow. And only God can convict us of our sin, but only we can repent of it.

God won’t step over the boundary of our free will and make us do what He wants us to do. If He did, then we would be nothing more than robots. But because He wants us to act out of our own free will, He initiates. At the same time, we must respond to what He is doing.

This is the same principle we find in Philippians 2, where Paul wrote, “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (verses 12–13).

So, it is God who is working, but we must be yielding. Yes, we “can do everything through Christ, who gives [us] strength,” but it’s also true that apart from Christ, we can do nothing (see John 15:5).

We can move forward in our own strength, try to make things happen, and fail. For instance, we can try to break free from an addiction or put a marriage back together or undertake a ministry with our own wisdom and resources. And we can fail.

Or, we can say, “I can’t do it, Lord, but I can do all things through Jesus, who gives me strength. I’m going to yield to the power of the Holy Spirit and take steps of practical obedience.” And everything can turn around.

Many times we don’t take hold of the resources that God has given us so that we might effectively resist temptation, be bolder witnesses for Christ, or be better husbands or better wives. We’re trying to do it in our own strength. And we’re falling short.

Which way are you living right now? Are you trying to do things in your own strength? Or, are you doing things through Christ who strengthens you? That is the key.

Contentment Is Learned

Hebrews 13:5

Often we think that contentment comes from what we have. We might even say, “If I just had this, then I would be content.” Or “If I were a bit more intelligent” or “If I were a bit better looking” or “If I were a little more successful” or “If I had a bit more money, then . . .” It’s a never-ending pursuit of something that is always just beyond our grasp.

Yet in Philippians 4, the apostle Paul revealed the secret of contentment. He said, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (verses 12–13).

Paul was in prison when he made that statement. He didn’t receive his contentment from a theory in a classroom; it was from the school of life. He had experienced pleasure and pain, health and sickness, strength and weakness, wealth and poverty. To some he was a hero, and to others he was a villain. But he was someone who had found complete contentment.

Interestingly, Paul used the word “learned.” He had “learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” In the original language, it was a word the pagans generally used at the time to refer to some special attainment or an initiation into some hidden truth.

He used their word to essentially say, “I’ve found the hidden truth. I’ve found the secret of contentment.”

What’s more, the word Paul used for “content” means “self-sufficient.” Therefore, in the context of this epistle, Paul was speaking of sufficiency in Christ. He was saying, “It doesn’t matter where I am. I am content. I can be at the bottom of the bottom and be content there, because it is all about my relationship with God.”

Contentment isn’t based on what we have; it’s is based on who we know. Hebrews 13:5 says, “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you’ ”.

We often will quote the latter part of that verse, but let’s also consider the entire statement. God is saying, “Be satisfied with what you have because I never will fail you or abandon you.”

God will be with us, no matter what we face in life. That is a great assurance. That is where we find our contentment.

As the psalmist David wrote, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need” (Psalm 23:1). If the Lord really is your Shepherd, then you will find satisfaction and fulfillment in Him. Therefore, if God blesses you with a lot, thank Him. And if you don’t have as much as you would like, recognize that your contentment comes from a relationship with Him.

Paul’s contentment came because of his close and intimate fellowship with Jesus. This lifted him above his circumstances and gave him the strength to deal with whatever came his way.

Living Abundantly

Proverbs 3:5-12

God created us with a longing to know that we matter. He also designed us to find the fulfillment of that desire through His Son.

Dependence on God is central to an abundant life. Trusting Him with all our heart means giving Him control over everything our family, finances, emotions, and thoughts. Today’s passage emphasizes how essential trust is to a fruitful life: It cautions against being wise in our own eyes and warns not to lean on our own understanding (vv. 5, 7). When faced with decisions, it’s tempting to choose the answer we think is right. But we can’t know all the facts or predict with certainty how others will respond. The Lord, however, does know. He reads our heart and perceives every thought (1 Chron. 28:9). No aspect of our situation escapes His notice (Ps. 11:4), and He cares about everyone. That’s why He alone is certain which decision will be best.

The abundant life also involves acknowledging God in all we do. Speaking about Him is just part of what it means to give Him recognition. As His children, we’re to have a marked resemblance to our heavenly Father in thoughts, attitudes, and actions.

Life becomes fruitful as we surrender ourselves to God and carry out His will. When His Spirit lives through us (Gal. 2:20), our life will be characterized by significance and satisfaction.

Closeness With God

Joshua 14:14 

One of the reasons this world still appeals to many of us, one of the reasons the offerings of this world system still tantalize many of us, is that we’re lacking closeness with God.

However, if we can get our priorities right, we can see the world for what it is.

That is what Caleb did. The Bible said that he “wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel” (Joshua 14:14).

The key to wholeheartedly following the Lord is maintaining a love relationship with Jesus Christ. When you do, this world will lose its appeal. Caleb was looking forward. He wanted fellowship, intimacy, and closeness with God. And that sustained him through the most difficult times.

In contrast, it was a lack of fellowship, a lack of closeness with God, that caused the other Israelites in the wilderness to turn to idolatry, immorality, complaining, and ultimately testing God.

When you are in love with Jesus Christ, you will see Him for who He is. And as a result, you will see this world for what it is. It’s like the hymn that says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

On the other hand, when you’re only giving God your bare minimum, when your love for Jesus is not burning brightly, then this world and its temporary pleasures will look more and more appealing.

To fully follow the Lord means that you will not compromise. You will stand your ground, wanting the approval of God more than the approval of others. It also means that you will take God at His word and stand on it. And you’ll desire fellowship and communion with God, which will give you the strength to carry on.

Finish well. We don’t know how much time we have left both as His church on this earth and as individuals before the Lord. God is able to complete whatever we have committed to Him.

Let’s learn from the examples of those who did not finish well people like Saul, Samson, and Gideon. And let’s also learn from the examples of those who did finish well people like Caleb, Joseph, Peter, and Paul, who fully followed the Lord.

We find the key to finishing well in Hebrews 12:1–2: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith”.

May we all finish well. May we not be casualties in the spiritual race.

If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we will make it. So run the race for Him. This is where we started, and this is where we must end.

A Different Attitude

Numbers 14:24

Through forty-five years of wilderness wandering, Caleb believed God and clung to His promise. God had promised Caleb that he would enter the Promised Land. But in the meantime, he had to put up with all the whining, griping, and complaining of his fellow Israelites.

Caleb was there when they complained about the manna God had provided and cried out for meat like they had in Egypt. He was there when they rebelled against Moses. And he had to put up with all of it.

Yet Caleb believed that God was going to keep His promise. He was able to fully follow the Lord and finish well because he took God at His word.

And after years of waiting and resisting the temptation to follow the crowd, Caleb was ready to receive his award. At eighty-five years old, he said, “I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then” (Joshua 14:11).

Some of the young guys of Israel probably laughed at this point. What was this eighty-five-year-old man going to be doing? But Caleb was still strong. Though his outward man was perishing, his inward man had been renewed day by day (see 2 Corinthians 4:16).

He had maintained a first-love relationship with God, and as a result, he maintained his first strength. We see the practical results of this inner strength demonstrated in Joshua 15: “So Caleb was given the town of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), which had been named after Anak’s ancestor. Caleb drove out the three groups of Anakites—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the sons of Anak” (verses 13–14).

Here, we discover that of all the people who received an inheritance in the land, only Caleb completely drove out the enemy. And he faced some of the most formidable foes in the entire land.

Caleb had specifically asked for Hebron. This was no garden spot. It was a rugged, treacherous area with a powerful enemy stronghold guarded by the strongest men. This was no easy duty for Caleb.

Being an older guy, he could have asked for a nice, comfortable plot of land where there were no enemies to drive out. But he asked for one of the toughest assignments. And then he drove out his enemies.

Maybe, just maybe, there was another motive for Caleb’s wanting Hebron. The Bible tells us that in Hebron, God spoke with Abraham face to face and gave him the promise of the land in the first place.

The very name Hebron is descriptive, meaning “fellowship, love, and communion.” This was the place that Caleb longed for—and ultimately received. While others longed for Egypt, Caleb longed for Hebron. While others looked back, Caleb looked forward. While others wanted to please themselves, Caleb wanted to please God. He stood on the promises of God.

We need to do the same. We need to remember that God will keep His promises.

God’s Guide To A Fruitful Life

Proverbs 3:1-4

Jesus told His disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit” (John 15:5). As we live the Christian life in dependency on the Holy Spirit, two things will become evident in us.

1. We treasure God’s Word. When we value something, we think about it, study it, and learn all we can about it. By studying the Bible, we learn about God’s character, plans, and promises. Scripture meditation develops our ability to think biblically and deepens our relationship with the Lord. One of the indications that we treasure His Word is a change in behavior decisions will increasingly be guided by His principles, and actions will reflect the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).

2. We adorn ourselves with kindness and truth. These two virtues are to be our constant companions. God’s truth has the power to expose ungodly attitudes and behaviors, not only in us but also in others. When this happens, kindness helps to protect relationships from damage. What’s more, it can prevent discord and division in churches. God wants us to speak the truth to one another but to make sure we do it with loving compassion.

As we walk with the Lord, He’ll grow His fruit in us and teach us to follow Him.