Living the Journey

Welcome to Day 21 of The Challenge!

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Fathers, provoke not your children to anger,
lest they be discouraged.

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The Word of God proclaims that, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable . . . ” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). However, some Scripture passages are more applicable to certain people than other passages are. This is true in the case of studying Colossians 3:21, because I am not a father and neither are the majority of the people who will be reading this exposition!

Therefore, I believe what God has led me to write about the godly example that I have had the privilege to observe first hand. The example that I am speaking of is that of my father, Daniel Webster. My dad has lived out this verse in front of me my entire life in three ways.

First, my father has learned how to conquer anger, and according to Proverbs that is the key to keep from stirring up anger in another person. (Proverbs 15:18) My dad lives in victory over anger because he has learned to yield his rights. In fact, the most visible right that my father has relinquished is the right to be heard. He will seek to earn a hearing with someone rather than demand one. I believe that I can say truthfully, that my dad has never in my life, provoked me to anger. On the contrary, he has encouraged and discipled me how to overcome anger by yielding rights in my own life.

Secondly, Dad vigorously exercises himself in seeking to practice humility. A prideful person will most certainly bring strife. (Proverbs 13:10) I have seen my Dad on numerous occasions give honor to others instead of accepting it for himself.

An example of this is the “disclaimer” that my dad put in his bio which states “Any accomplishment that I have achieved is only because of the investment of God and others in my life”.

Finally, and most importantly, my dad spends much time deepening his relationship with Jesus Christ, specifically in the area of prayer. I do not believe that my father could daily practice meekness and humility if it were not for the fact that he spends quality time in prayer. He firmly believes that it is not that he is something extraordinary, but that God has answered his prayers and has displayed his victorious power in his life.

In conclusion, you may be saying to yourself this is all good information. However, how is this applicable to a Journey attendee who is most likely not married, and is not a father? The answer is, as a young man I should ask myself three questions. Am I a man who has conquered anger? Am I a humble man? Am I a man of prayer? And if I am a young lady, I should ask myself some similar questions. Is the man that I am seeking to be the father of my children a humble and meek man, and does he spend time cultivating his relationship with Jesus Christ? May we all gain a meek and quiet spirit as we seek to love Jesus Christ with all our hearts!

~ Jordan Webster

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Welcome to Day 20 of The Challenge!

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Children, obey your parents in all things:
for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

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When I first read this verse the thought came to mind, “Hey wait, this is Ephesians 6:1 – Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.”  But not quite, this verse expounds on the verse a little differently then Eph. 6:1.  It adds that we are to obey in all things . . . wow, all things!  But what if we think our parents are too strict, too overbearing, or just out of touch?  God doesn’t say, “Children obey your parents in all things, if you think they are right.” No, God says that we are to obey our parents in all things. Why? Because it is pleasing unto God. Isaiah 43:7 says that we were created and made for His glory.  So if it would bring glory and pleasure to God to obey our parents in all things, then as followers of Jesus Christ we need to obey our parents in all things.

A couple of situations comes to mind as I read this incredible and very heart-provoking verse. What happens if our parents are non-believers? What if they ask us to do something that we believe is wrong? Do we just go ahead and do it because we have to obey our parents? The answer is no. As children, we can appeal to our parents in a humble fashion, sharing the convictions that God has given to us. These appeals need to be taken very seriously as the command to obey is from God. But God will provide a way if we allow Him to direct in the situation.  Humility is the key.

All in all, most of us don’t run into these kinds of situations. So we don’t have any reason for not obeying the directions of our parents. Most likely, the reason we don’t obey is because we allow pride into our lives, and we want to make our own decisions.  Remember Proverbs 16:18 – Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

My challenge to you all from this verse today is to first obey your parents in all things (don’t forget that important three-letter word all), and to always keep a humble spirit as we fulfill this command from God!

~ Kerzdenn Kowalchuk

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We will be combining days 18 and 19 of The Challenge
into one post on Colossians 3:18-19.

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Wives, submit yourselves unto your
own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

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Not exactly the most popular statement for a man (let alone a single man like Paul) to make. This verse is a strong contender for the most criticized verse in the entire Bible. If you find yourself reacting, take a deep breath. Let’s take a fresh look at what is being said.

Did you know that the first time this word “submit” was used in Scripture it was used to describe Jesus? He was only twelve years old and had been teaching in the temple. His parents, unsure of his whereabouts, began searching the city. When they finally found him, they rebuked him for running away. Jesus tried to explain his situation, but was misunderstood. Luke 2:51 says, “And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them.” Misunderstood, unappreciated, yet willing to submit. The outcome? The very next verse says, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”

As a husband, it is very humbling to have a wife who is willing to submit. If I was going to be really honest, I would probably describe it as scary. Scary because there is an increased responsibility when you know that the direction you give will be followed. Starting with her parents, Amanda made submitting a habit in her life. As a result, our relationship is not one of striving or arguing; I am forced into leading because she has learned the art of submitting. But it’s more than just her actions that are humbling; she has learned the harder part of submitting in attitude.

Does she just follow without letting me know how she’s really feeling? Yes. She has such a firm confidence in God that if she doesn’t agree with a decision I have made, she takes her problem to Him and asks Him to speak to me about it. If I didn’t ask her, I would rarely know how she really felt about the decisions I make. And that’s why I love asking! I love that girl and I want to know how she feels about our decisions. I want to know what she thinks we should do before I make a decision. Like Jesus, her practice of submitting has resulted in her being blessed with wisdom, stature, and favor – I love hearing her heart on the issues and decisions we face and I need the advantage of the wisdom, stature, and favor God has given her. And yet when it comes down to it, she makes sure I know that the decision is still mine to make and as long as I’m not asking her to do anything wrong, she will follow my lead.

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Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

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Why would God need to tell husbands to love and not be bitter at their wife? Because, like submission, love is not natural. It is not hard to focus on your wife. What is hard is learning to focus on her with her best interests in mind. Anything less is simply idolatry. Learning true love is a habit that has to be developed and maintained. I could start making a lot of decisions without ever considering how it affects my wife, but 1 Corinthians 13 describes love as being kind and not self-serving. Ephesians 5:25 tells husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. When did Christ give his life for the church? Christ gave his life for the church before the church even existed!

Why would a husband be bitter at his wife? If a husband makes an idol of his wife (focusing on her without love), he will soon discover that she cannot live up to his expectations. When she fails to meet his expectations, he begins to write her off. His disillusionment with her will soon result in her disillusionment with him. Add a few stressful situations, a further lack of love, a wife trying to reclaim her place as an idol and you have the perfect recipe for a man that resents his wife.

A final thought – notice that there is not an “if” to be found in either of these verses. We all have a responsibility to learn submission and love and our responsibility is not dependant on the actions of anyone else. Don’t forget the verse that came just before this passage – do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only His strength and His life living in you that will allow you to lay down your life and to learn submission. He alone can do it. May His life abound in you as you cultivate the habit of laying down your life. May His Spirit fill you as you enter into His submission and His love.

~ Andy and Amanda Warner

P.S. The amazing story of Andy and Amanda’s courtship was highlighted on livingthejourney.com last year in the article A Story of True Love.

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Welcome to Day 17 of The Challenge!

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And whatsoever ye do in word or deed,
do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.

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Sometimes in the Christian walk we are faced with tasks that are less than desirable, but instead of viewing these as a “dead-end” or a hindrance to our blooming reputation we should view each as an opportunity for the Lord to glorify Himself through us. Instead of wondering what praise this will accredit to our name, we must first seek to be like Christ and to have His mind which was to serve and to lay down His life unconditionally!

He is so good does He not deserve to receive honor through you and your testimony that He builds? He will reward you because He is faithful as you are diligent even in the small things. He has promised above and beyond what we could ever ask for or even imagine! What a beautiful Saviour we are truly privileged to serve!

~ Elizabeth Baldwin

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Welcome to Day 16 of The Challenge!

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Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with
grace in your hearts to the Lord.

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In order to live in the “new man”, the Word of Christ is to dwell within our souls. This means that the Word is to take deep root in our mind, will, and emotions so much so that it influences our entire being. It ought to affect our every action, word, motive, and feeling. Our lives out to be governed by the Word of God. Just as a father governs over his household and leads his family in ways that are right and good, so our Heavenly Father should govern over our hearts leading us in His righteousness and holiness.

How can we achieve this desire and obey this principle? Well, it’s simple. We have to get into the Word! We must spend time day after day letting the Word soothe our weary souls, bring joy for sorrow, and replace anxiety with peace. There will be days that we don’t feel like it or feel too busy to sit down and read, but sometimes we need to “crucify” our excuses and put our faith in action. As we immerse ourselves in the Word of God, we will begin to understand the breath, length, depth, and height of the love of God that surpasses all human understanding.

As we read and begin to meditate and “chew on” the cud of the Word, we will gain wisdom. Jesus Christ is wisdom personified. The more we know Christ, the more we will attain wisdom! Do you often get frustrated with unresolved questions concerning your life, future, relationships, choices, etc? I’m reminded of the verse that says “no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). Jesus wants to guide you in His way but how can He if you are following the desires of your heart instead of the desires of His?

Knowing God, loving God, and living for God is crucial to doing that which is right and good as a disciple of Jesus Christ. As we understand more of our Lord and begin to develop a more intimate relationship with Him, godly desires will start forming within us – desires to obey His commandments, edify and encourage the believer, and disciple those that God brings along our path. Our lives will begin to prosper and have a renewed sense of joy and purpose for we will be doing that which is pleasing in His sight!

As we look at the above verse, we see that we are not only to allow the Word to richly dwell within us but we are to teach and admonish one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Notice it’s not the songs of the world?! It’s not the sensuous rhythms and immoral words of our day that will teach us the ways of God. These will not enable us to delight in our Lord and His set-apart way but will rather bring about fears, bitterness, discontentment, and rebellion in our thinking and conduct.

As we sharpen and revive our spirits by our praise and adoration to Jesus Christ in a delightful singing of our hearts, we quicken, inspire, and encourage others in their walk with the Lord. As Matthew Henry so perfectly describes it: Singing “mutually excites affections and conveys instruction”.

Blessed is the one who abides at the feet of Jesus, soaking in His every Word, and then takes on the challenge of sharing it to the world around him. I encourage you, as well as myself, to diligently seek to know the heart of God. I think we’ll be amazed at just how much God loves us, desires the best for us, and how wonderfully blessed it is to be an ambassador of Jesus Christ!

~ Sara Nicole
http://simplysanctified.wordpress.com

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Welcome to Day 15 of The Challenge!

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And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
to the which also ye are called in one body;

and be ye thankful.

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Paganini, the great violinist, came out before his audience one day and made the discovery just as they ended their applause that there was something wrong with his violin. He looked at it a second and then saw that it was not his famous and valuable one. He felt paralyzed for a moment, then turned to his audience and told them there had been some mistake and he did not have his own violin. He stepped back behind the curtain thinking that it was still where he had left it, but discovered that someone had stolen his and left that old secondhand one in its place. He remained back of the curtain a moment, then came out before his audience and said:

“Ladies and Gentlemen: I will show you that the music is not in the instrument, but in the soul.” And he played as he had never played before; and out of that secondhand instrument the music poured forth until the audience was enraptured with enthusiasm and the applause almost lifted the ceiling of the building, because the man had revealed to them that music was not in the machine, but in his own soul.

The peace of God is that eternal calm which, when tested and tried, reveals to all earth and heaven that the music is not your conditions, or outside circumstances, but the music of life is in your soul. When you enter into the presence of God, you become a partaker of that undisturbed and undisturbable calm. It is the Scriptures which are used to prepare our hearts and cause us to yield to the sovereign purpose of God. The Spirit of God, through the Word of God, produces the peace of God.

“The peace of God” is to experience the inner peace of our soul, in union with Christ and through the presence of the Holy Spirit, which will at once settle every difficulty, resolve every conflict, and show us what is the will of God. When we are one with Christ, in whom God “called us with a holy calling” (II Tim. 1:9), and also one with Christians, “called in one body,” as Paul says here, there is no question as to the great power of divine peace in our lives. And when we have that peace filling our heart, praise will flow naturally to our lips. Not only in thankfulness, but also a sense of indebtedness to God for what was wrought by Him in Christ to bring about that peace.

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