Building Favor

1 Corinthians 4:1-2 “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” NKJV

We are stewards of God’s mysteries. We. He entrusted us failing, flawed, finite humans; entrusted with His name and the knowledge and message of the Mighty Creator.

Stewards (verse 1) comes from oikonomos, meaning ‘manager of, as household, affairs, farm, or of finances as treasurer.

If we were entrusted with the management of someone’s business for a time, or of the wealth of an individual, company, or nation, we would certainly be wise and careful, and faithful to attend to it, yes?

Why, then, do we take for granted and ignore the most valuable treasure in existence?

What is that ‘faithful’ we are required (yes, it says required, not ought) to be?

Let’s look.

Faithful. From pistos: can be relied upon; faithful in execution of commands

And I also found it very interesting where that word pistos comes from. Let me preface this next part by saying that we are loved and accepted by God no matter what we do, but that I have seen Scripture after Scripture where God is more pleased with someone in particular, or holds a greater favor toward them based on their actions.

Look at Abraham, David, and even Jesus. Jesus grew in favor with God. (Luke 2:52) Jesus Himself had the capacity to grow in greater favor. If Jesus’s favor in God’s eyes can grow, then certainly ours has room to grow, yes?

So let’s look at where faithful (pistos) comes from. It comes from peitho: to make friends of, to win one’s favor, to seek to win one, strive to please one.

Are we seeking and striving to please our Father? Are we seeking and striving to live out our faithfulness to Him?

Let’s go back one chapter to 1 Corinthians 3:9. It says that, even though (1 Cor 4:1) we are His servants, we are also His co-workers. We are working alongside Him. The actual root of the word ministers/servants in 4:1 is huperetes: underrower/subordinate rower, attendants of a kind, serves with hands, any who aids another in a work.

So we work, together with Him, but as His subordinate.

It also says we are His building. Again I find it humbling that He would choose us for His building.

Here’s where this is going to start coming together and getting more personal. Can you go there with me? Let’s get vulnerable and be changed, shall we?

Read 1 Corinthians 3:9-13.

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.” NKJV emphasis mine

Our Foundation is Jesus Christ. Thank goodness our foundation is God Himself. And One who is continually growing in favor with God, amen?

Anything we build from there in our lives or in the lives of others will either have eternal value and be that of worth, or it won’t (vs. 12).

And here’s where it might sting a little – each of our works will be “made manifest” (KJV) which is from phaneros: to appear, to be known openly, abroad.

God tries each work for its lasting value.

1 Cor 3:13 “their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.” NIV

And not only are our works tried, but we are tried as well. Are we of the quality that is pleasing to God? To gain favor in His eyes?

Zechariah 13:9 “And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” KJV

1 Peter 1:7 “That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” NKJV

1 Peter 4:12 “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.” NKJV

So if we are wanting to be His building of lasting worth, quality, and pleasing to Him, what needs to happen? If when we, and our works, are tried for what sort they are and we want them to be those of gold, silver, and precious stones, built on the solid foundation that we have, that is Jesus Christ, we must build wisely (vs 10). Pay careful attention to “how you build thereupon”.

1 Corinthians 3:10 “According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.”

Take a look at Nehemiah 4:10.

Nehemiah 4:10 “Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.”

This was an epic building project, rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Wouldn’t it have been disheartening to have spent all that work only to have it crumble away, or worse yet, blow away in the wind? That’s why they needed to first clear away the rubble.

Look at these excerpts from a commentary by John Brown.

“If the walls were built without clearing first, they would be unstable and ultimately fall again!”

“In the church as well as in our private lives, if anything is not built upon the ROCK, it has to go! If it is not built upon the ROCK then it is built upon the "rubbish" and must be cleared so the foundation can be seen and the building process started over!”

source

What sort of rubble might be in our lives to prevent our building efforts, our works, and even a strong relationship with God from lasting? This is highly applicable in our habits and disciplines – clear away the rubble to make room for good ones, to establish strong building of new habits and lasting disciplines, such as Scripture memory, prayer, and more.

Clear away the rubble on non-truths. You can’t build on these – your building will be unstable. The non-truths will crumble and you won’t know what to believe when it’s all crumbled in front of you.

Most importantly, clear away the rubble of those who you have wrongly put your faith in. Who are you really trusting in? If your object/person of faith was ‘tried for what sort it is’, would it last? Would it shine, or would it burn away?

So in closing, shall we take a hard look at how we’re building and what we’re building with? When the building that is us, and our lives, is tried, what will be made manifest? What will be left after the trying fire? Are the ways we are building on our foundation going to be truly pleasing and of increasing favor with God?

Let’s memorize:

1 Corinthians 3:13 “each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.” NKJV

Set Free 7 - Defeating Defeat

Defeat.

Middle English deffeten, from Anglo-French defait, past participle of defaire, desfaire to destroy, from Medieval Latin disfacere, from Latin dis- + facere to do

source

The word itself means destroy.

And that’s just what it does.

It destroys us from the inside out, and it doesn’t just make us discouraged. It destroys joy, destroys love, destroys hope, destroys faith. It destroys rest and peace.

It destroys grace.

We were called to victory.

Anything less is not what God wants for us.

Please read Joshua 1:5-9.

We are going to cover several passages today, so have your Bible-fingers ready.

In our text, God is talking to Joshua, who just had a huge responsibility passed off to him. A frightening, tiring, and mentally and emotionally taxing responsibility.

Does that resound with you at all?

It does with me, time and time again.

Not only do we have to do this thing called life, but we’ve got the whole spiritual warfare thing to fight now too? Time for a coffee break, right?

Q: What is an area (or areas, plural) in your life that has got you overwhelmed?

It is overwhelming. And God does ask a lot of us sometimes. But please take heart. He’s here alongside you.

Joshua 1:5 “No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.” NLT emphasis mine

And, Sister, He doesn’t want you to live defeated. He wants you to live in victory. That’s the whole reason He came. That’s the reason He left His Spirit to live inside of us.

Satan would love nothing more than for us to feel like we’ve lost the battle. Become battle-weary and allow our emotions and fatigue to take over our reasoning; our focus.

He wants us weary. He wants us dragging. And the longer he can get us to drag in the dirt, the more that’s all we’ll see, that’s what we’ll believe, and it will have us so covered in dirt that our light won’t shine.

He wants to steal our light. Steal our joy. Steal our faith.

John 10:10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” NKJV

Did you see it? Destroy. Defeat. Satan’s goal.

But do you also see the solution?

Jesus.

Just like we read in Joshua 1:5. We have already won because of Him.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” NKJV

(despair: to be utterly at loss, be utterly destitute of measures or resources, to renounce all hope; source)

God is there.

Romans 8:31b “…What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” NKJV

Our cause is His cause.

The heart of God in Joshua and countless other places through His Word shows that His desire for you is victory through Him.

Isaiah 54:17 “But in that coming day    no weapon turned against you will succeed.You will silence every voice    raised up to accuse you.These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord;    their vindication will come from me.    I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Do you see a resounding theme?

Q: In Isaiah 54:17 this victory is the heritage of whom?

Q: In Ephesians 6:10 we are told to be strong how?

Q: In Philippians 4:13 we are told that we can do all things, but how?

Look at 1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” NKJV 

So it is already ours. If we are living with a defeated heart, where is our focus?

Not where it should be. Not on Christ.

DO: Pray for God to reveal the areas you’ve been feeling defeated. In your journal, please describe them, and your thoughts as you encounter these situations from day to day. Pinpoint the time when your gaze shifts from God to self-sufficiency – I’ll bet that’s when you start battling feelings of defeat. Pray – visit with God about these issues and ask for His help keeping your focus on Him.

Grip His hand. Don’t let go.

Please read the last verses of our base text again;  Joshua 1:7-9.

Q: What tool did God give Joshua for success that he was to use day and night?

See also Hebrews 4:12 and Ephesians 6:11.

Though the command in Joshua 1:8 was spoken to Joshua, we would do well to obey it also. The war is the same one we’re fighting; the tools, reconnaissance and strategy are still the same.

God’s Words are the tools we need with us. And because we need it handy always, we NEED to memorize. This is not optional. We need to memorize to become a strong warrior. And so much of the battle is in our head, so wouldn’t it be prudent to put the weapons there too?

It may be a little daunting to realize that we are actually commanded not to feel dismay, however, when you look at the nuts and bolts of it, it looks like this:

Eyes off Christ = dismay.

Eyes on Christ = no dismay.

Not so daunting now, is it?

Take heart.

Take peace.

Don’t be defeated – because we are not defeated. Christ has the victory in hand already. Take His hand and accept victory. And keep looking to Him.

John 16:33 “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” NLT

We see the importance of memorizing God's Word. Start today! Get free printable index card of our memory passage here 

Set Free 1 - Beauty from Ashes

Captivity. Bound. Stuck. Oppressed. Slave. Enslaved. Bondage.

These words surely evoke some strong emotions. If you are like most of us, probable one or more of those words brought to mind a specific memory, situation, or person in your life.

Now let’s try a new set of words on for size:

Freedom. Free. Deliverance. Liberated. Liberty. Voluntary. Choice. Gratitude.

Different feelings, right? So tied together but so very different. And if you’re like most, there are some in that second group that seem a bit intangible, even foreign.

But they don’t have to be.

Not with Jesus.

In the next several sessions we’re going to look at how. It is my prayer that many of you would find healing, deliverance, and know (maybe even for the first time) what it means to be free in Christ.

Please realize that, as I pen this, I am still a pilgrim on a journey. So much progress has been made in my heart, but there’s still a long way to go.

You are not alone. I have not arrived. And though they are becoming less, I still have days when I struggle in this area, and I know there still many ahead.

Mark 14:38 or Matthew 26:41 “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” NLT

That said, let’s dig in.

The first thing I notice is that all are in bondage to begin with.

Romans 3:23 “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” NLT

Romans 3:10 “As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one.”” NLT

Romans 5:12 “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” NLT

As soon as we are born, we are in bondage to sin. Born with a sin nature, we serve sin. We are sin’s slave.

But the next thing I noticed was Jesus. Look at Him in our base text for today.

Read Luke 4:14-21.

Then flip over to see His heart in Luke 13:16

“Isn’t it right that she should be freed?”

It is right. No one should ever have to stay in bondage. Jesus’s heart cries for our freedom, and He came that we might have it. He gave His very life for us to have it.

It pains Him when we remain in bondage.

Even after we accept His free gift of salvation from our bondage to sin and its final sentence which is Hell, we sometimes remain in bondage.

This type of bondage has perhaps a few sources. The main one I’d like to consider today comes in the form of a spiritual attack.

Turn to 1 Peter 5.

1 Peter 5:8 “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” NLT

Satan would like nothing more than to turn our minds and heart and hope away from Jesus. Sometimes he attacks strongholds – the strong marriages, solid churches, or the mature Christians who stand to fall farther and often would pull people with them – creating a bigger victory for himself.

But sometimes, he attacks the weak spots. A small victory is better than no victory, right?

That spot where it already hurts, he plants a doubt:

God can’t help you with this one. This will never go away.

That fear you’re struggling to give over to God:

God’s not listening anyway. Your fears will come true.

And the guilt you can’t let go, he rubs raw.

You’re awful. No real Christian would’ve done what you’ve done. You should feel terrible.

And he splashes a big bucket of burning shame on you.

He hates you.

But Jesus.

But Jesus doesn’t.

Jesus loves you!

And He always will. He always thinks you’re worth it!

Look at the verse prior to the one we just looked at in 1 Peter. (I like the Amplified version, but will include both it and NKJV, because a shorter verse is easier to memorize and tuck away in your armor.)

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” AMP

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” NKJV

For today, I’d love for you to prayerfully ask God to reveal any areas of bondage in your life.

It may be obvious. It may not. It may be something you thought you already dealt with.

Be open to what He reveals.

Read the rest of the 1 Peter passage. Slowly; digesting it little by little. It is so applicable.

1 Peter 5:5-6 “In the same way, you younger men must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for God opposes the proud but favors the humble.  So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.” NLT

This humility is what we need for Him to reveal any painful chains.

1 Peter 5:7 “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” NLT

Hand them over. They’re too heavy for you, sister. He cares for you enough to take them.

1 Peter 5:8-9a “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith…” NLT

Be wary, and put up your Shield.  (Ephesians 6:16)

1 Peter 5:9b “…Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.” NLT

You’re not alone. Satan may try to get you to feel like you are, but Scripture is Truth, because God is Truth, and it says there are others like you, with like struggles.

Even Jesus went through it.

Hebrews 4:15b “…for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.” NLT

1 Peter 5:10-11 “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen.” NLT

This is temporary. God has the power to restore you. He has the power and desire to break your bondage.

Before we close, let’s look at the passage Jesus opened the Scriptures up to in our initial text in Luke 4. Drink it in.

Isaiah 61:1-3 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,    because the Lord has anointed me    to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,    to proclaim freedom for the captives    and release from darkness for the prisoners,to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor    and the day of vengeance of our God,to comfort all who mourn,    and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty    instead of ashes,the oil of joy    instead of mourning,and a garment of praise    instead of a spirit of despair.They will be called oaks of righteousness,    a planting of the Lord    for the display of his splendor.” NLT

In fact, let’s memorize this together, over the next weeks of our study together.
You can get a free printable card of this passage here

Matthew Henry brings out the poetry of that exchange – beauty for ashes.

A play on words – rearranging the actual word ‘ashes’ (epher) and turning it into ‘beauty’ (pheer).

And isn’t that so fitting?

Pray now about your bondage – no matter what kind it may be – that God would reveal it, take it, and turn it into something beautiful.

The Shepherd and the Door

Text: John 10:1-18, Psalm 23

He is our shepherd. He leads us.

Well known to most – even unbelievers – is Psalm 23. Christ our Shepherd, meeting our needs, leading us, offering protection; a home.

Let your mind paint and feel this for a moment:

Christ the shepherd. Loving, patient, tender care. Trust. Complete trust in Him. Vulnerability without Him. He is our one source. Our source for everything – safety, food… our very life.

We know Him. We know and trust; trust and know.

Romans 8:16 “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” NLT

You know that you know that you know Him; you know way down deep on your spirit-level, in the deepest inmost part. He says we know Him and know His voice.

John 10:4 “After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.” NLT emphasis mine

I find it interesting as we read John 10 that Jesus takes both the role of Shepherd and the Door to the Sheepfold. We briefly looked at Him as the Shepherd; now let us take a moment at the Door.

We see Christ in His entire earthly ministry, doing just that – ministering on earth; teaching on earth to people, humans on earth. You see Him stoop, patiently explaining in earth-terms with earth-imagery in the hope that we’ll get it.

I know you’ve heard someone trying to explain something, and when their audience is not getting it, they will impatiently throw their hands up and exclaim, “Do you need me to draw you a picture?”

Well that is what Christ does continually – minus the impatience. He knows our weak minds, and what it takes to reach them.

Psalm 103:14 “For he knows how weak we are;    he remembers we are only dust.”

And so He draws us a picture.

And He says, “I am the Door.” And He is.

John 14:6 “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” NLT

He tells us all others are thieves and robbers. All others. The others all entered in by another way – trying to climb up some other way, climbing up over the wall. (10:1)

I see several applications here. One being that they are trying to bypass the Shepherd.

But if we don’t – if we go through the Door, and not around it, we shall be saved. Accepted into the Sheepfold.

John 10:9 “Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.[b] They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.” NLT

Those thieves bring nothing but destruction. So following them ends in death.

John 10:10a “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy…” NLT

Proverbs 14:12 & Proverbs 16:25 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” NKJV

Romans 8:6 “So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” NLT

Romans 8:13 “For if you live by its (your sinful nature) dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.” NLT

Freely enter through the Door.

And most importantly remember, our Good Shepherd, who knows us, died in order that we might enter. That we might live.

Let that sink in.

He knows us.

And He still died for us.

What more can I say?

Do you feel as sheepish as I do right now? (Pun sortof not intended.)

He knows us. Are we making an effort to know Him? To know truth?
Let’s be diligent today and always, to study His truth and know it from the depths of our spirit.

“All the heart really knows is what the heart knows by heart.” – Ann Voskamp

Let’s memorize together, shall we?

As I write this, I’m working on Romans 8, and will do 12 after that, but let’s do some together! I am open to suggestions.

Would you like to join me in Romans, or should we select another passage?

Please share your input in the comments, or on our Facebook page.