Category Archives: 5x5x5 Reading Plan

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The Acid Test Of Authentic Spirituality

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: II Corinthians 8
Meditation: II CorInthians 8:9

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”

Shift Your Focus… Money is a touchy subject in most churches. Pastors have to tread lightly in this area these days or face being compared to money-grubbing televangelists, of which there seems to be an endless supply. Congregations get nervous about money too, sometimes feeling as if they exist only as a financial means to help the pastor achieve his ministry ends.

Periodically, I have a chance to watch religious services on television—which usually cures me from watching again for a long time—and it becomes apparent that some pastors have no fear of talking about money—or should I say, “asking” for it.  These spiritual leaders take offerings with skill and passion that would make a door-to-door encyclopedia salesman proud, and their congregations seem not to mind one little bit.

In most churches, however, this is not the case. Pastor and parishioner alike gets twitchy when it comes to offering time, and thus the subject that Jesus talked about more than anything else—money—is avoided like the plague.

But the Bible never backs off from the subject of money. William Allen has pointed out, “One verse in every six in the first three Gospels relates either directly or indirectly to money. Sixteen of our Lord’s forty-four parables deal with the use or misuse of money. A loving, joyful, liberal giving to the Lord’s work is an acid test of a spiritual heart, pleasing to God.”

The fact is, money is critical in the life of the believer and to the ministry of the church. God’s blessings are predicated upon his people being wise and faithful stewards of their resources, and the effectiveness of the church cannot be separated from the adequate resources it takes to carry out ministry. Every ministry I have encountered in my travels throughout the world, whether near or far, all face the same challenge: The resource challenge. Money is important!

That’s why Paul devotes two whole chapters to it here in I Corinthians 8 and 9. Paul wasn’t afraid to address this issue and challenge his people to have the right attitude toward giving. He knew that giving keyed both blessing to the giver and effectiveness for the ministry. And for that reason, Paul unashamedly promoted eager, generous, fair, joyful and expectant giving among God’s people.

And the basis for such an appeal was rooted in the eager, generous, fair, joyful and expectant giving of God revealed in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. That’s what the verse I began with is describing. In his generous grace, Jesus gave up the riches of heaven and took on the impoverished life of living as a human being in order that through his sacrificial giving we who were helplessly and hopelessly poor could partake in his eternal riches.

God is a giver. He set the example. He established the pattern. He did first what he now calls us to do. He gave his all, his very best, and he did so with eagerness and joy. He did it purposely and passionately. He did it for you and for me. And now he calls you and me to do it as well.

“Just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” (II Corinthians 8:7)

Perhaps it’s time for us to re-examine our attitudes toward money and giving. May our faithful stewardship in giving enable our faith to pass the acid test of true and God-pleasing spirituality.

“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.”  ~C.S. Lewis

Prayer… Father, all that I have is yours. All that I possess is from you. Even my ability to make a living is a gift from you. You are the true owner and giver of everything I have. So I re-dedicate myself to honoring you with the first fruits of my wealth, such as it is. My giving is my worship, and as such, I pray that it will be acceptable and pleasing to you. Cause my stewardship to result in the growth of your kingdom, and may souls stand in eternity some day as a direct outcome of my faithfulness in giving.

 

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Thank God For Pain

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: II Corinthians 7
Meditation: II Corinthians 7:9-10

“I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

Shift Your Focus… Thank God for pain. If we didn’t have it, we’d be in a world of hurt!

Pain is a gift from God, a gift nobody wants, but a sweet gift nonetheless. Why, because as Paul says, it leads us to sorrow. And Godly sorrow leads to repentance, and true repentance leads us to life.

Years ago there used to be a corny TV program called “Hee Haw”. I hate to admit it, but it was a family favorite—which tells you a lot about my family of origin. One of the skits in this show had a person that would come into the doctor’s office and describe to the doctor a place on their body that was hurting. They would say, “Doctor, it hurts when I do this.” Then the doctor would whack them upside the head and say, “Well, don’t do that!”

Dumb skit, great point! That’s what God says, “Don’t do that!” God in his grace has allowed us to experience pain, and our pain is meant to bring us to God. It is meant to cause us to look within and see where we have made missteps. It is meant to cause us to look without and see where we need to initiate change in our circumstances. It is meant to lead us to look ahead and evaluate how we can steer our life in a more God-honoring direction.

If you are going through a painful episode right now, I would suggest that you thank God for it. Famed Scottish theologian and hymn-writer George Matheson once prayed,

 “My God, I have never thanked Thee for my thorns. I have thanked Thee a thousand times for my roses, but not once for my thorns. I have been looking forward to a world where I shall get compensation for my cross: but I have never thought of my cross as itself a present glory. Teach me the glory of my cross: teach me the value of my thorn. Show me that I have climbed to Thee by the path of pain. Show me that my tears have made my rainbow.”

By the way, Matheson went totally blind when he was twenty years old.

Pain is the gift nobody wants, but it is still a gift. It will open your eyes to the real and lasting beauty that awaits you in God.  So thank God for your pain, it may just turn out to be the best gift he has ever given you.

“Pain plants the flag of truth within the fortress of a rebel soul.” ~C.S. Lewis

Prayer… Father, I have been guilty of rejecting the thorns in my life as contrary to your will for me. Sometimes I whine and complain about the discomfort they bring. Lord, help me to endure discipline as a soldier of the cross. Help me to embrace my enemies as gifts disguised. Use every discomfort, every blow, every disappointment, every difficult person as your divine chisel to make me into the image of your Son. There is no higher purpose for me than to be like Jesus. Do what it takes to conform me to his likeness.

 

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Life Saving Narrow Mindedness

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: II Corinthians 6
Meditation: II Corinthians 6:14-16

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Satan? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.

Shift Your Focus… This is one of Christianity’s most difficult teachings. Not because we don’t understand it—Paul’s meaning is pretty obvious. This is a hard teaching because it is so challenging to actually live out in the practicality of our everyday lives. After all, though we are not of the world, we are certainly in it. Unless we are going to enter into communal living, we are pretty much required to live next to unbelievers, work for unbelievers, go to school with unbelievers, and buy, sell or trade among unbelievers.

So how do we keep separate from unbelievers when we can’t keep totally separate from them? The answer:

Very carefully!

We need to be very cautious and alert when entering into any kind of close and ongoing relationship with an unbeliever where influence will be exchanged. And we need to be very realistic about that influence factor. So many Christians believe that they will be able to influence an unbeliever to faith in these kinds of relationships, but sadly, the outcome is far too often the exact opposite.

That’s why a Christian young person should not get into a serious dating relationship with an unbeliever. I would go so far as to say they shouldn’t date one at all. For sure, a believer should never marry an unbeliever! College students ought to think twice about where they live—the “Greek” life—fraternities and sororities—has swallowed many a Christian young person. Christian business people ought to be extremely reluctant about a business partnership with anybody other than a believer. Christian people should be very cautious about social circles that don’t have Christ as the common bond.

Obviously, that is very challenging to pull off, and you even may find that what I am suggesting seems unfair, exclusive, judgmental and intolerant. I agree! It does seem that way—but it is God’s Word, not mine.

In some ways, God’s Word calls us to be narrow-minded, for our own good. Being “narrow” is now one of the worst cultural sins that you can commit in America, but narrow just might save your life and preserve your destiny. Narrow isn’t always bad. A runway is narrow, too, but it is the only way to get an airplane safely to its destination. I don’t have all the answers to the questions Paul’s teaching evoke. I can’t tell you exactly how you should apply this to each of your relationships, but I do hope you will give some serious thought to what the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to say.

The narrow-mindedness God’s Word calls for will get you safely to heaven some day, so pay attention to it!

“I can tell you plainly…if you are at home in the world; if the things of time and sense are your element; if you feel one with the company of the world, the maxims of the world, the fashions of the world, the principles of the world, grace has not reached your heart—the faith of God’s elect does not dwell in your bosom.” ~J.C. Philpot

Prayer… Father, the people of faith we read about in your Word and in Christian history always felt like strangers and pilgrims on this planet. People of faith have always considered themselves to just be passing through, headed for a better home. They refused to get too earthbound. They lived with their bags packed, ready to go at a moment’s notice. My generation has lost that sojourner’s sense. Remind me through a fresh baptism of your grace that though I am in the world, I am not of it.

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A Lopsided Transaction

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: II Corinthians 5
Meditation: II Corinthians 5:21

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Shift Your Focus… What an amazing exchange that took place when Jesus hung on the cross as the sacrifice for sin!

Jesus became sin so that I could become saved.

Jesus was abandoned and I was embraced.

Jesus received God’s wrath and I received God’s righteousness.

Jesus got what he didn’t deserve and I got what I didn’t deserve.

Jesus didn’t get what he deserved and I didn’t get what I deserved.

Jesus got what I deserved and I got what Jesus deserved.

Jesus went through hell so that I could go to heaven.

Jesus endured hatred and I was showered with love.

Jesus died so that I could live.

Redemption is such a lopsided transaction, but such is the love of God. I got the far better deal in this exchange, and for that I will never cease to be grateful.

“At the heart of the story stands the cross of Christ where evil did its worst and met its match.”  ~John W. Wenham

Prayer…  Lord Jesus, all I can say in response is “thank you!”  And all I can do to pay you back is to offer the rest of my life as one big thank you—and that I will gladly do.

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Light and Momentary Troubles

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: II Corinthians 4
Meditation: II Corinthians 4:16-18

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Shift Your Focus… One of Satan’s chief tools is to discourage us by making our lives difficult. Through trying times, the Enemy tempts us to doubt God’s goodness and sufficiency. When we are hurting, it is not uncommon for us to wonder if God really loves us at all. And unfortunately, as we have all witnessed, discouragement has led some to even abandon their trust in God.

Since discouragement is common to all believers, has God provided a way to break free from its powerful currents? How do you pull out of the whirlpool of doubt? Paul gives the key in these verses. He says it is to live with what I would call an eternal perspective.

You have to develop an eternal perspective. You have to exercise the spiritual discipline of seeing life through God’s eyes, of filtering everything through the lens of Scripture. The only real answer to discouragement and doubt is to penetrate the fog of your present circumstances with spiritual vision that focuses clearly and steadfastly into the unfailing character and covenant faithfulness of God.

God has promised that your troubles here in this world are only momentary. Furthermore, they are not only ephemeral, they are purposeful—they are achieving in you something eternal. And in the light of eternity, your troubles now are nothing compared to the glory you will experience then. Your present troubles are the raw material for future glory. Therefore, Paul says, fix your gaze on the glory.

Now I don’t mean to minimize the pain that we have to endure in this life. It is never fun, and I wouldn’t wish pain on you or me for all the tea in China, even knowing the eternal glory that it is achieving. Yet Paul’s advice remains the same: Keep your eye on the prize, because if you endure, glory awaits. Just remember, what Satan means for harm, God uses for good. In fact, let’s not forget that God uses problems and pain in our lives to do some of his best work, not just for the life to come, but for the here and now. James 1:2-4 says,

“Whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.”

In your light and momentary afflictions, God is producing good for now and glory for later! That truth reminds me of a story I came across several years ago of a man who lost his job, a sizable fortune, and his beautiful home.  To add to his sorrow, his wife died.  Yet he tenaciously held on to his faith, the only thing he had left.

One day when he was out walking in search of a job, he stopped to watch some men who were doing stonework on a large church.  One of them was chiseling a triangular piece of rock. So he asked, “Where are you going to put that?”

The workman said, “Do you see that little opening up there near the spire?  Well, I’m shaping this stone down here so that it will fit up there.”

Tears filled the man’s eyes as he walked away because the lesson was suddenly clear: God was chiseling his life down here so it would fit up there.

If you are going through the chiseling of “light and momentary afflictions”, hang in there! God is getting you ready for some eternal glory. And “up there,” it is going to be a great fit!

“Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties.” ~Charles Spurgeon

Prayer…  Father, it is an awesome thing to be under your expert care.  No matter what I am going through here and now, you are chiseling me for glory there and then.  Help me to keep that perspective in every circumstance. Help me to remember at all times that my pain is nothing compared to the gain of being the object of your eternal love.

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A Living Resume For Our Loving Redeemer

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: II Corinthians 3
Meditation: II Corinthians 3:3

“Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it—not with ink, but with God’s living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives—and we publish it.”

Shift Your Focus… Having a great job or getting into an upper tier college in America these days requires having an impressive resume.  You will also need a list of personal references who will stand up for you and your abilities with letters of recommendation that make you look like a cross between Albert Einstein and Mother Teresa. People want proof that you are who you claim to be and that you can do what you say you can do.

Did you realize that you, yourself, are somebody’s resume? That’s what Paul says here in II Corinthians 3. When so many other ministers were bragging about themselves and getting letters of reference sent on their behalf, all Paul had to do was point to the people he was shepherding and say, “Take a look at their lives. They’ll tell you a lot about the depth of my character and the quality of my ministry.”

What was true for Paul is true for your shepherd, or your spiritual mentor, or the person who led you to Christ so many years ago. Now if that is the case, what does their resume look like? What kind of letter of recommendation do you provide for them? If they were applying for a job based on the spiritual fruit in your life, would they be hired?

Every Christian is a living resume for a spiritual leader. We just cannot escape that fact. We give the ministry under which we are shepherded credibility—or not. We are a walking advertisement for the fellowship to which we belong—for good or for bad. Most importantly, we are a living resume for our loving Redeemer—making Jesus attractive or repulsive.

May we so live our lives each and every day that others will want to follow Christ because they see the real deal in us!  Jesus said it like this in Matthew 5:16

“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

So let your little light shine, friend!

“Character in a saint means the disposition of Jesus Christ persistently manifested.” ~Oswald Chambers

Prayer… Father, my greatest desire is that I will make the Gospel of Jesus Christ appealing by my spiritual fruit. Help me this day, and every day, to be your living letter, drawing people to you by the compelling story told by my life.