“We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (II Corinthians 4:18)
The Apostle Paul gives us an insight here on how we should evaluate our service at church and other Kingdom enterprises — as well as the state of our own spiritual lives: Continue reading
Several years ago, Chuck Norris, the actor and martial arts expert (who is also a Christian) had finished a long day of acting in a Texas town, and had gone to get dinner. While he was sitting in the restaurant, a man came up to him and said, “You are sitting in my booth.” Norris didn’t like the man’s tone, but he just got up quietly and moved to another booth. A few minutes later, the man came back to him and said, “You’re Chuck Norris, aren’t you?” He said he was. The man said, “You could have kicked me around just then, but you didn’t!” And Norris proceeded to talk to the man, and made a friend of him. Chuck Norris illustrates the meaning of the quality we are looking at today in Matthew 5:5, the quality we call “meekness.” “Meekness” is not “weakness”; it is strength submitted to the control of God and His will.
This morning we are continuing our study on “The Disciple’s Character” – at how the Beatitudes of Matthew 5:3-12 are composed of eight character qualities of Jesus Christ, which God is working everything together to build into your life. We have seen that the first, and indispensable quality is that of poverty in spirit – dependence upon God. You must totally depend upon HIM to even enter the kingdom (“nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling”), hence “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Then last week we looked at the quality of mourning, that if we mourn our sins, and the sins of others, and turn them into tearful prayers, God will hear and answer those prayers for ourselves and others. And of course, Christ exemplifies both of these qualities.
But this morning we come to a quality that is perhaps the most misunderstood of any of the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the meek” (or some translations say “gentle.”) Whenever a person uses the word “meek”, there is picture that comes to mind: timid, mousy, fearful, weak. That is not what the word means. Chuck Norris in that restaurant was not “weak”; he was “meek.” There is a big difference. Let’s look at what the Bible tells us about this important quality … Continue reading
“For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” (II Corinthians 4:17)
The Apostle Paul gives the Corinthians — and us — three reasons in this verse why we can find comfort regarding the afflictions that we as Christians have to endure here on earth: Continue reading
Tens of millions of people are excited today, because it is “Super Bowl Sunday”. They will gather to watch the biggest football game of the year. Multiplied millions of dollars have been spent — while out I saw a pickup truck yesterday with a new 65″ big screen tv in a box in the back; no coincidence that he bought the tv the day before the big game! Snacks are being prepared; and the internet has been filled with recipes for snacks for the big event. And many Christians, including myself, will be joining in. But there is a difference for us. Continue reading
In II Corinthians 4:16, the Apostle Paul wrote: “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, our inner man is being renewed day by day.”
We looked previously at how a Christian does not become holy all at once, in a crisis experience, but in the “process” of sanctification, “day by day.” (See devotion on that topic here).
But this should also lead us to consider our daily walk with the Lord. Continue reading
“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” (II Corinthians 4:16)
The first part of this verse describes how a believer need not lose heart at the deterioration of their body, because they can see a corresponding spiritual growth in their lives that is preparing them for heaven (See yesterday’s devotion on this here.) But a key facet of this verse is found in the next phrase: “IS BEING RENEWED DAY BY DAY.” This phrase describes the ongoing process of sanctification, or holiness, in the life of the believer.
One of the important things this reminds us of is that sanctification is a PROCESS. Continue reading
“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man in decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” (II Corinthians 4:16)
It is a sobering reality to many when they observe the gradual decline of their physical abilities. Many become depressed and discouraged by what they are experiencing. But the Apostle Paul indicates here that it is not so for him — and it will not be so for wise Christians today, either. Continue reading
“… that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.” (II Corinthians 4:15)
This verse reveals something very important when it tells us what happens when God’s grace is spread to more people. It says that more thanks is given, “to the glory of God.” This phrase “to the glory of God” teaches us that it is praise to God that is our ultimate aim or goal. Continue reading
Many times over the years, people have come to my office, feeling very troubled over a sin or a habit in their life. And sometimes they will say something like: “I feel so bad about that sin; I am not even sure that I am a Christian.” But the truth is, oftentimes the OPPOSITE is true: if you are a real Christian, you will most likely feel worse about your sin than an unbeliever would.
— Jonathan Edwards, the great American pastor and theologian from the 1700’s, said that as a Christian, “I have had a vastly greater sense of my own wickedness and the badness of my heart than ever I had before my conversion.”
— Donald Whitney, in his book we studied in Discipleship here last fall, 10 Questions To Diagnose Your Spiritual Health, wrote “the fact that there is a struggle with sin, and a sense of grief because of sin, is good. Unbelievers have no such struggles or griefs.”
I’ve seen Christian guys who mourned and grieved over the fact that they had used pornography — but I’ve also seen that lost guys often just laugh and boast about it! So, far from feeling bad about your sin meaning that you are NOT a Christian; it may be the very sign that you really ARE a Christian — or that you are about to become one! Continue reading
God opens the majestic concluding chapter of the Book of Isaiah by proclaiming: “Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me?” In other words, we human beings cannot build a “place” to hold God, in which we might locate and fellowship with him. He cannot be contained by our buildings — whether it be the Temple on the mount in Jerusalem, or any of our contemporary worship centers. Where then can we meet God? He tells us in the next verse: Continue reading
I'm a retired Southern Baptist pastor of almost 40 years. My wife Cheryl & I moved to Norman, OK in March of 2025. I share a weekly overview for Sunday School teachers of the weekly Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, as well as texts of my sermons and other articles.
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