Holy Living

Holy Living

Mitch Marlowe / General

Holy Living starts right now

It Starts Right Now

1 Peter 3:15–17 NIV84

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

In your hearts...SET

There has to be intention.  There has to be purpose.  You have to mean to do it!  How do you position your heart to set apart Christ as Lord?  What is Lord of your life? 

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume 1 Peter 3:8–15

We sanctify the Lord God in our hearts when we with sincerity and fervency adore him, when our thoughts of him are awful and reverend, when we rely upon his power, trust to his faithfulness, submit to his wisdom, imitate his holiness, and give him the glory due to his most illustrious perfections.

Matthew 6:9 NIV84

“This, then, is how you should pray:

         “ ‘Our Father in heaven,
         hallowed be your name,

Isaiah 8:13 NIV84

         The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,
         he is the one you are to fear,
         he is the one you are to dread,

1 Peter: An Introduction and Commentary b. Trust Christ (3:14b–15a)

To reverence Christ as Lord means really to believe that Christ, not one’s human opponents, is truly in control of events. To have such reverence in your hearts is to maintain continually a deep-seated inward confidence in Christ as reigning Lord and King, who even now has ‘angels, authorities, and powers subject to him’

The Letters of James and Peter The Christian’s Security in a Threatening World (1 Peter 3:13–15a)

Christians are people for whom God and Jesus Christ are of prime importance in life; their relationship to God in Christ is life’s greatest value. If people’s hearts are set on earthly things, possessions, happiness, pleasure, an easy life and comfort, they are of all people most vulnerable. For, in the nature of things, they may lose these things at any moment. Such people are desperately easily hurt. On the other hand, if they give to Jesus Christ the unique place in their lives, the most precious thing for them is their relationship to God, and nothing can take that from them. Therefore, they are completely secure.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Seven: Preparing for the Best! (1 Peter 3:8–17)

It is Matthew 6:33 and Romans 12:1–2 combined into a daily attitude of faith that obeys God’s Word in spite of consequences. It means being satisfied with nothing less than the will of God in our lives

Matthew 6:33 NIV84

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Romans 12:1–2 NIV84

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Be Prepared

Once a Boy Scout, always a Boy Scout!  For many years, I had the honor of being involved in scouts.  The very foundation of the scouting world is its motto:  BE PREPARED!

Paul is giving us the the scout motto here way before scouts existed!

How can you be prepared to give an answer for the hope you have?

We have a couple of distinct imperatives here.

1 Peter 3:15 NIV84

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have."

If someone were to ask you why you have the faith you have, what would you say? 

Perhaps you have the faith that your parents had.

Perhaps you have the faith you have because it felt like the right thing to do.

Or, just maybe you have the faith you have because you can remember a time in your life where you realized you were a sinner and needed to have a Savior, you repented from your sin and asked Christ into your life.

I think that is the answer Paul was looking for!  What is the reason for your hope? 

Think with me for a moment, does the hope you have make so much of a difference in your life that others notice it?

If one is hopeful, what does that look like?

•    There is strength and courage

Psalm 31:24 NIV84

         Be strong and take heart,
         all you who hope in the LORD.

•    There is patience

Psalm 33:20 NIV84

         We wait in hope for the LORD;
         he is our help and our shield.

•    There is renewed strength

Isaiah 40:31 NIV84

         but those who hope in the LORD
         will renew their strength.
         They will soar on wings like eagles;
         they will run and not grow weary,
         they will walk and not be faint.

•    There is encouragement

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV84

 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

•    There is goodness

Lamentations 3:25 NIV84

         The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
         to the one who seeks him;

•    There is boldness

2 Corinthians 3:12 NIV84

Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.

•    There is faith and love

Colossians 1:3–6 NIV84

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.

Peter gives the admonition to always be prepared to give an answer for the hope we have, but he goes a step further to describe how we should give that answer:  with gentleness and respect.

When you give others answers for the hope you have, do you give that answer with gentleness and respect or do you give that answer with a cocky, know-it-all attitude? 

Proverbs 15:1 NIV84

A gentle answer turns away wrath,
         but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 25:15 NIV84

         Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,
         and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

Paul was explaining this further to the Corinthians when he teaching them how to live in 1 Corinthians 4.

1 Corinthians 4:12–21 NIV84

We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.
I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

Philippians 4:5 NIV84

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Peter reminds us that when we give the answer to the hope we have, we are admonished to do so with gentleness AND respect.

Aretha Franklin said best, "R-E-S-P-E-C-T, FIND OUT WHAT IT MEANS TO ME! R-E-S-P-E-C-T"

1 Peter 2:17 NIV84

Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

Leviticus 19:32 NIV84

“ ‘Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD.

Are you prepared to give an answer for the hope you have?

This was a very tumulteous week for our country.  People bashing each others' beliefs and thoughts.  There was an absence of gentleness and respect. In fact, through out the whole election process, there was an absence of gentleness and respect.  How are you doing with your scores in gentleness and respect?  Peter tells us that we are to answer for the hope we have in gentleness and respect, "keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." 

Notice here that Peter does not say if or when those that speak.  He is implying that it will happen.  Have you ever had someone speak maliciously against you?  How did you react?  Have you ever spoken maliciously against someone?  Did you honor Christ when that happened?

There is another song from the 60's written by Peter Scholtes, a Catholic priest, that describes what will happen if we take this passage from 1 Peter seriously:

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah they'll know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we'll guard each man's dignity and save each man's pride
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

Have you set apart Christ as Lord and are you prepared to give an answer for the hope you have to everyone which you come in contact?  Are you doing this with gentleness and respect?  Don't you think it is time to do so?

Advice for America

Advice for America

Proverbs 3:5-6

On July 4, 2016, we observed the 240^th birthday of the independence of the United States of America.  History tells us that our forefathers left Europe to come to a land where they could be free from tyranny and having to submit to British rule.  They wanted to have the opportunity to worship freely and to build this great land on the power and Sovereignty of God.  In fact, they penned what we know now as the Declaration of Independence.  The last line of this great document states, “And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.”  It is no doubt that this great country was built on the principles of Christianity.

Michelle Anderson, on her website www.faithofourfathers.net writes “The pilgrims, as you will recall, were, Christians fleeing Europe in order to escape religious persecution, and they literally began their stay in their new land with the words, ‘In the name of God, Amen.’ The pilgrims were followed to New England by the Puritans, who created bible-based commonwealths. Those commonwealths practiced the same sort of representative government as their church covenants. Those governmental covenants and compacts numbered more than 100, and were the foundation for our Constitution.

New Haven (Connecticut) and Massachusetts were founded by Puritans who wanted to reform the Church of England, who later became known as Congregationalists. Roger Williams founded the colony of Rhode Island based on the principle of freedom of conscience. Pennsylvania was established by William Penn as a Quaker colony. Maryland was a haven for Catholics from Protestant England.

America was indeed founded by bible-believing Christians and based on Christian principles. When they founded this country, the Founding Fathers envisioned a government that would promote and encourage Christianity.”

Did you know that of the first 108 colleges and universities in our country only 2 were not founded on the principles of Christianity.  Harvard and Yale were developed to help promote Christianity.  In fact, in order to be admitted to the University of North Carolina in 1819, a student had to have studied the Book of John and the Book of Acts in Greek.  I spent over years as the Associate Dean of Students at a small Presbyterian affiliated college and I can assure you that was not a requirement of those students to be admitted.  In fact, there were absolutely no requirements whatsoever that had anything remotely to do with Christianity.  We did offer opportunities for worship and clubs that could be on campus promoting Christianity, but these certainly were not the main reason for the existence of the college. 

So are we as a country still one that is based on the principles of Christianity?  Somewhere, somehow, the tide had turned and today every principle that was held near and dear to our forefathers seemingly has gone by the wayside.  The principles of Christianity that were the strongholds that built this country seem to have become annoying out of date suggestions that really just do not matter.  I have found myself to be troubled by this.  I have shaken my head at those trying to run for political offices and thought we are just hopeless.  I have even jumped on the bandwagon of the old Hee Haw song…. “Gloom, despair and agony on me.  Deep dark depression, excessive misery.  If I had no bad luck, I have no luck at all. Gloom despair and agony on me….”

But I have realized something… this is not the first time in the history of mankind in which it seems that all mankind is doomed.  In fact, in every era of history there has been this sense of gloom despair and agony on me.  But we do not have to live that way.  In fact, the Word of God portrays a message that is quite au contraire.  As long as you and I have breath, we have hope.  And for those of us who have come to the place in our lives where we have asked Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, we will have hope for all eternity.  So what do we do? 

Proverbs 3:5-6 was introduced to me when I was a senior at Statesville High School.  My English teacher, Mrs. Jolly had the courage to sign my yearbook with the wisdom of these verses.  Although I had been a Christian since I was 8 years old, I really don’t remember hearing much about these short pearls of scripture.  Quite honestly, I can’t tell you the last time I have even heard a sermon centered on these verses. But I can tell you this:  if you and I start adhering to the concepts of these verses, the world as we know it will change and change for the glory of God!  Let me share them with you!

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.^[1]

Look at that very first word, TRUST.  Think about what you have put your trust in just in that last few hours.  You trusted your spouse this morning with a cup of coffee that didn’t have poison in it.  You trusted a shiny little object that you stuck in a hole in your car and started a 200 horsepower engine.  You trusted that car to get you from your home to this wonderful church building.  Along the way, you trusted those drivers coming toward you to not veer over into your lane and cause you to have a wreck.  You trusted this pew that you are sitting on to hold you up and the really big person just down the row from you.  We could go on and on, but the point is made.  You and I trust a whole lot!  The bible is telling us to put our trust in the Lord.  How are you doing with that?  Do you find that as you go through this thing called life that you are trusting other things more than you are trusting the Lord?  Sometimes, I bet you, like me even trust things that are not even real!  Just because someone said it on Facebook does not mean it is real!  We must understand that if there is one thing we can wholeheartedly trust, it is the LORD!  But we must make sure it is of the Lord!  Watch this.  If you take the word TRUST as an acronym, you can begin a process that will help you make sure it is of the Lord. 

TOTALLY

RELY

UPON

SOVEREIGN

TRUTH

In my mind, using this acronym, I can test my trust!  First and foremost, I have to have an understanding about who God is and what He has done for me.  If I am willing to learn about Him, allow His love to come into my heart and mind, and then experience Him fully as I learn more about Him through His word, then I ought to be able to grow in that relationship to TRUST Him!  So if I am TOTALLY RELYING UPON SOVEREIGN TRUTH, then there is no argument, there is no misunderstanding, and there is no wavering.  I have to come to a place where I am willing to allow that to happen.  If I can do this, then the rest will fall in place!  First, I simply TRUST IN THE LORD!  I am not going to place my trust in a politician or a concept, I am going to trust the Lord! 

Look at how this first step makes the rest of these verses flow:  If I put my trust in the LORD, if I am TOTALLY RELYING UPON HIS SOVEREIGN TRUTH, then I am not going to lean on my own understanding.  A few weeks ago, we were sitting at the dinner table eating supper.  I was sitting in this chair that I had made sure a few days earlier that the screws that held the legs on were tight.  I had this understanding that this chair was very solid.  After a couple of bites and conversation with my family, I felt this chair suddenly just collapse underneath me and down I went!  The screws were tight, but the frame was not!  That chair needed to be re-glued and tightened up in an area that I failed to see!  My own understanding was that it was a good chair.  The reality was it was not.  What would have happened if I had prayed, asking God to give me wisdom about that chair?  My God is sovereign!  My God knows ALL. His word tells me that if I need wisdom, to ask and He will give it to me.  Leaning on my own understanding has too often caused me to be embarrassed, hurt, and surprised!  However, when I trust the Lord, and lean not on my own understanding, what do you think happens?  Well, I am glad you asked!

Trusting the Lord has never left me hurt, embarrassed, or ashamed in the long run.  The very nature of God is to love us exactly where we are, but love us enough to not let us stay in that condition!  The remainder of these verses indicate that very concept.  Trust in the Lord.  Lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Notice what these verses do not say:  They do not say if you trust in the Lord, your life will be sunshine and daisies!  They do not say that you won’t have hardships and trouble!  They do not say you might have straight paths!  They do not say that He won’t give you understanding!  But they do say, God is trustworthy, God cares for you and me, and if you and I acknowledge Him in everything we do, He is going to be faithful and He will make our traveling less weary.

There’s an underlying theme in these verses that tells us about the nature of God.  Throughout the word of God, we can see His desire for His people to be in fellowship with Him.  He wants that more than anything, but we have this problem.  The bible tells us that because He is so Holy, we cannot have a relationship with Him because we are not holy.  In fact, even if we have committed only just a white lie, we are unholy and are separated from God.  God however because of His great love for us, provided a sacrifice, a bridge if you will that purifies us and cleanses us through the shedding of life.  The bible tells us that God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have life and have it eternally!  In other words, so that you and I can have a relationship with this holy God, a sacrifice had to be given.  That sacrifice was named Jesus and because of His great love for his father and for you and I, he paid the price.  The only thing you and I have to do, is to simply say thank you, acknowledge him as Lord and Savior by turning from ourselves and selfish ways, and allow him to come into our hearts and take over our lives.

Want to make America better?  Start by making yourself better by

5   Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

6   in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.^[2]

Here are a few questions to consider:

·        Are you really putting your TRUST in the Lord?

·        Are you really making your Lord SOVEREIGN?

·        What of your ways could you acknowledge Him better?

Consider this prayer:

Holy Father, thank you that you are trustworthy.  Thank you for wanting your children to depend on you, your ways, and your word.  Forgive me when I try to lean on my own understanding.  Help me begin to make this country great again by beginning to practice first and foremost trusting you, leaning not own my understanding, but acknowledging you in all that I do!  Show me your faithfulness.  Guide me.  Lead me.  Help my light shine for you and only for your glory.  Help me to be that instrument of peace, love and help me show Jesus in everything I do!

Because He Lives,

Amen.

---

^[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Pr 3:5–6). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

^[2] The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Pr 3:5–6). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Blessings or Curses?

Lately I have been studying blessings and curses.  I find it quite controversial in the portrayal of being bound by the law and the sufficiency of grace.  Nevertheless, we all experience strongholds sometimes from which we need to learn how to be released.  In my study, I found this 7 Step method that just may be helpful to those who continue to struggle with habits that are controlling.

Seven Steps to Release  

Adapted from Blessing or Curse, authored by Derek Prince, 1990

1.       Confess your faith in Christ and in His sacrifice on your behalf.

a.      Romans 10:9-10

b.      Hebrews 3:1

2.      Repent of all your rebellion and your sins.

a.      Mark 1:15

b.      Matthew 3:2

3.      Claim forgiveness of all sin.

a.      1 John 1:9

b.      Hebrews 10:22

4.      Forgive other people who have ever harmed you or wronged you.

a.      Mark 11:25

b.      Luke 11:4

c.      Colossians 3:13

5.      Renounce all contact with anything occult or satanic.

a.      2 Corinthians 6:14-15

b.      Ephesians 5:1-7 (emphasis on verse 7)

6.      You are now ready to pray the prayer for release of any curse.

a.      Mark 11:24

b.      Matthew 7:7

c.      John 14:13-14

d.      Prayer of Release

Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that You are the Son of God and the only way to God; and that you died on the cross for my sins and rose again from the dead.  I give up all my rebellion and all my sin and I submit myself to You as my Lord.  I confess all my sins before You and ask for Your forgiveness- especially any sins that exposed me to a curse.  Release me also from the consequences of my ancestor’s sins.  By a decision of my will, I forgive all who have harmed me or wronged me- just as I want God to forgive me.  In particular I forgive… I renounce all contact with anything occult or satanic- if I have any “contact objects” I commit myself to destroy them.  I cancel all satan’s claims against me.  Lord Jesus, I believe that on the cross You took on Yourself every curse that could ever come upon me.  So I ask you now to release me from every curse over my life- in Your Name, Lord Jesus Christ.  By faith I receive my release and thank You for it.

7.       Now believe that you have received and go on in God’s blessing!

a.      Ephesians 3:20

           b.      Deuteronomy 28:2-12

c.      Galatians 3:13

d.      John 16:13-15

Pretty Cool for a 53 Year Old....

It happened out of the blue.  Several family members gathered to honor my mom's 75th birthday.  We had been laughing and eating there in the local Mexican restaurant in my hometown.  Conversations were happening on both ends of our table of 13.  My mother starts talking about the success of a local church since their new pastor has come on board.  She mentions that they were looking for a youth minister. We had been talking about my job possibilities as I had been looking for work for a couple of months, so I immediately said that my days of youth ministry were over since I was 53 years old.  Then it happened.  My 13 year old daughter Madison Joy blurts out, "I don't know Dad, you are pretty cool for a 53 year old!"  Wow!  Did I hear that correctly?  My teenage daughter, who is active in the local Young Life group, a leader in her school and our church's youth group, put me in the category of "cool!"  I wasn't wearing skinny jeans nor did I have a messy hairstyle.  I didn't have a guitar close by nor did I have a crazy game ready to play.  In spite of not having access to the things that I think make a youth minister cool, my daughter thought I was cool enough to be a youth minister. I was humbled and honored. My mind flashed back to the 17 years I spent in youth ministry and I pictured those students I had the privilege to serve.  In just a few moments, I had fond memories of students and how their lives were changed because they encountered the love of Christ.   Some of them have been in contact recently through social media.  It has been interesting over the years to see pictures of their families, hear about their jobs, and see their involvement in their respective churches.  Some of them are youth ministers now.  Some are pastors.  Some are leaders in their churches.  I am amazed at their stories and how their faith in Christ has grown.  A flood of memories came pouring in because my amazing 13 year old daughter voiced out loud that she thought I was pretty cool for a 53 year old.  A day later, I was driving her to youth group, just the two of us.  I thanked her again for saying what she said and told her what it meant to me.  She smiled and said, "Dad, it is true.  You are pretty cool for a 53 year old!"  I don't know if I am cool or not, but I must be doing something right.  I dropped her off at church and smiled as I saw the crazy middle-schoolers gathering for their weekly meeting.  I prayed and thanked God for cool youth ministers and cool youth leaders, and for a daughter that thinks her dad is pretty cool for a 53 year old.  

Allowing Christ to Become Greater While I Become Less: Five Practical Ways to Start Doing This Today

John 3:30 “He must become greater; I must become less.”

The ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus are overlapping.  John has been preparing the way baptizing and calling for people to repent of their sins.  The other gospels portray him wearing clothes made from camel’s hair and wearing a leather belt.  They have him eating locusts and wild honey.  Isaiah 40:3 is quoted as a prophecy fulfilled, “A voice of the one calling in the desert, ‘prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”  Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all highlight Jesus being baptized by John.  All the gospels reveal that when John baptized Jesus, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus “like a dove.”  God revealed to John that Jesus was the Son of God.  So when someone came to John saying that others are going to Jesus to get baptized, John quickly responded that Jesus was the Christ, not himself, and others should be going to Jesus to be baptized.  He talks about a joy he has in knowing that Jesus is the Christ and his preaching has been fulfilled.  John the Baptist then makes this statement, “He must become greater; I must become less.”  John’s statement is quite profound.  It is the truth of the gospel. You and I could learn much from this attitude and idea.  Christ must become greater.  You and I must become less.  Well, how do you do that?  How do we make Christ greater and how do we become less.  I am glad you asked!  I want to share with you how you can begin this process today.

First and foremost, in order for Christ to become greater and for us to become less, we must have an understanding about who Christ is.  The Bible has hundreds of names for Jesus.  Understanding who Jesus is means that we have an understanding what each of those names mean.  Many men and women who are much better scholars than I could ever be have devoted their lives to studying scripture and examining these names of Jesus.  Let’s just take one of these names:  Lord.  In the New Testament alone, Lord is used 3,322 times in 3,058 verses.  Dictionary.com defines lord “as a person who has authority, control, or power over others; a master, chief, or ruler.” With this definition in mind, making Jesus Lord means you are giving Him authority, control, and power over your life.  Have you come to the place in your life where you have allowed this to happen?  It is interesting to know that just because Jesus is Lord, He only becomes Lord of your life when you allow Him to do so.  John the Baptist simply stated here, “He must become greater; I must become less.”  If you allow Jesus to be Lord of your life, you are allowing Him to become greater.  Romans 10:9 states “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  2 Corinthians 4:5 states, “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”  1 Peter 3:15 states, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”  Can you answer the question when asked if Jesus is Lord?  He must become greater, I must become less.

Secondly, in order for Christ to become greater and for us to become less, we must forgive as we have been forgiven.  In Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer, we hear that familiar line Luke 11:4 “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.  And lead us not into temptation.” Ephesians 4:32 reads “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Colossians 3:13 reads “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”  Hebrews 8:12 reminds us just how much we have been forgiven:  “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”  Psalm 103:11-12 also remind us “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”  You and I have been forgiven greatly! What would happen in your world if you forgave as you have been forgiven?  You will become less and Christ will become greater!

Thirdly, in order for Christ to become greater and for us to become less, we need to love as we are loved.  In John 15:12, Jesus said “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”  1 Corinthians 13:4-7 reminds us that “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”  A few chapters later in 1 Corinthians 16:4, Paul simply states “Do everything in love.”  How’s your love life?  Is your love evidence that you are allowing Christ to become greater and you becoming less?  There are times when I will argue with the Lord about who I should love.  Just this week I was driving down the road in a 55 mile per hour zone behind a car from Florida driving 35.  I promise you that my thoughts and actions did not reveal that I was becoming less.  I certainly did not love that driver very much, but when they turned on their turn signal, I rejoiced!  Are you like me?  Are you conditional with your love?  If so, are we allowing Christ to become greater and ourselves to become less?  Ephesians 5:1-2 reads, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”  Honestly, there have been times when my lack of loving others has not produced a fragrant offering.  In fact, I am certain that it has stunk all the way to heaven.  In order for Christ to become greater, I must become less by living a life of love.

Fourth, in order for Christ to become greater and for us to become less, we need to become students of His word.  2 Timothy 2:15 reads, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”  Can you correctly handle the word of truth?  Are you a student of God’s word? 

Hebrews 4:12 reads, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

1 Peter 1:23-25 reads, “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, ‘All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.’  And this is the word that was preached to you.”

Colossians 3:16 reads, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”

Are you a student of the Word of God?  If not, why not?  What is keeping you from being one? 

Last of all, in order for Christ to become greater and for me to become less, I need to live a life of prayer.  There is something about praying that allows you to become less and Christ to become greater.  Tim Keller in his incredible book Prayer, states that “the greatness of prayer is nothing but an extension of the greatness and glory of God in our lives.”  If you want to experience the greatness and glory of God in your life, simply pray.  Jesus taught His disciples to pray.  He prayed often and regularly.  He even died praying.  Jesus, in being submissive to His Father’s will, even became less so that God could become greater.  Jesus recognized and taught the value of prayer.  He prayed, “Not my will, but thine.”  In doing so, Jesus became less and allowed God to be greater.  Have you seen the movie Warroom?  This movie is a great reminder of the call to prayer and how prayer can allow us to become less and Christ to become greater!

So there you have it.  If you want to have the mindset of John the Baptist and allow Christ to become greater and you to become less, understand who Jesus is, forgive as you have been forgiven, love as you have been loved, become a student of God’s word, and spend time with Him in prayer.

Overwhelming?  Go back to this.  God created you and has a purpose for you.  However, our problem is that we are imperfect people and our imperfection provides problems when we try to connect with a perfect God.  Yet because God loves us so much, He provided a means for us to have access to Him.  For God so loved the world that He gave us His son and whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  All we have to do is to begin with a step of belief.  The simplicity of the gospel is found in the lyrics of this children’s song:  “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so, little ones to him belong, they are weak but He is strong!!”  Do you know that Jesus loves you?  Do you know that He is strong?  Ask Him about it.  He is ready to tell you so.  Allow HIM to become greater and you to become less. Start today.  Renew it every day, and watch what happens.