Dare yourself to do what others won't

Do you enjoy your present vocation, or is it something you continue to do because it's familiar, somewhat safe, and sufficient to pay the bills? Is that a good enough reason to continue doing what you're doing, or do you occasionally find yourself daydreaming about taking your life in a different direction - a direction that's more in line with your calling?

I'm friends with a man who has spent the past two decades teaching at a Christian college in the midwest. He's a gifted teacher and communicator, but over the years, it has started to become clear to him that his real calling is to write. On the side, he started writing books, then other people started to reach out to him for assistance writing their own books. Eventually, some of his high-profile business clients actually began hiring him to ghostwrite books for them, which he was happy to do.

In time, he developed a membership for budding writers to join, and dozens of people signed up to learn from him. Between his ghostwriting clients and his monthly membership, it started to become clear to him that if he wanted to, he could make a career transition that was more in line with his calling. The only problem was that doing so didn't feel safe. His work as a college professor felt secure, but going out on his own didn't.

What would you have done if you were him?

Just recently, he looked at his situation and realized that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life doing something that no longer matched what he felt most gifted to do. So he submitted his resignation letter to the college and decided to invest himself fully in his writing business. As a result, his business is growing, he has more time for his wife and family, and many of his peers are seeking his counsel because they're trying to get up enough courage to one day follow his example.

There's a path in this world that seems predictable and safe. It's the path most people are choosing. They choose that path in their vocation and they may even choose that path in regard to their spiritual life. In the meantime, that predictable and "safe" path begins to show how limited it really is because there's one thing it can't do for you. It can't stretch your faith.

Few people would be willing to choose the path my friend chose, even if it became clear to them that that's exactly what God wanted them to do. What about us? Would we listen to the voice of God if He started leading us in an unfamiliar direction? Would we dare to do what others wouldn't do?

Paul faced a similar dilemma, and he told us a lot about it in 1 Corinthians 9.

I. Be willing to sacrifice your rights to make the most of your privileges.

““This is my defense to those who would examine me.  Do we not have the right to eat and drink?  Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?  Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?””

— 1 Corinthians 9:3-6

When Paul was engaged in the work of his ministry, he faced a considerable amount of challenges. He was challenged by hostile people in a hostile culture. He was also routinely questioned by those who should have eagerly supported the work he was doing. Paul was also highly conscious of the fact that everything he did might become a pattern that church leaders and evangelists would copy. He also wanted to make sure his decisions didn't get in the way of the gospel being received by unbelieving people.

With this in mind, Paul chose to forego making use of some of his rights. He had the right to earn an income from the work he was doing to serve the church, but he didn't make use of that right. He had the right to be married, but he chose to remain single so he would have more time to preach and disciple. He made a regular habit of sacrificing his rights in order to make the most of the privilege to preach the gospel, plant churches, and train other leaders.

I love seeing that mindset on display in these passages. I find it truly inspiring. So often in life, we're tempted to throw a fit when we don't get our own way. Frequently, we get upset when we feel like we aren't getting what we deserve. But Paul took a different approach. The Lord was allowing him to see the bigger picture of what was going on. Paul became convinced that in the long run, it was worth it for him to resist insisting on his rights. He gave most of those things up so he could spend his time and his energy making the most of his privilege to help others come to know Jesus, and he kept that grander goal in mind throughout the course of his ministry.

II. Become so devoted to your calling that it would violate your conscience to abandon it.

““But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting.  For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!””

— 1 Corinthians 9:15-16

How would you finish this sentence, "I will feel guilty if I don't devote my life to ....." Have you been gifted to do something specific? Has the Lord been opening up doors for you to accomplish something for His glory?

If you asked Paul to finish that sentence, he would tell you that his conscience would be troubled if he stopped preaching the gospel. He knew without doubt that this is what Jesus had called him to do. Discomfort couldn't stop him. Poverty couldn't prevent him. Imprisonment couldn't shut him up. The only thing that seemingly stopped him was execution, but all that really did was demonstrate the depth of his convictions and validate the many things he wrote about in the New Testament. Now those words are proclaimed from pulpits all throughout the world.

I still remember the first time I was asked to preach a sermon. I was so nervous about doing so ahead of time, but once I had the opportunity to do so, I knew the Lord had shown me what He wanted me to do with my life. He wanted me to share the gospel, teach His word, and communicate the hope we have in Jesus through every means He made available to me. He has given me the privilege to do so from pulpits, on the radio, through podcasts, and through the written word. My conscience echoes Paul's statement, "Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!"

Has the Lord been making your calling clear to you? Are you devoted to that mission? Would it be a violation of your conscience for you to forsake or abandon that calling?

III. Your calling is a stewardship that you've been blessed to share.

““For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.  What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.” ”

— 1 Corinthians 9:17-18

I was recently invited to speak at a church that has been in decline for several decades. They openly say that the glory days of that ministry were many years ago. As I met with their leaders, one of the things I reminded them of was the fact that they were the temporary stewards of that ministry. The church belongs to Jesus, and He has graciously allowed them to be the ones who oversee that ministry for a temporary period of time. Other leaders came before them, and by God's grace, new leaders will come after them.

The opportunities we're given, the talents we've been blessed with, and the gifts we've been supernaturally equipped with are a temporary stewardship. Paul could see that his ability to make the gospel known was a stewardship he had been entrusted with. Do you see your calling as a stewardship as well? It's a stewardship you've been blessed to share with others.

Paul didn't demand his right to earn an income from the work he was doing, even though he actually deserved one. Knowing the broader ramifications of the ministry that he was doing during the specific era of history he was serving in, he realized it would be better for everyone if he chose not to demand that income. Once he made peace with that concept in his mind, he took great joy in presenting the gospel free of charge.

As you and I operate as obedient stewards of our calling, we can adopt this same attitude. We may be tangibly rewarded for the work we do, or we may not be, but that's not the greater point. Jesus taught us that it's better to give than it is to receive, so let's be generous about sharing what He has gifted us to share.

IV. There's a side of life that you'll only see once you serve someone else.

“ “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.””

— 1 Corinthians 9:19

They say that serving others always sounds glamorous right up to the point when someone actually starts treating you like a servant. I think that's true. Servanthood really isn't a glamorous mindset, but it is a good one. There's a side of life you'll only see once you start serving someone else.

Have you ever noticed the change that occurs in a person's life once they have children? It changes someone to have to spend every waking hour focusing on the health, safety, and development of another person. It produces a new level of maturity and it can strip away remaining areas of selfishness if they haven't been previously removed.

The Lord was teaching Paul what it means to have a heart of a servant. That's why Paul was able to say that he was willing to be a servant to all people. He wanted to win them over to Christ, so he was willing to sacrifice his preferences, and humble himself in uncomfortable ways in order to do so.

Any idea why was he willing to do this? He was willing to do this because that's exactly what Jesus had done for him. When we observe the ministry of Jesus, we see Jesus doing what no one else would do or could do. Jesus lived the perfect life because we couldn't. Jesus died on the cross to atone for our sin because He was the only one without sin of His own. Jesus rose from the grave to secure the victory over death that He graciously shares with all who trust in Him. He did what others wouldn't do, and did what others couldn't do.

Understanding what Jesus has done for us is life-altering. Paul's life and attitude were changed by the work of Christ. Our lives will be changed as well. Are we still trying to hand God our excuses, or is our faith strong enough for us to dare to do what others simply won't?

© John Stange, 2021

Are you spiritually discerning, dull, disinterested, or dead?

One of the greatest blessings you and I possess as followers of Jesus, is His wisdom and His mind. Through Jesus we have a new perspective, new eyes, and a new outlook. There are things we are being divinely equipped to understand that the unbelieving world cannot comprehend.

I truly wish the spiritual discernment we've been granted as believers in Jesus Christ was an aspect of our salvation that was valued, appreciated, and utilized more than it is. The older I get, and the more I observe the lives of those I care about, the more concerned I'm becoming that many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are buying into the smoke screens and delusions of the age in which we live.

In every generation, Satan attempts to propagate values and priorities that aren't biblical. Those values are preached to us constantly through nearly every channel of communication and source of entertainment. Those values work their way into our textbooks, conversations, and parenting trends. Two things leave us wide open to buying into them; lack of prayer and lack of time in the Bible. We buy into a mindset that we should be guarding against because our minds are being fed a steady diet of worldly beliefs while being starved of the word of God.

Are we willing to admit this is a problem that's presently affecting the church? Would we be willing to ask ourselves the hard question, "Am I spiritually discerning, dull, disinterested, or dead?"

I. Your mind needs to be regenerated in order to have true spiritual understanding

"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14) 

The other day, my youngest daughter and I were engaged in a debate. It wasn't contentious or argumentative like some debates in this world can become. Our discussion centered around the application of a particular portion of Scripture and whether or not we should interpret it as a hard and fast issue, or if there was some room for liberty in our understanding of that passage. I thought it was a good discussion, and I appreciated the spirit in which she approached the topic with me. She genuinely wanted to learn and didn't resist giving my viewpoint some consideration.

My daughter values the teaching of Scripture because she trusts in Jesus, and the Spirit of God lives within her. A stark contrast to that worldview is illustrated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:14. In that passage, Paul tells us that a person with a mind that hasn't been regenerated by the Spirit of God cannot understand the things pertaining to the Spirit of God. It's a foreign language to him. It sounds like foolishness, and the unspiritual person probably scratches his head wondering why anyone would believe something that cannot be observed in nature.

I think there's a lot of irony present in that viewpoint, however. The unspiritual person thinks spiritual truth is folly and can't fathom why we place so much trust in a God we can't see, but I can't help but wonder how much such a person would be willing to examine the nature of their own beliefs or who they're placing their trust in.

Everyone believes things they haven't seen. Everyone places their trust in people they haven't laid eyes on. Everyone believes theories and ideas they haven't personally verified. Have you ever considered that much of what you believe comes down to the fact that you have chosen to trust the person who delivered information to you first, and many of your core convictions are things you've never taken much time to research or examine?

If an online influencer or celebrity got to your mind first, you may treat their views as verifiable truth. If a parent, teacher, or pastor got to your mind first, you may also trust what they've told you. It may be accurate or it may not be, but you may be basing the way you live your life, the way you treat your spouse, the way you raise your children, and the way you relate to God based on information that may be false, yet you treat it as true.

So what should we do about this? I think one of the best examples we're given is found in the history of the early church as recorded in Acts 17:11-12 which says, "Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men." They searched the Scriptures for themselves with the goal to learn what was true.

The natural person doesn't have the power to discern spiritual truth. They are an open vessel for the whims and wishes of destructive earthly philosophies to take hold in their minds. But those who trust in Jesus Christ have the internal witness of the Holy Spirit who leads us toward the truth and uses His revealed word, which He encourages us to examine, to help us differentiate between what is true and what isn't.

If you're walking by faith in Christ, keeping in step with the Spirit, you'll understand what He's telling you. But if you don't believe, or if you keep fighting Him, or if you never seem to get around to examining the Scriptures for yourself, you'll be ripe for deception and Satan will gladly swoop in, put a bag over your head, and encourage you to spend decades on this earth stumbling around in utter confusion while you wait for the world to tell you what to believe next.

II. Someone in a state of unbelief cannot make accurate spiritual judgements

"The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one." (1 Corinthians 2:15) 

Have you ever had to stand before a judge? Depending on your reason for standing before one, it can be an intimidating experience. Your hope is that the judge rules justly and makes the right decisions, but you know there's a risk that he might not.

When you become a parent, a coach, a teacher, or an employer, you also become a judge. When I was directing a conference center, I had to make daily judgement calls with campers and staff. I had to decide when to chastise and when to show mercy. I had to try to decipher truth when competing stories were presented before me.

I still remember a camper who was accused of vandalizing part of the camp's property. He denied doing it, so I asked that he be brought before me. I looked at him in the face, confronted him with the details I knew, carefully watched his body language and facial expressions while I was talking, then finished my statement with, "You did what you're being accused of, didn't you." When I made the right judgement call, he confessed and said, "Yes, I did." Then I thanked him for his confession and told him, "If you go back and fix it, there will be no further problems and I'll have no issue with you either." He undid his vandalism and didn't cause any further difficulties. I had to make a judgement call, and I think I made the right one.

In 1 Corinthians 2:15, Paul speaks of judgement, but he also makes it clear that an unspiritual person cannot make accurate spiritual judgements, while a spiritual person can. If you have genuine faith in Jesus Christ, your assessment of the the value of His life, death, and resurrection will differ greatly from the assessments of the unspiritual person. Your understanding of the nature and need of salvation will differ greatly as well, and the unspiritual person will not be able to see what you're seeing until their spiritual eyes are opened.

Are there people in your life who seem spiritually disinterested or spiritually dead to you? If you know Jesus, what role has the Lord called you to play in their life?

Christ is offering Himself to them just like He offered Himself to you. In fact, He's making His appeal to them through your words and your life. Your task is to pray for them, model genuine faith to them, value them, spend time with them, speak to them, pray with them, and then mentor them in the faith if they eventually come to believe in Jesus. I hope someone once did that for you as well.

III. Are we making the best use of the insight and understanding made available to us?

“For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)

I used to spend a lot of time at my grandmother's house when I was a child. Her sister, my great-aunt lived there as well and was like a bonus grandmother to me. In their living room, they had end tables that doubled as book shelves. I used to walk past them all the time, but finally got curious enough to start reading the books my aunt had purchased. One was an almanac filled with interesting details about American history. For years, I read it and re-read it whenever I visited. It's amazing what happened to my history grades when I stopped walking past the books and started picking them up.

Do you ever feel like you're walking right past the insight and understanding God is making available to you?

It's obvious that we are not in a position to instruct the Lord about anything. He is omniscient. He knowns all things, and His thoughts are far above our own. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8)

But as Paul wraps up this chapter, he does so with a clear declaration that if we know Christ, we have been blessed with the mind of Christ. Through the Holy Spirit, we are made able to see what He sees and think what He thinks. Are we making the best use of that ability?

Possessing the mind of Christ enables us to see ourselves from God's perspective.

Possessing the mind of Christ enables us to see others with the eyes of God.

Possessing the mind of Christ enables us to understand more clearly the times in which we live.

"Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command."  (1 Chronicles 12:32)

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16)

The mind of Christ is a gift given to all believers. Don't waste that gift. Understand the times in which you live. Walk in the wisdom of the Spirit, and resist the fallacies of the evil one that compete daily for space and dominance in your mind.

© John Stange, 2020

Do you actually understand what God is trying to say?

One of the greatest blessings you and I possess as followers of Jesus, is His wisdom and His mind. Through Jesus we have a new perspective, new eyes, and a new outlook. There are things we are being divinely equipped to understand that the unbelieving world cannot comprehend.

The other day, I had to make a long drive. When I'm making a long drive, I try to use the time to make and return phone calls. I had been meaning to contact someone who works with international missionaries and learn more about his ministry, so I scheduled the call to take place during the drive. Unfortunately, about twenty minutes into the call, I started to lose reception and his voice started fading in and out. I didn't want to interrupt his train of thought, so I did my best to piece together what he was trying to say, but eventually I had to admit that I couldn't understand what he was attempting to tell me.

God communicates with humanity, and He wants us to understand what He's trying to say. Some of us hear His voice, and some of us don't. Some of us clearly understand what He's telling us, and some of us don't have a clue what He's saying.

Would you like to be counted among those who hear the voice of God and understand what He's telling you? In 1 Corinthians 2:10-13, the Apostle Paul explains how that process takes place and what is necessary for us to understand what God is saying.

I. Certain truths can only be received if they are revealed

"these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.”  (1 Corinthians 2:10, ESV)

In 1 Corinthians 2:8-9, Paul mentioned that the Lord has good things in store for those who love Him. These things are far beyond anything we have ever seen or could naturally imagine. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are guaranteed a place in God's eternal kingdom. As we walk by faith, our hearts develop confidence in the Lord and in His plan. We trust Him for things we have not yet seen.

Paul explains that this confident understanding we have regarding things we have not seen is directly connected to the fact that the Holy Spirit who lives within us has revealed these truths to us. This is a unique privilege because the Spirit does not live within everyone. Only those who trust in Christ are indwelled by the Holy Spirit (John 14:17), while the unbelieving world experiences the conviction of the Holy Spirit in an external way (John 16:8).

"even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." (John 14:17)

"And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:" (John 16:8)

The unbelieving world experiences the Spirit working on them from the outside. Believers experience Him working on us from within. And as He does His work, He shows us things we would not naturally perceive.

Unbelievers can look at creation and come to the conclusion that there must be an Intelligent Designer who made what we see. Believers, however, can also trust the fact that what we see will be remade and will no longer be corrupted by sin. We believe this because the Spirit has revealed these specific details in Scripture about what's coming up next. We would never naturally figure that out. These truths can only be known because they have been divinely revealed.

Likewise, I believe that if we're walking in step with the Spirit, He will reveal things to us about our own lives and the lives of people we interact with that wouldn't be known any other way. I have seen Him do this many times in my life when He has made something clear to me about another person, or has made something hidden obvious to me when I'm trying to help someone in a counseling context. I believe that's evidence of His internal presence and His ministry of revelation.

II. Through the Spirit, we understand the plans and purposes of God

“For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.”  (1 Corinthians 2:11-12, ESV)

I was talking to a friend recently and he said to me, "You usually seem to be in a good mood, but have you ever angrily lashed out at someone?" His question made me think of a couple times when that's exactly what I've done. One particular time happened when I was a young pastor and a woman started publicly berating me because I didn't attend a viewing for one of her deceased relatives. I didn't even know about it until after it happened. After she lashed out at me, I replied to her and said, "I'm good at a few things, but one thing I'm terrible at is reading minds. Next time, if you want me to show up for something, it would help if you told me about it."

Do you have anyone in your life that seems to expect you to be able to read their mind? Why is that so frustrating? I think we're frustrated by that expectation because it's unreasonable and impossible. Paul confirms that in this passage when he says, "who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him?" We know what we're thinking, but others don't. Unless we reveal our inner thoughts, others will just be left guessing.

A similar thing could be said regarding God. Unless God reveals His thoughts to us, how will we know what He's thinking? But Paul teaches us in this passage that as believers in Jesus Christ who have the Holy Spirit living within us, we have been made able to understand God's plans and purposes. We've received the Spirit of God who makes us able to understand the things freely given to us by God. And as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:16, we have the mind of Christ. So with the Spirit of God and the mind of Christ, our capacity to comprehend deeper-level spiritual truths is made possible.

III. We are equipped to make known what the Spirit reveals to us

“And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 2:13, ESV)

One of my favorite hours of the week is the mid-week Bible study we host at the church. In recent weeks, we've been going through the early chapters in Luke's gospel, and we're learning helpful things as we do so. That's also one of my favorite contexts in which to teach because it's a relaxed atmosphere that seems to foster helpful dialogue and discussion. It's an environment that genuinely promotes learning.

In a traditional educational environment, learning takes place when someone who is equipped to teach conveys information and takes the time to explain it. In the context of the church, one of the hardest things to convince people to do is teach or speak. Typically, the biggest obstacle that gets in their way is their own self-doubt. They doubt they're equipped to teach anything of value to someone else.

But if the Holy Spirit lives within you, you are equipped to impart spiritual truths to others. Paul stated that the things he was sharing with the church in Corinth were words that were taught to him by the Spirit. What is the Holy Spirit teaching you that He wants you to impart to someone else? What is He clarifying to your mind from His word that He wants you to pass along? And if you aren't willing to stand at a pulpit to do it, would you be willing to do it in some other way? A letter? A conversation? A social media post?

IV. Spiritual truths can only be understood in their fullness by those who are spiritual

“And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 2:13, ESV)

In 1962, safety rules for riding motorcycles were written by the Honda Motor Company. As their products were gradually becoming more popular in the United States, they translated the rules from Japanese into English. Tell me if this translation makes sense to you...

1. At the rise of the hand by Policeman, stop rapidly. Do not pass him by or otherwise disrespect him.

2. When a passenger of the foot, hooves in sight, tootle the horn trumpet melodiously at first. If he still obstacles your passage, tootel him with vigor and express by word of mouth, warning Hi, Hi.

3. Beware of the wandering horse that he shall not take fright as you pass him. Do not explode the exhaust box at him. Go smoothingly by.

4. Give big space to the festive dog that makes sport in roadway. Avoid entanglement of dog with wheel spokes.

5. Go soothingly on the grease mud, as there lurks the skid demon. Press the brake foot as you roll around the corners, and save the collapse and tie up.

Those safety rules are entertaining to read, but it would definitely help if they were interpreted more clearly. A native Japanese speaker wouldn't have even needed them to be translated because he would have understood them in their original form. Our ability to comprehend spiritual truth operates in a similar way.

Paul indicates in this passage that spiritual truths are understood by those who are spiritual, which likewise also indicates that spiritual truths are not understood by those who aren't spiritual.

So, here's my big question for you right now? Do you actually understand what God is trying to say or does the truth of His word remain foreign to your heart?

Many people, even professing believers, keep falling into the trap of believing worldly philosophies, cultural mantras, and the false teaching of today's talking heads, because they're trying to live with one foot in the world and the other foot in the kingdom of God. Where are your feet being planted? What makes sense to your mind? Do your core convictions (which will be demonstrated by your lifestyle) align with the clear teaching of God's word?

If you know Christ, please ask Him to clarify this for you. Ask Him to grant you a greater glimpse of what He sees, and the desire to ingest and apply His word to your life.

© John Stange, 2020

Insight holds greater value than authority

One of the greatest blessings you and I possess as followers of Jesus, is His wisdom and His mind. Through Jesus we have a new perspective, new eyes, and a new outlook. There are things we are being divinely equipped to understand that the unbelieving world cannot comprehend.

When you look at the things this world pursues, it's very clear that power and authority are high on the list. But which would you rather; authority or insight? Power or understanding?

Insight holds greater long-term value than authority. Scripture tells us that ultimately, every knee is going to bow and every tongue is going to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. So what sense does it make to spend our lives trying to usurp His authority or build our own kingdom? I'd rather join Christ in what He's building than try to build something of my own. I'd rather gain insight into the deep and everlasting truths of God than spend my life immersed in the philosophies of man.

In 1 Corinthians 2:8-9, Paul shows us why insight holds greater value than authority.

I. Possessing power doesn't guarantee that you also possess wisdom

"None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (1 Corinthians 2:8)

A little over twenty years ago, I served on a ministry board with a very interesting man. In some respects, I appreciated the work he did, but in other areas, I often felt a check in my spirit when I spoke with him. For a while, I couldn't put my finger on what was bothering me, but then I heard him deliver a speech to a group of leaders and everything became clear to me. I noticed that every time he referenced the concept of "power", he practically salivated. He seemed fixated on obtaining power in all realms of his life, and the power he craved struck me as a desire to obtain an unhealthy amount of control over the lives of others. Years later, he was stripped of all his authority when this became clear to those he was supposed to remain accountable to.

When Paul was writing to the church in Corinth, he referenced the people of their era who possessed great power. Paul called them "the rulers of this age." Based on the context of this passage, I believe he was referencing both political and religious leaders in that statement, and he made it clear that even though they had great authority, there was much they didn't understand. The fact that they possessed power didn't guarantee that they also possessed wisdom. In fact, many of them had hardened their hearts to the Lord who is the source of true wisdom.

Years ago, I purchased a book called "Eyewitness to Power." It's an account that was written by David Gergen who served in an advisory capacity to several U.S. presidents. As I read that book, I wondered what it must have been like to offer counsel to the most powerful men in the world. Would they listen? How open would they be to outside instruction or ideas?

When a person becomes powerful, it can become quite difficult for them to receive wisdom from others. In many instances, they may fall into the trap of trying to deify themselves. They forget everyone who helped them get where they are. They frequently begin to think of themselves as the source of all the good things that have happened on their journey.

One of my favorite accounts of leadership in the Bible is the story we're told of Solomon. Solomon was a young man when he assumed the throne in Israel. It's widely accepted that he was less than 30-years-old, but some historians believe he may have actually been in his teen years when his reign began.

If you were made king of a powerful nation, what would your first action be? What would you do right from the start. Scripture tells us that as Solomon began his reign, he prayed to the Lord for wisdom. He could have asked the Lord for anything, but wisdom to lead well was his request.

"Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” (1 Kings 3:9)

The Lord honored Solomon's prayer, and I believe He's pleased when we make the same request. The leaders of this world want authority. They want power, and they aren't afraid to kill in order to obtain it. But followers of Christ are offered a gift that is of greater value than the limited power of this world. We're offered wisdom through Christ that this world's leaders struggle to understand.

II. Your understanding of Christ impacts what you do with Christ

"None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (1 Corinthians 2:8)

Have you ever been offered something that you didn't know what to do with? A while back, a friend of our family invited us over for a meal. The food was fantastic. We enjoyed several foods that were common in her ethnic tradition that were, up to that point, unfamiliar to us. One particularly tasty item on the menu was strips of meat that were prepared in a way we had never seen. In fact, when they were served to us, we weren't sure how to eat them, so we started cutting them with our knives and eating them with a fork. While we were doing this, our friend looked at us with confusion. Eventually, she admitted that in her culture, those strips of mean are typically picked up by hand and eaten like we would eat fried chicken.

We didn't know what to do with the food we were served, and it's clear that the leaders of this world had no idea what to do with Jesus when He offered Himself to them.

When Jesus was conducting His earthly ministry, people genuinely marveled at who He was. His reputation for wisdom and miraculous acts grew large. His willingness to confront unscrupulous leaders was also well known. Those in leadership were posed with a dilemma, "Do I worship Him, ignore Him, or crush Him?" Unfortunately for them, they chose to attempt to crush Him. At the behest of the religious leaders, and with the cooperation of the governmental leaders, Jesus was crucified and put to death. They killed Him because they didn't know what to do with Him.

I'm a little curious to know if we know what to do with Jesus? Your understanding of who He is will directly impact what you do with Him. Will you worship Him, ignore Him, or attempt to crush Him? If your eyes have been opened to see His divine nature, to understand that He is indeed God who became man, you'll be inclined to worship Him and submit all aspects of your life over to Him. But if you still think He was nothing more than a very interesting man, for the most part, you'll ignore Him. And if you're convinced His message is an offensive problem that needs to be prevented from spreading further, you'll do your best to crush Him by crushing His followers.

Let me say this in the plainest way I can. There is no more important question you need to answer than "Who is Jesus?" Your answer to that question will directly impact your understanding of your purpose in life. It will also directly impact your future destiny. If you want to grow in wisdom and live in hope, I dare you to ask and attempt to answer that question.

III. It's hard to imagine or quantify the wonderful things God has in store for His children

But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— (1 Corinthians 2:9)

One of the hardest, but most beneficial things I have done in my adult life was obtain a master's degree in counseling. The courses and the group labs were intellectually and emotionally challenging. It has been almost a decade since I earned that degree, but I chose to earn it at a difficult season of life. It isn't easy to get a master's degree when you have a full-time job, and a family with four young children. The last six months of that process were particularly grueling, and I used to dream every day about the fun things our family would do the Summer after that degree was complete. I still remember how relieved I felt when that Summer finally came. It was wonderful to see and experience what I had been looking forward to for a long time.

I'm grateful that in this passage, Paul makes reference to the good things the Lord has in store for us in the future. In his comments, he makes reference to Isaiah 64:4 which says, "From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him."

Do you ever spend time wondering about what the Lord has in store for those who love Him? It's hard to imagine, and even harder to describe, but because we've been given the mind of Christ, we can already perceive and understand that it's going to be better than anything we've ever experienced. I don't know why I let myself get so attached to the things of this world, because the Lord has good things in store for us that are far greater than anything we've ever experienced this side of Heaven.

Not long ago, I started going through the contacts I had saved on my phone and I came across my mother's cell phone number. I miss her and I wish I could still call her, but it's been several years now since she passed away. Out of curiosity, I kept scrolling through my contacts and realized that multiple people in my contact list had passed away. One at a time, I went through and began deleting their numbers. Part of me felt sad, but another part of me felt intensely curious. I'm curious about what they're seeing and experiencing at this very moment.

Through Christ who helps me understand things I cannot see, here's what I truly believe. I believe that many of those the Lord has blessed me to know are experiencing sights greater than they ever saw on earth, sounds that are more beautiful than their ears ever heard on this planet, and experiences that are more amazingly wonderful than they experienced on the very best day of their earthly life. And if we also have the mind of Christ, which we receive through faith in Him, we can already perceive that the Lord has that in store for us as well.

In this world, there are many people spending their lives chasing power and authority, but they'll never find the peace their hearts crave even if they gain the power they seek. But those who trust Christ will be granted His sight. We will see with His eyes, and we will enjoy the blessings of the peace, hope, and contentment He supplies even now.

"He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

© John Stange, 2020

I can see things I couldn't see before

One of the greatest blessings you and I possess as followers of Jesus, is His wisdom and His mind. Through Jesus we have a new perspective, new eyes, and a new outlook. There are things we are being divinely equipped to understand that the unbelieving world cannot comprehend.

Throughout the course of our lives, we naturally begin to see things differently as we grow and mature. Our perspective develops as we take on new roles and responsibilities. I used to think leadership looked fun, now that I've been leading for a few decades, I can see that it's sometimes fun and sometimes very painful. As a child, I used to question the decisions of my parents, but as a father, I can more clearly see why they made certain leadership decisions that I didn't appreciate in my youth.

As we come to faith in Jesus, and our faith begins to mature, our spiritual eyes are opened. Once we are granted the mind of Christ, His Spirit shows us things that we were incapable of seeing before. Things that were hidden from us because we didn't possess a spiritual mind that was capable of comprehending them. God's word goes into detail about our new spiritual sight and the development of our understanding.

I. The wisdom of God is displayed in Jesus Christ

“but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24)

When I was about twelve, my grandparents took my sisters and me to a drive in movie theater to see the movie "Big". In that movie, the character played by Tom Hanks gets a job with a toy company, and during a business meeting, someone tries to pitch an idea for a new toy. It's a robot that transforms into a building. After the idea is presented, Hanks raises his hand and says, "I don't get it." He thought the toy was boring and it would be better for the robot to transform into something that could move, not just a building that would sit still.

When the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is presented to an unbelieving world, I often wonder if they're also saying, "I don't get it." And if that is what they're saying, they're probably being honest because Paul says our crucified Savior is a stumbling block to Jews and sounds like foolishness to Gentiles.

The Jews who were waiting for centuries for the appearance of the Messiah struggled to wrap their mind around Him finally coming, only to be crucified. And Gentiles who come from all kinds of mixed up spiritual beliefs struggle to see how a suffering Savior who was put to death can accomplish anything meaningful in our lives at present.

But those of us who have come to faith in Christ have had our eyes open to the bigger picture. In Christ, we see the fulfillment of the Scriptures. In Christ, we see the atonement for our sin. In Christ, we not only see His vicarious death, but also the power of His resurrection. In bodily form, through His words and His actions, Christ demonstrated both the wisdom and the power of God because He is the source of true wisdom and power.

We also understand that we will never experience true wisdom or lasting power outside of a deep, relational connection to Jesus Christ.

II. God's plan, which was secret, has been made clear to you

"But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory." (1 Corinthians 2:7)

The older I get, the more I value having a plan, and I see this same trait in my children as well. A few months ago, I announced to our household, "Tomorrow, I'm taking a drive in my car. Anyone who wants to come with me is welcome to come. If you go, you will have fun, but don't ask me any other questions about it." Because I didn't annunciate all the details of my plan, only one person in my household joined me--my wife. And we had a lovely day together.

God is a planner. He is orderly and intentional. From eternity past, He planned for our redemption through His Son. But He's been revealing His plan to humanity gradually, a piece at a time. Certain aspects of His plan remained mysterious and hidden for ages. Likewise, there are certain details of what He has in store that He has only revealed to us in part at present. But in the meantime, He offers us the chance to take a ride with Him. He's giving us the opportunity to get in the car and believe He's got something good in store.

Amazingly, there are aspects of His plan that we have a more developed understanding of than did the angels and the prophets who lived prior to Christ's incarnation. They longed to look into the things that have been more fully revealed to us.

As recipients of this divine revelation, Paul tells us in this passage that we have the privilege to impart this secret or hidden wisdom of God to others. It will only be understood by those whose eyes have been opened by the Lord, but we are given the privilege to be the ones He speaks through. We reveal what we have been privileged to understand.

III. Through knowing Christ, your eyes are truly opened

"So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened." (Acts 9:17-19)

A few months ago, my father became unhappy with his television. It is a high-end TV that's supposed to last a long time, but he said the color was starting to fade and the image wasn't as crisp. In the meantime, he also went to his doctor to get cataracts removed from his eyes. When his eyes healed, he quickly realized that his TV was perfectly fine. His ability to see clearly was the real problem.

The Apostle Paul experienced a significant sight problem during his era as well. If you're familiar with the story of his life, you know he was zealous for the religious traditions he was raised in. He was well trained in Jewish theology and became part of a select group called the Pharisees. For a time, he hated and persecuted Christians because he believed their worship of Jesus was blasphemous. Jesus was still a stumbling block for Paul, until his eyes were opened.

God's word tells us that Jesus appeared to Paul and Paul was impacted both physically and spiritually through that encounter. For a time, he became physically blind after seeing Jesus, but after coming to faith in Jesus, his physical sight was restored and he was granted true spiritual sight.

If you know Jesus in a personal way, have you ever taken the time to notice how the Lord has been opening your eyes to see things you would never have naturally seen? When Christ opens your eyes, you will see yourself differently. You'll also see marriage, parenting, cultural events, morality, grace, justice, and the needs of humanity in a new way. The world will not understand your new perspective, but mature believers in Christ who also have had their eyes opened will understand you completely.

IV. The Holy Spirit will enable you to understand the whole counsel of God's word

“Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” (Acts 20:26-27)

For one week each summer, I have the privilege, along with several other seasoned pastors, to teach classes to new pastors. At this year's training event, one of the questions that came from one of the new pastors was, "How do I handle the fact that a very influential man in my congregation doesn't like when I preach through entire books of the Bible. He prefers that I preach on selected topics that fit with current events."

Every pastor experiences that same dilemma. We're called to preach the whole counsel of God's word, but when people become glued to the mind-warping power of modern media, they can sometimes prefer the pulpit to become the podium of current events instead of the sacred desk from which the Scriptures are preached. From time to time, I receive pushback in this particular area because more often than not I try to resist the urge to let my preaching calendar become dictated by the news cycle. I am willing to accept occasional criticism for taking this approach because I know that when the day comes and my service as a pastor ends, you'll always be able to say, "John preached the word of God. Even the awkward parts."

That was Paul's aim as well when he was proclaiming the Scriptures to the people in his era. He showed them that the Scriptures are pointing us to Jesus. He even went so far as to say that he couldn't be held culpable for the spiritual blindness or spiritual death of anyone because he never shied away from declaring the whole counsel of God's word, even the awkward parts.

As our eyes are opened through faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will also enable us to understand the whole counsel of God's word. We won't just see the parts we prefer to see. We'll see and understand the parts that challenge us as well, and I believe He will help us to value what He's showing us in those passages. As our faith matures, we'll even thank Him for confronting our false beliefs and opening up our eyes to the right perspective.

Tell me if this sounds familiar. "When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years." That quote is usually attributed to Mark Twain, even though it probably wasn't him who said it. But we laugh at the thought that's being conveyed because it's something we can all identify with. It takes time for us to see things that used to be hidden from our understanding.

Take heart because through Christ, we can now see things that we couldn't see before. God is giving us new sight and deeper understanding. Rejoice in His willingness to open our eyes, and generously share His wisdom.

© John Stange, 2020

We have been given wisdom that transcends this moment in time

One of the greatest blessings you and I possess as followers of Jesus, is His wisdom and His mind. Through Jesus we have a new perspective, new eyes, and a new outlook. There are things we are being divinely equipped to understand that the unbelieving world cannot comprehend.

I have come to believe that one of the greatest tools we as believers need to be utilizing during this era of history is the "mind of Christ." There are all kinds of ideas, philosophies, and perspectives bombarding us daily. And sadly, even some believers can at times begin to embrace worldly ideas as true if they aren't careful. But Christ enables us to see things more clearly when we walk with Him, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and embrace the counsel of his word.

In 1 Corinthians 2:6, we are told, "Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away." So what does it look like for us to utilize the wisdom of Christ that transcends the mixed up perspectives of this era in history? I think there are several key things we're shown in Scripture that can help us navigate this confusing time in our lives quite well.

I. The wisdom from above outshines the wisdom of this world (James 3:17)

““But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.””

— James 3:17, ESV

Godly wisdom outshines worldly wisdom. James stressed that in his brief letter, and that's something we benefit from understanding as well. There are many ways the wisdom from above can be described including being "peaceable" and "open to reason," but that's not always a perspective you see embraced by this world.

I experienced a glaring example of this recently when my family was driving home from our vacation. We stopped at a gas station, and while I pumped the gas, everyone else walked into the store. I finished pumping the gas moments before they walked out, and as they were walking back to the van, a driver behind me started to get agitated. He beeped at me to move, then got out of his truck and started yelling at me while my kids were getting back into our van. He couldn't be reasoned with, called me some unkind names, insulted the entire state of Pennsylvania, and chose not to wait two more seconds for the pump to be free before leaving the gas station in a huff. It was a weird experience, but also a good example of what pours out of your life when your heart is governed by a selfish and worldly perspective.

The wisdom God supplies to those who trust in Jesus Christ operates differently. It outshines the easily irritated perspectives that dominate the hearts of those whose eyes are not open to the truth. The wisdom of God works hand in hand with the fruit of the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives. James tells us that God's wisdom is peaceable, gentle, open to reason, merciful, full of good fruits, impartial and sincere.

From what I read in Scripture, and what I've seen through daily experience, I truly prefer the effect of godly wisdom in my life to the alternative. The wisdom of this world leads to frustration and exasperation because it's filled with "me first" motives. But the wisdom from above reflects the sacrificial heart of Christ and isn't dominated by self-seeking arrogance.

II. God's wisdom is granted to those who revere Him (Proverbs 1:7)

““The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” ”

— Proverbs 1:7, ESV

There are several proverbs that tend to fit in the category of "best known", and I believe Proverbs 1:7 is one of them. In that proverb, we're told that fools despise wisdom and instruction. They don't want to hear it and they frequently fight against it. But those who fear the Lord, are blessed in a unique way. They're blessed with deeper knowledge than what can be naturally obtained. This was made clear to me when I was young.

I was fifteen-years-old when I finally became serious about my faith in Christ. I had been a professing Christian for five years at that point, but I don't believe I was living with a healthy fear of the Lord during that season. As a result, ignorance and immaturity continued to persist in my life.

Then the Lord helped me to see what it meant to fear Him like this Scripture describes. It means to revere and respect Him. It means to live with a deep awareness and appreciation of His power. It involves admitting to yourself that there is a day when you will give a full account of your life to Him. When my heart latched onto that truth, I started to take my faith in Christ much more seriously. It stopped being an addendum to my life and became the very thing that defined my life.

In that season when I submitted my heart over to Him, He showed me new things. He granted me wisdom that I didn't previously have. I stopped fighting Him, started respecting Him, and great benefit came to my life as a result.

In some respects, I see this as a universal pattern of life. You are more likely to be assisted by those you honor and respect, and more likely to be chastised or not invested in by those you disrespect and fight against.

Many of you know that I dabble into certain entrepreneurial ventures. When people ask me about my hobbies, I often mention some of the online work I do in my free time. I podcast, write, speak, blog, and do a few other things as well. To my amazement, some of those hobbies have turned into sources of household income and I enjoy trying to make them grow.

There are several successful entrepreneurs in that space that I truly admire and try to learn from. I have no hesitancy expressing my admiration for them either, and just this week, I was blessed to have three of them reach out to me and freely offer me the kind of counsel they would normally charge thousands of dollars for. Because I showed them respect, they blessed me with the gift of their knowledge.

Admittedly, it's easy to value something in this world that improves our income, but how deeply do we value the wisdom and knowledge of God? Well, there's a simple way we can test if we value it. Do we fight Him or do we fear Him? Do we resist Him or do we revere Him?

III. Those who walk with Christ will understand the will of Christ (Ephesians 5:15-17)

““Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.””

— Ephesians 5:15-17, ESV

One of the most common questions we as believers wrestle with is, "What is God's will for my life?" We want to know His plan. We want to know what the best decisions to make happen to be.

When Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians, he gave them careful counsel that helped them understand the will of God. He told them that as followers of Christ, they were to look carefully at how they chose to "walk" or live their lives in this world. He warned them that they live in an evil era, so the best use of their time was to walk with Jesus instead of running away from Him. That was good counsel for them, and it's good counsel for us as well.

It also gets to the heart of why some Christians really struggle to understand God's will for their life. Because they aren't walking with Christ daily, they're beginning to embrace foolishness and treating it like it's wisdom. Then when it produces negative effects in their lives, they're confused as if they are getting something they didn't deserve. But here's the thing, we reap what we sow. The seeds that you're planting in your life and your mind will eventually bear the fruit of wisdom or folly.

A little over a week ago, I took a long walk while listening to an audio book that was narrated by the author. By the time the walk was finished, I felt like I knew him personally. Our walk with Christ is very similar. The longer we walk with Him, and the more we grow accustomed to listening to His voice, the better we come to know Him. Those who walk with Christ, will understand the will and the mind of Christ better than those who run from Him.

IV. Jesus will speak His undefeatable wisdom through you (Luke 21:15)

““for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.””

— Luke 21:15, ESV

When Jesus was preparing His disciples for what life in this world was going to look like for them, He didn't hold back. He revealed to them that they were going to be questioned by authorities and adversaries. He made it clear that they were going to have to appear before those who governed from a worldly perspective. But He also made it clear that they didn't need to fear when those moments came.

Because they had the mind of Christ, He would also speak His undefeatable wisdom through them. Their adversaries might ignore them or silence them, but they wouldn't be able to successfully contradict them. Right now I'm praying for church leaders who are preparing to get a real taste of what these early disciples experienced as we have now moved into an era where there are legal consequences for preaching the gospel to believers who have assembled for worship. The day will come when many of us will have to testify before authorities, and I'm praying that we will speak with the undefeatable wisdom of Jesus when that day comes.

The wisdom of the world is paper thin. It changes all the time, and while it proposes to be wise, it's usually foolishness dressed up in a new outfit. Jesus will help you see through it, and as He clarifies His truth to your heart, He will enable you to be the mouth He speaks it through.

We have the mind of Christ. His wisdom transcends this moment in time, and He's inviting us to begin using it.

© John Stange, 2020