When 2 Elephants Fight

Thunder begins to rumble.  White hot lightning sears the darkness, burning up the Sudanese sky in its brilliance.  Wind vehemently shudders the trees outside and seems to shake the room where I’m crouched on the bed inside.  In a matter of minutes, the storm shrieks in.  Hard and fast and intense the rain crescendos in a violent rhythm as it drums the metal roof.  The storm surrounds me entirely-I can hear nothing else-it envelopes me.  A chill runs up my spine.

I feel like storms in Sudan mirror the unrest here.  Things from the outside may at first glance appear calm and then all hell can break loose without a moment’s notice. 

South Sudan has had decades of conflict and war.  The people courageously fought and finally won independence in 2011.  Yet, after only a mere 2 years of independence it was ravaged by war once again. This time from within.  There are 2 big (in African terms this means influential and wealthy) men in South Sudan who are fighting for power-the current President Salva Kiir (who is from the Dinka tribe, South Sudan’s largest tribe) and former Vice President Riek Machar (who is Nuer, the second largest SS tribe).  

There is an African proverb that says “When two elephants fight, it’s the grass that gets trampled.” I see this come to pass here as thousands of innocent Sudanese people have lost their lives, millions their homes and their families because of the actions of government officials.

Isaiah 18: 1, 7 says “Beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, there is a land where the sound of wings is heard.  A time is coming when the Lord Almighty will receive offerings from this land divided by rivers, this strong and powerful nation, this tall and smooth-skinned people, who are feared all over the world.  They will come to Mount Zion, where the Lord Almighty is worshipped.” (Good News Translation)

These verses are referring to the Sudanese people.  Our Ugandan and Kenyan friends tell frightening stories of these people-even today they are seen and feared.  Yet, my God’s perfect timing, it is AMAZING to live and work among the SS people in this country that this prophecy foretells of. To see how God has been at work the past few years in drawing some people to Himself-of giving them a hunger for His Word.  I see it in the big smile stretching across my Dinka friend Vivianna’s face as she translates a Bible story she had never heard before to the other listening women.  She is giving the Lord offerings of service as she translates God’s Word.  

I hear it in the heart wrenching stories of Pastor Moses’, a former SPLA leader as he miraculously survived gruesome battles during the war.  He gives glory to God for saving his life and then goes on to plant 6 churches.  He is giving offerings to God of evangelism.  

These tall and smooth-skinned people:  God is calling them to Himself.  It is a story that only God can write-a story of redemption and hope against all the odds.  And I’m so thankful to be a part of it.  I am humbled to be a part of the work God is doing here.  It fills me with joy from my head to my toes, it floods my heart with peace that passes all understanding at the greatness of our God.  

I don’t know what is in store in the future for the people of South Sudan.  I only know that God is in control.  Although a storm of continued fighting and death may be coming, as a flood may rush in and leave devastation in it’s wake, there can also be hope and peace for the people of South Sudan.  For the ones who choose Jesus Christ, although this life may be extremely difficult, there is the hope of heaven and eternity with God that they may set their eyes on.  And no one or nothing can EVER take that away from them!  

The Surprising Freedom of Submission

Of all the spiritual disciplines none has been more abused than the discipline of submission. For some reason we have taken this amazing discipline and turned  it into something that is seen as bad-weak and demeaning. But in reality every discipline has its corresponding freedom once we learn how to consistently make them a part of our daily lives as Christ-followers.  We must be careful not to become legalistic as we learn these disciplines because the moment we make the discipline our central focus, we turn it into law, and therefore lose the corresponding freedom.

The disciplines are for the purpose of realizing a greater good. In and of themselves they are of no value whatever. They have value only as a means of setting us before God so that He can give us liberation we seek. The liberation, the freedom is the end, and the disciplines are merely the means.  They are not the answer, they only lead us to the answer:  Jesus, Jesus, more of Jesus.  Less of me and more of Him. Abundant life in God!  We must clearly understand the limitation of the disciplines if we are to avoid bondage. Let us forever center on Christ and view the spiritual disciplines as a way of drawing us closer to His heart.

So then….what freedom corresponds to submission? The ability to lay down the terrible burden of always needing to get our own way. The obsession to demand that things go the way we want them to go is one of the greatest bondages in human society today.  WHAT?!  Talk about gut-wrenching conviction.  So this is why I struggle so much with submission. When all other things are stripped away and I get down to the heart of the matter-I don’t want to submit to my husband, to my leaders, to my team because I really just want to do things my way.

In the discipline of submission we are released to drop the matter and forget about it. Frankly, most things in life are not nearly as important  as we think they are. Our lives will not come to an end if that or that does not happen.  I find myself struggling with this on a daily basis-when I find myself upset because the plans I made for the day are not going the way I had hoped.

The biblical teaching of submission focuses primarily on the spirit with which we view other people. Scripture does not attempt to set forth a series of hierarchical relationships but to communicate to an inner attitude of mutual subordination.  Peter, for example, called upon the slave of his day to live in submission to their masters (1 Peter 2:18). This advice seems unnecessary until we realize that it is quite possible for servants to obey their masters without living in a spirit of submission over them. Outwardly  we can do what people  ask and inwardly be in rebellion against them. This concern for a spirit of consideration towards others is seen in the entire New Testament. 

The old covenant commands us that we must not murder (10 commandments). Jesus, however, stressed that the real issue was the inner spirit of murder with which we view people. In a matter of submission the same is true; the real issue is the spirit of consideration and respect we have for each other. 

In submission we are at last free to value other people. Their dreams, their plans become important to us. We have entered into a new, wonderful, glorious freedom. The freedom to give up our own rights for the good of others. For the first time we can love people unconditionally. We have given up the right to demand that they return our love.  No longer do we feel we have to be treated a certain way. We rejoice in their successes. We feel genuine sorrow in their failures. It is of little consequence that our plans are frustrated if their plans succeed. We discover that it is far better to serve others, than to have our own way. This inner attitude of submission reflects the servant attitude we see in Philippians 2 describing Jesus.

Do you know the liberation that comes from giving up your rights? It means you are set free from the seething anger and bitterness you feel when someone does not act towards you in the way you think they should. Foster says, “It means that at last you are able to break the vicious law of commerce that says “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch your back; you  bloody my nose, I’ll bloody your nose.” It means you are free to obey Jesus’ command, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5.44). It means that for the first time you understand how it is possible to surrender the right to retaliate; “if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matt. 5:39).

The Cornerstone: 

We have been looking at the discipline for submission through the back door. Because I began with explaining what it does to you before even defining this discipline. I did this because most of us have been exposed to such a bad form of submission that we have either embraced this deformity or we have rejected this discipline as a whole. 

The cornerstone for the biblical understanding of submission is in Jesus’ astonishing words “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34). Almost instinctively we draw back from these words. We are much more comfortable with words like “self-fulfillment” or “self-actualization” than we are with the thought of self-denial. (In reality, Jesus’ teaching on self-denial is the only thing that will bring us genuine self-fulfillment and self-actualization.) 

Self-denial probably conjures up a number of weird images about self-hatred, we might imagine that it most certainly means the rejection of our individuality and identity as a person. 

But the exact opposite of that image is true, Jesus called us to self-denial without self-hatred. Self-denial is simply a way of coming to understand that we do not have to have our own way. Our happiness is not dependent upon getting what we want. 

Let’s take a minute to look at a few “self” terms and view them through the Biblical lens of the Word:

Self Denial Vs. Identity

Self-denial does not meant the loss of our identity. Without identity we could not even be subject to each other. Foster says, “Did Jesus lose his identity when he set his face toward Golgotha? Did Peter lose his identity when he responded to Jesus’ cross-bearing command, “Follow me” (John 21:19)? Did Paul lose his identity when he committed himself to the One who had said, “I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:16)? Of course  NOT. We know the opposite is true. They found their identity in the act of self-denial. 

Self Denial Vs. Self Contempt

Self-Denial is not the same thing as self-contempt. Self-contempt claims that we have no worth, and even if we do have worth, we should reject it. Self-Denial declares that we are of infinite worth and shows us how to realize it. 

Self-contempt denies the goodness of God’s creation. Self-Denial affirms that God’s creation is indeed good. Jesus made the ability to love ourselves the prerequisite for our reaching out to others. (Matt. 22:39)

Self-Denial And Self-love

Self-love and Self-denial are not in conflict. More than once Jesus made it quite clear that self-denial is the only sure way to love ourselves. “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matt. 10:39) 

Again, we must understand that self-denial means the freedom to give way to others. This means to hold the interests of others above our interests.  In this way self-denial releases us from self pity.  When we live outside of self-denial, we demand that things go our way. When they do not, we revert to self pity. Self-denial is the foundation and the cornerstone for submission.  It saves us from all kinds of self indulgence.  

The most radical social teaching of Jesus was his total reversal of the contemporary notion of greatness. Leadership is found in becoming a servant to all. Power is discovered in submission. The foremost symbol of this radical servanthood is the cross.  (Foster) “He (Jesus) humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:8). But note this: Christ not only died a “cross-death” he lived a cross-life. The way of the cross, the way of a suffering servant was essential to his ministry.  Jesus lived a cross-life in submission to all human beings. He was the servant of all. He flatly rejected the cultural giving of positions and power when he said “You are not to be called rabbi…Neither be called masters…”(Matt. 23:8-10).   

Jesus shattered the customs of his day when he lived out the cross-life by talking to women seriously and being willing to meet with children. These were entirely counter cultural in his day and age.  Jesus lived the cross-life when he took a towel and washed his disciples’ feet. This Jesus who easily could have called down a legion of angels to his aid chose instead the cross-death on Calvary. Jesus’ life was the cross-life of submission and service. (Foster)

Jesus called his followers to live the cross-life. “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34). He flatly told his disciples, “If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35). Foster says, When Jesus immortalized the principle of the cross-life by washing the disciples feet, he added, “I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:15). The cross- life is the life of voluntary submission. The cross-life is the life of freely accepted servanthood. 

The Limits of Submission:

Sometimes the limits of submission are easy to determine. For example:  A wife is asked to punish her child unreasonably. A child is asked to help an adult in an unlawful practice. A citizen is asked to violate the dictates of Scripture and conscience for the sake of the state. In each case the discipline refuses, not arrogantly, but in a spirit of meekness and submission. 

Often the limit of submission are extremely has to define. What about a teacher who unjustly grades a student? Does the student resist or submit? What about the employer who promotes his employees on the basis of favoritism and vested interests? What does the deprived employee do, especially if the raise is needed for the good of his or her family?

These are extremely complicated questions simply because human relationships are complicated. They are questions that do not yield a simplistic answer. There is no such thing as a law of submission that will cover every situation. We must actually be highly skeptical of all laws that claim to cover all and every circumstances. 

It is in these situations and circumstances when we are in desperate need for the guidance and deep dependence upon the Holy Spirit. After all, if we had a book of rules to cover every situation and circumstance in life, we would not need dependence. The Spirit is an accurate discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, both yours and mine. He will be to us an every present teacher instructing us in what to do in every situation. 

Practical Acts of Submission:

There has to be a practical way of practicing these disciplines, because if we just talk about it and do not give any practical ways to doing it, then we just forget about it. The spiritual disciplines are practices that we do. We must never lose sight of this fact.

1.  The first act of submission is to the Triune God: We yield our body, mind and spirit  for his purposes. We have to submit ourselves first and foremost to God and to let him do whatever he wants with our lives.  We start off the day by surrendering to him and we end the day with surrendering to him and to his will and purpose. Our minds, body and spirit- all of it. 

2. The second act of submission is to the Scripture: As we submit ourselves to the Word of God living (Jesus), so we submit ourselves to the Word of God Written (Scripture). We yield ourselves to first hear the Word of God,  then receive the Word of God and thirdly, obey the Word of God. We look to the Spirit who inspired the Scriptures to interpret and apply them to our condition and life. 

3. The third act of submission is to our family: The cornerstone of this submission is Phil 2:4 “Let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also to the interest of others” . Freely and graciously the members of the family are to make allowance for each other.  When one of your family members hurts you-forgive them and seek reconciliation- do not allow bitterness to take root and cause estrangement from one another. Wives, despite what popular culture says, we are called by God, in His Word to submit to our husbands and their leadership.  The primary deed of submission is a commitment to listen to other family members. It is willingness to share-our time, hearts, burdens, possessions- which itself is a work of submission. 

4. The fourth act of submission is to our friends and our neighbors: Those we meet and interact with in the course of our daily lives. The life of simple goodness lived before them. If they are in need, we help them.  If someone is sick, we bring them a meal or spend some time watching a movie with them.  If someone is in the hospital we visit them, pray for them, be available.  We intentionally look for practical ways to be of service to others, sacrificing time in our busy lives-mowing their  lawn, baby-sitting, sharing things. No task is too small to be taken as an opportunity to live in submission to one another.

5. The Fifth act of submission is to the believing community, the body of Christ: If there are jobs to be done or tasks to be accomplished, you look at them and see where you can help and serve-help lead a small group or Sunday school class, spend some time visiting with the elderly, disciple a teenager, babysit for a single parent.  Of course you cannot do everything, but you can always do something. 

6. The sixth act of submission is to the broken and despised: In our culture here and all over the world there are orphans and widows: those are the helpless and the undefended according to James 1:27. It is our responsibility to take care of them. This can mean a variety of things-becoming a foster parent, adopting a child, taking care of the widows or widowers in your neighborhood or wherever they are in your sphere of influence. We live the cross-life for them. We sacrifice, we give, we do whatever it takes to be in submission so the cross-life can be exemplified in their lives. 

7. The seventh act of submission is to the world: We live in an interdependent, international community. We cannot live in isolation. Every day, the world is coming to our doorstep-in almost every community you can find international citizens desperately in need of friends and community and most importantly JESUS!  Our environmental responsibility, or lack of it, affects not only us but the people around the world. Starving children should affect us, AIDS/HIV should affect us, people dying because of the lack of clean water should affect us, terrorism and civil wars ravishing people, growing ISIS…..Our act of submission is to pray, provide, send or go to the ends of the world as God has commanded us to do in submission to him. Become educated about the international citizens living near you-reach out to them and get to know them-often they are very lonely and feel very isolated from their culture and family back in their native country.  Doing something as seemingly simple as inviting them over for dinner and cooking a meal from their country speaks volumes!  Go on a short-term mission trip and see how God is at work around the world.  Once you begin intentionally looking, there are countless ways to serve the world for our great God!  I assure that if you only ask for wisdom, the Holy Spirit will be faithful to show you how to do this.

By Laurel Jeremiadoss

***If you are interested in studying the spiritual disciplines further, most of our teaching comes from Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline, Spiritual Disciplines by Donald Whitney and E.M. Bounds’ Weapons of Prayer.

The Art of Simplicity

Our next spiritual discipline to look at is simplicity.  While the other disciplines we looked at so far-prayer, meditation, and study are inward disciplines (focusing on allowing God to change us from the inside), the discipline of simplicity marks the beginning of the outward disciplines (when we are changed from the inside it is evident from how we outwardly transform in the way we treat others). We deceive ourselves if we believe we can possess the inward reality without its having a profound effect on how we live. An attempt to arrange an outward life style of simplicity without the inward reality leads to deadly legalism. (Foster)

Simplicity is freedom.  Simplicity brings joy and balance. The preacher of Ecclesiastes said this: “God made man simple; man’s complex problems are of his own devising” (Eccles. 7:30).  Whew!  How true these words are when I think about how often I needlessly complicate my own life.

The spiritual discipline of simplicity provides the needed perspective of our possessions. Simplicity sets us free to receive the provision of God as a gift that is not our own to keep and that can therefore be freely shared with others. 

Because we live in a very material world, we often crave things we neither need nor enjoy.  Yet we continually buy things we do not want to impress people we do not even like.  Talk about complicating!

The Bible and Simplicity:

The biblical injunctions against the exploitation of the poor and the accumulation of wealth are very clear and straightforward. The Bible challenges nearly every economic value of our contemporary society.  Constantly the Bible deals decisively with the inner spirit of slavery that an idolatrous attachment to wealth brings.  “If riches increase, set not your heart on them,” Psalm 62:10.  Jesus declared war on the materialism of his day and I believe more than ever it applies to our world today as well.

 The Aramaic term for wealth is “Mammon” and Jesus condemns it as a rival God. Luke 16:13- ¹³ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Jesus speaks frequently and unambiguously on economic issues. He says “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God” and “Woe to you that are rich, for you have received your consolation” (Luke 6:20, 24). Do not read these words and assume they do not apply to you.  If you live in America you are among 80% of the world’s wealthiest people.

He graphically depicts the difficulty of the wealth entering the Kingdom of God to be like a camel walking through the eye of the needle. Jesus clearly understood the difficulty of being wealthy and all the trappings this entails. He was talking about the grip that the wealth can have on a person. He knew that “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,” which is precisely why he commanded his followers “do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matt. 6:21,19).  Treasures like huge savings accounts, closets and closets full of clothes and shoes, or a house piled high with stacks of things you never use.  He is not saying that the heart should or should not be where the treasure is. He is stating the plan fact that wherever you find the treasure, you will find your heart. (Foster)

Jesus addresses the idea of money and treasure in numerous ways.
Matthew 19:16-21 – He exhorted the rich young ruler not just to have an inner attitude of detachment from his possession, but literally to get rid of his possessions if he wanted to enter the Kingdom of God. 

Luke 12:15 –¹⁵ Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” 

Luke 12:33-³³ Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

Luke 12: 16-21-He told the parable of the rich farmer whose life centered in hoarding-we would call him prudent; Jesus called him a fool.

Matthew 13:45, 46 -⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Luke 6:30-⁰ Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.

Jesus speaks to the question of economics more than any other single social issue. If, in a comparative simple society our Lord places such strong emphasis upon the spiritual dangers of wealth, how much more should we who live in a higher affluent culture take seriously the economic question? (Foster)  I pray we would take heed to His words!

From others in the Bible:

The epistles reflect the same concern. Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:9“⁹ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” A bishop is not to be a “lover of money” (1 Timothy 3:3). 

Paul calls covetousness idolatry and commands stern discipline against anyone guilty of greed (Eph. 5:5, 1 Cor. 5:11). Paul lists greed alongside adultery and thievery and declares that those who live in such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Paul advises the wealthy not to trust in their wealth but in God, and to share generously with others

A deacon is not to be “greedy of gain” (1 Tim. 3:8). The writer of Hebrews advises,  “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never fail you nor forsake you””(Heb. 13:5). 

James blames killing and war on the lust for possessions.  “you desire and do not have, so you kill. And you covet and cannot obtain; so you fight and wage war” (James. 4:1,2). 

Having said all this, I must be very fast to add that God intends that we should have adequate material provision. There is misery today from a simple lack of provision just as there is misery when people try to make a life out of provision. I want to caution you that forced poverty is evil. I want to caution you about an extreme practice called asceticism.  Asceticism is the doctrine that says through the renunciation of worldly pleasures it is possible to achieve a high spiritual or intellectual state.  This is an unbiblical practice that results in an unbalanced life.  Scripture declares consistently and forcefully that creation is good and to be enjoyed (in its proper balance).  

Here is the radical difference between these two: 

Asceticism: Renounces possessions, but, simplicity: Sets possessions in the proper perspective

Asceticism: Finds no place for a “land flowing with milk and honey”, but, simplicity: Rejoices in the gracious provisions from the hand of God.

Asceticism: Finds contentment only when it is abased, but, simplicity: Knows contentment in both abasement and abounding (Phil. 4:12)

Simplicity is the only thing that sufficiently reorients our lives so that possessions can be genuinely enjoyed without destroying us. Without simplicity we will either capitulate to the “mammon” spirit of this present evil age, or we will fall into the un-Christian legalistic asceticism. Both lead to idolatry. Both are spiritually lethal. (Foster)

Simplicity defined: 

The spiritual discipline of simplicity provides the needed perspective. Simplicity sets us free to receive the provision of God as a gift that is not our own to keep and can be freely shared with others. We need to recognize that the Bible denounces the materialists and the ascetic with equal vigor. (Foster)

The majority of Christians have never seriously wrestled with the problem of simplicity, conveniently ignoring Jesus’ many words on the subject.  The reason is simple: this discipline directly challenges our vested interests in an affluent life-style. But those who take the biblical teaching on simplicity seriously are faced with the severe temptations towards legalism.  Matthew 6:25-33 is great passage to study in reference to finding a proper balance in simplicity:  

 ²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[a]?

   ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (emphasis added)

The central point for the discipline of simplicity is to seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness of His kingdom first and then everything necessary will come in its proper order. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of Jesus’ insight at this point. Everything hinges upon maintaining the “first” thing at first. Nothing must come before the kingdom of God, including the desire for a simple lifestyle. This is the reason, the focus upon the kingdom produces the inward reality, and without the inward reality we will degenerate into legalism. Nothing else can be central. Seeking first God’s kingdom and the righteousness, both personal and social, of the kingdom is the only thing that can be central in the spiritual discipline of simplicity. (Foster) I want to challenge you to really mediate upon and study this passage in Matthew and let the Holy Spirit truly transform your life.

As Jesus makes clear in this passage, freedom from anxiety is one of the inward evidences of seeking first the kingdom of God. The inward reality of simplicity involves a life of joyful unconcern for possessions.

What is this inward reality of simplicity? 

This freedom from anxiety is characterized by 3 inner attitudes:

If what we have we receive as a gift

If what we have is to be cared for by God

If what we have is available to others…….

Then we will possess freedom from anxiety. Simplicity.

What we have we receive as a gift:

Yes we work hard but we must realize that it is not our work that gives us what we have. We live by grace even when it comes to “daily bread”. We are dependent upon God for the simplest elements of life: air, water, sun. What we have is NOT the result of our labor but of the gracious care of God.  It is He alone who sustains us and He must be seen as the Giver.

What we have is to be cared for by God:

To know that it is God’s business, and not ours, to care for what we have is the second inner attitude of simplicity. God is able to protect what we posses. We can trust him. Does that mean we should never take the keys out of our cars, lock the door, or take care of our children well? Of course not. But, we know that the lock on the door is not what protects the house. It is only common sense to take normal precautions but if we believe that the precautions itself protect us,  then we will have the problem of dealing with anxiety. In studying this discipline I have found myself very convicted of this fact-especially when it comes to my family.  I often find myself trusting in the lock on the door  or in safe parenting practices we have set in place rather than God who loves my children more than I could ever possibly!

What we have is available to others: 

If our goods are not available to the community when it is clearly right and good, then they are stolen goods. The reason we find such an idea so difficult is our fear of the future. We cling to our possessions rather than sharing them because we are anxious about tomorrow. But if we truly believe that God is who Jesus says he is, then we do not need to be afraid.  This means that we share what we have with others with a joyful heart.  This can obviously include material things such as possessions or food or even our time.  I realized to my chagrin, that I often cling to my time and what I selfishly want to do with it rather than freely giving of myself and making myself available to others.  The Lord wants me to be available to help encourage others, to help share their burdens, to laugh with them, to cry, to rejoice or to mourn.  

When we are seeking first the kingdom of God, these three attitudes will truly characterize our lives. Taken together they define what Jesus means by “do not be anxious”- they comprise the inner reality of Christian simplicity. And we can be certain that when we live this way then “all these things” that are necessary to carry on human life adequately will be ours as well. 

The Outward Expression of Simplicity: 

To describe simplicity only as an inner reality is to say something this is untrue. The inner reality is not a reality until there is an outward expression of it. To experience the liberating spirit of simplicity will affect how we live. 

Warning: Every attempt to give specific application to simplicity runs the risk of deterioration into legalism. (Foster) It is a risk, however, that we must take to give you practical ways to implement this discipline. 

So here it is – 6 practical ways to live simply: 

1. Buy things for their usefulness rather than for their status.

Example: Consider your clothes. Most people have no need for more clothes. They buy more not because they need clothes, but because they want more or to keep up with the latest fashions. Wear your clothes until they are worn out. Or, get rid of your excess of clothes, shoes, whatever, while they are still nice.  Clean out your pantry and give away foods you haven’t used within a month and buy less next time (even if things are on sale).  Give them away to people who could really use them!  Stop trying to impress people with your clothes and start impressing them with your life. (I am still working on this discipline, this is a hard one after living a life of excess.  One thing our family does is every few months we go through all our stuff-clothes, toys, food, etc. and give them away to friends we know or people in our community.) 

2. Reject anything that is producing an addiction in your life.

Example: Eliminate or cut down the use of addictive, non-nutritional drinks: Coke, tea, coffee, and so on… Chocolate has become a serious addiction for many people.  Or, maybe you have become addicted to fast food, a tv series, to your cell phone, video games, disc golf, face book, magazines, movies, if money has grip on your heart give some away and feel the inner release. You know!  Ask God to truly search your heart and reveal to you any idols you have placed above Him.  Simplicity is freedom, NOT slavery. Refuse to be a slave to anything but God.  

3. Develop a habit of giving things away. If you find that you are becoming attached to some possession, consider giving it to someone who needs it! This could also be giving of your time, rather than sleeping or sacrificing your free time to be there for someone. Freely and sacrificially give of your talents and your gifts for the glory of God. 

4. Develop a deeper appreciation for creation. Get close to the earth. Walk whenever you can. Listen to the birds. Enjoy the texture of grass and leaves. Smell the flowers. Marvel at the colors all around you. Simplicity means to discover once again what the psalmist talks about in Ps 24:1 “the earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”  It is amazing to me how simple my life seems and how quickly my perspective is righted when I spend some time outside-intentionally praising God for His handiwork!

       5. Obey Jesus’ instructions about plain, honest speech.  Matthew 5:37 says “All you nee to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”  Foster says “If you consent to do a task, do it.  Avoid flattery and half-truths.  Make honesty and integrity the distinguishing characteristics of your speech.  Avoid talking badly about others.  Stay away from crude and unwholesome words.  Encourage others every opportunity you get.    

6.   Stay away from anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God. It is so easy to lose focus on our pursuit of God’s kingdom, even in legitimate, good things. Jobs, school, status, position, family, and friends - these and many more can all too quickly become the center of attention.  Continually seek the Holy Spirit’s convicting power to keep you focused.

May God give you and me-the courage, the wisdom, and the strength always to hold the kingdom of God as the number one priority in our lives. To do so is to live in simplicity.  

By Laurel Jeremiadoss

***If you are interested in studying the spiritual disciplines further, most of our teaching comes from Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline, Spiritual Disciplines by Donald Whitney and E.M. Bounds’ Weapons of Prayer.

The Spiritual Discipline of Study

For our next spiritual discipline we will be looking at the topic of study.  This is a VAST discipline and one that I will not seek to cover in just one post.  Instead, I will give a brief overview.  I encourage you to research this topic more on your own through one of the books I have referenced at the end of this post.  The purpose of the spiritual disciplines is the spiritual transformation of a person. They aim to replace the old destructive habits of thought with new life-giving habits. This is the purpose of the discipline of study.

In Romans 12:2, Paul tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. The mind is renewed by applying it to those things that will transform it.

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Phil. 4:8)

Study is what brings us to think about these things; it is the key to transforming our minds. Many live in bondage to habits, fear, anxieties, and failures because they do not study God’s Word and apply it to their hearts and minds. (Foster) Jesus said “you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). Good feelings and getting high on Jesus will not set us free; we can only be set free when we know the truth.

Study is setting the mind and heart on the things of God’s Word – His love, character, provision, etc. This is what Paul is talking about when he says to set your focus on things true, honorable, and the other pure characteristics of God.  

 Study is about learning and applying all of what life has to show us- we can learn not only from God’s Word (which is our beginning point) but we must study nature, relationships, science, etc. When we analyze things of this world within the context of God’s Word, we learn to live the way He created us.

Why we need to study: 

Two brothers were walking on their father’s extensive, wooded acreage whey they came upon a young tree heavy with fruit. Both enjoyed as much delicious fruit as they wanted. When they started back, one man gathered all the remaining fruit and took it home with him. His brother, however, took the tree itself and planted it on its own property. The tree flourished and regularly produced a bountiful crop so that the second brother often had fruit when the first had none. 

The Bible is like the fruit-bearing tree in this story. Merely hearing the word of God is to be like the first brother. You may gather much fruit from the encounter and even bring home enough to feed on for a few days (weekly church services, small group meetings, retreats or conferences), but in the long run it doesn't compare with having your own tree. Through the discipline of studying we also find tools of memorization, interpretation and application which bountifully increase our harvest of fruit from the tree.

*To be a true disciple of Christ: The Bible teaches us that we cannot be disciples of Jesus Christ if we do not have a regular intake of the Word of God. On one occasion Jesus said to his followers “If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). As we look back through the history of the Christian church, we find that the common denominator of every great man and woman of God is that they know the scripture and spent consistent, regular time with the Lord in the Word. 

*Paul gives us two reasons of why we should study God’s word in 2 Timothy 3:14-17:  The first purpose is that we might come to know Jesus Christ and receive his salvation (v 15). We learn about redemption through the Word. The second purpose of Scripture is to help us grow spiritually so that we might be equipped for whatever God wants us to do (v17). The means to that growth are teaching (doctrine), rebuking, correcting and training (v.16).   Teaching shows us the path on which we are to walk; rebuking shows us where we got off the path; correcting tell us how to get back to the path; and training in righteousness teaches us how to stay on that path. This means that the Bible is the comprehensive guidebook for living the Christian life. 

Three Examples of study in the Bible: 

1. Ezra in the Old Testament:  Ezra 7:10- “For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.” There is an instructive significance to the sequence in this verse. Ezra (1) devoted himself (2) to the study (3) and observance of the Law of the Lord (4) to teaching of its decrees and laws in Israel. Before he taught the Word of God to the people of God, he practices what he learned. But Ezra's learning came from a study of Scriptures. Before he studied, however he first devoted himself to study. In other words, Ezra disciplined himself to study God's Word.  

2. The Berean Jews in the New Testament:  Acts 17:11. Missionaries Paul and Silas had barely escaped with their lives from Thessolonica after their successful evangelistic word had provoked the Jews there to jealousy. When they repeated the same course of action in Berea, the Jews there responded differently “11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” According to the next verse, the result was, “Many of the Jews believed.”  The willingness to examine the Scriptures is commended here as one possessing noble character. 

3. Paul in the New Testament:  The heart to study the truth of God is portrayed in 2 Timothy 4:13. The Apostle Paul is in prison and writing his last chapter of his last New Testament letter. Anticipating the coming of his younger friend Timothy, he writes “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments”. The scrolls and parchments Paul requested almost certainly included copies to the Scriptures. In his cold and miserable confinement in prison, the godly apostle asked for two things; a cloak to wear so that his body could be warmed and God's Word to study so his mind and heart could be warmed. Paul had see heaven (2 Corinthians 12:1-6), and the resurrected Christ (Acts 9:5) and even had the gift for writing Holy Scripture (2 Peter 3:16); nevertheless, he continued to study God's word until he died. If Paul needed it, surely you and I need it and should discipline ourselves to study it.

5 Key principles to follow on how to study the Bible: 

1. In Bible study you have to know how to ask the right kind of questions: 

You will realize that you can bombard the text with a limitless number of questions. One benefit of studying the Bible is that you will begin developing a more inquisitive mind. You will discover exciting insights you’ve overlooked in the past. It will seem as if you have been given a new pair of eyes! Suddenly, every time you pick up the Bible to study, new truths will leap out of the text. There are many models you can use to implement this principle, such as SPECKA, the 5 W’s, etc.  

2. In Bible study it involves you writing down what you have observed and discovered:

You have not really thought through a biblical text until you have put the thoughts gained from it into writing. You can do that with a pen and notebook, or you can just open up your laptop and start typing. You cannot study without writing something down. That is the difference between Bible reading and Bible study. In reading the Bible you simply read through a selected portion of Scripture, whereas in studying the Bible you take extensive notes.

3. In Bible Study you have to take God’s Word and study systematically. 

A haphazard study of the Word of God is an insult to the sanctity of Scripture. It is a slap on the holiness of God, who gave us his Word. The “cafeteria style” or the “what-are-we-going-to-find-today” approach will not produce the results God wants us to live out. What we need is a systematic, regular plan of study, whether we go through a book study, a word study or a chapter study we need to do it in a systematic way. We also must NEVER take a passage out of context.  When it comes to interpretation of the Bible, context is crucial.  In fact, I would go as far as to say the most important principle of biblical interpretation is that the context determines meaning.  When we ignore the context, we can twist the Scriptures and “prove” almost anything we want.  Unfortunately what happens is that true Christianity is not lived out but instead we get things like the prosperity Gospel that are heresy to God.  In considering the context of a passage you must look at it’s historical and literary context.  You can do this by having a handy, reliable tool nearby-a Bible dictionary such as Strong’s or commentaries.

4. In Bible study you will never exhaust the riches in any one passage of Scripture: 

The psalmist declared this fact in Ps.119:96. You can dig and dig in Scripture, but you will never, ever touch bottom. Solomon said it in Prov. 2:4-5- God’s silver is inexhaustible and the treasure is boundless. For this reason you can study the same passage over and over again, dig into it, leave it for three or four months- and when you come back to it, there is much more to find. 

5.  You MUST apply what you have learned in your Christian walk:  Application is crucial to study.  We do not want to settle for understanding alone; we want to apply the biblical principles to our daily living. The Bible was to given to change our character and bring it more into conformity with Jesus Christ. All of our efforts in Bible Study are valueless if in the end we do not change and become more like Jesus. (Foster) We must “not merely listen to the word” but we are to “do what is says” (James 1:22).  When we apply God’s world in our lives, we will also become eager to carry out the great commission (Mat. 28:18-20) Some of the questions you have to be asking ourself in your Bible Study are: What attitude do I need to change as a result of this study? What do I need to start doing or stop doing? What thing do I need to believe or stop believing? What relationships do I need to work on? What ministry should I be having with others?

There are 4 steps to study

1. Repetition-  This step regularly channels the mind in a specific direction, thus ingraining habits of thought. Repetition can cause us to go in the way of destructive habits or constructive habits.  Study something for 30 days or a year and apply it to your life, it will change your life. It will become a habit. Care for your body, quiet time early, etc.
2. Concentration-  This step centers the mind and focuses the attention on what is being studied. To gain concentration there are some things you’ll find helpful. Find a quiet place, give time to it, and be rested up. Remember it is a discipline; but when we do it learning is vastly increased. Don’t let yourself be distracted by paying attention to other things while you’re studying-put away your phone, log out of Facebook, ask someone to watch your kids.  Concentrate only on our Lord.
3. Comprehension- Jesus reminds us it is not just the truth but the knowledge and understanding of the truth that sets us free. (Jn.8:32) All of us have read or studied something over and over again and then, all of a sudden, we understand what it means. It opens up to us a whole new view. When this happens, our experience of understanding moves us to a new level of growth and freedom. It leads to insight and discernment; it gives us a true perception of reality.
4. Reflection- Although comprehension defines what we are studying, reflection defines the significance of what we are studying. Reflection brings us to see things from God’s perspective. It helps us to understand our world and ourselves better. We need time to reflect on what we have learned and how it applies to life.

Preparation for Bible Study: 

1. Schedule your Bible study time: Set aside a specific time to do Bible study each week. Decide how much time you want to spend on Bible study. Don’t overdo it, but don’t shortchange yourself either. If you don’t put study into your weekly schedule, you will never make time for it or it will be sporadic and shallow. You must intentionally make time for Bible study. 

2. How often should you study the Bible? 

The answer will vary from person to person, but an important fact to keep in mind is the distinction between your quiet time and your Bible study time. You should have a quiet time every day. It is usually a short devotional period (10-30 minutes) it which you read the Bible, meditate for a few minutes on what you read, and have a time of prayer. 

The purpose of your quiet time is to have fellowship with Jesus Christ. You should not try to do an in-depth Bible Study during your quiet time. In fact, nothing will kill your quiet time like engaging in serious Bible study during a devotional period. Just enjoy the presence of God and fellowship with him. 

While it is better to have a 10 minute quiet time every day rather than just a one-hour period once a week, the exact opposite is true of Bible study. You cannot study the Bible effectively in a piecemeal fashion. If is better to block out larger periods of time (One or an hour and a half) than to try to study a little bit every day. Then as you grow in your Bible Study skills, you can spend additional time with it. 

You should study your Bible when you are at your best physically, emotionally and intellectually, and when you can be undistracted and unhurried. Since you are either a “day person” or a “night person” you should pick the time when you are most alert. I know I cannot function at night very well, but mornings are fine for me, when I get up I am ready to go. You should never try to study when you are tired or right after a large meal, you will only get frustrated and sleepy. Try to study when you are rested and wide awake. Remember we are not talking about just your quiet time or your devotional time every day, we are specifically talking about Bible study, because it is going to take work to do it.  

3. Keep a notebook:  As we had already talked about, you cannot study the Bible without writing down things that you have observed. I love journaling and find it really helps me to process what I am learning-takes notes as I go and even writing down my questions and prayers to God along the way.

4. Spend time in prayer before each study: First, ask the Lord to cleanse your life from all known sin and to fill you with the Holy Spirit, so that you will be in fellowship with him during the study. This is the advantage of studying the Bible as compared to studying a textbook- you have direct communication with the author himself. Second, pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you in your study. The best way to understand is to talk with its author. Memorize Psalms 119:18 and use it before each study – ” Ask God to open your eyes to His word.”

5. Get the right tools: A good solid version of the Bible. The NIV study bible or the ESV study bibles are good resources to have. A good solid commentary like any of the “MacArthur Commentaries’” are excellent. If you are going to be doing a book study you can get a good commentary on just one book. You can start out with a good study bible and go from there.

A few tools to begin Study 

I want to list a few of the Bible Study tools my husband and I use.  But I do want to emphasis you do NOT have to have all of these to have a good Bible study.   But these are definitely helpful in your study.   Always remember that you should read the text first and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you before you consult other materials!  You do not want to miss out on how God first wants to speak to you about His Word on a deeply personal level.

1. A good Study Bible: Again this is most important thing that you will need. Find a good study Bible. When looking for one, make sure you get one that is large enough so that you are not straining your eyes while you read and more importantly find one with a good cross-reference and/or concordance.  Personally, I would recommend the NIV Study Bible or the ESV Study Bible. For further reading I would also recommend the Apologetics Study Bible- the articles and the notes in that Bible are excellent.

2. An Exhaustive concordance: By far the most important tool you will need in Bible study other than your study Bible is a concordance that is geared to your primary Bible version. This tool has a Bible index of the words contained in that version. A number of bibles have a limited concordance in the back, which lists only a few of the major words and names. An “exhaustive” concordance lists every usage of every word in the bible and gives all the references where the word may be found.   I would recommend the Strongest Strong’s NIV Exhaustive Concordance. 

3. A Bible dictionary and/or Bible encyclopedia: A Bible dictionary explains many of the words, topics, customs, and traditions in the Bible as well as giving historical, geographical, cultural and archeological information. Background materials are also given for each book of the Bible and a short biography is presented for the major people of both Testaments. I would recommend the Expository Dictionary of Bible Words by Renn.

4. A Bible handbook: This tool is a combination of an encyclopedia and a commentary in a concise form. It is used for quick reference while reading through a particular book in the Bible. Instead of being arranged by topics alphabetically, handbooks are designed to follow the order of the books of the Bible-specifically used for background notes and running commentaries. 

I would recommend the Halley’s Bible handbook or The Word Bible Handbook by Richards.

5. Commentaries: A commentary is a scholarly collection of explanatory notes and interpretations on the text of a particular book or section. Its purpose is to explain and interpret the meaning of the biblical message by analyzing the words used, background, introduction, grammar, and syntax, and relation of the particular book to the rest of the Bible. Used properly, commentaries can greatly increase your understanding of the Bible. Generally you should not refer to the commentary until after you have done your own study. Don’t let someone else rob you of the joy or discovering biblical insights on your own. I would recommend the Matthew Henry Commentary or the John MacArthur Commentary.  

Other Helpful Study Tools:  

-How to read the bible for all its Worth by Gordon Fee 

-The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer or the more contemporary version of Costly Grace by Jon Walker

-Mere Christanity by C.S. Lewis

In closing, we must remember that application is crucial to study.  We must come to study in a humble and teachable spirit. We do not gain knowledge and information so we can be seen as all knowing. Parading around our knowledge in front of others just makes us arrogant. The wisdom of God is found in study of His Word and the world around us. (Foster) We should be humbled that He would share this with us. Our goal in all Bible studies is to know Jesus Christ and to become like him in our attitudes, our thoughts, our speech, our actions and our values. When the word of God changes our lives and makes us more like Jesus, that's when we realize what the real purpose of life is, what true joy is, and what it means for God to change the world though us. The Great commission is fulfilled and souls are won when we become Christlike and do His will. 

By Laurel Jeremiadoss

***If you are interested in studying the spiritual disciplines further, most of our teaching comes from Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline, Spiritual Disciplines by Donald Whitney and E.M. Bounds’ Weapons of Prayer.