Practice Makes Perfect

1 John 3:7-10 (NASB)

 

At one time, I decided I wanted to be a better tennis player.  I had never taken any lessons – I was basically self-taught.  So, I signed up for a class at OSU.  As you could imagine, I had developed some bad habits that kept me from improving my game, especially my backhand.  The instructor set up a pitching machine across the net from me, aiming it to spit out balls to my left side.  Week after week the pitching machine and I had a date on the court, repeating good backhand form – until my swing became second-nature. 

In the passage for today, John contrasts two kinds of practices: practicing righteousness and practicing sinning.  We are either God’s children or the devil’s, and we show it by what we practice.  We get better at what we repeat.  If we keep repeating a sin-pattern, such as lying, we get “good” at it, it becomes a habit.  

 

And, likewise, if we belong to God, we will practice righteousness and love, and we will forsake the practice of sin.  It becomes a lifestyle of acting in accordance with God’s will.  Of course, we will sin – because that’s who we are by nature, but, according to John, we will show to whom we belong, God or Satan, by how we strive to follow either righteousness or sin.

 

In 1Tim 6:11, Paul commends Timothy to “…pursue righteousness…,” and he sees scripture as essential for training Christians in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16).  Just as I pursued training to become skilled at tennis, so we as Christians must pursue God’s word, so that we may be “…equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:17).”

 

Question:  Is it obvious by what behaviors I practice that I am God’s child?

 

Dear Lord, thank you that because of Christ’s redemptive work, You already count me as righteous.  But, please keep me from being deceived into thinking that I may live with habitual sins and still be seen as belonging to You.  Keep me growing in Your word, and give me Your strength to pursue righteousness – that I may be equipped for service, thus making it obvious to those around me that I am Your child.  For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

Ready or Not...

Matthew 4:19-20 (NIV)  "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."  At once they left their nets and followed him.

When I was a kid, my father used to call me to the house by whistling.  He was able to emit a loud, piercing; almost siren like sound and all four of us kids would come running when heard.  We might be on the other block, but we would hear it, in fact we would subconsciously listen for it.  There were big consequences when we didn't respond in a timely manner.

Do we still hear those in authority calling us? Do we respond in the same way, running toward the voice and shouting as we do, "Coming."

A call from Jesus can come at any time in our lives.  We might be fresh out of college and ready to enter the workplace, putting our degree to work for us. We are excited and think we are prepared for the next phase of life.  We might hear an inaudible, "come follow me," and are stopped in our tracks.

The question now or the take-away from today's Word is this, has there been a calling on your life? Have you responded yet?  Did you recognize it, or are you still trying to decipher it?  Maybe there is some denial going on and you are still hedging.  Our calling isn't always clear.  Sometimes God spends years preparing us for the work He created us for.

But, to use a saying I heard years ago, "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called." When God calls us into service, when he convicts us to step out in faith and follow a dream and use our gifts, he doesn't close the door behind, but goes with us.


Matthew 4:18-25

Called and Equipped

2 Corinthians 11:6 (NIV)  I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.     

There are times in ministry when we do not feel as though we have enough training to do the job we have been given.  There are times we doubt our effectiveness, as we have no diploma on the topic. This is where Paul finds himself in Chapter 11 of 2 Corinthians.  He knows he doesn't have the training,  In his mind he feels he isn't a gifted orator, but he does know a few things about the topics he preaches.

There are so many times we feel inadequate to do the work Jesus needs done. We signed up to teach children's Sunday school but struggle with our lack of skills we think we need to work with little ones.  But we volunteered because there was this nudge we could not ignore.  Paul finds himself in a similar situation.  He volunteered to serve Jesus, to tell everyone who will listen, about the amazing life Jesus offers.

Paul's problem is with those who are trying to undermine him, to convince the people to follow them and they will reveal Jesus. False prophets were working to undo everything Paul had done by claiming they knew more and they knew better. False prophets are around today too, they only take on a different form and talk a different talk.

When God calls us into ministry, when we feel his tap on our shoulders, we can respond confidently.  We have walked through the field of pain and hardships with Him at our side.  We have turned to Jesus for help and comfort and we have learned of His faithfulness.  This is the only training we need sometimes; on-the-job-training is the best witness.  Remember, God doesn't call the equipped--He equips the called.

2 Corinthians 11

Be Ready - Acts 21:1-14

I wonder how many times a day I hear or say the words, "Are you ready yet?" Even now, living alone I find myself thinking this as I prepare to leave for an appointment. So much of my life is preparing for the next day, week, or month. I live life in anticipation of the next event on the calendar taking care to be prepared or ready. The dictionary defines 'ready' as:

• completely prepared 
• fit condition for immediate action or use 
• duly equipped 
• completed, adjusted, or arranged, as for an occasion or purpose 
• willing

Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 21:13)

Any one of the definitions above could be substituted for the word ready (as found in Acts 21:13), and it would be valid.  As Christians, we are to "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15) I have to ask myself if I am ready, am I prepared to answer that difficult question posed by a skeptical neighbor?  

When Paul was advised to stay away from Jerusalem he knew he had to go there.  He was completely prepared to share the good news with the people there.  He was in fit spiritual condition for immediate action and he was duly equipped.  Most of all he was willing.  A goal for Christians everywhere is to be ready and willing.  Nothing can stop us then.

Read the Acts 21:1-14 text here.