Get Up With God
highly caffeinated daily bible doses to help start your morning off right

Send your deepest, thorniest, most mind-boggling Bible questions to getupwithgod1@yahoo.com and I’ll do my very best to answer ‘em in 100 words or less.

Here’s this week’s question . . .

I like to keep things simple, straightforward and practical. What exactly does the Bible say about how Christians should live?

Great question. Here’s one take from the Apostle Paul:

Be joyful always:
pray continually;
give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Do not put out the Spirit’s fire;
do not treat prophecies with contempt.
Test everything.
Hold on to the good.
Avoid every kind of evil.
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-22)

Here’s another:

So I say, live by the Spirit . . .
the fruit of the Spirit is
love,
joy,
peace,
patience,
kindness,
goodness,
faithfulness,
gentleness and
self-control.
(Galatians 5:16a, 22-23a)

Here it is in 3 little words . . .

LIVE
LIKE
JESUS

I know your deeds,
that you are neither cold nor hot.
I wish you were either one or the other!
So, because you are lukewarm –
neither hot nor cold –
I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
(Revelation 3:15-16)

The Bible says: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith: test yourselves.” (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Take your spiritual temperature. Ask yourself these simple questions:

1. Where is your heart? “The Lord says: ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.’” (Isaiah 29:13)
2. Where is your mind? Do you focus more on this world or on God? “Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven.” (Philippians 3:18-19) “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2)
3. Do you love God with “all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”? (Matthew 22:37) Who is your first love – God or yourself? Do you passionately pursue a relationship with Him with every fiber of your being?
4. Do you “love your neighbor as yourself?” (Matthew 22:39) Do your actions show that you care for others? Or is it all about you?
5. Does your life overflow with the fruit of the Spirit? Do people see love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in your life? Or do they see something else?

Here’s a quote that’s more than a century old but still rings true today:

It is not scientific doubt,
not atheism,
not pantheism,
not agnosticism,
that in our day
and in this land
is likely to quench
the light of the gospel.
It is a proud,
sensuous,
selfish,
luxurious,
church-going,
hollow-hearted
prosperity.
–Frederic Huntington

DON’T GET SPAT
LET GOD LIGHT YOUR FIRE

Here’s this week’s question . . .

The Bible says to obey our earthly authorities (e.g., Romans 13:1). What should we do if our “earthly authority” asks us to do things that conflict with God’s word? In other words, what if our boss is a Nazi?

Great question.

Here’s the full text of Romans 13:1: “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.”

While we’re told to submit to “governing authorities,” the Bible is careful to note that there’s no authority apart from what God puts in place. Simply put, God’s word trumps all.

Here’s what the Apostle Peter said about the subject. He and the other apostles were ordered by the religious authorities not to preach about Jesus. Peter’s response? “We must obey God rather than men!”

In short, God rules.

Got a deep, thorny, mind-boggling Bible question? Send it to getupwithgod1@yahoo.com and I’ll do my very best to answer it in 100 words or less.

Lay hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands and you will live.
Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or swerve from them.
(Proverbs 4:4-5)

Life is a journey. Are you following God’s road map? Are you truly grabbing hold of His word with all your heart?

Take this quick quiz . . .

How much time did you spend this past week:

• Watching meaningless shows on TV?
• Surfing the Internet for the latest celebrity gossip?
• Listening to less-than-uplifting music?
• Shopping for stuff you don’t need?
• Obsessing about your lawn?
• Playing golf?
• Doing anything else not centered on God?

Add all those hours up. Now here’s one final question:

• How much time did you spend reading the Bible?

If the first number is bigger than the second (mine is), I humbly suggest that your life may be out of whack. Turn off the TV, shut down the computer, unplug the iPod, hide the credit cards, let the weeds grow, put the clubs in the attic and crack open your Bible.

What will you get? Wisdom, understanding and a much clearer picture of God’s road map for your life.

Walk with God. Stay on His path. Don’t swerve.

For the past couple of weeks here on GUWG, we’ve been discussing the Holy Spirit and what He means to us today. Here’s a little test just to make sure you were paying attention.

1.  The Holy Spirit . . .
a. Is a person
b. Is God
c. Lives in all Christians
d. Guides, helps, teaches, comforts, warns and prays for us
e. All of the above

2. The Holy Spirit is NOT . . .
a. An “it”
b. An impersonal force that we can manipulate
c. A ghost that haunts our attics and only comes out at night
d. Someone we should ignore
e. All of the above

3. Which of the following is NOT a fruit of the Spirit?
a. Love
b. Joy
c. Peace
d. Patience
e. Kindness
f. Goodness
g. Faithfulness
h. Gentleness
i. Self-control
j. Bananas

4. Which would you rather have more of in your life: the fruit of the sinful nature (hatred, jealousy, discord, etc.) or the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc.)?
a. The fruit of the sinful nature — I love being miserable and despised
b. The fruit of the Spirit

5. In John 15, God is the gardener, Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. In that picture, what is the Holy Spirit like?
a. Pesticide
b. The dirt
c. A cute little bunny hopping to and fro
d. Sap running through the branches, helping them produce good fruit

6. True or False: Christians should be grumpy, grimace and grit their teeth a lot as they serve God.
a. True
b. False — joy is a fruit of the Spirit

7. Complete this phrase: Blessed are the _______________.
a. Cheesemakers
b. Pacemakers
c. Pittsburgh Steelers
d. Peacemakers

8. Christians should be faithful even to the point of ___________.
a. Mild discomfort
b. Embarrassment
c. Potentially negative financial consequences
d. Death

9. True or False: It’s OK for Christians to yell at telemarketers and/or customer service reps on the phone.
a. True
b. False – we should let our gentleness be evident to all

10. Which of the following is NOT a spiritual gift?
a. Serving
b. Teaching
c. Administration
d. Encouragement
e. Excellent karaoke skills

EXTRA CREDIT: What happens to trees that don’t bear good fruit?
a. Nothing — all trees and fruit are basically good
b. They wither, die and are reincarnated as ugly shrubs
c. They’re ground into paper pulp and turned into church bulletins
d. They’re cut down and thrown into the fire

 Answers:  1(e), 2(e), 3(j), 4(b), 5(d), 6(b), 7(d), 8(d), 9(b), 10(e), EC(d)

I hope you enjoyed the past two Spirit-filled weeks. Always remember . . .

KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT

As SPIRIT WEEK Part 2 here on GUWG draws to a close, we shift our focus to SPIRITUAL GIFTS.

What exactly are spiritual gifts? Great question. The Bible warns us not to be “ignorant” about this topic (1 Corinthians 12:1). In short, they are God-given abilities designed to build up the church today.

What’s the difference between spiritual “fruit” and “gifts”? The fruit of the Spirit are godly attitudes that grow in the lives of believers. Spiritual gifts are God-given abilities for serving God and His church.

What spiritual gifts are there? There’s only one Spirit, but many different gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4). Here’s a summary (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28 and Ephesians 4:11):

• Speaking Gifts: prophecy, evangelism, pastoring/teaching, wisdom, knowledge and encouragement
• Service Gifts: serving, giving, leading, mercy, faith, helping, discernment and administration
• Sign Gifts: miracles, healing, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues

Are all the gifts still given today? Some say the Sign Gifts ceased once the early church was established. Others disagree. The key question is this: Is the “gift” truly from God and being used for the good of the church in LOVE?

How do I know what my gift is and how should I use it? Each and every believer has at least one spiritual gift. Read through and meditate on the verses above. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. Talk to your pastor or other Christians you trust. Then get out there and use your gift(s) for the “common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7), remembering that gifts without love are nothing:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels,
but have not love,
I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy
and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have a faith that can move mountains,
but have not love,
I am nothing.
If I give all I possess to the poor
and surrender my body to the flames,
but have not love,
I gain nothing.
(1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

USE YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS IN LOVE

In SPIRIT WEEK Part 2 here on GUWG, where we’re finishing up our look at each fruit of the Spirit.

Our final featured fruit: SELF-CONTROL.

Right before the Bible lists the fruit of the Spirit, it spells out in graphic detail the “fruit” of our uncontrolled sinful selves: drunkenness, sexual immorality, idolatry, hatred, rage and various other forms of discord, dissension and debauchery.

What’s the antidote? A Spirit-filled self-controlled life. The Bible says that instead of getting “drunk” on what this world has to offer, we should instead be “filled” with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18) Put another way, we need to be “under the influence” of the Spirit at all times.

How do we stay under the Spirit’s influence in this chaotic world? The Bible says to “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7 NASB). But don’t be confused. Christian discipline isn’t about gritting your teeth and gutting life out. The Christian life should be filled with JOY.

In his excellent Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald Whitney outlines basic activities to help us avoid the world’s temptations and keep in step with the Spirit, including:

• Bible
• Prayer
• Worship
• Evangelism
• Serving
• Stewardship
• Fasting
• Silence and solitude
• Learning
• Perseverance

Want a good role model for all of the above? Follow Jesus. That’s His life in a nutshell.

LEAD
SPIRT-FILLED
SELF-CONTROLLED
LIVES

In Part 2 of SPIRIT WEEK here on GUWG, where we’re taking a look at each fruit of the Spirit.

Today’s featured fruit: GENTLENESS. 

In my natural state, I’m about as un-gentle as they come. Without God at the helm, I tend to crash and bang through life at warp speed, leaving a wake of debris, destruction and devastation behind me.

But there’s hope even for people like me. I’ll give you an example . . .

Not long ago, my credit card company decided it would be fun to double my interest rate without telling me. I immediately called and had a rather un-gentle-ish conversation with a poor defenseless customer service rep. I demanded to talk to her supervisor. And then her supervisor’s supervisor. And then her supervisor’s supervisor’s supervisor. The result: my interest rate stayed high (in fact, I’m surprised they didn’t double it again).

I then remembered this little verse:

Let your gentleness be evident to all.
(Philippians 4:5)

I said a little prayer, asked the Holy Spirit to fill me with gentleness and then called back. This time, I was quiet, restrained and . . . gentle. It was a totally different conversation. The rep went out of his way to help, spending almost an hour on the phone with me. The end result: my rate went back down (and so did my blood pressure).

Gentleness works. Here are some other “gentle” reminders from the Bible:

• “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)
• “What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?” (1 Corinthians 4:21)
• “[T]he unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit . . . is of great worth in God’s sight.” (1 Peter 3:4)
• “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you go give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)
• “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29)

BE GENTLE

In SPIRIT WEEK Part 2 here on GUWG, where we’re taking a close look at each fruit of the Spirit.

Today’s featured fruit: FAITHFULNESS.

What exactly is “faith”? Here’s one of my favorite definitions:

Faith means abandoning all trust in one’s own resources. Faith means casting oneself unreservedly on the mercy of God. Faith means laying hold of the promises of God in Christ, relying entirely on the finished work of Christ for salvation, and on the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God for daily strength. Faith implies complete reliance on God and full obedience to God. (New Bible Dictionary)

Put another way, faith is remaining in Christ. We cling to Him with all our hearts, abiding in Him and Him in us, trusting Him completely.

Here’s a selection of “faithful” verses. Ask the Holy Spirit to drive ‘em deep down into your soul.

• “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)
• “The Lord preserves the faithful.” (Psalm 31:23)
• “Let love and faithfulness never leave you.” (Proverbs 3:3)
• “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)
• “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10)
• “[W[hen the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)

May the answer to that last question be a resounding YES!

KEEP THE FAITH

It’s SPIRIT WEEK Part 2 here on GUWG, where we’re continuing our in-depth look at each fruit of the Spirit.

Today’s featured fruit: GOODNESS.

Jesus said it best: “No one is good — except God alone.” (Mark 10:18)

The entire Bible can be seen as a story about the triumph of good (God) over evil (Satan). The question, then, is this:

What side are you on?

The fruit you’re producing is strong evidence of where your heart’s really at. Jesus said:

[E]very good tree bears good fruit,
but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear fruit,
and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit
is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
(Matthew 7:17-20)

Here are some “good” verses to store deep inside your heart:

• “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)
• “Trust in the Lord and do good.” (Psalm 37:3)
• “Fight the good fight of the faith.” (1 Timothy 6:12)
• “Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” (Romans 12:9)
• “Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” (1 Corinthians 10:24)
• “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
• “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)
• “[D]o good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:10)
• “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” (Luke 6:27)
• “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:12)

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT