The 260 Journey

Day 134

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 1

Sotheby’s in New York City had an Auction some years ago and sold some of the belongings of iconic people. Winston Churchill’s desk, C. S. Lewis’s pipe, and one sheet of Johan Sebastian Bach’s music all auctioned that day. Here are three items and their final auction prices that caught my attention.

Napoleon’s toothbrush sold for $21,000.

Jackie Kennedy Onassis’s fake pearl necklace went for $215,000.

John F. Kennedy’s wood golf clubs sold at $772,500.

These items are not worth that price on their own. Think about it. A used toothbrush, wooden golf clubs, and fake pearls. They have no intrinsic value. So, what makes these items valuable? And why did they sell for so much money? Who they belonged to.

Since they belonged to someone important, famous, or significant, their price skyrocketed.

In today’s reading, the apostle Paul reminds us of our value. Listen to this verse: “In everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge” (1 Corinthians 1:5).

Two words from this verse are important: everything and enriched.

First, Jesus touches all areas of our lives. Paul says God has an effect on everything. Nothing is left out and nothing is off limits to God. So, when Jesus comes in, every area gets affected. Religion asks for a day a week, while a relationship with Jesus wants every day. Why every day? Because He wants everything.

Second, enriched is a money word, a financial word. It means to add value to something and make it pricey. God added value to your life. The day you became a Christian, your value skyrocketed because He started improving every area of your life. He started cleaning up the mind, the heart, the speech, the priorities—as Paul said, “In everything.”

But what really makes you valuable is not that you are different, it’s Who you belong to. You belong to God. That’s better than JFK, Jackie O, and Napoleon. These owners were a president, a first lady, and an army general. But your Owner is the Maker of the universe. And since you belong to Him, your value has skyrocketed. Which means at auction, your worth is off the charts.

And all of this from being in Him. In Him is such an important phrase. And it is considered one of Paul’s most incredible and most quoted phrases in describing a Christian.

Donald Coggan, the Archbishop of Canterbury, drew attention to the 164 occurrences of “in Christ” in Paul’s writing. Listen to his defining of this phrase:

It is a strange phrase. We can scarcely find a parallel use to it in ordinary life. If, let us say, an intimate friend of Churchill who had spent many years with him and then had given a decade to the writing of his life were talking to us about that great man, he might sum up his relationship to him in a wide variety of ways. He might say that he feared him or admired him or revered him or even loved him. But he never would say, “I am a man in Churchill.” It would never occur to him to use that phrase. But Paul was above everything else, “a man in Christ.”

The part that I love about in him in verse 5 is that because Paul is in Christ, his speech changed, all speech. If Christianity is a heart thing, then it is a speech thing. When you read 1 Corinthians, Paul can’t stop talking about Jesus. Just look at the first nine verses. I will help you by emphasizing a few words so you can see a pattern.

Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:1-10, emphasis added)

Jesus is in nine out of ten of the first verses. I think Paul’s speech has been affected by Jesus. He can’t stop talking about Him. That’s what happens when Jesus is in the heart, He changes your conversation.

Day 133

Today’s Reading: Romans 16

Occasionally on Sundays after I’d finished the sermon, we’d completed the last song, and I’d said the final amen, I’d realize I forgot to announce something to the congregation. I’d have to tell our sound technician to turn the mic back on so I could tell the people what I forgot.

I’m in good company. Even Paul forgot something in Romans and had to essentially tell the sound technician to turn his mic back on.

Today’s reading of our final chapter in Romans is one of Paul’s most overlooked and undervalued. They are words spoken after the microphone is turned off.

Look with me at Romans 15:33. It seems like a great ending prayer for this amazing Epistle. Paul usually ends his Epistles with short doxologies. Here he writes, “Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” “Amen” means it’s over, time to go, time to eat.

Then Paul stops everyone and says, “Wait, wait, wait! I forgot something. Turn the mic back on. I missed a huge announcement!”

And then in one of the most amazing chapters that doesn’t get its props, Paul goes on for the next twenty-seven verses before he gives his second amen. Here’s the second doxology, the second closing: “To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen” (Romans 16:27).

Between those two amens Paul mentions thirty-three names! Go back through today’s reading and count them all. He starts with “our sister Phoebe who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea” (verse 1) and spends twenty-four verses listing people who he wants to recognize. Thirty-three names of people who helped him in ministry. Thirty-three names who made Paul’s ministry possible. He’s recognizing them with a “there’s no way we do what we do without these people.”

One of the greatest coaches of any sports franchise or university has to be John Wooden of UCLA. He coached his teams to ten national championships in twelve years. He had an 800-winning percentage. He is an icon. In A Game Plan for Life: The Power of Mentoring, he wrote

"When one of my players scored, he knew he was supposed to point to the teammate who had passed him the ball or made the block that allowed that basket to happen. It wasn’t about deflecting praise, but about sharing it with everyone who was working hard as a part of the team."

Today many athletes thump their chests while the team has to follow them around as they carry on without giving any recognition to anyone who helped them get there. When was the last time you saw a defensive end sack a quarterback and then turn around and point to every defensive lineman who made the hole so he can get in? Never! He stands in the middle of the field as if it were his talent alone that gave him that moment and forgot to point to all the players who made it happen for him.

Wooden said his dad taught him, “There is nothing you know that you haven’t learned from someone else. . . . He . . . was reminding us to always be thankful for each lesson an individual offers, wittingly or unwittingly, because those lessons become a kind of borrowed experience.”

I found this short course in human relations from an unknown, but very wise, author:

The six most important words: I admit I made a mistake

The five most important words: You did a good job

The four most important words: What do you think?

The three most important words: I love you

The two most important words: Thank you

The one most important word: We

The least important word: I

After Ronald Reagan became the fortieth president, he put a plaque on his desk to remind him of an important piece of wisdom: “There is no limit to how far a person may go as long as he doesn’t care who gets the credit.”

Romans 16 is best known for its pointing fingers instead of thumping chests. No doubt behind every one of these names there is a hidden story. Time wouldn’t allow us to trace their individual stories. Whatever their stories may have been, those people influenced and helped Paul in his work, and Paul knew it. That’s why he turned the mic back on and gave well-deserved shout outs to otherwise-would-be-considered no names.

Paul portrayed a good model, which even Albert Einstein followed: “A hundred times a day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received.”

Here’s a challenge for you today. Thank someone for their investment and help in your life. Thank a parent, a pastor, a professor, or a friend. Send them a text, an email, or call and thank them. Listen to Coach Wooden and don’t come down the court thumping your chest. Remember that a bunch of other people helped you to be where you are today. Paul had at least thirty-three of them. I had a lot more than thirty-three. How many do you have?

Day 132

Today’s Reading: Romans 15

In today’s reading the apostle Paul is about to tell us how legit the Old Testament is. We are going to be given a reason why we should think larger than 260. The New Testament has 260 chapters that we are reading through together. But we don’t have to stop there! The Bible has 929 other chapters that also have purpose. As Paul tells us, “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope” (Romans 15:4, NIV).

The “everything was written in the past” is defined as the Old Testament narrative—the Old Testament stories. The 929 chapters beyond the 260.

But Paul is saying these are not “just” stories. These are “our stories.” Paul is telling us to take notice of people’s stories in those 929 chapters. There is wisdom and instruction in them for our lives. Since we know not every story in those chapters end with “they lived happily ever after,” we need them as reminders and warnings not to let their stories become our stories.

Always remember, we don’t have to experience something to gain wisdom and understanding. That saying, “Experience is the best teacher”? That isn’t completely true. I don’t need to get on drugs or get a DUI to know that those things are bad for me. Instead evaluated experience is the best teacher. And many times our best evaluating comes by observing and learning about what others have gone through.

Paul is telling us that the stories in the Old Testament are not just stories to read, they are stories to heed. The Old Testament gives us what others experienced and asks us to evaluate and to receive from them wisdom for personal growth and instruction and to avoid failures and even train wrecks. Christian author, the late R. C. Sproul got to the real problem of why we don’t make those stories our stories:

Here, then, is the real problem of our negligence. We fail in our duty to study God’s Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but because it is work. Our problem is not a lack of intelligence or a lack of passion. Our problem is that we are lazy.

We can find stories for every circumstance we may face. There are Old Testament stories of adultery and immorality, of losing a child, a wife, a friend. There is the story of going bankrupt. There are stories of betrayal, false accusations, and getting through them. There are stories of standing strong against temptation and saying no to sexual immorality, as well as stories of those who gave into sexual temptation and the consequences that followed. We find stories of how to be an amazing witness in a very difficult, ungodly environment. We get to see people’s decisions from beginning to end. All there so we can learn. Paul is saying that we need to read the 929, that they are there for us to take note of, to learn from, to value.

You have a bad neighbor situation? There is help in the Old Testament for how to handle that. Proverbs 16:7 says, “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” How do you fix the bad-neighbor situation? Please God now and make it His responsibility.

Some people say, “I just wait to hear the voice of God speak to me.” He did speak to you—in the Scriptures. If you have not been faithful with what is clear, why would He continue to speak?

You’re doing well by taking the 260 journey, but remember also the 929. Each time you read an Old Testament story, say to yourself, “These are stories for me. The 929 is legit.”

Day 131

Today’s Reading: Romans 14

Romans 14 is about personal convictions not a private faith. Nowhere does the Bible give anyone the right to a private faith, though it is a personal faith. Because not everyone is at the same place in their walk with God. And when we don’t take notice of where people are in the Christian walk, then the strong can become a stumbling block to the weak. Paul says it like this: “Forget about deciding what’s right for each other. Here’s what you need to be concerned about: that you don’t get in the way of someone else, making life more difficult than it already is” (Romans 14:13, MSG).

Making life more difficult for newer Christians—that is a horrible thought.

How does that happen? It happens when the lines of personal and private faith get blurred, landing us with legalism. Imposing our standards on others. When we do that we get in the way of people’s growth in Christ.

Let me explain the origin of legalism and how important Romans 14 is to keeping it out of our lives. Legalism originates when Christians make a personal conviction into a corporate conviction. When you believe what God demands of you is what He is demanding of everyone.

Now there are extracurriculars that God will call His servants to that He doesn’t intend for everyone. But be very careful of imposing those extracurriculars on those around you. Your convictions are not meant for everyone.

Throughout my ministry I have seen that the greater the anointing, the greater those kinds of personal convictions happen. The wider the influence, the more intense those personal convictions are for a person.

As you listen to the Holy Spirit, He may be speaking to you personally. If that’s the case, don’t expand any larger than the personal dimensions. Once you expand your convictions to everyone, then your relationship has turned religious, and religion always sours and goes rogue into legalism.

Just because God tells you to get up and pray at 5 a.m. does not mean everyone has to. Just because you fast once a week doesn’t mean everyone else in your house has to go hungry. I have seen this with what people wear, with bringing Jewish elements into the church. Be careful.

If God has something to say specifically to others, let Him say it. He is very well capable of speaking. He did speak a universe into existence, so I do think He can tell someone, You’re watching too much television.

Romans 14 helps us with this. In fact, an old friend helped me understand this chapter better by categorizing a few things. There are biblical absolutes, community standards, and personal convictions.

Biblical absolutes are for all people, all times, and all places (things like homosexuality, adultery, lying). These are things we cannot do or we will die spiritually. They are fixed, unchanging, no matter the culture, era, or circumstance. And these are clearly in the Bible for us.

Community standards are for some people, for some situations, for some times. I’ve heard it said, “If it was sin then, then it is sin now.” Have you ever heard that? It really depends upon what you are talking about, though. There are things that don’t impact salvation but impact your growth. There were times in the church decades ago when a woman could not wear black pantyhose or red shoes without being labeled a sinner. It used to be a sin to have a radio or television or to read the comics on Sundays. There is a difference between that which impacts salvation and that which impacts growth—and those things have to be differentiated. People confuse biblical absolutes with community standards. They say, “If you don’t do these things, you will go to hell.” Well, you will not go to hell, but you won’t grow.

Acts 15:1 has a key phrase to notice: “Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.’” Did you see it? You cannot be saved. They imposed a community standard as a biblical absolute.

Finally, personal convictions are for you. They are custom-made from God for your personal life. Your personal conviction is not every person’s conviction. Do not make a personal conviction into a community standard. It is immature for people to say that because it’s wrong for them, then it is wrong for everybody.

Paul helps us in Romans 14 by encouraging us to ask three questions in regards to our personal faith and the things we do. It’s a great grid for our walk with God, especially when something we do could be misunderstood.

We must ask ourselves, does what I do . . .

Glorify God? (verses 5-8)

Edify? (verses 13-16)

Bring peace? (verse 19)

If it doesn’t, Paul says the reward for doing it just isn’t worth it.

I want a life that will glorify God and help others. It isn’t simply about me. I don’t want my actions to be a stumbling block to anyone’s faith.

The best description of the church was made by one of the church’s first enemies in the first century named Celsus. His was the oldest literary attack on Christianity, from about AD 178, of which any details have survived. We get it from Origen’s reply, Contra Celsum, Celsus wrote, “The root of Christianity is its excessive valuation of the human soul, and the absurd idea that God takes an interest in man.” Exactly right, Celsus! And that’s why Romans 14 is so important—because people are important even if I have to cease and desist something that may be right for me but a stumbling block for them. I will do it. Because we excessively value the human soul.

Day 130

Today’s Reading: Romans 13

In No Bad Dogs, British dog trainer Barbara Woodhouse claims that dogs understand love better than we do. She writes,

"In a dog’s mind, a master or a mistress to love . . . is an absolute necessity. . . . Thousands of dogs appear to love their owners, they welcome them home with enthusiastic wagging of the tail and jumping up, they follow them about their houses happily and, to the normal person seeing the dog, the affection is true and deep. But to the experienced dog trainer this outward show is not enough. The true test of love takes place when the dog has got the opportunity to go out on its own as soon as the door is left open by mistake and it goes off and often doesn’t return home for hours. That dog loves only its home comforts. . . . True love in dogs is apparent when a door is left open and the dog still stays happily within earshot of its owner."

The real test of our love for God isn’t seen in our activity or even in our theological purity. It’s found when we have an opportunity to wander away, to leave His presence, and we choose instead to stay close to Him.

This is what makes our chapter today so powerful. It’s about love. That when we love, we do the right thing. Let’s read it together:

"Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 13:8-10)

Verse 9 is the “You shall not” commandments. And then Paul gives the groundbreaking thought that Jesus talked about: you shall love your neighbor. Paul is saying that you won’t do the “you shall nots” when you love your neighbor. Love makes you do what’s right.

This is so powerful. Paul starts with four negative commands:

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not murder.

You shall not steal.

You shall not covet.

And then Paul says to love your neighbor. He says when you love your neighbor, you will not steal, covet, commit adultery, or murder. That is not only powerful, it makes sense.

Religion wants to legislate the “you shall nots.” Jesus wants to empower you to love. Remember in the gospels, Jesus condensed the 613 Old Testament commands into two commandments: Love God and love your neighbor. It’s so much easier to remember.

But He had a reason for doing this. He was speaking to motive. When the motive is love, it automatically takes care of the things we should not do.

Think about this in the relationship between a husband and a wife. The greatest protection against adultery in a marriage is “you shall not commit adultery” or there will be consequences. The greatest motivation to not commit adultery is by pursuing the first command husbands have for their wives: husbands love your wife as Christ loves the church. Not “don’t commit adultery.” So the best way to start making a healthy marriage is for husbands to pray each day, “Lord, help me to love my wife as Christ loves the church.”

If you start with a “don’t” in any relationship, then you have to give the consequence to prevent the behavior—for a spouse who commits adultery, the consequences are hell with God and divorce with a spouse. But that is such a poor motivation to do what’s right. When you have a disobedience problem, it’s a love problem. If you say, “I can’t stop sinning,” then start loving God. When you love God, you are fighting sin. How do you fix the love issue? The best way to love God is to know God. And the best way to know God is by reading His Word. And love will grow.