Rule Over Desire

“⁶The Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? ⁷If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.’” – Genesis 4:6-7 (ESV)

Again with the difficulty that is created from desire. This time sin is in the way of our moving forward. Seems to me that in order to conquer, I have to conquer desire. I have to learn of contentment and know that God will provide just what I need when I need it.

I have watched the streaming series “Lucifer”. The main character, Lucifer, engages with others and gets them to disclose secrets by exploring their “greatest desire”. This “greatest desire” is the thing that is at the back of mind always. Allowing it to come to the for of the mind and acting on it is where things go terribly wrong. In the case of Cain and Abel, it was the desire to be accepted that caused Cain to kill his brother Abel. Cain allowed desire to rule over him instead of the other way around as the LORD spoke of with him.

Too often we allow desire to get in the way. We allow it to rule over us. We become blind to all else around in our search to satisfy that desire. And that is again what brings on the difficulty. I have to rule over the desire and put it away. I have to demonstrate contentment with what I have and where I am. The LORD provides that which is needed in the time that it is needed. He does not leave us out there alone. We are to seek Him and His ways, not our own.

What does desire lead to in you? Are you allowing desire to rule over you? What if you ruled over desire and sought God and Him only, knowing that He will provide for your needs just when you need them?

Desire Creates Difficulty

Is there anything wrong with desiring something? I would not think so on the surface as it seems that desiring, or having a goal would be the way to go. After all, should we not have aspirations to achieve greater things.

“¹⁶To the woman he said,

“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;

in pain you shall bring forth children.

Your desire shall be contrary to your husband,

but he shall rule over you.”

— Genesis 3:16 (ESV)

This morning as I begin a new study on the word “desire”, I start out in Genesis and the fall of Adam and Eve. Here I see that based on the disobedience of the two of them, there were consequences. Yes, the one that we really look at mostly is that now they have seen good and evil and have been removed from the garden as a result of their sin against God. And, there is the beginning of sin for the rest of the world. But there was more.

Looking into the above verse, and with regard to the word desire, I have found difficulty. Thanks to the sin of the woman (she had not been named yet), she would seek things that are different than Adam and would have to understand that Adam would “rule over” her.

Now, depending on the Bible version you are looking at, you may see the word “for” as opposed to “contrary to”. This tripped me up a bit this morning as well. It is not until you look to the statement of ruling over that you realize the conflict between the two. That conflict is based on the desires of the two. The conflict is the difficulty in the relationship. They had been together for a while and all was working out great. Then there was the fall that created a wedge between them and God. In consequence for that wedge, there would also be a conflict between the two (man and woman) going forward. She would “desire” to go one way and he another.

This “desire” was the thing that began or created the difficulty. Man and woman would forever be seeking different things. You may have heard of or read the book “Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus” by John Gray. Now I am not going to get into the book except to say that even the title says it all. Man and woman are vastly different and that difference is the reason for the difficulty in the relationships. Prior to sin, man and woman were partners and companions and helpers to one another working together in the garden for the glory of God. They were there working to attain one goal. And then the fall, and now man and woman sought different things.

I think of my relationship with Lori and over the past 28 years, we have had our ups and downs, and we certainly have different desires. Our marriage is not easy, but it is worth it. We know one another well and as such, we move in sync a lot of the time. But that desire difference is always there and it does and will forever create difficulty that we have to work through. And work is it. Desire creates difficulty that has to be worked through. I have to remember that Lori and I are different and that we have to continue working through things daily.

Whether relationships or aspirations for other things, desire creates difficulty. The old saying “anything worth having is worth fighting for”, certainly applies. Desiring things and achieving them is not easy. There are challenges that will arise and in order to achieve, one has to get through the challenges. Know that your desire will likely be different or “contrary to” someone else. You will have to work it to achieve it.

What do you desire? Is that which you desire different than someone else? What if you were to realize that it was created that way thanks to the sin of man and woman in the garden and that to conquer the desire we have to fight through the difficulty that was created?

Gain Through Contentment

Having it all is very ambiguous. It is different for each person. For one it might be having more financial wealth than anyone can think. For another it might be family around all the time. And still for another it might be waking each day to experience all that God provides. Yes I am studying God’s Word and that last one is where I am this morning, but it is worth noting that not everyone feels the same way.

“⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain, ⁷for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” – 1 Timothy 6:6-8 (ESV)

Here, Paul is writing to encourage Timothy to be content that He has God, food, and clothing. All else is fleeting as when we come into this world we have nothing and when we leave, we take nothing with us. It is important to be satisfied with what we have and know that God will provide all that we NEED to make it through.

Now, this is where it gets a bit sticky. “But there are people that have millions of dollars and lots of family, they are so much better off than I am?” This is the thought process of someone who is looking to be like someone other than Jesus. Jesus did not have all the monetary things, yet He was blessed beyond anything anyone else could imagine. He had the Father and His friends and that is all He needed. All else would be provided in the moment from God and Jesus knew this. I have to remember to have the same approach daily. It is not about what others have, it is about what I have that has been provided by God.

Having the monetary things are not evil. It is the next two verses in the passage that spells out the reality of things.

“⁹But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” – 1 Timothy 6:9-10 (ESV)

Desire and love of riches is where things go wrong. When someone has done well and is giving back and frankly, does not worry or concern themselves with “things”, they are content. It is okay to have the things when the heart and mind are in concert with the will of God. Things are needed to do great things.

I think of our church. As a church plant looking for a permanent home, we need the monetary things. There are those in the church that are able to give great financially. But, that is not all that is needed. There are those that may not be able to give financially, but are giving through time and talents and that is just as important. It is not the things that are important, is the use of them for the glory of God.

And here I come back to the title of this post, “Gain Through Contentment”. It is in contentment that we are able to find the greater things. God provides what we NEED. Sometimes we need the things to do His work and in those times He will provide. I have to be content in the LORD and know that I will gain more there than anywhere.

What does contentment look like to you? Are you satisfied or do you desire more? What if you were to be content with what you have, knowing that gain comes from God providing what you need?

Lose Things Gain Christ

This morning I am continuing my study of the word “gain”. I am again in the book of Philippians. The below verse is the one that directed me here.

“⁸Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” – Philippians 3:8 (ESV)

Just what are those things that we lose and are “rubbish” according to Paul. Well you have to look at the rest of the passage. Paul is telling the Philippians that he was considered almost blameless in society at one time. He was a “Hebrew of Hebrews” and in eyes of society and in the law he was a Pharisee. Paul was fully protected under the law as he did the work of society. Yet, once he found the LORD, all of it was of no consequence and to him, it was all “rubbish” and of no use to him thanks to all he gained in Christ.

I have to get past all that is in this world. All that I have in the world is of no consequence and “rubbish” compared to all that I gain in Christ. I may have mentioned that Lori and I have a number of vehicles and we count those as blessings as they are useful in our lives up til now. Now, it is just the two of us in the house and we do not “need” all of the vehicles. We can only drive two at a time and therefore the rest are just “rubbish”. Subsequently we are working to rid ourselves of the “rubbish”.

I know, that this seems a bit silly to be talking about vehicles as gains in this world, but aren’t they? They are not investments, they are just things. It is time to lose the things to bask in the gains in Christ. It is time to be content with what the LORD will provide and look to those things from this world as they are “rubbish” that just takes up space, time, and effort that can/should be directed in the LORD’s Work.

What things do you have in your life? Are these things taking up your space, time, and effort? What if you were to rid yourself of the “rubbish” things and devote the now available space, time, and effort in the gains in Christ?

“To Die is Gain”

“²¹For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²²If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. ²³I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” – Philippians 1:21-23 (ESV)

Yep, it is true, I will gain more in death that I will here in life. In death, as Paul indicates in verse 23, it is far better for me as I will now be with Christ. I will be without affliction and will be in glory for the rest of eternity. I will be celebrating the glory of God and will no longer be a slave to that which is of this world.

Now, I want to be clear, that I am not by any means advocating for death as the alternative to suffering in this world. My suffering is for the LORD and not for myself. As Paul indicates as well in verse 22 and in verse 24 (not listed), it is good for me to stay here in this world and do the work for Christ for myself and for the advancement of the gospel in this world. So, I have to stay here and continue the work that God has for me.

It is however hard not to think of what is to come. It is in anticipation of the glory of heaven that I must continue in the work here and look forward to the gain I will receive once my time here is done. I know that I will gain more in death than I will experience here in life, yet it is in this life that I am able to continue the work.

My work here as I study and write is important to Christ. I am advancing His Word each morning as I continue to study His Word and learn for myself. I am living for Christ. I am fruitful in my labor. I am taking righteous actions and when my time in this world is done, I gain in death.

What is your view of life and death? Are you gaining more in life or in death? What if you know that in death you gain far more, yet also know that your work in this life is not done and that you still have the advancement of the gospel and the work assigned by God to complete?

I Gain from the Dead Raised

My faith is based on Christ taking on my sin and paying for it as He was crucified on the cross. And then He was raised from death on the third day to demonstrate His glory and authority over all things, including death. But where would I be if He had not died and been raised from the dead.

“³²What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’” – 1 Corinthians 15:32 (ESV)

If Christ had not died and rose again, then all that I do in this world is futile and I should just continue on with it as when I die, I die.

You see, I believe that thanks to the death and resurrection of Christ, I will be rise again after my death in this world. No, not to walk again among man, but to walk with Christ in the heavenly kingdom promised to me as heir to the throne of grace. I was promised the heavenly kingdom thanks to the grace of salvation I accepted when offered by God. He gave His son as a sacrifice for my sin and allowed Him to die for that sin even as He had no sin Himself. But God did to keep Jesus as dead, He raised Him from the dead to show the way for me after my life is done in this world.

The death and resurrection of Christ is the example given for me to live by in this world. I have given myself to Christ in thanks for taking on my sin and death so that I would not have to. And, He in return gave me life eternal. Not in this world, but in heaven. And to get there, I have to be raised again from this world and on to heaven. If Christ had not been raised, then there would be no example to believe and follow. So, I gain from the dead being raised as Christ rose again for me.

What is your view of death? Is your life just over? What if you were to believe in Christ, His death, and resurrection and that you gain the heavenly reward?

Life Gained When Given Up

I know, another one of those sayings that seem to not make a lot of sense, we gain life by giving up life. But that is exactly what Jesus offers to us all.

“³⁵For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” – Mark 8:35 (ESV)

I am here to work for and please the LORD. I am not here for myself. Therefor I should be giving all to the LORD and the work He has for me. But it is more than just giving of my talents, I am to give my life for Him. I am to offer myself as an offering to Him and not just my works. What good is it to hold onto my life when I have given all of my works and talent to the LORD? I have to give everything to get everything.

“³⁶For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? ³⁷For what can a man give in return for his soul?” – Mark 8:36-37 (ESV)

And yes, these two verses are questions and yet they are full of answers. There is no gain from the world for the price of my soul. Remember that we cannot take things with us when we leave this world. All that is gained in this world is lost when we leave.

But, when we give ourselves fully, including our soul to the LORD, our reward is just getting started. Think of it like a financial investment. I make a deposit on day one and again on day two and so on. There does not seem like much in the beginning, but over time, that small investment grows and before you know it there is more to it than you thought possible. With Christ, the gain in the beginning of the relationship will be hard and small. Yet, over time the relationship grows and before you know it, there is so much gain that we look forward to moving on to heaven when the time comes.

Gain from the LORD is not the physical that we come to expect here in this world. It is of the heavenly, which is more precious as we get to take it with us and experience it for eternity. It all starts with the acceptance of salvation and grace and we then make those little deposits daily which become easier and easier as time progresses and before we know it, we are giving all we have to Him as the joy and love abound through us. When the time comes, we will rejoice at the heavenly gains we have acquired through our obedience and giving to the LORD.

What gain are you hoping for? Are you looking for the gains in this world? What if you sought the gains that you can take with you through the giving of yourself to the LORD fully?

Thanks to Jesus the Law is Righteous

I should finish with “in us”. God’s Law is righteous as it comes from Him. It is our now new understanding of what His Law provides that we now sin. It is Jesus, who was sent to die for our sin that brings God’s Law back to righteousness in us.

“³For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” – Romans 8:3-4 (ESV)

I need help each day with my sin. I am predisposed to sinning and “NEED” help with it. I know God’s Law as I read and study each day to ensure of it. But, as noted, knowing the law only drives me to sin. I ask God each day to help me with my sin. I as for His guiding hand through my day to keep me busy with His work so that I can avoid the sin that is surely to come.

I do not have it in my own self to avoid sin. Sin I of the flesh and I am of the flesh. Thanks be to Jesus for taking my sin. Thanks be to Him for giving me the chance to avoid sin. Thanks to Jesus, I have the Word of God to keep me looking to Him that I might be able to avoid the sin. Thanks be to the LORD for providing the Holy Spirit to walk with me.

The Law of God is righteous yet, as I am of the flesh there was a need for the Law to be shown as righteous to me. Jesus was sent to do just that. He took my sin and offered me grace. The Law was demonstrated to be righteous through His actions. As such, I was brought to the righteousness of the Law so that I could use it as the guide it is.

Where do you attribute the righteousness in the Law of God? Are you looking to yourself to avoid sin? What if you were to recognize that the Law of God is righteous thanks to Jesus and you can use it to guide you to avoid sin?

Jesus Died for Sinners Not the Righteous

I recently wrote that Jesus came for the sinners and not the righteous and this morning I am reading and writing on the extension of that premise.

“⁷For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— ⁸but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:7-8 (ESV)

I am continuing my study of the word “righteous” and have been in Romans seemingly on the “Roman Road” as it is commonly known to those in evangelism. This morning brought to verse seven in Romans chapter five which leads into verse eight which is the verse on the “Roman Road”. Verse seven speaks to the idea that dying for the righteous or even the good is something that we in this world would likely not undertake. Yes, there are heroic moments in emergency situations where one will risk their life to protect or save others and I do not want to take away from those moments. I will say however that it is not in the nature for someone to actually consciously die for others. Jesus did.

Jesus came to this world with the purpose of providing salvation for all. He first came as the hope for salvation. Then He preached salvation. And finally He died for our salvation. He was not a sinner, yet He took on the sins of all and was gruesomely treated to the point of dying, and other than asking if there would possibly be another way, did not try to get out of it.

Look back at the words of Paul and look at the life and work of Jesus to see who Jesus came for. As I noted before, it is the sick in need of a doctor, not the well. Jesus came for the sinners, not the righteous. Jesus died for me, the sinner. He died for you, the sinner. He died for our neighbor, sinner. Jesus came to die for sinners.

I think that sometimes I forget this as a Christian. As I have been saved by grace and salvation, I may sometimes see that since I have been saved, I am somehow above the fray now and can relax for I am somebody. The reality is that I have to remember that my salvation was a result of Jesus coming for me and I have just accepted Him before others. I have to remember that I am a sinner as are you and as is our neighbor. It is my task to bring the gospel forward to ensure that everyone knows that Jesus came for all of us as sinners. I may have accepted Him sooner, but I am no better and in fact are the same as you and our neighbor, in need of and thankful for the grace of God.

What are your thoughts on who Jesus came for? Are you of the thought that He came for those who are somehow righteous? What if you took on that Jesus came for the sinners like you and me and accepted His grace knowing that He died for us as sinners, not the righteous?

None are Righteous

Jesus was the only person born righteous. All others are not righteous and only have the opportunity to be declared righteous by God. We are born unrighteous and remain unrighteous until that time when God declares us righteous. And that is for all of us as no one is exempt.

“⁹What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, ¹⁰as it is written:

‘None is righteous, no, not one;

¹¹no one understands;

no one seeks for God.

¹²All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

no one does good,

not even one.’”

— Romans 3:9-12 (ESV)

Paul writes that all are subject to the same. We are all sinners. Jews, Gentiles, Greeks, all of us. And nothing has changed throughout time, except that we have been given the chance to be declared righteous.

“²¹But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— ²²the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.” – Romans 3:21-25 (ESV)

All of us start the same and are unrighteous until that time that God declares us righteous. He will declare us righteous when we have given ourselves to Him fully. This is made possible through Jesus and His death on the cross as He took our sin upon Himself for our sake. We all have been given the same opportunity to receive the grace of God through the sacrifice of Jesus and it is up to us to receive and accept that gift.

Even as we have and take advantage of the opportunity to receive and accept the gift of salvation and grace, we are still sinners and not righteous until that time when God declares. We will always be sinners in this world and as such are not righteous. Our only approach should be thanksgiving for the gift of salvation and grace and work everyday to spread the gospel and demonstrating our thanks for and dedications to the repayment for the sacrifice (even as it cannot be repaid).

What are your thoughts on righteousness? Are you somehow righteous based on who you are or what you have done? What if you were to take on that no one, not even you are righteous and can only receive and accept the gift of salvation and grace and work daily to somehow be declared righteous through your actions for the LORD?