 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 - But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
No, Not “That” Jesus These words on discernment, (or the lack thereof) from the Apostle Paul are familiar. His letter to the Galatian church, for example, is almost completely devoted to this line of thought. Jesus himself had much to say on this topic as well. Therefore, we probably ought to pay attention here. Without an intentional effort on our part to be discerning in this world, we can become easily deceived. False teachers endeavor to tempt and seduce us with “Jesus-shaped” words that, in reality, are only perversions of the genuine article. If It Could Happen to Them Interestingly, Paul is not addressing a lukewarm congregation or group of pagans here. He is writing to those he doesn’t want to see led astray from their “sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” This is frightening because it reminds us that if we are not on our guard, we too can be easily led astray by smooth-talkers who bring a “Jesus,” who is actually no Jesus at all. The undiscerning can be mesmerized by pleas for tolerance, relevance, peace, unity, or many other paths that would take them off the straight and narrow. The path to destruction is wide, comfortable, and is well beaten by many who have gone before us. The road to true life is narrow and fraught with trials and temptations and few there are who walk it (Matthew 7:13-14). But God’s grace is sufficient. And his power is made perfect in and through our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). We don’t have to fall prey to deception. We can trust God uncompromisingly, even in the fiery furnace of this world. If we keep our eyes open to the glorious vision of our Lord, listen for his voice calling to us in and through his Word, we would see he has already walked the narrow path before us, and if it was wide enough for him, it will be wide enough for us. Walking Points · What are some practical ways you can discern the true Jesus from the imposters? · In your experience, how is the Bible’s view of Jesus distorted by those who water it down? · If you were sharing Christ with a friend, what three or four essentials would you share with them about the Person and Work of Christ? Why? Prayer Heavenly Father, in the face of the distractions and deceptions of this world, please help me keep my focus on you. There are many idols in this world competing for my devotion. Without your Spirit, I will bow to them. May that never be! Please renew my mind and never take your Holy Spirit from me. I pray that the daily living of my life will bring glory to you and exalt my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Rule and reign in my life and let me continually abide in your truth. Help me represent you well in this world, that others might come to know you and begin their own pilgrimage down the narrow road to life. In Christ I pray. Amen. This Week’s Prayer Guide [You can use this prayer guide in your own personal prayer time. However, I encourage you to use it with a group of Christian men. Each week you should spend time praising God for who he is, confessing your sin to him (be specific) as well as expressing gratitude to him for his gracious forgiveness. Also, don’t forget to thank God for the many ways he has poured out his goodness in your life. Then, focus on the following areas of supplication, which will change from week to week.] Petitions – prayers for yourself · Help me to grow in wisdom and become who you created and redeemed me to be. · Renew my mind and enable me to cultivate a godly perspective and attitude regarding the various spheres and circumstances of my life. · Today’s events and interactions with others, planned and unplanned · Other needs Intercession – prayers for others · My family, immediate and extended · Those struggling with sin, illness, or relational difficulties · Other needs
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 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. (Romans 10:1-2)
Knowing God Rightly “Perverted notions about God soon rot the religion in which they appear. The long career of Israel demonstrates this clearly enough, and the history of the Church confirms it. So necessary to the Church is a lofty concept of God that when that concept in any measure declines, the Church with her worship and her moral standards declines along with it. The first step down for any church is taken when it surrenders its high opinion of God.” (A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy) God really does care that we know him (John 17:3)… and know him rightly. Any old expression of religion won’t do and, in fact, often leads to a dangerous idolatry. The Apostle Paul, passionately concerned for the salvation of the Israelites, admitted they had a zeal, perhaps even an enviable zeal, for God. Yet he was quick to follow that admission with the sober truth that their zeal for God was not according to knowledge. They were wrong in their understanding of how to obtain righteousness. The Appearance of Enthusiasm In our day we give points to folks for the appearance of enthusiasm. Maybe they are very exuberant as they worship God. Perhaps there’s lots of “God-talk” liberally sprinkled throughout their conversations. It may be they actively serve their church. These are all good things to be sure. However, what they (and we) must watch out for is a zeal that is without a true and proper knowledge of the living God. It’s not that we must first pass a doctoral examination in theology before we go to heaven. The key idea is that a shabby doctrinal or theological foundation can lead one astray. It can cause a well-intentioned person to unwittingly compromise his or her faith and drift to and fro with every new “Christian” book, television program, or religious movement. In Exodus 34:6-7, God painted a beautiful picture of some of his attributes. He wanted Moses and the rest of his children to know and worship him rightly. He followed up in Exodus 34:14 by saying, “Do not worship any other god, for the Lord whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” It’s not a coincidence that the first three commandments focus on this very issue. It’s frightening how easily we can wander off the straight and narrow path. God provided a warning concerning this very thing in Exodus 34:16, when he told Moses to caution the people about choosing the wrong spouse, one who is described as not knowing and worshiping the one true God. He said that sort of choice would lead God’s people away from God and into idolatry. Ignorance Isn’t Bliss More is needed than zeal and good intentions when it comes to our relationship with God. It is true that knowledge alone can “puff up” the young and immature in the faith. But that’s not the fault of the knowledge. That’s more of a commentary on where a person is in their faith-journey. The solution to this potential problem is not to ignore our call to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Instead, we ought to continue seeking such knowledge, but do so humbly, carefully, and in full dependence on the grace of God. Likewise, the purpose of our pursuit of knowing God should be for God’s glory and the good of others. Psalm 43:3-4a says, Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. A mentor of mine used to say the better we know God the more we will be able to love, follow, and trust God. It’s awfully difficult to love, follow, and trust someone you don’t know. It’s also hard to love and follow God if you don’t have a growing and maturing knowledge of God - what God has revealed about himself, as well as how to live for him and with him in this world. May Almighty God, give us great and increasing passion and zeal to know him. Walking Points
Prayer Holy, righteous, gracious, and loving God, you are too wonderful to limit with mere words. Yet, I desire to express my love for you by adoring you for who you are. I thank you for revealing yourself in your holy Word. I praise you that all of Scripture is a beautiful testimony to your majesty and grandeur. Fill me with your Spirit, I humbly pray, and let me see your glory. Help me to continuously grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord. Cause me to long for you more and more with each and every passing day. I desire, O Lord, to know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly. In Christ I pray. Amen. This Week’s Prayer Guide [You can use this prayer guide in your own personal prayer time. However, I encourage you to use it with a group of Christian men. Each week you should spend time praising God for who he is, confessing your sin to him (be specific) as well as expressing gratitude to him for his gracious forgiveness. Also, don’t forget to thank God for the many ways he has poured out his goodness in your life. Then, focus on the following areas of supplication, which will change from week to week.] Petition – prayers for yourself · Help me to mature in my faith and to increasingly please God by my thoughts, words, and deeds. · Particular struggles in various relationships · My activities for this day · Other needs Intercession – prayers for others · My Family · My local church · My denomination · Para-church ministries, particularly Christian education and discipleship · Evangelistic ministries · Other needs  From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. (Matthew 11:12)
Extending the Kingdom One of the emphases of my teaching ministry is to call followers of Christ to “extend the Kingdom of God into every sphere of life.” The word “extend” means to stretch, lengthen, prolong, continue, expand, enlarge, offer, put forth, give, impart, and present, just to name a few. While each of those words is similar, each represents a slightly different emphasis which is key in understanding our Christian mission. However, in our text today, Jesus focuses on his Kingdom “advancing.” This has a military ring to it. Jesus adds that forceful men lay hold of this forcefully advancing Kingdom. My NIV footnote says, “They enter the kingdom and become Christ’s disciples. To do this takes spiritual courage, vigor, power, and determination because of ever-increasing persecution.” Our Battle John Piper says advancing the Kingdom of God in such a way requires a “wartime mentality.” The kingdom of heaven is forcefully advancing yet the kingdom of darkness actively resists it. As people seeking godliness, we are daily fighting for our lives and for the lives of those we love and who’ve been entrusted to our care. The world, the flesh, and the devil are formidable adversaries. If we do not maintain a wartime mentality, being ever vigilant and standing firm in our faith, then we, and those we love, will suffer the ravages of war, the consequences of our poor preparation. Standing Firm Therefore, we must fight the good fight of faith. We must enter the battle through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it (Matthew 7:13-14). This narrow gate is Jesus himself. Living life as his disciple means entering into new life through him and traveling the “Kingdom road” he has set before us, regardless of how narrow and hard it is. Peter says many will leave this Kingdom road and wander off because they love the wages of wickedness (2 Peter 2:15), which results in death (Romans 6:23). The battle rages all around us, but we must stand firm in our faith, or we will not stand at all (Isaiah 7:9). Standing firm takes a wartime mentality. We cannot assume we are ever safe from attack. We must be ever watchful and on our guard. We are called, commanded, and expected to fight, persevere, press on, and stand firm. But we are never asked to do this in our strength, but the Lord’s. Our Hope The wonderful paradox of Scripture is that while we persevere, our hope is not in ourselves. Our hope is in the Lord. The battle is ultimately his. Forceful men lay hold of the Kingdom of God, which our Lord causes to advance in and through his power. Therefore, we work through his power (Colossians 1:29). God’s Kingdom advances as faithful men represent their King in every sphere of their lives, even in enemy-occupied territory. Such faithful witness will not be easy. After all, it is a war. There will be a cost which we’re commanded to consider before we enter the fray. The enemy shoots his fiery darts at us daily (Ephesians 6:16). He hides and waits to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). The world sends out its false teachers to lead us astray (2 Peter 2:1ff). In John 17, Jesus does not pray to take us out of such a world, but all throughout Scripture our Lord promises to never leave us nor forsake us. More than that, he fights on our behalf. And in so doing, he advances his Kingdom. Don’t you want to be a part of such a glorious Kingdom? Don’t you want to know such a glorious King? Walking Points
Prayer All-powerful and sovereign God, I praise you for promising never to leave me nor forsake me. I thank you for fighting my battles, taking my worries, and giving me your gracious Spirit. Only by the power of your Spirit can I resist the kingdoms of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Please help me stand firm for you each and every day and to be an active part of your mission to advance your Kingdom in this world. To be a part of such a movement requires me to cultivate a different perspective from the one I have. I must see people and things as you do. I can’t do this on my own, but with you, all things are possible. For that good news, I give you my thanks and praise. Amen. This Week’s Prayer Guide [You can use this prayer guide in your own personal prayer time. However, I encourage you to use it with a group of Christian men. Each week you should spend time praising God for who he is, confessing your sin to him (be specific) as well as expressing gratitude to him for his gracious forgiveness. Also, don’t forget to thank God for the many ways he has poured out his goodness in your life. Then, focus on the following areas of supplication, which will change from week to week.] Petitions – prayers for yourself · Spiritual Warfare · Growth in Christlikeness · Increasing faithfulness in the spiritual disciplines · My health · For my ordinary appointments and activities to become divine appointments and activities. · Other needs Intercession – prayers for others · My Family · Mercy for those who are poor and hungry · Justice for those who are oppressed and persecuted · Love for those who oppress and persecute others · Peace for those in the midst of war, crime, and violence · Other needs  Luke 12:1 – “Be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees…”
Luke 12:15 – “Watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greed…” Luke 12:40 – “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Don’t Miss the Warning Whether Jesus was talking about the false teachings and practices of religious leaders, temptation and sin in our own lives, or the consummation of all things at his return, he commands us to be on guard, watch out, and be ready. This theme of preparation appears and reappears throughout much of Jesus’ teachings. Repetition for rabbis in the first century was a teaching tool or technique to ensure a vital point was made and received, so we do well to pay careful attention here. It would be akin to a school teacher in our day writing a point on a chalkboard and saying, “If I’m taking the time to write this out, you can bet it will appear on your exam.” We ignore such warnings to our peril. What is important to understand about our Lord’s words is the call on our part for disciplined intentionality. For you cannot casually or lazily “be on guard,” “watch out,” or “be ready.” Many of us could cite analogies from the world of sports or the military to show just how essential such intense, intentional, and disciplined preparation is. Without it, the game is lost, the city taken, the soul forfeited. The Accumulation of Unguardedness If I let my guard down today, it is true that Jesus may not return… this day. But that’s not the main point Jesus is making here. Instead, we must consider what the accumulation of days with a lowered guard would do to a person. In such a scenario, the spiritual atrophy that would set in could prove catastrophic to an individual. The dominion of the world, the flesh, and the devil would enlarge in that person’s life with detrimental results. In his book, Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan painted a vivid picture of this unguardedness in his characters, Simple, Sloth, and Presumption. All three had fallen asleep on their way to the Celestial City and had become shackled. When they were offered freedom from their bondage to continue their journey and avoid being devoured by the enemy, they responded by declaring they saw no danger and needed just a little more sleep. How tragic for a person to never awaken from his slumber and thus become a prisoner in occupied territory unaware. Without a work of divine grace, the battle is lost, and perhaps even the war. Take Heed We do well to heed our Master’s words today – to be on guard continually, always be ready, and constantly watch out. For our foes are nearer to us and subtler than we can imagine. Only an intentional and disciplined watchman on the high wall of the soul’s citadel can and will be properly prepared. Let us, therefore, be ready. For I can think of nothing worse than to fall in battle, knowing I could have easily seen the attack coming and been ready for it, if only I had listened to and obeyed my King. Walking Points
Prayer Heavenly Father, I confess that I am not nearly as alert and intentional in my faith as I ought to be. Far too often I resemble Simple, Sloth, and Presumption. I don’t take my faith seriously, I am lazy, and I presume upon your grace. Please forgive me and grant me grace to genuinely repent from these attitudes and behaviors and move more faithfully in your direction. May I seek more and more to be like my Lord, in my thinking, speaking, and living. I thank and praise you that your grace is always sufficient, when I am on guard and when I’m not. Yet, please do not let me use that wonderful truth as an excuse for laziness and disobedience. Instead, fill me with your Spirit that I might continually hunger and thirst for righteousness and be ever vigilant. In the name of Christ I pray. Amen. This Week’s Prayer Guide [You can use this prayer guide in your own personal prayer time. However, I encourage you to use it with a group of Christian men. Each week you should spend time praising God for who he is, confessing your sin to him (be specific) as well as expressing gratitude to him for his gracious forgiveness. Also, don’t forget to thank God for the many ways he has poured out his goodness in your life. Then, focus on the following areas of supplication, which will change from week to week.] Petitions – prayers for yourself · My personal mission field Ø Help me to identify those people who make up my personal mission field. Ø Enable me to begin sharing the gospel with those who do not yet know you. Ø Empower me to disciple those who are young in their faith. Ø Allow me to encourage those who are struggling in their faith. Ø Please give me perseverance in all areas of ministry. · Today’s events and interactions with others, planned and unplanned · Other needs Intercession – prayers for others · My family · For missionaries throughout the world · For those seeking to faithfully minister to loved ones at home · For those who share the gospel in the inner city · For those who bear witness to Christ in places of power · Other needs |
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