My Slave
Wednesday, March 04, 2009, 6:00 a.m. – This song is in my head this morning:
Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord / Benjamin Ramsey
Teach me Thy way, O Lord, teach me Thy way!
Thy guiding grace afford, teach me Thy way!
Help me to walk aright, more by faith, less by sight;
Lead me with heavenly light, teach me Thy way!
When I am sad at heart, teach me Thy way!
When earthly joys depart, teach me Thy way!
In hours of loneliness, in times of dire distress,
In failure or success, teach me Thy way!
When doubts and fears arise, teach me Thy way!
When storms o’erspread the skies, teach me Thy way!
Shine through the cloud and rain, through sorrow, toil and pain;
Make Thou my pathway plain, teach me Thy way!
Long as my life shall last, teach me Thy way!
Where’er my lot be cast, teach me Thy way!
Until the race is run, until the journey’s done,
Until the crown is won, teach me Thy way!
Yesterday late afternoon I got one of those bad sinus headaches. My husband had one, as well, on his way home from work. Our daughter had asked us to meet with her at a realtor’s office while she signed some papers, in case she had any questions that we might be able to answer for her, but she did just fine. She and her husband are buying their first house. And, we are excited for them, especially since it is here in town and not that far from us.
Anyway, my husband picked me up after work, we went out to eat, walked at the mall and then we met with our daughter and the realtor. We sat there silently through most of the meeting. We were there just in case our daughter needed us. Then, while she was on the phone with the lender, we got talking with the realtor. Now, when I get one of those bad sinus headaches it is like all this pressure is on my head and so thinking is very difficult. That is generally the times when I am most likely or vulnerable to open mouth and insert foot, and last night was no exception.
Without going into massive detail, let me just say that I was rambling without much forethought to what I was saying and I said a couple of things that were dumb to say and I had no reason to say – one was correcting my husband on something that was really stupid. I did it nicely, but I still shouldn’t have done it. The other was giving details about something that I didn’t need to give details about. Again, my mouth was in gear before my brain was engaged.
After we left there I was reflecting over the conversation and I confessed to the Lord my mouth before brain failures, as well as I apologized to my husband for correcting him in front of other people, especially since it was absolutely unnecessary to make that correction. It was one of those dumb things that doesn’t really matter. I also prayed to the Lord and asked him if I needed to do anything further.
Last night, as I was praying, I asked the Lord for the Holy Spirit to be my interrupter when I am about to say something I shouldn’t. I asked that the Lord would let me hear the words in my brain before they come out of my mouth so that I can stop them if I am about to say something that I shouldn’t say, no matter how trivial it may be. I want my speech to be honoring and glorifying to the Lord in all things.
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read I Corinthians 9:
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4Don't we have the right to food and drink? 5Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas? 6Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?
7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? 8Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 9For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more?
But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. 13Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
15But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast. 16Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.
19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
My Understanding: The scriptures that I bolded above are the verses that really jumped out at me. The Lord has called me to be a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is even more important that I engage my brain before my mouth gets going. This is what Paul is talking about in the last part of this passage of scripture when he says that he beats his body and makes it his slave. It is a race against sin and it is a race toward the goal to win the crown that will last forever. This is not works-based salvation, but it is “working out our salvation with fear and trembling” remembering that it is “God who works in you (us) to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Phil. 2:12-13).
As I was writing this journal entry and was recording this passage of scripture, this song was ringing through my head:
Homesick / MercyMe / Undone
…Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home
I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now…
That is so true! The song at the beginning says this for its final stanza:
Long as my life shall last, teach me Thy way!
Where’er my lot be cast, teach me Thy way!
Until the race is run, until the journey’s done,
Until the crown is won, teach me Thy way!
As long as we live here on this earth we will remain in fleshly bodies and we will be susceptible to sin, though we need not be controlled by it. That is why we need to beat our bodies into submission, not a literal beating, but figuratively speaking we continually pray and work with the Holy Spirit’s power and strength working in us and through us to live holy lives pleasing unto the Lord.
We will be continually learning, consistently growing, changing, and becoming less like us and more like Jesus as we continue in Him and we make our flesh submissive to the Lord Jesus Christ. Until the race is won and until the journey is done, we need the Lord to teach us His ways. Teach me Thy way, O Lord!
Wednesday, March 04, 2009, 6:00 a.m. – This song is in my head this morning:
Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord / Benjamin Ramsey
Teach me Thy way, O Lord, teach me Thy way!
Thy guiding grace afford, teach me Thy way!
Help me to walk aright, more by faith, less by sight;
Lead me with heavenly light, teach me Thy way!
When I am sad at heart, teach me Thy way!
When earthly joys depart, teach me Thy way!
In hours of loneliness, in times of dire distress,
In failure or success, teach me Thy way!
When doubts and fears arise, teach me Thy way!
When storms o’erspread the skies, teach me Thy way!
Shine through the cloud and rain, through sorrow, toil and pain;
Make Thou my pathway plain, teach me Thy way!
Long as my life shall last, teach me Thy way!
Where’er my lot be cast, teach me Thy way!
Until the race is run, until the journey’s done,
Until the crown is won, teach me Thy way!
Yesterday late afternoon I got one of those bad sinus headaches. My husband had one, as well, on his way home from work. Our daughter had asked us to meet with her at a realtor’s office while she signed some papers, in case she had any questions that we might be able to answer for her, but she did just fine. She and her husband are buying their first house. And, we are excited for them, especially since it is here in town and not that far from us.
Anyway, my husband picked me up after work, we went out to eat, walked at the mall and then we met with our daughter and the realtor. We sat there silently through most of the meeting. We were there just in case our daughter needed us. Then, while she was on the phone with the lender, we got talking with the realtor. Now, when I get one of those bad sinus headaches it is like all this pressure is on my head and so thinking is very difficult. That is generally the times when I am most likely or vulnerable to open mouth and insert foot, and last night was no exception.
Without going into massive detail, let me just say that I was rambling without much forethought to what I was saying and I said a couple of things that were dumb to say and I had no reason to say – one was correcting my husband on something that was really stupid. I did it nicely, but I still shouldn’t have done it. The other was giving details about something that I didn’t need to give details about. Again, my mouth was in gear before my brain was engaged.
After we left there I was reflecting over the conversation and I confessed to the Lord my mouth before brain failures, as well as I apologized to my husband for correcting him in front of other people, especially since it was absolutely unnecessary to make that correction. It was one of those dumb things that doesn’t really matter. I also prayed to the Lord and asked him if I needed to do anything further.
Last night, as I was praying, I asked the Lord for the Holy Spirit to be my interrupter when I am about to say something I shouldn’t. I asked that the Lord would let me hear the words in my brain before they come out of my mouth so that I can stop them if I am about to say something that I shouldn’t say, no matter how trivial it may be. I want my speech to be honoring and glorifying to the Lord in all things.
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read I Corinthians 9:
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4Don't we have the right to food and drink? 5Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas? 6Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?
7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? 8Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 9For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more?
But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. 13Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
15But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast. 16Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.
19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
My Understanding: The scriptures that I bolded above are the verses that really jumped out at me. The Lord has called me to be a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is even more important that I engage my brain before my mouth gets going. This is what Paul is talking about in the last part of this passage of scripture when he says that he beats his body and makes it his slave. It is a race against sin and it is a race toward the goal to win the crown that will last forever. This is not works-based salvation, but it is “working out our salvation with fear and trembling” remembering that it is “God who works in you (us) to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Phil. 2:12-13).
As I was writing this journal entry and was recording this passage of scripture, this song was ringing through my head:
Homesick / MercyMe / Undone
…Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home
I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now…
That is so true! The song at the beginning says this for its final stanza:
Long as my life shall last, teach me Thy way!
Where’er my lot be cast, teach me Thy way!
Until the race is run, until the journey’s done,
Until the crown is won, teach me Thy way!
As long as we live here on this earth we will remain in fleshly bodies and we will be susceptible to sin, though we need not be controlled by it. That is why we need to beat our bodies into submission, not a literal beating, but figuratively speaking we continually pray and work with the Holy Spirit’s power and strength working in us and through us to live holy lives pleasing unto the Lord.
We will be continually learning, consistently growing, changing, and becoming less like us and more like Jesus as we continue in Him and we make our flesh submissive to the Lord Jesus Christ. Until the race is won and until the journey is done, we need the Lord to teach us His ways. Teach me Thy way, O Lord!
