Fruit of Righteousness

 "Filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:11, ESV)

1. Paul’s prayer finishes with the end result. That all the believers would be filled with the fruit of righteousness, that “fruit” being all of the character traits flowing from a right relationship with God.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV)

2. “Righteousness” means a right relationship with God as a result of justification from sin. Paul expounds on this in 3:9, where he says "and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith" (Philippians 3:9, ESV).

3. Being made right with God through Christ enables us to live rightly before him.

"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, 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 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you." (Philippians 3:7-15, ESV)

4. The phrase, “fruit (or harvest) of righteousness” (Prov 11:30; Amos 6:12; Isa 32:17; Heb 12:11; James 3:18) refers to the righteousness of God implanted in us, “through Jesus Christ” causing acts of practical righteousness to flow out of us.

"And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever." (Isaiah 32:17, ESV)

"And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." (James 3:18, ESV)

"For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:11, ESV)

5. No man is able to produce fruit by his own unaided efforts. They are fruits that come “through Jesus Christ,” for apart from him the disciple can do nothing (John 15:5) and the end result of the fruit produced is good.

"So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit." (Matthew 7:17-18, ESV)

6. The Christian Life is a supplied life, not a produced life. The Christian life must be supplied by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We cannot manufacture, compose, or produce the Christian life for ourselves. (John 10:10; 15; Eph. 3:17-19; Phil 4:19).

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19, ESV)

"so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:17-19, ESV)

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10, ESV)

7. Such infilling and the results revealed as “fruit” in people’s lives are always to the glory and praise of God. Believers’ lives ought to glorify and praise God, for it is by his grace alone that sinful human beings can obtain righteousness.

8. In fact, believers are "created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV).

9. God is the ultimate purpose of all. Everything that is mentioned must ultimately be to the glory and praise of God.

"To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen." (Philippians 4:20, ESV)

"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." (Romans 11:36, ESV)

10. The circle must be completed. Fruits descending from heaven must lift their fragrance back to heaven again. The chief end of man is “to glorify God and enjoy him forever” (cf. Matt. 5:16; John 15:8; 17:4).

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16, ESV)

"By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." (John 15:8, ESV)

"I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do." (John 17:4, ESV)

 

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Picked up Cultural Concepts on the Cheap

Just a short note to periodically-wondering-ers, Zachary Wilkes (Faithlife) was helping Chris, but somehow knew I was dilly-dallying around on the Cultural Collection. And he cut the price enough to halt my dilly-dallying. Apparently now is a good time to at least query regarding needs.  Maybe get lucky. Plus, he was nice.

This happened maybe 8 years ago too. That's how I got Anchor.

We Always Have Something Good to Say

Among scores of interviews I’ve conducted over the years, one simple statement from counselor Ed Welch may be the single most memorable.

Five years ago, I had a few moments with Ed to record an episode on biblical counseling for the podcast Theology Refresh. As no expert in counseling myself, or even modestly versed in the topic, I started the interview by asking a very basic question. I’m not sure I realized at the time how big a question it was, how potentially controversial, and how many respected counselors might find it difficult to answer.

“What is biblical counseling anyways?”

First, he characterized “biblical counseling” as taking sin seriously, and increasingly, he said, “we’re growing up and taking suffering seriously as well.” But then he went right to the heart: “Wherever you are, there is something you’re going to hear that is shockingly good.” The Bible, he said, always has something to say, into every kind of situation, that is good and pleasant and surprising. God’s words take us off our guard with their goodness. “If it doesn’t sound good, then we’re not really onto the ethos of Scripture.”

At its heart, that’s what it means to counsel from the very words of God: having listened well and asked insightful questions, we draw from the vast reservoir of what God has spoken and have something hopeful to say, even shockingly so. With plenty more to say, and a few disclaimers in place, that’s biblical counseling in a nutshell — and far more than just counseling.

Tell Me Something Good

What Ed captured that day in a couple short sentences carries implications beyond just pastoral counseling to every aspect of the Christian life. For one, our devotional lives. As we read God’s words for ourselves, we’re on the lookout not only for what’s true, but also what’s good, what delights the born-again heart. And in conversation with a brother or sister in Christ, we aim not only to communicate truth, but also to share something good, to speak the truth in such a way that it sparks joy in God.

Another place where Ed’s insight often comes into practical view is Christian teaching. On every subject, related to every doctrine — in teaching any text in the Bible — there is always something good to see, and something good to say. That doesn’t mean we only have things to say that sound and feel good. Indeed, in a world like ours, with sin-sick hearts like ours, we have many difficult, inconvenient, even offensive truths that love must speak. But Christianity always has more to offer than just the hard words. We always have something good to say.

Always Something Good

When Moses asked to see God’s glory, what did God put on display? “I will make all my goodness pass before you” (Exodus 33:19). Small children may sing, on repeat, the simple line, “God is so good,” but as adults, and as the most veteran of Christians, we dare not move beyond this basic and all-pervasive reality.

The message of Christianity is not only true at every point, but also good. We do, after all, call it “the good news.” And as Christians — and Christian counselors and Christian teachers — we have this shockingly good privilege: we always have something good to say. No matter how dark the day, no matter how deep the sin, no matter how devastating the consequences — and without minimizing or suppressing the pain and hurt — we always have something good to say. Christians are the best resourced people on the planet. It’s true in the counseling room, true in the classroom, true in community group, true in the pulpit, and true in personal conversation.

Teach What Is Good

The apostle Paul gives this clear and simple charge: “As for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). Truth is vital. But truth alone is not enough, and that’s evident from what he says just two verses later. Older women, he says,

are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. (Titus 2:3–5)

Some things never change. Apparently unbelievers in the first century were trying to sell young women on things not all that foreign to what our society is selling today. And Paul’s counsel to the older women is not to simply smash it on the anvil of what is right and true, but to teach what is good.

What Christianity offers is good, not restrictive — not mere duty, but delight. It is good to love husband and children. Self-control will reap greater joy in the end. There is deep satisfaction in attending to the home, great beauty in genuine kindness, sweet blessing in glad submission — all that God himself may be honored, not reviled, not only as true, but also as good.

Good News Rebukes

This word to older women gives us a glimpse into the calling and privilege of every Christian. When we are faithful to speak what accords with God’s own words, we say something good — and we should own it and act like it and aim to embody it. Christians do not lay heavy burdens on their hearers, but continually offer them God’s own goodness. Our hard words always serve a greater good. We rebuke, reprove, and correct, to offer something better. We warn and admonish, to keep loved ones on the path of joy.

When Titus 1:9 tells elders in the local church that they must “be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it,” we shouldn’t take that as a charge to split our energy and attention in half between instruction and rebuke. Teaching what is good comes first, and is ultimate. Correcting opponents serves the greater goal of offering something good. Christian teaching is asymmetrical. Attacking error is not the end, but a means to drawing others into the sight and enjoyment of truth.

What Good Do I Have to Share?

One of the great privileges and callings of being a Christian is that we’re always peddling hope. We always have something good to say — whether we’re walking into a hospital room, or spending another holiday with hostile family members, or scrolling through discouraging news about our nation, or sitting with a friend who has been running from God.

Whether by nature or nurture, some of us identify and explicitly hold out the good to our hearers more naturally than others. But whatever our tendencies, one habit any Christian can cultivate is to ask ourselves, What good is God calling me to speak into this context? In addition to the warnings, corrections, and hard truths, what good do I have to offer?

There will be times to say very little as we sit and weep with those who weep. But a time will come to speak. We don’t always have to say something good. But we do always have something good to say. Even in the darkest of days, even in the deepest of valleys, even to the most recalcitrant of sinners, we have hope to speak.

God’s words, faithfully represented, will prove soul-saving and life-giving to our hearers. They are good for us, and when we turn to extend them to others in a way fitting to the moment, we are doing them profound good. Especially when we let the goodness of his word pervade the flavor of ours. Stocked with Scripture, we always have something good to say, even shockingly good.

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God created and sustains everything in this universe to display his glorious grace in Jesus.

Atlas - save highlighted area of map

In the Atlas Tool, I want to save just the highlighted area of a map to a file to embed into a document or Powerpoint. The map as it comes over has the highlighted area and the shaded area, so I have to edit the graphic before I embed it. Here is an example of how the map looks when saved to a graphic.

Is there a way to just save the highlighted area or make the entire map highlighted? Even better would be the ability to mark an area of the map to save as a file or send to a Powerpoint

"If You Faithfully Obey" -- Deuteronomy 28:1-20

Link: 

http://ift.tt/2xfWavg

Format: 

Audio/MP3

Topic(s): 

Chapters 27-30

Author(s)/Speaker(s): 

Kim Riddlebarger