Ricky Smith

Three in One Every Day | E.2:18

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2:18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

As believers we have the privilege of daily experiencing the work of the Triune God in our life. In Ephesians 2, Paul has offered explanation for God’s work to establish the church and extend His grace to both Jews and Gentiles. For them, and for us today, we are able to witness the Godhead, Three in One, work in us and for us.

In John 14:6 Jesus adamantly stated, that “He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father, but by Him.”

Imagine the ancient cultures of royalty and the approval process required to speak to the King. We see Esther boldly working around this protocol. We see again in Acts 9:27-28, as Barnabas validated Paul when he was presented to the apostles. We know that we required a Mediator (Isaiah 59:2), and we are blessed to have one in Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus gives us access and we are validated through the covering of His blood.

It is then the Spirit that works in us to produce a disposition of the mind that receives what the Father speaks. The Spirit also works to produce unity among the body of believers as they together seek God’s face. Given the context of this passage overwhelmingly speaks to the church, the unity through the Spirit is an important point to note.

It is then that God speaks and we can boldly approach His throne of grace. It is not because of what we have done, but because the blood of Christ has granted us permission and the Spirit of God has prepared our heart to receive His words.

For the individual believer we have confidence that every time we pray, we are experiencing the work of the Triune God. As a community of believers, we must confidently seek the Lord and rely on the Spirit to develop unity in our hearts so that we hear the same message from the Lord.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Eph 2:18). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Stop & Drop | Phil.4:6

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Philippians 4:6 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

The common command used in an emergency fire is to “Stop, Drop, and Roll”. Surely this is great advice to extinguish a flame that is causing external pain, but what command can be applied when the internal flame of anxiety burns uncontrollably?

According to the AADA, anxiety affects 18% of adults in American and 1 in 8 children. Approximately 30% of those seek help and for all of them, it is highly treatable. While counseling is incredibly beneficial, the ultimate remedy comes from God. His challenge is provided in Philippians 4:6, when we are given the command to “Stop and Drop”.

In Philippians 4:6, Paul commands believers to stop being anxious. Jesus gave a similar mandate in Matthew 6:25, when He said, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”

Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension or distress in view of possible danger or misfortune. It can be a legitimate problem, or an unnecessary worry. Whether warranted or not, the emotion is real. Paul challenges the Philippians, and us, to not worry about anything. That literally means nothing. How can this be done? It ultimately is a matter of trust and an issue of control.

If a person can reach a place of being comfortable with not being in control, perhaps they can trust the Creator of the world to orchestrate His plan for their best interest. Recognizing His power and control can lead to a peace that is promised in Philippians 4:7.

To simply hear, “Stop it”, does not help a person struggling with anxiety. They would love to just make it stop. It is important to also focus on an action. Surely to “stop” is important, but we must also “drop”.

Many coping techniques are taught to an anxious mind. Redirection, focus, and relaxation are all important techniques to calm the mind and body. Paul, however, provides the ultimate action, and that is prayer.

Jesus wants us to pray about everything. Often a person resorts to prayer when nothing else works, and often uses prayer for issues they can’t fix themselves. What if we learned to pray about matters big and small, and sought God’s plan and will at the beginning of an issue rather than after we had done all we could. Once again, this is a matter of control and trust.

Interestingly, Paul separates pray and supplication. Initially, this seems redundant, but a closer look at the words results in clarity. Prayer is the common action of offering requests to a higher power. This refers to a general attitude of submission. Supplications are more specific and denote a desperate plea for a specific need.

Whether general or specific in nature, we are challenged to pray with thanksgiving. This ingredient is critical. God has promised that He hears our prayer. Consider 1 John 5:14, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” Therefore, we should expect an answer, and thank Him in advance for hearing our cry.

Imagine if our prayer included a statement like, “God, thank you for hearing me and I expect and answer; so I will thank you in advance.” While His answer and timeline may be different than what we hope, the confidence by which we approach His throne will be with a different attitude when we apply a heart of thanksgiving.

The ultimate experience and promise are peace. God offers the peace that is beyond our comprehension when we trust Him. The anxious heart naturally struggles with trust and the anxious mind constantly wonders what might happen. While is may seem unnatural, we must fully submit our control to God. He is able to keep us. He is able to provide for us. He is able to correct any mistake. He is able to heal. He is able!

 

  1.  The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Php 4:6). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
  2. https://www.adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics
  3.  The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 6:25). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
  4. Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 312). New York: United Bible Societies.
  5.  The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (1 Jn 5:14). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Truth Bomb – Eph.2:14

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2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

Recent news briefings can leave one highly anxious of what could be when we read of turmoil in the Middle East, in Korea, or even in Chicago. It is easy to live in fear of what could be and be absent of peace. Bombs are dropping, or threats of missle attacks occur daily. Consider a truth bomb of peace.

Peace is desired by many, yet experienced by few. Nations war with each other, and individuals war within themselves. Whether globally or personally, there is a longing for peace.

Ephesians 2:14 reminds us of our Source of peace. Christ himself is our peace. This word structure suggests that He alone, in His own Person, can offer true peace. In other words, without Him, peace cannot be attained.

Peace comes from the word eirō (εἰρω) which means “to join”. Literally peace joins two things together. In the context of Ephesians, Paul is expressing the Gospel’s ability and intent to break down barriers between Jews and Gentiles.

This contextual principal can easily translate to any two people, or nations, who war among themselves. Peace can be achieved when we allow the only Provider of peace to rule and join hearts together. Politicians would be wise to heed this counsel. Marriages would be wise to put Christ as the center of their home. Business partners can work in harmony when they allow the Peacemaker to give what only can come from Him.

Being made in His image, all of God’s creation longs for peace, and through Him all walls of division can be broken. Perhaps some politicians should consult Him!

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Eph 2:14). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Summer camp and sexual identity issues

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In my opinion sexual and gender identity issues are at a crisis level, and the church must learn how to lean in with love and reach Generation Z students, who are desperately seeking attention and looking for answers.
I don’t claim to have this figured out, and to be honest have had more experience working with homosexual students over transgender. That being said, I believe some principles I’ve learned still apply. The ideas to follow specifically apply to a youth leader who is working with a homosexual, or transgender, student in the context of a conservative, heterosexual group. Here are some thoughts:
1. Keep the eye on evangelism and discipleship:
Just because culture presents a different challenge doesn’t impact our mission and focus on reaching people with the Gospel. This is not a new problem. The ancient Romans lived this out during the time of the early church. While some sin may be considered repulsive, we must see the heart of the student and be committed to reaching them with Jesus. How we love and communicate, both verbally and non-verbally, can have an eternal impact on one’s soul. That being said, this must not be taken casually or flippantly. We must respond with grace and truth. I would commend 1 Peter 3:15 as a guiding Scripture, when it states, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
2. Parents must be on the same page:
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 establish the truth that parents have the God-given responsibility to teach and disciple their kids. This is increasingly difficult when parents are not believers or not willing to engage, but we must always lean into this Scriptural truth. Whatever game plan is established or position is taken it should be reached in cooperation with the parents. When the parents are on the same page, the process goes more smoothly.
3. The church must be on the same page:
While I don’t recommend this being discussed openly at a church conference, the pastor and key leadership must be aware of what is going on and be given the opportunity to engage in developing an approach that can be consistently enforced and biblically defended. It is detrimental to a youth leader, the family, and the student if a rouge plan is implemented that backfires. Again, this situation has eternal consequences, thus it should be handled carefully and prayerfully. This is not an “us versus them” situation, and the church should avoid a defensive posture.
4. Get ready for the long haul:
A student who struggles with sexual and gender identity issues didn’t wake up one morning and decide to be this way. There is undoubtedly a history of social, psychological, and spiritual issues that must be dealt with. While it may be easy to simply focus on what to do with youth camp, the focus must be on developing a long-range plan that must include prayer, meetings with parents, counseling, accountability, and clearly communicated expectations.
5. Boundaries must be established:
Boundaries are healthy and create borders in which effective ministry can take place. Parents and the students must accept and agree to operate under boundaries of conduct and behavior. For example, situations like rooming situations, changing of clothes, and being one-on-one with others are all examples of areas that require clear boundaries. One situation that I dealt with personally required a parent to attend any event and the student would room separately with their parent. This allowed them to participate in all group activities but protected both them and other students from any damaging allegations. While potentially painful, the boundaries should also clearly communicated consequence in advance if boundaries are broken.
6. Prepare your leaders:
The last thing you want is a student who feels isolated and excommunicated. Also, the last thing you want is for your adults to feel out of the loop. While maintaining appropriate levels of confidentiality, a communication plan should be developed to prepare leaders or those who need to know, with what the expectations are. More than keeping an eye out to chastise, their primary focus should be to express love and look for opportunities to ensure the student is included and engaged in group activities. At the same time, this is an opportunity to remind your leaders of your church’s child protection policies regarding being alone with a student.
7. Be wise:
It is easy to react in fear and the simple thing is to exclude a student. This is likely not wise, however. Be prayerful, take your time, and develop a plan that keeps the eternal destiny of the kid in mind. At the same time, don’t forget that you must also work to teach and disciple all members  of the group. Don’t be fearful of this opportunity to minister. God never promised that it would be easy.
8. Every situation is unique:
I have never dealt with an issue in this arena that was clear cut and simple. The issues are complex and individualized. A church should have written child protection policy and boundaries in place that apply to all students and at all times. However, when it comes to developing a plan for a specific situation they will all look a little different. It is important to be consistent with that you have done in the past, but take your time to learn as much as you can about the circumstances and be willing to tailor a plan of action.
I don’t feel this is an exhaustive list of guiding principles but hope that it gets you started.

Built on Hope / Eph.2:12

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2:12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.



“We have hope. Rebellions are built on hope”, said Jyn Erso in Rogue One, of the Star Wars saga. The idea of hope is inspiring and motivating for everyone. It is hope that often drives a revolution, a championship, or change. The idea of hope is understood by every human because God has wired us with that drawing desire for something more. How would life be different if there was no hope?

Imagine the Ephesians referred to in Ephesians 2:12, as they remember their life before God. To be separate from God means to be without and apart. 1 Corinthians 12:2 and Colossians 3:7 describe the darkness that surrounds the life of a person living without God. This alienation from the life that could be, while blindly living in the dark life that is, leave a person feeling like there is no hope or purpose.

There is good news. The promise and covenant that God made to the Israelites (Romans 9:4) has been extended to all mankind through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Some are atheists out of an active sense of denying God, but others are atheists in a passive sense of being unconnected with God. 

Hopeless is a painful place to be.

Regarding the Ephesians, some expositors say, “It is not only that they had not the hope, the Messianic hope which was one of the distinctions of the Israelite, but that they were utterly without hope. Ignorant of the divine salvation and of Christ in whom it was found, they had nothing to hope for beyond this world.”

Now that the Gospel has been proclaimed to the world, and to you as you read this message, you are no longer ignorant of the salvation made possible through Christ. This hope is a free gift offered to you. Life change and purpose are possible by simply choosing to accept God’s gift of hope through a conscious decision to exchange your old life for a new hope in Him.

Maybe Jyn Erso had it right. Let’s rebel against status quo, and walk in the hope of God that brings ultimate and eternal peace.

To learn how to find hope in Jesus Christ now, click here.

 

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Eph 2:12). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Ephesians (p. 64). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.

Wuest, K. S. (1997).

Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Eph 2:11). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Rogue One. Dir. Garth Edwards. Perf. Felicity Jones. Disney, 2016. Film.

Compare and Contrast / Eph.2:11

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2:11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—

Did you enjoy compare and contrast exercises in school? Whether in Science or English class, we are familiar with the process. Perhaps the most significant exercise we could undertake was encouraged by Paul to the church in Ephesians 2:11. If you were to compare and contrast your life before Christ with your life in Him, would you notice a measurable difference?

The Ephesians were a Gentile community who were branded with the label of circumcision. For thousands of years, God’s people were marked by a physical alteration that made then clean through the infant surgery of circumcision.

This was nullified by Christ’s death on the cross. When we read in Matthew 27:51, we learn of the immediate physical impact of Christ’s atoning sacrifice. The old covenant was abolished and a new covenant was born. The limitation and restrictions placed on the Gentile community were altered, and they were invited to freely join in communion.

As the Ephesians processed through this change in identity, the new covenant represented much more than a physical change. More importantly, their spiritual position with God changed and their eternal destiny was moved.

The Ephesians were challenged to remember what was, so they could better understand what is. The exercise of remembering is healthy for us as well. Compare your life without Christ, with the peace and purpose you now possess. Contrast the life condemned to eternal separation, with the hope of the eternal presence of God.

Even if you were regenerated as a child and don’t have vivid memories of sin and dramatic change, there is still reason to rest and recall the change of eternity and the peace in your heart. I’d challenge you to take a few minutes in prayer and in writing down what you note when you compare and contrast your life with Christ.  Take it a step further and boldly share some of what you note on your personal social media.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Eph 2:11). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.