CHANGING OUR PERSPECTIVE

 Psalm 103:1-2

Of David.

Praise the Lord, O my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits—

                Our day began with a couple of pretty normal, routine activities. We got in the car and drove to Menards and Aldi. At Menards I bought wood to build some night stands for my grandchildren. Then at Aldi we filled our cart with food for the week. There was nothing special about either event. When I got home and was carrying the groceries to the house, I was struck by the reality of what an enormous blessing I was experiencing. The blessing of having access to the things I need and want.

                Recently we watched a video series called The Human Planet. It is a fascinating look at how human beings have adapted to every climate and environment on the earth. Every episode began with the statement, there is only one creature on earth who has adapted to every environment on earth; it is us. Each episode showed how people all over the world have mastered their circumstances to thrive in often very challenging situations. I was struck by how many people around the world have to fight every day just to put food on the table. For many of them there isn’t even a table to put the food on.

                I tell you all of this to bring us back to the reality that we are amazingly blessed. I don’t have to go out hunting every day to provide food for my family. I simply go to the grocery store and buy what I want. We don’t have to be content with the bare essentials, we can enjoy whatever we want in abundance. The problem is that we don’t realize just how blessed we are. We take the grocery store for granted and complain when they don’t have the thing we are looking for.

                One of the major traps of living in an affluent society is that our expectations rise and our satisfaction declines. We have more and are less content. We focus our attention on what we don’t have and lose sight of all that we do have. If we have a roof over our head, warm clothes to wear and food to eat we are blessed. There are many in our world who would love to have we what see as the bare minimum.

                There has been much complaining and discontent lately. Some of this has been brought on by the pandemic. Some of this has been brought on by the political and social unrest that has swept our country. It is time to shift our perspective. As Paul says in Philippians 4:8, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

                King David calls us to praise the Lord and to not forget all of His benefits. So think with me for just a minute about all that we can praise God for.

- We have grocery stores that provide a wide variety of food from all over the world for our enjoyment.

- We have homes that are heated and can keep us warm and dry.

- We have closets full of more clothes than we need that cover us during all seasons.

- We have doctors, nurses, clinics, and hospitals that can care for us when we are sick.

- We have a new vaccine to counter the ravages of Covid-19.

- We have cars to transport us where we want to go and roads to get us there.

- We have the time to indulge in hobbies that bring us joy and satisfaction.

- We have access to nature in the form of parks and forests.

- We have the ability to communicate with family and friends even when they are hundreds of miles away.

- We live in communities, and not is isolation, even though we may feel that way right now.

                The list can go on and on, if we just take the time to stop and look at all of the blessings God has given to us. Your list will be different from my list, but it will be just as extensive. But above all of the material blessings that God has showered upon us, there is even a greater blessing that we often overlook. It is the blessing of His love and presence. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) God has revealed Himself through His word and through The Word, Jesus. We do not have to live in spiritual ignorance. God has revealed the truth about life and our world and that truth is found in Jesus. When we grasp that truth, we are set free from chasing after the things we don’t have. Instead, we are empowered to see, appreciate, and celebrate all that God has given to us.  

                Gratitude is the key to a rich and fulfilling life. It opens our eyes to the blessings of God. It silences the discontent that the world feeds us every day. It challenges us to live joyful lives.

Matthew 6:25-34

    "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

    "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

 

A PSALM FOR TODAY

 

Psalm 146:1-5

Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.

I will praise the Lord all my life;

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

Do not put your trust in princes,

in mortal men, who cannot save.

When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;

on that very day their plans come to nothing.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the Lord his God,

                 As we begin a new year, we will be inaugurating a new President of the United States. For many people, this is a joyous occasion. For many others, this is a terrifying occasion. Those same emotions prevailed four years ago when Donald Trump was inaugurated as President, except the groups were reversed. We do not know what the real outcome will be from this current election, but you can be assured that many of the things that President Trump did on his own will be reversed by President Biden. That is the way partisan politics works.

                One of the traps that the Church has fallen into on more than one occasion is putting its hope in a particular political leader or political party. It happened centuries ago when Constantine embraced Christianity and made it the official religion of the Roman Empire. The political power of the Church increased and the spiritual influence of the Church decreased. Not that long ago, many Christians put their faith in the Moral Majority, led by some prominent Christian leaders. That influence was short lived and the strides that were made to legislate morality have pretty much been obliterated. Most recently, some Christians have put their hope in Donald Trump as the savior of our religious freedom. Things are not turning out they way they had hoped it would.

                As Christians, we have an obligation to be fully engaged in the political process. The Bible tells us to exercise our rights and responsibilities as good citizens. But our hope is not, and never has been, in politics. Our hope is in the Lord and in Him only. As the psalm says, the plans of people will all come to an end. Whoever is in power will have their say for a season, but when they are no longer in power, their plans will fade. The only plans that will ultimately succeed are the plans of God. As it says in Proverbs 19:21, Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

                The Church has lost its voice within the public dialog in part because we have become known more for what we are against than what we are for. It is time for the Church to stop trying to be a political power in our world and return to being the people of God. It was the positive actions of the early church that attracted people and turned their world upside down. If we want to turn our world upside down, we need to get back to the basics of our faith; to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. There is no greater or more powerful cause.

                As we enter into a new political climate, the Bible has some timely advice for us. First, we need to leave the outcomes in God’s hands. Paul tells us exactly the stance we should take as we move forward.

Romans 12:17-21

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary:

"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

                When the people of Israel were sent off into exile by God, the prophet Jeremiah told them how they should respond to their circumstances. His words are appropriate for the Church today.

Jeremiah 29:4-7

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

                 God has made it clear how we should face our uncertain future. We need to put of hope and trust fully in Him. He has also given us a sure-fire way to influence those who are in power. Earnestly take them before God in prayer.

1 Timothy 2:1-4

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

 

   

 

THE KING’S BIRTHDAY

 Galatians 4:4-5

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

                Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning monarch in British history. She was born on April 26, 1926. But as a nation, her birthday is celebrated on the second Saturday of June every year. That day is set aside as a national holiday. There are many official celebrations that take place on that day. Everyone knows that the second Saturday in June is not her “real” birthday, it is just the day that her birthday is officially celebrated.

                On December 25^th we celebrated the birth of Jesus. Theologians and scholars will tell you that Jesus was not born on that date. It is much more likely that he was born in the spring when shepherds would have been out in the fields with their flocks. So why do we celebrate on December 25^th?

                The tradition of celebrating Christ’s birth on Dec. 25 began in 336 AD during the reign of Emperor Constantine, the first Christian Roman Emperor. It coincided with the pagan celebration of Saturn and the winter solstice.  It is likely that the Church was trying to overshadow the pagan holiday and replace it with a Christian holiday.

                Christmas was not always widely celebrated by Christians. The holy days of Epiphany (Jan. 6) and Easter were considered far more important. The Puritans in colonial New England banned the celebration of Christmas. After the Revolutionary War, Christmas was viewed as a British holiday in the colonies and was not recognized. Christmas did not become a national holiday until 1870.

                Some people like to make a big deal out of the reality that Dec. 25 is not the actual date of Jesus’ birth. Some use this to mock Christians, while others see its ties to the old pagan holiday as unspiritual. In reality, both arguments against celebrating Christmas on Dec. 25 are, in my opinion, rather lame. The focus of the celebration is not the date, but the child that was born. When the time was right, God sent His son into the world.

                Just as Great Britain celebrates Queen Elizabeth’s birthday on the second Saturday of June, so we celebrate the birth of the King of Kings on Dec. 25. It matters little that it is not the actual date of his birth. What matters is that we recognize the reality that the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.

                When the angel appeared to the shepherds, his message was one of great joy. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:10-12) The angel didn’t tell the shepherds to write down this date so you can remember it. He told them that they should go and find the child. That message still rings loud and clear at Christmas. The date is not important. What is important is that we go and find the child for ourselves.  

                For most people, the Christmas season transforms their lives, at least for a time. Whether a person is a believer in Jesus or not, they sense a spirit of generosity and good will. Acts of kindness flourish. For a time, the light of hope and joy fills our world. For many people that light fades when the presents are opened and the Christmas tree is discarded. But it doesn’t have to be that way. For those who seek out the King, their lives will be transformed for all of eternity. They will experience the truth that the shepherds discovered on that first Christmas.

    So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:16-18)

    The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:20)

                Dec.25 is the day that we celebrate the birthday of the King. For those who have actually taken the time to encounter Him, all of life is transformed. Every day becomes a celebration of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Whatever the actual date of the birth of Jesus, He came right on time, just as God had planned it. 

 

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:6-7)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

 

 

UNEXPECTED INFLUENCER

 1 Timothy 4:12

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

                 A couple of months ago I received a message from my past. A friend from my days at Stoney Glen Camp reached out to me. I had not been in contact with him since I left High School. It was great to reconnect. I shared with him how much his friendship had meant to me and what a major influence he had been in my life. His response: “I never knew all of that.” His honest response reminded me of a truth that I was taught many years ago. We are never fully aware of who we are influencing.

                I had had a similar experience quite a few years ago. I was at a reunion at Stoney Glen Camp and a young man came up to me. “Do you remember me? I was in your cabin at camp. Your influence guided me to go into pastoral ministry.” I did not remember the young man, or what I had told him. I was totally oblivious to the influence I had had on his life.

                Often, we go through life blind to the impact we are making in other people’s lives. As a pastor, I have always felt the tension of not knowing the outcome of my ministry. Having served in a University town, I have seen many young people come and go through the doors of our church. Yet, in the vast majority of cases, I have no idea what direction their lives have taken. When I retired from that church, many people expressed their thanks for the influence I had had in their lives. I was humbled and surprised by what they said. For the most part I was unaware of the impact I was having on them.

                When I was just a teenager, I attended a leadership training conference for Christian Service Brigade. During one of the talks the speaker made a comment that has remained with me ever since. He told us that we don’t have a choice of whether or not we will influence others’ lives. The only choice we have is whether our influence will be positive or negative. Someone is always watching you and will make life decisions based on what they see.

                When Paul wrote to Timothy, he encouraged Timothy to be an example for all the believers. In essence, Paul was telling Timothy that others were watching him. The way that he lived out his faith would have a major influence in their lives. Like Timothy, we all need to be reminded that we do not live our lives in a vacuum. Whether we realize it or not, others are watching. Their faith will be influenced by what they see in us. As someone has said, you may be the only Bible someone reads.

                What it boils down to is how we live our daily lives matters. It matters to God and it matters in the lives of those around us. We have the opportunity to be a positive, God honoring influence in the lives of those we come in contact with. We may never see the outcome of our influence, but that does not diminish it. We are to be an example, not just to other believers, but also to the “not yet” believers who are all around us. The decisions we make, the actions we take, will speak loudly to those who are watching. And they are watching.

                More than ever, we need to be salt and light in our world. People are discouraged. People are confused. Many people are looking for hope in the darkness. We have a chance to bring the light of Christ into their lives. We can do it by living lives worthy of Christ. We may not know until eternity what a difference we have made in the lives of those around us.

Ephesians 4:1-2

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

 

HAVING CONFIDENCE IN THE FINAL OUTCOME

 Matthew 16:18

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

                I have been rereading Larry Osborne’s book Thriving in Babylon. As a regular part of my devotions, I was directed to read the passage above in Matthew 16. Then I opened Larry’s book and turned to the chapter I was to read that day and discovered that he was writing about the same passage. I don’t think it was a coincidence. It was a divine reminder that God is still in control.

                I have been struggling with the way some people within the church have been responding to our current pandemic. Some have chosen to ignore the warnings from health experts and have continued as if it is business as usual. Others have taken up the conspiracy banner and are claiming that this Covid-19 outbreak is a direct attack against the church by the liberal left. During a time when our nation is radically polarized, some in the church have chosen to pour gas on the flames instead of being salt and light in a dark time. It is time are us all to stop, take a breath, and remember who is ultimately in control of all that is going on.

                Thriving in Babylon is based on the experience of Daniel and his Babylonian captivity.  Judah was carried off into exile not because their army wasn’t strong enough, but because they were being disciplined by God. As Osborne points out, Daniel and his friends were caught up in the backwash of other people’s sins. It is clear that Daniel was a righteous man, yet he still had to go through the trials of being carried off to Babylon. Instead of being devastated by his circumstances, Daniel’s faith was refined. He actually thrived in the midst of this extremely difficult time. Not only did Daniel thrive personally, God used him to influence the entire Babylonian empire.

                Too often, we who live in America, forget who we are in Christ and who is really in charge of our world. We give lip service to the sovereignty of God, but when things don’t go our way, we panic. I don’t know exactly what God has in mind for us during this current situation, but one thing I can say for sure is that God wants to use it to refine and strengthen His church. He wants us to be salt and light during this difficult time.

                There are many people we are looking for some kind of light at the end of the tunnel during this time. We have the key to genuine hope that can weather any storm. It is found in Jesus. But if we panic and circle our wagons, we dim the light of the gospel so that others remain in the dark.  Now is not the time to hide, it is the time to lead the way.

                Larry points out that many us (me included) have had the wrong impression about Jesus’ words in Matthew 16. We often interpret this verse to mean that we will be protected from Satan’s attacks. The reality is the opposite. We have been called to be on the offensive, not the defensive. Satan is the one who is trying to protect himself from behind locked gates, but those gates are no match for the power of God through Jesus Christ. This is not a time to live in fear and doubt. It is a time to be bold and positive. It is time to offer real hope to the many people who feel defeated and hopeless.

                Like Daniel, we may be heading into Babylon, but that is not the end of the story. It is an opportunity for our faith to be refined and strengthened. We know the end of the story. We know the final outcome; we win. That is not is doubt. So we can face whatever will come with confidence and courage. That doesn’t mean it won’t be hard. It does mean that we should never panic. Just as God was with Daniel, so He will be with us, no matter what our circumstances look like.

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

 

Romans 8:37-39

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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                I highly recommend Thriving in Babylon by Larry Osborne. It is a timely read for the days we are in right now.

   

Preparing for a Quiet Christmas

 

Luke 2:1-7

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

                Christmas is a big event in most people’s lives. Many people began planning for Christmas well before Thanksgiving. In a normal year, our calendars are filled with various Christmas programs and pageants. We look forward to spending a festive time with family and friends. Not so this year. The pandemic has put most of our plans on hold, if not postponed until next year. It will be a quiet Christmas this year.

                The circumstances around Mary being pregnant with Jesus were unusual to say the least. But after Joseph embraced Mary as his wife, I am sure that they looked forward with great anticipation to the birth of their first child. The birth of a child was always a festive occasion. The entire community would gather to celebrate. Not so on the first Christmas.

                Mary and Joseph probably wanted a low-key event. Not that they weren’t excited, but the majority of people would not have understood their circumstances. The last thing that they wanted was complications, but that is exactly what they got. Instead of settling in to their home in anticipation of the birth, they were forced to take a road trip to Bethlehem. Instead of welcoming their son into the world in familiar surroundings, they had to make do with the stable at an over-crowded inn. Instead of being surrounded by family and friends, they were surrounded by strangers.

                Christmas will be anything but “normal” this year. It is very possible that we will celebrate Christmas on our own, or with only part of our family. Like most other people, we have decorated our home for Christmas, yet it is possible that no one but us will get to enjoy it. We have been doing the “traditional’ Christmas shopping, but we may not have the joy of watching our gifts being opened. We are anticipating a very quiet Christmas. Maybe that is not too bad.

                Last night we watched Bethel University’s Festival of Christmas. Because of the pandemic, this annual event took place without an audience. Yet the message of Christmas came through loud and clear. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)

                From a human perspective, the birth of Jesus was less than ideal. From God’s perspective, it was perfect. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. (Galatians 4:4-5) God orchestrated every detail of the birth of Jesus to set the stage for His redeeming work in the world. Through the amazing miracle of the incarnation, God became present with us in tangible form.

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1-2)

    The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

                From our perspective, this Christmas will be far from ideal. But from God's perspective, it may be perfect. This Christmas may be exactly what God has planned for us. 

                I enjoy everything about Christmas. I enjoy cutting a Christmas tree and decorating it. I enjoy buying presents and giving them to those I love. I enjoy the anticipation and excitement of Christmas morning. But all of these things can obscure the true significance of Christmas, if we are not careful. Maybe what we really need is a quiet Christmas, so that we can focus on what is really important.

1 John 1:1-4

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.

 

   

LEARNING FROM HISTORY

1 Corinthians 10:11

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

                 It has been said in various ways that those who refuse to learn the lessons from history are doomed to repeat them. I believe we are in one of those situations.

                The Korean War took place between June 1950-July 1953. North Korea invaded South Korea. In response, the United Nations sent troops to assist the South Koreans. General Douglas MacArthur was placed in over all command of the UN forces. After some initial setbacks, the UN forces where able to push the North Korean army back. Buoyed by this success, General MacArthur decided to push all the way to the Chinese border, in an attempt to completely eliminate the North Korean threat.

                General MacArthur and his staff were convinced that their enemy was defeated and could easily be overcome. What they did not know was that China had entered the fray with a massive army. In September of 1950, MacArthur ordered his troops to advance at all speed to the Yalu River; the border with China. He sent the First Marine Division north to the Chosin Reservoir. His second in command, General Almond, strung out the Marines over a 30-mile stretch along the one main road north to the border. What General MacArthur and General Almond did not know was that the Chinese army had laid a trap for the Marines, which they sprung with cruel efficiency.

                Throughout the early days of this battle, MacArthur’s staff continued to convince him that the enemy was weak and should easily be overcome. Those on the ground knew differently. They continually sent urgent messages to MacArthur’s staff reporting the overwhelming odds they were facing. These reports were discounted as defeatism. They were ordered to continue to push forward. The outcome was the loss of many lives.

                We are in a battle of a different sort today. We are not fighting an enemy army, but a pervasive virus that has the potential to devastate us. Yet many people today continue to hold onto false ideas about the threat. They want to downplay it and continue to push ahead. They are convinced that enemy is weak and we can overcome it. They are choosing to hang onto what they want things to be like. In the face of this, we are receiving daily messages from those who are on the front lines. They are pleading with us to take this pandemic seriously. The enemy we face of formidable and indiscriminate. Our hospitals and medical staffs are being overwhelmed.

                If General MacArthur had listened to the Generals on the front lines, the outcome of the Chosin Reservoir encounter would have been very different. Because he refused to listen, lives were lost. We all need to stop listening to the wishful thinking of those who tell us that we have nothing to worry about. We need to listen to those who are on the front lines. What they are asking of us may be inconvenient and uncomfortable at times, but if we take realistic steps, we can save lives. It is as simple as that.

                So I want to learn the lesson of the Chosin Reservoir. Listen to those closest to the conflict. Wear a mask in public. Keep your distance from others when you have to go out. Don’t gather in large groups. Stay home if you can. Do your part to stop this enemy from spreading.

Philippians 1:9-11

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.