Yesterday we looked at Paul’s prayer for the Philippians to “approve what is excellent.”

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ… (Philippians 1.9, 10, ESV, emphasis mine)

There’s an everyday application, popularized by Stephen Covey. He categorized tasks as important (or not) and urgent (or not).

Some leaders have said that you should only work on tasks that are urgent AND important. That sounds good, but Covey saw it differently. He argued that if all your important tasks are also urgent, you haven’t planned very well. Hence our prayer,

Lord, help me approve things that are excellent. Help me not be distracted by the urgent but unimportant things. Help me decide to do important things even when they’re not urgent, especially when they’re not urgent.

A couple of quick examples. When one of our sons was a teenager, he had a hot little car that he enjoyed roaring around in. He kept gas in it, of course, an important and urgent task. But he didn’t pay attention to the oil – an important but generally non-urgent task. When it becomes urgent, it’s too late. Yep, he blew out the engine.

We all know that taking care of our bodies is a very important goal! But often the tasks associated with that goal – exercise, appropriate rest (Sabbath anyone?), recreation, etc. – are quadrant 2, important but not urgent, often overwhelmed by urgent tasks. Then we get sick or, worse, experience burnout. The late Dr. Howard Hendricks used to say:

Some people say, “I’d rather burn out than rust out!” Fine, but either way, you’re out! – Howard Hendricks

Robert Murray McCheyne illustrated that concept tragically:

Robert Murray McCheyne, after graduating from Edinburgh University at age fourteen in 1827 and leading a Presbyterian congregation of over a thousand at age twenty-three, he worked so hard that his health finally broke. Before dying at age twenty-nine he wrote, “God gave me a message to deliver and a horse to ride. Alas, I have killed the horse and now I cannot deliver the message.” – Retold at Bible.org

Again, Paul’s prayer that we “approve what is excellent” and Stephen Covey’s encouragement to focus on important, but NON-urgent tasks are good words for us all.

It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves? (Psalm 127.2, MSG)

As we move into Philippians in our New Testament reading plan, we come upon another fine prayer:

And it is my prayer that 

• your love may abound more and more, 
  • with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may 
• approve what is excellent, and so be 
• pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 
• filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1.9 – 11, ESV, bulleted for clarity)

The challenge is always to “approve what is excellent.” To discriminate between good and excellent. For example, I probably waste too much time on word and math problems!

Some excellent things Paul wants the Philippians to approve are found later on in this letter:

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are

• standing firm in one spirit,
• with one mind
• striving side by side for the faith of the gospel. (Philippians 1.27, ESV, bulleted for clarity)

Stand united, singular in vision, contending for people’s trust in the Message, the good news. (The end of the same verse from the Message)

Maybe we need to care more about the good news than the bad news that floods our media these days!

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3.17, ESV)

And in today’s conditions, we might be tempted to add, “And where the Spirit of the Lord is not, there can be no freedom.”

I had been reading the other day about helping churches develop a “disciple-making culture” when I read this verse in Ephesians 6:

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6.4, ESV)

“The discipline and instruction of the Lord:” what is that? I think it’s a culture of discipline. As I observe families with children, I see three types with respect to discipline:

• There are those families where the parents make no attempt at all to discipline their children. They just let them run amok. By the way, I’ve seen such “children” in their 30s, and they don’t “grow out of it.” They are adults running amok.
• There are families who would say they discipline their children, but what they mean is, when the children get out of line, they yell at them. I think this is probably better than the first type, but not much.
• Then there are families who create a culture of discipline. Children are trained to behave in certain ways. There’s not as much need for yelling when the kids cross a line – they don’t cross the line.

The best teachers and coaches train folks how to perform, whether it’s an athletic or musical skill. These teachers and coaches don’t sit back and wait for people to mess up and then yell at them. They train them to do it right and correct them, showing them how to do it right. Isn’t that what scripture says about itself?

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable

• for teaching,
• for reproof,
• for correction, and
• for training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3.16, ESV, bulleted for clarity)

Out of the four functions of the Word, only one is “reproof,” or “rebuke.” The other three are positive, helping us reach a place where there is less need for “rebuke.” This, I believe, is “the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

We have a family two doors up from us with six children ranging in age from 15 to 6. When they first interviewed with June for possible piano lessons, all six walked in with big smiles, looked June in the eye, and said something like, “Good afternoon, Mrs. Ewell, it’s nice to meet you.” When I went up there one day to recruit a few of them to finish a raking job for me, you’d think I’d just offered to take them out for ice cream. They couldn’t get down here fast enough, and they stayed on task until it was done.

A culture of discipline. It’s a joy to behold.

Discipline your children; you’ll be glad you did— they’ll turn out delightful to live with. (Proverbs 29.17, MSG)

Yesterday, we observed that one of the pictures of our relationship with God is that he has transformed us from darkness to light:

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. (Ephesians 5.8, ESV)

I said there were five preceding that one, all pretty exciting if you think about it:

• Adoption

In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. (Ephesians 1.5, ESV)

• Redemption

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. (Ephesians 1.7)

• Adoption implies inheritance

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. (Ephesians 1.11, ESV)

• Resurrection: Death to life

Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—(Ephesians 2.5, ESV)

• Access (2.18)

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. (Ephesians 2.18, ESV)

They all speak to relationship, and there’s one more, the ultimate husband/wife relationship from the last part of Ephesians 5:

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5.31, 32, ESV)

Seven “in him” relationships:

• Adoption
• Redemption
• Inheritance
• Resurrection
• Access
• Light
• Marriage

And Paul doesn’t even mention born again! There just aren’t enough words!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1.3 – 5, ESV)

As we work our way through the practical instructions in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, we come back to the paragraph we first mentioned when we were talking about purity a few weeks ago:

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. (Ephesians 5.3, 4, ESV)

An interesting list:

• Sexual immorality
• All impurity
• Covetousness
• Filthiness
• Foolish talk
• Crude joking

Some conservatives are death on immorality (so they say) but are we covetous? An idolator, it says in verse 5. Those on the verse 3 and 4 list “have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ…” This after chapter 3 which says the Gentiles have an inheritance.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. (Ephesians 5.6 – 11, ESV)

Walk as children of light and expose the works of darkness. There’s the answer to the cover-up temptation. We can’t cover it up. We must expose works of darkness: shine the light on it!

Speaking of light and darkness, that’s the sixth metaphor for our relationship with God so far in Ephesians. More about that tomorrow. Meanwhile, let’s live in the light!

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3.19 – 21, ESV)

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1.5 – 7, ESV)

Ten years ago this month the Waldo Canyon fire threatened Glen Eyrie, the historic property now owned by The Navigators. You can still see stand near the Glen Eyrie castle and see burned-out trees on the ridge just a few hundred yards away. My friend Brett Clark just wrote a compelling account of those days, including the little-known story of a lone maintenance man who prayed. The article is worth the read in its entirety. Here are a few snippets:

By Tuesday, June 26, as the fire moved closer, the smoke was getting thick at the Glen. We had to get the last of the skeleton crew out. One of the last guys we were trying to locate was 32-year maintenance crew member Doug Dick, who had been hosing down parts of the Glen with water. Doug, it turned out, had gone up to Dawson and Lila Trotman’s graves to get a better view of the fire. When Doug came down the hill toward our truck, Derek asked, “What were you doing up there?”

Doug started choking up. “I was praying. I had my hands outstretched and, in the Spirit of Elijah, I prayed: ‘God, would You protect this place, so we can keep using it for Your glory?’”

When we left the Glen, this was the last image I captured…

In 1953, Dawson [Trotman, founder of The Navigators] had prayed, “Lord, if You entrust this all to us, I want to dedicate it now to You as David did, to be used for Your glory, to make known Your holy name in all the world.”

In 2012, 59 years later, Doug prayed something similar, crying out to the God of the universe to spare the Glen. The image is forever etched in my mind: Doug kneeling and praying over the smoke-filled panorama of the Glen with outstretched hands, praying in the spirit of Elijah, “God, would You protect this place so we can keep using it for Your glory?”

Here is a picture of Doug Dick taken that day after the Glen was evacuated. Just “an ordinary man.”

Brett continues:

When I look at that photo [of the fire near the Glen]…, I’m reminded that, humanly speaking, we knew there was no way the Glen would survive. But God had other plans. The next day, as the Navigator family continued to pray, we were overjoyed to learn that somehow, the Glen had miraculously survived. I took this photo the next morning.

Brett ends his reminiscence this way:

Ten years after the Waldo Canyon fire, I’m reflecting on how God answered the prayers of the Navigator family, as well as the prayers of a quiet, humble maintenance guy who selflessly served Glen Eyrie guests for more than 40 years. The Glen and Eagle Lake continue to impact the lives of thousands as we use these two beautiful properties for His glory.

As we face the challenges of today, let’s take some extra time to praise our God for His great mercy and faithfulness to His promises.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. —Ephesians 3:20-21 NASB

And I would add:

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. (James 5.17, 18, ESV)

Two weeks ago, on June 14, we had the “Super Moon,” so designated because of the moon’s close proximity to earth. There will be another on July 13. Now that we’re in-between, it might be fun to remember:

The picture on the left was made with my iPhone the night before the actual full moon. The orange glow was caused by the haze from the western forest fires. Yes, it’s the moon, not the sun. The picture on the left is the actual super moon shot through our trees with a bit of cloud below.

I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky-jewelry, Moon and stars mounted in their settings. Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way? (Psalm 8.3, 4, MSG)

Yesterday we looked at how NOT to live from Ephesians 4.17 – 19. Paul continues with the solution: a foundation in our relationship with Jesus:

But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4.20 – 24, ESV)

How did we “learn Christ”?

• Put off your old self
• Be renewed in the spirit of your minds
• Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness

Several weeks ago I shared Andy Stanley’s take on our standard of behavior:

WHEN UNSURE OF WHAT TO SAY OR DO, ASK WHAT LOVE REQUIRES OF YOU.

Here in Ephesians 4, we can read some clear examples of what that love might look like. Note that in most cases, our standard is what we’re supposed to do, not just a list of things NOT to do:

• Speak truth, no lying (verse 25)
• Be angry in a controlled way (verses 26, 27)
• Give, don’t steal (verse 28)
• Speak to build up not tear down (verse 29)
• Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit (verse 30)
• Avoid bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice (verse 31)
• Be kind, tender-hearted, forgiving (verse 32)

And, as always, we should live this way in front of everyone, in-person and online, with those we like and those we don’t. I’m speaking to myself.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. (Philippians 2.14 – 16, ESV)

Why are we surprised when unbelievers act like, well, unbelievers? What would we expect? Writing to the Ephesians, Paul outlines the problem clearly just as he did in writing to the Romans:

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. (Ephesians 4.17 – 19, ESV)

As in Romans 1, the downturn begins with their attitude about God. Throw away God, and we get everything, including a society whose official position is that we don’t know what a “man” or “woman” is. I don’t know that we’ve changed much from Noah’s day except that God has a people demonstrating a different way of life – more on that tomorrow.

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6.5, NKJV)