Called to Suffer

“You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of [this] life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel,”     2 Timothy 2:3-8 NKJV

While most of us are familiar with what are referred to as the signs of the end, there is one that I often find  flies under the radar so to speak, and that is suffering by believers. Now you would think that with all of the examples in the Bible concerning suffering this would not be the case, yet many of us begin to question whenever we experience pain or hardship of one sort or another. I know I have done it, and I'm sure most of you have too because it is a natural reaction whenever something like this happens.

In this passage, Paul warns Timothy that suffering is going to be part of the territory that comes with choosing to serve Christ. You notice Paul doesn't say you “might” have to experience it, or it's “possible” you will experience it, he says we “must endure hardship” if we are one of His soldiers. I know many people who have chosen to serve our country in the military and the one thing most all of them agree on is the fact that even though they chose to enlist, in hindsight they had no idea of some of the things they were going to experience.

Paul not only tells Timothy, and us, what we are going to experience, he also gives us three attitudes we need to possess in order to deal with what will come. He illustrates each of these with an example of three different vocations in order to help us remember the keys to coping with suffering.

Dedication. A good soldier dedicates himself to the cause he serves, and no matter what he experiences he never loses sight of the objective he is fighting for. In any battle, there are two sides fighting against one another, and as a result there are always casualties of war. Some are wounded, some are fatal, but imagine if you will an army made up of soldiers who turn and run whenever there is a chance of suffering. How successful would that army be? We as believers have chosen to enlist in God's army and to serve Him by reaching out to an unbelieving world with the gospel of Christ. Paul says there will be hardship but he reminds us that we should always remember we dedicated ourselves to serve our Lord.

“For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,”   Philippians 1:9 NKJV

Discipline.  The second illustration Paul uses is that of an athlete running a race. He reminds us that in order to compete we must abide by the rules of the competition. I was fortunate enough to participate as a member of a relay team while competing in college and if there is one race in track where you can get yourself disqualified quickly it's a relay. There are judges everywhere checking to make sure you don't step out of your assigned lanes, interfere with another runner, and you must pass the baton within an assigned zone. I've seen some amazing performances negated by a disqualification and the agony on competitor’s faces is painful to watch. It seems that Paul is telling us here that although there may be pain while running between the lines, there is even more suffering if we run outside of the lines.

“But I discipline my body and bring [it] into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”    1 Corinthians 9:27 NKJV

Diligence. Finally Paul uses the example of a farmer working his crops to illustrate to us the attitude of diligence. I live in a rural community where farming is still the most important part of the local economy. I truly believe you can't appreciate how hard a farmer works unless you live where you can watch them work their fields. Have you ever noticed most farm equipment comes equipped with lights? You can see farmers working before sunrise and long after sunset every day of the growing season in our valley and you have to wonder sometimes if they ever sleep? They prepare the soil, they fertilize, they plant, they water, they cultivate, they weed, they nurture, and then finally they harvest. Paul rightly refers to the successful farmer as “hardworking”, and it doesn't take a lot of thought on our part to understand what he is trying to tell us. Suffering is going to be a part of our lives as believers and if we are to be successful we must be diligent.  Paul’s point here is that if we quit and take the easy road when pain and suffering show up we will never produce a crop.

“And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;”    1 Corinthians 4:12 NKJV

The question many would naturally ask is if this is all worth it? Satan's master plan is to make the Church ineffective, and the way he does that is by discouraging believers by pain and suffering. Paul's final bit of advice in this passage is to remind Timothy, and us, that the reason we chose this path in the first place is because Christ died and rose from the dead to deliver us from sin. No other gospel can say that, and Paul's advice is for us to never forget what Christ has done for us. Not only did He die for our sins, He experienced more pain and suffering than most of us ever will. If Christ suffered unto death, is it too much to ask that we endure a little pain and suffering for His sake?

“Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and [saying], "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ."  Acts 17:2-3 NKJV

Paul tells us that if we make the choice to accept the sacrifice Jesus made for us we will experience pain and suffering. But he also tells us how we can cope with it successfully by adopting three attitudes which will prevent us from the discouragement that accompanies suffering. Remember the soldier, the runner, and the farmer and adopt the attitudes that will help us cope with suffering. Most of all never forget how much Christ suffered for us, and the fact that He is waiting just as we are for the time when we will be together in Heaven, experiencing the victory of finishing the race.

Keep watching.

Seeds of Bitterness

“Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;”   Hebrews 12:12-15  NKJV

Anyone who has had the opportunity to interact with small children knows the importance of simplifying complex ideas to the point of understanding.  Is it any surprise, then, that God uses the same methods to teach us from His Word?  I especially appreciate how God uses illustrations to explain things to us, making it easy to grasp exactly the points He is trying to make.  This passage is a perfect example of that, and I want to spend just a few minutes examining what He has to tell us in just these five verses about the seed called bitterness.

 What exactly do you think about when I say the word “bitter”?  I suppose my first thought was the face someone makes when they bite into a lemon, or something equally as bitter.  It is not pleasant, obviously shows what they are feeling inside, and usually produces a very negative response.  Equally true, I believe most of us would agree that anyone would or should refrain from tasting something bitter for it certainly isn’t the sort of pleasant experience one would want to repeat.  Yet in this passage, we are told that it is possible for someone to choose to do exactly that.

The context of this passage begins in the very first verse when Paul compares our lives as believers to a race that we all run.  Here in verse twelve, the picture is of a weary runner, “hands which hang down, and the feeble knees”, illustrating someone at the point of exhaustion.  Since we know Paul is about to warn us about bitterness, it follows that he is telling us that this is something that most likely occurs when we are weak, rather than strong.  As I thought of that, it seemed to me to make perfect sense that Satan would rather avoid a strong believer, and look around for one that is weak and struggling to receive his attack.

While the first warning concerns guarding our spiritual condition, the second warns of the direction bitterness will come from.  If Paul entreats us to “pursue peace with all people”, it follows, then, that it is actions by others which plant the seeds of bitterness in our lives.  Now, although it would at first seem nice to be able to blame others for our troubles, we should remember what Paul has already told us in this chapter. 

“And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?”  Hebrews 12:5-7  NKJV

 

So while it might be convenient to focus on the actions of others towards us, the reality is that God is using them to chasten us.  In essence, bitterness is the result of misunderstanding the fact that hurts we receive from others are a test from God to see how we react.  Bitterness is what results when we fail the test by not seeking peace with those that hurt us.

I hate weeds.  If you have ever planted a garden I would expect that you do too.  What most of us find frustrating is that while we planted seeds of the things we wanted to grow, none of us planted weed seeds.  In fact, I’m reasonably sure I have never even seen a weed seed.  Yet water and fertilize your garden and guess what shows up?  Paul warns us to seek peace with others “lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble”.  We might not have planted the weed seed, but they are already there waiting to grow and cause us grief.  So too, it is with the seeds of bitterness.  Because of the actions of others, the seeds of bitterness are probably already there just waiting to be watered.

That point brings us to what I believe Paul is really warning us about in this passage.  Bitterness is a choice.  In an article about bitterness in Psychology Today, the author said that all bitterness starts out as a hurt, festers into anger, slowly becomes resentment, and then turns to bitterness.  Have you ever wondered where weed seeds come from?  My garden area is weed free as long as I don’t water or fertilize.  The fact is, the seeds are there, but they don’t grow until they get what they need in order to spring up.  Paul, describing bitterness here this way, is telling us that we make the choice to water and nurture the seeds of bitterness in order to make them grow.

Weeds steal the nutrients needed by the good plants around them.  So too, do the seeds of bitterness steal what we need to grow and flourish as true believers.  The best time to pull a weed is when it first appears and is small, with an equally small root.  When do we pull the root of bitterness when it appears in our lives?  Just like any weed, at the very beginning when it first appears. So how best do we do that?  Paul said that the key was to “pursue peace” so obviously rather than trying to “feed the weed” that is bitterness, as believers we seek to make peace.  The Word leaves no doubt as how we do that as this passage tells us.

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”  Mark 11:25  NKJV

Bitterness is simply the result of the unwillingness to forgive.  Forgiveness is how we seek peace with others and kill the seeds of bitterness before they have a chance to grow and stunt our lives and witness for Christ.  Are you experiencing bitterness in your life today?  Are you bitter as a result of something someone else has done?  Pursue peace with that person by forgiving them, and pull the weed of bitterness so you can enjoy life as God intended for all those who choose to believe in Him.

Keep watching.

Grieving God

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
Ephesians 4:30 NKJV

Have you ever had your feelings hurt? Has there ever been a time where someone close to you, someone you really cared about did or said something to hurt you? I think it is safe to say that we all have, as it seems almost impossible to go through life without experiencing this kind of hurt from those who are close to us. I think it is also safe to say that the reason it hurts so bad is that this kind of hurt can only come from those we are closest to, from those who we really care about and would not expect it from.

Yet as we tend to focus on the hurts we receive from others, are we honest enough with ourselves to acknowledge that we might be hurting the one who is closest to us? In this chapter of Ephesians Paul is instructing believers concerning the changes in our behavior which are a result of our new relationship with Christ. After he talks about those changes, he then uses this verse to remind us that the failure to exhibit the attitudes expected from true believers results in “grieving” the Holy Spirit. The word used here for grieve is “lypeō” which translated means “to make sorrowful, to affect with sadness, cause grief, to throw into sorrow, to grieve, offend, to make one uneasy, cause him a scruple.”

When my daughters were quite young, they had a saying they would use whenever they felt they experienced any sort of injustice from a family member. They would look the offender in the eye and say “you made baby Jesus cry”. Now quite often that made us laugh, and it was common for it to be used in a humorous way, yet if you think about it how often do we really acknowledge that we can, in fact, grieve the Holy Spirit in this way? There are things we can do which actually cause the Holy Spirit to be sad, offended, and deeply hurt. Why is He hurt so badly? Because He loves us so much that He made the greatest sacrifice He could by sending His Son to die for our sins, which is the gift which “seals” us for the “day of redemption”.

So what is it that we do which grieves the Holy Spirit this badly? Paul tells us in the next two verses.

“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:31,32 NKJV

Simply put, it is our reaction to those who offend us and our unwillingness to forgive them, which grieves the Holy Spirit. Paul spends an entire chapter explaining how we are to be changed by our decision to become believers and to allow God to enter our lives and show us His way. He makes the point that when we do make this decision, a changed life is not only desired, but expected. The world encourages us to play the blame game, and withhold forgiveness, while Paul tells us here we are to act differently.  We are not to walk as the world walks, and as we used to, but to walk in a manner that demonstrates the power of God's love which is now in us.

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:1-3 NKJV

It seems apparent as well from the context that Paul is talking about our relationships with our fellow believers, and especially how we choose to treat them. Why is that? As we have said before, we would all agree that the biggest hurts come from those who are closest to us, and who is closer than our own family? So what is the key to maintaining the unity of our family, the body of Christ? How are we to react when we are offended by something someone does or says that causes us to hurt? Paul tells us in the very last verse in the chapter when he says “forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.“

So just how has God forgiven us? Let me share just a few things that came to mind when I began to think seriously about that question.

Unconditionally. The first thing I thought of in my own life is that no matter what I have done, God has forgiven me. Doesn't matter what it was, how big a sin, how offensive to Him, He forgives. How often have we looked at something someone else has done and said “I can't forgive them for that!” Truth be told, you can, but you just choose not to. Have you ever found yourself trying to justify feeling the way you do towards another? Quite honestly, if you have to try and justify it you have in fact already admitted you are wrong.

Repeatedly. So I have finally arrived at the point in my life where I no longer sin? Wrong. We all struggle with sin, and as long as we are trapped in this body we will sin. I don't like it, you don't like it, but we all have a sin nature and we all sin. However no matter how often we fall, God is willing to forgive us time after time after time. Do you know someone who continually offends you by sinning? Is your attitude towards them one of reluctance to forgive because “they” don't change? How comfortable would you be if God refused to forgive you because “you” didn't change? Our attitude towards others should always be to forgive and never hesitate to extend to them the same forgiveness God extends to us.

Genuinely. “Talk is cheap”. Ever hear that expression? Most of us have at one time or another, and I'm sure most of us understand that the meaning behind it is clear; talk is useless if it is not backed up by action. Try another one; “if you are going to talk the talk, walk the walk”. Did you notice something in the last verse of this chapter? When God instructs us to forgive someone, He tells us first to be kind. This is not describing an attitude, but rather an action. We are being told to treat someone who offends us in a kind manner, rather than striking out in anger letting our emotions get the best of us. How many of us would be here if God struck out at us “unkindly” every time we sinned?

Our sin does not affect God's love, His patience, or His actions towards us. Our feelings and patience and actions towards sin from a brother or sister should not be any different. Is there a brother or sister you are holding something against? Is there someone in the family you treat unkindly because you just can't bring yourself to forgive them? If so, according to this passage you are grieving the Holy Spirit, hurting Him worse than you yourselves are hurt. Should we not follow God's example towards us?

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9 NKJV

Keep watching.

 ( and forgiving )

Judging America

Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens. So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.   Genesis 19:24-25  NKJV

“Why hasn’t God judged America?” “If God doesn’t judge America, He owes an apology to Sodom and Gomorrah”. Have you or someone you know heard or said those words or something similar lately?  As this nation’s moral compass continues to point downwards, and our society seems to be steadily and rapidly following in that direction, many are asking this question with greater frequency.  If ever a country was spiritually and morally approaching bankruptcy, it would seem we are ripe for an event where God’s wrath is poured out in such a way as to demonstrate His righteous judgment on a society which has so obviously turned its back on God’s truth.

I am sure many of you have heard the expression “going Old Testament” referring to an event where judgment is meted out to a deserving entity for transgressions deemed to require some form of serious correction.  Of course, any study of the events written about in the Old Testament reveal many instances where our God did in fact not only judge, but reveal His righteous wrath in ways that left no doubt that He was displeased with the actions He observed.  Make no mistake, the God of the universe has revealed Himself to man and written in His Word exactly what He expects from us by revealing His laws and commandments.

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, talks about God’s love for us, our need for redemption, the gospel as the way to salvation, and lastly God’s wrath upon those who turn their backs on Him.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”   Romans 1:16-17  NKJV

I appreciate the fact that Paul gives us the good news before he gives us the bad news.  He chooses to tell us of God’s love for us and the gift of eternal life available to all who believe in the Gospel of Christ before he broaches the subject of God’s wrath.  That of course is the good news, but the bad news is that to those who reject and turn their backs on God put themselves in a position to receive judgment in the form of God’s wrath.  While we as humans look at the word wrath and immediately think of anger, or an impulsive response such as losing one’s temper, in the Greek there are actually two words for wrath.

One does in fact mean a hot, burning, responsive anger, but there is another one which is what is used here referring to God’s wrath and it is the word “orgē”.  This word describes an anger that grows slowly over time, building up to a point where the response is a result of contemplation and just determination.  You could compare it to the judgment passed in a court of law, which is determined after all the evidence is presented and studied by the judge before he presents his ruling.  God watches man over time, considers his actions, and when He believes judgment is necessary, delivers His wrath if the circumstances require it.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.”   For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.   Romans 1:18-23  NKJV

In this passage Paul reveals God’s indictment of those who turn their back on Him, and the reasons behind His decision to pour out His wrath.  God makes it perfectly clear that His wrath is reserved for those who know the truth, but deliberately ignore what God has revealed and choose to “suppress the truth in unrighteousness”.  In a recent conversation with a friend it was our conclusion that the words in this passage clearly describe what we can observe from a large segment of our society.  They “became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools”. 

So the evidence is presented and it clearly shows the guilt of those who choose to turn their backs on God and His revealed truth.  God is aware of it, observed it over time, and has determined it requires judgment in the form of His wrath.  All that remains is to observe the fire and brimstone coming down from Heaven.  Or does it?  While that might be what many of us would like to see, Paul reminds us that there is a form of God’s wrath that He has used in the past, and chooses to use here which might not be exactly what we expect, and that is something we can call God’s “permissible wrath”.

“Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”  Romans 1:24-32  NKJV

Three times Paul tells us that God gave these people what they so obviously want.  While we might desire to see God’s direct punishment, what God chooses to do is to simply give them what they so obviously want.  In God’s mind, these have already made the decision in their mind that they are going to abandon Him, so He simply allows them to do so knowing what lies at the end of the road.  That, of course, will be the tribulation written about in great detail in the book of Revelation.  So if you were to ask me the question, why hasn’t God judged America, my answer would be this.

He already has.

Keep watching.