THE Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.
Revelation 1:1,2 NKJV
After the events of the past few weeks, I wonder if you have heard the word “apocalypse”, or “apocalyptic” as many times as I have while listening or reading the news? At least once in every report you find yourself hearing the reporters use this word to describe the events which have occurred in just the past few weeks. I especially hear it a lot while watching programs on the History Channel that concern the end of the world. Yet, if you look up the meaning of apocalypse in the Greek, this is what you find;
apokalypsis:
1) laying bare, making naked
2) a disclosure of truth, instruction
a) concerning things before unknown
b) used of events by which things or states or persons hitherto
withdrawn from view are made visible to all
3) manifestation, appearance
Now do you see anything there that talks about the end of the world? How about disasters that threaten the existence of mankind as we know it? Nope, not there. So how or why does the use of this word always seem to be referring to events of this nature? Consider the possibility that the world knows more about the last book of the Bible then they would like to admit, and it's continual use proves the awareness of what the message contained in the Revelation of Jesus Christ is really all about.
If you choose to study the Bible at all, you soon realize that it is a history of how God chooses to reveal Himself to mankind, and at intervals directly exhibit His omnipotence in the affairs of this world. Although the Bible makes it clear that man has the freedom to choose his own path, God certainly does not hesitate to assert His power when the occasion demands. When I stop to consider this, I can't help but think back to the time I taught my daughter how to ride a bicycle. Now if that sounds strange to you, let me try to explain my thinking.
If you think about it, learning to ride a bicycle for the first time is really not that much different than many other things we learn as we grow. It is a process where you first instruct, then assist, and then allow to perform all on their own. When they fall, or appear to be headed for danger, you assert your power by interfering with the process by correction and instruction, then begin the cycle again. If the individual demonstrates the competence to perform, you don't interfere. However if it becomes necessary, you have the power to do so.
Can you now look at the history of man that we find in the Bible and see how God has done this very thing? The Bible is full of examples of how God has instructed, allowed to perform, and then had to interfere to correct when man makes their inevitable mistakes. The book of Revelation is the revealing to mankind by Jesus Christ the previously unknown particulars as to how God plans to assert His power for one last time in order to not only judge, but to allow the world an opportunity to accept Him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
Revelation 1:8 NKJV
The Bible begins with God creating this world, and ends with the judgment of this world followed by the creation of a new one. The book of Revelation is simply Jesus telling us what God revealed to Him about how He is going to accomplish that. Yet the book of Revelation also reveals something else as well, and that is the role played by Jesus Christ in the history of this world.
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 1:5,6 NKJV
Before He even begins to reveal the fate of this world, God reminds us that because of the sacrifice made by His Son, Jesus Christ, we can escape what is to come.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
John 3:16,17 NKJV
The book of Revelation, or “apocalypse” is only the story of what happens to those who choose NOT to accept the salvation God has provided. As Paul tells us;
For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
1 Thessalonians 5:9 NKJV
Why does the world choose to use the word apocalypse when describing catastrophic events which seem to be occurring with greater frequency and intensity? I'm not exactly sure, but there is certainly no reason why it can't be a reminder to those of us who believe and choose to watch that not only do we know what to expect, but we can also expect it much sooner than others might think. There is no question in my mind, and that of many others, that what we are witnessing right now is the beginning of the process whereby God chooses to once again exhibit His power as the God of all He has created.
If you have never taken the opportunity to receive Christ as your personal Saviour, I would encourage you to make that decision right now. The events we see happening all over the world at this very minute were predicted by Jesus two thousand years ago as a sign for us to watch for. The time for God's final judgment is rapidly approaching and the deliverance of His believers from that judgment could happen at any moment. Simply pray to God and acknowledge your sin, ask Him for His forgiveness, and then ask Jesus to come into your life and receive the gift of salvation God has provided for us.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
John 1:12 NKJV
Keep Watching
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Are You Ashamed?
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.
Romans 1:16 NKJV
ashamed: feeling shame; distressed or embarrassed by feelings of guilt, foolishness, or disgrace.
unwilling or restrained because of fear of shame, ridicule, or disapproval
dictionary.reference.com
Have you ever been ashamed to share what you believe with someone else? Have you ever found yourself talking about God with a fellow believer and then change the subject when someone else walks up? I think it is fair to say that at one time or another we all have suffered from feelings of embarrassment when trying to share, and also been afraid that we would be ridiculed or made fun of because of what we believe.
I find it interesting that Paul even brings up this subject considering his personal experiences as an apostle. I find it hard to believe that he ever suffered from an acute case of embarrassment while sharing the gospel with others. Yet he does choose to address it, so I think it might be beneficial to examine this passage and see what we can learn to help us avoid the possibility of being ashamed.
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of the word ashamed is that the focus is on what other people think. In other words I am not worried about what I think, or what my convictions may or may not be, but rather I am worried about what others might think. Yet the Bible makes it clear that as believers our first and only thoughts should be about what God would want us to do, and pleasing Him.
Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;
1 Thessalonians 4:1 NKJV
Not only has God commanded us to share Him with an unbelieving world, it pleases Him to see us do it! Are you concerned with pleasing God, or is your focus on what someone else might think of you? I believe Paul is reminding us that we need not be ashamed to share what we believe if we remember we are following the instructions of our heavenly Father. The disciples were in this position right after Jesus commissioned them and returned to Heaven, and their response to the high priest was this;
But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.
Acts 5:29 NKJV
I think this makes it perfectly clear where they placed their priorities; they were much more concerned with what God would think than what the people might think. I somehow think as well that they were remembering something Jesus said during His ministry when He was sending them out to share the gospel for the first time.
"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 10:32 NKJV
So it would appear that what Paul want us to know is that there is no reason to be ashamed when we are doing the will of our Father in heaven. Yet Paul goes one step further in this verse which not only sends a message to the people of Rome, but to those who choose to listen today. Notice if you will the reason Paul says he is not ashamed; it is because of the power of God! Paul was writing to the Romans, who at that time in history were the most powerful people and nation on earth. Yet what does Paul say to them but that as powerful as they were, there was a greater power that they did not possess and that was the power to give eternal life!
If you stop to think about it, how many different ways can you think of where people are trying to exercise or obtain power? It shows up in practically every situation you can think of from who gets the best toys to play with in preschool to the person who cuts you off in the parking lot trying to get to the empty spot before you do. The world seems obsessed with the idea of power, and who has the most. From athletics, to business, to politics, to your boss at work, everyone at one time or another likes to exhibit their power. So when Paul takes his ministry to the most powerful nation on earth, rather than being ashamed as if he were representing a weaker authority, he boldly states there is a greater power than even Rome could wield. Only God has the power to give eternal life, and this is the message of the Gospel of Christ which Paul, and we the church, are commissioned to proclaim. The world needs to know, however, that this is only one of the ways God has chosen to exhibit His power.
It comes as no surprise that the events of this past week have produced questions concerning the nearness of the rapture of the church. Many have asked me for my thoughts on what occurred and if these are indeed signs of our impending departure. One of the subjects I have discussed in the past with others who share my convictions is when the rapture might happen in relation to the start of the tribulation period. In other words, does the rapture itself start the tribulation, or is there a period of time, long or short, between the rapture and the beginning of the tribulation? My personal feeling is that there is a short period of time between these two events, and that it occurs for a very specific reason. What is that reason? I believe so that God can begin to demonstrate who really has the power in this universe.
Most often when studying or considering the subject of the tribulation, many would look at it in light of God's “judgment” on an unbelieving world. I would certainly not disagree for the Bible makes it clear that it certainly is all of that. But something that often gets lost in the discussion is just what else God might be trying to accomplish at the same time. My firm belief is that He chooses to shake the foundations of the earth in order to show the world exactly where the ultimate power of the universe lies. Does that sound so strange? Consider this;
What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
Romans 9:22 NKJV
We find here that Paul suggests God has a plan to show the world His power in just this way. I believe that God's plan is to first demonstrate His power through those who believe, and as we approach the time of tribulation begin to show His power through the shaking of His creation. Anyone who has even a basic knowledge of what occurs during the tribulation understands that God is going to exhibit His power through natural catastrophes that devastate the earth. Are we seeing the beginnings of that process even now? Is the rapture of the church imminent? Many of those who choose to watch faithfully as Jesus commanded would answer that question with an emphatic “yes”!
As disturbing as the images we have seen this past week in Japan are, we know from the Bible that it is nothing compared with what is to come. As even more events such as this begin to occur, will you boldly proclaim the power of the Gospel or be ashamed and afraid of what others will think? Pray for boldness with the knowledge that more is to come, and we will have even more opportunities to share the message of Jesus in the short time we have left. Remember what Paul said; only God has the power to save.
Keep Watching.
Romans 1:16 NKJV
ashamed: feeling shame; distressed or embarrassed by feelings of guilt, foolishness, or disgrace.
unwilling or restrained because of fear of shame, ridicule, or disapproval
dictionary.reference.com
Have you ever been ashamed to share what you believe with someone else? Have you ever found yourself talking about God with a fellow believer and then change the subject when someone else walks up? I think it is fair to say that at one time or another we all have suffered from feelings of embarrassment when trying to share, and also been afraid that we would be ridiculed or made fun of because of what we believe.
I find it interesting that Paul even brings up this subject considering his personal experiences as an apostle. I find it hard to believe that he ever suffered from an acute case of embarrassment while sharing the gospel with others. Yet he does choose to address it, so I think it might be beneficial to examine this passage and see what we can learn to help us avoid the possibility of being ashamed.
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of the word ashamed is that the focus is on what other people think. In other words I am not worried about what I think, or what my convictions may or may not be, but rather I am worried about what others might think. Yet the Bible makes it clear that as believers our first and only thoughts should be about what God would want us to do, and pleasing Him.
Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;
1 Thessalonians 4:1 NKJV
Not only has God commanded us to share Him with an unbelieving world, it pleases Him to see us do it! Are you concerned with pleasing God, or is your focus on what someone else might think of you? I believe Paul is reminding us that we need not be ashamed to share what we believe if we remember we are following the instructions of our heavenly Father. The disciples were in this position right after Jesus commissioned them and returned to Heaven, and their response to the high priest was this;
But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.
Acts 5:29 NKJV
I think this makes it perfectly clear where they placed their priorities; they were much more concerned with what God would think than what the people might think. I somehow think as well that they were remembering something Jesus said during His ministry when He was sending them out to share the gospel for the first time.
"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 10:32 NKJV
So it would appear that what Paul want us to know is that there is no reason to be ashamed when we are doing the will of our Father in heaven. Yet Paul goes one step further in this verse which not only sends a message to the people of Rome, but to those who choose to listen today. Notice if you will the reason Paul says he is not ashamed; it is because of the power of God! Paul was writing to the Romans, who at that time in history were the most powerful people and nation on earth. Yet what does Paul say to them but that as powerful as they were, there was a greater power that they did not possess and that was the power to give eternal life!
If you stop to think about it, how many different ways can you think of where people are trying to exercise or obtain power? It shows up in practically every situation you can think of from who gets the best toys to play with in preschool to the person who cuts you off in the parking lot trying to get to the empty spot before you do. The world seems obsessed with the idea of power, and who has the most. From athletics, to business, to politics, to your boss at work, everyone at one time or another likes to exhibit their power. So when Paul takes his ministry to the most powerful nation on earth, rather than being ashamed as if he were representing a weaker authority, he boldly states there is a greater power than even Rome could wield. Only God has the power to give eternal life, and this is the message of the Gospel of Christ which Paul, and we the church, are commissioned to proclaim. The world needs to know, however, that this is only one of the ways God has chosen to exhibit His power.
It comes as no surprise that the events of this past week have produced questions concerning the nearness of the rapture of the church. Many have asked me for my thoughts on what occurred and if these are indeed signs of our impending departure. One of the subjects I have discussed in the past with others who share my convictions is when the rapture might happen in relation to the start of the tribulation period. In other words, does the rapture itself start the tribulation, or is there a period of time, long or short, between the rapture and the beginning of the tribulation? My personal feeling is that there is a short period of time between these two events, and that it occurs for a very specific reason. What is that reason? I believe so that God can begin to demonstrate who really has the power in this universe.
Most often when studying or considering the subject of the tribulation, many would look at it in light of God's “judgment” on an unbelieving world. I would certainly not disagree for the Bible makes it clear that it certainly is all of that. But something that often gets lost in the discussion is just what else God might be trying to accomplish at the same time. My firm belief is that He chooses to shake the foundations of the earth in order to show the world exactly where the ultimate power of the universe lies. Does that sound so strange? Consider this;
What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
Romans 9:22 NKJV
We find here that Paul suggests God has a plan to show the world His power in just this way. I believe that God's plan is to first demonstrate His power through those who believe, and as we approach the time of tribulation begin to show His power through the shaking of His creation. Anyone who has even a basic knowledge of what occurs during the tribulation understands that God is going to exhibit His power through natural catastrophes that devastate the earth. Are we seeing the beginnings of that process even now? Is the rapture of the church imminent? Many of those who choose to watch faithfully as Jesus commanded would answer that question with an emphatic “yes”!
As disturbing as the images we have seen this past week in Japan are, we know from the Bible that it is nothing compared with what is to come. As even more events such as this begin to occur, will you boldly proclaim the power of the Gospel or be ashamed and afraid of what others will think? Pray for boldness with the knowledge that more is to come, and we will have even more opportunities to share the message of Jesus in the short time we have left. Remember what Paul said; only God has the power to save.
Keep Watching.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Watching For Apostasy
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 NKJV
apostasia:a falling away, defection, apostasy
When the subject of watching for signs of the approaching tribulation comes up, most believers immediately think of the list of natural disasters listed in Matthew 24, which is known as the Olivet Discourse. Here Jesus answers questions by the disciples concerning the end of the age, and shares with them some of the signs that would announce His imminent return. There are, however, numerous other signs given us in other passages in the Bible that are just as important as the ones listed in Matthew.
One of these is the above passage from Paul's letter to the Thessalonians where he addresses the concern many of them had that the time of tribulation had already begun. Paul takes this opportunity to not only reassure them that it had not, but also reveals an interesting sign that many are not familiar with, and this of course is the prediction that many will fall away from the faith.
Most of you know by now that there are times where I share other blogs with you, especially when I feel it's obvious they are being led by the Lord to address a subject of importance to the body. Today is one of those times, and I would like to share two commentaries on the subject of apostasy written by two individuals that I highly respect.
The Great Apostasy: Lost Forever
An apostate soul is lost forever. There is an abundance of Biblical proof that shows anyone that apostatizes cannot repent – and even stronger – has been given a reprobate mind and will not repent. The Greek word apostasion means a divorcement. The apostate person has divorced the truth of God and has been divorced by the Holy Spirit. They are lost forever. There is a multitude in today’s church, which are so captured by the watered down message that they refuse to even believe “plain truths” from the Holy Scripture.
Please consider what is evident in the very term apostate. We are not discussing someone going back into sin or simply ceasing to walk with the Lord. That is backsliding and we see a clear picture of that in the prodigal son in chapter fifteen of Luke. He left the Father’s House and wandered far from home, but he came to himself and returned. I have often said that there is a little of the prodigal in every one of us. We have all had to repent because we failed to be fully obedient. This state of a soul has no real kinship to apostasy.
Apostate people are more religious than the true saints. They have departed from the great principles and established doctrines of the Holy Bible and are committed to guaranteeing that everybody else does the same. Apostasy is a departure from truth while being convinced that they have discovered greater truths. It is the replacement of the eternal truth with religious human imagination. The book, The God Chasers, by Tommy Tenney is an excellent case in point. He states that the Bible is where God has been and the new revelation is where God is now at work. Rick Warren is clearly at the same point. He has replaced the Born Again life by the Holy Ghost with a “purpose driven life” of psychological relativisms.
In the apostate world there are many paths to God, and Jesus Christ is only one of them. The absolute teaching of Jesus Christ about an eternal Hell and eternal Lake of Fire is now to simply lie in the grave and fail to enjoy God forever. The Bible can be pen-knifed by the apostate church and almost every truth can have varied meanings. Separated living is a relic of the past and the Christian is free of all restraints in the Ten Commandments, etc. A ballgame on Sunday night is just as spiritual to this company as a great sermon from God’s eternal truth. Romance music has replaced the music that lifts the spirit of man into the Holy of Holies, where God’s Spirit sanctifies and purifies the soul.
The Holy Bible warned us of this End Time phenomenon. The most powerful Scripture about apostasy is in the great book of Hebrews. This passage has been almost ignored by most Bible teachers because it upsets their weak theology. “And this will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall “Fall Away,” to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Hebrews 6:3-6).
Apostle Paul does not just suggest the end results; he proclaims without question that this state of apostasy cannot repent. Please note the words, “fall away,” which identifies the apostate person and states that they were once partakers of the Holy Ghost, were once enlightened, and had tasted the Word of God and the world to come. But, now, they have turned from all of that great life and cannot return to their former spiritual state. The term “fall away” is from a unique Greek word that applies to the person that is part of the “falling away” or “apostasia” we see in II Thessalonians chapter two, verse three.
The prophecy of II Thessalonians is a clear companion to the truth in Hebrews. As the apostle writes about the coming Antichrist and the Day of Christ, he warns us of the “falling away.” “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (II Thessalonians 2:3-4).
Again, we see “falling away” from the two Greek words, apostasia and apostasion. These are very religious persons who have turned to “another gospel.” They did not love the pure word of God and were wise in the flesh to create their own theology. They watered down the truth to draw the crowds into their great fold. And, then, they must keep compromising to keep the crowds.
The Holy Ghost takes the apostle right down to the fine point of what the results will be, “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (II Thessalonians 2:7-12).
God’s omniscient Spirit warns them that He will give them “strong delusion,” and “that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned.” It is not the truth that saves the soul. The world is full of people that know the Bible. Many souls study the Bible just to argue their deception more successfully. It is the “love of the truth” that saves the soul. Now, we are discovering the real heart of apostasy. It is to reject the truth for error and our highly intellectual church world is fulfilling this prophetic design to a tee.
There is clear evidence that this condition of apostasy is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of Truth is absolutely the Holy Ghost. To reject truth, to change truth, to water down truth is to grieve, quench, and blaspheme the Spirit. The whole matter of apostasy is the forsaking of truth. The Holy Ghost inspired every Bible writer and they wrote as “they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (II Peter 1:21). There is no way you can blaspheme Him more readily than when you attack His revelation. From Moses, the writer of the Pentateuch, to John, the writer of the Book of Revelation, the Bible is the pure Word of God.
The final proof of apostasy is found in Revelation chapter twenty-two. The Spirit said, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19). When you alter the Bible, you are an apostate person and will be eternally lost.
Joseph R. Chambers
jrc@pawcreek.org
Universalism as a Lure? The Emerging Case of Rob Bell
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
As is so often the case, most of us first learned of Rob Bell’s new book by means of Justin Taylor and his blog, “Between Two Worlds,” at the Gospel Coalition. Justin reminds me of the steady folks at the National Hurricane Center. He is able to advise of looming disaster with amazing calmness. That is why I took special notice of Justin’s stern warning: “It is unspeakably sad when those called to be ministers of the Word distort the gospel and deceive the people of God with false doctrine.”
Why would Justin feel the need to issue such a warning? He was writing about Rob Bell’s forthcoming book, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, due to be released on March 29 by HarperCollins.
The publisher’s statement about the book is clearly intended to provoke controversy:
Fans flock to his Facebook page, his NOOMA videos have been viewed by millions, and his Sunday sermons are attended by 10,000 parishioners—with a downloadable podcast reaching 50,000 more. An electrifying, unconventional pastor whom Time magazine calls “a singular rock star in the church world,” Rob Bell is the most vibrant, central religious leader of the millennial generation. Now, in Love Wins: Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, Bell addresses one of the most controversial issues of faith—the afterlife—arguing that a loving God would never sentence human souls to eternal suffering. With searing insight, Bell puts hell on trial, and his message is decidedly optimistic—eternal life doesn’t start when we die; it starts right now. And ultimately, Love Wins.
Now, Rob Bell and others within the Emerging Church movement represent what can only be described as a new form of cultural Christianity. Bell plays with theology the way a cat plays with a mouse. His sermons, videos, books, and public relations are often more suggestive and subversive than clear. They are also artistically and aesthetically superior to most of what is to be found in the video section of your local Christian bookstore or on the Web.
Time is running out on the Emerging folks. They can play the game of suggestion for only so long. Eventually, the hard questions will be answered. Tragically, when the answers do come, as with the case of Brian McLaren, they appear as nothing more than a mildly updated form of Protestant liberalism.
The publicity surrounding Bell’s new book indicates that he is ready to answer one of the hardest questions — the question of the exclusivity of the Gospel of Christ. With that question come the related questions of heaven, hell, judgment, and the fate of the unregenerate. The Bible answers these questions clearly enough, but few issues are as hard to reconcile with the modern or postmodern mind than this. Of course, it was hard to reconcile with the ancient mind as well. The singularity of the person and work of Christ and the necessity of personal faith in him for salvation run counter to the pluralistic bent of the human mind, but this is nothing less than the wisdom of God and the power of God unto salvation.
Universalism and the various inclusivisms are exactly what Justin Taylor suggests — distortions of the Gospel that deceive the people of God (and non-Christians as well).
But what if all this is just clever advertising? What if Rob Bell’s book turns out to be an affirmation of the truth? Did Justin jump the gun?
There is good reason to doubt this. The most powerful argument about the book comes in the form of a video offered by Rob Bell himself. In the video, he pulls no punches. In his clever and artistic way, ever so artfully presented, he affirms what can only be described as universalism.
We must await the release of the full book in order to know what Rob Bell is really saying, but his advance promotion for the book is already saying something, and it is not good. The material he has already put forth does demand and deserve attention.
The Emerging Church movement is known for its slick and sophisticated presentation. It wears irony and condescension as normal attire. Regardless of how Rob Bell’s book turns out, its promotion is the sad equivalent of a theological striptease.
The Gospel is too precious and important to be commodified in this manner. The questions he asks are too important to leave so tantalizingly unanswered. Universalism is a heresy, not a lure to use in order to sell books. This much we know, almost a month before the book is to be released.
http://www.albertmohler.com/2011/03/01/universalism-as-a-lure-the-emerging-case-of-rob-bell/
There is no question in my mind that the apostasy Paul warns us about is happening right now. If that indeed is the case, just how close is the rapture of the church and the revealing of the man of sin?
Keep watching.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 NKJV
apostasia:a falling away, defection, apostasy
When the subject of watching for signs of the approaching tribulation comes up, most believers immediately think of the list of natural disasters listed in Matthew 24, which is known as the Olivet Discourse. Here Jesus answers questions by the disciples concerning the end of the age, and shares with them some of the signs that would announce His imminent return. There are, however, numerous other signs given us in other passages in the Bible that are just as important as the ones listed in Matthew.
One of these is the above passage from Paul's letter to the Thessalonians where he addresses the concern many of them had that the time of tribulation had already begun. Paul takes this opportunity to not only reassure them that it had not, but also reveals an interesting sign that many are not familiar with, and this of course is the prediction that many will fall away from the faith.
Most of you know by now that there are times where I share other blogs with you, especially when I feel it's obvious they are being led by the Lord to address a subject of importance to the body. Today is one of those times, and I would like to share two commentaries on the subject of apostasy written by two individuals that I highly respect.
The Great Apostasy: Lost Forever
An apostate soul is lost forever. There is an abundance of Biblical proof that shows anyone that apostatizes cannot repent – and even stronger – has been given a reprobate mind and will not repent. The Greek word apostasion means a divorcement. The apostate person has divorced the truth of God and has been divorced by the Holy Spirit. They are lost forever. There is a multitude in today’s church, which are so captured by the watered down message that they refuse to even believe “plain truths” from the Holy Scripture.
Please consider what is evident in the very term apostate. We are not discussing someone going back into sin or simply ceasing to walk with the Lord. That is backsliding and we see a clear picture of that in the prodigal son in chapter fifteen of Luke. He left the Father’s House and wandered far from home, but he came to himself and returned. I have often said that there is a little of the prodigal in every one of us. We have all had to repent because we failed to be fully obedient. This state of a soul has no real kinship to apostasy.
Apostate people are more religious than the true saints. They have departed from the great principles and established doctrines of the Holy Bible and are committed to guaranteeing that everybody else does the same. Apostasy is a departure from truth while being convinced that they have discovered greater truths. It is the replacement of the eternal truth with religious human imagination. The book, The God Chasers, by Tommy Tenney is an excellent case in point. He states that the Bible is where God has been and the new revelation is where God is now at work. Rick Warren is clearly at the same point. He has replaced the Born Again life by the Holy Ghost with a “purpose driven life” of psychological relativisms.
In the apostate world there are many paths to God, and Jesus Christ is only one of them. The absolute teaching of Jesus Christ about an eternal Hell and eternal Lake of Fire is now to simply lie in the grave and fail to enjoy God forever. The Bible can be pen-knifed by the apostate church and almost every truth can have varied meanings. Separated living is a relic of the past and the Christian is free of all restraints in the Ten Commandments, etc. A ballgame on Sunday night is just as spiritual to this company as a great sermon from God’s eternal truth. Romance music has replaced the music that lifts the spirit of man into the Holy of Holies, where God’s Spirit sanctifies and purifies the soul.
The Holy Bible warned us of this End Time phenomenon. The most powerful Scripture about apostasy is in the great book of Hebrews. This passage has been almost ignored by most Bible teachers because it upsets their weak theology. “And this will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall “Fall Away,” to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Hebrews 6:3-6).
Apostle Paul does not just suggest the end results; he proclaims without question that this state of apostasy cannot repent. Please note the words, “fall away,” which identifies the apostate person and states that they were once partakers of the Holy Ghost, were once enlightened, and had tasted the Word of God and the world to come. But, now, they have turned from all of that great life and cannot return to their former spiritual state. The term “fall away” is from a unique Greek word that applies to the person that is part of the “falling away” or “apostasia” we see in II Thessalonians chapter two, verse three.
The prophecy of II Thessalonians is a clear companion to the truth in Hebrews. As the apostle writes about the coming Antichrist and the Day of Christ, he warns us of the “falling away.” “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (II Thessalonians 2:3-4).
Again, we see “falling away” from the two Greek words, apostasia and apostasion. These are very religious persons who have turned to “another gospel.” They did not love the pure word of God and were wise in the flesh to create their own theology. They watered down the truth to draw the crowds into their great fold. And, then, they must keep compromising to keep the crowds.
The Holy Ghost takes the apostle right down to the fine point of what the results will be, “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (II Thessalonians 2:7-12).
God’s omniscient Spirit warns them that He will give them “strong delusion,” and “that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned.” It is not the truth that saves the soul. The world is full of people that know the Bible. Many souls study the Bible just to argue their deception more successfully. It is the “love of the truth” that saves the soul. Now, we are discovering the real heart of apostasy. It is to reject the truth for error and our highly intellectual church world is fulfilling this prophetic design to a tee.
There is clear evidence that this condition of apostasy is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of Truth is absolutely the Holy Ghost. To reject truth, to change truth, to water down truth is to grieve, quench, and blaspheme the Spirit. The whole matter of apostasy is the forsaking of truth. The Holy Ghost inspired every Bible writer and they wrote as “they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (II Peter 1:21). There is no way you can blaspheme Him more readily than when you attack His revelation. From Moses, the writer of the Pentateuch, to John, the writer of the Book of Revelation, the Bible is the pure Word of God.
The final proof of apostasy is found in Revelation chapter twenty-two. The Spirit said, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19). When you alter the Bible, you are an apostate person and will be eternally lost.
Joseph R. Chambers
jrc@pawcreek.org
Universalism as a Lure? The Emerging Case of Rob Bell
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
As is so often the case, most of us first learned of Rob Bell’s new book by means of Justin Taylor and his blog, “Between Two Worlds,” at the Gospel Coalition. Justin reminds me of the steady folks at the National Hurricane Center. He is able to advise of looming disaster with amazing calmness. That is why I took special notice of Justin’s stern warning: “It is unspeakably sad when those called to be ministers of the Word distort the gospel and deceive the people of God with false doctrine.”
Why would Justin feel the need to issue such a warning? He was writing about Rob Bell’s forthcoming book, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, due to be released on March 29 by HarperCollins.
The publisher’s statement about the book is clearly intended to provoke controversy:
Fans flock to his Facebook page, his NOOMA videos have been viewed by millions, and his Sunday sermons are attended by 10,000 parishioners—with a downloadable podcast reaching 50,000 more. An electrifying, unconventional pastor whom Time magazine calls “a singular rock star in the church world,” Rob Bell is the most vibrant, central religious leader of the millennial generation. Now, in Love Wins: Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, Bell addresses one of the most controversial issues of faith—the afterlife—arguing that a loving God would never sentence human souls to eternal suffering. With searing insight, Bell puts hell on trial, and his message is decidedly optimistic—eternal life doesn’t start when we die; it starts right now. And ultimately, Love Wins.
Now, Rob Bell and others within the Emerging Church movement represent what can only be described as a new form of cultural Christianity. Bell plays with theology the way a cat plays with a mouse. His sermons, videos, books, and public relations are often more suggestive and subversive than clear. They are also artistically and aesthetically superior to most of what is to be found in the video section of your local Christian bookstore or on the Web.
Time is running out on the Emerging folks. They can play the game of suggestion for only so long. Eventually, the hard questions will be answered. Tragically, when the answers do come, as with the case of Brian McLaren, they appear as nothing more than a mildly updated form of Protestant liberalism.
The publicity surrounding Bell’s new book indicates that he is ready to answer one of the hardest questions — the question of the exclusivity of the Gospel of Christ. With that question come the related questions of heaven, hell, judgment, and the fate of the unregenerate. The Bible answers these questions clearly enough, but few issues are as hard to reconcile with the modern or postmodern mind than this. Of course, it was hard to reconcile with the ancient mind as well. The singularity of the person and work of Christ and the necessity of personal faith in him for salvation run counter to the pluralistic bent of the human mind, but this is nothing less than the wisdom of God and the power of God unto salvation.
Universalism and the various inclusivisms are exactly what Justin Taylor suggests — distortions of the Gospel that deceive the people of God (and non-Christians as well).
But what if all this is just clever advertising? What if Rob Bell’s book turns out to be an affirmation of the truth? Did Justin jump the gun?
There is good reason to doubt this. The most powerful argument about the book comes in the form of a video offered by Rob Bell himself. In the video, he pulls no punches. In his clever and artistic way, ever so artfully presented, he affirms what can only be described as universalism.
We must await the release of the full book in order to know what Rob Bell is really saying, but his advance promotion for the book is already saying something, and it is not good. The material he has already put forth does demand and deserve attention.
The Emerging Church movement is known for its slick and sophisticated presentation. It wears irony and condescension as normal attire. Regardless of how Rob Bell’s book turns out, its promotion is the sad equivalent of a theological striptease.
The Gospel is too precious and important to be commodified in this manner. The questions he asks are too important to leave so tantalizingly unanswered. Universalism is a heresy, not a lure to use in order to sell books. This much we know, almost a month before the book is to be released.
http://www.albertmohler.com/2011/03/01/universalism-as-a-lure-the-emerging-case-of-rob-bell/
There is no question in my mind that the apostasy Paul warns us about is happening right now. If that indeed is the case, just how close is the rapture of the church and the revealing of the man of sin?
Keep watching.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Discouraged? Put the Physical Before the Mental
Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.
Mark 6:30-32 NKJV
Ever been discouraged? Have you ever arrived in a point in your life where you thought you were physically and mentally out of gas? I think it's fair to say that at one time or another we have all experienced these feelings of helplessness and discouragement, and with what we see happening all around us today it is entirely possible some of you are at that point right now. One of the benefits of being a Christian, however, is the knowledge that whatever situation we might be facing it is sure to be addressed somewhere in scripture.
The Bible is full of stories of people just like us facing discouragement based on the circumstances they found themselves in. Yet if you read some of those stories you find that there seems to be a common, practical answer to dealing with those situations which we find in the passage above. I will call it God's three step answer to discouragement; rest, repast, and remind.
In chapter 6 of the book of Mark we find the story of Jesus sending the disciples out to share the Gospel and call the people to repentance. While they were doing this, we see that King Herod has John the Baptist beheaded. So the picture we are presented with here is this. The disciples were excited to be commissioned to go and spread the call to repentance, so they took off to many cities all over the country and got busy doing the work they were commissioned to do. Yet while doing so they hear that John the Baptist, who was arrested for doing the same thing, gets his head cut off. So all of them return from whatever part of the country they had been in and take the body of John and bury it. Then they go and find Jesus to tell Him all that had occurred.
Now I don't know about you but I can easily imagine just what might have been going through the disciples minds right about now. It was probably something like “am I going to be the next guy to lose his head over this Gospel thing?" Is it a stretch to think that is exactly what Satan was trying to accomplish by arranging this scenario? Do you think the disciples might have been just a little tired and discouraged right about now? What sort of questions do you think they had for Jesus when they met with Him? I have no doubt they were extremely troubled and concerned with what was to come, yet it is the response of Jesus to them that I find interesting, if not a little surprising. It is how He choses to deal with their discouragement that I want to look at this morning to see what we can learn from it and apply to the situations many of us find ourselves in today.
Rest. The first thing Jesus chooses to address is not their mental anxieties, but their physical needs. Jesus recognizes that in order to deal with the problem of discouragement the priority was addressing their need for rest. Now I don't know about you, but with me, when I get physically tired I notice my brain tends to shut down and go to the old hibernate mode. I mean if I try to do things that require my mind to be sharp when I'm tired, the results are less than acceptable. I think all of us understand that, and it would appear that Jesus does as well. Jesus says simply “you need to get away and rest”. So He takes them away to a place where they can be alone and gives them an opportunity to recover.
Repast. Now I know I could have just said eat, but I figured if they all started with “R” it would be easier to remember. So the next thing we are told is that Jesus is concerned that the disciples had not had the opportunity to eat. Again He is focusing His attention and ours on a physical need before He addresses the mental needs. I'm sure all of us are aware of the necessity to eat considering that food is the fuel that makes our bodies run, yet how often when we get discouraged or depressed do we fail to eat because we “just aren't hungry”? Our bodies are in a way just like our cars. It doesn't matter if our car “feels good” or not, it still needs gas at regular intervals in order to keep performing. In the same way our bodies need to receive the nourishment necessary in order for it to function efficiently. Here Jesus is concerned about the disciples need for food, so He also takes them away from their duties in order to allow them the time to eat.
Remind. As we continue to read in this passage, we find that after the physical needs of the disciples have been met, Jesus not only addresses, but orchestrates two opportunities to remind the disciples of His power and authority. The first is the feeding of the five thousand, and the second was by walking on the water. Why two?
For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.
Mark 6:52 NKJV
It seems beyond me that the disciples could witness five loaves of bread and two fishes feed over five thousand people and not understand they were witnessing a miracle, but such was the case. Why? The word for “hardened” in the Greek is pōroō which means “to grow hard, callous, become dull, lose the power of understanding”. I like the phrase to “become dull”, simply because I believe that word by itself describes what happens to us all mentally when we ignore our physical needs. Apparently the disciples were so tired and hungry that they still had not recovered sufficiently to recognize the power of God when they saw it!
Yes the disciples were discouraged because of the events they had witnessed, but how much of that discouragement was a result of ignoring their physical needs? We all have the tendency to want to fix our mental state first because it appears to be our greatest need. However in this passage I think Jesus made it clear that in order to fix the mental, you can't forget the physical. As someone who has spent a great deal of time and effort over the years to take care of his physical body, I can assure you I have read of numerous studies that support the fact that the physical can affect the mental. Isn't it curious to find that Jesus knew this long before our “clinical” studies took place?
Are you suffering from discouragement in your life right now? Are the circumstances we find ourselves in as believers approaching the end of the age beginning to affect your mental state? Jesus says He won't, and we should not, forget our physical needs. At the same time we can be assured He will address our mental needs by providing the circumstances to remind us of His omnipotence in a world that seems to be falling apart.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 NKJV
Keep watching.
Mark 6:30-32 NKJV
Ever been discouraged? Have you ever arrived in a point in your life where you thought you were physically and mentally out of gas? I think it's fair to say that at one time or another we have all experienced these feelings of helplessness and discouragement, and with what we see happening all around us today it is entirely possible some of you are at that point right now. One of the benefits of being a Christian, however, is the knowledge that whatever situation we might be facing it is sure to be addressed somewhere in scripture.
The Bible is full of stories of people just like us facing discouragement based on the circumstances they found themselves in. Yet if you read some of those stories you find that there seems to be a common, practical answer to dealing with those situations which we find in the passage above. I will call it God's three step answer to discouragement; rest, repast, and remind.
In chapter 6 of the book of Mark we find the story of Jesus sending the disciples out to share the Gospel and call the people to repentance. While they were doing this, we see that King Herod has John the Baptist beheaded. So the picture we are presented with here is this. The disciples were excited to be commissioned to go and spread the call to repentance, so they took off to many cities all over the country and got busy doing the work they were commissioned to do. Yet while doing so they hear that John the Baptist, who was arrested for doing the same thing, gets his head cut off. So all of them return from whatever part of the country they had been in and take the body of John and bury it. Then they go and find Jesus to tell Him all that had occurred.
Now I don't know about you but I can easily imagine just what might have been going through the disciples minds right about now. It was probably something like “am I going to be the next guy to lose his head over this Gospel thing?" Is it a stretch to think that is exactly what Satan was trying to accomplish by arranging this scenario? Do you think the disciples might have been just a little tired and discouraged right about now? What sort of questions do you think they had for Jesus when they met with Him? I have no doubt they were extremely troubled and concerned with what was to come, yet it is the response of Jesus to them that I find interesting, if not a little surprising. It is how He choses to deal with their discouragement that I want to look at this morning to see what we can learn from it and apply to the situations many of us find ourselves in today.
Rest. The first thing Jesus chooses to address is not their mental anxieties, but their physical needs. Jesus recognizes that in order to deal with the problem of discouragement the priority was addressing their need for rest. Now I don't know about you, but with me, when I get physically tired I notice my brain tends to shut down and go to the old hibernate mode. I mean if I try to do things that require my mind to be sharp when I'm tired, the results are less than acceptable. I think all of us understand that, and it would appear that Jesus does as well. Jesus says simply “you need to get away and rest”. So He takes them away to a place where they can be alone and gives them an opportunity to recover.
Repast. Now I know I could have just said eat, but I figured if they all started with “R” it would be easier to remember. So the next thing we are told is that Jesus is concerned that the disciples had not had the opportunity to eat. Again He is focusing His attention and ours on a physical need before He addresses the mental needs. I'm sure all of us are aware of the necessity to eat considering that food is the fuel that makes our bodies run, yet how often when we get discouraged or depressed do we fail to eat because we “just aren't hungry”? Our bodies are in a way just like our cars. It doesn't matter if our car “feels good” or not, it still needs gas at regular intervals in order to keep performing. In the same way our bodies need to receive the nourishment necessary in order for it to function efficiently. Here Jesus is concerned about the disciples need for food, so He also takes them away from their duties in order to allow them the time to eat.
Remind. As we continue to read in this passage, we find that after the physical needs of the disciples have been met, Jesus not only addresses, but orchestrates two opportunities to remind the disciples of His power and authority. The first is the feeding of the five thousand, and the second was by walking on the water. Why two?
For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.
Mark 6:52 NKJV
It seems beyond me that the disciples could witness five loaves of bread and two fishes feed over five thousand people and not understand they were witnessing a miracle, but such was the case. Why? The word for “hardened” in the Greek is pōroō which means “to grow hard, callous, become dull, lose the power of understanding”. I like the phrase to “become dull”, simply because I believe that word by itself describes what happens to us all mentally when we ignore our physical needs. Apparently the disciples were so tired and hungry that they still had not recovered sufficiently to recognize the power of God when they saw it!
Yes the disciples were discouraged because of the events they had witnessed, but how much of that discouragement was a result of ignoring their physical needs? We all have the tendency to want to fix our mental state first because it appears to be our greatest need. However in this passage I think Jesus made it clear that in order to fix the mental, you can't forget the physical. As someone who has spent a great deal of time and effort over the years to take care of his physical body, I can assure you I have read of numerous studies that support the fact that the physical can affect the mental. Isn't it curious to find that Jesus knew this long before our “clinical” studies took place?
Are you suffering from discouragement in your life right now? Are the circumstances we find ourselves in as believers approaching the end of the age beginning to affect your mental state? Jesus says He won't, and we should not, forget our physical needs. At the same time we can be assured He will address our mental needs by providing the circumstances to remind us of His omnipotence in a world that seems to be falling apart.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 NKJV
Keep watching.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Finding Happiness
BLESSED is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
Psalm 1:1-6 NKJV
Years ago it would be called a diary, but now most people call it a “journal”. Whatever name it goes by, what it really does is serve as a written account of a persons deepest feelings or emotions as they struggle through life and everything the world may throw at them. Now most people also have something in common when it comes to their written feelings; they are considered extremely private and not to be shared with anyone.
How interesting then is it to discover that in the case of David, his journal is written for all of mankind to read! This is, of course, exactly what we find the Psalms to be as we read and study them. They are without question windows into the heart of a man that in Gods' own words is considered to be a man after Gods' own heart. Now I can't help but think that if we look closely at the heart of a man God describes this way, are we really looking into the heart of God? With this in mind I thought we could spend a little time looking at the first chapter of Psalms and see if we can discover some truths about Gods' feelings about us.
A journal or diary usually always reveals an individuals mental or emotional state rather than a physical one. So how interesting is it to see that the very first verse in Psalms does exactly that. The Hebrew word for blessed is 'esher, which is also translated as happiness. So the subject of the first chapter of Psalms, and what God through David wants to share with us, is finding happiness in our lives as we struggle to survive in this world and the situations we often find ourselves in. Considering the subject matter we have been discussing for a few weeks, it would appear that most of us could use a little more happiness right about now. God chooses to instruct us by comparing, or contrasting two types of individuals; godly and ungodly.
The difference between the godly man and the ungodly is fairly simple to understand. The godly man sees God as the center of his life, and the ungodly man has no time for God, and rarely if ever even thinks about Him. So lets look at what God tells us about the three differences between these two types of people, and how believers can find true happiness.
BLESSED is the man Who:
walks not in the counsel of the ungodly...the Hebrew word for counsel here means simply that the Godly man doesn't consider the advice of the world, or ungodly, but rather looks to God for the answers to life's problems. If you want an illustration of what the world has to offer just go to a bookstore and find the section titled “self-help” and you will see what God means here. The world seems to have all the answers to all of our problems, but the one mistake they make is to ignore God's advice and rather come up with their own answers. The happy believer is one who goes to God's word to find the answers they need.
Nor stands in the path of sinners...the word “to stand” means simply to be identified with, or associated with the path or things that sinners usually do. What God is telling us in here is that as believers we are expected to be different in that we choose to live differently than the world. I don't know how many times through the years of my ministry with youth that I would get the same questions over and over again. They always went like this; “is it okay for a Christian to do (-------)?” Now I was always happy to get this question because obviously kids were thinking it was something they wanted an answer to, and they wanted to do the right thing. Yet it also shows how important the first advice we got in this passage is, because if we look to God for the answers, we will obviously choose to walk a different path than the unbelievers in this world.
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful...the word for ”scornful” describes not only an action, but an attitude as well. The scornful person has an attitude of arrogance which stems from the belief that everybody else is wrong and he is right, and is always more than happy to tell everyone how right he is, and how wrong you are. The believer is expected to have the opposite attitude, which from looking at the life of our Lord is easily seen to be that of humility. I don't know about you, but my experience has always been that the louder someone talks, the less I want to listen. By telling us to be humble and avoid the attitude described here, God is telling believers that happiness comes from being humble, avoiding arguments, and most of all acknowledging we are not perfect and prone to making mistakes.
So how do we do this? God says it's a matter of focus; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. Something I have always tried to get across to the kids I taught was the importance of not only spending time every day in the Word, but then taking what you read with you all day and think about it and try to figure out how you can apply it in your actions. Obviously since this is what God wants from us, it follows that Satan is going to try and throw every distraction he can in your path to try and change your focus. God says that the happy believer meditates on His word all day and all night. If we choose to follow God's advice, He goes on to describe the result.
He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper...Now everyone can probably figure this illustration out. Ever see the difference between a tree growing in the middle of nowhere, and one that is by water? Obviously the one with an unlimited supply of water is much larger, stronger, and most of all, much more fruitful. I grew up in southern California at a time where there were more fruit trees than houses. Yes I know, hard to believe, but there actually was a time like that. My uncle was an orchardist and I would go with him sometimes as he moved the sprinklers they used to water the orchards by hand. It was very obvious even to a little boy like me that you could tell the difference between a tree that got a lot of water, and one that didn't get as much.
If you are not as happy as you would like to be, I think what God is telling us here is that you should check your roots! Are your feet planted in His Word? Are you meditating on it everyday? Are you looking to God for answers and standing apart from the world? There is a saying in real estate that I'm sure most of us are familiar with; location, location, location. If we as believers are not enjoying a happy, fruitful life, maybe we should look closer at our “location”, and see just where we have planted ourselves. The unbelievers of this world are described as “chaff” which has no roots and will suffer the fate of being blown away, while we as believers will stand before God to be judged and receive our reward for choosing to serve Him.
David knew the secret to happiness. His life, like all of ours, had it's share of trouble. But I believe he is sharing with us here, in his very first Psalm, that he has figured out the secret to happiness and it's by planting ourselves as close to God as we can.
Keep watching.
Psalm 1:1-6 NKJV
Years ago it would be called a diary, but now most people call it a “journal”. Whatever name it goes by, what it really does is serve as a written account of a persons deepest feelings or emotions as they struggle through life and everything the world may throw at them. Now most people also have something in common when it comes to their written feelings; they are considered extremely private and not to be shared with anyone.
How interesting then is it to discover that in the case of David, his journal is written for all of mankind to read! This is, of course, exactly what we find the Psalms to be as we read and study them. They are without question windows into the heart of a man that in Gods' own words is considered to be a man after Gods' own heart. Now I can't help but think that if we look closely at the heart of a man God describes this way, are we really looking into the heart of God? With this in mind I thought we could spend a little time looking at the first chapter of Psalms and see if we can discover some truths about Gods' feelings about us.
A journal or diary usually always reveals an individuals mental or emotional state rather than a physical one. So how interesting is it to see that the very first verse in Psalms does exactly that. The Hebrew word for blessed is 'esher, which is also translated as happiness. So the subject of the first chapter of Psalms, and what God through David wants to share with us, is finding happiness in our lives as we struggle to survive in this world and the situations we often find ourselves in. Considering the subject matter we have been discussing for a few weeks, it would appear that most of us could use a little more happiness right about now. God chooses to instruct us by comparing, or contrasting two types of individuals; godly and ungodly.
The difference between the godly man and the ungodly is fairly simple to understand. The godly man sees God as the center of his life, and the ungodly man has no time for God, and rarely if ever even thinks about Him. So lets look at what God tells us about the three differences between these two types of people, and how believers can find true happiness.
BLESSED is the man Who:
walks not in the counsel of the ungodly...the Hebrew word for counsel here means simply that the Godly man doesn't consider the advice of the world, or ungodly, but rather looks to God for the answers to life's problems. If you want an illustration of what the world has to offer just go to a bookstore and find the section titled “self-help” and you will see what God means here. The world seems to have all the answers to all of our problems, but the one mistake they make is to ignore God's advice and rather come up with their own answers. The happy believer is one who goes to God's word to find the answers they need.
Nor stands in the path of sinners...the word “to stand” means simply to be identified with, or associated with the path or things that sinners usually do. What God is telling us in here is that as believers we are expected to be different in that we choose to live differently than the world. I don't know how many times through the years of my ministry with youth that I would get the same questions over and over again. They always went like this; “is it okay for a Christian to do (-------)?” Now I was always happy to get this question because obviously kids were thinking it was something they wanted an answer to, and they wanted to do the right thing. Yet it also shows how important the first advice we got in this passage is, because if we look to God for the answers, we will obviously choose to walk a different path than the unbelievers in this world.
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful...the word for ”scornful” describes not only an action, but an attitude as well. The scornful person has an attitude of arrogance which stems from the belief that everybody else is wrong and he is right, and is always more than happy to tell everyone how right he is, and how wrong you are. The believer is expected to have the opposite attitude, which from looking at the life of our Lord is easily seen to be that of humility. I don't know about you, but my experience has always been that the louder someone talks, the less I want to listen. By telling us to be humble and avoid the attitude described here, God is telling believers that happiness comes from being humble, avoiding arguments, and most of all acknowledging we are not perfect and prone to making mistakes.
So how do we do this? God says it's a matter of focus; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. Something I have always tried to get across to the kids I taught was the importance of not only spending time every day in the Word, but then taking what you read with you all day and think about it and try to figure out how you can apply it in your actions. Obviously since this is what God wants from us, it follows that Satan is going to try and throw every distraction he can in your path to try and change your focus. God says that the happy believer meditates on His word all day and all night. If we choose to follow God's advice, He goes on to describe the result.
He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper...Now everyone can probably figure this illustration out. Ever see the difference between a tree growing in the middle of nowhere, and one that is by water? Obviously the one with an unlimited supply of water is much larger, stronger, and most of all, much more fruitful. I grew up in southern California at a time where there were more fruit trees than houses. Yes I know, hard to believe, but there actually was a time like that. My uncle was an orchardist and I would go with him sometimes as he moved the sprinklers they used to water the orchards by hand. It was very obvious even to a little boy like me that you could tell the difference between a tree that got a lot of water, and one that didn't get as much.
If you are not as happy as you would like to be, I think what God is telling us here is that you should check your roots! Are your feet planted in His Word? Are you meditating on it everyday? Are you looking to God for answers and standing apart from the world? There is a saying in real estate that I'm sure most of us are familiar with; location, location, location. If we as believers are not enjoying a happy, fruitful life, maybe we should look closer at our “location”, and see just where we have planted ourselves. The unbelievers of this world are described as “chaff” which has no roots and will suffer the fate of being blown away, while we as believers will stand before God to be judged and receive our reward for choosing to serve Him.
David knew the secret to happiness. His life, like all of ours, had it's share of trouble. But I believe he is sharing with us here, in his very first Psalm, that he has figured out the secret to happiness and it's by planting ourselves as close to God as we can.
Keep watching.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Sheep Thoughts
A Psalm of David. THE LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
Psalms 23 NKJV
Have you ever really stopped to think of how nice a life sheep have? It may seem strange to consider, but since the Bible is full of verses telling us we are like sheep, are compared to sheep, should be like sheep, and best of all God is our shepherd, don't you think we should spend a little effort examining sheep? If I were to write a book called something like “your best life now”, it would be pretty short because after all, according to the Bible all we have to do is be like sheep!
As I shared last week, many, many of us are starting to feel as if we are being persecuted and are beginning to experience things that up to this point in our lives, we seem to have been spared from. Invariably when believers begin to experience trials in their lives, they also begin to question the reasons for them with the attitude that as believers we should somehow be immune to troubles. As we talked about last week, trials are to be expected yet we need to also understand that even though God will allow these events to occur we also have His promise to deliver us.
David is just one of the figures in the Bible who, like us, experienced trials in his life. Yet he also had a habit of writing Psalms about what he was feeling when going through hardships much like many of us keep a diary. The book of Psalms is a window to David's feelings about God during different times in his life, and it is from one of his most famous Psalms that we find all we need to know about being comforted during trials. Even though most people, both believers and non-believers, are familiar with the 23rd Psalm I think many have never really looked at it point by point and really thought about what David is telling us. So let me try to share just a few of my thoughts about this passage for you to consider, and you too spend this week thinking and praying about what God might want you to learn from His words.
THE LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. So we get the best one first; God will provide all our needs. Since I'm sure most of us spend a considerable amount of our daily lives worrying about tomorrow, God has already promised to take care of our needs. If so, why do we worry? Is it because we don't believe God, or is it because what we think we need is somewhat different than what God thinks we need?
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.
Ever lie down in a pasture and just stare up at the clouds? It may sound funny but I did that a lot as a kid, and let me tell you from experience that there is nothing so peaceful as that. The word for restore in the Hebrew means to return or go back, and I often find myself looking up at the clouds today and thinking back to those times when I had not a care in this world. Why still waters? Did you know sheep won't drink from a running stream? They need still waters in order to drink. God says He will lead us to green pastures and still waters but the real question is do we follow where He leads or do we insist in going our own way?
He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me. The Hebrew word for paths is “ruts” or a very well worn path. If you have ever driven on a dirt road with ruts you know what it is like to try and turn out of them. It's pretty difficult and takes some effort to get the wheels to turn and then get enough grip to ride up and out of them. On the other hand, if they are well worn and deep you can actually take your hands off of the wheel and just let the car go and the wheels will stay straight and follow wherever the road takes you. Here we are told that the paths of righteousness are like that. It should be easy for us to do what is right, and hard to turn towards evil. Even though we might be tempted to turn because we see ourselves being led towards what appears to be the “valley of the shadow of death”, remember two things. One, we are being led by God and two, it is just the “shadow” and not the real thing. If we keep our eyes on God He promises us we will walk “through”, which means we come out the other side!
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Now here is the part we are all interested in. In times of trouble we all have one thing in common, and that is looking for something to comfort us. Here we are told by David that in these situations we can be comforted by God's rod and staff. If you look closely into the life of a shepherd, you will find that he normally carries two things with him at all times when leading his flock, a rod and staff. The staff of course, is the long branch with the hook on the end which the shepherd uses to direct those sheep who tend to want to wander, in the direction he wishes to take them. The rod, on the other hand, is used to defend the sheep from anything that might seek to do them harm.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. God wants our enemies to see how He chooses to take care of us, so He blesses us in such a way as for others to see that He is providing for us. The Hebrew phrase to anoint literally means to grow fat or prosper, so the picture here is that God goes out of His way to make sure that those who might wish us harm see that He is providing us with all that we need. So much so that He uses the picture of a cup running over to illustrate His generosity.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life. I have often heard mercy defined as not getting what we deserve, so when I read this part of the Psalm I get the feeling that we are being told that getting what we don't deserve, goodness, and not getting what we do deserve, mercy, follows us all our lives if we but choose to allow God to direct our path. I think the reason this verse says “follow” is that these two benefits are a result of making the right choice, and not trying to go our own way and pursue things that God already says He will provide us.
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever. Are you familiar with the song that says better is one day in Your house than thousands elsewhere? Our promise is that we will spend eternity with God in His house, and that promise is one that should give us all the comfort we need when the going gets tough. Eternity with God is the very best gift we could ever receive, and it is available to anyone who chooses to allow God to come into their lives.
As I said, these are but just a few of my thoughts on this Psalm, and my hope is that you spend your week considering these verses and enjoy the comfort God promises us when we follow after Him, the Great Shepherd. Be like sheep, it's a great life.
Keep watching.
Psalms 23 NKJV
Have you ever really stopped to think of how nice a life sheep have? It may seem strange to consider, but since the Bible is full of verses telling us we are like sheep, are compared to sheep, should be like sheep, and best of all God is our shepherd, don't you think we should spend a little effort examining sheep? If I were to write a book called something like “your best life now”, it would be pretty short because after all, according to the Bible all we have to do is be like sheep!
As I shared last week, many, many of us are starting to feel as if we are being persecuted and are beginning to experience things that up to this point in our lives, we seem to have been spared from. Invariably when believers begin to experience trials in their lives, they also begin to question the reasons for them with the attitude that as believers we should somehow be immune to troubles. As we talked about last week, trials are to be expected yet we need to also understand that even though God will allow these events to occur we also have His promise to deliver us.
David is just one of the figures in the Bible who, like us, experienced trials in his life. Yet he also had a habit of writing Psalms about what he was feeling when going through hardships much like many of us keep a diary. The book of Psalms is a window to David's feelings about God during different times in his life, and it is from one of his most famous Psalms that we find all we need to know about being comforted during trials. Even though most people, both believers and non-believers, are familiar with the 23rd Psalm I think many have never really looked at it point by point and really thought about what David is telling us. So let me try to share just a few of my thoughts about this passage for you to consider, and you too spend this week thinking and praying about what God might want you to learn from His words.
THE LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. So we get the best one first; God will provide all our needs. Since I'm sure most of us spend a considerable amount of our daily lives worrying about tomorrow, God has already promised to take care of our needs. If so, why do we worry? Is it because we don't believe God, or is it because what we think we need is somewhat different than what God thinks we need?
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.
Ever lie down in a pasture and just stare up at the clouds? It may sound funny but I did that a lot as a kid, and let me tell you from experience that there is nothing so peaceful as that. The word for restore in the Hebrew means to return or go back, and I often find myself looking up at the clouds today and thinking back to those times when I had not a care in this world. Why still waters? Did you know sheep won't drink from a running stream? They need still waters in order to drink. God says He will lead us to green pastures and still waters but the real question is do we follow where He leads or do we insist in going our own way?
He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me. The Hebrew word for paths is “ruts” or a very well worn path. If you have ever driven on a dirt road with ruts you know what it is like to try and turn out of them. It's pretty difficult and takes some effort to get the wheels to turn and then get enough grip to ride up and out of them. On the other hand, if they are well worn and deep you can actually take your hands off of the wheel and just let the car go and the wheels will stay straight and follow wherever the road takes you. Here we are told that the paths of righteousness are like that. It should be easy for us to do what is right, and hard to turn towards evil. Even though we might be tempted to turn because we see ourselves being led towards what appears to be the “valley of the shadow of death”, remember two things. One, we are being led by God and two, it is just the “shadow” and not the real thing. If we keep our eyes on God He promises us we will walk “through”, which means we come out the other side!
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Now here is the part we are all interested in. In times of trouble we all have one thing in common, and that is looking for something to comfort us. Here we are told by David that in these situations we can be comforted by God's rod and staff. If you look closely into the life of a shepherd, you will find that he normally carries two things with him at all times when leading his flock, a rod and staff. The staff of course, is the long branch with the hook on the end which the shepherd uses to direct those sheep who tend to want to wander, in the direction he wishes to take them. The rod, on the other hand, is used to defend the sheep from anything that might seek to do them harm.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. God wants our enemies to see how He chooses to take care of us, so He blesses us in such a way as for others to see that He is providing for us. The Hebrew phrase to anoint literally means to grow fat or prosper, so the picture here is that God goes out of His way to make sure that those who might wish us harm see that He is providing us with all that we need. So much so that He uses the picture of a cup running over to illustrate His generosity.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life. I have often heard mercy defined as not getting what we deserve, so when I read this part of the Psalm I get the feeling that we are being told that getting what we don't deserve, goodness, and not getting what we do deserve, mercy, follows us all our lives if we but choose to allow God to direct our path. I think the reason this verse says “follow” is that these two benefits are a result of making the right choice, and not trying to go our own way and pursue things that God already says He will provide us.
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever. Are you familiar with the song that says better is one day in Your house than thousands elsewhere? Our promise is that we will spend eternity with God in His house, and that promise is one that should give us all the comfort we need when the going gets tough. Eternity with God is the very best gift we could ever receive, and it is available to anyone who chooses to allow God to come into their lives.
As I said, these are but just a few of my thoughts on this Psalm, and my hope is that you spend your week considering these verses and enjoy the comfort God promises us when we follow after Him, the Great Shepherd. Be like sheep, it's a great life.
Keep watching.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Rejoicing In Suffering
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:1-4 NKJV
How many of us can truly say we rejoice in suffering? I expect the answer is not too many, which is certainly understandable from a human point of view. Nobody likes to suffer hardships, difficulties, temptations, or times of testing, yet if we look closely at the scriptures they make it perfectly clear that not only are we going to experience them, they should be expected. Now to many that might seem to be just the opposite from what we should expect since our God is a God of love, and it seems reasonable to presume that He should reward us for our faith by removing trials from our lives.
Yet not only do we find ourselves experiencing hardships, from the communications I have been receiving lately from many believers, it seems that more and more of us are finding ourselves in some extremely troubling situations, myself included. Why? Well I believe it might not come as a surprise to you to find out I think it is because our time is rapidly running out!
From all accounts it would appear that even the most skeptical believers are now wondering just what in the world is going on in our world. Even unbelievers are questioning events by using Biblical terms such as tribulation, apocalyptic, and even judgment. If we accept the premise that the end is near, does it not make sense for us to believe that we will experience more opportunities to exhibit our faith? After all, if we believe the signs are pointing to the end of the age, don't you think Satan has that figured out as well? If so, just what would you expect his reaction to be? It seems reasonable to expect he would go on the offensive with a vengeance!
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. James 1:13 NKJV
Although trials do not come from God, He certainly allows them to occur in our lives, so the question we must ask is "Why"? I may be wrong, but from my study I have come to the conclusion from my own life that God allows us to go through trials and suffering for at least three reasons.
One; Testing is an opportunity to show God our faith in His promises.
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
Anyone who has experienced love in their life understands the difference between "saying" you love someone and "showing" you love someone. When I was a young believer I remember someone speaking on faith and using this illustration. You may say you have faith that the airplane can fly, but if you never actually get on one you have never demonstrated your faith. When trials come into our lives as believers we have an opportunity to show God we really do believe by exercising our faith in the promises He has given us to deliver us through them.
Two; Testing is a measure to show ourselves where we are and where we fall short.
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4 NKJV
As I have said before, one of the reasons I like Paul so much is that he constantly compares the Christian life to a race, and I had the opportunity to compete in track for many many years. Now I can truly say I never got to the point where I enjoyed working out, but I knew it was necessary if I wanted to get better. I very much enjoyed the actual races because it was an opportunity to measure my progress and see how much I was improving. Undergoing trials in the Christian life is not necessarily enjoyable, but without them we would never know if we were making progress and growing in our walk with God. Every time we suffer, we know from this verse that God is using it to produce patience, which in turn helps us to mature.
Three; Testing is an opportunity to witness to others.
Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. 1 Peter 4:16 NKJV
If you think about it, what better way to show the world we are different than to show them by how we react to troubles? I don't know about you, but every day I have opportunities to see how unbelievers react to trying situations. I think we could all agree that the common reaction is with anger, frustration, impatience, and most likely language unbecoming. I also think we could all agree that these are the complete opposites of what we, and God, would expect from someone who truly believes. Have you ever had an occasion to witness and glorify God because someone saw you experiencing trials or troubling situations and wondered why you reacted differently? Going through testing and trials may not be enjoyable, but what a wonderful way to show unbelievers that having faith in the promises of God produces a peace that is unexplainable according to the standards of the world.
As I said at the start, I have heard from many of you who are going through some very difficult times. If you look closely at the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 you might notice what Jesus says at the end of every letter; it is the phrase "To him who overcomes". The Greek word for overcomes is nikaō, which means to conquer, to carry off the victory, come off victorious. There is a promise of rewards for those who overcome, yet it would be impossible to be an overcomer if there were not trials to overcome. Rejoice in suffering for as believers the trials we face give us the opportunity to glorify God.
Keep watching.
How many of us can truly say we rejoice in suffering? I expect the answer is not too many, which is certainly understandable from a human point of view. Nobody likes to suffer hardships, difficulties, temptations, or times of testing, yet if we look closely at the scriptures they make it perfectly clear that not only are we going to experience them, they should be expected. Now to many that might seem to be just the opposite from what we should expect since our God is a God of love, and it seems reasonable to presume that He should reward us for our faith by removing trials from our lives.
Yet not only do we find ourselves experiencing hardships, from the communications I have been receiving lately from many believers, it seems that more and more of us are finding ourselves in some extremely troubling situations, myself included. Why? Well I believe it might not come as a surprise to you to find out I think it is because our time is rapidly running out!
From all accounts it would appear that even the most skeptical believers are now wondering just what in the world is going on in our world. Even unbelievers are questioning events by using Biblical terms such as tribulation, apocalyptic, and even judgment. If we accept the premise that the end is near, does it not make sense for us to believe that we will experience more opportunities to exhibit our faith? After all, if we believe the signs are pointing to the end of the age, don't you think Satan has that figured out as well? If so, just what would you expect his reaction to be? It seems reasonable to expect he would go on the offensive with a vengeance!
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. James 1:13 NKJV
Although trials do not come from God, He certainly allows them to occur in our lives, so the question we must ask is "Why"? I may be wrong, but from my study I have come to the conclusion from my own life that God allows us to go through trials and suffering for at least three reasons.
One; Testing is an opportunity to show God our faith in His promises.
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
Anyone who has experienced love in their life understands the difference between "saying" you love someone and "showing" you love someone. When I was a young believer I remember someone speaking on faith and using this illustration. You may say you have faith that the airplane can fly, but if you never actually get on one you have never demonstrated your faith. When trials come into our lives as believers we have an opportunity to show God we really do believe by exercising our faith in the promises He has given us to deliver us through them.
Two; Testing is a measure to show ourselves where we are and where we fall short.
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4 NKJV
As I have said before, one of the reasons I like Paul so much is that he constantly compares the Christian life to a race, and I had the opportunity to compete in track for many many years. Now I can truly say I never got to the point where I enjoyed working out, but I knew it was necessary if I wanted to get better. I very much enjoyed the actual races because it was an opportunity to measure my progress and see how much I was improving. Undergoing trials in the Christian life is not necessarily enjoyable, but without them we would never know if we were making progress and growing in our walk with God. Every time we suffer, we know from this verse that God is using it to produce patience, which in turn helps us to mature.
Three; Testing is an opportunity to witness to others.
Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. 1 Peter 4:16 NKJV
If you think about it, what better way to show the world we are different than to show them by how we react to troubles? I don't know about you, but every day I have opportunities to see how unbelievers react to trying situations. I think we could all agree that the common reaction is with anger, frustration, impatience, and most likely language unbecoming. I also think we could all agree that these are the complete opposites of what we, and God, would expect from someone who truly believes. Have you ever had an occasion to witness and glorify God because someone saw you experiencing trials or troubling situations and wondered why you reacted differently? Going through testing and trials may not be enjoyable, but what a wonderful way to show unbelievers that having faith in the promises of God produces a peace that is unexplainable according to the standards of the world.
As I said at the start, I have heard from many of you who are going through some very difficult times. If you look closely at the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 you might notice what Jesus says at the end of every letter; it is the phrase "To him who overcomes". The Greek word for overcomes is nikaō, which means to conquer, to carry off the victory, come off victorious. There is a promise of rewards for those who overcome, yet it would be impossible to be an overcomer if there were not trials to overcome. Rejoice in suffering for as believers the trials we face give us the opportunity to glorify God.
Keep watching.
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