Tag Archives: Christ

Aug 17 2010

Chosen to Suffer?


Yes! It seems clear that Jesus commissioned Saul of Tarsus (Paul) to make Him known and to suffer. This two-fold ministry is outlined in Acts 9. God speaks to Ananias saying:

15But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. (Acts 9:15,16)

God’s plan for Paul from the beginning was that he should carry his name and suffer greatly along the way. And, Paul completely understood this calling.

In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul gives this snapshot of his life.

far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 24Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. (2 Corinthians 11:23-27)

This is hardly a description of the life of a minister of the gospel of Christ according to popular teaching today. The common teaching is “God wants you to be happy”, “Your best days are ahead”, and even that you should expect perfect health and have financial success. What hogwash!

For a Christian, suffering is not a bad thing, it is a good thing, provided you are suffering for the cause of Christ. Paul referred to his manifold troubles as “light and momentary” and meaningless compared to the glory that awaits at Christ’s coming.

Peter advised this response to troubles for the cause of Christ.

12Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. ( 1 Peter 12,13)

What about suffering that is not for the cause of Christ? I think we should have the same attitude knowing full well that our God who loves us is for us and in His infinite plan is working everything together for our ultimate good. (Romans 8:28)

In both suffering for Christ and all other suffering we are to be people of faith. We are to unshakingly trust the promises of God while looking for our Saviour from heaven.

Yes, some are chosen to suffer for Christ and the gospel and others are to face other suffering with faith and rejoicing so that a watching world is pointed to Jesus by whose stripes they too can be healed.

Agape’
Royce

Aug 8 2010

Good News…The War is Over!


A few years ago my wife and I had the pleasure of an extended vacation on the beautiful island of Guam. Guam is the home of Anderson AFB, a large Navy base, and I hear soon, a Marine outpost.

One day we took a day to drive around the island, to meet some native people, sample some native table fare, and see the breath-taking scenery that appears in every direction. As we drove though the countryside, a road side sign caught my attention.

I immediately remembered the story of Shoichi Yokoi, a Japanese soldier who lived for almost 30 years in a cave eating nuts, fruits, rats, snails, etc., and wearing clothing made from tree bark. Mr. Yokoi was imprisoned by his own fears and lack of accurate information. At the end of WWII when the U.S. forces defeated the Japanese and took control of Guam they dropped leaflets saying the hostilities had ended, the Japanese had surrendered, and every Japanese soldier was free to lay down his arms and come out of hiding, the war was over!

Mr. Yokoi believed the leaflets to be American propaganda and was convinced that every Japanese fighting man would live by the Imperial pledge “Never surrender alive”. He was convinced the war was not over, and even if it was he would not surrender. He was discovered by two farmers as he was fishing in the Talofofo River in 1972 and was soon returned to his homeland with a hero’s welcome.

Today as I listened to our preacher talk about the priority of the gospel, (“good news”) I thought of this poor man who had lived in self-imposed slavery because he had not believed the good news when he heard it. I also thought of the tens of millions who have not heard the good news about Jesus and what he has done for them.

As ambassadors of Jesus we are to announce the “good news” far and wide. You see, many people don’t know the war is over. They are not aware that they have been reconciled to God by the death of Jesus. And, most of them don’t understand that they have offended God so that until and unless they believe the good news and appropriate that reconciliation for themselves they stand condemned.

What good news it is to announce that Jesus has set the sinner free! He has borne their sins, died in their place, and offers eternal life and an eternity with Him to all who will believe.

Unfortunately, some will hear the news and refuse to believe it. Some will believe it and receive great blessing by God’s grace. Still others will believe it and yet live in fear that the war is not really over.


For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10)

19that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
(2 Corinthians 5:19-21)

Good News…The War is Over !

Agape’
Royce

Aug 5 2010

Drink Deeply From the Spring of Salvation


One of my fondest childhood memories is our family visits to Uncle Bill Wheeler’s house. He and Aunt Allie lived a simple life, making a living off the land. Fresh, hot out of the oven, cornbread and ice-cold butter milk seemed to always be one part of our visits. I loved that simple treat, and still do.

One of the things I remember most is the water. Uncle Bill and Aunt Allie had spring water running in the kitchen sink 24/7. It was gravity-fed, running from a spring up on the mountain above the house. It was not good to turn the water off because it would increase the chances the pipe would get stopped up. Even running all the time, errant leaves or a frisky spring lizard, would sometimes make it necessary for Uncle Bill to climb the mountain and clear the obstruction so the water could flow.

Water from those mountain springs in western North Carolina was as cold as if it had flowed over ice and had a subtle sweetness. Springs dotted the valleys and almost every home had a bold spring near by. It was of such quality that you didn’t just drink it to satisfy your thirst, you drank deeply and often because it was so good!

The prophet Isaiah promised,

“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” (Isaiah 12:3)

Then there is Jesus’ words to the woman at the well, and to us.

“Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” (John 4:13-15

We who have our trust in Christ have in us the spring of life-giving, living water. It is nothing less than Christ himself. It is He who is our life. We can drink deeply from “the wells of salvation” not because we are thirsty but because it tastes good! Jesus said if you drink of this water you will not be thirsty again, ever! We are not driven to the spring of life to quench a thirst, it is already eternally satisfied. We drink to know fullness of joy! We come to delight in the finished work of Jesus, to experience deep, fulfilling joy in the gospel.

Not only is the spring welling up in us, and results in eternal life, but it overflows to those about us. The evidence of the work of grace in the life of a believer is the refreshing manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s presence in love, patience, kindness, forgiveness, and unique giftedness that is designed to better the lives of our brothers and sisters in the body. The more deeply I drink of the water of life and overflow with the joy of my salvation the more I am equipped to be a source of blessing for others.

Drink deeply from the spring of salvation. Your daily delight in God will spill over into the lives of others to God’s glory.

“And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.” (Revelation 21:6)

God gives this life-giving, thirst quenching, water of life freely, “without payment”. Jesus paid it all! How can I not delight in and find my greatest joy in the work of Jesus that fully satisfied God’s demands on my behalf?

The water is in you, it is fresh and free, you didn’t have to pay for it, it never runs out, drink deeply and often and be refreshed and full of joy.

Agape’

Royce

Aug 2 2010

Choose your weapon!


For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

In an age when most churches are focused on sin management Paul’s ancient declaration seems like an idea we can’t begin to comprehend. Some how I have trouble trying to imagine Paul facilitating an anger management group. Is it just me or have we (churches) adopted the same methods of dealing with moral failure as the world?

A few decades ago secular humanists with PHD’s decided that they had discovered an answer for some of the moral failings of mankind, it was “disease”. With that designation for certain moral flaws, personal responsibility and accountability went out the window.

Now, many years later, even more sins have been declared “normal” or are considered a “sickness” or “disease” and the treatment is to “manage” the moral failing (sin). The idea is that with enough  purposeful care, and with the help of others, sin can be managed so that it isn’t as much of a problem.

Churches have bought in 100%. But is it biblical?

The Bible says to the one who is stealing, stop stealing and go to work. (Ephesians 4:29)

To the liar, the Bible says, don’t lie. (Colossians 3:9) Put away falsehood and tell the truth. (Ephesians 4:25)

To the sexually immoral the Bible says don’t do it (1 Thessalonians 4:3), flee from it (1 Corinthians 6:18), and don’t associate with those who are involved in it. (1 Corinthians 5:9). Reserve sexual expression for your husband or wife only. (1 Corinthians 7:1-3)

To the drunkard the Bible says don’t get drunk. (Ephesians 5:18)

Of course the Bible addresses many other sins with the same kind of common sense solutions. Just say No! It isn’t that easy is it?

We have tried ridding our people of moral short falls by employing the same methodologies as people who don’t know God, and with little success. Isn’t it about time to try it God’s way?

There is a real war raging, a war between good and evil, between God and his people and the god of this world and his own. We must use the tools afforded by the grace of God. We must stop treating symptoms and cure the cause. We are giving all our attention to the branches when the problem is the root is rotten.

Choose different weapons

In the atonement of Jesus given by God’s amazing grace we have all we need to live lives that please God. (Titus 2:11-13)

The “weapons” we must use to fight the downward pull of sin are not discovered in the class room but are standard equipment for the child of God by the Spirit’s power.

Christ has (past tense) reconciled us to God with His body as a sacrifice. That same power that saved us from the curse of the law and from sure death, is the same power that will present us in the end a pure, holy people.

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. (Colossians 1:21-23)

Only the atonement of Jesus, only by the blood of his cross, will sin finally be defeated in a real, concrete way in your life and mine. We must be gospel focused, purposefully saying yes to God and no to everything that opposes His will for our lives.

God’s strength, now ours

The good news is that we don’t have to attempt this in the power of our own strength but in His strength. Paul said it this way.

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (Colossians 1:28-29)

It is Christ alone who can give us mastery over sin. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead, is the power that grace affords to root out every sin and every moral flaw in the lives of his people.

Gospel centered, grace driven, and Spirit empowered living is the way of freedom and knowing the peace of God and the fellowship of the Spirit. If I trust myself and my own resourcefulness I am doomed to repeat and repeat again and again those same sins and live a life of virtual defeat. If I lean heavily upon the everlasting arms and refuse to consider anything but His mighty power demonstrated by his shed blood and victorious resurrection I can live a life a victory.

We must admit our sin is really that, sin. We must be quick to repent, and boldly stand on God’s promise of victory using the weapons of grace alone.

Agape’

Royce