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PATCHES
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| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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Is Suffering Inevitable?
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor
For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.
1 Peter 3:17, NAS
Suffering. It's not standard daily devotional fare, because let's face it, usually we want to begin or end our day being uplifted, or even better, lifting up God, rather than focusing on our pains and problems.
But there's the rub... we all have pains and problems. Christian and non-Christian. Lifelong disciple and baby believer. Red and yellow, black and white. Everyone, from the moment he or she was born, has struggled, tried, failed, hurt, sinned, misunderstood, and reacted. Humanity shares a true brotherhood over suffering, one that we might understand a lot better if suffering weren't also so relative. By which I mean, one person's issues may sound simple, easy-to-solve, even petty to another. "That's nothing compared to what I've had to endure!"
But the fact is, your sorrows and difficulties are real to you. It's one reason why I'm no fan of when people say a certain place or time in their lives isn't "the real world," as if the spot they are currently tucked away at is immune from any degree of difficulty.
Suffering is very real, and there's certainly no reason any Christian would expect life to be otherwise. We purport to follow a "Suffering Savior." His stripes have healed us, and wow do we seem to feel them sometimes, which is as it should be, as we deserved them instead of Him. If we agree that no person but one - no matter where they lived or how easy or hard they had it - has escaped sin's corruption, then how much more must we agree that truly NO person has escaped suffering?
Look at what Peter suggests in today's verse: you can suffer for doing good, or you can suffer for doing bad. By extension, some of the problems in your life may be a result of your own rebellion, while other hurts may naturally result from walking so closely with Christ that you ache at the injustice and hardship around you, with the world despising and persecuting you.
In the classic allegory Hinds' Feet on High Places, Much-Afraid journeys with companions named Sorrow and Suffering, and these two assist her in her climb up the Injury Precipice, which is a part of her transformation into "Grace and Glory."
The same is true for you. Your sufferings have informed you, educated you, helped you along in your journey. You may despise them, but they are yours. And they will be with you whether you are doing right, or not. Of course, the nature of them will be quite different.
There may be one way, though, to avoid suffering. There's a third option, left out here by Peter, but not left out by John in the Revelation. It's the lukewarm response to life, the do-nothing approach. This is the approach that cocoons itself off from life and all of its pain. And make no mistake, "Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something," says that famous theologian the Man in Black in The Princess Bride.
You may not feel anything from inside a cocoon; in fact, it may be an abundance of pain and suffering that forced you in there. But remember, no creature that cocoons itself is intended to stay locked up forever. The point is to be rested, healed, matured, transformed. To become more beautiful, useful. Even the emerging process itself carries a degree of struggle, but one that, if the insect did not go through itself, would leave it too weak to fly.
So be lifted up in your suffering today.
It is a companion.
It is designed to transform you.
It gives you a share in the inheritance of Christ and the brotherhood of humanity.
And it gives you empathy, which gives you every excuse for ministry.
Intersecting Faith & Life: Make it your goal to partake, as much as possible, only of the brand of suffering that comes from doing what is right according to God's Word.
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| Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:07 am Post subject: |
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Child-Like Trust in the Lord
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Faith Editor
O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me.
Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me.
Psalm 131:1-2, NAS
This song, like most of the Psalms, was written by David - the man who would be Israel's greatest king. Is David who comes to mind when you think of someone "not involved in great matters" (kingdom conflicts, maybe)? Or unbothered by "things too difficult" (slaying a giant, anyone)? No, to me, this doesn't really sound like David. Doesn't really sound like me most of the time either.
Let's take a quick look at three things that stand out about this little Psalm:
1) Attitude. David's "heart" - his inner being, his spirit, is not proud... of things he's done, of where he's been and where he's going... but neither is he beating himself up. He is just... content.
2) Appetite. David's "eyes" - his senses - are not haughty. He's not seeking to please them. He doesn't have the look of arrogance. He knows Whose he is, and that his needs are met not of himself. He is not restless to feed like an infant, he is not stalking around asking to eat out of boredom like my 3-year-old.
3) Aptitude. David places the responsibility for this peaceful state upon himself. Not circumstances, not achievements, not even on God. "Surely I have quieted my soul," he says.
All together, this is what trust looks like, and why it brings such soothing peace. Jesus said we must have faith like children to come to Him. Apparently, trust is also best exemplified in little ones. David's "talk" is of not being proud; his "walk" then backs it up by what he "involves" (or doesn't involve) himself in. This doesn't mean God hasn't given him - or you - important stuff to get done, just that David has "declared himself free from excessive ambition" (Ryrie study notes). To sing not of self, to seek not to fill the senses, to seek the will only to be quiet before God - that is trust. A "weaned child" knows instinctively where to find it. By extension, and through the example of "the man after God's own heart," so do we.
Intersecting Faith & Life: "Involve" yourself in a small, humble matter today - perhaps a child's squabble, creating a meal, or going for a walk - and see if you can compose your soul.
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| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 12:36 am Post subject: |
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by Neil Anderson
October 10
GOD'S GOAL FOR YOU
2 Peter 1:5-7 NIV
Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love
A good summary of God's goal for you is found in 2 Peter 1:3-10. Your primary role is to diligently adopt God's character goals--goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love--and apply them to your life. Focusing on God?s goals will lead to ultimate success: success in God's terms. Peter promises that, as these qualities increase in your life through practice, you will be useful and fruitful, and you will never stumble. That's success!
Notice also that there is no mention in this list of talents, intelligence or gifts which are not equally distributed to all believers. Your worth isn?t determined by those God-given traits. Your worth is based on your identity in Christ and your growth in character, both of which are equally applicable to every Christian. Those who are not committed to God?s goals for character will never fulfill their primary purpose for being here. According to Peter, they have forgotten who they are. They are out of touch with their true identity and purpose in Christ.
God loves you and will never leave you. You are forgiven by God and are His child. You have established your identity in Christ and live today in union with God. You are becoming increasingly characterized by the fruit of the Spirit. If you really believed everything that is true about you, would you be successful? Would you feel good about yourself? Should you feel good about yourself? Of course! God has not called you to be a failure, so follow His scriptural formula and be the success He has called you to be.
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, that I can do all things today through Your Son, Jesus, who strengthens me.
_________________
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 11:13 pm Post subject: |
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Communication Isn't the Key?!
by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor
“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Colossians 3:13
Wedding-hopping is a weekend pastime at this stage of my life. I’ve bounced through half a dozen weddings this summer, yet I’m struck by how different each has been from every other. Each couple has a different story that shone through their choice of venue, vows, and – of course – bridesmaids dresses. What I’ve loved most about the differences, however, is the unique wedding homily that each pastor has imparted. One homily in particular has stuck with me, because it upset a few of my presuppositions.
During one ceremony, the young minister told the story of his last trip to premarital counseling before his own wedding. Their mentor asked a familiar question: “What do you think is the key to a loving, healthy marriage?”
His wife paused for a moment. “If you’d asked me six months ago,” she pondered, “I would have said communication. But now, I think it’s something different. I think the real key is forgiveness.”
Forgiveness?
Yep, that sounded about right after I thought about it. I had been married just two weeks at that point, but my sin nature had already made unwelcome appearances in our house. Communicating a sinful attitude to my husband didn’t change it into a right attitude. Nor did communicating that I was upset with an omission on his part move me past frustration.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
The minister continued by pointing to the greatest example of forgiveness – that of Christ forgiving His wandering bride. Where He would have been justified in communicating his anger and walking away from her, He chose a different method entirely. The key wasn’t communication, although He told her of His love and what pained Him. He didn’t wait for her response. Instead, He loved His bride enough to forgive her everything, even though it cost Him everything.
I am that bride. I need that forgiveness.
It’s not that communication is worthless, or that dialogue isn’t an expression of love. On the contrary, scripture is full of commands to encourage and exhort each other in love. In rare moments, communication even lets my husband – or my sister, or my best friends, or my fellow church members – completely understand each other’s perspective. But that only goes so far.
Unconditional love manifests itself in that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5: Yes, the sinner, that’s me. I need that forgiveness just as much as anyone, and I need Christ’s example to be able to forgive others. It’s a two-way street that points out our own flaws even as we decide to overlook those of others. Humbling, isn’t it?
Intersecting Faith & Life: How many times are we tempted to remember little annoyances that those closest to us have committed, the details they forgot to take care of, or the times they simply crossed our whims? Yet we have been forgiven so much more than that. I pray that as you interact with the people closest to you today, you will remember that “as far as the east is from the west, so far as He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 3:08 am Post subject: |
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Kill Me Now
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor
If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now --
if I have found favor in your eyes -- and do not let me face my own ruin."
Numbers 11:15
...while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die.
"I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
1 Kings 19:4
Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.
Jonah 4:3
What kind of a person feels like this? A schmo like me, at times, sure. Maybe you, or people you know. Surely not the heroes of the Old Testament.
Well, truth is, even God's greatest leaders and prophets got to the point in their respective stories where, even after witnessing indescribable miracles and blessings, their circumstances were so overwhelming, impossible and undesirable their attitude was, "Just kill me now, Lord!" Exhausted in body, soul, and spirit, they cried out that they had had enough. They could go no longer in their own power.
The first quote above is from Moses, who had a People Problem. The wandering Israelites were hungry, and as usual, it fell to Moses to solve the problem. He cried out to the Lord, "Was it I who conceived these people? Was it I who brought them forth?" He looked around and couldn't figure out how to satisfy everyone.
The second quote is from Elijah, who had a Pity Problem. This was a prophet who had just called down fire from heaven, destroyed the prophets of Baal, and witnessed the end of a long drought. But just a few verses later, one vow from one wicked queen has him in such despair that he fears he can't go on like this.
The third quote is from Jonah, who had a Pouting Problem. He'd finally obeyed to the point of going to Nineveh and preaching repentance, but when the Lord relented and stayed his hand rather than destroying the city, Jonah wasn't happy. He folded his hands and "became angry" that the destruction he forecast never arrived.
Consider who these men were and what they had seen, what the Lord had done through them. Moses parted the Red Sea and led a people out of slavery. Elijah stood strong for Israel during a time of tremendous pagan influence, prayed down fire and rain, and actually never died (so chalk up at least one unanswered prayer!). Jonah is one of the first stories we tell our children, about how God provided a great fish to swallow him for such a period as he could learn about obedience and repentance.
Not only that, but these guys all show up in the Gospels, in one way or another. Moses and Elijah are present at Jesus' transfiguration (Mark 9). In Matthew 12:38-41 (NIV), Jesus tells the Pharisees they won't get any sign from him other than the sign of Jonah, foreshadowing the three days He Himself would spend in the belly of the Earth.
But interestingly enough, Christ never felt this way. He knew His destiny was to die, and even prayed that such a cup might pass from Him. And let's not forget that He is our example, not Moses, not Elijah, and not Jonah, great as they were.
When we feel the way that these guys did, we need to realize that anyone wanting to die is under attack. And our enemy can bring that attack through people, pity, and pouting. It comes when our body is not healthy, our soul is not happy, and our spirit is not holy.
But conveniently enough, Paul shows us a prayer that covers all these bases. He writes, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
You aren't alone when you feel like you can't go on, like you would be better off dead than standing strong in the face of the overwhelming task God has given you, especially when you are weak in body, soul, and spirit, and the enemy is on the attack. And truly, it is comforting to know that some of the Bible's greatest faith warriors and miracle workers shared these feelings. But it doesn't mean they were right. Let us not indulge hopelessness, for it is always around us. Instead, let us remember that we serve a God of miracles and we follow the One who never copped to people, pity, or pouting, but willingly laid His life down.
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| Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:26 am Post subject: |
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Proclaim the Excellencies!
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Entertainment Editor
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:9-10, ESV
Earlier this week, I voted for one of the two candidates running for the office of President of the United States.
Perhaps you did, too. And maybe, like me, it had you thinking about what it means to be an American citizen and what freedoms that status still affords us all. More than ever, I have realized what a privilege it is to participate in the voting process. And while the outcome was obviously not up to just me, I know that I played a small part in helping to shape history in the year 2008.
But beyond my earthly citizenship - and despite how our new president will change the nation and how it will affect you and me - I know that this is not my home. In 1 Peter 2, I am reminded of who I really am and who is the ultimate authority in my life. As a believer, my heritage is in Christ and I need to personalize verses 9 and 10 each day to help me remember where my primary citizenship really lies. ...
But I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood and a holy nation, a person for His own possession, that I may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called me out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once I was not a person, but now I am God's; once I had not received mercy, but now I have received mercy.
So how should this affect my life on earth? Let's break it down. ...
I am chosen, royal and holy ... Do I keep this mindset each and every day? Do I remember my heritage? Do I live knowing that I have an inheritance? I am a child of THE King. I am marked with a seal. No matter what happens around me, I am secure within His hand.
I am a person for His own possession ... Do I act like an alien in a strange land? Am I prepared to be scoffed at by those who criticize my "other-worldly" citizenship? Do I work more not to fit in or do I try harder to not rock the boat? Does God in me clearly define who I am to others?
I may proclaim the excellencies of Him ... Do I say the name (Jesus) when it is unpopular to do so? Do I give glory and credit to my Father in front of my friends no matter if they might get offended? Does my faith inform all areas of my life? Am I unashamed of the gospel and proud to share it with others?
I have received mercy ... To know and understand what it means to be given mercy is to have a heart that is submitted to God. Apart from him, I am nothing. He has done for me what no one else can do. He has paid the price for my sin! How can I not respond to him with grateful praise?
If we understand what it truly means that God has called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light, then why wouldn't we want to live differently? Even in a increasingly hostile and politically correct type of world.
Today, when none of us really knows what the future will hold - and whether or not the "right" candidate won the presidential election - we must be encouraged and remember that our primary citizenship is in heaven.
Until we are home with the King of Kings, may God help us continue to "proclaim the excellencies" of him while we're here on earth.
Intersecting Faith & Life: Have you been silent for too long, either in word or in action? How can you make your identity in Christ known to those around you today? How should you behave differently than the world? Is there something you should say "no" to this week that will show others to whom you belong?
Further Reading
Isaiah 43:21, NIV
Psalm 96, NIV
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| Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 4:53 am Post subject: |
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by Neil Anderson
January 6
AN INDISPENSABLE PREREQUISITE
John 17:3 NIV
Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent
The focus of my ministry, both as a pastor and a seminary professor, has been the interrelated ministries of discipling and Christian counseling. I have been a discipler and a counselor of countless individuals. I have also taught discipleship and pastoral counseling at the seminary level and in churches and leadership conferences across the country. Much of my interaction with people has been to expose the insidious reality of Satan's relentless assault of deception on the Christian's mind. He knows that if he can keep you from understanding who you are in Christ, he can keep you from experiencing the maturity and freedom which is your inheritance as a child of God.
I am intrigued by the overlap of the ministries of discipling and counseling. Christian discipleship focuses on truth and tends to be future-oriented, provoking spiritual growth and maturity. Christian counseling considers the past to correct problems and address areas of weakness. Your past has shaped your present belief system and will determine your future unless it is dealt with. Biblically, discipleship and counseling are not separate ministries. Both are intensely personal ministries which are necessary to apply the truth to set people free from their past and establish them complete in Christ.
Furthermore, it is my conviction that discipleship and counseling must both start where the Bible starts: with a knowledge of God and our identity in Christ. If we really knew God, our behavior would change radically and instantly. That's what happened in Scripture. Whenever heaven opened to reveal the glory of God, individual witnesses were immediately and profoundly changed. I believe that the greatest determinant of mental and spiritual health and freedom is a true understanding of God and a right relationship with Him. A good theology is an indispensable prerequisite to a good psychology.
Prayer:
Father, I am eternally grateful to You that in Christ I am a saint dwelling in the heavenlies instead of a sinner wallowing in the mud.
_________________
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PATCHES
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| Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:45 pm Post subject: |
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by Neil Anderson
March 17
NO LONGER UNDER OBLIGATION
Romans 6:6
Our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin
Why did the old self need to die? The old self was independent and disobedient to God, so it had to die in order that "our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin" (Romans 6:6). Death is the ending of a relationship, but not of existence. Sin hasn't died; it is still strong and appealing. But when your old self died with Christ on the cross, your relationship with sin ended forever. You are no longer "in the flesh" but "in Christ" (Romans 8:9). Your old self (the sinner) and your old nature (characterized by the sin which was inevitable since you were separated from God) are gone forever because you are no longer separated from God.
Does this mean that you are now sinless? By no means. The death of your old self formally ended your relationship with sin, but it did not end sin's existence. Sin and Satan are still around, and they are strong and appealing. But by virtue of the crucifixion of the old self, sin's power over you is broken (Romans 6:7, 12, 14). You are no longer under any obligation to serve sin, to obey sin, or to respond to sin.
You commit sin when you willfully allow yourself to act independently of God as the old self did as a matter of course. When you function in this manner you are violating your new nature and your new identity. Such actions must be confessed and forsaken.
Even though the old self, which you were in Adam, is dead, you still have to contend with the flesh. The way you learned to live your life before Christ is still programmed into your mind. Knowing that your old self was crucified with Christ makes it possible for you to choose not to sin. You no longer have to walk after the flesh; you may now walk after the Spirit. You are free.
Prayer:
Father, help me overcome the fleshly ways I followed before coming to You. I choose today to be tuned in to Your Spirit.
_________________
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| Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 11:40 pm Post subject: |
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by Neil Anderson
March 20
ACCUSATION AND CONVICTION
2 Corinthians 7:10
The sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death
A graphic example of the contrast between accusation and conviction is found in the lives of Judas Iscariot and Simon Peter. Somehow Judas allowed Satan to deceive him into betraying Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Luke 22:3-5). When Judas realized what he had done, he was so remorseful that he hung himself. Was his suicide the result of Satan's accusation or of God's conviction? It had to be accusation because it drove Judas to kill himself. Accusation leads to death; conviction leads to repentance and life.
Peter also failed Jesus by denying Him. It apparently began with pride as the disciples argued over who was the greatest among them (Luke 22:24-30). Jesus told Peter, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat" (verse 31). That's right--Jesus allowed Satan to put Peter through the mill because Peter had given the enemy a foothold through pride. But Jesus also looked at Peter and said, "I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers" (verse 32).
Peter vowed to die with Jesus, but Jesus told him that he would deny Him three times (verses 33, 34) which he did. The remorse Peter felt was every bit as painful as that which Judas experienced. But Peter's sorrow was from conviction which led to his eventual repentance and restoration to Christ (John 21:15-17). When your feelings of remorse drive you from God, you are being accused by Satan. Resist it. But when your sorrow draws you to confront Christ and confess your wrong, you are being convicted by the Spirit. Yield to it through repentance.
According to Revelation 12:10, Satan's continuing work is to accuse the brethren. But the good news is that Christ's continuing work is to intercede for us as He did for Peter (Hebrews 7:25). We have a persistent adversary, but we have an even more persistent, eternal advocate who defends us before the Father on the basis of our faith in Him (1 John 2:1).
Prayer:
I rejoice, Lord, that You are constantly defending me against accusation before the Father.
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| Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 11:47 pm Post subject: |
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How to let go of fear
March 26, 2009
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
--John 16:33
Can you imagine how hopeless life would be if Jesus had simply said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart”?
No, Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world”!
For some people, if fact, a lot of people, their greatest fear is dying. But what’s so magnificent about the Lord Jesus Christ is that he even overcame death! The Lord Jesus took on death and beat it, and he rose victoriously over it.
As 1 Corinthians 15:57 says, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This means, as a follower of Christ, you have victory over death, yes, but it also means so much more than that. It means you can victory over anything that goes on in this life as well. You have victory over your fears, your failures, your future… everything!
Yet, you know, even as I say this today, I know that you may be shaking your head and saying, “No, no, no, Pastor, you just don’t understand. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to let go of this fear in my heart.”
If so, I have wonderful news for you today. It may not happen tomorrow, it may not happen next month, but through the power of Jesus Christ working in your heart and life, you can let go of that fear.
And like I said, it’s not because of your power, but because of his power working in and through you.
Maybe, as a way to begin letting go of that fear, it would help if you took what Jesus said in today’s verse and personalized it. Perhaps your prayer would sound like, “In the world I’ve had tribulation, but I’ll take heart because Jesus has overcome the sexual abuse in my past.” Perhaps your prayer would be, “I’ll take heart because Jesus has overcome my addiction.” Or even, “I will take heart because Jesus has overcome my cancer.”
Being a Christian means that you can face the future with courageous faith, that you can live each day not as a victim of terror and fear but as a victor. It may be a time for tears in your life today, but praise God that through Christ Jesus it doesn’t have to be a time for fear!
BEING A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST MEANS YOU VICTORY OVER YOUR FEARS, YOUR FAILURES, YOUR FUTURE… EVERYTHING!
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Faith is not a sense, nor sight, nor reason, but taking God at His word. |
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