"Share...in the Sufferings For the Gospel"

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  Therefore...share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God...." (From 2 Timothy 1:7, 8) 

"Power and...love and...a sound mind," will overcome fear every time it raises its ugly head.  And, if we are to, "share...in the sufferings for the gospel," with anyone, only the Holy Spirit's, "power and...love and...sound mind," will enable us to do so. 

The following is today's prayer on the prayer calendar of Open Doors with Brother Andrew: "Pray for the underground church on the Comoros islands which is made up mostly of men.  Because of the lack of female believers, many young men have no hope of getting married and having families."  Several things stood out in this request.  Firstly, "the underground church," is still in places most may not think of.  Secondly, this "underground church...is made up mostly of men," which is unusual in the West.  All you have to do is go to a prayer meeting to see what I mean.  Thirdly, "no hope of getting married and having families."  Among other things in this situation is the Enemy's attempt to cut off the future of the Church in the Comoros Islands. 

So here, in the Comoros Islands, is another example of the need of, "power and...love and a...sound mind."  The previous verse of our text says, "I remind you to stir up (literally, "fan into flame") the gift of God which is in you...."  I pray this for those young men of the Comoros Islands.  I pray this for you and me today, "Fan into flame the gift of God which is in you."  Then no matter the, "spirit of fear," no matter what hopelessness the Enemy may bring our way, we will be empowered to, "share with (all who have gone before us and all who are now) in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray for the suffering Church in the Comoros Islands, the young men who see so little hope on the horizon, and for all who are reading this and may be downtrodden,

"Be Thou My Vision."

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul's Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven's joys, O bright Heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

Your Invitation Has Been Sent

"The he said to his servants, 'The wedding is made ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.  Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.'" (Matthew 22: 8, 9)

From what I can tell, they were not worthy because they just refused to come to the wedding.   Unworthiness is based on my lack of response, not on some whim of God.  The whole parable indicates that anyone "found" is eligible for the wedding, which includes you and me.  I have been invited to the wedding of the Son.  Whether I commit to "go" or not determines my worthiness for other "invitations."

You have your wedding invitation too.  The context says that some of the excuses included, "But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business."  In other words, what they had was more important to them than what Father offers in Jesus.  Be very careful that whatever you are involved in right this moment does not become an excuse for missing the wedding.

The song says, "What a day that will be," and indeed it will be.  With wedding guests from, "every tribe and tongue and people and nation," we will sit at the Banqueting Table with and in Jesus.  There's no indication how "long" will be this feast, probably forever.  Think of it, a continual feasting with and on Jesus our King and Savior.  Whatever the details, I will just be eternally thankful that I was invited, have been provided the acceptable, "wedding garment," and a seat.  Any other questions people may have matter little; the invitation is sufficient.

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for inviting me.  Amen.
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* If you will commit to this Fall's Mission expense, let us know.
* Sarah and I appreciate ongoing prayer for decisions concerning her Mom.
* Please continue to pray for Marlis.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

This Is So Beyond Me

"Then they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription like the engraving of a signet:

HOLINESS TO THE LORD."

(Exodus 39:30, in the format it actually appears in my NKJV) 

"HOLINESS," is a scary word for a lot of people in Christendom; you rarely hear it.  But it is our Family central characteristic.  Of, "HOLINESS," yes, even the New Testament declares, "Pursue...holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."  According to Revelation, they are not saying in Heaven, "love, love, love," or, "mercy, mercy, mercy," or, "grace, grace, grace.  They are saying, "Holy, holy, holy...."  Now we have all heard the definition, "set apart, hallowed."  Could we say, "HOLINESS," is absolute surrender and obedience to Jesus Christ and His Words, that love, mercy, and grace apart from, "HOLINESS TO THE LORD," are just qualities of our own making?!?

I really don't like to attempt to speak of, "HOLINESS."  The word has been misused, abused, perverted, etc.  This is not a judgmental or critical statement.  Yet for far too long, "HOLINESS," has been measured sleeve length, abstinence from smoking, drinking, swearing, and on and on.  Rarely is hateful speech and mistreating of people mentioned.  While, "HOLINESS," has to do with conduct, you and I know it is so, so much, much more.  And though there is still "mystery" surrounding, "HOLINESS," Hebrews 12 tells us that Father's objective for us is, "that we may be partakers of His holiness."

I have encountered "HOLINESS" in my life time.  Of course it is more than a feeling, experience, sense, etc.  But there is a very real sense, as in so much of life, while you cannot describe it, you recognize it.  In, "HOLINESS," we have Jesus Christ.  Watch His Life, hear His Words.  As you and I live in Jesus, it can be written upon us as upon Aaron, "HOLINESS TO THE LORD."  !!
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* Preaching in the Quest Church (formerly CCE) meetings, Sundays, July 21 and July 28.
* Please pray for wisdom and guidance concerning this Fall's Berlin/Jerusalem Mission.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

This is No "Crossover" Faith

"Behold these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches.  Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence."  (Psalm 73:12, 13)

Hence, the temptation is to turn to "crossover faith."  Or, "This isn't working for me.  Maybe I should not be so narrow-minded, so intransigent.  Look at how_____ is doing.  Maybe I need to take a second look at what I believe and how I live."  The psalmist later, however, came to his senses and rejected such a notion, "I was so foolish....Nevertheless, I am continually You; You hold me by my right hand."

I wrote the other day about crossover music and the whole "crossover" culture.  "Crossover" is defined as "The dilution of a music's distinctive qualities to accommodate to mass tastes."  The "distinctive qualities" of What and Whom you and I are a part of is Jesus Christ Himself.  He separates Truth from Fiction; crossover theology cannot do this.  It is what Galatians 2:16 calls, "the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ...."  Nothing could be more clear, and less "crossover."  The whole issue is, regardless of my critic of 45 years ago, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus."  Crossover music in church gatherings and crossover living is just an attempt to win the lost by keeping the Name of Jesus in the "assumed" category.  According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit does not work that way.

Crossover religion is sort of like Lot's.  He negotiated with the Lord about to where he should flee.  God said, "Escape for your life!...Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed."  Lot replied, in typical "crossover" fashion, "No, wait; 'Please let me escape there'; after all, '(is it not a little [city]?)....'"  Yet after Lot saw the mighty judgment of God upon Sodom, "Then Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountains...."  I guess he realized that crossover living is not very safe after all, that his security place was not as reliable as God's.

The temptation to negotiate with the Lord Jesus a "crossover" life style is ever before us.  Some of the temptations come in oh-so-nice fashion, look so much like the "real thing."  Yet as is crossover music, is a crossover religion, "the dilution of [The Faith's] distinctive qualities to accommodate to mass tastes."  No one in the world who observes such living in you and me is quite sure who we are and what we believe.  When our worship honors Father by honoring Jesus, singing His praise, glorifying Father by Jesus' Name, when our life and life style is solely fixed on and in Jesus Christ, there is no confusion to "visitors" in our church gatherings, to neighbors, and to fellow workers as to who we are. 

Father, in Jesus' Name, I reject "crossover."  Amen.

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* Preaching in the Quest Church meeting this coming Sunday, July 21
* Please pray for our mission this Fall.  We are now caring for Sarah's Mom and are seeking Jesus as to how to handle everything.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2