Safetypinlove

What the Apostle Paul was explaining to the Church in Phillipi was “The Already and the Not Yet.” Justification is by faith, and faith alone on the basis of Jesus Christ’s merits, not ours. Our ongoing Christian Walk, imperfect as it is, finds its focus and power in Christ’s death and resurrection. Thus, as our personal fellowship with the Lord deepens, so does our participation in His sufferings. In verse twelve, this prize not yet won but what Paul strove for was “The not yet”… Salvation in its fullness. Know then as a Believer, you too will share in Christ’s suffering… but also know that your suffering will prepare you to share in His glory.

You may think I’ve got my life together…I don’t. You may think I’m better than you…I AM NOT. Daily I mess up and make unwise decisions. I say things that shouldn’t be said, judge others harshly in my mind, and occasionally yell at the dog. To think that I’m superior in merit, rank, or position over anyone else is absurd, for I know how corrupt my human nature is. If wasn’t for Jesus, I would still be that beggar looking to fill the insatiable appetite inside, that only the bread of life could satisfy. (John 6:35) Without Him, I’d still be wandering in the world’s darkness, lost and doomed. (John 8:12) I am no better than you, but praise God, I am not like I used to be…for I have found the Way, the Truth, and the Life through my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (John 14:6)

The Apostle Paul wrote the Book of Romans predominantly to Gentiles, but being a Jew himself, he had also brought the Gospel Message to his countrymen. Though in Philippians 3:5-6, he showed that his confidence was not in his lineage & pedigree as a Jew under the Law, but under God’s grace. He wanted both Jew and Gentile to realize that they were all sinners and had all been adopted by God as His children. Hense, the wall of separation between Jew & Gentile was removed…with no human distinctions or preferential status. (Galatians 3:26-28) And we have that same trust and security today that God providentially watches over and preserves His people, in order to accomplish His ultimate plan and purpose for the Kingdom.

We can’t go through our Christian life cherry-picking what we will accept & reject in the Bible…either we receive God’s Word as infallible, or we don’t. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 in Matthew 4:4 when He said, “Man doesn’t live by bread alone, man lives by every Word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Every Word in the Bible is fit for God to direct, provide, and give us victory. His Word is truth, (John 17:17) in a world swirling with falsehoods & lies. So, we can’t pick and choose what we’ll accept & what we’ll reject in His Word…for it just shows how prideful we have become…thinking we know more than God. Proverbs 10:8 tells us that, “The wise heart will receive commandments.” and in contrast, I Thessalonians 4:7-8 warns us, “For God didn’t call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction doesn’t reject man but God…”

Earlier in Chapter 18, God had allowed King Jehosaphat to escape death from the imposing Syrian army. But God also chastised him for his past doublemindedness. So here in Chapter 19, King Jehosaphat personally traveled throughout the kingdom drawing people back to God. He also set up a court system to enforce the Mosaic Law…charging these men to use the Law to influence their decisions…not politics, cronyism, family ties, or under the table bribes. Sure, they had many negative cases & situations arise, but they were to place their trust, heart, and mind steadfastly in God’s Word, not their own understanding. And in doing so, would draw the people back to God by their obedience.

How’s your prayer life doing? Is it something you look forward to, or is it always an arduous endeavor? What do you do when you know you should pray, but you don’t “feel” like it? Well, join the crowd! Even the disciples struggled with prayer and asked Jesus to, “Teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:1) So let’s look at prayer from a different angle. Charles Hodge calls prayer the converse of the soul with God…taking our feelings & emotions out of the equation of communing with our heavenly Father and placing it at a far higher realm. So not “feeling” like praying has no merit whatsoever. Neither is the sweet phrase we use so often addressing someone who’s going through a tough time…”I’ll pray for you.” but not taking the time to actually do it. What a terrible waste of an opportunity to build not only your faith, but theirs as your prayers are made known to God. (Philippians 4:6) So from now on, when you don’t “feel” like praying…pray twice as much, twice as hard, and with twice the fervor…and see what happens.

The apostle Paul was on what you might call his Farewell Tour. He had called together the Elders of the Church in Ephesus in order that he might remind them of just how far that Church had come. Paul had invested himself for three years there…both in public & private teaching and instruction in God’s Word…and now was the time for the Elders to step up and step into the role of Shepherds and Overseers. He charged them with, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the Church of God, which He bought with His own blood.” (Acts 20:28) Paul could easily be speaking to the Church today as Baby-Boomer Pastors and Elders are retiring at an increasing rate. He is charging the younger generation to heed the call and step up to serve the local Church.

Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “Those who dive in the sea of affliction – bring up pearls! There is a sweet joy that comes to us through sorrow. Sickness has frequently been more use to the saints of God, than health has.” Illness & affliction can take on many faces, with just as many circumstances, situations, and outcomes. It could be you that is currently challenged with a disease process or infirmity…or it could be like me, who is a twenty-four-hour Caregiver for someone battling chronic illness. To understand this quote from Spurgeon we only need to look at Job and his season of affliction, loss, and searching out of God’s answers. Job drew on his foreknowledge of God and how He used affliction as a means for spiritual discipline and education. (Job 36:15) He also knew that affliction could bring us back from wandering away from God. (Psalm 119:67) Job was then reassured that – the Lord would sustain him on his sickbed and restore him, (Psalm 41:3) that his hope in his affliction wouldn’t ever perish, (Psalm 9:18) and that the Lord would ultimately deliver him. (Psalm 34:19)

Sometimes the very best thing you can do for someone is to back away, pray for them, and allow God to do what only He can do. It may be your wayward child who has turned their back on everything you’ve taught them in the past about Jesus. Or it may be a close friend who is going down the wrong path with a relationship. Then again, it may be a family member who’s making unwise & potentially dangerous life-style decisions. When we’ve talked ourselves blue in the face and they still refuse to listen in defiance & disobedience…it’s time to release them to God. For God loves them more than we will ever, He knows every detail of their life, and He can turn any situation around for good. And when we allow the Holy Spirit to work in their lives, He can woo, reveal, convict, and admonish as only the Holy Spirit can do. I know it’s difficult, but sometimes the only way a person will look up, is when they find themselves lying in the gutter.

At this time, Jesus was back in Galilee… when Jairus frantically beseeched Him to come and heal his beloved little girl. Now Jairus was a Jewish layman responsible for the upkeep of the synagogue plus monitoring the services and choosing the Torah readings, etc. He was very highly respected in the community…so it was odd that he not only knew who Jesus was but was aware of the many healings He had performed. So much so, that Jairus had sought Jesus out, knowing He could heal his daughter. They had not yet made it to Jairus’s home when someone rushed up to tell them the child had just died. What Jesus said next to Jairus did not dwell on her death, but on his faith. “Don’t be afraid just believe and she will be healed.” Jesus wanted Jarius to focus on faith not fear. That’s because hopelessness creeps in on the heels of fear. Or as Ecclesiastes 9:4 says, “Anyone who is among the living has hope.” And true to His word, Jeus took ahold of the little girl’s hand and raised her up healed and whole from her deathbed.