MORE....
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 ESV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, [4] who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. [5] For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
Comfort. A curious thing. What we are comforted by in affliction can be as varied as the afflictions themselves. Though the comforts God provides are "common" like the trials we face, they like our afflictions, are quite intimate and individual. Certainly, we may all be comforted by all the promises in the Gospel we are also comforted by unique and very personal mercies.
In affliction we need to examine not only the affliction but we need to examine or look for that which brings us comfort. The danger we face is in comforting the flesh instead of the spirit. We talk of "comfort" food which my make us feel better but usually does little for our health and certainly does nothing for our spirit. We need to be very careful to examine what comforts us and we need to begin by asking if indeed it is a comfort from God.
The world, the flesh and the devil will always seek to take advantage of us when we are under affliction. When we are weak and most prone to lean on our own strength and wisdom that unholy three will do everything they can to lead us into comforts that are really no comfort at all. They seek to trap us into accepting counterfeit comforts which only serve to make our affliction worse and lead us to feel even further away from the Lord.
God's comforts are not primarily about making us "feel" better but rather they are intended to strengthen our faith and bring peace to our hearts. God wants us to lean upon Him all the time and especially in times of affliction. Indeed, the very purpose of many afflictions is to bring us back under His care, leaning on His provision. His comforts are intended for our growth, our perseverance and not necessarily for us to feel better. If they are to make us "feel" anything, it is confidence, strength, hope, love, etc.
God's comforts are, well, godly. They are part and parcel of His holiness and our sanctificaton.
Jesus asks:
Matthew 7:9-11 ESV
Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? [11] If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
This is as applicable to comforts as it is to any other prayer request we may make. Of course I would ask, which one of you, if his son asks for a serpent will give him one? In other words, there are times, and I suspect many times, when what we are praying for what we think is a "fish" is in truth a serpent.
James writes:
James 4:3, 7 ESV
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Comfort is not always about feeling better. That is a tough truth but a safe one. We have to pray hard that our hearts and minds will be open and receptive to the comfort that God would send and not demand what we believe will comfort us. We need, as I have said, to examine what we believe will comfort us to see if it is godly and according to His will.
Will it draw me closer to Him. Will it bring honor to His name? Will it contribute to my growing more like Christ. Is this a godly comfort,
In all affliction James' admonition is paramount:
James 4:7 ESV
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
In affliction our only and best hope is to submit ourselves to God, accepting the affliction as from Him and seeking how we may glorify Him in it. This will go a long way to enable us to seek, receive and ackowledge the comfort He provides and not seek those comforts which are counterfeits, traps.
What comforts you? What do you seek in affliction? Do you cry out to God for the comfort He wants you to have, do you submit yourself to His will? What comforts you?
Showing posts with label affliction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label affliction. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Broken Hearts and Bruised Souls 032514
Broken Hearts and Bruised Souls
032614
There are, in every congregation brothers and sisters who live with broken hearts and bruised souls. They sit quietly, usually alone in the back, pray haltingly and have a look of deep yearning on their faces.
They long to have a sense of being a part of the body but they sense that their "difference" somehow excludes them. They are alone in the crowd and being in the crowd makes their loneliness even greater. They sit and even with a frozen smile on their faces they weep rivers of tear inside.
I'm writing about the melacholy (depressed), the Bi-polar, those who suffer anxiety disorders and the like. They live in our world and go to our churches and yet they never have a sense of being a part of any of it.
Shame is a big part of their lives. They can't run, do, work or even feel as other do and so they have a sense of being aliens and strangers in a way you can only imagine.
They look OK, they even socialize ok but the cost of doing either or both is great. One hour in church and they are exhausted, they feel rode hard and put up wet. They are drained and so their hearts and souls ache regardless of the joy and hope that is theirs.
Imagine waking up each morning with a sense that your life is not worth living. Imagine waking up each morning terrified of what evil or difficulty might come your way. Imagine feeling like every odd look is an accusation, a confirmation of your difference. Imagine yearning for heaven more to escape your life than to be with the Lord.
These are broken hearts and bruised souls. These are some of the bruised reeds and smoldering wicks Jesus promised to not break or snuff out. But even that assurance does little to aleviate the pain and ache of being so very different and trying to fit in.
"Hi, my name is Fred and I want to die." Think about having that thought several times a day. Think about having to resist introducing yourself that way. Think about having that feeling and not being able to tell anyne about it. No, I don't mean they want to kill themselves, few do; but they live with a tension that tears at their hearts and souls every minute of every day.
No one understands except their counselor and even they are clueless apart from their objective clinical training. Their pastor does not understand. Their famiies do not understand. Worst of all, they do not understand.
Imagine having a wonderful blessing happen to you. You know it's a blessing. You see God's hand in it and yet instead of lifting your heart and soul you find yourself fighting a downward spiral. What would lift another up casts you down.
Imagine yearning for relief you know, short of a miracle, will not come. Imagine happiness making you sad, joy terrifying you and kindness seeming like condecention - pity of the pathetic.
Imagine having to live your life in your head because if you let it our people will flee. Imagine fighting every moment to just hang on and not give up. Imagine just wanting to sit in a darkened room until life fades away.
These bruised reeds need to be able to be who they are and live in the open. They need to be understood and their condition must be appreciated as real and terrible. They dont need pampering but they need to be able to speak their pain to someone(s) other than the folks they have to pay to listen.
They desperately need to have others understand that for them, their condition is as normal as it gets. Yes, they need sound biblical encouragement and admonishment and lots of other good and godly input. But most of all they need to be accepted, embraced.
Being a part of the life of a bruised reed is tough, trying and costly. Which is why so few of us are willing to be a part of their lives. They can be demanding and depressing, frustrating if not infuriating but that's more a factor of our limitations than their condition. It is more a part of our wanting to be comfortable and at our ease instead of involved in a messy ministry.
No, we are not all called to minister to these beautiful bruised reeds but we are all commanded to love them and they take a different kind of love. None of us are exempt from loving them up close and personal.
Fear keeps us at a distance and fear causes them to withdraw. Perfect love casts out fear - right or maybe?
032614
There are, in every congregation brothers and sisters who live with broken hearts and bruised souls. They sit quietly, usually alone in the back, pray haltingly and have a look of deep yearning on their faces.
They long to have a sense of being a part of the body but they sense that their "difference" somehow excludes them. They are alone in the crowd and being in the crowd makes their loneliness even greater. They sit and even with a frozen smile on their faces they weep rivers of tear inside.
I'm writing about the melacholy (depressed), the Bi-polar, those who suffer anxiety disorders and the like. They live in our world and go to our churches and yet they never have a sense of being a part of any of it.
Shame is a big part of their lives. They can't run, do, work or even feel as other do and so they have a sense of being aliens and strangers in a way you can only imagine.
They look OK, they even socialize ok but the cost of doing either or both is great. One hour in church and they are exhausted, they feel rode hard and put up wet. They are drained and so their hearts and souls ache regardless of the joy and hope that is theirs.
Imagine waking up each morning with a sense that your life is not worth living. Imagine waking up each morning terrified of what evil or difficulty might come your way. Imagine feeling like every odd look is an accusation, a confirmation of your difference. Imagine yearning for heaven more to escape your life than to be with the Lord.
These are broken hearts and bruised souls. These are some of the bruised reeds and smoldering wicks Jesus promised to not break or snuff out. But even that assurance does little to aleviate the pain and ache of being so very different and trying to fit in.
"Hi, my name is Fred and I want to die." Think about having that thought several times a day. Think about having to resist introducing yourself that way. Think about having that feeling and not being able to tell anyne about it. No, I don't mean they want to kill themselves, few do; but they live with a tension that tears at their hearts and souls every minute of every day.
No one understands except their counselor and even they are clueless apart from their objective clinical training. Their pastor does not understand. Their famiies do not understand. Worst of all, they do not understand.
Imagine having a wonderful blessing happen to you. You know it's a blessing. You see God's hand in it and yet instead of lifting your heart and soul you find yourself fighting a downward spiral. What would lift another up casts you down.
Imagine yearning for relief you know, short of a miracle, will not come. Imagine happiness making you sad, joy terrifying you and kindness seeming like condecention - pity of the pathetic.
Imagine having to live your life in your head because if you let it our people will flee. Imagine fighting every moment to just hang on and not give up. Imagine just wanting to sit in a darkened room until life fades away.
These bruised reeds need to be able to be who they are and live in the open. They need to be understood and their condition must be appreciated as real and terrible. They dont need pampering but they need to be able to speak their pain to someone(s) other than the folks they have to pay to listen.
They desperately need to have others understand that for them, their condition is as normal as it gets. Yes, they need sound biblical encouragement and admonishment and lots of other good and godly input. But most of all they need to be accepted, embraced.
Being a part of the life of a bruised reed is tough, trying and costly. Which is why so few of us are willing to be a part of their lives. They can be demanding and depressing, frustrating if not infuriating but that's more a factor of our limitations than their condition. It is more a part of our wanting to be comfortable and at our ease instead of involved in a messy ministry.
No, we are not all called to minister to these beautiful bruised reeds but we are all commanded to love them and they take a different kind of love. None of us are exempt from loving them up close and personal.
Fear keeps us at a distance and fear causes them to withdraw. Perfect love casts out fear - right or maybe?
Monday, March 24, 2014
Faith in Affliction Weak or Strong 032414
Faith in Affliction Weak or Strong
"If it never proves great, yet weak faith shall save; for it interests us in Christ, and makes Him and all His benefits ours. For it is not the strength of our faith that saves, but the truth of our faith, nor weakness of our faith that condemns, but the want of faith; for the least faith lays hold on Christ and so will save us. Nor are we saved by the worth or quantity of our faith but by Christ - who is laid hold on bu a weak faith as well as a strong - just as a weak hand that puts meat into the mouth shall feed and nourish the body as if it were a strong hand, but by the goodness of the meat." John Rogers, The Doctrine of Faith
In Affliction we are confronted with the strength or weakness of our faith. Indeed I think it is more often the latter than the former. But as Rogers writes even our mustard-seed faith is sufficient to lay hold of all that Christ provides and promises. The difference, perhaps, is more in our sense of faith than its sufficiency.
How often do we, in afflictions, find ourselves confronted with the laziness of our faith and consider it a sign of no or weak faith. This is not to be done. The exercise of our faith will indeed be commensurate with its strength or weakness but yet whether one or the other it is sufficient.
If our faith is weak, afflictions are great torments and trials and yet Christ is not stingy in His providence regardless. It is the object of our faith that is of the greatest import and what we often confuse with a weak faith is actually a misplaced faith.
We tend to trust God to provide according to our own reason and insight and when we do not see that happening we , in our distress, consider our faith to be too weak to have its effect. But brother and sister, by God's own Word, this cannot be. His promises are to those who believe whether small or large.
"Lord I believe, help Thou my unbelief," should be a fundamental prayer we pray in affliction. For we all have areas where our faith struggles to settle upon its true object and grow upon that object.
And, we must remember that our faith is a gift and gifts are given according to the desire of the giver and the need of the gifted. That one has what they consider a "small faith" is simply an invitation to stand amazed as God grows that faith in time and space. Indeed, once we are with Him there will be no weak of strong faith for our trust in Him will be complete.
In affliction we will find that we question the strength and veracity of our faith - or at least we seem to. However I find among believers that it is rarely a question of whether or not God will provide but rather how and when. This shows that we have faith in Him even if we struggle in the details.
But some believers do struggle with whether or not God will provide. Wondrously and happily this doubt is usually based upon their view of their own worthiness to even get God's attention much less His provision. This is "works" thinking and we all do it. There is nothing like an affliction to kick us into the old, "I'm not worthy," or to bring to our remembrance every jot and tittle of our sins.
Well, we are not worthy - period. But in and through Christ we are - but only through Him. Yes, God may indeed, through some affliction, chastise us for sin. But this is a mercy for first it falls far far short of what any sin deserves and second it is meant to cleanse, to refine the dross out of our hearts and lives. Yet we often fail to see the blessedness of God's heavy hand upon us and we miss praising Him for that mercy.
Trusting God in affliction is simple but it is not easy. The world mocks, the flesh wrestles with shame and the devil accuses and taunts. That's a tough trio to contend with. But knowing the source should drive us to look to God more intensly and humbly and - sometimes - desperately.
But, isn't the bottom line our redemption? Isn't that the aim of our faith as Christ who provides it is the object? Do we want heaven of relief more? Do we want the comfort of our salvation or the comfort of things? Do we want the praise of men or the "well done" of Christ?
Faith in affliction looks to its object and the priorities held by that object. Which means that our priority should be the glory of God and our ultimate home with Him. Everything else is NOT unimportant but it is secondary if not tertiary.
Therefore let us turn to Christ in our affliction and to His Word and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in getting our priorities back in line. Let us allow the anxiety of trials to wash over us and away from us as we call out to God in supplication and thanksgiving.
"Though I am not pleased with God's chastisement, I will be pleased with its effect. Though I struggle to thank Him for this testing I praise Him for loving me enough to test me. Though I am assailed with fear let me be filled with His comfort. May I accept this affliction as a mercy and blessing from my God who is determined to transform me into the likeness of my loving Savior." ms
"If it never proves great, yet weak faith shall save; for it interests us in Christ, and makes Him and all His benefits ours. For it is not the strength of our faith that saves, but the truth of our faith, nor weakness of our faith that condemns, but the want of faith; for the least faith lays hold on Christ and so will save us. Nor are we saved by the worth or quantity of our faith but by Christ - who is laid hold on bu a weak faith as well as a strong - just as a weak hand that puts meat into the mouth shall feed and nourish the body as if it were a strong hand, but by the goodness of the meat." John Rogers, The Doctrine of Faith
In Affliction we are confronted with the strength or weakness of our faith. Indeed I think it is more often the latter than the former. But as Rogers writes even our mustard-seed faith is sufficient to lay hold of all that Christ provides and promises. The difference, perhaps, is more in our sense of faith than its sufficiency.
How often do we, in afflictions, find ourselves confronted with the laziness of our faith and consider it a sign of no or weak faith. This is not to be done. The exercise of our faith will indeed be commensurate with its strength or weakness but yet whether one or the other it is sufficient.
If our faith is weak, afflictions are great torments and trials and yet Christ is not stingy in His providence regardless. It is the object of our faith that is of the greatest import and what we often confuse with a weak faith is actually a misplaced faith.
We tend to trust God to provide according to our own reason and insight and when we do not see that happening we , in our distress, consider our faith to be too weak to have its effect. But brother and sister, by God's own Word, this cannot be. His promises are to those who believe whether small or large.
"Lord I believe, help Thou my unbelief," should be a fundamental prayer we pray in affliction. For we all have areas where our faith struggles to settle upon its true object and grow upon that object.
And, we must remember that our faith is a gift and gifts are given according to the desire of the giver and the need of the gifted. That one has what they consider a "small faith" is simply an invitation to stand amazed as God grows that faith in time and space. Indeed, once we are with Him there will be no weak of strong faith for our trust in Him will be complete.
In affliction we will find that we question the strength and veracity of our faith - or at least we seem to. However I find among believers that it is rarely a question of whether or not God will provide but rather how and when. This shows that we have faith in Him even if we struggle in the details.
But some believers do struggle with whether or not God will provide. Wondrously and happily this doubt is usually based upon their view of their own worthiness to even get God's attention much less His provision. This is "works" thinking and we all do it. There is nothing like an affliction to kick us into the old, "I'm not worthy," or to bring to our remembrance every jot and tittle of our sins.
Well, we are not worthy - period. But in and through Christ we are - but only through Him. Yes, God may indeed, through some affliction, chastise us for sin. But this is a mercy for first it falls far far short of what any sin deserves and second it is meant to cleanse, to refine the dross out of our hearts and lives. Yet we often fail to see the blessedness of God's heavy hand upon us and we miss praising Him for that mercy.
Trusting God in affliction is simple but it is not easy. The world mocks, the flesh wrestles with shame and the devil accuses and taunts. That's a tough trio to contend with. But knowing the source should drive us to look to God more intensly and humbly and - sometimes - desperately.
But, isn't the bottom line our redemption? Isn't that the aim of our faith as Christ who provides it is the object? Do we want heaven of relief more? Do we want the comfort of our salvation or the comfort of things? Do we want the praise of men or the "well done" of Christ?
Faith in affliction looks to its object and the priorities held by that object. Which means that our priority should be the glory of God and our ultimate home with Him. Everything else is NOT unimportant but it is secondary if not tertiary.
Therefore let us turn to Christ in our affliction and to His Word and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in getting our priorities back in line. Let us allow the anxiety of trials to wash over us and away from us as we call out to God in supplication and thanksgiving.
"Though I am not pleased with God's chastisement, I will be pleased with its effect. Though I struggle to thank Him for this testing I praise Him for loving me enough to test me. Though I am assailed with fear let me be filled with His comfort. May I accept this affliction as a mercy and blessing from my God who is determined to transform me into the likeness of my loving Savior." ms
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Uses of Affliction 09 032214
Uses of Afflictoin 09
FINI
"Oh how unskillfull and unwise am I to manage a suffering condition, to discern God's ends, to find out what God would have me to do, to moderate the vileness of my own passions, to apply the counsels and comforts of the Word for their proper ends and use."
Thomas Case, A Treatise on Afflcitions
God never allows affliction into the lives of His people for no good purpose. As we have briefly seen there are uses for aflictions and they are indeed mercies.
However as Thomas Case wrote (above) we are unskillful and unwise in managing a "suffering condition." But perhaps this is the greatest usage of afflictions, to provide us with the opportunity to gain the skill and wisdom we lack.
The Word and the Spirit are suffcient for us to begin (and continue) to develop the requisite skills and wisdom to make blessings our of buffetings. If we will ony make use of these graces we will find that no matter how dark and difficult the affliction we can and will learn to bear up under it. But we must make use of God's providence!
Sin, of course, is at the root of all affliction. The corruption of the whole creation is both the catalyst and continuance of all we suffer. Perhaps we fail to understand this or resist accepting this. Were the whole of creation not so corrupted, well, we'd still be in the garden wouldn't we? But we are not and so we MUST learn, we must seek the skill and wisdom we need.
It is an oft repeated, much misused and wonderful admonishment to us to, "Trust in the Lord with all your might and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL your ways acknoledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Note it is straight paths we are promised not smooth and easy ones. Why, oh why will we not yield to His will in all conditions and circumstances and trust His love and power?
We love our ease and comforts too much and have been infected with a view of our faith that is diluted with falsehood and evil. We are PROMISED tribulation, persecution, hatred, etc. in this world. Why do we fight against what the Lord has made clear?
We are promised His presence and His provision to live for Him in this world but it is prayer to change our hearts not prayer to change our world that is needed. Oh we can pray for an change of condition and circumstance but I think that if our focus is on that we have missed the whole point and our afflcitions do not accomplish what He intendes.
We sing;
Have Thy own way Lord.
Have Thy own way.
Hold or my being
absolute sway.
But do we simply mouth the words instead of singing the prayer?
We sing;
Create in me a clean heart
Oh Lord
and renew a right spirit within me
But we are unwilling to allow Him to do so if it causes us any dis-ease or loss of comfort.
Affliction are, whether we will or can see it, mercies, indeed blessings for in them we are made more like our Master for we merrely share in the afflcitions He suffered for us.
Are we willing for God to bring and use afflictions to conform us to our Master's likeness?
FINI
"Oh how unskillfull and unwise am I to manage a suffering condition, to discern God's ends, to find out what God would have me to do, to moderate the vileness of my own passions, to apply the counsels and comforts of the Word for their proper ends and use."
Thomas Case, A Treatise on Afflcitions
God never allows affliction into the lives of His people for no good purpose. As we have briefly seen there are uses for aflictions and they are indeed mercies.
However as Thomas Case wrote (above) we are unskillful and unwise in managing a "suffering condition." But perhaps this is the greatest usage of afflictions, to provide us with the opportunity to gain the skill and wisdom we lack.
The Word and the Spirit are suffcient for us to begin (and continue) to develop the requisite skills and wisdom to make blessings our of buffetings. If we will ony make use of these graces we will find that no matter how dark and difficult the affliction we can and will learn to bear up under it. But we must make use of God's providence!
Sin, of course, is at the root of all affliction. The corruption of the whole creation is both the catalyst and continuance of all we suffer. Perhaps we fail to understand this or resist accepting this. Were the whole of creation not so corrupted, well, we'd still be in the garden wouldn't we? But we are not and so we MUST learn, we must seek the skill and wisdom we need.
It is an oft repeated, much misused and wonderful admonishment to us to, "Trust in the Lord with all your might and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL your ways acknoledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Note it is straight paths we are promised not smooth and easy ones. Why, oh why will we not yield to His will in all conditions and circumstances and trust His love and power?
We love our ease and comforts too much and have been infected with a view of our faith that is diluted with falsehood and evil. We are PROMISED tribulation, persecution, hatred, etc. in this world. Why do we fight against what the Lord has made clear?
We are promised His presence and His provision to live for Him in this world but it is prayer to change our hearts not prayer to change our world that is needed. Oh we can pray for an change of condition and circumstance but I think that if our focus is on that we have missed the whole point and our afflcitions do not accomplish what He intendes.
We sing;
Have Thy own way Lord.
Have Thy own way.
Hold or my being
absolute sway.
But do we simply mouth the words instead of singing the prayer?
We sing;
Create in me a clean heart
Oh Lord
and renew a right spirit within me
But we are unwilling to allow Him to do so if it causes us any dis-ease or loss of comfort.
Affliction are, whether we will or can see it, mercies, indeed blessings for in them we are made more like our Master for we merrely share in the afflcitions He suffered for us.
Are we willing for God to bring and use afflictions to conform us to our Master's likeness?
Friday, March 21, 2014
Uses of Affliction 08
Uses of Affliction 08
7. The exercise of grace in the children of God
Grace must apply to something. Grace is given for a purpose. We could write long on the purpose of grace but others are better suited to undertake such a profound work. For us, here, grace is given that we may be free but freedon is not free.
The freedom God calls us to cost Him much and once He calls us into it, it will cost us all. All our self-love, all our selfish fears, all our selfish demands, all our self-focused worship, all our self-directed service. What the application and exercize of grace costs us is our sin. It relentlessly digs and digs to remove the root of our sin. This is a work of grace, a free gift and yet a costly one.
Are we willing to see and accept that afflcitions - all afflictions are indeed intended to exercize grace in our lives? Are we willing to accept that no matter how dark and difficult the affliction it is God is working for our good and His glory?
There is no requirement for God to work thusly in our lives except for His character, His love for us. So we must pray to understand that even afflictions are gracious and wonderful acts of God in our lives.
No, they are not pleasant but they are necessary for our sanctification.
I read a great deal in the Puritains and they all speak of sharing in the suffering of Christ (as do the Epistles). Why are we so very resistant to this? Where have we gotten the idea that being His menas a trouble free life when He promised us tribulations. And where do we ever get the idea that a trouble free life means that we must be doing something pleasing to Him when a trouble free life more often indicated an apathetic existance.
Afflcitons drive us to Him and when we are His afflictions serve to keep us close. Rare is the believer who stays near (or even is near) to Him when in comfort or at ease. Comfort and ease have been mistaken as relating to our blessedness when indeed they are traps of apathy and faithlessness.
Paul tells us that God is a God of comfort in all our afflcitions. One might assume (cautiously) that being afflicted is the norm for the believer. And indeed, if we are truly aliens and strangers here afflictions are the norm. This is not home - this life is not the point - and God'ss gracious afflcitions keep us mindful of that.
Let us keep in mind the "uses" of afflciton and embrace them with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Uses of Afflictions
The trial of one's state, whether one is in the state of grace of not.
Excitation to duty, weaning one from this world, and prompting him to look after the happiness of the other world.
Conviction of sin.
Correction and punishment for sin.
Preventing sin.
Discovery of latent corruption whether in saints of sinners.
The exercize of grace in the chidren of God
7. The exercise of grace in the children of God
Grace must apply to something. Grace is given for a purpose. We could write long on the purpose of grace but others are better suited to undertake such a profound work. For us, here, grace is given that we may be free but freedon is not free.
The freedom God calls us to cost Him much and once He calls us into it, it will cost us all. All our self-love, all our selfish fears, all our selfish demands, all our self-focused worship, all our self-directed service. What the application and exercize of grace costs us is our sin. It relentlessly digs and digs to remove the root of our sin. This is a work of grace, a free gift and yet a costly one.
Are we willing to see and accept that afflcitions - all afflictions are indeed intended to exercize grace in our lives? Are we willing to accept that no matter how dark and difficult the affliction it is God is working for our good and His glory?
There is no requirement for God to work thusly in our lives except for His character, His love for us. So we must pray to understand that even afflictions are gracious and wonderful acts of God in our lives.
No, they are not pleasant but they are necessary for our sanctification.
I read a great deal in the Puritains and they all speak of sharing in the suffering of Christ (as do the Epistles). Why are we so very resistant to this? Where have we gotten the idea that being His menas a trouble free life when He promised us tribulations. And where do we ever get the idea that a trouble free life means that we must be doing something pleasing to Him when a trouble free life more often indicated an apathetic existance.
Afflcitons drive us to Him and when we are His afflictions serve to keep us close. Rare is the believer who stays near (or even is near) to Him when in comfort or at ease. Comfort and ease have been mistaken as relating to our blessedness when indeed they are traps of apathy and faithlessness.
Paul tells us that God is a God of comfort in all our afflcitions. One might assume (cautiously) that being afflicted is the norm for the believer. And indeed, if we are truly aliens and strangers here afflictions are the norm. This is not home - this life is not the point - and God'ss gracious afflcitions keep us mindful of that.
Let us keep in mind the "uses" of afflciton and embrace them with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Uses of Afflictions
The trial of one's state, whether one is in the state of grace of not.
Excitation to duty, weaning one from this world, and prompting him to look after the happiness of the other world.
Conviction of sin.
Correction and punishment for sin.
Preventing sin.
Discovery of latent corruption whether in saints of sinners.
The exercize of grace in the chidren of God
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Uses of Affliction 07 032014
Uses of Affliction 07
6. Discovery of latent corruption whether in saints of sinners.
Oh yes! Murmur - murmur - murmur - - -
Peek-a-boo sins are tough ones. They lie quietly in the shadows just waiting for their trigger.
Take our afflcition. We never susupected we were lukewarn and lazy - but we were. We never thought of ourselves as materialistic - but we were. We would have been aghast had anyone told us we were prideful - until pride raised its ugly head. We would never have thught our trust in God was alloyed with a trust in stuff and people - but it was. We never would have seen how our wills were still competing with His - but they were. (OK -you can change and the "weres to "ares" for the sake of full disclosure).
Our latent sin is exposed by our affliction. We are convicted of that sin. We repent. We are restored and continue in our growth.
We struggle and will struggle with latent sin until He comes. And strugggle we must if indeed our goal is to be conformed as God wishes us to be conformed to His likeness, to be holy as He is holy.
Afflistions will turn up the heat to bring those latent sins to the surface and this is a great mercy. God could leave us to hopelessly struggle but His grace and mercy provide for our need in this and His Holy Spirit will battle for, with and even agwinst us (our flesh) to root out such sinfulness and cleanse our hearts.
Please, please consider the wonder of a sin hating God who will do all in His great power to relieve us of this toxic remainder. He is willing to do whatever He must to expose and then address that sin that lurks beneath our awareness. Though sometimes hard and unpleasant the result is merciful and magnificent.
I will tell you that most likely what the affliction will expose is the depth of our self-love. It is not behaviors that afflcitions expose here but those deep and abiding roots of pride and self-ness that result in the sinful behaviors and attitiudes. It is the ehart that God wishes to heal and relieve.
6. Discovery of latent corruption whether in saints of sinners.
Oh yes! Murmur - murmur - murmur - - -
Peek-a-boo sins are tough ones. They lie quietly in the shadows just waiting for their trigger.
Take our afflcition. We never susupected we were lukewarn and lazy - but we were. We never thought of ourselves as materialistic - but we were. We would have been aghast had anyone told us we were prideful - until pride raised its ugly head. We would never have thught our trust in God was alloyed with a trust in stuff and people - but it was. We never would have seen how our wills were still competing with His - but they were. (OK -you can change and the "weres to "ares" for the sake of full disclosure).
Our latent sin is exposed by our affliction. We are convicted of that sin. We repent. We are restored and continue in our growth.
We struggle and will struggle with latent sin until He comes. And strugggle we must if indeed our goal is to be conformed as God wishes us to be conformed to His likeness, to be holy as He is holy.
Afflistions will turn up the heat to bring those latent sins to the surface and this is a great mercy. God could leave us to hopelessly struggle but His grace and mercy provide for our need in this and His Holy Spirit will battle for, with and even agwinst us (our flesh) to root out such sinfulness and cleanse our hearts.
Please, please consider the wonder of a sin hating God who will do all in His great power to relieve us of this toxic remainder. He is willing to do whatever He must to expose and then address that sin that lurks beneath our awareness. Though sometimes hard and unpleasant the result is merciful and magnificent.
I will tell you that most likely what the affliction will expose is the depth of our self-love. It is not behaviors that afflcitions expose here but those deep and abiding roots of pride and self-ness that result in the sinful behaviors and attitiudes. It is the ehart that God wishes to heal and relieve.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Uses of Affliction 05 031814
Uses of Affliction 05
4. Correction and punishment for sin.
For those who do not think God punishes our sin here perhaps a re-reading of the OT would be appropriate. We like to avoid that word punishment by using words like correct or discipline but changing the word does not change God's purpose. Nor is it any better to talk of God allowing us to suffer the consequences of our sin as opposed to saying He punishes them. Allowing us to face the consequences of our sin is in and of itself a form of punishment.
Sorry folks, but God not only forgives but He punishes as well. Afflictions are His means of conveying His displeasure, correcting, applying discipline - punishing sin. It is His mercy and grace that limits the intensity of the affliction for we all know quite clearly what we actuallly deserve for our sin.
I know few believers for who a simple note concerning some sin they are trapped in would suffice. It seems the bigger and deeper the sin the bigger and deeper the punishment. Wow - aren't we distressed by the idea of God punishing us for our sin?
Now many of you will have a hard time with this idea and I can sympathise. For many of us punishment means an excessinve act of arbitrary anger on the part of someone in authority. It does not seem so much like correction as revenge for some wrong we have committed hence we have a terrible time thinking of God's punishment.
But, at least for me, the important thing is that God's punishment has a point, a purpose and it is done in love. God's punishment is intended for our sanctification - our being conformed to the likeness of Christ - which should be a point and purpose for us as well.
Grace is NOT a free pass, a get out of jail free card. Grace is the turning away of the eternal punishment we deserve onto Christ so that we may never never need fear it. But in our daiy lives, in our daily sanctification God will punish us for sins especially those sins which are deeply set in our hearts.
You love temporal tiing too much, they are little gods in your life? That is sin and god may well see the need to punish you for your idolatry. He may well see that only exile will bring you back from the edge. Perhaps He may allow or impose some physical issue or impairment. Perhaps you will suffer the loss place or position. Perhaps, as seems more and more likely, you will suffer imprinsoment, a loss of freedom for your sin.
But punshment is a mean God uses to correct and discipline His children in love and a deep unknowlable desire that they be comformed to Christ's likeness. Punishment always has a point - a purpose.
I struggle with this as Patti and I pass through the affliction we are facing. I used all the soft words (correction, discipline, refining, etc) for what is taking place but as time passes and my sin was made clearer. I ceased to be shocked by the idea that God might be punishing me - I certainly deserved it and I don't know that anything less would have made the impact this punishment did.
I struggled with the idea that God was mad at me and was rejecting me even that I had never believed in the first place. But the more I prayed and read the Word the more I came to see that God was never closer to me than when He found it necessary to punish me to bring me out of sin.
Not all afflcition must be seen as punishment. It may very well be simple correction or common discipline but we can not afford to refuse the idea that God does and will punish His erring children for His glory for their good.
Punishment is not the absense of grace or mercy. Indeed I've come to think that, for the believer, God's punishment for sin is an act of mercy and a great reminder of grace. There is a certain sweetness to the rod when we see it as an act of mercy. He loves us that much.
When my father used to punish me he would always tell me "This hurts me more that it does you." I neve believed him - don't believe it even today - but what I feel about that is not what I feel about God's punishment. His love is so mighty, so intense that I do believe that when He punishes one of His, it does hurt Him more than it does us.
One of the uses of afflcition is indeed to punish - to show us in a very up close and personal way if not the wages of sin then the pocket change.
4. Correction and punishment for sin.
For those who do not think God punishes our sin here perhaps a re-reading of the OT would be appropriate. We like to avoid that word punishment by using words like correct or discipline but changing the word does not change God's purpose. Nor is it any better to talk of God allowing us to suffer the consequences of our sin as opposed to saying He punishes them. Allowing us to face the consequences of our sin is in and of itself a form of punishment.
Sorry folks, but God not only forgives but He punishes as well. Afflictions are His means of conveying His displeasure, correcting, applying discipline - punishing sin. It is His mercy and grace that limits the intensity of the affliction for we all know quite clearly what we actuallly deserve for our sin.
I know few believers for who a simple note concerning some sin they are trapped in would suffice. It seems the bigger and deeper the sin the bigger and deeper the punishment. Wow - aren't we distressed by the idea of God punishing us for our sin?
Now many of you will have a hard time with this idea and I can sympathise. For many of us punishment means an excessinve act of arbitrary anger on the part of someone in authority. It does not seem so much like correction as revenge for some wrong we have committed hence we have a terrible time thinking of God's punishment.
But, at least for me, the important thing is that God's punishment has a point, a purpose and it is done in love. God's punishment is intended for our sanctification - our being conformed to the likeness of Christ - which should be a point and purpose for us as well.
Grace is NOT a free pass, a get out of jail free card. Grace is the turning away of the eternal punishment we deserve onto Christ so that we may never never need fear it. But in our daiy lives, in our daily sanctification God will punish us for sins especially those sins which are deeply set in our hearts.
You love temporal tiing too much, they are little gods in your life? That is sin and god may well see the need to punish you for your idolatry. He may well see that only exile will bring you back from the edge. Perhaps He may allow or impose some physical issue or impairment. Perhaps you will suffer the loss place or position. Perhaps, as seems more and more likely, you will suffer imprinsoment, a loss of freedom for your sin.
But punshment is a mean God uses to correct and discipline His children in love and a deep unknowlable desire that they be comformed to Christ's likeness. Punishment always has a point - a purpose.
I struggle with this as Patti and I pass through the affliction we are facing. I used all the soft words (correction, discipline, refining, etc) for what is taking place but as time passes and my sin was made clearer. I ceased to be shocked by the idea that God might be punishing me - I certainly deserved it and I don't know that anything less would have made the impact this punishment did.
I struggled with the idea that God was mad at me and was rejecting me even that I had never believed in the first place. But the more I prayed and read the Word the more I came to see that God was never closer to me than when He found it necessary to punish me to bring me out of sin.
Not all afflcition must be seen as punishment. It may very well be simple correction or common discipline but we can not afford to refuse the idea that God does and will punish His erring children for His glory for their good.
Punishment is not the absense of grace or mercy. Indeed I've come to think that, for the believer, God's punishment for sin is an act of mercy and a great reminder of grace. There is a certain sweetness to the rod when we see it as an act of mercy. He loves us that much.
When my father used to punish me he would always tell me "This hurts me more that it does you." I neve believed him - don't believe it even today - but what I feel about that is not what I feel about God's punishment. His love is so mighty, so intense that I do believe that when He punishes one of His, it does hurt Him more than it does us.
One of the uses of afflcition is indeed to punish - to show us in a very up close and personal way if not the wages of sin then the pocket change.
Monday, March 17, 2014
Uses of Affliction 04 031714
Uses of Afflcition 04
3. Conviction of sin.
Now we quit preaching and go to meddleing :0.
There is nothing like an afflcition to clearly expose the depth of the remaining corruption we need to address. Nothing can expose the sin still lurking in our hearts like a good ol' afflcition.
Over the past 15 months or so as we have dealt with a certain amount of afflcition. Through it I have discovered sinfulness I never would have named as being my own. I have never known the depth of my self-love and selfishness until the Lord brought our afflcition.
Even as I was examining my faith and my attachment to the world (Uses 1 and 2) I was overwhelmed by the insidiousness of my sin. My pride and resentment, my presumption, my poor stewardship - it all was exposed to a degree I had never experienced.
Prayer was the first to fall. I discovered that many of my prayers were a redundant chorus of "me me me my my my mine mine mine IIIIIIII." I was shocked to say the least. But I would not have noticed had we not been under an affliction. They tend to get your focus on yourself in a real unhealthy way.
It took real focus and effort to correct my self-absorbed prayers but they were sin and had to be confronted and corrected - it certainly was convicting.
But more than the mechanics of our walk, afflcitions really drill down into our hearts and expose the silt and "stuff" - the sin - that still resides there. Anger, pride, resentment, presumption are just a few I've found and they were there in very subtle forms - but they were there.
They say that the most important thing to a shepherd is the fence that keeps the sheep in. That, from my experience, is very true. Afflictions come where and when we are outside the fence and they come to draw us back in. That's how good Shepherds work with their sheep.
We need to pay serious heed to the fact that "conviction" means we have been found guilty. Conviciton is a fact. Yes, we may have feelings that attend it but it is not a feeling. It is a cold hard fact! And affliction should bring conviction.
We need the heat of afflcitions to expose and draw off the dross in us, the sin in us. Without the refining heat of afflcition the dross simply keeps accumulating until we are full of it.
I read a piece today that stated something on the order of, 'In Christ we never lack anything we need. If we do not have it we may assume we do not need it (yet, if at all).'
Inversely may we not assume that if God takes something away it is becasue we need for it to be taken away? I think so.
But funadmentaly and critically afflictions bring (or should bring) conviction of sin. God is getting our attention and calling us to a deeper examination of our hearts. Do not assume yu will not find any sin there! You must! And in finding it you must accept the conviction (fact of your guilt) and then repentantly address the sin.
3. Conviction of sin.
Now we quit preaching and go to meddleing :0.
There is nothing like an afflcition to clearly expose the depth of the remaining corruption we need to address. Nothing can expose the sin still lurking in our hearts like a good ol' afflcition.
Over the past 15 months or so as we have dealt with a certain amount of afflcition. Through it I have discovered sinfulness I never would have named as being my own. I have never known the depth of my self-love and selfishness until the Lord brought our afflcition.
Even as I was examining my faith and my attachment to the world (Uses 1 and 2) I was overwhelmed by the insidiousness of my sin. My pride and resentment, my presumption, my poor stewardship - it all was exposed to a degree I had never experienced.
Prayer was the first to fall. I discovered that many of my prayers were a redundant chorus of "me me me my my my mine mine mine IIIIIIII." I was shocked to say the least. But I would not have noticed had we not been under an affliction. They tend to get your focus on yourself in a real unhealthy way.
It took real focus and effort to correct my self-absorbed prayers but they were sin and had to be confronted and corrected - it certainly was convicting.
But more than the mechanics of our walk, afflcitions really drill down into our hearts and expose the silt and "stuff" - the sin - that still resides there. Anger, pride, resentment, presumption are just a few I've found and they were there in very subtle forms - but they were there.
They say that the most important thing to a shepherd is the fence that keeps the sheep in. That, from my experience, is very true. Afflictions come where and when we are outside the fence and they come to draw us back in. That's how good Shepherds work with their sheep.
We need to pay serious heed to the fact that "conviction" means we have been found guilty. Conviciton is a fact. Yes, we may have feelings that attend it but it is not a feeling. It is a cold hard fact! And affliction should bring conviction.
We need the heat of afflcitions to expose and draw off the dross in us, the sin in us. Without the refining heat of afflcition the dross simply keeps accumulating until we are full of it.
I read a piece today that stated something on the order of, 'In Christ we never lack anything we need. If we do not have it we may assume we do not need it (yet, if at all).'
Inversely may we not assume that if God takes something away it is becasue we need for it to be taken away? I think so.
But funadmentaly and critically afflictions bring (or should bring) conviction of sin. God is getting our attention and calling us to a deeper examination of our hearts. Do not assume yu will not find any sin there! You must! And in finding it you must accept the conviction (fact of your guilt) and then repentantly address the sin.
Friday, March 14, 2014
Uses of Affliction 03 031414
Uses of Afflcition 03
2. Excitation to duty, weaning one from this world, and prompting him to look after the happiness of the other world.
There is one wonderful scipture that encourages us in this:
1 John 2:15-17 NASB
Do not love the world nor the things in the world If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [16] For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. [17] The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
We recently experienced some bad weather here and many people lost power. Nothing big but a good reminder of how attached we become to the comforts of this world and to the minimization of our looking to the comforts of the next. Afflictions, whatever their nature, are one way God not only gets our attention but moves us to action be it service, simplicity or paying more attention to the promises of the next world.
We need to be moved to duty. It's too easy to become complacent and lazy even in our duties. We get into a very comfortable rut and we just run along it day in and day out until we have become numb to what we ought to be about. Even in our duties we can become comfortable to our hurt.
Prayer can become perfuntory, Bible Study can become bland and worship can become worthless in the comfortable ease of the day to day. But God won't have that. He will and does bring afflictions that reveal the weakness and wantonness of our service. When God seems to withdraw we tend to draw closer.
This is a sad commentary on many of us - many many of us - so many of us that it seems to be the norm. And so God will bring a crook to our lot so we will see our error and repent.
Affilctions also wean us from the world. I made the comment while our power was on and our internet was off that there didn't seem much point to having power if we didn;t have the net. This is an example of how comfortable we can get with all the geegaws and gadgets we have and how we begin to rely upon them for way too much.
The loss or thereatened loss of material blessings can really demonstrate for us our dependence upon them to a neglect of depending upon God. And NO cheating - don;t try to tell me you depend upon God for your web connection - that's a stretch.
How many "things" do you really depend upon that get in the way of your dependence upon God. What would hurt the worst to lose? What can you not see yourself giving up? If you have "bad hair" days - days that are just ruined over the trivial material things then you may look for an affliction to wean you away from it.
Can you see how use 1 ties into use 2? Afflictions lead us to examine our faith and that examination has much to do with our attachment to this world and the "things" of it. Not only that but the "things" of this world have much to do with, "the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life." Which in turn has much to do with how much our hearts are set on the next world as opposed to being stuck on this one.
James writes:
James 1:2 NASB
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
And if we a serious about our faith we will wlecome these trials as God's gracious providence. Even with only uses 1 and 2 we can see how afflictions are, what I call, "left-handed blessings." They don't look like blessings, they don't feel like blessings, and they do not even small like blessings - but if they drive or move us to seriously examines, our service, our attachment to this world and our longing for the next they are indeed blessings.
2. Excitation to duty, weaning one from this world, and prompting him to look after the happiness of the other world.
There is one wonderful scipture that encourages us in this:
1 John 2:15-17 NASB
Do not love the world nor the things in the world If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [16] For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. [17] The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
We recently experienced some bad weather here and many people lost power. Nothing big but a good reminder of how attached we become to the comforts of this world and to the minimization of our looking to the comforts of the next. Afflictions, whatever their nature, are one way God not only gets our attention but moves us to action be it service, simplicity or paying more attention to the promises of the next world.
We need to be moved to duty. It's too easy to become complacent and lazy even in our duties. We get into a very comfortable rut and we just run along it day in and day out until we have become numb to what we ought to be about. Even in our duties we can become comfortable to our hurt.
Prayer can become perfuntory, Bible Study can become bland and worship can become worthless in the comfortable ease of the day to day. But God won't have that. He will and does bring afflictions that reveal the weakness and wantonness of our service. When God seems to withdraw we tend to draw closer.
This is a sad commentary on many of us - many many of us - so many of us that it seems to be the norm. And so God will bring a crook to our lot so we will see our error and repent.
Affilctions also wean us from the world. I made the comment while our power was on and our internet was off that there didn't seem much point to having power if we didn;t have the net. This is an example of how comfortable we can get with all the geegaws and gadgets we have and how we begin to rely upon them for way too much.
The loss or thereatened loss of material blessings can really demonstrate for us our dependence upon them to a neglect of depending upon God. And NO cheating - don;t try to tell me you depend upon God for your web connection - that's a stretch.
How many "things" do you really depend upon that get in the way of your dependence upon God. What would hurt the worst to lose? What can you not see yourself giving up? If you have "bad hair" days - days that are just ruined over the trivial material things then you may look for an affliction to wean you away from it.
Can you see how use 1 ties into use 2? Afflictions lead us to examine our faith and that examination has much to do with our attachment to this world and the "things" of it. Not only that but the "things" of this world have much to do with, "the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life." Which in turn has much to do with how much our hearts are set on the next world as opposed to being stuck on this one.
James writes:
James 1:2 NASB
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
And if we a serious about our faith we will wlecome these trials as God's gracious providence. Even with only uses 1 and 2 we can see how afflictions are, what I call, "left-handed blessings." They don't look like blessings, they don't feel like blessings, and they do not even small like blessings - but if they drive or move us to seriously examines, our service, our attachment to this world and our longing for the next they are indeed blessings.
Monday, February 10, 2014
A Constant Battle 010914
Do you find yourself dealing with, "If You will ....... I will ......." type prayers or choices?
It is so sy to fall into bargaining with God for His blessing and provision. And this is especaillly true when we are under any affliction or struggle.
Satan loves to bring to our minds all of our sins and even though they are forgiven in Christ he uses their awfulness to make us think we are condemned - even thoug that is not possible.
So we go to God and try to make a deal. Or we undertake some duty thinking that if I just do this He will bless me.
This is, above all things, an isnight into the sin that yet clings to our hearts. It's there and it will continue to affect our thinking and prayer. But we must pray that the Spirit will expose this to us that we may pray against it. So we may see it coming and bypass it in our prayers.
Oh if we could only grasp the fullness of His forgiveness. If we were not so tied to ourselves and could see Him and His love through the self-ness we are plaugued with.
This need to prove that we are either really in need or that we are really worthy of His help drives so many of us to despair and confusion.
Take heart in the fact that in this you are not alone. Most mature believers will tell you that they still struggle with this. So you are not alone among believers in your struggle.
But you are not alone beyond that either. God knows the habits of abiding sin. He is not shocked when we come to Him this way. He knows our struggle and appreciated the depth of it. He knows all of our heart and He would heal it of this struggle.
Acknowledge and confess these "bargain" prayers. Realize that God can not but give us what is best for us. Yes, He desires - no, He commands our obedience but that is based on who He is and what He has done. Gratitude does not nullify grace but embellishes and enlivens it.
OK- enough. That was on my mind because day I caught myself at it. Mmmmm figured you might catch yourself at it too.
M
It is so sy to fall into bargaining with God for His blessing and provision. And this is especaillly true when we are under any affliction or struggle.
Satan loves to bring to our minds all of our sins and even though they are forgiven in Christ he uses their awfulness to make us think we are condemned - even thoug that is not possible.
So we go to God and try to make a deal. Or we undertake some duty thinking that if I just do this He will bless me.
This is, above all things, an isnight into the sin that yet clings to our hearts. It's there and it will continue to affect our thinking and prayer. But we must pray that the Spirit will expose this to us that we may pray against it. So we may see it coming and bypass it in our prayers.
Oh if we could only grasp the fullness of His forgiveness. If we were not so tied to ourselves and could see Him and His love through the self-ness we are plaugued with.
This need to prove that we are either really in need or that we are really worthy of His help drives so many of us to despair and confusion.
Take heart in the fact that in this you are not alone. Most mature believers will tell you that they still struggle with this. So you are not alone among believers in your struggle.
But you are not alone beyond that either. God knows the habits of abiding sin. He is not shocked when we come to Him this way. He knows our struggle and appreciated the depth of it. He knows all of our heart and He would heal it of this struggle.
Acknowledge and confess these "bargain" prayers. Realize that God can not but give us what is best for us. Yes, He desires - no, He commands our obedience but that is based on who He is and what He has done. Gratitude does not nullify grace but embellishes and enlivens it.
OK- enough. That was on my mind because day I caught myself at it. Mmmmm figured you might catch yourself at it too.
M
Monday, February 3, 2014
Melacholy - 020314 After morning blessings 10:00am
I am melacholy
But not without my uses
I can work within it
When I don't try to make excuses
Where is God in all of this?
Yep!
God is in all of this!
I am melacholy
Because
He has allowed it
Maybe He made it happen
But
What's important
Is that
In it
I have certain affinities
And insights
And abilities
I never would have
Without it
Again,
We all want to see a miracle
But we don't want the need of a miracle
We don't want to be blind so we can receive our sight
We don't want to be lame so we can walk
We don't want to be lepers so we can be cleansed
We don't really want to NEED a miracle
What we want to is to be OK
And get a miracle to get BETTER
We don't understand the usefulness
Our affliction brings
And that's understandable
Just not acceptable
Few know the vanity of life like we do
Few know the alure of the flesh like we do
Few know the pride of life like we do
Few know their sin like we do
SO
Few know their deep deep need of Christ
Like we do
Few get to know God or themselves - or others
Like we do
But not without my uses
I can work within it
When I don't try to make excuses
Where is God in all of this?
Yep!
God is in all of this!
I am melacholy
Because
He has allowed it
Maybe He made it happen
But
What's important
Is that
In it
I have certain affinities
And insights
And abilities
I never would have
Without it
Again,
We all want to see a miracle
But we don't want the need of a miracle
We don't want to be blind so we can receive our sight
We don't want to be lame so we can walk
We don't want to be lepers so we can be cleansed
We don't really want to NEED a miracle
What we want to is to be OK
And get a miracle to get BETTER
We don't understand the usefulness
Our affliction brings
And that's understandable
Just not acceptable
Few know the vanity of life like we do
Few know the alure of the flesh like we do
Few know the pride of life like we do
Few know their sin like we do
SO
Few know their deep deep need of Christ
Like we do
Few get to know God or themselves - or others
Like we do
Saturday, February 1, 2014
The Hell of Melacholy- BUT blessed 020114 14:00
I do nof feel joy
But I know I have reason to
I do not feel loved
But I know I am
I do not feel close to Him
But I know He is close to me
I do not feel the Holy Spirit
But I know He indwells me
I do not feel most of the things
The Word says are ours
But that does not make them any less mine
I don't think they are mine
I know they are
With a real solid knowling
I am blessed
Not to be confused with happy
But blessed
Blessed as in not cursed
I am afflicted and blessed
I find blessing in the affliction
I see the tear before it"s shed
I see the sadness under the smile
I here the cacaphony beneath the harmony
I feel the fear in words of courage
My affliction makes me hard to fool
About what you are feeling
Or not
And then
I can pray for you
Pray well for you
And
If He so desires
I'm here
Not surprised by
Your afflcition but ready to embrace
It and you
And
Be very very quiet
And very very still
Together
But I know I have reason to
I do not feel loved
But I know I am
I do not feel close to Him
But I know He is close to me
I do not feel the Holy Spirit
But I know He indwells me
I do not feel most of the things
The Word says are ours
But that does not make them any less mine
I don't think they are mine
I know they are
With a real solid knowling
I am blessed
Not to be confused with happy
But blessed
Blessed as in not cursed
I am afflicted and blessed
I find blessing in the affliction
I see the tear before it"s shed
I see the sadness under the smile
I here the cacaphony beneath the harmony
I feel the fear in words of courage
My affliction makes me hard to fool
About what you are feeling
Or not
And then
I can pray for you
Pray well for you
And
If He so desires
I'm here
Not surprised by
Your afflcition but ready to embrace
It and you
And
Be very very quiet
And very very still
Together
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Psalm 94:12. 091213
Psalm 94:12 ESV
Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, and whom you teach out of your law,
Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, and whom you teach out of your law,
Consider:
"A man by trouble comes to know his own heart, which in prosperity he is a stranger to. He sees the weakness of his grace and the strength on his corruption; how nothing is weak but grace, nothing strong but sin; and this lays him in the dust"
Thomas Case, A Treatise on Afflictions
Do we really look deeply at His purposes in our afflictions or do we merely look at the affliction and seek its relief? Do we allow the heat of the furnace to burn away all the fleshy concerns and fears that we might see the root, our sinfulness and its true power and place in our hearts?
Heart-breaking-ly it seems most common for us to seek relief without examination much like going to a doctor seeking some easy diagnosis and quick cure when we, in reality, suffer a terrible malady. Would we really want to be told we have the flu when a cancer was eating away at us? It seem, when it comes to our life in Him, we would.
God's hand can lay heavy upon the shoulders of His children. But like a father who firmly grips his child as the come to a street crossing, He does it for our good and betterment. It is not pleasant but when we do not allow the Master Physician the Great Father to show us the truth we merely delay the cure having to suffer the dis-ease again.
What affliction has God laid on you? Be mindful that the affliction is secondary to what God desires to do in your life and heart. Perhaps He desires a change of habit or behavior but I encourage you to look deeper, to your heart, and seek the root sin that gives bloom to the obvious one.
There is lies the lesson.
M
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
I beseech you . . .
In his commentary on 1st Peter, Alexander Maclaren writes:
"And so, I beseech you, open your eyes to the meaning of life, and do not suppose that you have found the last word to say about it when you say, 'I am afflicted,' or 'I am at ease.' The afflictions and the ease, like two great wheels in some great machine working in opposite directions, fit with their cogs into one another and move to something beyond them in one uniform direction."
The must be purpose behind all of God's providence be if afflicting or easing, confounding or comforting. If there is no purpose then we are great fools to believe in Him and to seek to serve Him. Both affliction and ease carry their own dangers and their own promise. The danger of sin and the promise of being conformed to the likeness of Christ. And which dear friend would you have?
We were promised tribulation in this worlds. We are told over and over that we will face trials. but we are assured over and over that there is a point a purpose. We may complain about them to God but we must never complain of God about them. They are, for all their bite and sting, for our good and His glory.
There is not much that should be needed to be said about trials and ease for you dear reader, if you have been attentive to your Bible will know this at least intellectually. but God would have you know it experimentally - to know it deeply and to trust His working in your lives for your good and His glory.
We are, as Peter says, living stones. As stones that are intended to be fitted together with others that build the temple we muse be hewn, sized and polished. This demands a hammer and chisel. We must trust that He is forming us to take our place in His temple, to be "fitted" for our purpose and place.
Indeed affliction and ease serve a purpose far beyond the experience. Will we accept that and rejoice in His care regardless of it's pleasantness of unpleasantness?
There in ends the lesson.
"And so, I beseech you, open your eyes to the meaning of life, and do not suppose that you have found the last word to say about it when you say, 'I am afflicted,' or 'I am at ease.' The afflictions and the ease, like two great wheels in some great machine working in opposite directions, fit with their cogs into one another and move to something beyond them in one uniform direction."
The must be purpose behind all of God's providence be if afflicting or easing, confounding or comforting. If there is no purpose then we are great fools to believe in Him and to seek to serve Him. Both affliction and ease carry their own dangers and their own promise. The danger of sin and the promise of being conformed to the likeness of Christ. And which dear friend would you have?
We were promised tribulation in this worlds. We are told over and over that we will face trials. but we are assured over and over that there is a point a purpose. We may complain about them to God but we must never complain of God about them. They are, for all their bite and sting, for our good and His glory.
There is not much that should be needed to be said about trials and ease for you dear reader, if you have been attentive to your Bible will know this at least intellectually. but God would have you know it experimentally - to know it deeply and to trust His working in your lives for your good and His glory.
We are, as Peter says, living stones. As stones that are intended to be fitted together with others that build the temple we muse be hewn, sized and polished. This demands a hammer and chisel. We must trust that He is forming us to take our place in His temple, to be "fitted" for our purpose and place.
Indeed affliction and ease serve a purpose far beyond the experience. Will we accept that and rejoice in His care regardless of it's pleasantness of unpleasantness?
There in ends the lesson.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
From a very dark place - ever been there?
Ecc. 7:10 Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” (ESVST)
Ecc. 7:14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider:God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. (ESVST)
It's a tired old phrase, "I have come to the end of myself." I know it's tired, I say it at least twice a day. And yet I keep discovering that my self - that is my flesh and my pride - is without end. It may hide while assaulted, it may lurk in the shadows of my soul - but it is never at an end.
Only in the presence of God, on that glorious day when we are made like Him will the self- the flesh finally and eternally be changed. It will be wholly His and wholly for and to Him. But here it is my arch enemy - my constant antagonist - my constant thorn and affliction.
When I read Paul:
Rom. 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (ESVST)
I want to volunteer. But Paul goes on:
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin (ESVST) Rom 7:25
In times of trial and affliction this is a passage of strange and alien meaning. I want too respond, "So????" My mind know god and my mind (all of me) loves God and knows He is worthy of love. But my flesh seeks from HI what does not come and seeks relief He does not yet provide.
My peace becomes numbness my hope becomes flat and my comfort has no taste of substance. This is my flesh. There is no peace for the flesh, there is no hope nor comfort and so I find my flesh ruling my heart, distessing my mind and disturbing my soul.
The Word tells us:
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,
and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit (ESVST) Ecc. 7:8
But what end? Certainly this must mean death is better than birth. The end of a trial better than the beginning. But what of the in between?
If all is vanity than what matters? A chasing after wind is what living is. Does this not apply to all our labor, all our effort, all our goals and gains. Do we not better seek the end than the middle?
But we do not know the end and we are to hope in the middle for the end. but we do not know, with any assurance, any other end but death and resurrection. So many of us struggle in the middle fighting making the end ourselves. Don't we? Really?
What do we do when the desire to be with Christ where He is seems more powerful to be in Christ where we are? It is, more or less depending on the person, a strong pulling, a great temptation.
Job felt that the day of his birth was the worst day of His life. Though we can see in Job that much of His middle part was good and lovely and a blessing. Yet in his trial, not having been born was preferable to the in between place.
It is perhaps normal, in trials, to yearn with all we are, to be with Him. Some even contemplate making that transition by their own hand. I have had those in my life who have done so and I mourn their passing yet have compassion for their plight that led then to that conclusion and concluding. I understand.
I understand and am ashamed when I have those thoughts. Having known them intimately and being very familiar with their circumstances I think I understand their choice and comparing their plight to mine I am ashamed if ever that thought comes to mind as an option.
Yes, this is a strange blog but I am in a strange place. It is not an unfamiliar place - it has always been strange when I have been here. But the convicting questions is, "do I really want to be with Him or do I just feel so sorry for myself that I really want to be our of my affliction and use that temptation as an attempt to manipulate God?
I suspect the latter and so I am ashamed and convicted by my own sad sinfulness.
Oh well - the sun is up - I am alive - He must have something for me to do and I must be out and about life if I am to do it.
In short, as I have told many who have wandered where I now wander, "When God wants you dead, you'll be dead." Hard words but until He makes me dead He has things form me to do and things for me to learn. So I give my life to Him and only ask that I die to myself.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Lord - I am afraid and feared.
Afflictions, be they spiritual, financial, health or whatever always give rise to fear. It's natural, in our weakness and frailty to fear - especially when our sight is restricted and we can't see ahead. We, certainly with help from the enemy, conjure all the worse case scenarios.
They haunt us and steal our peace. they're divert us from the Word and prayer and all those blessings God provides to strengthen us and calm our hearts. We are threatened by the possibility of drifting away from the only true source of life and hope.
But, in these times, we also come to realize that our afflictions give rise to fear in those around us. Our testing, our refining confronts those around us, I write of other believers, with their fears as well. This has the common result of isolating us from the encouragement and comfort God desires us to have through them. We miss being comforted with the comfort He comforts them with.
Their prayers are blessings, their hesitation to get intimately involved crushes us. We are told of their prayers for us and some will pray with us but then they are gone and we are alone. We are grateful for their prayers but we are none the less overwhelmed with a sense of abandonment, real or imagined.
We want our affliction to be, well, appreciated and acknowledged in all its sensed magnitude. We want someone sometimes anyone, to share our pain and fear but apart from our loving Lord it seems a thing only to be wished for, ached for. As I once heard a small child had said, "Sometimes we need Jesus with skin on."
Our Lord is utterly acquainted with all our griefs and yes, that is sufficient. But I don't believe He intended to be the only one. Too many verses enjoin us to share one another's burdens, to comfort one another, to be present with one another in affliction. But, this is not common to our experience.
This is, I regret to say, because of their fear that they might become too intimately involved in the affliction. Sadly, perhaps, they believe it will cost them too much. Perhaps they fear they might "catch" the affliction. Worst of all, it may be that they fear having to give up their comfort and that they do not believe they can do.
I am afraid and feared. Like the woman in Mark who has to fight her way to Jesus merely to touch the hem of His garment, the afflicted are often prevented, by others, from getting close, from touching Him.
Many of you face this struggle in you affliction. It's tough and troubling. But sometimes, as I think I am learning, He wants us to turn to and trust in Him alone. We must not allow the deceiver to distract us by criticism of others - not even dismay about others - certainly not anger at others.
In the garden we see Jesus in just this situation. He takes His closest with them and they, so overcome with their own fears and fatigue - sleep. Jesus is disappointed - I am sure He was dismayed and hurt. But He understood their frailty and returned to the Father, the only hope and source that will not hinder, will not fear, will not sleep as we struggle in our afflictions and pain.
Father, keep my heart sweetly in You even in the fear and affliction. Keep me from harsh thoughts of those who fear me and my need. Help me - no, make me as understanding and compassionate as my Master. Keep my mind and heart focused on You alone and let me be surprised by those You send to comfort and encourage me - for Your glory and my good in You.
Amen
They haunt us and steal our peace. they're divert us from the Word and prayer and all those blessings God provides to strengthen us and calm our hearts. We are threatened by the possibility of drifting away from the only true source of life and hope.
But, in these times, we also come to realize that our afflictions give rise to fear in those around us. Our testing, our refining confronts those around us, I write of other believers, with their fears as well. This has the common result of isolating us from the encouragement and comfort God desires us to have through them. We miss being comforted with the comfort He comforts them with.
Their prayers are blessings, their hesitation to get intimately involved crushes us. We are told of their prayers for us and some will pray with us but then they are gone and we are alone. We are grateful for their prayers but we are none the less overwhelmed with a sense of abandonment, real or imagined.
We want our affliction to be, well, appreciated and acknowledged in all its sensed magnitude. We want someone sometimes anyone, to share our pain and fear but apart from our loving Lord it seems a thing only to be wished for, ached for. As I once heard a small child had said, "Sometimes we need Jesus with skin on."
Our Lord is utterly acquainted with all our griefs and yes, that is sufficient. But I don't believe He intended to be the only one. Too many verses enjoin us to share one another's burdens, to comfort one another, to be present with one another in affliction. But, this is not common to our experience.
This is, I regret to say, because of their fear that they might become too intimately involved in the affliction. Sadly, perhaps, they believe it will cost them too much. Perhaps they fear they might "catch" the affliction. Worst of all, it may be that they fear having to give up their comfort and that they do not believe they can do.
I am afraid and feared. Like the woman in Mark who has to fight her way to Jesus merely to touch the hem of His garment, the afflicted are often prevented, by others, from getting close, from touching Him.
Many of you face this struggle in you affliction. It's tough and troubling. But sometimes, as I think I am learning, He wants us to turn to and trust in Him alone. We must not allow the deceiver to distract us by criticism of others - not even dismay about others - certainly not anger at others.
In the garden we see Jesus in just this situation. He takes His closest with them and they, so overcome with their own fears and fatigue - sleep. Jesus is disappointed - I am sure He was dismayed and hurt. But He understood their frailty and returned to the Father, the only hope and source that will not hinder, will not fear, will not sleep as we struggle in our afflictions and pain.
Father, keep my heart sweetly in You even in the fear and affliction. Keep me from harsh thoughts of those who fear me and my need. Help me - no, make me as understanding and compassionate as my Master. Keep my mind and heart focused on You alone and let me be surprised by those You send to comfort and encourage me - for Your glory and my good in You.
Amen
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Psalm 6:6
I am weary with my sighing; Every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears. (Psa 6:6)
Everyone who knows what this is like, stand up!
Now the Psalm goes on to express great confidence in God and His mercy and justice so we're not going to have a pity party.
But - this sighing and tears should not be uncommon in the life of the believer. We should be sighing and shedding teasr not only for our sins and our needs but for all those who do not have the comfort of knowing God and being His.
Oh, the verse struck me because of our hard times right now but God was gracious enough to not allow me to get stuck on me. I not only thought of all the redeemed who are suffering affliction and need but of the countless millions who live (or lived) in the utter darkness and hopelessness of being godless and rebellious.
Our problems seem as nothing compared to the problems the un-redeemed live with and will face. Imagine being in whatever situation you find yourself in and NOT having a loving and caring Father. Imagine believing that you're here and you die with no purpose or reason. Worse still (for me at least) imagine living believing that you were at the mercy - the utter mercy of fate (or whatever capricious entity you want).
Oh, I still weep for us and our affliction and need but I weep for others now as well. Why? Well - Jesus did. the shortest verse in the Bible reads:
Jesus wept. (Joh 11:35)
He wept even though He knewHhe was about to resurrect Lazarus. Why did He weep? Well, we'll probably have to ask Him later. But, He loved and He loved not just as the Son of God, the Redeemer but He loved as Jesus the teacher from Galilee - the guy.
Perhaps the thing I am learning the most recently is about the humanity of my Lord. The more I see it the more amazed and humbled and comforted I am. His Lordship and Savior-hood are indeed amazing - but to think that He was like you and I and He would weep for a friend - and for many many others - makes it OK for me to weep.
But, as I said - I have had to broaden the subject of my tears in His honor, for His glory and because He did.
Father let me weep but let me not simply weep for myself and my loved ones! Let me weep for the brothers and sisters who struggle with every thing from the common difficulties here to the catastrophic difficulties here. When I weep for me, open the arms of my heart to take in Your body and the lost as well. Let my heart break yet make my soul sing in Your grace for Your creation.
Amen
Friday, February 8, 2013
Sorrow for sins OR afflictions? Yep!! 002
Afflictions are, for the believer, God's refining fire. Period! They are not punishment but rather one way He responds to our need to trust Him.
Our faith (trust) is refined in affliction and so they are a sure source of comfort and encouragement. But they are hard and they can hurt and sorrowing in them is not inappropriate.
And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. (Heb 12:5)
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Heb 12:11)
AND
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:19-20)
The discipline and refining of affliction is not easy and we need to know that we may sorrow in it. Yes, we need to be hopeful concerning its purpose and outcome but we may sorrow as well.
Our sorrowing though needs to be healthy and honest. We are not required to enjoy it but rather engage it as a gift - those He loves, He disciplines. Discipline is not punishment it is training and training is not easy. But if we keep in sight the goal He has for it and us we will do better than if we do not.
Admittedly, this is not easy. For one, when we are undergoing the discipline it seems that God is far from us and our brothers and sisters even farther. We feel alone, abandoned, and isolated. This is such a sad circumstance. Perhaps this is one of the failures of the Body in that, though many are willing to pray for you - few come and pray with you. Though many may hug you, few are willing to hold you.
There is a thing called sympathetic pain. That's when an injured part of the body produces pain in a near by yet undamaged part of the body. Maybe this is what "the Body" is missing. I know that I have been convicted of not hurting for a brother or sister as I believe the Lord would have me and so my prayers were just embarrassing. I am seeking to learn to pray from a place where I at least appreciate their pain and lift it up along with their circumstances.
Sorrowing for affliction should not be immoderate. I mean it should not consume us and keep us from our "duties," such as prayer, study, worship, etc.... Yes, it is hard to pray when you feel your hair is on fire. But what do you do when you feel you've stepped off the edge of a cliff? Maybe pray all the way down???
Our faith (trust) is refined in affliction and so they are a sure source of comfort and encouragement. But they are hard and they can hurt and sorrowing in them is not inappropriate.
And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. (Heb 12:5)
AND
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:19-20)
The discipline and refining of affliction is not easy and we need to know that we may sorrow in it. Yes, we need to be hopeful concerning its purpose and outcome but we may sorrow as well.
Our sorrowing though needs to be healthy and honest. We are not required to enjoy it but rather engage it as a gift - those He loves, He disciplines. Discipline is not punishment it is training and training is not easy. But if we keep in sight the goal He has for it and us we will do better than if we do not.
Admittedly, this is not easy. For one, when we are undergoing the discipline it seems that God is far from us and our brothers and sisters even farther. We feel alone, abandoned, and isolated. This is such a sad circumstance. Perhaps this is one of the failures of the Body in that, though many are willing to pray for you - few come and pray with you. Though many may hug you, few are willing to hold you.
There is a thing called sympathetic pain. That's when an injured part of the body produces pain in a near by yet undamaged part of the body. Maybe this is what "the Body" is missing. I know that I have been convicted of not hurting for a brother or sister as I believe the Lord would have me and so my prayers were just embarrassing. I am seeking to learn to pray from a place where I at least appreciate their pain and lift it up along with their circumstances.
Sorrowing for affliction should not be immoderate. I mean it should not consume us and keep us from our "duties," such as prayer, study, worship, etc.... Yes, it is hard to pray when you feel your hair is on fire. But what do you do when you feel you've stepped off the edge of a cliff? Maybe pray all the way down???
No, I'm not trivializing the pain and sorrow of affliction but neither do I want to let any of us be so consumed by our sorrow that we just curl up and weep endlessly or hopelessly. Weep - yes. Sorrow - yes. Give up? Never - even if you just move slowly, move!
Imagine yourself as Peter.
"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
(Luk 22:31)
Do you really think that Peter is the only one? I don't, I won't, I can't. BUT I also know that Jesus says:
but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." (Luk 22:32)
Do you really think Jesus is not interceding for you as well? I don't, I won't, I can't.
Father, my affliction hurts - physically, emotionally and spiritually. I am in pain and my sight is dimmed. Sometimes I can't see You. Sometimes I can't feel You. Sometimes I fear You have left me.
But Father, I know You can not lie. I know by Your Word - the very Words of Your Son my Savior that You will never ever leave me - and that nothing can snatch me from Your loving and mighty hand.
Yet I am weak and I am anxious and fretful and sorrowing. Do not let me wallow in this but accept my sorrow and fretfulness and even my anxiety as part of my realization that I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR, in every circumstance. AND that Your plans for me are for me to glorify YOU and to be a witness and evidence of Your grace and glory.
Father, it does not feel good but I know it has to BE good. Father I would not have chosen it for myself but I need Your power and strength to accept Your choice of it for me.
Father - calm my heart, still my mind and draw my eyes to You.
Amen
Father - calm my heart, still my mind and draw my eyes to You.
Amen
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
How are you doing? doxy/praxy
Has anyone really asked you how you are lately?
Has anyone asked after your prayer life or your Bible reading?
Has anyone really focused on your walk and expressed a concern to be part of your growth?
In your distress and affliction, has anyone come alongside to pray with you? Has anyone come alongside to hear your worries and struggles and to encourage and admonish you in His love and grace?
Just wondering. It seems to be a lost art of the Body.
Orthodoxy - right belief and Orthopraxy - right practice seem to have been split or at least just ascribed to head stuff and not hear stuff.
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal 6:2)
Though the context in which we find this verse has to do with a brother or sister who has stumbled I can't believe that it is limited to that. Afflictions, difficulties, etc. are all times of temptations to sin. Should we wait until the temptations has overcome a brother or sister before we begin to bear their burdens with them?
There is never any reason or excuse for a believer to be isolated and alone. Yes, I know God is with them always - but He has also provided human servants and called them to serve one another diligently, sacrificially and lovingly.
I have served the isolated for many years and their pain and anguish is a terrible thing. I've known that isolation myself and to be honest, it is indeed, if not a faith killer at least a faith smother-er.
We tell those in distress to "trust God," and we are right in that BUT we have to come to that uncomfortable place where we ask, "What is my role in God's work in this my brother's or sister's distress?" We have to ask, "What must I do?"
See, telling folks to trust God is good. But when you see a brother or sister in need do you just dump them on God's door step or do you ask God how you need to trust Him in reaching out to those in need? I know, having worked with a lot of isolated believers that, "Trust God!" sounds and feel more like, "Lot's of luck, you're on your own!"
Yes, I'll be honest enough to share that this comes not just from my experience with the isolated but from my own experience as well. I have known the pain and fear, the terror of hearing, "Trust God!" and getting a pat on the back. Yes, this is kind of a "soap box" for me and to a degree about me. But God has blessed me with the opportunity to "be there" int he middle of the mess with folks who needed someone - some human believer - to stand with them in the mess and hold them up.
We spend so much time and effort and money fighting the "culture wars" that we let our own wounded languish. Yes, we do need to confront the culture but I believe we only do that when we are the church Christ calls us to be. There is now very real need for the church to be the church - and by that I mean to follow the example of those early isolated believers.
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
(Act 2:44-47)
There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (Act 4:34-35)
Has anyone asked after your prayer life or your Bible reading?
Has anyone really focused on your walk and expressed a concern to be part of your growth?
In your distress and affliction, has anyone come alongside to pray with you? Has anyone come alongside to hear your worries and struggles and to encourage and admonish you in His love and grace?
Just wondering. It seems to be a lost art of the Body.
Orthodoxy - right belief and Orthopraxy - right practice seem to have been split or at least just ascribed to head stuff and not hear stuff.
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal 6:2)
Though the context in which we find this verse has to do with a brother or sister who has stumbled I can't believe that it is limited to that. Afflictions, difficulties, etc. are all times of temptations to sin. Should we wait until the temptations has overcome a brother or sister before we begin to bear their burdens with them?
There is never any reason or excuse for a believer to be isolated and alone. Yes, I know God is with them always - but He has also provided human servants and called them to serve one another diligently, sacrificially and lovingly.
I have served the isolated for many years and their pain and anguish is a terrible thing. I've known that isolation myself and to be honest, it is indeed, if not a faith killer at least a faith smother-er.
We tell those in distress to "trust God," and we are right in that BUT we have to come to that uncomfortable place where we ask, "What is my role in God's work in this my brother's or sister's distress?" We have to ask, "What must I do?"
See, telling folks to trust God is good. But when you see a brother or sister in need do you just dump them on God's door step or do you ask God how you need to trust Him in reaching out to those in need? I know, having worked with a lot of isolated believers that, "Trust God!" sounds and feel more like, "Lot's of luck, you're on your own!"
Yes, I'll be honest enough to share that this comes not just from my experience with the isolated but from my own experience as well. I have known the pain and fear, the terror of hearing, "Trust God!" and getting a pat on the back. Yes, this is kind of a "soap box" for me and to a degree about me. But God has blessed me with the opportunity to "be there" int he middle of the mess with folks who needed someone - some human believer - to stand with them in the mess and hold them up.
We spend so much time and effort and money fighting the "culture wars" that we let our own wounded languish. Yes, we do need to confront the culture but I believe we only do that when we are the church Christ calls us to be. There is now very real need for the church to be the church - and by that I mean to follow the example of those early isolated believers.
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
(Act 2:44-47)
There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (Act 4:34-35)
But - we're not there. We haven't been there or a long long time. Perhaps this is what we need to repent of. This is not "communism," it is fundamental "Christianity." If the church is not being the church how can God add to it - why would He want to?
Some of you are indeed doing what we find those early believers doing and may God encourage and bless you greatly. Some of you would rather not put yourself in the position of having to trust God enough to follow the example of the early believers.
The church is seen in these Acts passages taking care of its own. Did they ignore the needs of those outside? I don't know. What I do know is that regularly, sacrificially and faithfully the "saints" cared for the "saints," and God added to their number those who were being saved.
It is a thing worth praying about and seeking His guidance about and following His example about - it is a good thing, a biblical thing, a faithful thing.
Father, let me not become so fixed on my needs both real and imagined that I forget that I may well have what another needs. Let me seek Your guidance and the power to trust You to follow the example my early brothers and sisters set.
May your Bride be faithful to You and to herself. May she care for her own, trusting You to provide. May we all be appropriately convicted and concerned for the example we find in these early believers as they trusted you to provide for all through Your blessings to each individual.
Forgive me for seeing only my own need and affliction and forgetting that I am a member, a part of a Body and that You not only provide me with what need but You provide for me to help others in their need as well.
Dear Father - let the church be he church.
Amen
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Psalm 139:2 He understands!!!!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar.
(Psa 139:2)
Think about it. I know you know that God knows when we sit don and when we rise up. But have you considered that He "understands" our thoughts? That's not just our good thoughts or our thoughts about Him but He understands our less than acceptable thoughts as well. He understands!!
Consider:
Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. (Heb 2:17-18)
He understands!!
I don't know how to express the depth and breadth of this. It, for me, is overwhelming and kind of a scary comfort. He understands!!
Consider - He was made like us- He was tempted Himself. Yes, unlike us He did not sin but He "gets it."
Now, this can in no way be taken as some sort of an excuse for our way-ward and inappropriate thoughts - sin is still sin and error will always be error - but He understands!!
As Patti and I pass through this time of testing and trial we have "not so good thoughts." Fearful thoughts, legalistic thoughts, hopeless thoughts, fleshly thoughts and murmuring thoughts. They just come and when they do they distress us - greatly. But I keep having some interesting thoughts as well.
Consider:
Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. (Heb 2:17-18)
He understands!!
I don't know how to express the depth and breadth of this. It, for me, is overwhelming and kind of a scary comfort. He understands!!
Consider - He was made like us- He was tempted Himself. Yes, unlike us He did not sin but He "gets it."
Now, this can in no way be taken as some sort of an excuse for our way-ward and inappropriate thoughts - sin is still sin and error will always be error - but He understands!!
As Patti and I pass through this time of testing and trial we have "not so good thoughts." Fearful thoughts, legalistic thoughts, hopeless thoughts, fleshly thoughts and murmuring thoughts. They just come and when they do they distress us - greatly. But I keep having some interesting thoughts as well.
I think, "Why me, why this,why now, why so heavy?" Kind of like Moses I want to say, "Here I am Lord, send Aaron!" Even, "Let this cup pass from me!" But I am humbled when
I have the thought, "If not me, then who?" I struggle to accept that this is His will for us right now. Not to sound arrogant - but, He picked us for this and this for us for His glory and honor - not to mention our blessing. This makes us no more "special" than any other believers - it just makes us the ones He is using where we are, in this circumstance.
With no Egypt there would have been no Exodus. Without a crucifixion there would have been no resurrection. No, I'm not elevating myself or my situation but I am trying hard to see it within the context of God bringing glory to Himself and strengthening me.
What helps is, He understands my fearful and anxious thought,s and though I know He desires that I overcome them by trusting Him, He is sympathetic to my weakness and frailty (which is part of what He wants me to see and appreciate so I will lean on Him).
Please dear ones hold tight to the truth that He understands all our thoughts! Yes, He disapproves of many and worries for us over others but none of them come as some cosmic shock to Him. He knew we'd have them and has provided relief for and from them because He understands!
Father my heart and my mind are weak and rebellious. Only You can temper and tame them. Knowing that You understand and that You sympathize and provide is such a comfort.
But Father, do not let me grow lazy or complacent concerning them. Let me take hold of them and bring them to You for Your ministry and mercy. Be gentle with me Lord for I am much like a little rabbit - jumpy and anxious. Care for me by giving me the heart of a child when it comes to You. Give me stronger trust and firmer assurance as each day passes and my imaginings and fancies prove false though frightening.
Let me know more and more Your lovingkindness and Your understanding and open myself to Your instruction and care. Make me remember Your past mercies and provision and be deaf to the lies and cries of the deceiver. Let me look only to You and hear only You as You minister to me through Your Word, Your Spirit and Your people.
Thank You for letting me know - You understand!!
Amen
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