Joy In Suffering - An Abundant Life - Philippians 1-2

Philippians 1:3-8 (ESV)

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Paul is in prison, house arrest, while writing this letter back to the church at Philippi.   He is writing to express his deep felt joy for them, his joy of being in Christ (despite his circumstances) and to instruct them about how to live out joy in the midst of such dire straits.    Paul, despite the suffering, is taking the words of Jesus seriously when He said,

John 10:10 (ESV)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Paul was not going to allow anyone or anything to destroy his abundant life in Christ.   Later he will even confess his desire to have this life culminate in his going home to Jesus.  But knows that it was better for the church for him to stay and promote the joy of the faith:

Philippians 1:23-26 (ESV)

I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

Paul is praying over this body of believers to let them know that they too can have joy in the suffering that comes with following Christ.   He states that they are all partakers with me of this grace.  This grace is God bestowing on them all abundant grace through Jesus Christ, their Savior.   That thought was enough to motivate Paul’s deep regard for them.   He did not look outward, he looked both inward and upward.   He did not allow his situation to deprive him of his joy living out his abundant life in Christ.   

No Redeeming Without Repenting - Luke 15-16

 Luke 15:11-16 (ESV)

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

Sometimes we have to pray that those who are lost and squandering their life, simply come to their senses.   In the above text we have a young man who is the stereotype of us all.  He wanted to find enjoyment in life and decided to do so in the wrong manner.   He squandered all he was given by his father and ended up eating with the pigs ... or, wishing he could eat with the pigs.   Sometimes our prayers might be more beneficial to pray over those in this condition that they open their eyes to see the pigsty of life they are experiencing.   The enjoyment he had living in sin was turned to wallowing in stink.  This is the plight of those who seek the world’s flavors and not their heavenly Savior.   The verse that follows the above story is the key to the passage:

Luke 15:17 (ESV)

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!

There comes a time in everyone’s life (no matter the pigsty they are in) that they must come to their senses and see the condition of their life.  The pigsty they live in might look like a real pigsty.    But it might look like a place full of riches and bountiful earthly goods.   Whether it smells of pigs or earthly pleasures it is still a pigsty if it is taking you away from the Heavenly Father.   It reads that he came to himself.   He came to the place of repentance.  But he did not come to this point on his own.   Note what Paul told young Timothy:

2 Timothy 2:25 (ESV)

correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,

We need to pray for our prodigals that God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of truth.   This is what happened with the prodigal son.  He was granted repentance.   That repentance lead him to return to his father.   That is the redemptive story of the son.   We can only be redeemed by God after we receive repentance from God.  

Beware of False Teaching - In Every Age - Ezekiel 13-18

Ezekiel 13:1-7 (ESV)

False Prophets Condemned

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’ Thus says the Lord GOD, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel. You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the LORD. They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the LORD,’ when the LORD has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word. Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the LORD,’ although I have not spoken?”

The entire section (from chapter 13 to 18) is about the subject in the above paragraph.  God, through His prophet Ezekiel, is prophesying against the spiritual leaders of Judah.  The prophet is telling them that God knows the cause of the disobedience of the people:  The false prophets.   He will do the same thing in chapter 34 and talk about the false shepherds.  Note:

Ezekiel 34:1-3 (ESV)

Prophecy Against the Shepherds of Israel

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep.

The shepherds did not feed the sheep.  The prophets fed the nation, but with false prophecy.  That is the complaint throughout this section of Ezekiel’s message.   God does not tolerate those who are in authority to lead and speak, who do so with deception and with their own desires in mind.  Notice what Jesus said when He was confronted by the religious leaders of His day (who were teaching false doctrine):

John 10:1-2a (ESV)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.

Notice what Peter stated in his letter to the church:

2 Peter 2:1-3 (ESV)

False Prophets and Teachers

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

So there was false teaching in the days of Israel and Judah.  There was false teaching in the days of Jesus and the disciples.  And there was false teaching in the days of Peter and the early church.  How will it be for us?  Note Paul’s prophecy: 

2 Timothy 3:1-9 (ESV)

Godlessness in the Last Days

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

Beware of false teaching in any age!!!

Under the Cover of Darkness - Proverbs 7

Proverbs 7:8-9 (ESV Strong's)

passing along the street near her corner,

taking the road to her house

In the twilight, in the evening,

In the middle of the night and in the darkness.

Have you ever wondered why folly loves the dark?   You can see in this verse where folly loves to roam.  In the darkness seems to be her favorite place to be.   The Apostle John said the same thing in the following:

John 3:19

This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

Men love darkness.  Evil men love darkness.   Friday night and Saturday night seems to carry their own evil.   Folly is out when the light is gone.   Folly can fool you when you can't see the light.   Men love to go out in the dark to do darkness because they believe they will not be seen.  They love darkness because their conscious is seared.   Light can't break through when men are doing their deeds in the dark.   The gospel is the light.  Jesus is the light of the world.   Wisdom loves light because it is the light.   It is the Light of the World.    There is a true contrast in Proverbs between light and darkness.   Wisdom vs. Folly is Light vs. Dark.   Beware of the darkness.  In the above proverb(s) we see what happens to the young simple man when he is lead astray in the cover of darkness.   The human nature seems to think that a dark environment means God can't see and outcomes don't matter.    The verses in this chapter don't echo those flawed thoughts.   God can see and will hold us accountable for the dark deeds done in dark alleys.

Redeemed Suffering - Psalms 75-77

Psalms 77:15 (ESV)

You with your arm redeemed your people,

the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

In Psalm 77 we are reading a liturgical song and/or prayer addressed to God in a day of trouble.  The writer (Asaph ... a priest of Israel) is crying out to God for deliverance from severe trouble.   He writes in verse three, when I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints.   He states in verse four, I am so troubled that I cannot speak.   Asaph is in a bad spot.   Asaph is crying out to God in pain and needs God to address this pain with His power.  However, in verse 8 & 9 he has a pivot in his prayer and moves from pain to promise.  Note:

Psalms 77:8-9 (ESV)

Has his steadfast love forever ceased?

Are his promises at an end for all time?

Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah

This is what makes verse fifteen, above, so powerful.  He knows he can only have freedom if God redeems his suffering and pain.   God’s redeeming power over our suffering is a worthy study to follow in God’s word.   It is only when we allow God to redeem our suffering that we get freedom from our suffering.  The concept in the Old Testament of God redeeming something or someone is a powerful message and constant theme.  Perhaps the greatest use of God redeeming is found here:

Exodus 6:6 (ESV)

Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment.

The book of Ruth is an entire story of Ruth being redeemed by Boaz, a real person but also a figurative type of Christ, who redeems Ruth’s life and makes her his wife.   It is ONLY when we allow God to redeem our suffering that we can find the peace and comfort we need in this life.  When we attempt to hold our suffering and allow it to consume us we have turmoil and struggle and bitterness.  Ruth’s mother-in-law, Naomi, is a picture of that bitterness.  Her name means delight.  But because she chose to hold onto her suffering and blame God she told everyone to call her Mara, which means bitter.  She didn’t allow God to redeem her suffering that changed her from delight to bitter.   We read in this psalm, however that Asaph moves away from turmoil in his suffering to triumph because he allows God to be the redeemer of that suffering.   He cries out to God and trusts God’s promises of steadfast love and grace.   He closes this psalm with such powerful words:

Psalms 77:19-20 (ESV)

Your way was through the sea,

your path through the great waters;

yet your footprints were unseen.

You led your people like a flock

by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

When God redeems us His footprints were unseen.   We might not see it, but God is present to redeem us from our suffering.   God can and will redeem our suffering and make it His own and give it purpose.  At the end of the book of Ruth, she and Boaz have a baby.  That baby will be the great-grandfather of King David and in the lineage of Jesus.   That is when the woman of the town return to Naomi and she allows them to quit calling her Mara and once again call her Naomi.  It took her four chapters in Ruth, but she finally allows God to redeem her suffering via this baby.   God wants to redeem our suffering by giving it purpose for His glory and His power.   We are not to hang onto our suffering in pain but allow Him to use it for His glory.  That is redeemed suffering.   

We Are Not Alone In Our Service for God - 1 Kings 18-22

1 Kings 18:1-6 (ESV)

After many days the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.” So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly, and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.) And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals.” So they divided the land between them to pass through it. Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another direction by himself.

Prior to the above passage, we followed Elijah as God took him to another land during the famine God brought onto Israel.   With Elijah gone he had come to the point where he thought everyone had turned against God and he, alone, was left to stand for God.   Even later, after the great miracle he is about to perform and kill all the prophets of Baal, he will say the following:

1 Kings 19:10 (ESV)

He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”

Yet, we know this is not true.  He is NOT the only one who is standing for God.   In response to his even I only, am left, statement, God will respond:

1 Kings 19:18 (ESV)

Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

However, Elijah is not the only one to think this way.   Obadiah, in the above passage, thinks the same thing.  He did a great act of mercy by hiding from Queen Jezebel those who served God.  But he thought he was alone in the fight.    This is a mistake we can make when we have tunnel vision with our faith and service for God.  We can think we are all alone.   Yet, God has thousand and thousands who are serving Him.  Even though we do not see them and think we are alone in the fight, God has myriads of believers who are, also, serving.   Fearing you are alone is a fear that can grip many believers.   Jesus knew that when he told Peter and the other disciples the following: 

Matthew 16:18 (ESV)

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The Body of Christ (the Church) is being built by God and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.   Those who reject the Church and the message of the Gospel are many.  But God is building His church through Christ and the power of the Spirit and even the gates of Satan’s hell will not prevail over it.   Obadiah was fearful that he was the only one.  Elijah was fearful he was the only one.   We can be fearful at work or in our community that we are the only one standing tall in a slouching world.  Yet, God is building the church and nothing can stand against it.  We are not alone in the fight.  We might not see the other believers God is raising up in the faith and in the fight, but they are there, serving as faithful as we are.  

Hebrews 6:10 (ESV Strong's)

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.

Approaching God, Completely - Leviticus 7-9

 Leviticus 7:22-27 (ESV)

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, You shall eat no fat, of ox or sheep or goat. The fat of an animal that dies of itself and the fat of one that is torn by beasts may be put to any other use, but on no account shall you eat it. For every person who eats of the fat of an animal of which a food offering may be made to the LORD shall be cut off from his people. Moreover, you shall eat no blood whatever, whether of fowl or of animal, in any of your dwelling places. Whoever eats any blood, that person shall be cut off from his people.”

Before we really can understand the above statement we have to recall something Moses wrote about earlier:

Leviticus 3:14-16 (ESV)

Then he shall offer from it, as his offering for a food offering to the LORD, the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys. And the priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering with a pleasing aroma. All fat is the LORD’S.

The addendum written in 7:22-27 is addressed to the nation of Israel and not just the priest.    It is a warning to them about eating the fat.   The nation was constantly warned that the fat of an animal was dedicated to the LORD.   It was not to be eaten. In the above passage it even mentions that the fat from a dead animal is dedicated to the LORD.   We are not given much information as to why this is required, but it is a command in the sacrifice system.    The nation is not given options to obey this point of the system for approaching God.   Perhaps there might be a biology lesson here.   Fat in the body serves many purposes, but one is to store excess energy to be used in demanding times.  Perhaps, without stressing the metaphor too far, the picture is that God want’s all our energy. He wants us to commit fully to Him and leave nothing left for ourselves.    God demands that we follow His commands. Some we may not understand. Some we may not like. Some we may not agree with.  But the only way to approach God is on His terms.  Today we approach Him based upon the sacrifice of His Son who gave every part of His body in sacrifice to us.   That is the example we have in Him.   

Are You Grown-Up? Ephesians 4-6

Ephesians 4:15-16 (ESV)

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

What does it look like when we are grown up?   There are many answers to that question.  It would depend on who you ask.   If you ask the Apostle Paul you might get the repeat of those above words.   Paul was so spiritual minded.  As he should (and as we should) he thought of life’s questions in the context of Jesus and the Kingdom of God.  In chapter four of this letter he is writing about the Church, the Body of Christ.    He has little interest in the things of this world regarding growth in the context of this earthly life.  He was so focused upon the things of Christ that his entire life philosophy was summed up in the Body of Christ.   His definition of growth would be that we are looking more and more each day like the image of Christ.    Later in this chapter he will write:

Ephesians 4:20-24 (ESV)

But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Paul wanted in growth in the church and he knew that was through the growth of individual believers to become in the likeness of God.   He tells us we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.   That is how we grow, why we grow and the goal of our growth.   We are not to grow to look more mature than others.  We are to grow to look more mature like Christ.   Christlikeness is our goal.   The world’s measurements are not on the table.  Christlikeness is our only goal.   

Jesus is the ONLY Door! Narrow Thinking? - Luke 13-14

Luke 13:22-30 (ESV)

He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

Up to this point in Luke 13 we have been reading what Jesus said about the Kingdom of God.  He has been telling those listening what the Kingdom will be like.   In the above passage, however, we read not what it is like but how to enter the Kingdom and who will be in the Kingdom.   Jesus tells them that the entrance to the Kingdom is narrow.   In Matthew’s gospel we read about Jesus using the word picture of the wide gate vs narrow road (Matthew 7:13).   At the end of the above paragraph we read about the last being the first and the first being the last.   Jesus is telling them that that those who hear His message now (the Jews) will be the last (lowest honor) and those who hear the gospel last (the Gentiles) will be the first (the highest honor).   The Jews were rejecting Jesus message.    The Gentile, those the Jews would think would be the last to ever be brought into the Kingdom, will actually hold high honor.  We know from John’s gospel that the door is Jesus, Himself.  In that gospel He stated, I am the door.  When we read Jesus’ words, listen to His teachings, observe His manner of life, we see how counter-culture He was to the entire Jewish religious system, the Roman government and the Greek thought of the day.   His message was narrow minded then and to those people and certainly it is in today’s culture.  We must realize that the message of Jesus is first a very narrow view for living but also a very narrow for entrance.  To say you are the only way, is to be narrow minded.  

John 14:6 (ESV)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jesus’ claim to be the only way was to be narrow minded.  When others say we are very narrow minded we ought to rejoice.  We are in great company.   Yet, only those who believe in that narrow way will enter that way.  Those who fail to believe in the narrow way and want to find a broad way will be last and left out.  Those who attempt another door will find it leads to another place. A very undesirable place.  

Anxiety, Fear and Worry (For What Reason?) - Ezekiel 7-12

Ezekiel 12:17-20 (ESV)

And the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, eat your bread with quaking, and drink water with trembling and with anxiety. And say to the people of the land, Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with anxiety, and drink water in dismay. In this way her land will be stripped of all it contains, on account of the violence of all those who dwell in it. And the inhabited cities shall be laid waste, and the land shall become a desolation; and you shall know that I am the LORD.”

After reading the above lines, read this imperative from the pen of Paul to the church at Philippi:

Philippians 4:6 (ESV)

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

These two passage might be difficult to square if we don’t study God’s Word in context.   Paul is telling the Philippians to honor God by trusting His Word and His promises.  Ezekiel is telling the rebellious nation of Israel to tremble at His Word and His promises to destroy them for their disobedience.  Each of the two groups are to obey God’s Word. One, because God promises to meet their every need (the church) and one who is living in disobedience and God promises to discipline (the nation).  One is to have no worries in this life and the other is to worry and fear the wrath of God that is coming upon them.   The feelings of worry, anxiety and fear are natural emotions all of mankind experiences.   They are not the issue.  It is the reason for the feelings of worry, anxiety and fear that matters.   We are to make sure that we honor God’s Word and the emotions that follow are part of that.   We are not to be dictated by those emotions.   The nation of Israel followed their emotions.  They didn’t listen to God’s Word.   They did what their feelings told them to do.   In the above passage God is telling Ezekiel to fear God for the wrath He is about to poor out on the nation.   The anxiety that Ezekiel feels is natural and part of how God built us.   When we worry and are anxious is it because we are obeying God’s Word or because we are disobeying God’s Word?  When we are anxious and worry is it because we broke a promise of God’s Word or because we are trusting in a promise of God’s Word?   Worry and anxiety can cripple our walk in life.  But only if it is caused for the wrong reasons.