Reflections

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV

What is your reputation?  What is the church’s reputation?  Paul is very encouraged by the faith of the Thessalonians.  Not only did Paul see evidence of their faith but of the work, love, endurance and hope in Jesus.  This should be the testimony of every believer.  They were a people of faith, and they were motivated by love.  They also faced persecution and were enduring during this time. 

Today the church in the United States has become complacent.  We do not face persecution like the early church did during Paul’s time.  We have the luxury of sharing our faith openly.  We can build opulent church buildings and gather without fear of being persecuted.  As a result many of taken their faith for granted.  They have allowed themselves to have one foot in the world.  They don’t feel the urgency of the last days as the Thessalonians did.  So, what is the church’s reputation now?  Are we known for our faith, our work, our love, our endurance and hope?

Do we even share our faith with others? We should be just like the Thessalonians, having works produced by faith and labor prompted by love. Think how the church would impact the community if we lived out our walk like this. Whe we read the letters of Paul to the different churches we should take his words so heart. They should serve as an encouragement and reminder to us today. Remember that Jesus is coming back, and we will give an account. Today if Jesus examined your walk with Him what would it look like?

“Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for Him; do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way, by the man who carries out evil plans.”

Psalms 37:7 HCSB

In order to make progress we must be on the move.  We feel the same way with prayer, we have to keep it moving, we must do something until our prayers are answered.  If our prayers are not answered, we feel anxious and want to do something as if God is moved by our actions.

Silence in prayer can be just as important as crying out to God. We should seek a word from the Lord and often times that requires us to be still before the Lord and just wait on Him. The greatest tension can be in the waiting. We want an answer right away. There is so much for us to learn about God in the waiting. We are told to draw near to Him and He will draw near to us. So next time in you pray, take some time to quiet yourself in God’s presence and just listen for Him to speak to you. One word from God can change your entire situation.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2 NKJV

When we get saved there is still a process that takes place.  Even when we are born again, we must move from infancy to maturity in the faith.  So many new believers struggle because they are trying to live for God based on the world they were saved from when they gave their life to Christ.  It is more than just saying the sinner’s prayer and being saved.  We have to renew our minds, or we will keep falling into the same sins of the world.

The Bible tells us many ways we can renew our minds. The most important is to meditate on God’s word day and night. What we consume in our minds is what drives us. If we spend most of our time meditating on what the world says then it will be reflected in our behavior. Yet if we meditate on God’s word it will result in an upright and Holy life. It is important to renew our minds through God’s word.

“Now grant me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people, for who can judge this great people of Yours? ””. 2 Chronicles 1:10 HCSB

King Solomon asked God for wisdom when he could have asked for anything.  As a result God granted Solomon’s request and also gave him great wealth.  Wisdom is such a valuable commodity in the Kingdom of God.  It is more precious than gold and silver.  We should value wisdom above any material possession.  King Solomon wanted wisdom to reign over Israel.

Wisdom is the one thing we can ask God for that will be freely given to us. We should love wisdom and seek God for His wisdom. Wisdom should guide us in all we do. If we do not have the answer then ask for wisdom. If you are struggling in life, ask for wisdom. God calls us all to walk in wisdom. So, the next time you pray, ask God for wisdom.

“Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.”” Jeremiah 1:12 NKJV

Do you spend time listening to God?  God’s primary way in speaking to us is through His word.  However, do you spend time in prayer allowing God to speak?  It is important that we are not monopolizing all the time in prayer speaking.  We must take time to listen to God.

One word from God can change your entire situation.  God told Jeremiah that He is ready to perform His word.  Throughout scriptures and prophesies you see God’s word coming to pass.  God will do what He says.  Isn’t more powerful to trust in God’s word that He will perform instead of us trying to convince God to perform our words?  Think how radical your prayer life would be if you just listened for God’s word and had faith, He would perform it.

Trust in God’s word. If you struggle hearing God for yourself then spend more time studying to word of God and meditating on it day and night. It is much easier to hear God when we have hidden is word in our hearts.

“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your own hand.”

1 Chronicles 29:14 HCSB

Churches try so many ways to motivate people to give.  People are promised blessings if they give.  Prosperity is taught to encourage giving.  It is an area of controversy for many.

However, King David tells the Lord that everything he has given comes from God.  King David understood that God owns everything.  We are just stewards of what God has entrusted to us.  So, when we give to God, we are giving back what He gave us.  God is so generous, and He wants us to be generous.  That is why we are told it is better to give than to receive.  That is also why God said we rob Him when we do not bring Him our tithes and offerings.  Everything we have comes from God and belongs to God.

Think about an Apple.  If you eat an apple, you will find five seeds in the Apple that is capable of growing five apple trees.  If we do not plant the seeds, we cannot see more apples. It is the same with God.  If we want to see more then we need to sow what God gives us.  Often times God gives in seed form, and we give to God our harvest.  So much harvest comes from the seeds God gives us.  This is why God loves a cheerful giver. 

Giving is God’s nature and it should be our nature as well. If it were not for God, we would not have anything because it all belongs to God. He gives to us so generously.

“Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to You. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. Riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler of everything. Power and might are in Your hand, and it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all. Now therefore, our God, we give You thanks and praise Your glorious name.”

1 Chronicles 29:11-13 HCSB

King David was a great worshipper.  King David is described as a man after God’s own heart.  God chose David to be King over Israel.  Compared to the other Kings it was David that worshipped God with all that he was.  King Solomon and others brought idol worship and caused Israel to sin.  King David never worshipped another idol or god.  King David had his own shortcomings, but he was a true worshipper.

Jesus talks about God looking for true worshippers who would worship Him in Spirit and truth. Are you that worshipper. Do we spend time reflecting on the nature and goodness of God and give him praise. Maybe we only think to offer praise when God does something for us. Let us learn from King David and worship God at all times.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.”

II Corinthians10:3NKJV

Conflict and strife are unavoidable.  We have to remember that our fight is not with people.  We fight in the spirit.  Unfortunately, the enemy is calculating in getting us to fight one another by creating strife amongst us.  It is a spirit that we have to guard against.

In marriage counseling we tell couples they are not each other’s enemy.  They are friends on the same side fighting against the evil one.  We cannot allow our conflicts to spiral out of control creating enmity between our loved ones and friends.  How do we guard against this?  By loving others.  This is why Jesus said the second command was to love our neighbors as ourselves.  We are told to even love our enemies. 

If we are able to recognize that the catalyst in our conflicts with other is actually spiritual then we can understand why we are told that we do not war in the flesh.  One of our weapons is love.  Jesus doesn’t commend us for loving those that love us back.  We are encouraged to love all along with God.  Actually, the Bible says if we say we love God and hate our brethren then God is not in us.  Often times the proof of our love is how we resolve conflict and strife in our relationships.  It is not always easy, but we have the Holy Spirit to guide us and if we walk according to the Spirit the fruit of the spirit will fulfill the law to love other.

So, remember our battle is not with people. We are to try and live in peace and harmony with others. Even if we are wronged, we are told to forgive others.

“But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

2 Corinthians4:3-4HCSB

Are there people you are praying that will be saved?  Have you shared the gospel only to be rejected?  Do not be surprised because Paul tells us that Satan has blinded the eyes of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel.  So, when you pray for those, you want to see saved, pray that the Holy Spirit will remove the veil and allow them to see the light of the gospel.

We are encouraged to share our faith with others. We are commanded by Jesus to preach the gospel. We are to allow the light of the gospel to shine forth in our lives. It is not our job to remove the veil but partner with the Holy Spirit to testify about Jesus and trust the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was sent to convict the world of sin, reveal the truth about Jesus, lead our regeneration and guide us in righteousness. Let us allow the light of Jesus to shine in this lost and dying world.

“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 10:38-39 NKJV

We cannot carry our lifestyle to follow Jesus.  So many today want to maintain their status quo.  This is really what progressive Christianity is about.  The ability to remain relevant with today’s culture and claim a life with Jesus being able to take everything with you.  But Jesus said we must take up our cross and follow after him.

What does the cross represent – death (one must die to self), the remission of sins, a new creation, the old things have passed away for the new. It is a shedding of our carnal selves and taking on the spirit of Jesus. It is a sign of loss but also victory.

Jesus says that if we lose our life for His sake we will find it again – we will find a new life in Christ. The old must die. We must let go of those things in our past. We have to let go of our sinful man that only sought to fulfill the desires of the flesh.

Jesus had many followers. Great multitudes would follow Jesus. But they were not truly His disciples. Look at what He says one must do to follow Him:

“And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”Matthew 8:18-22 NKJV

Others would come to Jesus saying they would follow him but wanted to hang on to their lives:

“Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”” Luke 9:57-62 NKJV

Jesus was talking about people who said they wanted to follow Him.  He goes on to say:

“When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”” Mark 8:34-38 NKJV

Right here Jesus is telling the people what it will cost to follow him. They have to let go of their lives, the things that brought them goodness.