Joshua 1:8

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8 ESV). Looking at previous verses we learn that Mosses had just died and God has commissioned Joshua to assume leadership and describes the land they are to take passion of. God also makes a promise to be with Joshua and the people as they cross over the Jordan and displace the current occupants of the land. God encourages Joshua to be strong and courageous and to be careful to do according to the law given by Moses. This is the setting of our verse, which was given to Joshua, but there is an implication for us. As the law applied to Joshua, the word of God applies to us.

This verse tells us three things to do and if we do we should expect two results. First, the Law (the Word for us) is to become an integrated part of our lives so that we can talk about it with people we meet, to encourage them, and to guide them in their walk with the Lord. Second, we are to continue to think about it, to understand it and make it part of daily living. Third, we must be obedient to it, to be careful to do what it says. If we do these three things we will live by its principles and as a result, we will prosper and be successful.

When you think of prospering and being successful, don’t let your western culture mislead you. Don’t lose sight of the command to “be careful to do according to all that is written.” Remember, God chose us and assigned to us work to do to build his kingdom. Being prosperous and having success applies mainly to this endeavor, not to our personal ambitions. (The context from which verse 8 is taken.)

Prayer

Father, it is so easy to take a verse like this out of context and try to apply it to our personal gain. This promise of being prosperous and having good success applies first, to taking possession of the land and settling on it, and second, prospering as a nation and becoming successful in their stand against the surrounding nations and against evil. Father, help us apply this verse to our spiritual growth and to our assigned kingdom work not to expanding our own personal worldly desires.

John 14:21

“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him” (John 14:21 ESV). Do you know what his commandments are and how many there are? According to the Institute in Basic Life Principles, there are 49 of them and they are listed at link given. How many of them do you make a practice of obeying? According to our verse, the one who knows them and keeps them is the one who loves the Lord. How is one able to keep them? If we look back to verse 16, we have the promise of being given the Spirit of truth as our helper: “[This] Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26 ESV). He will teach us about them, remind us to obey them and as a Helper, he will help us live them out.

The emphasis, so far, has been on obedience indicating love, but in reality it is possible to obey and not love. Think of slaves or even children who are forced to obey but don’t love back. A religious person may discipline themselves to obey as a form of work. However, if we look at verse 23, we see a reverse emphasis: “Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”” (John 14:23 ESV). It is to be out of love for all that God has done and provided for us that we obey his commands and as we do those who observe us will know that we love the Lord. As we love Jesus and keep his commandments, his words of instruction, he will manifest or reveal himself to us and provide us with his peace that cannot be found in the world.

Prayer

Father, as I study the Scriptures in writing these lessons, the more excited I become and greater is my desire and love for you. I have been here on assignment for many years and I feel a growing longing to be home with you and family. Father, in the days I have left I pray that through the Holy Spirit, the Lord will guide me in what to write and those who read from countries around the world will be encouraged and in some small way have a closer walk with the Lord. I pray for my readers who experience so many different things in life because of where they live in the world. I pray for their encouragement, for strength, for protection, and in some cases, basic humanitarian needs. Forgive their sins where needed; fill their hearts with your love; bless them and show them mercy.

2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV). To be in Christ doesn’t mean we are contained in him like being inside a box, it means we are like a branch or a limb of a tree that extends into the trunk or larger limb as its source of life and support. As a creation we are brought into existence; According to his great mercy, God the Father has caused us to be born again (1 Peter 1:3), grafting us into Christ. As a branch being grafted into, we abide in Christ and are spiritually alive, able to produce much fruit, for apart from him we can do nothing (John 15:5). In Ephesians 2:10, we are described as his “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (ESV). The old sinful way of living for ourselves is now replaced with the ability and desire to live for God doing kingdom work. Our new life style is to be a reflection of our new family we were adopted into and while living here on earth we live as representatives of our heavenly Father, not of the father of evil we were once a part of.

Prayer

Father, as a new creation we should have a lifestyle that is different enough from the world that they would refer to us as aliens and strangers. Our lifestyle should reflect the heavenly family we are a part of, but instead we have become like those of the world by adopting their ways of living; we have become cultural Christians. Maybe it is time for some persecution to turn us back to the Lord and his word. Father, have mercy on us and encourage us to turn back and walk in a manner worthy of our new creation in Christ.

John 15:7

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7 ESV). This is a verse about prayer, which on the surface appears that we can ask for anything we wish and it will be granted. Looking a bit deeper, we notice the condition of abiding in Jesus and his words abiding in us. This would indicate a relationship between what we wish for and our relationship to Jesus and his words. If we expand our inquiry into the surrounding verses, we find abiding is like a branch that is attached to a vine for the purpose of drawing nourishment needed to produce fruit. It is this fruit that brings glory to our Father. In the context of our verse is the importance of producing fruit; fruit such as love with its characteristics of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The connection to his words is that they are to become tools we use to encourage the growth of more fruit, especially in the lives of others, which is enhanced by the characteristics of love. A summary of his words is for us to go into all the world and make disciples. In the context of our verse it is clear that our wish will be in relationship to producing more fruit. Our wish, our desire, will be to become better equipped to be more productive in our walk with the Lord in reaching others.

Prayer

Father, how tempting it is to lift a verse like this one out of context and try to apply it to meeting our own desires when it was intended for a different application. You chose us and assigned to us work to do and you gave us tools like this verse to help us in doing that work. A verse like this one is a means of connecting with you in doing the assigned work. Father, forgive us for focusing on ourselves over you and trying to apply verses like this to advance our own little kingdom.

1 Peter 3:13

As you attempt to answer the question asked by the verse shown on the photo, consider verse 12 and 14. 1 Peter 3:12: "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (ESV). Notice how the Lord relates to two different groups of people. For those who are righteous his eyes are on them and his ears are open to their prayer. This reminds me of a mother who loves her children and listens to them and watches over them. There is a second group; those who do evil and find themselves under the Lord’s displeasure.

Now look at 1 Peter 3:14: “But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled” (ESV). If you are counted among the righteous and are zealous for doing good, but are suffering for your righteous conduct because of those who do evil, you will be blessed and should not fear or be troubled by them. Nestled between these two verses is our question? “Who is there to harm you?”

If you lived under persecution for your faith and were about to be tortured or even killed, you might answer, “Those who are persecuting.” But what if I were to say the answer is, “None can harm you?” I base my answer of “none” on where the verse is placed and how it is asked. From verse 12 we see the Lord is with us and against those who do evil and from verse 14, we are blessed if we suffer and should have no fear of them or even be troubled. How is that possible? The answer is found in 1 Peter 1:3 – 7: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (ESV).

We may be harmed physically, but no one can touch our inheritance, which is kept secure by the power of God until we come to claim it. As we stay focused on our inheritance, which is kept secure by the power of God until we come to claim it. As we stay focused on our inheritance, provided by the Lord Jesus, we have a living hope to carry us through those fiery trials.

Prayer

Father, thank you that no one can harm us where it really matters. Thank you for the living hope we have, through Jesus Christ, in what is laid up in heaven for us.

PS: Reader, how would you answer the question in the photo?

Persecution - Bible Study

Several months ago I downloaded an e-copy of the book, “I Am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremists” by The Voice of the Martyrs. It is a book of 48 reports of Christians who have suffered for their faith and six historical stories all arranged into six parts under the words sacrifice, courage, joy, perseverance, forgiveness, and faithfulness. Each of these six sections is introduced with a relevant verse. Clicking on the link above will direct you to an introduction to the book, but at the top of that introduction is a link to where you can start reading the book for free.

Since I enjoy writing about verses I decided to include these six words and the corresponding verses into a study on persecution. What you are reading is that study containing links to six previous blog posts where I wrote about those verses.

     Romans 12:1 - Sacrifice
     Psalm 31:24 - Courage
     Acts 20:24 - Joy
     Romans 5:3-5 - Perseverance
     Luke 23:34 - Forgiveness
     Revelation 2:10 - Faithfulness

I pray that this study would encourage you to read the book to learn more about persecution and how God is using it to advance the gospel. The goal of this study is to better understand what our brothers and sisters in Christ are experiencing so that we can better pray for them and learn ways to come alongside them to encourage.

Have you ever considered what it would be like to prepare your children, if you were a young family, for persecution and possibility even death, as the consequence of living out their faith in Jesus? The video titled “Liena’s Prayer” is an example of having such a conversation. I need to warn you that the video is intense.

What would you do if persecution came to you? The video titled “Victoria” illustrates what can happen when a small church is invaded by extremists. How would you react if this happened to your church? This is a sobering video.

I pray that this study will help you understand that most Christians do not have the opportunity to enjoy living behind walls of security, safety, and comfort like we do. The more I study this topic the more I realize the importance of persecution in adding value to one’s faith. How willing are you to live like the family in the video of Liena’s Prayer? What price are you willing to pay to remain faithful to God?

Revelation 2:10 Faithfulness

Merriam - Webster defines faithful as "having or showing true and constant support or loyalty; keeping your promises or doing what you are supposed to do." Thinking about the context of persecution I am reminded of a passage in 2 Timothy 3:1 - 5: "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" (ESV). Notice that "in the last days' there will come times of difficulty" and in those days people will be lovers of self, engaged in all forms of evil, rather than lovers of God. These people will be faithless to any standard that is truly godly and will tent to resist those who are faithful. If a person is to be faithful, then that person must love God more than self. It is out of that love that one is obedient (John 14:15). Thus, a faithful person will be one who is in love with God and when faced with persecution will stand firm in obedience and continue on as an effective witness. Jesus made it clear that we will be hated, by those who are faithless, for his name's sake (Matthew 10:22) This hatred is growing with intensity in many parts of the world. To remain faithful there are a growing number of cases where ones love for God must be so much greater than their love for family members that they are able to sacrifice a family member to remain faithful (Luke 14:26). When we face persecution we must remain faithful in doing what we are supposed to do as a follower of Jesus Christ and not be ashamed of him or his words (Mark 8:38). We are not to allow adversity or times of difficulty to cause us to be unfaithful. We must trust God with justice for the evil against us and stand firm in love and forgiveness. This act of faithfulness toward our Lord then becomes a supernatural witness of extraordinary power.

Prayer 

Father, whether we face persecution or not, it is important that we remain faithful because if we don't it will be so easy to slip into the lifestyle described in the 2 Timothy passage. Father, it appears that our love for you is growing cold and we are exchanging faithfulness in our walk with you for friendship with the world. Forgive us and challenge us to renew our love and faithfulness toward you.

Luke 23:34 Forgiveness

In 1 Peter 2:21 we read: "For to this you have been called,because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps" (ESV). You might think that suffering is what to expect if we are to follow in his steps, but that is not true. We need to understand what the "For" is pointing to. If we go back to 1 Peter 2:20b we learn that we are to endure when suffering unjustly. "But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God" (ESV). This is the example we are to follow. Jesus, who committed no sin was nailed to a cross, said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." The example to follow is to forgive when suffering unjustly, but how is that possible? The answer is found in 1 Peter 2:22 - 23: "He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly" (ESV). Consider in particular the expression, "but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly." Our sinful nature wants to get even; to retaliate in some way, but we are here instructed to turn this desire for justice over to God to take care of in his time and in his way and when we do, our need for justice is replaced with the ability to love and to forgive our enemy just as Jesus did. Trusting God for justice allows the Holy Spirit to work supernaturally in our heart, giving us the ability to love our enemies and to forgive them as we have been forgiven by God. This supernatural response provides us with a very powerful witness that can draw even the most harden enemy to Jesus and to salvation. In this witness lies the explanation of why Christianity expands so rapidly under persecution. The unbeliever can clearly see an amazing quality of great value that draws them into belief, even at great cost to them. This concept of forgiveness we need to understand and live out if we are to bring value back into what has become a cultural church here in the west.

Prayer

Father, the example Jesus set, when dying on the cross, by offering forgiveness brings into focus that as your enemy you forgave us when we came to Christ. When we surrender the judgment of our enemies into your hands we are then able to love and forgive our enemies. Father, thank you for this powerful, supernatural witness that we see displayed by those being persecuted and even martyred for their faith. What a tremendous validation this act of love and forgiveness is in the uniqueness of Christianity among world religions. Father, thank you for your forgiveness and your provision for us to do likewise.

Romans 5:3-5 Perseverance

There are many forms of tribulation, but one that is on the rise is persecution of Christians. Christian persecution goes back to the time of Jesus Christ, who was persecuted by the Jews and finally hung on a cross to die. That death, planned by the Jews to eliminate a sinless man they couldn't tolerate, God used as payment for our salvation. Jesus, the Son of God, Messiah, was chosen by God the Father to leave heaven and endure life on earth among sinful people, as the Son of Man, and then die in our place, taking upon himself our sin. Jesus made it clear that as he was hated so would be those who followed him in belief.

Here in our text Paul tells us to glory in our tribulation, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance or endurance. What is so important about perseverance that we should glory in our tribulation over it? That perseverance marks us or sets us apart because of the Christ-like character it produces in us and as we see God create that character it gives us hope in things to come. Through this process we are we are encouraged by the love that God pours into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given to us. That love is not alone as it manifest itself through producing joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22 - 23). As we persevere, displaying these characteristics of love, God uses this as a witness to build the Church. Just as Jesus suffered and died for our salvation, some are called upon to suffer and even die for the growth of the church. As we persevere; as we stand firm, resisting opposition by God's strength, we will endure and overcome, setting an example for others to follow. When temptation to give up comes or to give in to the demands of the enemy, let us not forget God's promise to give us strength and hope as we persevere.

Payer

Father, I pray that when tribulation comes, as a test of our faith, that we will be willing to lay aside our friendship with safety, security and comfort and persevere by your strength, displaying the characteristics of your love as a witness as we endure our suffering. Father, use our suffering as an opportunity to conform us into the image of your Son, Jesus, and touch someone's life through our example as a witness. As we glory in our tribulation may this bring honor and glory to you.

Acts 20:24 Joy

Paul is on his way to Jerusalem and doesn't know all that will happen to him there. He knows that chains and tribulations await him, but he then tells us that these things are not of concern to him. In fact he doesn't even count his life dear to him. The thing that is important to him is to do the work assigned to him by the Lord Jesus, to testify of the gospel of the grace of God and to do it with joy even if it cost him his life. In other parts of the world people are living like this now. People are willing to embrace Christianity knowing that life will become much more difficult, even to the point of death for some. They are willing to make this sacrifice because when God, who is love, comes to live in them, he  brings joy and peace and the ability to love and forgive those who are persecuting them. They are living out the example of Jesus on the cross. He knew the cross was ahead for him, but for the joy that was set  before him he was willing to endure it and love his enemies and forgive them. Where are you in your walk with the Lord? Are you able to experience joy in the midst of your trials? Remember what James said, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds" (James 1:2 NIV). Joy, unlike happiness, is not determined by external conditions but by the extent we allow Jesus to live his life in and through us. When experiencing trials, joy then becomes a measure of our walk with the Lord. Can you and will you rejoice in the midst of your suffering in this world because of your eternal hope in Jesus Christ?

Prayer 

Father, as I study your word and write these posts; as I walk with the Lord and live out what I am learning, I find that joy and peace are always present. Father, thank you for allowing me to personally know some who have suffered for their faith and have shared their testimonies with me. Thank you for the time I spent in ministry in China in open and also in secret places. It prepared me to live in America and read the Bible with a fresh outlook.

Psalm 31:24 Courage

As you begin this lesson, imagine that you live among a people of a different religion who were hostile towards Christianity. Now imagine that you are in church service or a Bible study group and you are suddenly invaded by terrorist who threaten you, beat you and maybe take you into custody. Maybe this happened at your home and now you face torturer and imprisonment if you don't deny your faith. How will you feel and what will you do?

We are gradually seeing various forms of persecution against our faith forming here in the US and I am sure it will increase in the future. If, or when, we face persecution our verse instructs us to be strong and let our heart take courage as we wait for the Lord. From my experience of bearing inflicted pain I have learned that my focus is key. If I focus on the source of pain I find it can be unbearable, but if I focus on the suffering Jesus experienced or on the suffering of my brothers and sisters being tortured and pray for them, then I find a renewal of strength and my heart is encouraged to press on. I think it is time for us to venture outside our walls of safety, security and comfort and gain some experience so that when we are called upon to stand for our faith we will not become paralyzed by fear because we will have learned that God strengthens us to embrace risks. It is time that we become informed by learning from our brothers and sisters, who are under persecution, that living as a Christian can be dangerous. Are you going to be able or willing to expose your self if called upon to do so? God instructs us to be strong and courageous and wait on him because to lose heart and turn away may result in a burden of shame that may be even worse to live with.

Prayer 

Father, I believe those who were raised under persecution have an advantage because for them that is all they know and is thus norm. For them the Lord has made such a difference in their lives that they can think of nothing less than sharing their faith, even if they suffer for it. We, on the other hand, were brought up in safety, security and comfort, find it difficult to step out and embrace the risk of sharing Christ with the lost. Lord, encourage us to learn to live outside of what we call normal for the sake of your kingdom.

Romans 12:1 Sacrifice

Therefore points us back to the glorious description of God in the last paragraph of chapter 11 and based on who he is and his provision for us we are urged by his mercies to present our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, which is acceptable to him. We must not forget that the New Testament was written in an eastern culture under conditions of suffering. We must also remember that Jesus suffered on the cross for us, presenting his body as a living and holy sacrifice to provide for our salvation and the expectation is that through our sacrifice the church will grow.

Walking in holiness and righteousness will usually result in some form of persecution. We have been spared this in the west because or our walk with the Lord initially as a Christian nation, but even then there was some persecution. Today we are so much like the world we are not bothered, but in other parts of the world, persecution is growing and many have first hand experience in presenting their bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, with a growing number giving their lives. In view of this are you willing to count the cost of walking with the Lord and are you then willing to pay the price because Jesus Christ is worth it? If the time comes are you willing to follow Jesus Christ even if it cost you your life or that of a family member? How much are you willing to sacrifice to maintain your identity as a follower of Jesus Christ? This sacrifice, which is acceptable to God, is a mark of true spiritual service of worship.

Prayer

Father, each morning I need to consider the importance of my identity with Jesus Christ and how much I am willing to sacrifice for him. Am I willing to live each day as one crucified with Christ, allowing Jesus to live his life in and through me? Am I willing to step out each day and be the salt and light in a dark and evil world, in need of his truth and love, no matter what the cost is to me? Father, help me say yes to these questions with a growing degree of confidence.

Isaiah 53:5

I was catching up on some reading this morning, which made reference to Isaiah 53:5 and then raised a question concerning me. I had to lay aside the article and think about this verse. God the Father loves us so much that he was willing to sacrifice his Son for us. Taking on a body of flesh, Jesus was then willing to suffer and die for us. Jesus was willing to allow his Father to break him for us and through that brokenness Jesus can understand our temptation and suffering. The question then concerning me is, "Am I willing to let God break me so that I can understand and meet the needs of others. Am I willing to see my suffering as preparation for helping someone or as just a trial to get through? As I think about this I realize how my past suffering has prepared me to be of value to others in their time of need. Think of the value Jesus provided us through his suffering. What value are you providing for others?

Prayer

Father, this concept of suffering to prepare us to provide value for someone is foreign to us. It sure is not a normal way of life, but is an extension of life in the spiritual realm from heaven. Father, there is so much we American Christians need to learn about the importance of suffering and its relationship to our understanding of what a Biblical Christian is really like. Here in America, we are predominately cultural Christians, influenced more by our culture than we are the Bible. Father, forgive us and help us get our priorities straight.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Part 4

Things Seen Are Transient - Things Unseen Are Eternal 

Last time we found it was normal to have affliction now in preparation for an eternal state of glory later on. In this lesson we will consider the difference between things seen and those unseen. The things that are seen are described as being transient and things we are not to look to. In 1 John 2:15 - 17, we are told not to love the things of the world because if we do there is no place left for the love of the Father. These things would include the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life. We are not to invest in things that are passing away, but to do the will of God and that will would be to look to the things unseen that are eternal. We are to look at things like mercy, grace, salvation, forgiveness and the fruit of the Spirit. We are to be crucified with Christ, to the desires and things of the world to allow Jesus Christ to bless us with the things that are eternal and seen only in their effects.

Prayer

Father, with our citizenship now in heaven, we are here on assignment as aliens and strangers. The temptation is great to allow our focus to drift from our assignment to involvement in what the world has to offer. Help us remember our assignment to search out the lost sheep among us and disciple them to prepare them to do likewise until all lost sheep listed in the book of life are found and accounted for. Father, protect us from that which we can see and encourage us to work toward and invest in that which is not seen or understood by those of unbelief.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Part 3

Light Momentary Afflictions Now - An Eternal Weight of Glory Later

In our last lesson we were encouraged to learn that for the believer, as self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. In this lesson the contrast is between light momentary affliction now and how it is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. From the writings of Paul, James and Peter, it is clear that suffering is the norm for a growing Christian. Paul speaks of tribulation, James of various trials, and Peter of those fiery trials. But these "light afflictions" have a purpose of preparing us for eternal life. The more one studies the Scriptures the more one realizes that we can't even imagine the glory of what lies ahead. Peter speaks of this as "an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for [us], who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:4 - 5 ESV). Don't be discouraged by trials, even if they are the fiery kind, because out of them is coming an eternal weight of glory that is beyond all comparison.

Prayer 

Father, how important it is to have something to look forward to when going through times of suffering. Jesus endured the cross for the joy that was set before him; joy of knowing he would be able to enjoy for an eternity all of us in the body of Christ. Likewise, we can endure suffering for the living hope we have of the inheritance waiting for us in heaven. Father, help us turn our focus from our suffering to Jesus Christ and the provision he has secured for us to enjoy with him and with you for an eternity.