2 Timothy 4:6 - 7

Last time we looked at Galatians 2:20 and related being crucified with Christ with the idea of self being poured out in service to God and as that happens Jesus Christ comes to live in us. In our verse today we pick up this theme with Paul saying that he has fought the good fight and has finished the race and kept the faith and through this he has been poured out as a drink offering. Paul suffered much as a believer, but he fought on and never denied the faith in the face of persecution. God had taken hold of Paul and in the process of pouring him out, in using him as a resource, purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ, the kingdom of Christ was being advanced. Paul was at the point where his life was all used up and his work was finished in the verses given. Consider Jesus, the Son of God, sent to earth, not to live for himself, but to die for us. God used him in a mighty way, pouring out his life in the face of growing persecution to where he was completely empty of life and had finished the work assigned to him. In his emptiness of life and filled with the death of our sin, he asks his Father to forgive them because they didn't know what they were doing and then he cries out, "It is finished". Paul and Jesus are examples for us to empty our-self of self and be filled with Jesus Christ and fight the good fight and finish the race for God.

Prayer

Father, this is such a foreign idea here in the west where we are proud of so many things. The idea of you taking us as a vessel and pouring us out in service at a place of your choosing doesn't set very well with a people who are so independent and desiring to be in control. Father, help me be more willing to humble myself under your mighty hand and to serve you however and wherever you desire. 

Galatians 2:20

Is there someone or something that is producing tension or conflict within your heart? Consider how this verse would apply. To be crucified with Christ is allowing God to pour you out as a drink offering (2 Tim. 4:6), just as Jesus gave his life completely for us. As we are being poured out, Jesus is able to come in and fill that space and live his life in us. Jesus thus becomes a buffer between us and that which is producing the tension or conflict. As we live through him we see the situation through his life. As we live this way by faith in Jesus, the Son of God, we obtain victory. Since God is love, as Christ lives his life in us we can experience the characteristics of his love: "joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). When we love the world the love of the Father cannot be in us and we will not experience victory.

Prayer

Father, I find this to be a key verse for me in my walk with the Lord. It clearly points out the tension between how I want to live and how you want me to live. I was purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ; he owns me and loves me with a love that is beyond my understanding, but he wants all of me to be devoted to him. I pray that with my faith focused in him, I will die to self and allow Jesus to live fully in me. Through verses like this I can see how you are conforming me into the image of Christ. When the body of Christ, the Bride, is complete and in heaven, each one of us will have been conformed into the image of Christ and together be one body in unity with Jesus Christ. As I use my body to live my life now, Jesus Christ will use us as his body in living out his life through us. Father, help me through this verse live more like I will live with Jesus in heaven. Have mercy on me as I seek to live out this desire.

Psalm 118:28 - 29 Praise

When one says, "Praise the Lord," what does one mean? Praise comes from the Hebrew word yadah, which also means to give thanks or to confess. On a closer examination I found two other Hebrew words from which praise comes; In Psalm 149:3: "Let them praise [halal] His name with the dance; Let them sing praises [zamar] to Him with the timbrel and harp." Halal means to praise, glorify, boast, commend and zamar means to make music or sing praise; in this psalm these words are expressed with dance and singing.

As I look at the words used in the Psalms to express praise and the various forms of expressing praise, I realize the need to consider the desired end result of praising God, which is to exalt him and his name above all else.

Prayer

Father, when I use the word "praise," I pray that it is full of meaning from my heart for what you mean to me; for what you are to me; for what you have done for me; for your lascivious love and kindness toward me. Oh how I exalt you and your name above all else. Oh my God, I praise you!

Psalm 103:1 - 2 Blessing

Normally the greater blesses the lesser, so what does it mean for us to bless one who is infinitely superior? We don't add anything to him when we bless him, we simply worship him as an appropriate response to his greatness and his love for us. Psalm 104:1 - 2 gives us an example: "Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent" (ESV). Psalm 103 suggest that we should bless the Lord and his name with our whole being, keeping in mind all his benefits to us. When we bless and praise and acknowledge the Lord he is glorified. This is why he created us and so when we exalt him we are meeting a need that God has.

There are many songs using this phrase like this beautiful song.

Prayer

Father, I confess that I found this to be a difficult lesson to write, I realize that I spend much time in study and writing, but not enough time being quiet before you in an attitude of offering up a blessing. Father, help me overcome this deficit is my relationship with you.

Psalm 100:2 Service

When we quiet our hearts for a moment and consider what great things God has done for us, should we not see the need to fear his discipline for disobedience and serve him faithfully with all of our heart and soul? Remember, as believers, we are God's workmanship, created as a new creatures in Christ Jesus for good works, work which God has already prepared for us to do. While doing this work we should out of love and gratitude, serve him with gladness and when we come to serve Him we should come with an attitude to accept possible discomfort, rejection, hunger, thirst, tiredness and be willing to bear our cross without complaint.

Prayer

Father, thank you for choosing us and causing us to be born again. Thank you for considering us worthy to be your servants to labor in your fields. Show us mercy in helping us serve you with gladness.

Deuteronomy 6:5 Love

God is love and whoever abides in love abides in God and God abides in him (1 John 4:16). God's love for us is so great that he was willing to sacrifice his Son for us (John 3:16). We know that love to be complete needs to be both ways; we desire those we love to love us in return. God is no different; as he loves us, with a love that is beyond our comprehension, he longs for us to love him in return with all of our heart and with all of our soul and with all of our might. God does not need our love to continue to be God, but it is the desire of his heart that we love him.

Prayer

Father, your love is clearly a sacrificial love; a love that is willing to give for the benefit of the one being loved. You were willing to sacrifice your Son on the cross so that we could have salvation and thus love you in return. Lord Jesus, with such great love for us, you were willing to suffer and die for us. You left us an example that if we truly love you as you loved the Father, then we also would be willing so suffer and die as your witness. We see this sacrificial love being lived out daily by those living under persecution. Lord, please extend your mercy to them as they face things too difficult for us to describe or understand.

Does God Have Needs

On the backside of a card I give to people I meet are some questions about ones origin, the meaning of life, our morality and our destiny. There is also a diagram shown that points out that the wages of sin is death. Sin came into the world through one man, Adam, and death through sin spread to all people (Romans 5:12). The diagram also indicates that eternal life is a free gift form God through belief in Jesus Christ, but that gift is only offered to those who are born again (John 3:3).

I say all of the above to point out that our primary need is our salvation. That tops the list of many needs we have that we look to God to meet. As we think about our needs, I pose the question, "Does God have any needs that he looks to us to meet?" What do you think? That is something we will consider in future lessons.

The Necessity of Trials

Romans 5:3 - 5 is one of several texts that point out the importance trials play in a believers life. This short study considers that importance.

Lesson 1: The Need of Endurance
Lesson 2: Relationship Between Endurance and Character
Lesson 3: How Does Hope Relate to Character
Lesson 4: How does hope prevent us from shame
Lesson 5: The Importance of Love
Lesson 6: The Importance of Suffering

Is it possible that we in the west are bound by the idols of safety and comfort and as a result when trials produce suffering we fail to understand that God may want to use this experience to create additional Christ-likeness within us. We should pray for this time of spiritual growth, not pray for the removal of the trial so that we can enjoy comfort again. Could this be part of why the western cultural church is so lukewarm?

How to Live Under Persecution

1 Peter 5:6 - 10 is a helpful guide for a believer facing persecution. A series of five short lessons discuss these verses in the context of persecution. Links to these lessons are given below.

Lesson 1: Introduction
Lesson 2: The Importance of Humility
Lesson 3: Dealing With Anxiety
Lesson 4: Being Sober-Minded and Watchful
Lesson 5: When to Resist and When to Stand Firm
Lesson 6: What Does God Promise

Verses like these need to be interrupted in the context in which they were written. The theme of 1 Peter is hope in the midst of suffering and is written to believers who are suffering under persecution. It is in that context that these verses need to be understood, which is difficult for us in the west to grasp.

John 20:21

Jesus came to portray the Father to the world and as children of the Father, Jesus sends us out into the world to also portray the Father. We are to study the life of Jesus and learn from him how to represent the Father in how we live. Paul gives us an example of this. Paul became such an accurate picture of Jesus that he could say, "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). As I am crucified with Christ and allow him to live his life through me (Galatians 2:20), I become more like him and as he lives his life through me I present to the world a portray of the Father. As Christians, our job, like that of Jesus, is to make the Father known to the world through the person of his Son, Jesus, by the kind of life we live.

Prayer

Father, this verse tells us that Jesus is sending us out into the world, but there appears to be a lack of obedience on our part. I believe we are encumbered by the idols of safety and comfort. It seems that in the western church it is more important to remain safe and comfortable that it is to obey this command given by Jesus. In non-western countries where normal living conditions do not include safety or comfort, Christians seem willing to be obedient, even to the point of death. Father, this concerns me because each one of us must stand before the judgment seat of Christ and have our works tested. It would seem that this would strike fear in our hearts, but I don't think many Christians are aware of this coming event in their lives. Father, we sure need your mercy.

1 Peter 5:6 - 10 Part 6

Part 6. Last time we considered the difference between "resist the devil" and "be strong in your faith". We saw them as two different events and/or time frames. In this lesson, and our last on these verses, we need to consider what waits us after we have suffered for a little while. Against the time frame of eternity, our suffering here on earth, especially under persecution, can't last longer than a life time and that is little compared to our time in heaven.

We need to fix our focus on what God of all grace has in store for us after our suffering. When I see grace I often think of "justice" - receiving what you deserve, "mercy" - not receiving what you deserve, and "grace" - receiving what you don't deserve. Our God, our Father, has called us to his eternal glory in Christ. We did not initiate our coming; our Father chose us and called us through his Son. As a lost sheep we hear the call and we respond and follow our Shepherd, the Lord and one day we will stand before him and experience his eternal glory. So, what will the God of all grace do for us? He will restore us to a perfect state in heaven; he will confirm that we  belong to him and have eternal life; he will strengthen us when weakness wants to overcome us, especially when we face being tortured; he will establish us with him for an eternity. When we find ourselves going through a fiery trial, we need to fully understand what God has done for us and has waiting for us.

Prayer

Father, as we finish this series of lessons on suffering caused by persecution, I pray that in some small way my readers have been helped in their understanding of persecution and the importance of being prepared to live through it when it comes. We who are so used to comfort and safety may find it to be very stressful when persecution threatens our safety and comfort. Father help us learn from those suffering in other countries.

1 Peter 5:6 - 10 Part 5

Part 5. Last time we looked at the importance of being sober-minded and watchful because we have an enemy that wants to devour us. Considering the threat of ISIS and other groups like them against Christians, with deaths at an all time high, is is easy to understand the concept of the devil as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. In this lesson we will look at, "Resist him, strong in your faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of suffering" (1 Peter 5:9 NET).

I believe the statements "resist him" and "strong in your faith" indicate two different events and/or time frames. As long as we are free we need to use various methods, like legal, to help maintain our freedom to express our faith. We need to pray for wisdom to know how to resist the enemy. If the enemy has us in custody, we are not to resist even if it means our death. We are to be strong in our faith and not deny the Lord. Our submission, love for the enemy, and offering forgiveness is a powerful witness and has resulted in the conversion of many onlookers as well as hardened terrorists. Those on the front lines need to be strong in their faith while those who are free need to resist the enemy. We in the west need to understand this and provide the support and encouragement for our brothers and sisters who are giving their lives in spiritual battle. Let us not forget that we are family.

Prayer

Father, we in the western church need to learn from those being persecuted to learn the ways you bless them, what it means to have your love poured into them, and the fellowship of suffering they have with each other and with the Lord. We need to learn to have empathy toward them and understand how it is such a great honor to suffer for our faith. I believe we also need to be more careful in how we interrupt various verses to see them in the context of suffering in which they were written. Father, help us in the west to be better prepared to live with persecution when is comes.

1 Peter 5:6 - 10 Part 4

Part 4. To be prepared for persecution we have learned so far the need to clothe ourselves with humility and to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. In this lesson we will look at the next verse in which Peter tells us to be sober-minded and watchful because we have an enemy that prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

To understand the meaning of this we need to look at it in the context of persecution and suffering that Peter was writing from. That context is found in areas like Syria, Iran and Iraq where followers of the Islam religion view Christians as infidels who are spiritually polluting their communities and need to be eliminated. Those who literally follow the Koran are terrorist, like ISIS, who see their goal of making Islam the religion of the world. These terrorist seek out Christians and primarily give them the choice of converting to Islam, dying or escaping. Many of these Christians are Muslims who have converted and have a passion to share their faith. With terrorist seeking out these passionate infidels there is a critical need to be sober-minded and watchful to put off as long as possible being caught. Remember, Jesus said that it was on account of him that they hate you. Remember, even before Jesus was born they tried to kill him. The world has always hated him and does today with increased intensity. Therefore be sober-minded and watchful or you may lose your head sooner than later.

1 Peter 5:6 - 10 Part 3

Part 3. Under persecution, humility is essential to find favor with God, for those who are proud draw attention to themselves and not to God, resulting in resistance toward you. But let's be honest about how we feel. Testimonies reveal there is fear and anxiety at first from not knowing what to expect, but over time this new life style of suffering becomes more normal as one learns from God how to live under it. Let us not move forward too quickly, but get back to our verse for this lesson.

First, we are to clothe ourselves with humility and then we are to cast all our anxieties on Jesus Christ because he will care for us. This statement raises two questions: 1) How do we cast our anxieties on him, and 2) How do we know he will care for us? We need to study and have faith to continue. To answer the first question we need to look at Philippians 4:6-7: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (NASB). We will need this peace to guard our hearts and minds under the conditions we will experience. We will need to experience with these verses to make them part of our living experience, for without a growing practical working faith of this promise, we will come up short when facing persecution. To answer the second question, we need to remind ourselves that before the foundation of the world, our Father chose us and recorded our names in the Book of Life. He then adopted us into the family of God, causing us to be born again, and given as a gift to Jesus to receive eternal life. There is no way such a loving Father and Son would not care for us and see us through to the very end to stand in their eternal presence. Jesus was anxious as he faced the cross and we will be anxious, but as with Jesus, let us face this trial with joy.

1 Peter 5:6 - 10 Part 2

Part 2. Going back to verse 5, we are instructed to "Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”" Our posture under persecution is to be one of humility under the mighty hand of God. It is to be a time when God's love fills our hearts (Romans 5:5) and its characteristics of "joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) reflect from our lives. In the eyes of the world this is a posture of weakness and surrender, but it is one of God's greatest weapons and with it territory is being reclaimed from the powers of darkness and the church is experiencing growth.

Jesus humbled himself on the cross and purchased our salvation with his death and through our humble posture and willingness to sacrifice whatever is needed, he is building his church. Testimonies reveal suffering to be fierce and painful, but they also provide an opportunity for experiencing an intimacy with the Lord, his special blessings, especial those found in the fellowship of suffering with the Lord, and the honor of being counted worthy to suffer for the sake of Jesus. One must study the testimonies of those under persecution to understand the power and blessing of God being released during this time. The price of standing firm with the Lord may be extremely high then, but in the end at the proper time you will stand before God in honor.

1 Peter 5:6 - 10 Part 1

Part 1. My intent was to share only one verse to keep my post simple, but when I looked at the verse about the devil prowling around like a roaring lion, I realized I would not be able to restrain myself, so we will have to endure another teaching series. It is important to understand the context of these verses, which is persecution, with the theme of the book of 1 Peter being, "Hope in the midst of suffering." As I study the lives of my brothers and sisters under persecution I sense the urgency to prepare myself and others to face and endure what they are going through. 

We will begin with verse 6 next time, but will conclude this lesson with some hard questions. Do you believe the rapture will come before you have to face death at the hands of your enemy the devil? If you should wake up one morning and realize that you need to evaluate the value of you relationship with Jesus, how much are you willing to give? Are you willing to sacrifice your job, your comfortable home, maybe a family member, and maybe your own life, are you ready and willing to do that? These are questions our brothers and sisters in other countries have had to answer and now experience the results of their answers at the hands of terrorists groups like ISIS. How prepared are you?

Philippians 1:29

The more I learn about persecution the clearer many verses become. Removed from the context of persecution some verses are difficult to clearly understand in our comfortable western culture. Sometimes we skip over these verses or only reference the positive aspect of the verse. In the verse before us is this positive and negative; granted that for the sake of Christ that we should believe, but also granted for the sake of Christ that we should suffer. In our western culture it is easy to teach about the importance of believing in Christ, but it is not easy to teach that it is normal to suffer once becoming a Christian. In cultures where Christians are persecuted, suffering is considered part of becoming a Christian. If you lived under persecution how do you think that would affect your relationship and walk with Jesus Christ? If knowing that you would face persecution would you still have accepted Jesus Christ into your life? Do you think you would deny him now if you faced persecution?

2 Timothy 3:1 - 5

These verses are not very uplifting, but are important for us to think about because we are told to understand what they say so that we will not be caught by surprise. We are told to expect difficult times in the last days, the time in which we live. As you listen to the news, it is clear that life is becoming much more difficult for many, especially in countries where there is persecution. These difficulties arise from our sin. The list of sins given is long and needs to be guarded against by believers. If we are not walking close to the Lord and spending quality time with him and the word of God we will find these undesirable characteristics creeping into our lies.

Verse 4 ends with a conclusion that it is easy for us to fall in love with pleasure found in the world rather than loving God who can provide us with a living hope and a quality of life that is so much beyond the emptiness of pleasure. Be careful of people who are friendly with the world, who have the appearance of godliness, but under times of difficulty fall away because by their pride they deny the power of God. People who love pleasure more than God, who have the appearance of godliness but lack its power seems to be a pretty good description of our western cultural church of today.

Psalm 84:10

What value do you place in your relationship with God? As you make choices in life and set priorities where does God fit in? This verse is a measure of desire to be with or near God. A thousand to one is a pretty high measure. Being stationed at the door of God's house as a doorkeeper and not close to God inside is so much better than the pleasures of walking with the wicked in the world. God has so much to offer; do not let the world distract you from intimacy with him.