The Real Opposition!

 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

 2 Tm.2:24-26

This is an enduring scripture, full of wisdom and practicality. It is sound advice for those trying to teach, stand up for, be examples of and proclaim truth in a world that is surrounded by those who would have nothing better than to stamp it out. Indeed, it is hard to sway the opinion of those who have either chosen to abandon God or refuse to accept that God is something that they should even acknowledge. This passage strives to teach both believers as well as non-believers.

1.) If you are a believer, expect opposition! In that event, you as a believer should not be

quarrelsome or combative in your approach. In that, there is some practical advice for you in this passage:

• Be kind. Don't stoop to name calling, slurs, innuendos, or acting like people in the world you are trying to teach.
• KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TEACHING! This is part of being able to teach. If you are going to take it upon yourself to teach someone, at least know what you are talking about and preferably be living what you are talking about. No one wants to listen or will listen to a hypocrite. 
• Expect insults and hurt. The world isn't going to be nice - so don't expect it.
• Be Gentle. This goes back to being kind, it is a further modifier of that term, giving you the HOW.
• Remember who's doing the changing of the hearts here. All God expects you to do is present and live the truth. He's the one who changes hearts, not you!

2.) KNOW THE REAL SOURCE OF THE OPPOSITION!

• People of the world and its thinking are ensnared by the Devil, with his lies and deceptions. In fact the world has swallowed them hook, line, and sinker! 
• It is no coincidence, that in Rev.12:10, that Satan is called the "Accuser of our brethren." All of the opposition against good, radical or not, has one purpose and one purpose alone -- to do anything he can to be able to accuse godly people of wrong so as to smear and/or draw people away from God. 
• All of the unseen battles being waged around us every day, is pressure to keep you from doing what is right and acknowledging God.   Ephesians 6:12 says, “We are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world” 

Satan cannot attack  God directly, so he attacks those who follow Him. The advice Paul gave to Timothy in the 1st Century, is good for us to remember today. Stay away from senseless arguments, don't be like the world you are trying to teach, be humble.

How did Jesus treat those who opposed him? “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing.” The same is true with those who would oppose those who claim to follow God.  They don’t know what they’re doing. So, don't be like them!  Learn to let God live in you, and be His example. Let Him deal with the world, you live to let His glory be seen in everything you do!

Jim

Whining In The Modern World - Christian or NOT!

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?  And "If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.  

1  Pt. 4:12-19

Suffering is a word with different connotations to different people. To many, it is the ache and pain that comes with death. For the party on the receiving end as well as for those who care for them, death is a painful thing. Those going through it suffer its pains, those who care the pain of seeing the one they love hurt and ultimately die. Disease can cause suffering and pain as well. Cancer, arthritis, skin disease, all have their hurts. No one disputes this.  Suffering can also be caused by economic status, race, in  instances whether one is make or female and the age long debate over those in poverty.

What I find interesting in Peter's statement above, is that it shows us that suffering existed in his day too. What is interesting in Peter's statement is that it is Christians who were suffering. He does not dismiss the fact that they were suffering. What he does tell us is the following:

1. To share (i.e. suffer in the same way) in suffering in the way that Jesus did, a Christian should consider themselves blessed because one cannot do so unless the Spirit of God rests upon and in them. To die for your faith and because Christ is seen in you is a glory to God and God in turn will bring glory to us in turn - and heaven is our reward.
2. To have oppression, slander, shame, to receive degraded status because we are Christians should not be a shameful thing to us. There is nothing wrong with it. We are not greater than Jesus who taught us that the world hates us. We are not greater than the apostles who died at the hands of others, simply because they preached the glory of God in Christ. They did not rise up in arms, lead riots, cause insurrections or stir up mobs. They simply lived as they should in Christ. The lesson for us is that we should do the same! 
3. Peter does tell us that to call yourself a Christian, or even in imitation of being a
   
   Christian and yet suffer because you commit murder, or steal then you are not suffering because or for righteousness but for the evil done. The next two words are also genuinely unique in where they are placed. Evildoer is the next word and is used a myriad of ways in scriptural context. Predominately from two words combined to describe a single thing. Kakos - is something worthless, depraved or injurious whether by itself or done to someone. Poieo - means to make, do, or to raise up. So put together in this text it is referring to someone suffering because they have done or made something evil or injurious. If this is the cause of the suffering, it is not for righteousness but because of the evil done. The next word here is curious, it is that of a meddler in others affairs. If you suffer because of what you say about others, or involve yourself in that you should not, you are not suffering because of righteousness no matter how much you try to excuse it. You are suffering for getting caught doing something that you should not be involved in or contributing to.

So what's the point to Peter's descriptions here?  That judgment starts in the house of God! We speak of judgement of the world, but let us not forget, that it starts with us! Peter's moral echoes Paul's quote from the Psalms (14 & 53) that there are NONE righteous. If we are saved, it shall only be by the grace of God that it is so. And if this the case and you are "suffering," make sure that you are suffering for what is right, because everything else is just whining!

“Sister, there are people who went to sleep all over the world last night, poor and rich and white and black, but they will never wake again. Sister, those who expected to rise did not, their beds became their cooling boards, and their blankets became their winding sheets. And those dead folks would give anything, anything at all for just five minutes of this weather or ten minutes of that plowing that person was grumbling about. So you watch yourself about complaining, Sister. What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain.” 

 Maya Angelou

Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now

UNITY - Get It Done!

There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,  a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. Prov.6:16-19

Few people read this verse and most when they do do not pick up on the last statement made. The Lord HATES someone who sows discord!   Discord means just that, whatever causes people to be at odds with one another. And I know how we tend to apply this - we tend to apply this to religious division. We blame others that they do not agree with the Bible, therefore they are causing division. I agree, that truth is truth and that if you are not going to abide by that, then you are fighting against God not for Him.  However, the emphasis in proverbs is God HATES anyone (those who call themselves Christians or not), that is the cause of sowing, instigating, breeding, festering, fostering, agitating discord. PERIOD!

We see so much of this today. Turn on the news and there is always someone sowing discord.  Rom.3:10-18 is a good synopsis of our world and even our nation today. "...  as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known is no fear of God before their eyes." 

Before we get self righteous, let's keep in mind that we are included in this description. Now, this doesn't mean we have to get all warm and fuzzy with every false doctrine that comes along, or teaching that doesn't agree with the scripture.  We ARE going to disagree. But, there is no room for labeling, judging, name calling, slander bashing, whispering, backbiting, gossiping or anything else associated with any of those. If we do that, cause that, participate in that, then know you are doing what the Lord HATES!  Think you'll get into heaven?

Jesus showed us that no matter how oppressing, no matter how ugly the situation, we can overcome and we can act as God wants! Remember Gethsemane? Did Jesus curse? Did he accuse, blame, call people names?  Did He tell the Guard they had no right? Did He insight a riot?

Jesus said, "For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him you know these things, blessed are you if you do them." Jn.13:15-17

Get it done!

Jim

UNITY - is not a musical!

And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

  Acts 2:44,45

It is easy sitting in a living room with a cup of coffee and a Bible to somewhat romanticize the Biblical world of the First Century.  It is nice to imagine that they were all dancing around like they were in a musical and that everything was rainbows and roses. However, First Century Jerusalem was not like that. The famous events of Pentecost, we must remember, is only 50 days from the events of the crucifixion. The same political and social world is still in play. The believers of the day (that would become known as Christians in just 10 years) were still looked upon with disdain. The Jewish leadership is still in panic and cover up mode (Acts 4:1-3). The Romans still disdained Jews and had no empathy for Christians, especially Jewish Christians. Because of the events of the cross, Jerusalem is a police state. It is an occupied city and people are still people. No one, especially if they know that someone is a believer in Jesus wants to have anything to do with them. They are afraid that the Jewish leadership or Romans will come down on them, so they want them gone. Pentecost is still a feast day in 1st Century Jerusalem, so activities especially around the Temple were high. This did not set well though with the Roman Authority, who thought just 50 days previous that they had quelled a rebellion. The Jewish Authority as evidenced from Mt.28:11-15, is still on their guard not to let anything regarding Jesus come to the surface. Acts 4 backs that fact up.  No one, is willing to openly show any hospitality to those who follow Jesus, much less kindness or open sympathy. 

All of this sounds familiar doesn't it?  Being a Christian is bad - being looked at as sectarian. To openly walk as a Christian or say you're a Christian, especially in public or civic oriented jobs, is to face censorship or the loss of your job. Here's one thing for sure....just as Christians in the first century did not need a bunch of infighting neither do we today. It is hard enough to live in a world that is hostile, without having to worry about whether your brothers or sisters in Christ are going to devour you. So, looking to the example of Christians of the first century let's look at how they worked and acted with and among one another..

1.) Jn.13:14,15  - Jesus' teaching was to love as He loved. To treat others as their servant

- not their Lord - especially one another.  To understand that in God's kingdom, we are NOT to be like the world or act like the world AT ALL!

2.) Acts 2 All things in common Distributing to all that had need.  There is an attitude of desire and generosity,  to work together on everyone's part. A desire to help, be concerned about the welfare of everyone that was among them. Acts 4 One heart and soul  This echoes Jn.13 and Acts 2 and shows how different this was from the world in which they lived. 

It is interesting, that even as today the first schism in God's house came from the all to familiar worldly mind set of ethnicity (Acts 6). And did you notice that when this happens and divisions and hurt occur, the less like Jesus their Lord they looked?  What does this tell you? 

 You have wearied the LORD with your words. But you say, "How have we wearied him?" By saying, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them." Or by asking, "Where is the God of justice?"

Mal 2:17 

Jim