Battling Anxiety

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What is a looming threat in our culture today? Anxiety!  It’s been said that “Anxiety is the soundtrack humming beneath modern life.” Paul’s instructions to the church at Philippi speak clearly in response (Phil. 4:5-7): 

“The Lord is near, do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

 And yet, the truth is … many people are more familiar with anxiety than they are with peace. We are better acquainted with a subconscious drive to control the circumstances overwhelming us, than with accepting the unburdening freedom promised in prayer. God promises peace, a supernatural sort of peace that we can’t logically reason. Regardless of our spiritual maturity, stage of life, psychological awareness, we still find ourselves wrestling with anxiety over God’s perfect peace. So why is that? 

Today we are living in a post-truth era. Culturally, for many, Biblical truth is no longer defined as absolute. We find it difficult to trust people and ultimately that affects our trust in God. The result is generations of people who find safety in pretending they don’t need God or people… saying… “I can trust myself, guide myself, be enough for myself.” Today, we live in a system that believes maturity comes and grows as we embrace more independence. Yet, Jesus’ teachings are the exact opposite! Rather, He says to be more dependent…to be more dependent on Him! 

Jesus once wisely said that we will know a tree by its fruit. So what’s the fruit of self-sufficiency in the life of the modern person? That’s easy! They are overwhelmed! Many people we know today are drowning in their “things”, whatever their “things” are. And those “things” have become all-consuming. You would think that living constantly overwhelmed lives would drive us to prayer at its purest and rawest form. And yet, the tendency for many of us is to pray safe, calculated, quick, duty-filled prayers that insulate us from both disappointment and freedom. At times, we compromise the truth of the Word in our prayers, giving God a way out if things don’t seem to go the way we pray for them. We put “ifs” in our prayers. We take the absolute truth out of the Word and out of our prayers. We lace our prayers with fear and doubt because our trust wavers and doubt in God’s ability and His desire to help us suppresses our prayers. Consciously or unconsciously, we may even try to cloak our selfish, narcissistic desires in some sort of faux compassion. Mixed motives arise, stifling or altering what God has originally intended for us. But as for me, I don’t believe God is nearly as worried about our mixed motives as we may think. I believe he is more concerned with having a true, honest, raw relationship with us. And I believe David ‘s relationship with his Father was such as that. Let’s take a look at David’s writings in the Psalms and begin with these beautiful words written by him: 

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside the quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” (Psalm 23:1-3)

This prayer sounds so serene, so balanced, so perfect. And yet, David wasn’t always that serene (Psalm 140:10):

“May burning coals fall on them;  may they be thrown into the fire,  into miry pits. never to rise.”

Yikes, sadly, I’ve been there and have even thought things like this …

And again Psalm 103:2,5:

“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Yes, yes, I’ve felt like this many times, especially when things are going the way that I want them. You have to agree. It is easier to trust and believe God when things are going your way. I must admit it, sadly, it’s the way of the flesh, after all.

But what about these heartfelt words:

“I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched.  My eyes fail, looking for my God. “(Psalm 69:3).

I can certainly relate to moments like these, a bit of anger, depression…

Then again, with joy:

“Every day, I will praise you and extol your name, forever and ever” (Psalm 145:2)

Such wonderful emotion exudes in these praises. I love riding high and free in praise of God. But then, later, we find David’s joyous words have now turned to complaints:

“I pour out before him, my complaint; before him, I tell my trouble (Psalm 142:2)

The Psalms reveal a huge variety of motives and emotions. In fact, some of the words in these prayers go directly against the teachings of Jesus and the character of God. What happened to loving your enemies and a God who is rich in love and loyalty and faithfulness? You know, an outside reader might not view David as being so balanced! But didn’t God say David had a heart after Him? So why would these sorts of prayers be included in the Bible? Because they’re honest! They are ragged but real! God is looking for an authentic relationship, not well-designed prayers spoken with perfect motives. Yes, God does consider motives, but when we bring them before Him in prayer, God then has an opportunity to enter in, to realign, to reveal and to refine our thoughts and prayers. They’re not hidden any longer. They’re confessed in His presence. We lay ourselves wholeheartedly before God and He listens. God listened to David in his despair, in his rage and in his joy, and called him a man after His own heart. When it comes to prayer, it’s not performance based. God isn’t grading essays. C.S. Lewis said of prayer “we must lay before Him what is in us, not what ought to be in us.” Honesty with God through prayer reveals truth, hears complaints, reveals and refines motives. In humility, when we present ourselves wholeheartedly before Him, it is then, that He can begin to refine us, sanctify us and empower us with that perfect peace that only God can give. 

New Years 2025

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Once, when the people of God had become careless in their relationship with Him, the Lord rebuked them through the prophet Haggai: “Consider your ways!” (Haggai 1:5). He urged them to reflect on some of the things happening to them, and to evaluate their fading spirituality in light of what God had told them. The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to stop, look up, and get our bearings. A great time for us to “Consider our ways.” To that end, here are some questions to ask prayerfully in the presence of God:

1. What’s one thing you can do this year to increase your enjoyment of God? Over and over again in God’s word, our great job is joy in Him:

Rejoice in the Lord always. (Phil. 4:4)   Delight yourself in the Lord. (Psalm 37:4)

Be glad in the Lord. (Ps. 32:11)             In your presence there is fullness of joy. (Ps. 16:11)

Our enjoyment of God comes primarily through the means of grace he has given us. He has promised to bless us most directly and consistently through means such as his word, prayer, and the church. One specific suggestion I’d offer would be to include some meditation on Scripture along with your daily reading, which most of you probably do. We started as a couple memorizing a few Psalms together. We’ve enjoyed learning them and saying them aloud each morning or when traveling together.

2. What’s an impossible prayer you can pray? There are more than a dozen “but God” statements in Scripture, such as in Romans 5:8, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Situations that were humanly impossible were transformed by “but God”. What’s an impossible prayer, a “but God” prayer you can pray for the coming year?

3. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year? Would it be a personal spiritual discipline (that is, one you practice alone), or an interpersonal spiritual discipline (one you practice with other believers)? Once you decide, determine the next step to take and when you will take it.

4. What’s the single biggest time-waster in your life, and how can you redeem the time? Social media? TV? Video games? Sports? Hobbies? It’s easy for any of these (or something else) to take too much of our hearts and time. Is repentance required?  Actively replacing the wasters in your life with something better helps us in “making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16).

5. What’s the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church? The New Testament actually says seven times that the church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 5:23). We mustn’t minimize the importance of our service to Jesus through his body. How can your church be stronger this year because of you? Serving? Giving? Praying?

6. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year? Praying frequently and fervently for someone’s salvation makes us more sensitive to opportunities to share the gospel. Will you commit to praying for at least one person’s salvation every day this new year?

7. What’s the most important way, by God’s grace, you will try to make this year different from last? Pray and ask God for his guidance in this.

8. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

For some, it might be as simple as designating a time exclusively for prayer. For others, it might be learning the simple, biblical practice of praying the Bible. If we don’t form the habit of praying the Scriptures, our prayers will likely degenerate into vain repetitions that eventually revolve entirely around our immediate private concerns, rather than God’s larger purposes. Most of the Psalms are prayers, and of course, Jesus, Paul, the prophets and many others in the Bible have given us prayers. One pastor I know uses the acronym IOUS from the Psalms to guide in praying the Scriptures (preface your prayers with these IOU’S):

I, Incline my heart to your testimonies (Ps. 119:36).
                             

O, Open my eyes to see wonderful things (Ps. 119:18).
                                

U, Unite my heart to fear your name (Ps 86:11). 
                                  

S, Satisfy me in the morning with your steadfast love (Ps. 90:14). 

9. What single thing can you plan to do this year that will matter most in ten years? In eternity? Impacting your soul, your family, your church?

Short-term deadlines tend to dominate our attention. Busyness and fatigue often limit our vision to just getting through the day. But we mustn’t allow ourselves to be distracted and neglect those things that would have enormous long-term impact on our soul, our family, or our church.

My friends, the value of these questions or others, is in the simple fact that they bring an issue or commitment into focus. For example, just by making a goal to encourage one person this year is more likely to help you remember to encourage that person than if you hadn’t set that goal. Reviewing these questions frequently during the new year can help us keep centered and not get entangled in the growing number of distractions escalating each year. The phrase “Consider Your Ways,” keeps ringing in my ears. The Bible states “the plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance” (Prov. 21:5). That’s powerful! Plans matter! But in all that we plan and do, we must also remember our dependence on our King, who said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). 

 My friends…Consider your New Year… “Consider Your Ways.” (Haggai 1:5)

Let us Pray:

1) “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Is. 43:18-19

Father, may our children let go of the past and perceive new things, ideas, and gifting that you lay before them. Thank you that you guide them and strengthen them as they go forth.

2) “And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Rev. 21:5  

Thank you, Father, that you make all things new as our children go forth in 2025.

3) “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lam. 3:22-23 

Thank you, Father, that your love for our children never ceases and your mercies for them never end. Thank you for your great faithfulness.

4) “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.” Phil. 3:13 

Thank you, Father, that the past will not become a snare to our children’s future. Thank you that they will press through any obstacles that come their way and complete the work you give them to do. May they finish strong!

5) “Therefore, repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19 

Father, as our children begin Year 2025 convict their hearts to repentance for any sin that might separate them from you, that they may be refreshed and renewed by your Spirit.

We thank you and praise you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

O Little Town of Bethlehem

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“O Little Town of Bethlehem” paints the picture of a sleepy, unassuming town that serves as the setting for the unprecedented act of God entering the world as a human being. There was no doubt many people living in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth had no idea that an anointed young woman was birthing a divine child that night. Although we look back on Christ’s birth as an indescribably important moment in history, for the people living in Bethlehem at the time, most were completely unaware of what had taken place. And yet Bethlehem, “above thy deep and dreamless sleep” is very much the kind of setting where the Gospel takes place. Not with resounding ovation, but in quiet, simple, even normal actions.

In the same way that many people didn’t notice the birth of Jesus, the vast majority of our prayers and actions made in the advancement of God’s Kingdom will go unnoticed. Few will see the compassion we show to a hurting friend, or the silent prayers offered for a distressed stranger, or the encouragement given on behalf of another. God could have heralded the entrance of his Son into this world with a cadenza of horns and angelic figures. Instead, only a few shepherds were given audience to the angel’s invitation. The simplicity and humility of Christ’s birth is in and of itself an example of how God often works in our world. And yet, what makes those things extraordinary is the presence of God with us. Emmanuel, God with us, makes everything infinitely important and divinely blessed.

Bethlehem was and is just a small town — a small town steeped in ancient history. In the first century, we recall Bethlehem as the birthplace of the mighty giant killer, King David. David essentially put that town on the map 1,000 years earlier, and now, on a very special day that little village on top of a quiet hill was to pull off an amazing feat. Dusty scrolls left by ancient prophets told of such a thing (Micah 5:2).

“But you, O Bethlehem, who are too little to be among the clans of rJudah from you shall come forth one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.”

But that night in Bethlehem, as the song implies, there is only silence. All is now hushed and quiet, and the hope of a king only a prophetic memory muffled by the priorities of life: raising wheat, raising sheep, raising children, and paying taxes. This night the town finally sleeps, though crowded. The hustle and bustle of census travelers, who returned home to be counted, have now ceased their travels.

“O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie.”

So quiet and still and peaceful is the town.  But let’s imagine for a moment a slower pace and a quieter place, no cell phones, no loud radios, no horns, and no surround sound. No jets, no traffic, no trains, and no ambulances racing down streets. In perfect stillness, we witness a silent invasion, like a storm of feathered snowflakes silently falling to the ground, carpeting the dirty world in radiant holiness.

And so, we slow our pace to His pace, and we read the holy story once again, a little more slowly now. We don’t skim. We watch the baby King of Bethlehem enter into a barn-like stable to gently rest in a worn-out feeding trough. In the quietness of night, the new King enters into the hay and manure of a broken world in desperate need of fixing. This is the Christ child, who will one day die in daylight that becomes darkness. But right now, he rests in mother Mary’s arms on a dark night that becomes starlit, as stars and angels pierce the silence. 

This same Christ enters lives like he entered this stable. He enters the mess of sin, and it catches us off guard. You’re surprised? Unaware? You’re not ready for Him? It all seems so sudden. We must be ready— not taken unaware, like the little town of Bethlehem.

When Christ arrives, we may be tempted to first warm up the stable with space heaters. But don’t! We may want to sweep out the soiled hay and mouse droppings. Don’t!  Don’t roll out a comfort mattress or fluff a pair of feather pillows. Don’t disinfect the walls and floor with an aerosol fog of Lysol. Don’t set out a crib with stuffed animals, cotton onesies and baby powder. Don’t fill the bathtub with warm water and soft suds. When the Savior comes, there’s no time to clean up the mess of sin. He comes, not to place fancy wrapped boxes around a decorated Christmas tree. No. The Holy One arrives unexpectedly in the middle of our busy and imperfect lives.

It is with this thought that we are prepared to sing the final verse (the fifth stanza) of the famous hymn, Emmanuel. 

O holy Child of Bethlehem,

Descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin, and enter in,

Be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels, 

The glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Emmanuel.

This is the message of Christmas. Here, this Christmas Day, we praise Jesus who broke into the stillness of a little town to descend to sinful humanity. And we implore Him,  “Lord Jesus, break into our lives and cast out the sin that we are powerless to wash away. Silence our thoughts and still our lips that we may hear you. Soften our hearts and humble us to seek your face in all that we do. Guide us by your light and strengthen us to obey you…

”O holy Child of Bethlehem, Descend to us, we pray.”

Please join me in prayer for our children and grandchildren:

“This is eternal life, that our children and grandchildren may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent”. John 17:3

“More than that, may our children count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom they have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that they may gain Christ,” Philippians 3:8

“And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given our children understanding so that they may know Him who is true; and they are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” 1 John 5:20

“but may our children grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18

Mary Did You Know?

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Imagine what was going through Mary’s mind as the angel Gabriel told her she was going to give birth to the Messiah. How she responded is a lesson for us all.

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David. (Luke 1:30-32)

Have you ever received a promise or a prophecy, only to have to wait for it to come to fruition? Perhaps you had been told you would have a prosperous ministry, but still seem to be plodding along at square one. Or perhaps you were unable to find employment for a long time. It can be very difficult to wait. Imagine being Mary, who as a young teen was told she would carry the Son of God in her womb. In addition, imagine her being told that this baby would be the Savior of the world. What do you think Mary thought? How did she hold up under all this information? What was going through her mind when she changed his diapers? Taught him to eat solid foods? Helped him learn how to dress? Guided him through childhood to adulthood? Do you think she constantly had in the forefront of her mind, “This is the Son of God!” Or did that thought slowly move to the background when Jesus seemed to be a normal baby and grew up as a regular child? Jesus’ public ministry didn’t start until he was 30 years old. Think about it. For 30 years, Mary held the knowledge that Jesus was the Messiah. Could you imagine holding on to an unrealized truth for so long? Did she have any idea what kind of ministry life Jesus would have? The healings? The prophecy? The teachings? The opposition? The suffering? I, for one, don’t believe that Mary knew the details about Jesus’ life beforehand, and that on some level, she was just as surprised by Jesus’ ministry as anyone. But then, that’s just my thoughts on the subject.

In John 16:12, where Jesus says: “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.” As most of you know, God usually only gives us a piece of the big picture at a time. He may give a promise or a prophecy, but often he doesn’t give us the details of how, or even when, it will unfold. What if the angel had told Mary, “You are to give birth to the Son of God, and after thirty years, he’ll start his public ministry. At that point, your son will be opposed by the leaders of this country for three years, then he’ll be brutally beaten, crucified, and all will abandon Him.” How could Mary or any human possibly bear that knowledge? 

I must confess I have been guilty of getting frustrated with God because something I believed didn’t seem to be happening. But Mary made the choice to trust in God. She responded to the angel by saying in Luke 1:38, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” She had the right perspective (I am a servant of the Lord) and the right heart (let it be according to your word.) We can learn a lot from Mary. If God is calling us, then He will lead and provide everything necessary. We just need to have the faith to follow Him.

The lyrics of “Mary, Did You Know?” stir our hearts with some of the deepest mysteries of Christmas. We think of Mary, a young, vulnerable woman called into the most extraordinary human work in all of history… giving birth to God Incarnate. We are reminded that the baby to whom Mary gave birth would walk on water, heal the sick, and save us. We are astounded once more by the fact that Mary’s baby boy is the “Lord of all creation” and, in fact, “the great I AM.” This is a mystery beyond our comprehension, though it stands at the center of Christian faith. As the Gospel of John puts it, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (1:14) This Word became human in Jesus, the son of Mary. So, Mary did you know? Why Yes, in part, Yes. Mary knew her child would be the Messiah, as we now know that God became man. But that sort of knowledge does not leave us without questions. As Mary rocked her baby to sleep, night after night, did she not wonder what it would all mean, how her child’s Messiahship (a made-up word ) would play out in the future?

Even when we know the Biblical answers, we still ponder the questions, and it’s a good exercise to do so. Regardless of how much Mary did or did not perfectly understand, we can be sure that she asked many questions of God, the Father, as she cradled God, the Son. As we think back to the manger scene, think about the power, authority and majesty she cradled in her arms. Those little lips were the same lips that had spoken the world into existence. Think on all contained in this young child lying quietly against his mother’s breast. Imagine a young mother lulling a fussy baby to sleep, hot tears streaming down his pink cheeks, and thinking this tiny being is God incarnate, the Savior of us all! In fact, wasn’t He the very one who had given life to his mother, Mary?  Extraordinary!

Luke 2:19 says, “Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.” We could easily assume that Mary had plenty of questions among those ponderings. The question “Mary, did you know?” opens our thoughts for contemplation, curiosity, and wonder. It’s as though we are peering over Mary’s shoulder as she rocks baby Jesus, the Christ, to sleep. It’s allowing us to witness the humility of God and yet, the vastness of power contained in those tiny fingers grasping for the comfort of his mother’s hand. After all, who would know this wonder, this strangeness, and this beauty better than the woman in whose womb the Son of God grew?

The mystery woven into Mary’s calling as Jesus’s mother has tempted some to attribute divine status to her and worship her. It was a temptation even when Jesus was walking the earth. In Luke 11:27 a woman in a crowd shouted to Jesus, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”

Jesus knew the woman’s line of reasoning was dangerous. So he responded to her: 

 “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it” (Luke11:27-28) Do you see the guarding grace in Jesus’s response? In a single sentence he was protecting Mary’s true blessedness and protecting us from idolatry. Mary’s true blessing is not in bearing the Son, it’s in believing the Son. Being the mother of Jesus was a great blessing, but it was nowhere near the blessing of having her sins paid for by the fruit of her womb. So as we ponder Mary’s experience this Christmas, let us join her relative, Elizabeth, and say of her: “blessed is she who believed the fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Luke 1:45) Because God’s greatest blessing is given to those who believe him and obey Him.

Idol of Dagon

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In 1 Samuel 4:1-3 we read that Israel has been defeated in an initial battle with the Philistines, suffering the cost of 4,000 lives. The Israelites were stunned at the outcome. How could God allow them such a defeat? Although defeated by the Philistines, instead of seeking and humbling themselves before God, the Israelites concluded, “Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.” Yes, the Israelites needed God’s help, but were wrong in the way they sought it. Like an over-sized good luck charm, they believed the presence of the ark would save them and make them win. They looked to the ark, not to the Lord. They were treating the ark like an idol. However, the ark of God is not an idol; the ark of God is not Israel’s God. The ark is a symbol of God’s presence. It plays an important role in Israel’s worship, but it is not their God. Even so, assured of their decision, ark in hand, the Israelites commenced their fight. The Philistines rose to the challenge dreading that it might mean death or defeat for them. Instead, it lead to an even greater defeat for the Israelites. Thirty thousand soldiers were killed, along with Eli’s sons. When Eli, the priest, learns of their death and the ark’s capture, he falls dead as well.1 Sam. 5:1-5 “After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it to Ashdod. Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.”

            No doubt, the Philistines were jubilant and confident in the superiority of their god over the God of Israel. They faced the God of Israel in battle and believed their god Dagon delivered them and defeated Israel. Dagon was represented with a half-man, half-fish figure, and was said to be the father of Baal. Now, the ark of the covenant of Israel’s God stood as a trophy in the temple of their god Dagon. Their victory seemed complete. 

            Had the glory of God departed? Not at all. God was more than able to glorify Himself among the Philistines and their pagan gods. When men disgrace the glory of God, we may think the glory has departed. But when men and women will not glorify God, God will glorify Himself. Our God is able to uphold his own name and honor without our help. The next morning, there was Dagon, who had fallen and was lying face down on the ground before the Ark of the Lord. God glorified himself when He made the Dagon statue bow down in worship before Him. The priests of Dagon then stood the statue upright again. The next day the head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left. Imagine the horror of the Philistine priests who entered the temple of Dagon that morning. They not only saw their god bowing down before the Ark, they also saw the image broken. After two days, I imagine it would be hard to make any more excuses for their god, especially in light of the broken head and hands, and a meager stump remaining. 

            After seeing the superiority of Israel’s God, these Philistine priests had a choice. They could turn from their weak, inferior god Dagon and begin to serve the superior God of Israel. However, they did not. These Philistine priests, like men confronted with the truth today, rejected God despite the evidence. How could they believe something so ridiculous? Maybe, just as it is for many of the lost today, it’s because worshipping the Lord instead of Dagon means a huge change in thinking and behavior, a surrender, a transformation. The Philistine priests were unwilling to make any changes. They found it easier to take Dagon and set it in its place again. It is the same today, despite the evidence of a living God, men continue their idol worship because some believe it is easier to pick up the pieces and glue them back together than to submit to the living God who transforms lives. Some try to keep both Dagon in their life and God. They are afraid of surrendering all the way to Christ. Perhaps there’s a cherished sin they don’t want to give up, a love for the world and its pleasures. 

God won’t share you.  One or the other has to go! “For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14-15.)

            “But the hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. Then the men of Ashdod said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.” Therefore, they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away. “(1Sam. 5: 6-8)

The hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod. Yet, they would not listen when God struck down their statue; they just set it up again. When we close our ears to God, He often finds another way to speak to us, and we may not like the second way. The Bible says, “He ravaged them and struck them with tumors.” Instead of submitting to the God of Israel, they decided to get rid of Him, send the ark away. We can do things to push God away, but even the best of our attempts are temporary. We can’t get rid of God. We must all face God and stand before Him one day. The ark of God was sent first to Gath and after that to Ekron. And the hand of the Lord came against both cities and tumors broke out on them. 

            When they sent the ark to Ekron, the people cried out, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!” So they sent and gathered together the lords of the Philistines, and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.” Death had filled the city with panic; the hand of God is very heavy. And the men who did not die were stricken with tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven. (1Sam. 5:10-12) 

The people of Gath and Ekron were terrified to see the Ark, but they still wouldn’t submit to the Lord God of Israel. If the Philistines had repented and turned towards the Lord, they could have been saved. Instead, the ark became a curse and a judgment to them. The same is true of the presence of God among men today, which can bring life to some and death to others. 

            As the psalmist said: “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them” (Ps. 135:15-18).Dagon became the Philistines’ shame as he was proved to be inferior to the God of the Israelites. Dagon was a god who needed his worshippers to pick him off the ground when he fell. What kind of a “god” has to be set upright by its subjects and carried off for repairs because it is broken? Yet these priests did not humble themselves and confess that the God of Israel is the only true God. Here we are reminded that no god, no weapon, and no power of darkness will stand in the light of our God. When God enters, He turns things upside down and refuses to allow sin to stand unchallenged. That is true for those who wreak havoc and blatantly sin against God in our nation today. God hears the cries of His faithful people in prayer. “Rise up O God and scatter your enemies. Let those who hate God run for their lives!” (Ps. 68:1 NLV)

Grace in Suffering

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I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten away, the great locust, and the young locust, the other locusts, and the locust swarm – my great army, that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed” (Joel 2:25-27). This passage out of the book of Joel, describes the judgment God brought upon his people because of their sin. Even though this chapter is mainly about God’s judgment, I think it gives an awesome insight into the love and grace of God. These people suffered the plague of the locusts because of their great sin before Him. The above verse even says the locusts were “my great army, that I sent among you.” In other words, God sent them. But here’s the incredible part. The Lord doesn’t owe these people anything for the consequences they suffered for their sin. They turned their back on Him time and time again. Every miserable thing they went through was just what they deserved for their waywardness. And yet, God said if they would repent of their sins, and turn back to Him, God would hold the judgment. And He would not only put an end to the devastation, but God would even restore the lost years, repaying them. What grace! 

Remember, my friends, God said, “I will repay you!”  Shocking, isn’t it? This means he would pay them back the price they paid for their sin which seems absolutely ludicrous! The fact is the people paid a dear price: ”Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army (locusts) comes, such as never was in ancient times nor ever will be in ages to come. Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert wasteland—nothing escapes them” (Joel 2:2-3). That’s quite a severe description, don’t you think?  However, God also said he would repay them. If they returned to Him, he would “restore the years the locusts have eaten away.” “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;and rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster” (Joel 2:12-13). Grace, grace, bountiful grace! 

So how will the Lord pay them back? I believe one way the Lord restores us from the suffering caused by our sin or the sins of others is by giving us an opportunity to glean lessons from our suffering, in order to help other people.  And nothing is more fulfilling than to be a blessing to someone else. When you engage in war against the enemy, physically or spiritually, you may risk life and limb, and give up a portion of your life. But, when you gain victory over your enemy, the rewards can be bountiful. As an agent of blessing to others, we come to realize that our past suffering is invaluable. Our compassion, our mercy and our wisdom multiply. The Lord compensates us for the misery that our own sin or the sin of others brings upon us. He will restore the years the locusts have eaten away.  Our pain and suffering have the ability to transform us in a way that nothing else can.

Let’s take a look at Peter’s story.  Peter had similar grace experiences with Jesus when he was first called to follow Christ and again after he denied him. “Those standing there went up to Peter and said, ‘Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”74 Then Peter began to call down curses, and he swore to them, ‘I don’t know the man (Jesus)!’ Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: ‘Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.” (Matt 26:73-75) Three times just before the crucifixion Peter had denied being associated with, or even knowing Jesus. And later, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” to which Peter earnestly replied “Yes Lord, You know I do!” Peter was fully forgiven and fully accepted by Christ in spite of his weakness.  Like so many of us, Peter was not aware of his weakness, until circumstances revealed it. But Jesus wasn’t fooled. He knew all along what was in Peter, and wasn’t surprised or taken aback when it was revealed. It is, as though Jesus is saying, “You’re still included Peter. You’re still one of my boys.” Whatever favor and love Jesus had for Peter before he denied him, He still had afterwards.“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” (John 21:15) After Peter was forgiven, he realized the depth of Jesus’ love and wanted to serve Him more than ever. “He who was forgiven much, now loves much.” (Luke 7:47) In other words Peter’s weakness didn’t change God‘s plan. I think the main message Jesus wanted to convey to Peter is “Nothing has changed. I still accept and approve of you and love you. I’m still going to work miracles through you. Your weakness hasn’t changed my plan for you. I always knew it was there and I chose you anyway.”Then Jesus goes on to reinstate Peter and commission him as repayment. In John 21:17,19, “Jesus asked Peter the third time, “Do you love me?” Peter said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep” —-And afterwards, Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me!” —- My friends, I believe that’s a commissioning! Reinstated, Restored and Repaid!  And again, I say– Grace, Grace, bountiful Grace! I don’t know about you, but this is incredibly comforting to this repentant sinner!

Come, Lord Jesus!

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     The last prayer in the Bible, which is also one of the shortest was written by John the apostle. He simply said, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20)

Three words, and yet, so much is inferred within that simple prayer.  John’s prayer is layered with heartache and anticipation, with distress and hope, with agony and joy. Can you imagine the apostle John, the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 13:23), savoring these three words, “Come, Lord Jesus!”, while abandoned among criminals on the island of Patmos? The promise that Christ will come again feels even sweeter when life on earth feels cruel and unyielding. It’s as if John is making a desperate attempt to literally draw the risen Jesus out of heaven, as he is fervently praying with all his might. The rocky ground beneath his knees was more than a prison; it was a model of the curse, twenty square miles overrun with the consequences of earthly sins. Suffering does that. It opens our eyes wider to all that sin has ruined. It lends an insight into just how much pain and devastation sin has brought to the world. And yet, in a strange way, suffering often awakens in us the promise of Jesus’ coming.

     Weakness and illness make us long all the more for new bodies. Prolonged relational conflicts make us long all the more for peace. Wars, earthquakes, and hurricanes (quite familiar to us in Florida) make us long all the more for a secure life, a secure ground to stand upon. The sin across this fallen world makes us long all the more for sinlessness. “Come, Lord Jesus!” is the cry of someone who really expects a better world to come — and soon. Suffering only intensifies our longing and anticipation. The prayer “Come, Lord Jesus!” is really many prayers in one. What will happen when Christ finally returns? The opening verses of Revelation 21 tell us just how many of our prayers will be answered on that day.

     “Come, Lord Jesus”, and dry our tears. Followers of Jesus are not spared sorrow in this life. In fact, following him often means more tears. Jesus himself warned us it would be so: “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). And yet, Jesus promises to never leave us or forsake us. He promises to guide us and protect us. He is with us always even through the storms of this life. But one day, “He will wipe away every tear from our eyes” (Rev. 21:4). In that world, we will not have tribulation, or sorrow, or distress, or persecution, or danger. When he returns, we’ll never have another reason to cry.

     “Come, Lord Jesus”, and put an end to our pain. Some long for the end of heartache; others feel the consequences of sin in their bodies. For some, pain has followed them like a shadow. Revelation 21:4 continues, “. . . neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore.” Can you imagine someone who has battled chronic pain for decades waking up one morning and feeling no more pain? The absence of pain will free our senses to enjoy the world like never before.

     “Come, Lord Jesus”, and put death to death. Jesus came on the earth that we may have eternal life defeating the power of death. Yes, death lost its sting when the Son of God died. But one day, death itself will die. When the author of life comes, “death shall be no more” (Revelation 21:4).

     “Come, Lord Jesus”, and rid us of sin. John wrote in verse 3, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.” Through that verse, John knew that God would not dwell with sin. For God to come and dwell with us, he will have to first completely destroy the sin that remains in us and in the earth— and that’s exactly what Jesus promises to do. The sin that hides in every shadow and behind every corner will be suddenly extinct. “Jesus will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil”. (Matthew 13:41). “When he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

     “Come, Lord Jesus”, and make it all new. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev.21:1).  Whatever fears have plagued you, whatever trials have surprised you, whatever clouds have followed you, they will all be transformed, in the twinkling of an eye, and stripped of their threats. In the world to come, we will have nothing to fear, nothing to mourn, nothing to endure, nothing to confess. Can you imagine?

     More than a prayer for relief, or safety, or healing, or even sinlessness, though, “Come, Lord Jesus!” is a prayer for Him, Jesus, our Savior and Lord. The burning heart of John’s three-word plea is not for what Jesus does, but for who He is. This is clear throughout the book of Revelation. The world to come is a world we want because Jesus lives there. His presence is paradise. John’s prayer, after all, “Come, Lord Jesus!”, is a response to Jesus promising three times in the previous verses, “Behold, I am coming soon. . .  Behold, I am coming soon. . .  Surely, I am coming soon.” (Rev. 22:7,12,20). The world to come is a world to want because Jesus lives there.

     While the apostle wasted away in prison, he could see the Bridegroom on the horizon (Rev. 1:12-16). His hair white, like snow. His eyes filled with fire. His feet, like burnished bronze. His face, like the sun shining in full strength. The man he had walked with, talked with, laughed with, and surely cried with, now fully glorified and ready to receive and rescue his bride, the church. The Treasure was no longer hidden in a field, but riding on the clouds. Even the vision of the new heavens and new earth in Revelation 21 makes God himself the greatest prize of the world to come: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (Rev. 21:3). Yes, we want a world without grief, without pain, without fear, without death. But better to have a world like ours with God, than to have any other world without Him. His presence defines paradise. Nothing less can satisfy us. . . 

       As Randy Alcorn in his book Heaven wrote, “We think that what we want is a new job, a raise, a doctorate, a spouse, sex, drugs, alcohol, a large-screen television, a new car, a cabin in the woods, a condo in Hawaii. When what we really want is the person we were made for, Jesus, and the place we were made for, Heaven. We may imagine we want a thousand different things, but God is the one we really long for. His presence brings satisfaction; his absence brings thirst and longing. Our longing for Heaven is a longing for God.”

     When Jesus comes again, we will eat, drink and rejoice without end. Hunger and thirst will become distant memories. If worries have robbed you of sleep, if pain has made even normal days hard, if loved ones have been taken from this earth, if life has sometimes seemed stacked against you, if you can’t shake a restless aching from within, then come away to a quiet place and bask in the presence of Jesus. Take time to rest in Him a while. Seek His face. Seek Him with all your heart. Share His Word with others. Worship Him. Abide in Him. He is your all in all. This world may be the only world we’ve known, but a better world is coming…  and there’s still room at His table.

Fruit of Suffering

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Strutting before his brothers in his new coat-of-many-colors, there was Joseph, the favorite son. Excitedly, Joseph told them of a dream he had had and his promise of glory and great power to come. (Genesis 37:5-11). However, as the story unfolds, the cost would be far more than Joseph realized. In order to achieve that great power, he was humbled, betrayed by his resentful brothers, sold and made to become a slave in Egypt. And, as if that were not enough, although proving himself to be a trustworthy slave in Potiphar’s house (the captain of Pharoah’s guard), again he was betrayed and made worse than a slave…a prisoner. Joseph found himself cut off from his family, betrayed by his brothers, surrounded by a foreign culture, enslaved by a pagan ruler, falsely accused of molestation, and confined to a miserable dungeon. But in spite of it all, God had a plan.  For there in prison he met Pharoah’s butler, who eventually brought him to Pharoah, who then made him second in command, a key leader over Egypt.  “Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, ‘Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.’”(Gen.41:55) So even though Joseph went through a period of extreme trial and suffering, God remained faithful. The Lord did not abandon Joseph in his suffering, rather, He blessed him and worked through it all for the good of Joseph, the Jewish people, the Egyptians and beyond. From an arrogant, braggadocios young teen to a wise world leader, Joseph’s telling words to his brothers in Genesis 50:20 reveal his transformation: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” What an unlikely route to glory! 

But that’s God’s way, even for his own Son. Jesus emptied himself and took the form of a prisoner and then was brutally executed. He surrendered to God’s will, “Not my will but thine.” (Luke 22:42) Jesus honored His Father. “Therefore God has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee might bow” (Philippians 2:9,10). And this is God’s way. We are promised glory through suffering with Him. We are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:17). It seems as though the way up is down. The way forward is backward. And the way to success is achieved through God’s intervention in our setbacks.  If Joseph and Jesus teach us anything it is this: “God meant it for good!” (Genesis 50:20). The goodness of God is not freedom from problems, nor is it freedom from suffering. Though we don’t like to talk about it or even think about it. We shy away from suffering in the hope that it will all just disappear and that we’ll just live our lives totally free of any pain. We think unconsciously, or maybe it’s consciously, that if we just ignore the impending hardship or turn our backs on it, then we won’t be able to be hurt. After all no one eagerly votes, “Yes, take me”, to suffer. But, as believers, we do say yes to surrendering our very lives to Christ and trusting Him as our loving Father. Burying our heads in the sand does no good and might even bring us more harm. How foolish we are at times and slow to trust Him!

Paul said in Romans 8:18: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us”. There’s blessing even amidst our suffering. Our surrender to God can actually turn our suffering into fertile soil. God seeds us with strength and hope as we open our hearts to Him and trust Him during our painful times. Our hearts, like soil, receive His seed and begin to grow. Many times, there is a wait involved that can tempt us into believing that God is not working, that He doesn’t care, or that He has abandoned us. However, when we can’t see God moving, it doesn’t mean that he is not. God is always moving!  Remember that under the soil (our hearts), the planted seeds must break apart in order for them to grow! That breaking apart takes time according to the condition of the soil and God’s ultimate timing. Seeds break apart in God’s perfect timing, not ours. If the seeds break apart too soon, they won’t grow healthy roots to withstand and overcome future challenges of this world. But God is sovereign in His scheduling of our lives and that includes for Joseph as well. If Joseph had gotten out of prison earlier, he would have missed the opportunity for a window of position. Through it all, Joseph grew and bore much fruit, bountiful fruit:

1) He became a man of great influence, Pharoah’s right hand

2) He was given a gift of family in the land of suffering (a family through foreigners)

3) He became a man of vision 

4) He brought glory to God through His suffering

5) He was given authority over all the land of Egypt and wore Pharoah’s signet ring

6) He saved the remnant of God (the Jews)

 Joseph means “The Lord will increase” and he certainly did!  

“Joseph named his firstborn son, Manasseh, and said, It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.  The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” (Genesis 41:51-52)

Fruitful in the land of my suffering!  Such a powerful, hope-filled word!

The Quest

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“Those who dance are thought mad by those who hear not the music”. That old adage is certainly true for those of us who walk to the beat of God’s drum. (Mark Batterson) When you take your cues from the Holy Spirit, you’ll do some things that will make people think you’re foolish and some will even think you’re crazy. 

Well, so be it…

When continual tears over an eight-month period led me on a quest to the Syrian border during war time, people definitely thought I was quite mad. Even my husband, at first, was questioning my sanity. And yet, I went to the border and so did he and God showed up and we danced to His music. During another time at a mom’s prayer group, a gentle whisper, beckoned me and led me to a praying mom in the nation of Malta. Did I know anyone in Malta? No, not at all. In fact, I wasn’t even sure where it was! Again, my dance seemed quite mad to some, but seeing the uplifted face of the lady of Malta after that encounter arrested in me any thought of fear or doubt.  Keeping tabs with the Holy Spirit is the quest of a lifetime. It’s invigorating, rejuvenating, and electrifying! It’s a thrilling and at times a bit scary ride of your life.  Sadly, today, there are many louder voices within our culture beaconing us this way and that, conforming us to the pattern of this world. And regrettably, many end up defining themselves by the culture. It’s a bit like selling our souls to the culture, wouldn’t you say? Those who choose not to conform may feel like they are driving the wrong way on a one-way street at rush-hour. While others are being slowly pressed into a cultural mold before they know it, and lost from the purposes God has planned for them. They let the expectations of others override the desires God has planted in their hearts. The voice of conformity stops their concerns of what God thinks and is overridden by the fear of what other people will think. Pretty soon they may find themselves unable to hear the gentle voice of the spirit, as they submerge themselves in the fruitless desires of the culture.

There is a difference between a quest and an adventure.  An adventure is something you choose. However, you are called to a quest.  An adventure is going somewhere and back again.  But you never return from a quest.  In his book, An Introductory Guide to

Listening Prayer, Bob Japenga describes how God invites each one of us to join on a quest leading to an intimate relationship with Him.  It’s not a there and back again. If developing such a relationship was not a quest, God would not have told us many times in His word to seek Him. It’s not because He is playing “hide and seek.”  After all, didn’t he compare our relationship with Him to a friendship and a marriage?  Friendships and marriages are quests, not adventures.  We don’t come back from a quest. The same is true with our relationship with God.  It is a quest and listening prayer is the significant key to our quest.

Prayer involves a two-way conversation between people and God. When we pray, we present our thanks, praises, and requests to God. As disciples of Jesus, we seek to learn from Him and be led by the Spirit in every area of our lives. Listening prayer is any kind of prayer that requires us to calm our minds and souls and be silent to focus on listening to God’s voice. A. W. Tozer emphasized how central this is in the life of anyone who wants to pursue God seriously: “The whole Bible supports the idea. God is speaking. Not God spoke, but God is speaking. He is by His nature continuously articulate. He fills the world with His speaking Voice. One of the great realities with which we have to deal is the Voice of God in His world.”

In listening prayer, we direct our full attention to God in faith for He desires to communicate with us. We patiently wait with open hearts, listening for the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. As we listen, God may speak words of encouragement, revelation, or guidance into our spirits. He may bring scriptures or memories to mind. We may receive visions, pictures, or sensations. Or He may simply instill His peace, joy, or love in us.

We prepare for listening prayer by quieting our souls before God. Then it helps to begin with worship, offering our praise and gratitude to Him. Clearing our minds makes room to hear God’s voice. Therefore, we should follow with a time of surrendering distractions and anxieties to Him and receiving His peace. Then we invite the Holy Spirit to guide us in our time of listening. We may pray, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9). As we listen, we should fix our spiritual gaze on Jesus and avoid letting our mind wander by gently redirecting it to the Lord. Finally, we must stay attentive like Samuel, who when God called his name answered, “Speak, for your servant hears” (1 Samuel 3:10).

As we listen, the Holy Spirit may highlight thoughts, scriptures, or mental pictures. Quietly write down anything meaningful so that you can reflect on it later. These impressions often bring clarity as you meditate on them. Listening prayer cultivates an intimate relationship with God. As we consistently make time to listen, we grow more attuned to God’s voice and learn to recognize the ways He speaks. Our discernment sharpens, and we gain wisdom for navigating life’s decisions. We can also experience the delight of true fellowship with our Holy Father.

I know listening prayer is something many of us do. But do our children? Is God’s voice the loudest voice in our life?  Is it the loudest voice in our children’s lives? Importantly, do we listen to Him daily? If not, let us reaffirm our commitment to listen to God daily through listening prayer and to intercede for our children as well. May we always maintain the fullness of our quest to know God…In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Courage and Joy

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Jesus was in agony. He was in anguish. He was deeply troubled in His spirit. Why? Because there was death in front of him; there was pain, there was hardship, and as He struggled on His knees in the garden of Gethsemane, it was evident He didn’t want to do it. Then He said to His disciples, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death” (Matt. 26:38). He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me” (Matt. 26:39). But even still, he continued, “Yet not my will, but yours be done.” Jesus chose to go through with it, the pain, the great suffering. He chose it all. That’s courage, indomitable courage! Where did it come from? What animated Him in the face of that hardship? The book of Hebrews tells us, “for the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrew 12:2). He didn’t let any danger, any obstacle, and the fear and the trouble that it produced in His soul keep him from fulfilling God’s calling on His life to redeem His people. It was joy that inspired Jesus in the face of hardship, and therefore, He became our greatest example of courage. 

Joy? Really? Was it joy? The Word says it was, so let’s look further.

G. K. Chesterton, a Christian apologist, defined courage as “a strong desire to live, taking the form of a readiness to die. Courage is when the desire for the good thing overcomes fear of the obstacle. It’s an overcoming.” Recently, I encountered an insightful quotation about courage attributed to Mark Twain: “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, and not the absence of fear.” Recently a Christian leader expanded the quote: Courage is “a stable habit of the heart that masters the passion of fear, especially by the power of a deeper desire for a greater good.” And what’s the greater good? What’s the deeper desire? If you think about a parent running into a burning building to save a child. Rescuing the child is the greater good, and then there’s the obstacle, the fire. The desire for the child overcomes the fear of the fire, even in the face of death. 

When we look in the New Testament (Philippians 1) and we see Paul in prison in Philippi, he’s confident. His eager expectation and hope-filled joy is that he won’t be ashamed. With full courage, he will honor Christ, whether by life or by death. Because living is Christ and dying is gain. “ I (Paul) eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Phil. 1:20-21)”. Like Paul, as believers, we understand that through our willing sacrifice. We’re going to get more of Jesus. Obeying Him is better than anything. He strengthens us to face the danger, the hardship, and the fear of death that’s in front of us, because Christ is gain. Paul was in prison, facing the possibility of his own execution, but he was not despairing or depressed. He was joyful and hopeful. He does not view his imprisonment as a setback. Instead, he views it as an opportunity for gospel advance. He preaches to his jailers and proclaims the good news about Jesus to the whole palace guard. He seeks to make Jesus impossible to ignore among his captors. He brandishes the Word without fear. 

“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” (Philippians 1:12-14) 

What’s more, Paul expects to be delivered, no matter how his situation unfolds. He expects that God’s Spirit will empower him to magnify Jesus, no matter what the cost. Paul has a Christ-treasuring courage in the face of potential loss and death. For him, to live is Christ and to die is gain, and this reality brings him courage and joy in the face of opposition, imprisonment, and death. “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.” (Phil.1-18)

Courage is contagious. Boldness spreads. Fearlessness is infectious…

When Paul’s brothers and fellow workers saw his courage, their confidence in the Lord grew. Paul’s courage was contagious. When they caught it, their own courage grew. They were literally encouraged by Paul’s courage. And because Paul’s courage was rooted in seeing Christ as his greatest treasure, then his confidence and that of his brothers and fellow workers was not rooted in Paul but in Christ alone. They were confident in the Lord and their confidence in the Lord produced courage. They were emboldened by Paul’s courage and spoke forth the word without fear in the face of every opposition. Then their courage rebounded back to Paul and strengthened his own faith. He had heard that they, inspired by his example, were preaching the gospel of Christ sincerely and he rejoiced in this news. Paul’s joy was so full. He continued by encouraging them to stand fearlessly and join him in his joy-driven courage. He told them that they too must stand firm together, strive for the faith of the gospel, and fearlessly preach the good news together. The lesson of Philippians 1 is clear. Courage is contagious. Boldness spreads. Fearlessness is infectious. And when these virtues are caught, Christ is magnified…the result… joy, joy, incomparable joy!