Eternal Perspective

¹² Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. ¹³ As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.¹⁴ Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

¹⁵ It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. ¹⁶ The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. ¹⁷ The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. ¹⁸ But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, ¹⁹ for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. ²⁰ I 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. ²¹ For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²² If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³ I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ²⁴ but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

²⁷ Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel ²⁸ without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. ²⁹ For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, ³⁰ since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

Philippians 1:12-30.

A few days ago someone very close to Pam and I found herself, quite unexpectedly, in highly stressful and potentially tragic situation.  It was not the kind of thing anyone could really have prepared for.  It was just one of those things that happens in life.  No matter how well we plan, how good we try to be as people or how careful we are, things sometimes just happen.  

In the midst of this confusion and fear, Pam (who is a pretty wise lady!) reminded this person of something Pastor Dan preached about a couple of months ago -- although in a somewhat different context -- and that is that life is a vapor.  Or more to the point, that our life on earth is a brief time of preparation for something much bigger; something much better.

That is not, of course, to say that what we do in our time on earth is unimportant.  Quite to the contrary, what we do in our limited time here is eternally important.  But, while I think that having an eternal perspective is always important, I don't see how people can get through the toughest times in life without one.  And, in fact, Pam's reminder proved to have been the best thing anyone could have said to this person.  And that brings me back to Paul's letter to the Philippians.

There are several things that strike me as I think about the first part of Paul's letter to the Philippians.  The first is rather obvious -- actually, I guess they are all rather obvious!  But the first is that Paul is rejoicing even though he is writing from prison.  While Paul describes himself as being "in chains for Christ", he was literally and physically in chains, and he found himself in that predicament precisely because of his belief in Christ.  And yet he rejoiced.

The second thing that struck me was that there was a part of Paul that was ready to give up and go home to be with the Lord.  We have all been there -- haven't we?  He knew that something better was waiting for him.  Hmmmmm.  Prison or heaven?  Decisions, decisions.  Which would you chose?

But Paul also knew that God might have more for him to do on earth.  And, he was willing to defer the freedom that would come from physical death and continue to endure confinement for the sake of the Gospel.

And finally, Paul could see his present circumstances in the context of the bigger picture.  Paul could see that God was using his circumstances -- as personally painful as they might be -- for His glory.  Paul could see that his imprisonment was causing others to preach the Word of God more courageously; more fearlessly.

I personally think that Paul's eternal perspective, and indeed that of most of the apostles and countless other Christians, was the major force used by God to cause this new little religion founded by a nobody in a remote corner of the Roman Empire to become the greatest institution the earth has ever known.  I believe that it was the God-given ability of these early Christians, filled with the Holy Spirit of God, to hold firm to their beliefs during this time of immense persecution that caused Christianity to spread like wildfire.

I know that it is not always easy to hold on to an eternal perspective during the most difficult and challenging times in our life.  In times like these, it's not always easy to put aside the all-too-real fear and worry that waits for us every morning, and instead to focus on a promise that depends entirely on our faith.  But, the promise is there -- we just need the faith to believe it.  

God Has Left The Plane

Many people find the Old Testament, or at least parts of it, to be confusing and laborious to read.  Its certainly understandable why people would struggle with the seemly endless description of regulations, offerings and instructions found in Leviticus.  Other books are difficult to understand without some context -- like Amos or Haggai.

At the same time, a number of simple themes are found throughout the Old Testament that are not only easily understandable, but completely relatable.  One of the more prominent of those themes is the consequences of us individually or corporately turning our back on God.

In fact, the Jewish people as a whole seem throughout the Old Testament to be in an endless cycle of disobedience, enduring God's wrath and ultimate reconciliation.  We see time and time again the people drift away from God and His commands, and the dire consequences that inevitably follow.

I suspect that most people would agree that the United States has in recent years drifted away from God.  I am sure that some people see that as a good thing.  In fact, some people seem to have made wringing God out of America their life's ambition.

Sadly, at least on the legal and political front, those who want to exile God from American institutions seem to be winning.  I am not surprised by much anymore, but I have to say that the article I link to below caught me off guard a little.  

It seems that the United States Air Force has instituted a new set of regulations which, among other things, is specifically intended to keep Christian officers from sharing their faith.  More specifically, the regulations instruct officers and supervisors to "avoid the actual or apparent use of their position to promote their personal religious beliefs to their subordinates or to extend preferential treatment for any religion." 

There are potentially huge ramifications to such a regulation, since any public profession of faith by an officer -- such as saying a prayer before combat; or even being seen praying before a mission -- could be construed as the apparent use of position to promote Christianity.  

I never really had any serious interest in a military career.  But, if I did, I could not imagine getting in harm's way without first seeking God's favor and protection.  

Like most of you, I am worried about our Country turning its back on God.  Some think that God has already warned us more than once, and that His wrath is coming because of our refusal to repent.  I don't really claim to know about such things.  I do know, however, that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.    

God Has Left The Plane

⁸ The Lord has sent a message against Jacob;
    it will fall on Israel.
⁹ All the people will know it—
    Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria—
who say with pride
    and arrogance of heart,
¹⁰ “The bricks have fallen down,
    but we will rebuild with dressed stone;
the fig trees have been felled,
    but we will replace them with cedars.”
¹¹ But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s foes against them
    and has spurred their enemies on.
¹² Arameans from the east and Philistines from the west
    have devoured Israel with open mouth.

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.

¹³ But the people have not returned to him who struck them,
    nor have they sought the Lord Almighty.
¹⁴ So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail,
    both palm branch and reed in a single day;
¹⁵ the elders and prominent men are the head,
    the prophets who teach lies are the tail.
¹⁶ Those who guide this people mislead them,
    and those who are guided are led astray.
¹⁷ Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,
    nor will he pity the fatherless and widows,
for everyone is ungodly and wicked,
    every mouth speaks vileness.

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.

¹⁸ Surely wickedness burns like a fire;
    it consumes briers and thorns,
it sets the forest thickets ablaze,
    so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke.
¹⁹ By the wrath of the Lord Almighty
    the land will be scorched
and the people will be fuel for the fire;
    no one will spare his brother.
²⁰ On the right they will devour,
    but still be hungry;
on the left they will eat,
    but not be satisfied.
Each will feed on the flesh of his own offspring:
²¹     Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh;
    together they will turn against Judah.

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,
    his hand is still upraised.

Isaiah 9:8-21 (NIV)

Does God have "regrets"?

Hey my friends, this post is a little different than my posts in the past.  Instead of giving you my perspective on some matter of God, God's people or the Bible, I want your perspective this time.

Last Saturday our men's group ran into a theological issue that caused a little stir.  Its funny, because that actually rarely happens in our group.  Intellectual, theological debate is just not what we are normally about.  We are really about preparing God's men for works of service, we are about fellowship and we are about spiritual growth.

Now, to get the controversy started let me say this.  I personally don't think this is a particularly big issue -- although I do think there is a "right" answer.  Its certainly not a salvation issue.  In fact, if I thought it were anything other than a disputable matter I wouldn't raise it on the internet.  You see, I am far more concerned about unity in the body than about these types of issues. So, let's have a healthy debate on this one.  When we are done, I might give you my view.

So, here we go.  You might remember that God was not too big on the idea of giving Israel a King.  God figured He was all they needed.  But, people will be people, and the Israelites wanted a King like the other nations had.

God is kind of funny this way, but sometimes after He tells us what we need if there is enough persistence on our part He instead gives us what we want.   And so it was with the Israelites and their desire for a King:


⁶ But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. ⁷ And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. ⁸ As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. ⁹ Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.”

1 Samuel 8:6-9 (NIV).  (I seem to be preaching again -- my apologies!)

In any event, in time Saul, not surprisingly, disobeyed a direct command from God.  God then said this to Samuel, who had anointed Saul as King at God's instruction:  

¹¹ “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to theLord all night.

1 Samuel 15:11 (NKJV).

So, the question is this:  If God "regretted" appointing Saul as King, did He not know the outcome at the time Saul was chosen?  In other words, God has given us free will, but does He know how we will exercise that will?  Just something to ponder.

Why?

                 Why are some prayers not answered?

                                                             Why do bad things happen to good people?

                                   Why do nice guys seem to finish last?
                                                        
                                                Why is finding my purpose so difficult?



The last few weeks have been the kind to provoke these kinds of questions and more like them.  In some cases these questions have been born of tragedy -- the death or illness of someone we love.  In others, they have sprouted from seeds of doubt or uncertainty about purpose or just about the future generally.

These are by no means new questions.  Rather, they are questions man has faced at least since Adam and Eve tasted of the forbidden fruit.

I thank God that in the midst of these difficult and uncertain times the people I have discussed these questions with have not been in a "crisis of faith."  At least, they have not questioned the essential faith that brought them to salvation in the first place.  Still, difficult times can test our faith in God's plan for our lives, our faith that He hears our prayers and, perhaps, our faith in His justice.

When we have life experiences that produce these types of questions, many well-intentioned Christians will say things like "God is in control" or "God has a purpose in all of this" or some similar sentiment designed to comfort us and perhaps stabilize our faith.  Or, they may even quote the Bible itself (e.g.,  Romans 8:28 -- "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.").

I know that I have said such things in the past to others, and indeed I have been comforted by these types of statements myself on more than one occasion!  But, we also need to know that the Bible does not leave us in complete suspense about the reasons behind the difficulties and hardships of life.

This is not to say that the Bible will tell us what God specifically is up to in every challenging time in our life.  But, we can see specific examples of how God uses trials, tragedy and suffering for our good.

A good example of this is found in Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth.  There, Paul explains his own suffering:

⁶ Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, ⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:6-10 (NIV).

When you stop and think about this text, you can see that Paul is really telling us at least two things.  The first is that God heard Paul's prayer to be freed from the thorn in his flesh, but God decided not to do anything about it.

Now, we have all been there before, haven't we?  There are certainly times in life when we desperately want God to answer our prayers, and they seem to go unanswered and maybe even unheard.  And, this happens even though we might have been praying for good things -- a job so we could pay our bills, healing from sickness, freedom from an addiction.

But the second thing Paul tells us is that God had a reason for not answering his prayer.  God had a reason for not removing the thorn from Paul's flesh.  In this case, God wanted to keep Paul from being conceited.  He wanted Paul to be in a place of complete reliance on Christ -- to understand that only through his weakness could the real power of Christ be displayed.

This is not to say that these are the only reasons prayers sometimes go unanswered.  The Bible certainly gives us other examples. 

Although I hesitate to mention it, sometimes prayers go unanswered because of unbelief or doubt.  See James 1:6-8.  Sadly, for some people this reason for unanswered prayer produces a kind of guilt.  They think that if only their faith would have been stronger some tragedy could have been averted.  But, I don't think that is what James is talking about at all.  I think James is just saying that you have to have true faith in Jesus as your savior.  You can find in the Bible many other reasons why prayers go unanswered -- but I will let you search for them yourselves!! 

I do want to leave you with this, however.  Sometimes having your prayers answered requires the audacity to ask, and sometimes it requires persistence.  Just some things to think about.

5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

 9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 11:5-13 (NIV).


Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Luke 18:1-8 (NIV).