As this Monday unfolds what do you have on your agenda? What things do you need to tackle? What has the bulk of your attention and focus today?
What does God have for you today? What purposes has He set before you to believe and achieve? You know good and well when God has a purpose Satan will try and oppose that purpose in your life. He comes to make havoc and declare war against the purposes and people of God. His tactics and assaults are relentless.
Maybe from your vantage point all you can see is overwhelming obstacles. Everything may seem against you. You may feel there is no hope. No clear path to victory. If so I have a passage I would like you to read about another man that felt overwhelmed.
2 Kings 6:13-18 (NKJV)
13 So he said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him." And it was told him, saying, "Surely he is in Dothan."
14 Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
15 And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"
16 So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
18 So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, "Strike this people, I pray, with blindness." And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
The backdrop of this story is the Syrian King wanted Elisha captured. God kept revealing to Elisha the military plans of the Syrian army and throwing a monkey wrench into everything. So one night a unit was sent to capture Elisha. Elisha's servant awoke to find they were surrounded. Elisha had a different perspective. He had God's perspective.
What is your perspective on your current circumstances? What do your eyes tell you? I pray the simple prayer of Elisha over you. "Lord, please open their eyes that they may see from your perspective."
From God's point of view things do not look so hopeless. From Heaven God sees the truth of your circumstances. He sees the cause and effects. He sees the outcome. He most definitely sees you too. I hope and pray God would open your eyes to see what He sees so clearly. Then you would not have cause to worry and be anxious. Then your faith would be strengthened because you would see God is in control.
What looked like impossible odds to the servant in reality meant an improbable victory. The army that surrounded Elisha in truth was surrounded by the army of God. God outmaneuvered and outflanked the enemy forces who thought they had the upper hand.
Not only that, God answered Elisha's prayer and struck the whole Syrian army blind that day. They became helpless in one fell swoop.
What God did for Elisha and his servant He is more than capable of doing for you too. So again I pray, "Lord please open their eyes that they may see what you see. In Jesus name amen."
Monday, April 29, 2019
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Faithful Unto Death
Every five minutes six Christians are murdered around the world for following Jesus. In the time it takes me to write this 36 followers of Jesus will be martyred. Loving and serving Jesus will cost them everything. Does it cost you and me anything?
I am sobered this morning after reading stories of people who are persecuted for getting saved and becoming disciples of Jesus. One man who turned to Jesus from Hinduism had his wife taken from him and given to another man. He got fired from his job. Neighbors beat him repeatedly and ran him off from where he lived. Even his family tried to convince him to recant his faith and return to Hinduism. He responded, "Christ changed me and I cannot forsake Him for anything."
That is a far cry from people in the American church. They forsake Jesus in multiple ways by choosing other priorities they give their time and allegiance to over Christ. Sports, fishing, hunting, shopping, sleep, video games, travel, family just to name a few.
The Smyrna church suffered. You can read about that church in the book of Revelation. They were a persecuted church. Persecuted by the Roman government, pagan idolaters and the Jews. Out of the seven churches identified in Revelation Smyrna is one of only two churches not rebuked by Jesus.
Revelation 2:8-11 (NKJV)
8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, 'These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:
9 I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." '
The Smyrna believers were warned that they would be tested and even thrown in prison. Then Jesus exhorted them to be faithful unto death.
In America we take little thought that our faith in Jesus might cost us something. It costs some Christians bakers because they refused to customize a wedding cake for a homosexual couple. They lost their business in a long legal battle. It costs 26 people their lives and 20 others bullet wounds on Nov 5, 2017 at FBC Sutherland Springs, TX. It cost Rachel Scott her life in the Columbine Massacre. It cost Anatram a bullet to the head because he trusted Christ for salvation along with his wife and five children. He got dragged from home and found dead the next day with a note attached warning people not to turn away from Hinduism. Anatram was martyred but He is profiting in heaven today with His Savior.
Even in the United States people are turning against Christ and Christians. More and more religious freedoms are taken away secretly. No group is hated more, intimidated by the powerful and censored more than Christians. We are mocked. The mainstream media often refuses to report abuses done to Christians. Strong Christians are slandered. THIS WORLD HATES JESUS AND JESUS FOLLOWERS. This is nothing new.
First century Christians suffered. They felt the sting of persecution even unto death. Jesus' challenge to the Smyrna church included, "Be faithful unto death."
That is a good word for all Jesus followers. BE FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH. Whether death comes from suffering resulting from natural causes, a terrible disease or a violent death from persecutors we are all exhorted to be faithful unto death. Our brothers and sisters in persecuted nations experience this. They will not forsake Jesus even when it costs them their health and life. What about us? Do we love Jesus that much? What would it take for us to forsake Him. Anatram gave his life. Ssuubi said he would not forsake Jesus for anything. Even after being beaten repeatedly he still goes door to door witnessing to people about his Savior. Would we do the same? It may come to that one day. If not in our lifetimes certainly in the near future persecution will intensify. Even then we are to be faithful unto death.
I am sobered this morning after reading stories of people who are persecuted for getting saved and becoming disciples of Jesus. One man who turned to Jesus from Hinduism had his wife taken from him and given to another man. He got fired from his job. Neighbors beat him repeatedly and ran him off from where he lived. Even his family tried to convince him to recant his faith and return to Hinduism. He responded, "Christ changed me and I cannot forsake Him for anything."
That is a far cry from people in the American church. They forsake Jesus in multiple ways by choosing other priorities they give their time and allegiance to over Christ. Sports, fishing, hunting, shopping, sleep, video games, travel, family just to name a few.
The Smyrna church suffered. You can read about that church in the book of Revelation. They were a persecuted church. Persecuted by the Roman government, pagan idolaters and the Jews. Out of the seven churches identified in Revelation Smyrna is one of only two churches not rebuked by Jesus.
Revelation 2:8-11 (NKJV)
8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, 'These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:
9 I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." '
The Smyrna believers were warned that they would be tested and even thrown in prison. Then Jesus exhorted them to be faithful unto death.
In America we take little thought that our faith in Jesus might cost us something. It costs some Christians bakers because they refused to customize a wedding cake for a homosexual couple. They lost their business in a long legal battle. It costs 26 people their lives and 20 others bullet wounds on Nov 5, 2017 at FBC Sutherland Springs, TX. It cost Rachel Scott her life in the Columbine Massacre. It cost Anatram a bullet to the head because he trusted Christ for salvation along with his wife and five children. He got dragged from home and found dead the next day with a note attached warning people not to turn away from Hinduism. Anatram was martyred but He is profiting in heaven today with His Savior.
Even in the United States people are turning against Christ and Christians. More and more religious freedoms are taken away secretly. No group is hated more, intimidated by the powerful and censored more than Christians. We are mocked. The mainstream media often refuses to report abuses done to Christians. Strong Christians are slandered. THIS WORLD HATES JESUS AND JESUS FOLLOWERS. This is nothing new.
First century Christians suffered. They felt the sting of persecution even unto death. Jesus' challenge to the Smyrna church included, "Be faithful unto death."
That is a good word for all Jesus followers. BE FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH. Whether death comes from suffering resulting from natural causes, a terrible disease or a violent death from persecutors we are all exhorted to be faithful unto death. Our brothers and sisters in persecuted nations experience this. They will not forsake Jesus even when it costs them their health and life. What about us? Do we love Jesus that much? What would it take for us to forsake Him. Anatram gave his life. Ssuubi said he would not forsake Jesus for anything. Even after being beaten repeatedly he still goes door to door witnessing to people about his Savior. Would we do the same? It may come to that one day. If not in our lifetimes certainly in the near future persecution will intensify. Even then we are to be faithful unto death.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)