When Life is Hard: Trust in the Lord

woman covering her face with her hands

Where should we turn when life is hard? Who has the answers?

When Jesus spoke to his disciples about sharing in his body and blood in the gospel of John (John 6), there was a mass exodus of his followers. They could not understand or accept his teachings. They did not comprehend the mystery of the future death and resurrection of their master. They abruptly stopped being his followers for it was too hard. Their view of life could not let them accept Jesus’s message or mission. However, the subsequent response of the Apostle Peter gives me great comfort as things are beyond my strength and comprehension. For I find life hard at this juncture.

Peter’s response:

John 6:66–69 (ESV): 66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

The Old Testament is full of encouragement to trust in the Lord. When life is distressing, traumatic, and overwhelming, may God answer your call in your time of trouble!

Psalm 20:title–9 (ESV): 20 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. “1 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! 2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion! 3 May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah 4 May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans! 5 May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions! 6 Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 8 They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. 9 O Lord, save the king! May he answer us when we call.”

References:

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Where should we turn when life is hard? Who has the answers? When Jesus spoke to his disciples about sharing in his body and blood in the gospel of John (John 6), there was a mass exodus of his followers. They could not understand or accept his teachings. They did not comprehend the mystery of... Continue Reading →

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The East Wind of Nineveh

The Dust Bowl in the Central and Southern Plains was a 10 year span of severe drought and suffering brought about by the cycle of regional climate conflicting with man’s agricultural intervention. Intensified by the great depression, the suffering and poverty of the people was immense. Considering the duration and intensity of the struggle, it is hard to image the scale of poverty and need. People lost their farms, family members, and source of income. Parents became increasingly desperate, just trying to survive and feed their children. Families methodically searching for lost dimes in the house to buy bread in order to make bread and butter sandwiches. Lost lives to dust pneumonia, lost wages, lost farmers, and lost hope.

Throughout the 1930’s, desperate refugees from the southern plains migrated to California and other locations to try to scrap a living together to support their families. Migrants were often disrespected, persecuted, and ostracized. Although they were from a number of states, they were nicknamed Oakies; their plight was made famous by John Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath.

Our View of Tragedy

Dust Bowl, Texas Panhadle ’36

Throughout the dust bowl documentary by Ken Burns some of the survivors remembered that certain storms came with a unique intensity. Immense large black clouds blocking out the sky and causing damage to property and livestock. Some were told, as children, that the end of the world was coming. Of course, the end of the world did not come and they trudged on – living through years of storms, more tragedy, and more drought. It is hard from a earthly point of view to understand such a grand scale of suffering.

As finite beings, God calls on us to use both our mind and our faith to understand and believe in his promises. It is up to us to maintain hope in the Lord, the eternal one, who sustains his people through such times as then and now. He promised never to forsake us or leave us in our time of need.

“Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand.”

Thomas Aquinus

Jonah and the Plant

Like Jonah, we often mistake our view for God’s view. We use our circumstances to determine our understanding. What does God provide for us in order to live? How comfortable am I in this situation, job, or relationship? Is there justice in this life? We often take our view seriously and God’s word as secondary. Our pain is too real and God’s commands too abstract. We suffer and want something to change.

Israel suffered under Nineveh, and Jonah wanted them to be punished for all the evil they did. It does not record why Jonah hated Nineveh so much, but he ran away from God, and that takes some intense feeling and conviction. God, however, had different plans both for him and Nineveh.

“Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. Now the LORD God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, ‘It is better for me to die than to live.’” (Jon 4: 5-8)

God’s Labor for Us

The Sun and the East Wind overwhelmed Jonah. So much so that he desired that he might die. His extreme circumstances determined his mindset. Not the circumstances of others or the plans of God. God reminded him that His plans would prevail, and that his plans are for the good of his children.

“But God said to Jonah, ‘Do you do well to be angry for the plant?’ And he said, ‘Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.’ And the LORD said, ‘You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?’” (Jon 4:9-11)

Despite the suffering of Jonah’s people (Israel) at the hands of Nineveh, God planned mercy and grace for them, saving over 120,000 that did not know their right hand from their left. Likewise, we often cannot see through our own circumstances and societal concerns to see how God is moving among his people.

How did the dust bowl help the church in the Southern Planes in the 1930’s? How do the current medical and social crises work in his plans? Without definite evidence, we must hold onto our faith that God is working through his wonderful loving kindness for our good and the good of his kingdom.

“…the righteous shall live by his faith.” (Hab 2:4)

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Mt 5:4)

References:

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Arthur Rothstein, for the Farm Security Administration, Farmer walking in dust storm Cimarron County Oklahoma2, marked as public domain, more details on Wikimedia Commons

The Dust Bowl in the Central and Southern Plains was a 10 year span of severe drought and suffering brought about by the cycle of regional climate conflicting with man's agricultural intervention. Intensified by the great depression, the suffering and poverty of the people was immense. Considering the duration and intensity of the struggle, it... Continue Reading →

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Be Encouraged: You Are Made for This Time

When things in the world, your nation, your city, and your neighborhood are stressful, taxing, and possibly even out of control from a human perspective, know that you were made by God for this very time in history. You have been designed for this very day that you are reading this post. The Apostle Paul made that clear to the men and women of Athens in the first century and, by extension, to us. As Christians this can give us great hope and encouragement that despite the trials of our times we are meant to live through them for the greater good of the gospel of our glorious King.

God Is Lord of Everything

God is the Lord of this time and everything that he made. The apostle was in Athens the hub of philosophy of the day. They were often consumed with the search for ultimate reality and knowledge. Their great teachers searched for the truth of “being” or existence. Paul knew this and took advantage to explain the gospel. From a philosophical perspective, Christians endorse that the eternal being which caused all things to be made is God. He is the first cause of everything. Apart from Him nothing was made for a thing cannot create itself. A formal way to say this is nothing comes from nothing (Latin: ex nihilo nihil fit). The Greeks knew this concept as it came from Parmenides and later discussed by Aristotle. We do not believe in an eternal universe or a spontaneously generated universe by time and chance. There are extensive writings, over the centuries, that outline why this is true which do not fit into a blog space. Put simply, chance is not a thing, but a descriptor of mathematical odds. It has no power to grant existence to anything. Only God, who is eternal, has the power to create.

Paul said, “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. (Ac 17:24-25)

God Made Specific People for Specific Times

Take advantage that you live where you do. Who are your family members, neighbors or co-workers that need encouragement in the way of Christ? You can help them dive deeper into the life of Christ and know him who is love.

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. (Ac 17:26–27)

God is Near You

God is the power behind our ability to live. God sustains our “being” in this time and space. If we are found in Him, we are obligated to choose to live for him and not for our own ways. Don’t concentrate on the ornaments and trinkets of this life, but take up your cross and live to your calling. He is near you to sustain you in your pain and need. He hears your praise and prayers. He is in you – Christian – for this very day!

Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for

“ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’;

as even some of your own poets have said,

“ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

(Ac 17:28)

Help Others Find Christ

You can and are making a difference. Paul outlines to the Greeks in Athens that since God is alive, they are called to respond to repent and believe in the Christ. If we are found in him, how much more can we live for him in order to help pray and minister to each other and those that he will call. Be a light! Do not mope over things that God has not called you to have. Know that you are made for this time and place with the things he has given you. Be a cheerful receiver of his kindness, knowing that he gives good gifts rather than snakes to his children. Display gratitude by sharing the kindness of God to those that are being called by Him to his eternal kingdom.

“Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Ac 17:29–31)

Reference:

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 17:24–27). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

When things in the world, your nation, your city, and your neighborhood are stressful, taxing, and possibly even out of control from a human perspective, know that you were made by God for this very time in history. You have been designed for this very day that you are reading this post. The Apostle Paul... Continue Reading →

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Contentment is in Christ, Not a Paycheck.

Jesus and the apostles all suffered, all lacked wealth, all lived with strong opposition to their lifestyle and message. They lived in what both Jesus and Paul called evil times. All this and yet they were exceedingly content. Why? The apostles apprehended what Jesus knew: that they were heirs to a Kingdom through Christ’s life and atoning death on a cross.

Contentment with God’s Provision

The apostles’ lives were presented as a burning wick to light the fire of the church. They knew that our life on earth is exceedingly temporary, and could not be concentrated on obtaining things for their own pleasure. They, instead, obtained souls and made disciples through their gospel for eternity glory.

Paul put it bluntly, “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” (1 Ti 6:6–8)

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

How could he say that? He knew that God was not a spendthrift. God was not a God to hold back from him. His adoptive Father did not love him less than other Christians: those believers who had wealth, health, or an easier life. He trusted in the loving provision of the Father despite only having little to his name and abundant suffering. Likely, more suffering than we ourselves could bear. He deeply understood, what we are endeavoring to grasp – to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Sufficient Whether Poor or Rich

Sufficiency is scripture is focused on a believer’s spiritual life instead of financial wealth. We are called to use our provisions (whether great or small) from the Lord to help those in physical need in order to bless them and increase our own spiritual harvest. In this way the wealthy and the poor are both blessed. For as Christ says, ‘It is more blessed to give than receive to receive.’ (acts 20:35). Which are we focused on doing?

Paul wrote, “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written,

“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.” (2 Co 9:6–12)

Contentment when Brought Low

Paul wrote about his sin of covetousness in the letter to the Romans. He talked about his desire for another’s provision. He wrote, “But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness.” (Ro 7:8). Paul, as a well-educated Pharisee, did not know how to be content. Instead, in his misguided zeal, he persecuted the church until the appointed time of his conversion on the road to Damascus. Sometime after this, God taught him to how suffer for His sake and learn not to covet. What a blessing! A gift! Paul learned the secret of how to be content in need. Not a first world need, not a personal want, but stuck in one place as a Roman prisoner.

He wrote, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Php 4:12–13)

May God bless you today with his peace which is a contentment resting on the assurance of a loving Father. Be convinced if you be in Christ and Christ in you, that the Kingdom awaits us in eternal glory.

References:

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Jesus and the apostles all suffered, all lacked wealth, all lived with strong opposition to their lifestyle and message. They lived in what both Jesus and Paul called evil times. All this and yet they were exceedingly content. Why? The apostles apprehended what Jesus knew: that they were heirs to a Kingdom through Christ's life... Continue Reading →

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A Christian Call: Be Defined by Love

What is love and how are we to act? In the book of Acts, Stephen was stoned for his presentation and defense of the good news of Christ’s coming. Jesus’s disciples were persecuted. Early on the Apostle James was killed by the Sword. Throughout the 1st century, the Hebrew and Greek Christians lived lives of good works, suffering the world’s hatred and persecution. They suffered loss of property, work, and even their very lives. They lived lives in this world, but not of this world. What of us in these trying times? Let us be defined by love.

Loved Defined

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Co 1:4–7)

God Is Love

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. (1 Jn 4:7–12)

Reference:

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Photo: Giovanni Battista Lucini artist QS:P170,Q3766693, Giovanni Battista Lucini – Martyrdom of St. Stephen, marked as public domain, more details on Wikimedia Commons

What is love and how are we to act? In the book of Acts, Stephen was stoned for his presentation and defense of the good news of Christ's coming. Jesus's disciples were persecuted. Early on the Apostle James was killed by the Sword. Throughout the 1st century, the Hebrew and Greek Christians lived lives of... Continue Reading →

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Your Work is Worth It.

The Apostle Paul reminds all Christians that our work for the Lord is worth it. The daily grind, the elbow grease, the grunt work, the noticed and unnoticed all make a difference. We are to be resolute, prepared, and abounding in our efforts because Christ gave us – even us – victory over death.

Paul proclaims the true end of vanity. Our physical death will not put to waste all that we have worked for in this life. He writes, “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

        “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 
        “O death, where is your victory? 
         O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Co 15:54–57)

As a result, we should rejoice and heartily work for the Lord. Paul reasons, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Co 15:58)

Be Steadfast

Have a loyal, fixed, steady commitment to the Lord’s work. Do not fix your gaze onto another. Know that loyalty to your savior and true rock is the fountain of all good things. He will reward your steady, sober meditation on his word. It will renew your soul like no other substitute.

Be Immovable

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Let your attitude and behavior be rooted, moored, unbudging, and anchored in his work. Do not go far afield in your endeavors, searching for a foundation other than Christ. For he is the true vine which all good fruit comes.

Always Abounding

Determine that you will abound, being fully saturated, and awash in the work that God has set in front of you to accomplish. It truly is a blessing that God gives us the chance to be apart of his sanctifying work. In his letter to the Ephesian, Paul declared, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:10)

What a promise! We can discard the confusion, the baggage, the emptiness of this world’s idea of existence. We are called to be committed to his plan without wavering. As we stand fast in him, we can reap the rewards of such a full; meaningful life.

Nothing in Vain

One of the best promises of the Christian faith is that what we do truly matters. We are not born out of futility for a futile existence. Our life is destined for meaning. Meaning that is beyond fame, beyond the temporary, and beyond our own earthly expectations. One that was already uniquely established for just us by our master and creator, the Lord Jesus Christ.

References:

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

The Apostle Paul reminds all Christians that our work for the Lord is worth it. The daily grind, the elbow grease, the grunt work, the noticed and unnoticed all make a difference. We are to be resolute, prepared, and abounding in our efforts because Christ gave us - even us - victory over death. Paul... Continue Reading →

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9 Qualities of Christ That We Need From Our Pen and Our Mouth.

The qualities of Christ’s words changed those around him and the World. His words mattered, both in the moment and for eternity. As Christ followers, we are commanded to emulate him. For unedifying, self-serving, ill-conceived, unwise, untruthful, and proud words may win the moment, the hour, the day, the decade, and even the century, but Christ’s followers are called to live as ones bought by Christ to produce eternal, fruitful results. There are only two options for our words: those that are unproductive for Christ, and those that are fruitful for his purposes. It is a hard lesson, and one that I have to continually be renewing in my mind in order to grow into greater maturity.

The world around us makes effective use of the improper language to achieve temporal goals, but Christ used his words to produce fruit for eternity. It does not mean what we say and write does not matter for today, but rather the focus is on its effectiveness forever. When we give a kind word to a stranger, or blessing to those who harm us, it matters now and for eternity. An impartial word or a lie matters for now, but is of no benefit in heaven. Remember, that as Disciples of Christ, we already have a King on the thrown who gives us orders as faithful subjects. We are to speak and write in light of that fact.

Like a faithful soldier, the Apostle Paul wrote, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Php 1:21). What about us? Can we also be faithful despite a society that uses many words to produce desired effects at home, in law and politics, in sports, and at work? What are they, except things that will pass away as we enter eternity. To put bluntly, forever is a much longer time than one’s life during a single century. Let us take courage and make our words benefit us and others for eternity. We often act as God does not know the future, or have providence over our lives. The future is known, and we are called to let God be the arbiter of his hidden will. We are called to speak with care and in accordance to his known will – the very precepts given in his word. Every idle or meaningful word we write or say is known by God. Let it be praised by him. Below is simple non-exhaustive list of 9 qualities of Christ that we should use before we communicate via our pen and our mouth.

Gracious and Wise

Graciousness and wisdom go hand in hand. It is hard to have one without the other.

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Col 4:5–6)

Blessing instead of Vengeful

In this modern culture, we rarely see those in the public square, who are being persecuted, bless their persecutors. Despite this, we are not to take vengeance on those who slander us. We are to repay others with good. Let God be your just judge in the matter.

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” (Ro 12:14)

“Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.” (1 Pe 3:9)

Meek and Respectful

The embers of Christian meekness are set aflame by Christ. His inner gentleness is an example for our obedience. His Spirit, living through us, bursts forth as a comforting radiance onto our lives and those around us.

“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,” (1 Pe 3:15)

Wholesome in Attitude

Quick, pithy communication rules the day. Often used with anger, slander, and malice to win the objective in a soundbite, tweet, or post. Let Christian communication be set apart. If God is sovereign, he does not need evil to accomplish good. Remember the life of Christ. He never broke this command to win the universe. We must live by faith and follow his lead.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph 4:29)

“But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.” (Col 3:8)

Truthful in Knowledge and Testimony

If all truth is God’s truth, it is imperative to both understand and represent the facts to the best of our ability. The spirit of the commandment not to bear false witness is in effect. We need not intentionally or unintentional slander, mislead, or misinform others.

“Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices” (Col 3:9)

Impartial Between Parties

Who wants to be in front of an impartial judge? We are all too often partial, biased by our culture, education, and environment. May we speak with wisdom and humbleness so as to be like Christ.

“For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.” (Dt 10:17–18)

Slow to Anger

The wisdom of James takes years to understand and put into practice. It is like a teenager growing into adulthood. May God benefit your life and soul with its practice.

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (Jas 1:19–20)

Bible References:

All verses are quoted using The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Photo by Tracy Le Blanc from Pexels

The qualities of Christ's words changed those around him and the World. His words mattered, both in the moment and for eternity. As Christ followers, we are commanded to emulate him. For unedifying, self-serving, ill-conceived, unwise, untruthful, and proud words may win the moment, the hour, the day, the decade, and even the century, but... Continue Reading →

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Christians are Adopted by a Giving God

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” – Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans.

The great Apostle Paul, a Christian, the chosen messenger to the gentiles, had just been stoned with rocks, dragged out of the city of Lystra, and left for dead by the people of the city. What was his crime? He was charged with heresy against the living God by Jews from Iconium. The same men that he was trying to persuade to the Way (the name of the sect of Christ following Jews) came to Lystra to stop him. He and his companions had recently fled that city after uncovering their plot to stone them.

His opposition was passionate and persistent. Knowing Paul had already escaped once, his enemies caught up and confronted him with the crowd’s support. They were so irate they attempted to execute him on the spot without a trial. The apostle had just suffered one of the two stonings recorded in the New Testament. How could Paul go through such persecution and still faithfully serve the Lord? He was convinced that God was not only with him, but had adopted him into his family.

Calling on Our Father

Paul held to the New Covenant teaching that we are now encouraged to speak boldly and directly to the Lord as his children. We can now cry to Yahweh as Father in our distress. Yahweh, a name considered so sacred that no Jew wrote or uttered it for centuries before Christ’s birth. Now, Paul, a trained Rabbi, taught that we have an inherited right to be considered God’s sons with all the rights and privileges. Even to use his most holy name and call him Father.

This radical message was clearly understood in the Roman culture because adoption was commonly used by the ruling class to pass down wealth, property, and succession. Paul exploited this familiarity to explain that Christians were now adopted into God’s royal family. A family that is heavenly and holy. Holiness provided through Christ himself, and not of their own doing or natural birth, but as a gracious gift from their new Father. The earthly adopted Cesar and senators enjoyed power, privilege and wealth through a legal means. Likewise, Christians obtained the right to great honor and spiritual wealth, now and in the future. Paul believed in a spiritual adoption that had answers for anxiety, pain, and tears.

Roman Adoption. A statue of the first Roman Emperor Augustus (r. 27 BC - 14 AD) as a younger Octavian One of the most famous Roman adoptees
A statue of the first Roman Emperor Augustus (r. 27 BC – 14 AD) as a younger Octavian
One of the most famous Roman adoptees

God Gives Freely

Through this conviction, Paul and the early Christians held to a steadfast belief that God freely gives his grace and love in all circumstances. He lavishes us with the honor and the rights of a true child. Those rights are bestowed on his children and give us the freedom to cry, “Abba, Father,” during times of joy and desperate need. Consequently, when life here on Earth is a struggle, we can hold onto the very reasonable conviction that the Gospel proclaims: we are the adopted children of a most generous and freely giving God. The almighty Father who knows how to give good gifts and a home to his children.

A Child of the King | Harriet E. Buell written in 1877

  1. My Father is rich in houses and lands,
    He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hands!
    Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold,
    His coffers are full, He has riches untold.
    • Refrain:
      I’m a child of the King,
      A child of the King:
      With Jesus my Savior,
      I’m a child of the King.
  2. My Father’s own Son, the Savior of men,
    Once wandered on earth as the poorest of them;
    But now He is pleading our pardon on high,
    That we may be His, when He comes by and by.
  3. I once was an outcast stranger on earth,
    A sinner by choice, an alien by birth,
    But I’ve been adopted, my name’s written down,
    An heir to a mansion, a robe and a crown.
  4. A tent or a cottage, why should I care?
    They’re building a palace for me over there;
    Though exiled from home, yet still may I sing:
    All glory to God, I’m a child of the King.

References:

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 14:1–21). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ro 8:14–15). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Photo by Henley Design Studio from Pexels

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” - Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans. The great... Continue Reading →

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Titles are Done, Keys are Ready

We all have troubled hearts at times. The circumstances of life can be sudden and seemingly unforgiving. No chance to recover, no chance to change the outcome. Our world is replete with examples of things we would like to see different. A kinder, safer, more hopeful, and more equitable one. A world that was right in every sense of the word. Unfortunately, on this side of heaven, there is no one that has experienced a life without such distress. Even Jesus, the Son of God, had a troubled heart at the last supper.

The Apostle John records Jesus prophesying about his betrayal by Judas. He said, “After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.’ The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke.” For several years, the twelve disciples had been with Jesus, learning, and imitating him. Who could it be, they asked? Furthermore, Jesus also told them that he was going to leave them. While not directly stated in the Gospel account, I expect a large amount of uncertainty and apprehension entered their hearts after these two statements. As a loving shepherd, Jesus promptly answered the disciples’ concerns with comforting words.

Jesus Promises a Home.

Jesus proclaimed, “’Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’”

Look Toward the Heavenly City

The Hebrews waited for generations for their redemption both spiritually and in their daily lives. A cycle of regional powers (Egyptians, Philistines, Syrians, Babylonians, Greeks, and the Romans) often dominated their physical territory. They not only ruled over key practical matters like taxes and laws, but also wanted to suppress their religious practices. The writer of Hebrews reminded the keenly suffering Christians that the faithful for centuries looked past their circumstances toward the future Kingdom. He wrote, “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”

Your Address is with God

The future is very exciting. A new home. New neighbors from every language, culture, and age. A neighborhood filled will be nothing but joy. Living together with expectations fulfilled. Think to these things when times here on Earth are full of trouble. John, in the last letter written to the Church, summarizes our hopeful future. He writes, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘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. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’”

Bible References:

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Jn 13:21–22). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Jn 14:1–7). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Heb 11:13–16). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Re 21:1–4). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Photo by Diego Muñoz Suárez from Pexels

We all have troubled hearts at times. The circumstances of life can be sudden and seemingly unforgiving. No chance to recover, no chance to change the outcome. Our world is replete with examples of things we would like to see different. A kinder, safer, more hopeful, and more equitable one. A world that was right... Continue Reading →

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Shelter Your Heart in the Lord

Paul the Tentmaker

The Apostle Paul knew something about shelters. His trade profession was tentmaking, a well established trade developed in the ancient world to provide housing and protection from the elements. Despite being called to be the Apostle to the gentiles, he routinely worked as a tentmaker to support himself and not burden the early church. Paul drew on this real world imagery to explain the brief existence of the followers of Christ here on Earth and the implications for eternity.

We Groan for the Eternal

Paul reminded the Corinthians that on this Earth suffering is commonplace but temporary. Just like today, life in the Roman Empire was filled with disharmony, heartache, societal conflicts, sin, and wrongful death. He encouraged them through his own experience and present circumstances in Asia Minor.

Photo by Michael Giugliano on Pexels.com

He explained why he and his companions did not lose heart despite these hardships. He testified, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

“For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.”

Your Heart has a Heavenly Home

Knowing that our life here on Earth is not the goal or focus of Christian endeavors, Paul taught the Colossians to keep their thoughts directed above towards Christ and the promised future inheritance. He revealed that our entire future is hidden safely away in Heaven. He exhorted the brethren, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

Make His Attributes Fill Your Home

Since we have a new home in Christ, we are obligated to fill it with all the appropriate furnishings. Just as new wine doesn’t go into old wine skins, so our old earthly attributes should not decorate our new spiritual home. We need to establish new ones that are centered on Christ.

As a wise teacher, Paul directed the Colossians to, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Encourage yourself and others to fill the rooms of the heart with such qualities as these.

Compassionate heartsXPatiencex
KindnessXBearing with one anotherX
HumilityXForgiving each otherX
MeeknessXLoveX

Rejoice in Your Permanent Home

Remember, Paul’s encouraging words that are recorded for our posterity in the letter to the Romans. He writes about this type of everlasting love, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Let us learn to take heart like Paul. He had to learn through daily perseverance by the unbounded grace of Christ. Be motivated! The same living Lord loves you, and he is ready to shelter your heart. Just ask.

Bible References:

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (2 Co 4:16–5:4). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Col 3:1–4). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Col 3:12–14). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ro 8:38–39). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Photo by Marius Venter from Pexels

Paul the Tentmaker The Apostle Paul knew something about shelters. His trade profession was tentmaking, a well established trade developed in the ancient world to provide housing and protection from the elements. Despite being called to be the Apostle to the gentiles, he routinely worked as a tentmaker to support himself and not burden the... Continue Reading →

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