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Showing posts with label Restored. Show all posts

Monday, January 24, 2022

Walking out of the “Winter of our Discontent” - In His Presence - Purity 636


Walking out of the “Winter of our Discontent” - In His Presence - Purity 636

Purity 636 01/24/2022  Purity 636 Podcast

Good morning,

Today’s photo of snowmobile tracks headed onto the frozen surface of Sacandaga Lake underneath an ethereal January sky and midday sun comes to us from a friend who hasn’t let life’s disappointments stop them from having a thriving life filled with independent adventures.  While I am not into winter sports at all, with scenes like this, I can understand why some people brave the cold temperatures to see things you can’t see at other times of the year.  I mean when else can you walk on water and shoot across the surface of a lake without being buffeted by waves?   

It's Monday again and with the cold temperatures forecasted to last through the week I decided to share today’s photo to encourage and inspire us all with the fact that we can rise above what some would consider negative circumstances and overcome them and still have joy in our lives.  

I have a few friends who are in crisis moments currently and seem to be experiencing the “winter of our discontent”. Some have been bogged down by the post-holiday emotional letdown, some are healing from disease or injury,  and others are being assailed by outside circumstances, some of which are a result of their own poor choices and others of which are seemingly no fault of the persons involved.  In all of their cases, my heart and prayers go out to them.   

In this season of life they are all being asked to go into an uncertain future like setting out on this frozen lake, where their way can seem to be a cold, barren, and lonely and in some instances can seem to be a precarious one where they will lose their footing and perish.  

But just like the way the sun in today’s photo can light their path and fill us with awe and wonder, God is over and above this cold and uncertain season of life and His wisdom and presence in our lives can guide us through this time and give us peace and hope until we make it to the other side.  

Although I can’t tell any one of my friends exactly when they will get out of this cold and forbidding season, I can advise them that their situations will not last forever and that it is better to go through them with the Lord to guide, comfort, and strengthen them.   

For the friends seeking healing, I advise them to follow their doctor’s orders and to draw close to the Lord in prayer.  God is sovereign and as Creator, He has not only established our created order in which healing can come, He directs human affairs according to His purposes and may grant healings both gradual and immediate.   

In my faith walk, I have prayed for healing over myself and seen developing sicknesses stopped in their tracks, pain decrease and go away, and recovery come, but I have also had times where healing did not come as I had prayed and where pains persisted. 

So I am sorry to say I don’t have the miraculous gift of healing but what I do have is a relationship in which I trust the Lord, and in which I ask for what I think is best and accept whatever it is I receive from Him. And regardless, if I am sick, or well, I have the peace that comes from knowing that He is with me. His ways are higher than my ways and I accept that whatever is happening has a purpose.   

For the friends who are suffering negative circumstances because of the winds of change or from a day of reckoning that has finally come, I advise them to do all they can to act wisely and to work to resolve the problems at hand and then go to the Lord in prayer to ask Him for His help, strength, and guidance.   Sometimes we have to dig ourselves out of a mess or work and seek a new opportunity in life seemingly on our own but even in those circumstances we can use the Lord’s presence and strength to help us to endure and we can request His providence to make our paths easier when we least expect it.   

And finally, for the friends who are hurting from loss or a lack of fulfillment or who are just  disillusioned and disappointed with relationships or the course of their lives, I usually recommend that they examine when these feelings started and what their relationship with the Lord is like.  In most cases, my friend’s relationship with the Lord is either nonexistent or they have become lax in fostering their relationship with God and have let the things of this world determine their self-worth or to be the means to make them happy. 

For those who know the Lord, I advise them to re-establish their relationship with Him by reminding themselves of who they are in Christ and by communing with Him in prayer, worship. and Bible study.  If you walked strong in the power of the Lord before, you just have to stand up and walk with Him again.  

For those who don’t know the Lord, I try to encourage them by telling them that there is a God over and above this world who deeply cares about them individually and who wants them to come to Him to receive a new and abundant life of peace and purpose.  

It’s Monday and its January but God is alive and well and has the strength, wisdom, and guidance that we all need to make it through the trials of this life.  No matter what you are going through, with God, you are never alone. 

So go to Him and tell Him your troubles and ask for His help. I can’t guarantee an instant miracle to fix all your problems but if you start walking with the Lord, somewhere down the road you will testify to His goodness and the miracle of how you had peace through the storm, how He made a way where there was no way, or how He helped you to overcome the trials that you thought would consume you.    

 

Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.

This morning’s meditation verse is:

Joshua 1:9 (NLT2)
9  This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Today’s verse speaks the truth of the Lord’s continual presence and how we can be strong and courageous when we realize that He is with us wherever we go.   

Today’s verse’s context is that of the Lord encouraging Joshua to face incredible odds to go in and to possess the promised land, but the Lord commands Him not to fear and assures Joshua that God would be with Him wherever he went.   

This verse points to the attribute of God’s omnipresence: the presence of God everywhere at the same time.   So although this verse was specific to Joshua at that time way back when, because of God’s omnipresence, it can also be encouragement for us and our daily walk of faith.  

There are several verses in the Bible that command us not to fear and the only reason we can be obedient to this command is because of the fact of God’s presence.  It’s like God is saying “Don’t be afraid!” and we say: “Why not!?” to which His word tells us: “Don’t be afraid because I am right here with you and will be with you wherever you go!”  

In Psalm 139, David muses over God’s continual presence in His life saying:

 Psalm 139:8 (NKJV)

8  If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

God is with us here on earth and when we have faith in Christ, we will be with Him forever more even if we die and go to heaven. With that assurance of God’s presence in our lives, we can obey His command to be strong and courageous because there is no way that He will ever let us down because He will be with us always.  

So reflect on God’s continual presence in your life, reach out to Him and enjoy His presence, and be strong and courageous in life because you know He will always be there.

 

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

Today we continue to share from Dr. Neil Anderson’s . “Restored: Experience Life with Jesus”. Today, we continue sharing from Chapter 5.   

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase Dr. Neil Anderson’s books for your own private study and to support his work.

IDENTITY DETERMINES SIGNIFICANCE

The world says you are nothing; therefore, you better scheme, achieve, and get ahead, which leads to malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.113 The Bible tells us that we are something; therefore, we should be submissive.114 The scriptural commands concerning roles in relationships are given in a context where the significance question has already been settled by our identities and positions in Christ.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.115

The biblical formula: our position in Christ and our identities as children of God equals significance. If a wife’s sense of significance flows from her relationship with God, she can respond to her husband’s leadership because in fact she is equally significant in God’s plan for her personally, her marriage, and her family. Husbands don’t need to demand respect or lord it over others to have any sense of worth. They already are significant as a children of God and secure in Christ. They are free to be the true servant-leader God has called them to be. The fruit of the Spirit is not staff control, nor spouse control, nor child control; it is self-control. Both the husband and wife can respond with grace to a less-than-perfect spouse, because they don’t need the other person to meet their need for significance.116

Submission, authority, and control concern not only man/wife issues, or parent/child issues, or employer/employee issues. Submission is primarily a relational matter between the creature and the Creator. When we know who we are as children of God, we don’t have to rebel, we don’t have to dominate and control. We yield to the Lordship of Christ, secure in our position in Him, and relate to others with love and forgiveness.

 ---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

Saturday, January 22, 2022

Christian Paradoxes - A Time for Wonder – Taking Control and Surrendering - Purity 635


Christian Paradoxes - A Time for Wonder – Taking Control and Surrendering  - Purity 635

Purity 635 01/22/2022  Purity 635 Podcast

Good morning,

Today’s photo of a blazing sunset nestled between a cover of clouds and a tree line fading into darkness comes to us from the love of my life as she was returning home from work on January 15th and had presence of mind to capture this blazing example of God’s creative beauty.  Shortly after she became a student of my discipleship classes, TammyLyn started to get up earlier than usual to pray and to take walks at sunrise.  Her eyes were opened to the presence of God in her life in a way they hadn’t been before and just like this sunset her spirit’s soared above the darkness of her past and suddenly she was experiencing a life of wonder and she began sharing photos like this one and encouraging posts on Facebook.   

Well it’s Saturday and for most of us, not me, it is a day of recreation and rest.  The temperatures in upstate New York are going to be cold but there is supposed to be some sun.  Sometimes life can be a paradox – something that is seeming contradiction but can somehow be true. So today you could be freezing your hindquarters off out in the elements and be roasted by greenhouse like conditions in your heated car. 

While some of us may be perfectly content nestled in our homes and will love the cold as an excuse to not go anywhere, others may be suffering from cabin fever and a seasonal depression.  I know some people who are in the latter category, and they are not quite their regular selves.  

To those friends, I encourage you to go out and take a drive, do some winter sports, or do some other indoor activity.  You can enjoy the sights of a sunny January day and never leave the warm confines of your car, or I suggest going to a mall, a museum, or some other venue outside your home where you can engage your body, mind, and spirit to proactively get out of the cabin fever funk.  There is bowling, roller skating, gyms, and mall walking as options to move the body.  There are movie theaters, libraries, and museums to engage the mind.  

And with whatever you pick, I suggest you bring God along for the day and just thank Him for your ability to change your circumstances with intentional thoughts and actions.  God cares for you and wants you to know the abundant life that comes from living in His presence.

I am a huge fan of the singer, Malik Harris, and in one of his songs he sings about being proactive to rediscover the wonder of life. His song, “Time for Wonder” says: 

And I know
Yes I know
I gotta get up
When feeling low
But I just hope
That there's somebody to wake me up
'Cause I been calling

  (Chorus) I'm tired of hoping things get better

I'm tired of hoping things will change
It's time for wonder
It's time for wonder, yeah

That chorus repeats and then it says: 

“It's time for me to take control
It's time for me to break the walls
It's time for me to take it on
And make you watch out for me

(https://genius.com/Malik-harris-time-for-wonder-lyrics) 

I have a Christian worldview and I know that God is in control, but we have a choice to decide to live with Him or not. We can choose to forsake the world system and live continuously in the fruit of the Spirit when we decide to live with and for God.  

As the song says, if we’ve been calling and hoping  that there’s “somebody to wake me up” we have to decide to “take control… and break down the walls” because it is time to “take it on and make” God watch out for us, by surrendering to His wisdom and ways to discover the abundant life that He calls us to. It’s “time for wonder”! 

The question is:  will you take control? Will you break down the walls by surrendering and coming under the protection and authority of the only One who can make things better, of the only One who can make things change? 

To my friends who are feeling “Blah!”, or who are hoping things get better, or that things will change, I encourage you to seek the Lord and follow Him.

When you walk and talk with God as a continually practice, you can discover the wonder of life that surrounds us even on days where the blazing sun is challenged by icy temperatures. Receiving power when you surrender and taking control by coming under the authority of a Higher Power is just another paradox of our Christian faith, one of those things that seem like a contradiction but can be true. The word of God encourages these things and even though these ideas can challenge you, God’s word can be trusted to be true.       

 

Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.

This morning’s meditation verse is:

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT2)
6  So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”  

Today’s verse encourages us to be strong and courageous and assures us that the Lord will prepare things for us and protect us.   

This verse speaks to the nation of Israel and encourages them to go into Canaan to take possession of the promised land, a daunting task but God’s encouragement was backed up by their previous victories and His miraculous provisions. God was to be trusted and He encouraged the nation of Israel to trust Him again.   

So that’s the context, and some scholars would say that this verse isn’t necessarily to be used to encourage us as Christians today but while I could see their point I would disagree and say the principles behind today’s verse endure for all generations of those who follow the Lord.  

While we can’t use this verse and expect that everything we try will be blessed by success, we can find hope and encouragement in the facts that God does go before us (He is over and above all time and space after all) and that He will never abandon us or fail us because through Christ we have a new and eternal life that keeps us in His presence forever.      

I think today’s verse is a fitting compliment for my encouragement to “take control” by surrendering to the Lord’s way of living, to choose to live a lifestyle of Christian discipleship.   The pathway of Christian discipleship is counter intuitive to the world’s ways and when we pursue it we will face opposition so we will need to be strong in courageous and trust that the Lord will go before us and never abandon us or fail us when we seek His will and purpose for our lives.   

So be strong and courageous and represent God’s kingdom by answering the call to a life of Christian discipleship.  When you surrender to the Lord and walk by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit you will not only experience the fruit of the Spirit you will also be able to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the promises of God in the Bible like today’s verse really are true for people today, like me and you.  


As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

Today we continue to share from Dr. Neil Anderson’s . “Restored: Experience Life with Jesus”. Today, we continue sharing from Chapter 5.   

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase Dr. Neil Anderson’s books for your own private study and to support his work.

THE MEANING OF SUBMISSION

Because of abusive authority and legalistic teaching, the term submission has a negative connotation for many people. To them, a submissive person is a doormat who never questions those in authority. Some accept the doormat role and identity, while others deeply resent all authority figures, including God. But God is not like the abusive authority figures they have known. He has our best interests at heart. Submitting to His will and His way is the only means by which we can have any sense of social order. Little would be accomplished in our marriages, families, churches, businesses, and governments without some authoritative structure. When none exists, there can only be anarchy. The authority of God provides for the peaceful coexistence of His people, who are called to live and work together.

The Apostle Paul instructs wives to be submissive to their husbands, and then he says that we are all (both men and women) to “be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.”107 This means that all Christians are to be willing to cooperate in their relationships under God given authority structures. Everybody is under the authority of somebody or something, and we are all subject to the needs of one another, because we are all called to love one another.

SUBMISSION, REBELLION, AND THE SEARCH FOR SIGNIFICANCE

What do Paul and Peter mean when they teach that wives are to be submissive to their husbands?108 Why do some women rebel against the idea of submission? Why do some men abuse the authority God has given them in the home? Why do Peter and Paul remind men of their responsibility to lovingly meet the needs of their wives?109 These are critical questions that we all encounter when treading into the minefield of role relationships in marriage. Much of the confusion and virtually all of the emotional energy that fuels the debate comes from buying into a wrong view of the source of our identities and significance. People tend to get their identities from the things they do and their significance from their positions and titles. They wrongly conclude appearance, performance, and status equals significance.

Our identities are not determined by what we do; they are determined by who we are in Christ. It is not what we do that determines who we are; it is who we are that determines what we do. Before coming to Christ, we did get our identities from our natural heritage, professional work, and social status. But now that we are in Christ, “There is neither Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian and Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all,”110 and “neither male nor female.”111 These passages do not eradicate social roles or eliminate authoritative structure. It clearly teaches that our essential identities are found in Christ, and we are to live out our roles in life as children of God.

Our significance is not determined by our worldly positions and possessions, but by our position in Christ and the riches we possess in Him. When the mother of the sons of Zebedee was trying to get her sons seated next to Christ, our Lord used the occasion to instruct us concerning positions of ministry. “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.”112 Every leader is subject to the needs of those who serve under him. Headship in the home is not a right to be demanded; it is an awesome responsibility, and the same holds for any role of social responsibility.

 ---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness” or “The Bondage Breaker” series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

Friday, January 21, 2022

Remember the Time – The Book of Answered Prayers - Purity 634

Remember the Time – The Book of Answered Prayers - Purity 634

Purity 634 01/21/2022   Purity 634 Podcast

Good morning,

Today’s photo of a blue cloud filled sky over the beach at Lake Taghkanic State Park in Ancram NY comes to us from yours truly as I captured this scene on August 30th in 2020.  At that time I had only just recently gotten my new house “down by The River”, was still working two jobs, and the Covid-19 pandemic was still relatively new, so the number of people allowed into State Parks was limited. I didn’t have a lot of spare time in those days and this day was the only time in 2020 that I was able to go swimming recreationally. Even though I had to wear a mask when I wasn’t in the water, I remember having an overwhelming sense of victory that despite all of the struggles in my personal life and with the restrictions of 2020 I was able to overcome and enjoy my life.  This simple swimming excursion told me that the Covid-19 pandemic and all the things I had come against hadn’t beaten me and I knew that it was only because of my faith in God that I was able to go through it all with joy and peace despite the negative circumstances.   

Well, it’s Friday and as I tell  the men in the discipleship course I facilitate on Thursday nights, I encourage you to start your days with the practice of gratitude.  When we recall all the things we have overcome and all the things we have, we can thank God for a lot more than just the fact that it is Friday and we can start each day with the recognition that, because of God, our lives are actually quite wonderful.   

Last night, I enjoyed the benefits of being a part of a Christian men’s group who are actively seeking the Lord and their freedom in Christ, as I asked each man to recall a time in their lives when they chose to trust their faith rather than their feelings. Their testimonies were all examples of how the Lord will call you to do things that you are uncertain of but when you trust Him and obey what He says the results are always good, but what I was inspired by is how those positive results gave these men a means to grow in their faith and to trust the Lord to follow Him in larger and larger measures.  

One of the men reported that he kept a journal that documented all the times that God was faithful in his life. He called it his “book of answered prayers”. He stated that through the years he had documented 68 instances where God had answered his prayers in mighty ways.  He kept this book to testify of the Lord’s goodness and as a reminder to himself to continue to trust the Lord.   

Of all those 68 answered prayers, he shared the story of how the Lord answered his daughters’ prayers when they were young, and their story is amazing in not only the results but in their faithful perseverance in prayer.   

When his daughters were quite young, I think it was 6 and 4 years old (forgive me), they made a friend who wasn’t a Christian who they dearly loved.  So as Christians with child like faith, they began praying that their friend would make Jesus their Lord and Savior.  They didn’t get immediate results but because they loved their friend, they kept on praying. My friend was amazed by their faith but encouraged them to keep at it. So praying for their friend became a normal part of their evening routine and they continued in it for years.  

Our friend shared that about five years later, him and his family were invited by their daughter’s friend’s family to come and watch as not only this daughter who was prayed  for  five years to proclaim their faith in Jesus Christ and to be baptized, but for that girl’s entire family to proclaim their faith in Christ and to be baptized!

And as awesome that is, our friend said that this move of God further inspired his and his family’s faith and now it can inspire you like it does me.   

Yesterday, I was running errands in the county I grew up in and as I drove, I had phantom memories of mistakes I have made and some people I had hurt. That condemnation came quick, but I quickly reminded myself that those mistakes were made by a desperate and confused teenager and that I was no longer that person.

As I was driving and listening to Christian music, the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and I was overwhelmed with a flood of emotion that drove me to tears of joy as I was reminded of the goodness of God. I continued to praise and worship as the tears flowed and the Lord reminded me of all He had led me through.  And this Holy Spirit driven emotional praise and worship session, also reminded me of the Lord’s continual presence in our lives.  

These stories of the faithfulness of God, our remembrances, our experiences serve two purposes. They are to be used by us to motivate ourselves to continue to trust the Lord in our daily walk and they are to be shared with others to encourage them, to let them know that God is real, alive, and well, and deeply loves them.  

So keep walking and talking with God and remember the times that He delivered you and remember the stories of others that were helped by Him too and thank the Lord for all He has done and will do and Thank God it’s Friday.

 

Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.

This morning’s meditation verses are:

Psalm 112:5-8 (NLT2)
5  Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly.
6  Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered.
7  They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them.
8  They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.

Today’s verses teach us to live generously and righteously as a product of our trust in the Lord.   

Ironically, last night one of the other men in our group testified about hard times where they were moved to give money to help family when they desperately needed the money for their rent.  They were moved by the Lord to give the money anyway and soon after they did another person replaced those funds with a gift, not knowing of the sacrifice that they had just made.    

The same man also spoke of God’s providence at another time when his family needed to leave their home because of a financial crisis and find a new place to live.  The man received a dream in which he was assured that he would find a good place and that his family would be there for many years.   

Shortly after the dream, he found an available unit in a condominium that he had looked at previously with no luck. It was a nice place, but he feared that if they checked his credit report he would be summarily rejected. Instead of suspicion, he was met with hospitality and acceptance, as his family was welcomed into their new home with no credit check. They have lived there for 20 years, fulfilling God’s promise that he would find a good place and they would be there for years to come.    

These testimonies prove today’s verse to be true. We are to lend money generously, conduct our business fairly, and live righteously by following the Lord and trusting to live according to His ways. If we do that we will not be overcome by evil, and we need not live in fear of bad news because we can confidently trust that the Lord will care for us. 

So be confident and fearless and face your foes triumphantly, because when we make Christ our Lord and Savior and live a Christian disciple’s life, we will know that the Lord is with us and that He will make a way when there seems to be no way.  In Christ, we can know the Lord’s care and know that when that the going gets tough He will come for us in our time of need.  


As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

Today we continue to share from Dr. Neil Anderson’s . “Restored: Experience Life with Jesus”. Today, we continue sharing from Chapter 5.   

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase Dr. Neil Anderson’s books for your own private study and to support his work.

TRUST GOD’S PROTECTION

Daniel also taught us to trust in God’s protection and provision when we cannot in good conscience do what the king commands. King Darius was persuaded to “establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions’ den.”105 Daniel could not honor that decree, and so he continued to pray and give thanks to almighty God. He ended up in the lions’ den, and the Lord shut the mouths of the lions.

If your boss wants you to lie, don’t be disrespectful. Appeal to him or her as outlined above and offer an alternative. What if the boss won’t accept your alternative and says, “If you won’t do what I tell you to do, then I will get someone in here who will?” Then let him or her get someone who will, and trust God to provide for your needs.

DEAL WITH ABUSE

What if the authority figure is abusive? Is it being rebellious to turn him in? Absolutely not! It is wrong for Christian leaders to tell battered wives and abused children to go home and be submissive. “But that is what Scripture requires,” says the abuser. That is not all Scripture says on the issue. God has established governing institutions to protect battered wives and abused children.

The heart of God goes out to the weak and the defenseless. “This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress.”106

Turn the abusers in to the authorities whom God has established. This action is not being vindictive for two reasons. First, abusive leaders have obviously abdicated their responsibility to provide for and protect those whom they were charged by God to watch over. Being abused by the one in authority over you doubles the offense. Not only are you being abused, but you have also lost your God-intended protection.

Second, you will never help abusers by allowing them to continue in their abuses. They are hurting people who need help. If they aren’t stopped, the cycle of abuse will just continue on. Stopping them actually demonstrates care for the abusers. They have a right to find their forgiveness and freedom in Christ like anybody else, but many won’t take that opportunity if they are allowed to continue in sin. If you were abused by your father, and your mother knew about it, but wouldn’t do anything to help you, who would be harder to forgive? Everybody knows it would be the mother.

I am not saying that we don’t have to be submissive to people in positions of authority simply because they are not perfect. If that were the case, nobody would be submissive to anyone but God. What I am saying is that there is a biblical means by which we can appeal to those less-than-perfect people who are in authority, and there are times when we must obey God rather than man. Determining when to reject man’s authority requires discernment and a deep inner conviction based on truth that cannot be compromised regardless of the consequences. You are acting rebelliously if you refuse to submit simply because you would prefer to do it your way.

 ---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness” or “The Bondage Breaker” series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

Thursday, January 20, 2022

Jesus Trusts in Us? The Key to Discipleship - Purity 633


 Jesus Trusts in Us?  The Key to Discipleship  - Purity 633

Purity 633 01/20/2022  

Good morning,

Today’s photo of a blue cumulus cloud filled sky over County Route 26A in Stuyvesant NY comes to us from September 10th, 2021 and yours truly as I was moved to pull over to capture this simple but beautiful scene of a roadway disappearing around a bend.    

Well, It’s Thursday and I take photos like this one, of pathways, to encourage others to step onto the path of Christian Discipleship as I will be facilitating a Men’s Freedom in Christ Discipleship Course Discussion on Zoom this evening.  Christian Discipleship is always on my mind because I live it and on Thursdays I encourage others to discover the abundant life that is the result of living it. Discipleship is a lifestyle of learning, application, and purpose.

Dictionary.com defines discipleship as the condition or situation of being a disciple, a follower, or a student of some philosophy, especially a follower of Jesus Christ. 

I love the fact that this site acknowledges that one of the best examples of what defines discipleship is the follower of Jesus Christ.   In this age of post Christian society and cultural diversity that is moving us toward the end times, instances of Christ being mentioned or respected will become less and less so its nice to see that His example hasn’t been erased just yet. (https://www.dictionary.com/browse/discipleship)

The second definition that the website lists is “the group of followers of Christ in His lifetime”.   I put that one in quotes. His lifetime, capital H! The use of a capital H in the personal pronouns of He, Him, Himself or a capital Y in You or Your when referring to Jesus Christ is done to admit and acknowledge His exalted status as God.   So Dictionary.com not only glorifies Jesus Christ as the example of discipleship but it also unwittingly testifies to His deity.   

Again in this post Christian world that’s nice to see. So let the countdown begin, for someone to complain and demand these references to Jesus be removed.   Hey if they can ban nativity displays in the public square and remove the Ten Commandments from courthouses, they can certainly edit a few lines on a dictionary website.

Amazingly, my surprise and joy didn’t end there.  For the second definition, dictionary.com provided an example of its use which said:

“The key to Jesus’ discipleship was his personal trust in his disciples.”  Okay small h’s but I’ll take it. 

While the natural born skeptic in me could point to how one of Jesus’ disciples betrayed Him and how the other Apostles, in fear of their lives, abandoned Christ, so much for trusting those disciples, I would agree with this example of what the key to discipleship is: trust.  

Discipleship is not only a condition or a situation. Discipleship is a relationship and like all beneficial relationships it is built on trust.   The disciple has to trust that the discipler is teaching something worthwhile and that the lessons they learn will have a benefit to their lives. 

Also, as dictionary.com’s example for usage points out, the discipler has to trust the disciple too.  The discipler has to trust that the disciples will absorb what they are taught and will be faithful to apply the teachings to their lives to represent what they have learned.  

Jesus Christ trusted His disciples to be true their calling and He did so with the knowledge that one of them would betray Him.  And despite the other Apostle’s failures when Christ was arrested, they showed themselves to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ by establishing the early church with all but one of them going to early deaths as martyrs for the cause of Christ.   

A discipler can’t make their disciples learn or follow the teachings they impart. The responsibility for the absorption and application of the wisdom taught is the sole responsibility of the disciple.

As Christians, we are not just supposed to be believers in Jesus. We are supposed to be Christ’s disciples. We are supposed to learn about Him and His teachings and apply them to our lives in a way that would represent Him.   

When we do less than that, those outside of the faith are right to point out our hypocrisy.

As someone who came to faith in Jesus Christ relatively late in life, I decided that I would do my best to learn and to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ because I knew of the tremendous gift that I had been given in my salvation and I didn’t want to be someone who could be accused of being a hypocrite.  I wanted to be a real authentic Christian and God has worked in my life to slowly progress towards that goal.   

One term that is used in the Bible that is used to describe living a Christian Disciple’s life is “walking in the Spirit”.  When we walk in the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit of peace, love, joy, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, patience and self-control begin to grow in our lives but it is our responsibility to walk into them.   

As Christians, we are disciples of Christ and, just like Jesus trusted the original Apostles, He is trusting us to answer His call and follow Him.  

So be true to the calling that the Lord has put on your life. His words and example are trustworthy and will lead you into a life of victory, freedom, and purpose that leads to an abundant life of experiencing the fruit of the Spirit here on earth and will eventually take you to the ultimate good of being welcomed into His eternal kingdom.   Trust in Christ and represent Him as His disciple and experience the peace that comes from knowing that you are in a harmonious and trusting relationship with God.


Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.

This morning’s meditation verse is:

Philippians 4:13 (NLT2)
13  For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Today’s verse is one of those verses that can empower your faith walk and inspire you to accomplish things you never dreamed of and to shift the paradigms that the world has programmed you with.  

Many Bible scholars temper this verse by encouraging Christians to look at the context of this epistle to point out that the Apostle Paul was describing both living abundantly and going through quite a bit of suffering and that if the context is properly understood we might not use this verse as a magical incantation that will guarantee us of our success. 

This verse isn’t supposed to echo the America song “You Can Do Magic”  that says “You can do magic, You can have anything that you desire.”  That song was talking about the magic of seduction.. so anyway.  

Okay, so no we shouldn’t necessarily think that saying this verse will give us anything we want.  However,  I don’t think an understanding of the context of this verse necessarily negates the ability for our faith in God to overcome and achieve great things.  

The biggest lie that the enemy tells us to discourage our victory and our pursuing our purpose in Christ is that something is impossible.   I’ll say it again. The biggest lie that the enemy tells us is that something is impossible.   

If we temper the power of our faith and try to discourage our brothers and sisters in Christ from pursuing what they feel the Lord is calling them to we could be supporting the enemy’s agenda.   

If we don’t try, we may never discover what we can do. If we don’t preserve, we may never discover what the Lord has for us on the other side of our trials.  

While today’s verse won’t give you all the material blessings you may want in life, it can empower you to become more like Christ and the context of this verse does not temper that promise.  We need to know that we can do everything through Christ when we are suffering.  This word from God can be applied at all times and in every season of life.  

Rather than a Christian “abracadabra”, it is a word from the Lord to encourage us to follow Him regardless of the circumstance and to live our lives according to His wisdom and ways.       

 

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

Today we continue to share from Dr. Neil Anderson’s . “Restored: Experience Life with Jesus”. Today, we continue sharing from Chapter 5.   

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase Dr. Neil Anderson’s books for your own private study and to support his work.

RELATING TO AUTHORITY

Daniel is a powerful example of submission. It could be argued that King Nebuchadnezzar overstepped his authority by requiring Daniel and his people to do something that went against their faith. Notice how Daniel responded. He showed respect to the king and those who carried out the king’s commands. Nebuchadnezzar wanted those who were in his service to eat the food he chose. Daniel did not want to defile himself with the king’s food, so he sought permission from his immediate superior to eat as God required, as long as he remained healthy enough to be a servant of the King, which is all the King really wanted. Because he was not defiant, nor disrespectful, “God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials.”94 Daniel offered a creative alternative that allowed the commander to save face in the sight of the king and to also fulfill the wishes of the king to have wise and healthy servants.

The Lord’s Prayer95 is a model for how we are to appeal to those who are in authority over us. First, we must have a right standing, which is reflected in the phrase, “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.” In most judicial systems, we must approach the judge in a court of law with respect. It would be considered contempt of court if we didn’t. We respectfully address the judge as “Your honor.”

If there are any unresolved personal issues between yourself and the one you wish to make an appeal to, you better get them resolved first. That is true for our God as well as judges in courts of law or supervisors at work. We couldn’t approach God until He found a way to forgive us, and any judge who is personally biased toward or against the accused must remove himself from the case. If a teenager has been disrespectful and disobedient to his father, he should get that straightened out before he asks for the keys to the car.

Second, we should be committed to the success of those who are in authority and willing to do their will as long as it doesn’t violate who we are in Christ. This principle is reflected in the phrase, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (v. 10). We must do nothing that would hinder them from carrying out their God-given responsibilities. People in leadership cannot accomplish much without the loyal support of those who are under them. Those who are in a submissive role will not prosper in their rebellion. Scripture says, “Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account.

Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.”96

One of Satan’s more potent strategies is to discredit spiritual leaders. Your loyalty to those who are in authority over you will be tested. This fact is especially true in Christian ministries and in the home. Everybody will be tempted with subtle thoughts such as: I don’t like the way he did that; I could do it better than that; This is what I would do if I were in that position; or I’m the one who should be running the show around here. It doesn’t make any difference if those thoughts come from the pit, from other disloyal members or from your own flesh; they are wrong according to James 3:13-18:

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Most leaders will listen to our appeals if they know we are concerned for their responsibilities and their reputations. The Lord withheld judgment upon the Israelites when Moses petitioned Him. He based his appeal on the reputation of God.97 God can only bless us if we are submissive, 98 and in doing so, we find favor with Him.99 Life will be more difficult for us if the ones we are serving are failing in their responsibilities. Every passage that commands us to be submissive ends in a promise for the ones who are—and condemnation for those who aren’t.

Third, our appeals must be based on legitimate needs. This principle is reflected in the phrase, “Give us this day our daily bread.”100 Every leader is subject to the needs of those he serves, and the Lord will bring conviction upon those who do not hear the legitimate cries of their people. However, requests for selfish desires may justifiably go unanswered. Few things can turn off a parent more than an ungrateful child who demands more than what is needed.

Fourth, our appeals must come from hearts that are free from bitterness. This principle is reflected in the phrase, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”101 Anyone who has allowed a root of bitterness to spring up and defile others should not expect favor from those who are in authority. When Simon requested authority from the apostles, Peter refused saying, “You are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”102

Fifth, our appeals should be for proper direction in life, which is reflected in the phrase, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”103 Every

human institution has been given its authority by God “for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.”104

 ---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness” or “The Bondage Breaker” series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship