Strengthening Disciples
When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
Acts 14:21-22
Discipleship involves counsel and care. That is what I see here in the pattern of Paul and Barnabus as they complete their first missionary endeavors. They spend time strengthening the souls of those who had come to faith in Christ. And it sounds like these people had their share of hardship. They needed reassuring strength. They needed encouragement in their faith. They meeded to know that hardship must be part of the Christian experience.
I see this passage and am reminded that when I have days in which it seems an endless stream of such encouragement is necessary, I am following in the steps of the earliest Christians. I can take heart. This is part of what I am called to do in Christian discipleship.
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My Idolatry
And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger.
Judges 2:12
It seems innocent.
Entertainment.
or a joke.
Amusement or a thought
begins to poke
me in a direction
away from my devotion to God.
I live in a land
where idols erupt
and in my home
they can disrupt
my heart and the throne
of my life they can steal.
Simple idols
not grinning stone
or metal
will sit on my throne
Lazy self, greed, lies
all will become gods to me
I leave a lot
when a let these totems
control my heart
and I lose my motive
for godliness when
God is not my God
Abandonment
is not my plan
I return to the Master
and submit to His hand
so that these idols
may topple and those
around my see
Jesus my Savior
reigning, living, loving in me.
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My Repentance
For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.
2 Corinthians 7 :11
This verse provides a look at how genuine repentance will manifest itself in my attitudes. First I must be earnest. It is the initial reaction of true repentance to eagerly and aggressively pursue righteousness. This is an attitude that ends indifference to sin and complacency about evil and deception. I must be eager to clear myself of the stain of sin. I desire to clear my name of the stigma that accompanies sin. My repentant heart restores the trust and confidence of others by making genuine repentance known. I do not hide my repentance like I hid my sin. And there is an indignation like no other. Repentance leads to anger over my sin and displeasure at the shame it has brought on the Lord's name and His people. I fear the Lord. This is reverence toward God, who is the One most offended by my sin. Repentance leads to a healthy fear of the One who chastens and judges my sin. There is a longing for restoration that shapes my life. This could be translated "yearning," and refers to the desire of the repentant sinner to restore the relationship with the one who was sinned against. I want to be restored with God and with others when I am truly repentant. And I am consumed with the full measure of my repentance. I love God so much that I cannot want to harm Him or His family again. I want justice for sin. This refers to the desire to see justice done. I no longer try to protect myself with excuses; I want to deal with the sin no matter what it might cost me. I want holiness restored. The essence of my repentance is an aggressive pursuit of holiness, which was characteristic of the Corinthians. The Greek word for "innocent" means "pure" or "holy." I must demonstrate the integrity of my repentance by my purity.
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Who holds my hand?
Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Psalm 73:23-24
There are three important aspects of a relationship with God that deserve special notation in this passage. The first has to do with God's presence and nearness. Even Old Testament saints took comfort in the fact that God was with them. The picture of God holding a person by the right hand is one of nearness, direction, and intimacy. It is the kind of thing that a parent does for a child. And this nearness was the constant experience of the writer of this Psalm. How much more should I be saying these words with the very Spirit of God residing within my heart? God is continually with me and as near as my own heart.
The second important aspect is that of guidance. God guides with His counsel. God is the first counselor that I need and with His nearness, it makes sense that I should seek His will. What affrontery to Him it is for me to seek every other source first when He is so near! It is like I walk right past my wife to talk with another person. I should seek His counsel, which is the best counsel, exactly because it is He Who is holding my hand.
The third aspect is that of an eternal future. The psalmist could confidently conclude that the God Who is near in life, Who is here in counsel, will be dear in death. God receives the soul to glory. Not the soul's glory, but the full glory of the presence of God. God provides comfort, strength, and relationship for today just as He will do so in our future. One cannot underestimate this. I attended the funeral of an aunt yesterday. She had begun attending a little church after my uncle died. The pastor made it very clear (as he preached the gospel to my relatives) that she had trusted Christ at that time and longed to do what God would have her do. I was comforted knowing that indeed she had pursued a relationship with the God Who loves her and now she has been received up into His glory.
When I know the One Who holds my hand, I find what I need, no matter how my life goes. He holds my right hand. He guides me with His counsel. He will lead me to heaven with Him.
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Thoughts of judgement
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
2 Corinthians 5:10
Jesus Himself told His disciples that all judgement had been committed to Him. This is true. I will answer before my Lord for all the things that I have done. And no personal excuse will stand. I can't beg off the wrong I have done in attitude and action with some sort of casual reply like, "I had a headache". That will not pass muster on that day.
Paul was so motivated by the thought that he would give account of Himself before His Lord that it motivated him in his ministry. It was because of such a healthy fear of God that he persuaded men with the gospel. Paul was not the judge. Jesus is the judge and Jesus died for the offending parties. He is more than willing to forgive. He is also the One to Whom we owe all of our allegiance, service, devotion, duty, and life's work.
I think of this sort of accountability with too much light commitment on my part. My perspective needs to be changed to that of Paul. I need to see the eternal impact of the gospel in my own heart, and as the call of my life. I know that as I give account for myself, there will be much sadness over this in me. And I want to be able to hear words of encouragement from my Lord. I want to be a servant who hears the praise of "well-done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord".
Thoughts of judgement are not popular. They intimidate when they should bring intimacy. My perspective on them is changed when I realize that the closeness of my relationship with Jesus should naturally invite the scrutiny, and when I draw closer to Him, the approval of my Master may well be felt and understood RIGHT NOW, making the fear of future judgement less of my heart's sense.
Lord Jesus,
I will appear to give account. I do so now when I take the time to offer this day to You, My Lord, for Your service, Your glory, Your purposes. You know what I will face. I pray that I will sensitive to Your leading, to the teaching of Your Word and the prompting of Your Spirit. Make something of eternal worth in me today.
Amen
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Cure for what ails me.
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 4:16
For a man in middle age, these are encouraging words. My body has recontoured. I look back at pictures of me in my 20's and I realize I won't be like that any more. My outer self is going the way of all flesh. The inevitable fight against age and gravity is impossible to win. Hollywood stars spend millions on surgery and personal training to keep up appearances. I am not sure that if I had the means I would indulge such luxury. After all, my eternal soul is really ageless.
That is the difficulty. I feel like I can do so much. I feel youthful even if my body says differently. A checkup last week with the doctor confirmed that osteoarthritis is still setting in. Pain in my shoulder and neck is probably to be expected for the rest of my life. For the first time the doctor suggested shots for the pain if it persists. More wasting away.
But in Christ there is a dynamic to me that overcomes the drag of this outer shell's diminishing abilities. I am renewed in the Lord daily. His Word, His people, His work rejuvenates me. And I rejoice in this. I find hope in the reality that my feelings will not change despite what happens to my body.
No pill could provide this. No amount of exercise, weight loss, medication, nutrition or personal training can induce what the Spirit of God and the Word of God give to me. And for that reason I will not lose heart.
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I am a full time volunteer with Reef to Outback - Youth With A Mission (YWAM) where I work in Communications and Information Technology. I am married to a wonderful wife, we have a five year old son and a one year old daughter.
