2007-02-02
Good Morning Dear Ones,
For the last couple of weeks, the Holy Spirit has directed me to take a parenthetical break from the subject of materialism to share the disciples' cross, a compact description of the life of a true believer and disciple of Jesus Christ. We continue this week constructing a diagram begun two weeks ago of the disciples' cross, one that will serve all of us well. This is from Pastor Avery T. Willis' wonderful course, MasterLife. Today, we will look at the arm of the cross that extends from the center (where Christ is) left on the cross piece (westward), which represents witness. You'll remember that the right cross piece (east of center) is fellowship. From center to bottom (south) is God's word, and from center to top (north) is prayer.
With repentance of sins, true faith in Jesus Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit, daily study of God's word, an active prayer life, and sweet caring fellowship with others, spiritual maturity can advance. Notice that some of these things come from God, and the others from us, holding up our end of the Covenant of Grace we have with Him. JN 15: 8 are Christ's words to us on what should result from the relationship with Him that a true believer has been building. "My Father's glory is shown by your bearing much fruit; and in this way you become My disciples." In combination with MT 28: 19-20, we have the picture of what kind of response to our God-given gifts we should have. "Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them My disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age." The fruit referred to in JN 15: 8 can be the fruits of the Spirit [GA 5: 22-23] or a new Christian. The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These don't always grow quickly, but increase continually and bear in season. These are a normal, natural outgrowth when we have Christ at the center of our lives.
Does this mean everyone who is a true believer will serve a mission traveling to a foreign country? No, it doesn't, but some people will. So the question is where will those who don't serve a formal mission witness? And the answer is wherever God wants them to be, even right at home. Witnessing is first and best done by the example we set as true believers. That is reflected in our lifestyle, the choices we make, and keeping our eyes on the Lord Jesus. Those who witness by example speak volumes to others looking on and wanting the joy and peace the true believer has-sometimes even in the face of adversity. PHIL 4: 11-13, "I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances may be. I know now how to live when things are difficult, and in particular, I have learned the secret of facing either poverty or plenty. I am ready though the strength of the One Who lives within me." This kind of contentment has been a hard-learned issue for me. My husband and I have seen financially hard times which have greatly altered our lifestyle in the last nine years. At first, I had the poor self-control and insensitivity to his needs to rail against the cause of our problems in front of him, although I never blamed him for them. That had to have been hurtful to him and a great disappointment to the God Who loves me so much. When financial trouble continued to happen for us, I (all too slowly) learned that I needed to trust God to see to our basic needs and to have faith in Him. Part of that was apologizing for my outburst, first to God and then to my husband. After all, Peter was the wronged party! I can't say that my difficulty in adjusting to our altered circumstances is entirely over, but I have made some progress. God is chipping away at my sinful nature, facet by facet.
God provides us with opportunities to witness in other ways in addition to by the example we set. He brings into bright focus our realization of the great sacrifice He made of His Son on the cross, so that we might be saved, have peace, and live lives of righteousness leading to eternal life. This is accomplished by Him in His own perfect way and time [JN 3: 16; RO 3: 24-25; HE 8: 12 and 10: 10]. We need to look for opportunities to witness and have the courage to act on them in ways sensitive to the needs of those who hear our witness to the truth of the Gospel. RO 1: 16-17 are powerful words from Paul that the Lord wants us to understand. "I have complete confidence in the Gospel; it is God's power to save all who believe, first the Jews and also the Gentiles. For the Gospel reveals how God puts people right with Himself: it is through faith from beginning to end. As the Scriptures [HB 2: 4; GA 3: 11] say, 'The person who is put right with God through faith shall live.'" Taking the time to get to know the unsaved person, if possible, is important. That is because one needs to meet that person where he is-meaning, what has brought this person to seek a better way of living and the person's culture. We must also remember the lesson learned from 1 COR 2: 14, "Whoever does not have the Spirit cannot receive the gifts that come from God's Spirit. Such a person really does not understand them; they are foolishness to him, because their value can be judged only on a spiritual basis." So, Dear Ones, along the way there may well be some disappointing responses to our witnessing. That is no reason to give up or not to assume that an unsaved person encountered can't come to faith at a later date. We must approach others as a potential believers and do so with courtesy, sensitivity to their needs, and the love Christ has taught us [JN 13: 34-35].
PRAYER: O Lord, we approach You today with humility and heads bowed in reverence. You alone know who will listen and who will not, who notices our lifestyles of righteousness and who will not. We express deep faith in the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and in the teaching You give us through Your word, the circumstances of our lives, and prayer. We recognize our utter need for Your intervention in our lives, our need for a continuing relationship with You. MT 5: 3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their's is the Kingdom of heaven." We know You have given us a great gift not only in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but in Your Son's suffering, death on the cross, and resurrection. For His status as "the first of many brothers" [RO 8: 29] gives us the hope that one day, we too will be raised to eternal life with You. As disciples of the Son, we are eager to live righteously and to be perfected by You. Your power "to transform us inwardly by the complete renewal of our minds" [RO 12: 2] not only gives us a way to know Your will but to have that hope of resurrection come true. Our understanding of the purpose of the trials we must endure here on earth is enhanced in RO 5: 3-4, "We also boast of our troubles, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance brings God's approval, and His approval creates hope." You are a Promise-keeper Who will see our hope come true in Your own perfect time and way. If we take the time to look at Your work in others around us, we can better open ourselves to Your work in us. Our love for You can sometimes create impatience for our witness to others to bring them to faith. It is not us, but the Holy Spirit, Who actually does this. Our witness is our effort to make the way open for Him. We must accept Your decision as to how and when a person to whom we witness comes to faith or does not. We love, praise, offer our adoration, thank, and have reverence for You. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Next week, we will have a quick overview of the ministries that arise out of the completed disciples' cross. After that, the Holy Spirit directs me to continue writing on materialism. In today's prayer I was led to write about the hope of the resurrection. In the very early segments of my True Faith messages, I was led to write about the Kingdom of heaven. We are told an amazing number of things about it, but not enough to eliminate the need for faith in God and His word. Considering the alternative, which is conscious torment in hell from which there is no escape for eternity, the only right choice is for us to develop that lifestyle, which is depicted in the disciple's cross. Happiness, real happiness that lasts matters to all of us. Faith in Jesus Christ lived out is the way to a blissful life of sweet fellowship with the Father for eternity. Having said this, we must accept that we are all sinners and thus, need God's intervention and protection to eventually be glorified [taken up to heaven for eternity with Him]. What a great hope He has given us! We now have a purpose for often going against the trends in the society in which we live. There is a cost for living holy lives, but it's a cost well worth enduring. Along the way, we don't have to face our trials alone or without encouragement from our Lord and fellow believers. I, for one, can truly witness to their love. So, Dear Ones, let me encourage you to let God and fellow believers help you along the way, especially when challenged by the evil one. Know that every believer is a cherished child of God [RO 8: 16-17: PS 16: 8-10; IS 41: 10; ZEPH 3: 17; JN 14: 27]. Looking these verses up will bless you greatly.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn