Sign of the Apocalypse: Hating what is Good

So says Paul to Timothy in 2 Tim. 3.3. In the last times, writes Paul, difficult days will come. Signs that we are in the last times are: [People] "will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good" (NLT). Whether or not, we as a world community are in the last days I can't say, but we in America certainly seem to fit the bill. In one generation we have gone from loving good and hating evil to hating good and loving evil. It is a remarkable shift, and one often seen in nations that have become morally bankrupt. Funny thing is, we are almost completely blind not to the shift per se because it is evident for all to see. We are blind to how immoral the shift is. We think it is a good shift, a good thing.

Suffer Well Christian, Suffer Well

Paul to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2.3 - "Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus." Notice that Paul assumes the inevitability of suffering for the Christian. It is something to be expected. "Endure suffering as a good soldier would endure suffering," says Paul. It is a metaphor which is close to my heart and one I understand well, having endured some suffering as a Marine. We are not instructed to escape suffering, though in some circumstances when we are able and it does not hinder the work of God, it is okay to do so. However, when we are in God-ordained, inescapable suffering, we are to endure it well.

Guard the Precious Truth

So tells Paul to Timothy in 2 Tim 1.14 - "Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you." I like the translation. The key word, it seems to me, is "guard" which is the translation of the Greek word φύλαξον, which means to watch over carefully. Timothy (and by application we) are to:

1. Guard the precious truth

2. Carefully guard it.

3. Guard it through the power of the Holy Spirit (who by the way lives within us).

All of this Paul communicates in 11 words in the Greek. A lot of meaning packed into just a few words.

The Velvet Mighty Hand of God

I'm studying in 1 Pet 5.6ff this morning and I've suddenly been struck by something. In vs. 6 Peter tells us to "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God." The preposition translated "under" refers again and again in the NT to submission and subjection; "And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church" (Eph 1.22).

But wait! Peter recognizes that this is in no way an onerous command because he immediately writes: "Casting all your anxieties upon him, because he cares for you." This is profound. The one to whom we are called to be "under" or in submission to, is the one who cares for us. The mighty hand of God, therefore, is a velvet hand; a hand of support and aid. C. S. Lewis captures this image brilliantly in the person of Aslan the Lion as an allegory for God. Aslan is strong and mighty and terrible. To his people, to Edmund, Peter, Lucy, and Susan, he is firm, but kind.

Submission to the mighty hand of God, then is for our good. Who would not flee willingly to the strongest bulwark when under attack? Who would not appeal to the President for aid if he just happened to be our father?

May we submit joyfully and willingly and with great zeal to the mighty hand of God, and in return we receive his help, care, and concern. God gets the glory; we get the help.

Everything Serves Your Plan

So says the NLT in Ps. 119.91. I like the translation: "Your regulations remain true to this day, for everything serves your plans." An alternative translation of the Hebrew might read: "Everything serves you." What struck me today was the word "everything." There is much about faith in Christ that leaves us baffled. Why does God call us to do certain things? Why does evil seem to run rampant and unchecked? Why do bad things happen to good people? Not all of these questions are answered in the Scriptures; however, the fact that everything serves God's plans, or everything serves God gives us a good start to an answer and the willingness to persevere in the faith even when we don't fully understand the God we serve. Everything serves God's plans. Everything.

My Only Hope...

...is your promise. So says the psalmist in Ps. 119.49 - Remember your promise to me, it is my only hope (NLT). Yay!! I love this translation. It demonstrates my utter dependence on God. It demonstrates God's utter commitment to me. God made the promise. His promise is my only hope. God gets the glory (for helping me); I get the help.

Now I Know

The confession of Naaman after he comes to faith in the God of Israel. As the NLT puts it: Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Quite a turn of heart as a reaction to his healing from leprosy, which was the incurable disease of the day and greatly feared by all. After he is cured Naaman's conversion is immediate and final. He will worship the God of Israel only. He will no longer worship Rimmon, the (false) god of Aram.

When we follow Christ it ought to be exactly as Naaman did: Once we make the decision there should be no hesitating between the world of unbelief and faith. It should be immediate and final.

Prayer: Oh Lord God, may we use the faith of Naaman as a pattern for our own lives, and see in him your ability to change, in an instant, whomever you call to faith.

We Were not Idle

Paul and those with him worked hard night and day both proclaiming the gospel and working (in Paul's case as a tentmaker) to support themselves on the road while pursuing his God-given mission of reaching the Gentiles. There is a great example here for us. We are not to aim for retirement per se; we are to aim for ceaseless labor for the cause of Christ, until he calls us home. If we are confined due to health then we can labor ceaselessly in prayer, but there is almost always something we can be doing in terms of ministry. Brothers (and sisters) let us not be idle.

Eternal Comfort; Wonderful Hope

Two results of grace listed in 2 Thess 2.16: "Now may our Lord Jesus himself and God our father, who loved us and through his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say."

Grace gives us eternal comfort through its promise of an eternal rest into which we enter. This is the hope that sustains us as we labor.

Everything God Does...

...reveals his glory and majesty. Beautiful words. Powerful words. The whole verse reads: Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. (Ps 111.1, NLT). The Psalmist connects God's glory and majesty to his righteousness in an interesting way. As if to say, in all that God does (which reveals his glory and majesty) he is and acts righteously. As we would expect God's righteousness is inseparable from his glory and majesty.

He is Able to Humble the Proud

Nebuchadnezzar's conclusion in regards to God's character after seven years living in the fields like a wild beast (Dan 4.37). God had humbled him. God IS able to humble the proud, but if we finish this story and all we take out of it is that Nebuchadnezzar needed to be humbled and consequently was humbled then we miss the point altogether.

We are the proud. I am the proud. I am Nebuchadnezzar. Sobering thought, no?

And It was Good

Reading in Psalms 104.31 this morning where the NLT says, "The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made. (The ESV translates this "May the Lord rejoice in his works," which I do not like since it seems to be calling for the Lord to do what he is already doing. The TNIV also has "may," so linguistically maybe it's correct).

At any rate, I'm wondering what it means for the Lord to take pleasure in all he has made. The UBS commentary points out that it looks backward to Genesis 1 and 2 where God declares all that he had made good. This seems to me to be the best interpretation.

When one looks at the world, everywhere and in all places (as Psalms 104 states emphatically) God's creation holds us in awe. Truly God made all things in wisdom and it is no wonder that he declared it good because it IS good; it demonstrates incredible wisdom and power, again and again and again.

Privilege of Trusting; Privilege of Suffering

Twin privileges that Paul expresses to the Philippians in Phil 1.29. These twin privileges were given to the believers in Philippi, or as Paul puts it: For you have been given, not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are surprised at this second privilege and it is here that we enter the deep waters of faith. It is a privilege to suffer for Christ? Isn't this something we endure; something that we bear up under until the weight of suffering goes away? A privilege?

I think that Paul would consider it a privilege because suffering is indicative of someone who truly believes. One's faith is tested at the point of suffering. It's easy to be a disciple of Christ when it costs me nothing, but when it is costly, then my commitment is truly tested. To the extent that the Philippians were bearing up under suffering, their faith was proving genuine, and this was a privilege indeed.

Darkness is my Closest Friend

Never accuse the psalmists of having a too optimistic view of people, neither of other men, nor of himself. I love the honesty in Ps. 88.18 - You have taken away my companions and loved ones; Darkness is my closest friend. A true experience of life, and one that neither the psalmist nor we should be afraid to express. Sometimes darkness is out closest friend and that is the way God, in his providence, has arranged things. Why does he do this? To teach us dependence for sure, but the fact of the matter is that he often does not tell us why he does these things. This is the nature of faith.

The Mystery and Hope of Adoption as God's Children

I am basking in the mystery and promise of Eph 1.5 (early) this morning. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. These words are fully of mystery and hope. What does it mean that God decided this in advance? How? Paul doesn't bother to dwell there, probably because God has given no direct answer to this question. It is a mystery that he has allowed to remain a mystery. I am grateful for God's action in advance, meanwhile I do not understand it.

On the other hand being adopted into his own family I do understand, at least partially. This fact gives me (and every follower of Christ) great hope because our lives have purpose and meaning, and there is an end, or purpose to all of this. I, We !, those who follow Christ by faith, are part of God's family. Incredible.