A New Start

“For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).

Paul went through much of living in a culture that was antagonistic toward Christ. So many problems came and went against him, trouble on every side of him, problems that pressed hard against him, and yet he learned the secret of contentment.

Look at yourself in the mirror. Tell me what you see? I see in the mirror a man who is aging and breaking down externally. But, again,  take a look in the mirror of the Word. What do you see? Do you see the eternal springing up within you, the everlasting joy that comes from looking away from the obvious to the real?

Paul did not faint because he kept his eyes on the eternal and the internal. His daily focus was disciplined upon Christ and His Word. He learned that the outward things were temporal and could be discouraging. The things not seen were eternal and were an eternal weight of glory. What is discouragement? It is a temporary loss of perspective.

Focus on that which is unseen, the truths you know in your heart, for it is that truth that is a reality. We need to focus on the inner man. Life is passing us by. We have the opportunity to focus on the eternal and internal daily for the next 364 days of the year.

“Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4:10).

Satan can use spiritual things to make you proud: It could be your ability to teach or preach the Word; your prayer life; your success in witnessing; soul-winning; your talents and good works.

A famous Christian businessman was visiting a church and was asked to give a word of greeting. He got carried away telling all that God had done for him. “I have a successful business, a large house, a lovely family, a famous name, enough money to do the things I want to do and able to give to Christian works. I have health and opportunities unnumbered. There are many people who would gladly exchange places with me. What more could God give me?” From the back of the auditorium a voice called, “A good dose of humility!”

To boast is a sin, because God gave the gift and we cannot take credit for what God has given. Satan attacks with pride and we need to surrender immediately to the Holy Spirit and let Him in to work that He may produce humility and submission before God.

A sign that one is not submissive to God or to one another is to willingly judge or quickly respond in a manner unbecoming of Christ. When one is continually confrontational with those of like mindedness then we can be sure we have locked God out. Sins of the flesh are bad but sins of the spirit are worse and cause more damage.

“Then he {God} chose David, his servant, handpicked him from his work in the sheep pens. One day he was caring for the ewes and their lambs, the next God had him shepherding Jacob, his people, Israel, his prize possession” (Psalm 78:70-71). Financial reversals, betrayal, depression, family difficulties, and the consequences of poor personal decisions can wreck a person’s life.  David left tracks for us to follow. Just read the book of Psalms and you will see that David encountered being knocked out of the saddle many times. But David found God to be faithful. The dismal swamps were also seen and David was weighed down, but he also felt the fresh, exhilarating winds on the mountaintops of accomplishment. God works strangely. He often enriches by impoverishing. King David was a man taken from the pasture tending sheep to the palace leading a nation. How did God get David in the place of shepherding a nation? He used trapdoors and pit stops. He used transition. God used anointing by the hand of Samuel in secret, of course, but God used anguish by the hand of Saul in public to train and teach David the leadership God had for him. You don’t ascend to the status of an All-Star overnight without difficulties and obstacles. Many of us have forgotten that many people go through trials and difficulties, fall through trap doors, and face many pit stops in their lives. We forget that God is working for them and in them. Look around and see if you are caring and carrying these “misfortunates” in your prayers and actions. See if the Lord is first place in your hearts for them? Ask yourself do you really care? Sometimes we spend so much more time in other pursuits that we forget how good God has been to us. There is a trail. There is a path God has designed for them and for us. And it would be great if we recognized them as the hand of a merciful and good God.

“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4). What does it mean to be a member of Christ’s body?   First of all there is vitality. The believer’s union with Jesus Christ is a living union. The Spirit of God lives in the believer. We are baptized into the body of Christ. It is God who does the work and it is God who gives life.   Secondly, there is unity. We are members of His body. The members of the body work together. They maintain the peace within the body. There is only one body (Ephesians 1:22-23). The church is more than an organization. The church is an organism.   Thirdly, the church has diversity. Though we are one we have different parts to play and to function in the world. The church operates together to build up the body of Christ. When one part of the body separates from its rightful position and place there is a cancer that develops.   Fourthly, the body of believers deals with maturity. We mature in Christ by demonstrating our love for Christ, for each other, and for the lost. I Corinthians emphasizes love while I Corinthians 14 shows how that love should be exercised in the practical activities of the church.   Fifthly, there is ministry. The Lord Jesus works through us, his body, to accomplish what he desires. He ministers and serves as we surrender to Him. We are his spiritual body. The birth of His physical body is found in Luke 2. The birth of His spiritual body is found in Acts 2, both written by Doctor Luke.   We speak of church membership as if it were only a matter of joining the church and supporting the church with our money, attendance, and occasional work. But membership means more than that. We are a part of a living body. We contribute to the strength and growth of that body, the spiritual body of Christ on earth. Membership in the body of Christ means much more than what most think about. May we today wake to the awesome joy of living in Christ.

What a joy to study God, not just about God, but God. What a privilege to get outside of the world and come back to the center where we meet God who creates new things. What joy there is to know that God has revealed himself in the pages of his Word. We know Him, we embrace Him, and then we reveal Him as we obey Him. I am amazed at the Scripture. I’m amazed and stand in awe of God’s Word. It speaks. It is living, and this breathing Scripture gives breath and life. It transcends sin and death. It conquers all. God is in control and He is winning and has won. “Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered; Give ear; all you far countries; Strap on your armor and be shattered; Strap on your armor and be shattered. Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing; Speak a word, but it will not stand, For God is with us.” (Isaiah 8:9, 10).   There will never come one moment when we will say, “I’ve seen it all.” As you know and trust God through His Son by the power of His Spirit, you and I will not be bored.

“…except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psalm 127:1).

The Eternal City just celebrated the moving of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Israel.  Already the applause is monumental but death is a reality as we have already heard about the deaths of thirty-seven.  There are many who hate Israel around the world, and there are now many who fear for the United States since this declaration that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.

What do we take with us from this move?  You and I have the opportunity to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  There will be no peace till we see the Prince of Peace coming to take over.  The Slanderer, the Devil is mad.  And in this move the world is setting itself up for the Antichrist to come and lead a federation of nations, though you and I understand the prophecy of the Bible, they do not.

We must pray and understand that what we are watching is the volatile situation that is escalating to war.  Even though we are very glad for the move of the United States, we are also cognizant of the only Protector we have and His name is Jesus.  Unbelief is prominent today in the hearts of many Americans and Israelis, but we thank God that in His sovereign hand we are watching the soon coming of our Lord.

We thank God for the bold move, for whoever blesses Israel God will bless.  But we must be very concerned and must pray for the work and will of God.  Don’t allow this season to pass you by.  Take notice and take up your mantle for the glory of God.