“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (I Timothy 3:12).

One of the things that pastors do when they meet together is tell “war stories” of one sort or another. For those who are heavily engaged in the lives of others, there is a “community of ministry” that’s present when pastors gather. I was privileged to spend two days with fellow pastors last month. In such a gathering, it’s only natural that we share the joys and challenges of ministry.

In that light, it never ceases to amaze me when I am reminded of the correlation that exists between effective ministry and persecution of one sort or another. In many instances, when pastor friends share seasons of ministry blessing, it is often accompanied by unique ministry challenges as well. That’s what drew my attention to what Paul wrote to Timothy in the passage cited above. What Paul was trying to say is quite simple. Holy living (effective ministry) will most certainly meet with opposition of one sort or another. As Christians, we don’t need to go looking for such challenges; they come as we live as Christ would have us live.

Now for those of us in ministry, what Paul spoke of rears its head in various ways. I wish I could tell you how many times pastor friends have related experiencing a very difficult week just prior to preaching a life-changing message. I’ve known a measure of that myself. At other times, major distractions come just prior to ministry opportunities. What I’ve learned when such things come is to expect ministry fruit in proportion to the challenges faced. Can you see how that principle applies to each of us? Here is what I mean.

If at present you are feeling pressed by life circumstances of one sort or another (the list is endless), and at the same time you are seeking to walk close to the Lord, I believe you should anticipate a measure of blessing in the way God may choose to use you in the life of another person. I spoke with someone recently who experienced a really bad day. Near the end of the day, God put this friend in a conversation where they were able to share the gospel with a co-worker. Upon reflecting on what had taken place my friend said, “I guess I should have expected God to use me, since I had trusted him as my day unfolded and everything went wrong.” That’s what I am talking about!

Let me make this very practical for you. No matter what you are facing, if you view it as reflective of the degree to which God may choose to use you for his glory, there is a joyous anticipation of how it may turn out. That means you have a choice to make. You can focus on the challenge or the impending fruit. That’s your call. I’m learning to anticipate what God might do in spite of the challenge I’m facing. Expect the fruit. It makes a huge difference.

Growing older is not the same thing as growing up.

As we all know, growing older is not an option. Yet growing up is an option. Spiritual growth in Christ is not automatic. It comes as a result of conscious choices we make on a daily basis. If we make the right choices, we grow. If we make the wrong choices, we remain immature baby Christians for our entire lives. I see far too many baby Christians who are growing older year after year, yet who never grow up.

Perhaps Peter said it best when he said, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18). There are two parts to Peter’s command. First we are to grow in grace. Simply put, we are to be consciously aware that God’s grace is enough for any and every situation in which we find ourselves. His grace sought us; his grace saved us; his grace sustains us; and it is in his grace that we stand moment by moment. Grace is his operating principle in our lives. Live in it and half of Peter’s command is fulfilled. 

Yet there is more to what Peter said about growing up. We are to “grow in knowledge” as well. This is where we must exercise our option to follow Peter’s instructions once again. In I Peter 2:1, he tells us to “long for pure spiritual milk.”  Babies crave nourishment. We are to crave the type of nourishment that comes only through regularly feeding ourselves the Word of God. Many “older” Christians I know simply snack on God’s Word instead of eating richly and drinking deeply. The choice is ours to make. Snack and stay anemic. Eat richly, live in grace, and the result is that we will grow up. 

Now here comes the fun part. In I Corinthians 3:6, Paul tells us that “God gives the growth.”  In other words, I don’t have to strive for growth. The growth is God’s job.   The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to make us like the Son of God. That’s what I call growing up! I don’t know about you, but growing up is certainly the desire of my heart. It is a wonderful comfort to know that as long as I live in grace and feed on God’s nourishment, God will effect the growth. God wants us to grow up! Let’s partner together in taking Peter’s command seriously.  

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3).

No doubt peace is an elusive commodity in our day. There are few places in the world that we might suggest are truly peaceful. Although achieving world peace is spoken of constantly, with many solutions offered as to how it might be attained, it has never been fully realized. Everyone has an opinion, yet no one has achieved it. Our day is not that much different than what world history tells us about man’s quest for peace over the centuries. Man is forever seeking peace, yet always failing to find it.

Now in addition to our quest for peace among nations, it’s clear that men are constantly seeking inner peace as well. You be the judge as to how we are doing in that regard. The numbers are staggering as it relates to what the absence of inner peace does to men and to women. The mental health profession has never been busier than in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. We live in a world where peace between nations and peace in the heart is elusive. Why?

Well, in light of what the prophet Isaiah wrote, it appears that the answer as to why peace is not a reality is that men seek it in the wrong place. In other words, peace between nations and peace within the heart is not achievable unless men find it first in God. Take a look at the text of the passage above to see what I mean.

First, note who provides the peace spoken of in the passage. The word “you” refers to God. Thus it is God alone who provides peace. Second, note how God’s peace is quantified. His peace is “perfect” peace. Perfect means that there is no default or blemish attached to God’s peace. But note as well how such peace becomes available. It comes only as one directs his mind toward the Lord, as one trusts in God. That becomes the true key to achieving perfect peace. It comes as one focuses on the Lord and trusts him fully in all circumstances.

In that light, can you see why peace is unattainable among nations? In rebellion against God, the nations refuse to focus on the Lord and place their trust in him alone. The result is disharmony, destruction, discord, disagreement, dissension and disunity. On the other hand, the proper focus, a focus that places its trust in the right object, results in harmony, agreement, accord and “perfect peace” as Isaiah wrote.

This has very practical implications for those among us who yearn for peace. If that describes you, I would ask you to consider what you are focusing on and in whom you are trusting. To focus on anything other than the Lord or to trust in someone other than God will bring a lack of true and lasting peace. Perfect peace comes from having the right focus and the right object of trust. May we consider these thoughts as we seek peace.

 “As you do not know the way the Spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything” (Ecclesiastes 11:5).

I’ve come to realize that one of the most frustrating things we face in life is when stuff is happening all around us and we just can’t figure it all out. Sometimes in retrospect we can make sense of it, but there are times when we must settle into the realization that the events we may have just experienced have no satisfactory explanation, at least to us. You see, if you are wired like me, you want to know what’s going on, why, and the overall purpose of what is transpiring. We are all like that, aren’t we?

Well, I think you would readily agree that there are times when life unfolds in a manner that affords us little if any indication of what is taking place, why, and what the purpose is. That’s very frustrating. Even during difficult seasons, we seem better able to bear up if we have some understanding of what’s going on and why. But when difficult things happen and we can make no sense whatsoever of them, it’s easy to become discouraged. Somehow knowing there is a purpose in pain makes it easier to bear.

If you have ever felt frustrated because you simply could not understand what was going on around you, you are in very good company. You see, the wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon, experienced the same thing. The verse cited above reflects his confusion at the events he recorded in chapter 11 of the book of Ecclesiastes. Ultimately,” after pondering deeply on things he could not explain, he came to the place of saying, “Rejoice and let your heart cheer you. Remove vexation from your heart.” In other words, pursue joy in God and cease from tearing yourself apart trying to figure out all that’s taking place around you. That’s good advice; would you agree?

Now how does this apply for you and me? Well, I know that as our lives progress, there are many things we simply do not understand, no matter how much sense we seek to make of them. Solomon reached the place of affirming that “God makes everything.” Thus, as the author of everything, God never initiates the events of our lives without having his purpose in mind. Did you hear that; “his purpose in mind?” Consider this; where does it say that God is obligated to explain his purposes to us as he oversees the events of our lives?

So, God makes everything, as Solomon affirmed. There are times we do not understand all that he initiates. Nonetheless, as the initiator of everything, our posture must be to find comfort and joy in his sovereignty and his actions, regardless of whether we understand or not. How might that apply to the confusing events you are living through right now? Good question!

“See this alone I found, that God made man upright but they have sought out many schemes” (Ecclesiastes 7:29). 

This morning we begin a new series of messages entitled, “What the Bible Says About…” Over the course of the next six weeks, we will examine what the Bible says about sin, salvation, sanctification, security, prayer and the church. Each of these topics is important for us in our day. 

As I prepared this series of messages, it struck me that many Christians today do not possess an understandable and applicable base of information about these topics. I trust that each topic will inform and challenge you to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

In that light, the passage I cited above is quite instructive for us as we seek to understand how we were originally created, and what’s gone wrong since then. King Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, made it clear that at the time of creation men were created “upright.” The word literally means “straight, correct or level.” However, due to Adam’s sin against God, man’s nature was radically changed, corrupted. The result is that ever since Adam’s sin, mankind has sought its own way, devoid of seeking God. Men have invented devices or schemes of one sort or another to substitute for a relationship with the true God. Because of Adam’s sin, men have forfeited any hope of reconciling with God based on their own merit or worthiness. What a dilemma; would you agree?

Yet God, in his mercy and love for his creation, has created a way for men to be reconciled to God. That means is through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus. Once so reconciled to God through Christ, men are free to live in a manner that is set apart (sanctified and holy). A sanctified relationship with God through Christ is secure. Nothing can take it away from us. And as a means of growing deeper in our relationship with God, he has given us the freedom to interact with him whenever we desire (prayer). Further, he has created a living entity (the church) to serve as the vehicle through which the manifold wisdom of God is made known to the entire world. 

Can you see the wonderful wisdom in God’s plan? Man is sinful, utterly separated from God, totally helpless. God has taken the initiative by making a way for men to be saved. Once saved in Christ, God makes his children holy (sanctified) in his sight. This newfound relationship with God is protected by God. It is safe and secure. Further, God invites us to interact with him regularly through prayer as we join with others in worship, learning and witnessing of the gospel (church). If we understand “what the Bible says about” these topics, our lives will be enriched, Christ will be exalted and our joy will be magnified. I’m looking forward to this series of messages. I trust you are also!