Coffee With The Lord

During COVID-19 with its quarantines, hospitalizations and shutdowns we have become all too aware of the painful impact emotionally, socially and spiritually of “isolation!”  Loneliness has been rampant, people have struggled with depression, things like the abuse of alcohol and drugs have skyrocketed, and suicide has increased.  We have discovered that “isolation” is nothing to ignore!

One of the great benefits of “a loving church family” is that it serves as an antidote to isolation… And if “brothers and sisters in Christ” are not fulfilling that function, something is seriously wrong with that church family – they are, in fact, dysfunctional and not proving themselves to be the “Body of Christ” – “His hands, His feet, His voice, and His healing presence in the power of the Holy Spirit!”

During my time of “coffee with the Lord” this week I discovered Apostle Paul himself suffered with “isolation” – and it was painful!  I read about it in 2 Timothy and you can almost hear the pain in his voice as he speaks about it in chapters 1 and 4…

“All who are in Asia turned away from, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes… Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica, Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia… Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.  Beware of him for he strongly opposed our message.  At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted.  May it not be charged against them!” … ISOLATION!

But there were those who reached out to Paul and minister to him as he struggled with a sense of rejection, abandonment and isolation… Bless them!  (And bless all those who reach out to those in the family of God to assuage and heal feelings of isolation!)  Listen again to Paul…

“The household of Onesiphorus often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains!  When he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me… you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus! … Luke alone is with me.  Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me!  When you come bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also  the books, and above all the parchments.”

What comfort, what blessing, what companionship, what healing help these individuals were during Paul’s experience of ISOLATION!  They were extensions of the Lord’s love, favor, help and healing!

But even more important than them and their loving ministry was the Lord – “Immanuel – God with us” – the One who promised “never to leave us or forsake us!”  Hear Paul’s final word on the matter…

“But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me! … I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.  The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom!  To Him be the glory forever and ever!  Amen!”

(Scripture quotations from 2 Timothy 1:15-18 and 4:9-18 ESV)

Oh with God’s help, and as a member of “the Family of God” and “the Body of Christ” I want to do my part to help end the devastating impact of “ISOLATION” among fellow Christians and my “neighbors!”  Don’t you?

A leadership lesson from my Bible reading this morning… No, more than that – a “LIFE LESSON!”

From Solomon’s encounter with God…

• God honors humility with His favor…

• An appeal for guidance with wisdom…

• Plus a great deal more than what was requested or expected!

Here it is… Read it for yourself!

“At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, ‘Ask what I shall give you.’ And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?’

“It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.’

And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream.”  (From 1 Kings 3:5–15 ESV)

Yesterday I opened my post in “coffee with the Lord” this way…

We live in troublesome times – times that alarm and grieve the heart of righteous people!  It seems we are watching a country birthed in Judeo-Christian ethics decay, disintegrate, and unravel before our very eyes and many feel helpless to do anything about it.  And what is true of the United States is also true of our world as a whole!  What can Christians do?  What should they do?

Yesterday’s passage (2 Timothy 3:1-9)  provided warning and analysis… It also provided a partial solution to the dilemma designed to preserve God’s people from the contamination and decay of their culture!  The passage I read today (2 Timothy 3:10-17) provides the rest of Paul’s solution to living victoriously in these troubled time comes…

First of all Paul warns that nothing will change as we approach “the last days” … He says, “Evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived!”  In other words as we approach the Lord’s coming we can expect things to get worse before they get better!

Paul’s advice, in light of that, beyond what we considered yesterday is this…

 1.  Don’t expect approval and acceptance of Christian life and witness – PERSECUTION WILL COME!  Don’t approach the future with “rose-colored glasses” when it comes to how other religions or even our own culture will feel about authentic Christianity… He warned, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted!” (vs. 12)

2.  Then Paul then urged us to continue to follow the faithful lives of other Christians leaders we know, have observed, and respected.  His advice?  Live like them!  Here is how he put it:  “Timothy you have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me … CONTINUE in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it!” (Vss. 10-11, 14)  His advice?  Don’t fall prey to deceivers and charlatans!  Follow the lives of consistent, faithful Christians you know and have observed whose life has made a difference and who have lived for the Lord regardless of the problems and pressure they have faced!

3.  His final advice?  PRIORITIZE SCRIPTURE in your life!  Recognize that it is “your all-sufficient guide for faith and daily living!”  It has everything necessary to sustain you, guide you and protect you (and your children) through difficult and perilous time.  Here’s what he said about that: “From childhood you have been acquainted with the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired (breathed out by God) and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man (or woman) of God may be complete, equipped for every good work!”  As we approach the “perilous time” prophesied (and clearly developing before our very eyes) we need the Bible more than every to guide us and sustain us!