Coffee With The Lord

I thought of suffering believers in various places in our world this morning (including, but not limited to, those in Iraq suffering at the hands of ISIS) as I read these words from Apostle Paul to Timothy… Words we need to hear and heed! Suffering believers we need to remember daily in our prayers, fervent intercession and thoughts!!

“Remember Jesus Christ! – Risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. BUT THE WORD OF GOD IS NOT BOUND! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect! – That they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: ‘If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful’ — for he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:8–13 ESV)

These words were written from imprisonment in Rome as Apostle Paul was facing martyrdom! Words that could be echoed by those who are faithfully suffering for the gospel in a prison or whose lives are at great risk because of their testimony about Christ. I urge you today… join me in remembering them in fervent prayer… for their protection, for their release, but most of all for their faithfulness and their ongoing courageous witness!

Does the name Onesiphorus mean anything to you? Probably not in a personal way… But if you’d had the privilege of a personal conversation with Apostle Paul late in his life – in prison in Rome, just before his martyrdom – He’d have told you just how much this guy and his entire household (probably meaning the members of the church that met in his house) meant to him!

Here’s what Paul had to say about it in 2 Timothy…

“You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains! On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus!” (2 Timothy 1:15-18)

People who help others – especially older saints – in their time of loneliness and need are very special! Their concern is like a “cup of cold water” on a hot day to a parched throat! It’s like the healing hand of Jesus extended – more than that – it’s like His loving presence, His comforting voice in their time of deepest need. Not only did Onesiphorus get involved in helping Paul… his entire “household” (likely implying his congregation or the “church” that met in his house) ministered to his need! They were “the body of Christ” in Paul’s deepest need. How did Jesus Himself say it… “As you have done it to the least of these, you have done it to Me!” (Matthew 25:40, 45) How did the old gospel song put it… “Oh to be His hand extended!”

Oh what a challenge! What an honor to be an “Onesiphorus” kind of person (or a member of his household)! Gotta tell you… I want to be one! And as passionately as I want to be a member of his household… I want to avoid like the plague being like those in the province of Asia… especially like Phygelus and Hermogenes who forsook Paul in His time of need… ashamed of him… ashamed of the gospel (see 2 Timothy 1:8)!

I’ve taken some long road trips… Journeying through a lot of different towns, quite a few states, several different highways, lots of intersections… Plenty of opportunities to get sidetracked, take a wrong turn and just plain get lost. Take it from me… even GPS is fallible (I’ve discovered that the hard way)!!

Life is like that. Every day there are plenty of opportunities to take a wrong road! The passage I read in Proverbs this morning identified two ways… “The way of wisdom – the path of the righteous” – and “the way of the wicked.” And the passage recommends an infallible GPS (Godly-Positioning System) and the reliable and accurate map for dealing with life’s twists and turns, poorly marked roads, tempting (but dangerous) pathways and just plain old ruts and ditches – the Bible. Here’s what the passage says…

^“Hear, and accept My words, that the years of your life may be many. I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on… But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.” (from Proverbs 4:10–19 ESV)

You know the “rap” on men – on “husbands” and dads – don’t you? They say they are not willing to ask directions or consult a map! Consequently they are continually getting lost and losing valuable time correcting their errors in navigation. I don’t want to be like that on the road of life! Going to pay attention to the Lord! – Going to consult the map – God’s word!