Coffee With The Lord

Concerned members of the family of God sometimes have to be involved in rescue operations!  A fellow brother or sister in the Lord “wanders from the truth” and are “at risk.”  They’ve been deceived, or they’ve strayed, they’ve abandoned “their first love,” and have fallen back into sin.  They are in great spiritual danger!  What to do?!

James helps us, he said…

“My brothers (and sisters), if anyone among you (i.e. a fellow Christ follower) wanders from the truth and someone (that’s you or me) brings him (or her) back, let them know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his (or her) soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins!” (from James 5:19-20)

A noble task!  A risky one (because they may not respond positively to the effort)!  But an act of concern and love!  One that requires the guidance and partnership with the Holy Spirit.  In fact, I couldn’t resist including this additional Scripture that came to mind this morning as I read what James had to say…

“Brothers (and sisters), if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him (or her) in a spirit of gentleness.  Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted!” (Galatians 6:1)

Fellow Christians are “brothers” and “sisters” – part of God’s family and our Spiritual family!  Love constrains us to care about one another’s spiritual welfare!  If a fellow Christian strays from the truth and slips back into sin, it seems to me that we’re compelled, with the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit, to attempt a “rescue operation!’

Made plans for the Thanksgiving holiday yet?  In the United States we celebrate this marvelous holiday on Thursday, November 26 this year.  It provides a wonderful opportunity for people to express heartfelt appreciation to family, friends, and colleagues for all the good things they have done and their contributions to our lives personally and collectively.  But most of all, for it provides an opportunity for us to thank God for His blessings, grace, and goodness!

I don’t know, it may have been a very tough year for you since the last observance of this holiday!  You may be facing the most difficult time of your life physically, materially, emotionally or relationally.  And then Thanksgiving rolls around! … Thanksgiving may really be a challenge for you this year!

This morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” the following passage happened to be part of my Bible reading… It expresses the resolve of Habakkuk, the prophet, in the face of a some very difficult times in his nation’s history and for many people personally…

He said, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior!  The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights! (from Habakkuk 3:17–19 NIV)

So, when bad times come our way and the circumstances we face are incredibly challenging (and the Thanksgiving holiday is just around the corner) my we find the grace and resolve to respond like Habakkuk… and offer sincere, heartfelt thanksgiving anyway!  I think we’ll discover what Habakkuk did… the enabling strength from God to press through and overcome… He is “my strength!  He makes my feet like those of a deer!  He enables me to tread on the heights!”  Amen!

Every once in a while God asks you (or perhaps a better way to describe it is, He instructs you) to do something challenging – even a bit frightening.
When He does that it is real faith test… It forces you to step out in faith-obedience, regardless of your personal misgivings. You may find yourself offering excuses or even arguing with the Lord a bit, but there is no question about it, He has “nudged” you – He has spoken – and He wants you to step past your fear and respond with obedience.

Ever have it happen to you? It happened to a faithful servant of the Lord, named Ananias… the account of it is found in Acts 9 and is directly related to the conversion of Saul, later renamed Paul – Apostle Paul.

The Bible says, “Saul (later Paul) was breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord… if he found any belonging to ‘the Way” (i.e. Christ followers), men or women, he sought to bring them bound to Jerusalem.”

On his way to Damascus to do this one day, “suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’” When he asked who was speaking to him, the resurrected Christ spoke to him and said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting!”

And that led Saul (i.e. Paul) to put his faith in Christ!

Then the Biblical account goes on to say, “Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.’ But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. He has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name!’ But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’”
So what did Ananias do? The Bible says, “So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’” (from Acts 9:10–17 ESV)

Wow! What faith! What obedience! I’m challenged by how Ananias overcame his fear and did what the Lord instructed him to do! (Not at all like the Old Testament prophet Jonah!) Just let me say, when I read this passage this morning, I found myself asking God to help me be more like Ananias! When the Lord speaks and directs me to do something for Him – be it small or great – I want to overcome any fear I have, act in faith, and obey. When we do the results are exciting… led by the Spirit! God may use us to do something really significant for Him!