Challenged to be “Christlike” … “Let no one seek their own good, but the good of his neighbor… So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God… I do not seek my own advantage, but that of many that they may be saved.” (From 1 Corinthians 10,24, 31-33)
Apostle Paul exhibited integrity with the believers in Lystra, Iconium and to Antioch… the Bible says he met with them and “strengthened the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. (Acts 14:22) He didn’t “sugar coat” the challenges and difficulties they would face as disciples of Christ. He was painfully honest!
The story of discipleship down through the centuries has been no different… Following the Lord has not exempted believers from facing challenges, difficulties, persecution, poverty, pain and even death. Some of the most exemplary Christians I know have faced those difficulties with faith, grace, strength and hope!
This morning my Bible reading included a Psalm that expressed that kind of grace and faith in the face of suffering… even death (Psalm 30). We do not know precisely what King David was facing but the clues in the passage indicate it was challenging – even deadly!
His words should encourage and sustain someone who is facing major challenges today…
“O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me! O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol [i.e. death]; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit!
“Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints! Give thanks to His holy name! His anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping my tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning…
“To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy: ‘What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you?? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!’
“You have turned my mourning into dancing – You have loosed my sackcloth – and clothed me with gladness!” (From Psalm 30 ESV)
My encouragement… If you’re facing challenges that are great, difficulties that are formidable, pain that is excruciating, even death – let David’s words become your words, his prayer your prayer! Strength, grace, hope and help are the specialties of the Lord!
Several years ago I developed a Bible reading plan in which you read something from each of the major parts of Scripture every day (Old Testament history, the poetic books, the prophetic books, the Gospels and Acts, and the epistles). For those who are following the plan, today’s reading in the prophets (Jeremiah 2:1-3:5) and the gospels (Matthew 23:1-39) was filled with warning and rebuke! The behavior of “hypocrites,” – those who profess piety and flaunt their religiosity, but are living in sin, are given scathing rebuke by the prophet Jeremiah and Jesus… They are “taken to the woodshed” in no uncertain terms! – the sad thing is, these individuals are the leaders of God’s people, priests, their Bible scholars, and prophets – and they are blindly followed by “ordinary folk.”
You really ought to read those two passages! Here’s just a taste of what Jeremiah and Jesus had to say…
Here’s Jeremiah…
“The priests do not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who handle the law do not know me; the shepherds [leaders] transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit… My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water… Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you! Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the Lord your God; the fear of me is not in you, declares the Lord God of hosts.”
And Jesus…
“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others… [And then in the rest of the chapter this sad theme is repeated…] ‘But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!… Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!… Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” … and again, and then once more… Jesus ends with these words, “You also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy, and lawlessness… You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell!?”
So after I finished those two passages, I remarked to Sharon my wife (who was also having her devotions)… “You know what Sharon, I surely do not want to be a hypocrite! With God’s help I want to be sure to be a consistent, devoted, follower of Jesus!” How about you?
Coffee With The Lord 