Lincoln

Living with acceptance and purpose

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

People are created by God to live more productively when motivated by purpose. The Bible repeatedly speaks of God’s purpose for people; sometimes for humanity, for nations, for marriage, for families, for individuals, for the Church, and even for Jesus’ coming to earth. God’s purposes are comprehensive, and they can stretch our thoughts and faith due to our inability to discern or accept His purposes in the complexities of life. Sometimes His purpose is clear, and sometimes not. At times we like His purpose, while other times we don’t. Our values and priorities are often challenged by God’s purposes, especially when we struggle to align with them.

For the Christian, God’s purposes are multifaceted, with His glory ranking highest (Ephesians 1:12). Paul reminded Timothy that it was God who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began (2 Timothy 1:9). Our salvation is foremost about God! Yes, we enjoy many present and eternal blessings from salvation, but God’s glory through Jesus is to tower above all else.  Incredibly, God’s purposeful and persevering grace for us was mapped out before even time existed (cf. Ephesians 2:10). David, from within the messiness of his life, acknowledged that it is God who fulfills his purpose for me (Psalm 57:2).

Job, whose suffering was extreme, was never told the reasons for God putting Him through all that. Yet, Job kept faith in God while he voiced his pain, his frustration, and even his hatred of his own life during the suffering. Job’s testimony of God is worth noting. You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit. Yet these things you hid in your heart; I know that this was your purpose (Job 10:12-13). Job never did understand “why.” And He realised that God had deliberately withheld that information from him. But He did know that it was only God who preserved him, and despite the pain, preservation of his life was an expression of the Almighty’s love.

Like Job, Moses also understood that the secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law (Deuteronomy 29:29). These men accepted their responsibility to live according to what is known and understood, and not according to the unknown or unattainable. Like Job and Moses, we are confronted with things in our lives which God simply does not give us the understanding we would like. However, God’s grace does give us the ability to accept what is, and to believe that God knows, and that God has purpose for what is.

This can be a massive faith mountain to climb. Acceptance of God’s will and purposes in the disturbing matters of life, especially those issues we don’t understand, requires humility and patience which grows out of faith. It helps to remember that foundational to our ability to accept, is that it was God who predestined us for adoption to himself as sons (and daughters) through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will (Ephesians 1:5). It’s comforting to know that our lack of understanding does not separate us from God’s love, from His family (the church), or from His purpose for us to give expression to His glory from within the messiness of our lives. May the Holy Spirit enable this acceptance in each of us for His glory and our blessing.

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We boast of those we love most

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

It’s always fascinating listening to people talk of their lives, as it doesn’t take long to hear of their passions and the things they value most. In my experience, relationships, especially family, are often the highest ranking. I’ve learnt that typically the older we grow the more precious family become, and rightly so. Sooner or later, out come the photos of family and people we love most, which is great.

In reading the New Testament  gospels, it’s obvious Jesus had relationships which were more distinguished than others. The apostle John held a favoured place in Jesus’ heart (John 21:20, 24), as did the family siblings of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus (John 11:1, 5). Then there was the unique, yet strong relationship Jesus had with rambunctious Peter (John 21:15-17). When asked which commandment is the greatest, Jesus replied in Matthew 22:37-39, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And second, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.

Love and boasting of those we love most go hand in hand as the human heart instinctively promotes  those who have captivated our strongest affections. And so it is in the Christian life. While we rightly assign strong love and devotion to spouses, children, and grandchildren etc, there is One who captivates the highest position in our hearts, and that is God, through His son Jesus Christ. The point is this, as believers it is appropriate to have and speak of the love hierarchy in our relational affections, with the Lord holding the highest place.

When Paul writes in Galatians 6:14, far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world, he is not discarding human relationships. Rather, he has allowed love to determine the priority order of all relationships, with Jesus Christ at the top. Even within Paul’s correctly layered affections, he acknowledged the self-sacrificing love of Jesus on the cross as being central to all of life. With Christ as his greatest love, Paul could prioritise all other relationships appropriately for God’s glory and for the benefit of people in his life.

While Paul had many valued friends who had invested in his life, none could compare with the eternal blessings purchased by Jesus on the cross. Therefore, Paul did not hesitate to boast first and foremost of Jesus Christ. In this context, Paul was dead to worldly attractions and affections being able to captivate his strongest affections.

We see this Christ-centred love with priority when Paul wrote Philippians 1:3-8. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

May we emulate Jesus’ and Paul’s ordered priorities of love, so others may experience Jesus through us more and more, for the glory of God and the blessing of others. 

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Lessons from Nineveh

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

The ancient city of Nineveh provides both wonderful and frightening lessons for us. Historically and culturally, the Assyrian culture of the Ninevites was godless, brutal, and fiercely courageous in conquering their enemies. Yet, God sent fearful Jonah, warning the Ninevites of imminent judgement; forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God (Jonah 3:4-5). The King issued a decree; Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands (Jonah 3:8). Predictably, the Lord responded with forgiveness, and  judgemental disaster was cancelled. We praise God for such wonderful grace.

Moving forward about 100 years, Nineveh has a new King, and a new generation of citizens had grown, reinstating the former idol worship and butcherous ways, ignoring the God of heaven. One person’s evil beliefs had influenced the nation back to the darkness of life without the Lord (Nahum 1:11). In God’s patient grace, He sends the prophet Nahum to once again warn Nineveh of the consequences. Nahum 1:2-3 reads, the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty.

Nineveh had previously embraced amazing grace, yet the new generation thought they knew better. Turning away from the God of mercy, they convinced themselves that they could live independent of Yahweh with no consequences. How wrong they were! Again, the Lord sends a reminder of His justice, but more than that, it was a reminder of His grace which was still available to them. Forgiveness was just a repentant prayer away. Nahum 1:7, The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. Even if the whole nation failed to turn back to the Lord as they did 100 years earlier, forgiveness and refuge was still available to individuals.

Sadly, the new generation of Ninevites learned the bitter lessons of ignored grace. Thinking Nahum’s warning was nonsense, they were lulled into a false sense of safety by the window of time and grace between warning and judgement. Just a few years later Babylon conquered Nineveh fulfilling God’s warning.

The lessons from Nahum and Nineveh are many. Above all else we see God’s character. God is good (1:7). God is jealous (1:2). God is powerful (1:3). God is provident (1:4). God is sovereign (1:2–5). God is wrathful (1:2–3, 6). At a human level, we see the foolishness of ignoring God’s warnings. We see the blinding and seductive effects of listening to false counsel that leads away from God (1:11). We see that every generation is responsible for their own belief or disbelief in the God of heaven (Deuteronomy 24:16).

The contrast between Nineveh in Jonah’s time, and Nineveh in Nahum’s time raises our appreciation for those who repent and turn to the Lord. It is wonderful to be amongst  people who change their thinking and behaviour towards God. We should never downplay the beauty of a repentant sinner. Nor should we write people off just because they struggle or stumble in their faith life. The Lord is the God of many opportunities, of many gracious invitations to come for forgiveness and cleansing.

Just as Jonah and Nahum were faithful ambassadors of God, may we be faithful ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us… (2 Corinthians 5:20). May the goodness and grace of Jesus Christ be seen and heard through us.

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Discouragement

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

Every Christian faces discouragement of various kinds at different times. And although discouragement is an internal process, it is often triggered by external experiences. Therefore, how we respond to discouragement is important, as our response impacts both ourselves and others. The apostle Paul speaks of this in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Paul, better than most, understood that struggles and opposition are an inescapable part of Christian life. Therefore, a Christ-centred attitude was needed so he could rightly process discouraging events, then watch blessings grow out of them.

For the believer in Jesus Christ, there are corresponding realities playing out in our lives. On one hand, we may feel the afflictions of physical life increasing as we serve the Lord, or as we age. We  also must cope with persistent forms of external resistance from the enemy. On the other hand, we should be equipped to experience inner spiritual refreshment that strengthens our faith, sharpens our focus, increases our determination, and energises our capacity for worship.

Now, I realise not all Christians think of life’s difficulties this way. However, I suggest Paul is explaining that our perspective of discouragement is what makes the difference. First, Paul told himself that he would not lose heart. For him, discouragement was not given permanent authority over his life. We see this as he uses words like; “not crushed,” “not driven to despair,” not destroyed,” etc (2Co 4:8-9). In effect, Paul told himself that difficulties were expected, temporary, and not authoritative. Plus, he used his energies to strengthen his resolve to persevere for Christ instead of focusing on his suffering.

Second, he viewed the circumstances of life within an eternal frame, and through an eternal lens. This effectively shrunk the severity of his struggles within his thinking to being light momentary affliction. This also amplified the differential of earthly suffering with an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. It is healthy to keep this difference of the earthly to the heavenly realms in our thinking. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12). The difference between now and then, between earth and heaven, is unimaginably huge!

Paul gave attention to spiritual heavenly realities, knowing they are not tangible or physically visible at present. He recognised the limited nature of our earthly struggles when compared to  heavenly realities which are both unseen and  eternal. Knowing that his time on earth would come to an end, as it does for us all, Paul constructed an inner framework of thinking that lived towards his eternal heavenly destination. Heaven represented far more than  the absence of pain or of rewards; it was the place of God’s ultimate glory. He knew the correlation between suffering now and his future capacity to praise and glorify God in the next life. Having this eternal heavenly filter through which he viewed and evaluated his life, Paul was strengthened to persevere with genuine joy while serving the Lord and the church. 

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Transforming our mind

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

Following Paul’s instruction to intentionally glorify God through our conduct as part of our spiritual worship (Romans 12:1), he now addresses another aspect of life that requires continuous attention. Romans 12:2, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The need for Paul’s strong instruction is even more valid today than when he wrote it in the first century. That’s because we are daily bombarded with the world’s way of thinking, and it does not include God. With the integration of technology into almost all aspects of life, the default source of information, values, and ways of thinking, is influenced loudly by the many voices of the media and the internet.

Included in presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, is the intentional and ongoing adjustment of how we think. That is, how we reason through the issues and beliefs of life. Obviously, these are  processed in our minds. Therefore, we need to guard our minds against the many worldly and deceptive thoughts which could influence us away from God’s truths. With this in Paul’s thinking, he wrote to the Colossian church, see to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ (Colossians 2:8).

Paul realised the connection between our mind and our behaviour. And just as God honouring behaviour is necessary for spiritual worship, so is God-centered thinking and beliefs. Again, this is a progressive part of Christian living which the Holy Spirit uses God’s Word for. This explains why Jesus prayed for his disciples, sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth (John 17:17). The Holy Spirit inspired Word of God is the primary tool that He has provided us with in this critical exercise. The Bible filters spiritual misinformation out.

The spiritual health of our mind is directly related to our agreement with, and obedience to God’s Word. There is no other way provided by God. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God’s Word represents a comprehensive toolbox for understanding, personal spiritual growth, usefulness in serving God, and helping others.

All these benefits are never dumped upon us in one hit. No, the Lord patiently releases them into our lives as we synchronize our thoughts, our heart affections, our behaviour, and our speech with the truth of His Word and with the character of Jesus Christ. The transformation is progressive and long-term. Along the way, there’s bound to be failures on our part, as our fleshly desires are lured into thinking as the world thinks. However, the Lord faithfully restores us back as His Spirit convicts us, as loving believers exhort us, and as we experience the foolishness of attempting to adopt worldly thinking. Sometimes the Lord graciously disciplines us (Hebrews 12:5-10) as motivation to realign our lives with His Word and will. He’s willing to do this when needed for our good, that we may share his holiness (Hebrews 12:10), which is a compassionate expression of His devoted love for us.

May we follow Paul’s wise guidance by inviting the Lord to forge within our hearts a Christ-centered determination, transforming our minds for His glory and our blessing.

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