Grace in unforgotten fellowship with God

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

In Psalm 89, Ethan writes from the raw thoughts of his heart during what must have been agonising personal and national circumstances. From our modern way of thinking, Ethan has a peculiar order of writing in this Psalm. He begins by declaring his commitment to speak well of God, to declare God’s good character, and His promises for Israel. Then Ethan asks God in verse 46, How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? Ethan lived in our earthbound reality, and it was not pleasant.

From his earthly perspective, he then asks Godto remember how short my time is (Psalm 89:47). Isn’t this the truth of it! As Christians, we are also aware of the shortness of our lives, of the limitations that constrain us, and the inner struggles that result. It is this awareness that can lead us to feel that God has hidden Himself and is ignoring us. But in heavenly reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Therefore, we need to speak to our hearts, reminding ourselves of God’s perspective, God’s reality.

When we placed our faith in Jesus Christ, God the Spirit adopted us, entering us into fellowship with the Father through Jesus Christ (cf. Romans 8:15; 1 John 1:3-4). In our new adopted family, Jesus Christ operates as our highest ranking Priest in heaven. His ministry, which serves on our behalf, is both unseen and unheard by us, yet is very real and effective. We read of this clearly in Hebrews 4:14-16. Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Like Ethan, setting our belief in God, and ordering our priorities correctly in our minds, helps direct our hearts to trust God, and to accept His presence within the circumstances of life when all seems dark.

Now, acceptance is by no means passive or idol. Rather, acceptance actively thinks through, and prayerfully surrenders to the heavenly realities spoken of in Hebrews 4:14-16 in the context of our lives. Christ is presently your heavenly High Priest and Advocate. We believe this because God’s Word says so, and we choose to hold fast to this confession of faith in Christ. We acknowledge that Christ is sinlessly sympathetic to our circumstances, our weaknesses, our failings, our inabilities, and our frequent wrong responses to life and temptation. Therefore, we tell ourselves that Christ is worthy of our confidence in Him, regardless of what others, or our emotions may say. Through this, we look to Christ to flesh out in our lives His grace, especially in our times of greatest need.

As always, throughout this unnatural walk of faith, we should continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2). Talk with the Lord with a grateful attitude, explain your struggles, including if you don’t understand how He’s responding to you. Talk to the Lord of your life from His perspective. Just as God said to Israel, I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands (Isaiah 49:15-16). So it is in Christ, God has not forgotten you or me. Belief it, trust Him, and live in the acceptance of these truths.

Grace in unforgotten fellowship with God Read More »

The best in fellowship

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

Faithful friendships are a wonderful part of life, but even great friendships fall short of the blessedness of quality fellowship. Friendships often carry the vulnerabilities of human selfishness and desires, whereas Spirit filled fellowship exists within a relationship motivated by other mindedness.

While friendships are common, the sweetness of fellowship is less familiar to many of us. Worldly thinking attempts to mimic fellowship through friendships, but inevitably they damage and divide due to the fleshly desires of one or both parties. That’s because earthly minded friendships love the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God (John 12:43). At some point friendships are typically willing to put self first, then live with the cost of me-centric attitudes.

The potential for fellowship amongst believers grows from recognising that God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthians 1:9). It is this intertwining of souls within Christ that creates oneness that survives the rigors of life by removal of selfish desires in preference of imitating God’s faithfulness in the relationship (1Co 10:31; Eph 5:1).

The apostle John wrote of this in 1 John 1:3-4, …you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed, our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. Fellowship is built upon, and grows from the beautifully bonded relationship between God the Father and Son, then implemented within believers by the Holy Spirit. It is this “koinōnia partnership” that produces earthly togetherness and joy within Christ. Here, self has no authority and is easily forgotten in preference of Christ within the other.

Although Paul does not use either the words “fellowship or love,” in Romans 1:11-12, he does write of the specific qualities of both. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. This single sentence expresses the heartbeat of authentic Christlike love that manifests best through fellowship. It longs to be in the presence of the other person, but not for selfish reasons only. No, this desire wishes to give, to take something of self, and of Christ, for the purpose of giving to the other party for their strengthening. And in doing so, both parties will be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

You see, it is in the giving of fellowship that faith is strengthened. Taking depletes the relationship, whereas giving builds up. This is the personal yet united sweetness of fellowship. When both parties possess and exercise this Christlike attitude in action, both parties benefit, and often in far greater measure than ever imagined.

God is a giver by nature, and this is seen no clearer than when He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all… (Romans 8:32). When believers in Jesus Christ embrace God’s generous and selfless nature, they will also become generous and selfless in fellowship. This shared giving among Christians transforms ordinary friendships into deep and fulfilling fellowship relationships which more accurately display God’s nature (John 13:34). By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35), and Christlike love must be experienced through fellowship in order to be seen as real. May the grace of God grow us in the best that fellowship offers, for His glory and our blessing.

The best in fellowship Read More »

Productive Labour for Christ

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

While the apostle Paul was imprisoned by house arrest, and chained to a Roman soldier 24/7, he mentioned in his letter to the church at Philippi, what I suspect was an unexpected subject – labour. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me (Philippians 1:22). Paul, not knowing if his imprisonment would conclude with execution, slavery, or release, understood his situation from God’s perspective. Viewing imprisonment as productive labour lifted Paul’s expectations with an optimism that set him free in Christ while chained. What a blessed man he was!

Paul more than understood the painful seriousness of his situation. He was not delusional! Rather, his strong hope in God elevated him above seeking escape as he aligned his heart attitude towards imprisonment with Christ’s attitude and motivation. This allowed Paul to experience the satisfaction of understanding his purpose for being where he was and with whom he was.

Of course, it helped that Paul was imprisoned due to his outspoken faith in Jesus Christ. This meant there were no actual crimes conflicting his conscience. Make no mistake, Paul was tired, beaten, and experiencing the severe pains of persecution, human betrayal, and Roman brutality! Yet, he saw only 2 options. 1) Roman execution which would release him to the bliss of being with Christ in heaven, or 2) using his circumstances as effective tools for the benefit of nonbelievers within his imprisonment and believers outside of his imprisonment. So Paul says, Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith (Php 1:25).

Even though incarcerated, and preferring release from Roman cruelty, Paul had remarkable clarity with contentment about God’s purpose for him. He embraced the realisation that it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake (Php 1:29). This Christ centered acceptance of suffering set his spirit free to labour for spiritual productivity in the lives of those surrounding him. And we see the fruitful outcome of Paul’s labour for Christ while under house arrest. He goes on to explain, I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ (Php 1:12-13).

Paul was provided, by God and Rome, with a captive audience to the gospel, through the guards taking 8 hourly shifts in being chained to this Christian gospel mouthpiece. While this was spectacular, Paul’s jailed labour efforts produced fruit further abroad, in an unexpected group of transforming evangelistic recipients. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear (Php 1:14).

As believers visited Paul, possibly taking the occasional nonbeliever with them, and no doubt talking, praying, and discussing God’s Word, the life changing power of Jesus Christ was hatched by the Holy Spirit within them. The Roman guards were imprisoned more than Paul was, unavoidably confronted by the truths of Jesus, through both their captive and his visitors. But the visitors were also encapsulated within this God ordained peculiar environment. I seriously doubt any visitor would leave the same as they had arrived. May the Lord enable us to view the entrapping circumstances of our lives as God appointed opportunities for productive labour of love for Christ’s glory and other’s blessing.

Productive Labour for Christ Read More »

Urging within friendships

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

Friendships possess the greatest potential for joy and satisfaction! Sadly, they also have great potential to bring the worst of pain. Therefore, it’s important for everyone, especially Christians, to be attentive in the matter of how we interact in our friendships. Over the years of reading God’s Word, I have grown to understand that the apostles go to great lengths instructing believers on the many and varied facets of friendships, in fact, in all relationships.

As the apostle Paul began writing his closing benediction for his first letter to the Thessalonian Christians, he includes a critically important plea for all believers to value others. From chapter 5, verse 12 through to verse 20, Paul gives 17 “to do’s” for all believers to give attention to. When put in practice, these “to do’s” produce healthy relationships and a strong testimony of the church for Jesus Christ. In verse 14, he gives a 4 pronged instruction where we all qualify in at least 1 facet, if not more. Likewise, all our friends will fit into at least 1 of these characteristics.

Here they are; we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all (1 Thessalonians 5:14). No human is ever completely outside of these parameters, often kept secret, but none-the-less present. Paul urged his readers to pay attention to these inescapable components of life and friendships. Not only was this a strong exhortation, but one that in the original language demanded believers “to call near” those who are idle, fainthearted, or weak. And Paul understood that to get near to friends with these dispositions would require patience. In other words, humility, while recognising our own vulnerabilities in these same areas.

Paul writes with the affection of a spiritual brother to his siblings in Christ. He’s experienced enough of life and the transforming gospel to recognise our human nature which lingers within our flesh following salvation. Therefore, he is not shy in calling believers to act with the grace of Christ in persevering patiently with one another for mutual strength, unity, and joy.

We are to admonish, to encourage, and to help. While none of us are ever beyond needing at least 1 of these verbs to be actioned towards us, Paul calls each of us to intentionally be doing these to others. This is not passive, nor does it allow for personal preference to justify neglect in these matters. Just as Christ patiently works in each of our lives to sanctify us, so our patient investment in others’ lives forms a critical part of our own sanctification. When we neglect others who are finding Christian life difficult, we neglect our own development of Christlike character.

I have often found in my life, that in admonishing, encouraging, and helping others, I receive all 3 in return. Which is precisely the blessing Paul expected. He wrote this to the believers in Rome, for I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you – that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine (Romans 1:11-12). And again, let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding (Romans 14:19).

Applying admonition, encouragement, and help, requires only a little thought and grace, as to how to step into others’ lives without being a bully. We don’t want to overwhelm anyone, but we do want to uplift and refresh others, so that they know you care, just as Christ cares for them. This will joyfully honour the Lord, strengthen the church, and amplify the testimony of Christ to the world.

Urging within friendships Read More »

Scroll to Top