The Pastor’s Pen

I wish to encourage you to walk in the joy of Christ. New Testament joy speaks of cheerfulness, calm delight and gladness. For the Christian, joy is both an unavoidable result of salvation, while also being a discipline of daily walking with the Lord. The writer of Hebrews focuses our attention on the author and example of joy, writing; Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2 NIV).

Solomon realised that a glad heart makes a cheerful face… (Proverbs 15:13). Genuine joy in the Lord Jesus Christ migrates from the heart to the face, and the world will see it. After all, we were dead in our trespasses, yet God made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2:5). Although we were once separated from Christ, alienated… strangers… having no hope and without God… But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:12-13). As born-again believers in Jesus Christ as Lord, we have many present and eternal reasons for joy because it is the Lord who has made …known to me (us) the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalms 16:11).

Joy in Christ is not based upon the temporary experiences of life. Experiences are the wrong foundation for faith, that’s why some seem to fall away from Jesus as soon as trials come along (Matthew 13:20-21). No, our joy grows out of deep belief, repentant dependence upon Christ, from our surrenderedness in obedience to Jesus’ Lordship, upon our submission to the authority of God’s written Word, the Bible. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).

In fact, our joy is the working of the indwelling Holy Spirit. As He controls us we manifest the fruit of the Spirit (which) is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). The apostle Paul instructed the Ephesians to …be filled (controlled) with the Spirit, resulting with believers communicating with …one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:18-21).

As believers, our joy is in reality the Lord’s joy. His Holy Spirit generates the joy, the Word of God fuels the joy, and our surrenderedness expresses our faith that works in synchronism with the will of God to accomplish all this in His name and for His glory.

Unfortunately, we’re able to interrupt the joy of the Lord by resisting His sanctify work, by superimposing our wills, our desires, our expectations, and our methods of dealing with life; we usurp His authority with our reasoning. Nothing is more effective at this than simply refusing to change while expecting others the change.

Today, I encourage you to surrender, to love, and to forgive as you have been forgiven. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. God will be glorified, the Body of Christ will be built up, unbelievers will witness the power of the gospel, and you will experience the Joy of the Lord.

I wish to encourage you to be consistent in Christ

Scripture unequivocally teaches God as unchangeable (Job 23:13), however, we struggle in a world of constant change. We experience the tensions of life’s variableness, plus, our stress is exacerbated by personal inconsistencies. We can so easily, and unwittingly, allow the tsunamis of life to wash us backwards spiritually. Consequentially, we feel disempowered and easily forget our calling to put off (the) old self, which belongs to your former manner of life… to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).

God never intends for us to wallow in the defeat of failure. But he gives more grace… “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you (James 4:6-10). Rather than being over-whelmed by the nightmare, we are to bring whatever it is to God. It may be sin, some weakness, some unjustified attack from another, health struggles, the loss of a loved one, isolation from the body of Christ, unwillingness to serve within the body of Christ, or possibly spiritual laziness which has grown to back-sliding. Whatever it is, we are to bring the grief of it all to God’s intended conclusion in humility. He then mercifully lifts us out of it. Sometimes He does this quickly, while other times slowly and progressively, but it is He who empowers us to rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer (Romans 12:12).

Our spiritual consistency is all about Christ, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us (Romans 8:34). He is relentlessly and consistently doing what we cannot do, maintaining our secure position before the Father without even a moment of rest. Christ is the source, He is the fore-runner, He is the example we look to.

The Lord shows us many ways in His Word by which we can develop daily disciplines that fuel faithful consistency in Christ. Paul exhorted the floundering Corinthian believers to …be steadfast, immovable, always abounding (in excess of quantity or quality) in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). As we serve the Lord, His limitless resources are released progressively through us in accordance with His will, to ensure faithful perseverance.

As born again believers in Christ, our repentance is an ongoing state of heart, while our submission to the Lordship of Christ is expressive of our faith. Therefore, like the apostle Paul, we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16).

• Paul instructed Timothy to …always be sober-minded… (2 Timothy 4:5).
• Solomon instructed; Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it (Proverbs 8:33).
• Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… (Colossians 3:16).
• pray without ceasing… (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
• Do not neglect the gift you have (1 Timothy 4:14).
• Do not neglect to show hospitality… (Hebrews 13:2).
• Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have… (Hebrews 13:16).
• …not neglecting to meet together… (Hebrews 10:25).
• giving thanks always and for everything to God… (Ephesians 5:20).

Today, let’s be consistent in Christ for His glory and the encouragement of others!

I wish to encourage you to walk in hope. Christians live with the tension of being created for eternity and reborn for Heaven, while temporarily confined within the mortal boundaries of this earthly life. It is faith, hope, and love which fuel our expectation of being promoted to our intended destination, eternity.

Job, who understood the agony life can bring, explained that you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security (Job 11:18). Spiritual hope is distinct from human well wishing; it’s different from simply longing for the best to eventuate. Hope, as God designed it, is characterised by a very different set of values, values that grow out of Biblical truth. It rises from faith in Christ’s substitutional death, from a desire to grow in purity, and it matures in its security grown from the sovereignty of God.

By faith we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:2). God’s glory inspires hope at two levels; First, it values our present character transformation into greater Christ-likeness (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). Second, it looks forward to the ultimate joyful glory for God when we are presented as perfect in Christ, in His presence (Jude 1:24-25). You see, hope looks forward with great anticipation because according to his (God’s) great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you… (1 Peter 1:3-4). This hope is NOT something we generate, rather, our hope is from him [God] (Psalms 62:5).

This side of eternity, Christ is manifest in believers through faith, hope, and love… (1 Corinthians 13:13). These three components cause us to …toil and strive (persevere), because we have our hope set on the living God… (1 Timothy 4:10). Holy Spirit generated hope is so real that it makes the anticipated truths a present reality. Consequently, as our discontentment with this world increases, so does our hope in God for our eternal home. We …groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience (Romans 8:23-25). Our hope is NOT in earthly assets, pleasures, or achievements. Rather, our hope rises from our citizenship (which) is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself (Philippians 3:20-21).

Hope evangelistically displays the Lord’s desirability through our lives so that the ungodly will develop envious curiosity. So, in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).

Today, be encouraged to identify the hope God has given you in Christ.

• Fix your eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2), stir your heart with the joy of knowing the certainty of your eternal home.
• Encourage another believer with the privilege of this God given hope. Christ is returning that you may be with Him for eternity (John 14:1-3).
• Explain the gospel of hope in Christ to some unbeliever who presently has no hope beyond the grave.

I wish to encourage you to gather followers of Christ behind you. I’m intrigued by the simple yet profound way Jesus called His disciples. Take, for example …Simon and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he (Jesus) said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him (Matthew 4:18-20).

These brothers were working their trade, fishing. Jesus walks up, uninvited, and unannounced. The Lord makes no requests, rather, He instructs them to walk away from their business, abandon their source of financial income, and separate themselves from friends and family. The Saviour promised only one thing; He would personally make them fishers of men.
Here we see divine sovereignty intersect with human volition. Should the brothers choose to follow the Messiah, they would be irrevocably transformed into effective fishers of men for their Lord. There would be no half measures in their transformation, no broken apprenticeship contracts, no compromise, no fooling around, and no turning back. No, these men were singled out to fulfil Yahweh’s irresistible grace. Immediately they followed! The rest, as we know, is history, Praise God!

Can you imagine if Simon or Andrew responded by telling Jesus that they were willing to follow Him, but not become fishers of men? Hmmm, I don’t think so! However, many today do precisely that.

With equal authority, Jesus delivered His great commission (Matthew 28:19-20). Our Lord is not appealing to our sense of convenience or comfort. No, this instruction serves as a spiritual character identifier for all who have been born again in Christ, for all who would ever genuinely dare to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20).

We prove God’s sovereign intervention in our lives when doing what Paul instructed Timothy, by following …the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me (Paul), in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 1:13). The apostle Paul exhorted Timothy to follow him, just as he (Paul) was following Jesus Christ. So it is in our lives, we follow the more mature believer’s as they follow Christ. Likewise, we grab hold of others behind us, evangelising, instructing, encouraging, and assisting them to follow Christ as Lord together with us.

Here’s how this looks; whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus… (Colossians 3:17). View your employment, your business, your education, every relationship, every event, every conversation, every activity, including every sporting or leisure activity, as activities to be done on behalf of Jesus Christ and for God’s glory. View the disbelievers in your life as your Lord does. Befriend the unsaved, whoever they may be, live the love of Christ, sowing the light of Christ and the gospel of Jesus as Lord in as many subtle or obvious ways as possible.

• Plead for God’s mercy to work regeneration in the unbelievers of your life.
• Live Christ beloved! Always speak well of the Saviour!
• Patiently and lovingly call sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32)
• Be an unashamed reconciliation ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)
• Always be thankful to God for his inexpressible gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)

I wish to encourage you to walk in wisdom. The word “wisdom” occurs some 200 times in Scripture, obviously it’s significant to God. Most of us realise that this world’s idea of wisdom is very different to God’s wisdom and that it’s far too easy for us to make the same mistake that Israel did, where everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6).

Consider how that God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure… so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east… For he was wiser than all other men… (1 Kings 4:29-31). Solomon possessed an unnatural wisdom, an out of this world wisdom, it was gifted to him from Yahweh. Now, Solomon tells us that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight (Proverbs 9:10).

Often, we think of wisdom as doing that which is most expedient for ourselves, resulting in the greatest pleasure. However, God looks for a wisdom that expresses our fear, our reverence for Him. Godly wisdom seeks to duplicate the Lord’s reasoning, seeking outcomes that express God’s glory, God’s character, God’s satisfied justice in Jesus Christ, God’s mercy, and God’s love. This reverential fear of God is the constant starting point for God-like wisdom, and it invariably turns away from sin. This is why Solomon instructed, be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil (Proverbs 3:7).

James, Jesus brother, assures us that If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind (James 1:5-6). James is not giving a magic formula that guarantees the outcome we want. Rather, he appeals for humble self-examination that leads to the obvious conclusion, we lack God-like wisdom. Upon this realisation, we turn to the ultimate and unchangeable source of divine wisdom, God. And He gives wisdom generously to the one seeking it.

Make no mistake; James is not promoting a formula for health, wealth and popularity. Rather, the humble person of reverent dependence (faith), seeks God’s mercy to change the way they think (repentance), so they ask for God’s wisdom to be implanted in them. Two things are inherent in this request; 1) They’ve had enough of being tossed around by half-hearted, pretend faith, that is self-dependant. 2) They obey the wisdom they receive from God. Consequently, having already humbled themselves, they would hardly go out and do the opposite of what God says. Resulting from their surrendered faith, they will have a heightened sense that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick… (Jeremiah 17:9). They would endeavour to trust in the LORD with all (their) heart, and lean not on (their) own understanding. In all (their) ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight (their) paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

I leave you with Solomon’s reassuring exhortation, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:1-5).