“For 51 years, J. Hudson Taylor poured his life into bringing Christ behind the closed doors of China. He founded China Inland Mission (to share the gospel in the “unreached” interior regions of China), and as a result, more than 800 missionaries were brought into the country (who started 125 schools and directly resulted in 20,000 Christian conversions, as well as the establishment of more than 300 stations of work with more than 499 local helpers in all 18 provinces). Hudson Taylor was a prayer warrior and a faith giant. He was able to speak several Chinese dialects and helped to translate the new testament into the dialect used in Shanghai, where he spent many years of his life. Unlike many European missionaries, Taylor was careful of Chinese culture, respecting their way of life and even adopting their clothing (and a pigtail typical of Chinese men). He faced sickness and loss with a spirit of unshaken trust, leaving behind a legacy that has inspired thousands of missionaries in all corners of the world. In his own words, “All God’s giants have been weak men, who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them.” From Kindred Grace Magazine
“When the Chinese Evangelization Society, which had originally supported Taylor, was unable to pay his salary, he decided to strike out on his own, trusting God alone to meet his financial needs.” (Gotquestions.org) “Taylor was known for his deep faith and reliance on prayer, believing that God would honor His name and provide for every need.” ““Ebenezer and Jehovah-Jireh”: Hudson and Maria Taylor had the two words inscribed on plaques which they always kept on the mantle wherever they resided. Every time supplies would become desperately low at a mission facility Hudson was famous for saying, “Then the Lord’s time for helping us must be close at hand.” “”Ebenezer” is a Hebrew term meaning “stone of help” or “thus far has the Lord helped us,” derived from a biblical story in 1 Samuel where Samuel erected a stone to commemorate God’s victory over the Philistines.” “”Jehovah Jireh” translates to “The Lord will provide” and is a name for God used in the Bible, particularly in the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22, where God provided a ram as a substitute sacrifice.” From AI
What an amazing story! Do we truly trust in God to provide all our physical and spiritual needs. Most of us have jobs with good income, maybe a good retirement plan. We have pantries, refrigerators, and freezers full of food. We have medical insurance to cover medical needs. We have nice houses and cars. We have money to eat out a lot and go on expensive vacations every year. It is easy to take God for granted. A memory from the movie Shenandoah has always stuck in my mind. Jimmy Stewart is giving thanks at the dinner table with his children and this was his prayer: Lord, we cleared this land. We plowed it, sowed it, and harvested it. We cooked the harvest. It wouldn’t be here, we wouldn’t be eatin’ it if we hadn’t done it all ourselves. We worked dog-bone hard for every crumb and morsel, but we thank you just the same anyway, Lord, for the food we’re about to eat. Amen.
We would never pray a prayer like that, but the reality is that we might actually feel that way about all our physical blessings. Do we get up every day trusting God for food for the day, like Israel had to do every morning with the manna? Do we trust God every day for the money to pay our bills? Do we take God for granted?
I will close with a lengthy passage from Deuteronomy 8. Israel has come to the plains of Moab, ready to enter the Promised Land. Moses, in one of his last sermons to the people before he dies, gave this warning. Deuteronomy 8:6 Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; 8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; 9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.
10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. 16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
It often takes some tragedy to make us trust in God and not ourselves. Maybe a serious illness or an accident or a job loss or a devastating tornado or a house fire to humble us. But the warning in Deuteronnomy 8 is for when things are going well, when Israel was enjoying the physical blessings awaiting them in the Promised Land. When things are going well financially and physically is when we tend to forget God and trust in ourselves.
Paul gave us a warning also. 1 Timothy 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” American Christians are truly “rich” comparied to third world countries, and yet research indicates that the average American Christian gives around 2-3% of their income to church or charity. Studies suggest that only 5% of church goers give at least a tenth (tithe) to church or charity. That still amounts to billions of dollars given to church or charity, but if all American Christians at least tithed, there would much more.
“Father, help us to not trust in ourselves or our money. Thank you for providing for us so richly. Help us to use those riches to do you work, to help the poor, to drill wells for clean water, to provide care for orphans worldwide, to print Bibles to spread the gospel. Help us to trust you daily for all our needs and never take you for granted. In Jesus name, Amen.”
“She always knew that she would be a missionary, but when Gladys applied to the China Inland Mission she was denied. They didn’t think someone so young could learn the language, and she had little education to back her up. Gladys wasn’t one to give up, and after working as a housemaid, she spent her life savings on a train ticket to China. Her trip was full of setbacks, but in 1932, Gladys arrived in Yangcheng and began to work with an older missionary, Jennie in setting up the Inn of the Eighth Happiness. Gladys worked for the Chinese government as a “foot inspector”, enforcing the new laws against female foot binding. She became a beloved Chinese citizen, affectionately called “Ai-Weh-Deh”. She took in many orphans and unwanted girls. When the region was invaded by the Japanese during WWII, Gladys took around 100 orphans over the mountains to safety. Unable to return to China after the communist regime was in place after the war, Alyward settled in Taiwan where she spent her remaining days running her orphanage.” Chantel from kimdredgrace.com
From Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman book, an autobiography where Gladys tells her own story: “A solitary woman. A foreign country. An unknown language. An impossible dream? No! With no mission board to support or guide her, and less than ten dollars in her pocket, Gladys Aylward left her home in England to answer God’s call to take the message of the gospel to China. With the Sino-Japanese War waging around her, she struggled to bring the basics of life and the fullness of God to orphaned children.”
One of my favorite movies was Inn Of The 6th Happiness (1958) with Ingrid Bergman (a name only we old timers will be familiar with, a great actress). AI: “The movie “The Inn of the Sixth Happiness” is a dramatized, fictionalized account of Gladys Aylward’s life, not a strict biography, and deviates significantly from reality in several key aspects, including character portrayals, plot details, and the actual name of the inn.” It was actually “The Inn of the 8th Happiness”. AI: “The inn was originally called “The Inn of the Eight Happinesses” (Chinese: 八福客栈; pinyin: bāfú kèzhàn), referencing the eight virtues of Love, Virtue, Gentleness, Tolerance, Loyalty, Truth, Beauty and Devotion, but was renamed in the film “The Inn of the Sixth Happiness”. Some romantic scenes didn’t really happen, but the core of the movie is factual. Can you imagine a 30 year old poor woman setting out on a train by herself to go do mission work in Chine? Aylward took a train across Siberia on the Trans-Siberian Railway to China. This dangerous 7,000 mile, 5 week long, trip took place in 1930, at a time when the Soviet Union and China were in an undeclared war. Can you imagine a young woman in China finding a way to support herself so she could learn Chinese and spread the gospel? Can you imagine her rescuing 100 orphans who were roaming the streets, abandoned, and starting an orphanage? Can you imagine a woman leading 100 orphans over the mountains, avoiding the Japanese, to get them to safety. It is amazing how God provided help for her on the journey. AI: “Gladys Aylward did not lead the children over the mountain entirely by herself; she received assistance along the way, including from a Buddhist priest, Chinese soldiers, and a Chinese officer who helped them cross the Yellow River.” At the end of the journey, “the brown-eyed, modest missionary was virtually unconscious and delirious with typhus and fever.”
I read the story of this woman’s zeal for mission work and her faith and I feel so inadequate. You don’t have to be a missionary in a foreign country to do the Lord’s work. I told my wife to be when we were dating that I wanted to be a missionary. I don’t know why I wanted that? I remember thinking as a teen that it would be more noble to preach the gospel where it had not been preached, which was the apostle Paul’s philosophy. Romans 15:20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.” I remember thinking that we had plenty of paid preachers in the U.S. My philosophy led me and my wife to do 5 years of mission work in Trinidad, West Indies, and Cali, Colombia. But our mission work was nothing like what Gladys did. We didn’t have much money, but we had a supporting congregation, churches, and individuals who provided us to have what we needed to live on overseas. We got on a 6 hour flight to Trinidad, not a 5 week train ride filled with many dangers and hazards. I think the Lord was pleased with our mission work even if it didn’t even start to compare with what Gladys did, but I admire her so much.
I appreciate the good that paid preachers and youth ministers do here in the U.S. I was a full time paid preacher for 6 years. I appreciate the good that organized churches do with their buildings and staff. But I wonder if we are doing church the wrong way? The church in the book of Acts did not have a paid preacher system or buildings. When they took up a collection offering, it was for someone in need (according to Justyn Martyr). They had house churches led by elders. There were evangelists who were like our missionaries, going from place to place where needed, establishing or maturing churches, receiving food and a place to stay from members,but they never became full time paid preachers. Paul himself would never take money from the church he was working with. He supported himself by tent making. He did take some help from another church, other than the one he was working with, so that he could devote more time to preaching where he was working. That’s kinda what we do when we support missionaries for a few years in the field. Churches spend 3/4 of their contributions on buildings and staff. What if we spent 3/4 of the contributions on printing and distributing Bibles, drilling clean water wells, helping orphans (over 150 million orphans worldwide, orphaned by wars, disasters, poverty, diseases like AIDS), etc. Can you imagine the good that churches could do? I appreciate finding a preacher who at least is very involved in mission work, both going on short mission trips and organizing members of his church to go on such trips. I appreciate a church that raised over $200k a year to support an orphanage in Ecuador even if they spend most of their budget on building and staff. At least perhaps they are making the best of the church system that we have set up.
Reading about Gladys Aylward and other great missionaries inspires me to want to be like her. I want to get back to the days when my wife and I only lived to do one thing, to spread the gospel. Or, if we can’t do that now, then am I living to share the gospel with my students I teach at school and others? Is that my passion? God has blessed us so much financially even though making money was never our goal. Am I using my money to support organizations that are printing Bibles (like EEM), that are drilling wells (like Healing Hands), that are establishing self supported mission works (like Mission Upreach in Honduras), that are supporting poor children overseas (like Christian Relief Fund), that are doing mission work in Mexico (like Baja Missions with my long time friend Rex Watson). Those are some of my favorite mission works, but there are many, many more that you might be involved in. Am I involved in helping the poor right here where I live?
So, does the Gladys Aylward story inspire you? Watch the movie if you can. Read the book.
The movie, Chariots of Fire (1980): The movie is about the struggles of 2 British athletes competing in the 1924 Paris Olympics. Harold Abrahams was a Jew and struggled with anti semitism. Eric Liddell refused to run in the 100 m heat b/c it was on Sunday, which he considered to be the sabbath (many Christians have considered Sunday to be the “Christian sabbath”). He was under great pressure from the prince of Wales to compete, but Eric stayed true to his convictions. He ended up swapping his 100 m event with another British runner and won gold in the 400 m even though he wasn’t accustomed to running the 400 m. Here is the black/white actual footage of him winning the 400 m in world record time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYNUxdoIacA He would probably have won the 100m also if he had competed in it. Liddell set a British record of 9.7 seconds in the 100-yard sprint at the 1923 AAA Championships, a record that stood for 35 years. Being true to one’s convictions and overcoming adversity are the morals of the movie. Eric is considered by many to be the most popular Scottish sports hero of all times. He was nicknamed “The Flying Scotsman” due to his speed and athletic prowess.
The theme song from the movie is inspiriing, especially as you watch Eric run. Here is a good youtube of the song and clips from the movie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eYGl8PNjlU
“Eric Liddell is probably best known for the 1980s film Chariots of Fire. The film mainly focused on his life as an Olympic runner, yet the story of Eric Liddell as a missionary is important. Liddell was born to missionary parents in North China. His parents were Scottish missionaries serving with the London Missionary Society. Though he was born in China, he spent his school years in Scotland.
After school and his time as an Olympic athlete, he returned to China as a missionary in 1925. He worked as a school teacher as well as a minister. By 1941, British nationals were encouraged to leave China by the British government because of the coming Japanese invasion. Liddell’s wife and children returned to Canada, which is where she was from. (His wife died in 1984). Eric remained to work in a hospital with his brother. In 1943, he was put in a prison camp by the Japanese and continued to teach children and preach the Bible. (The children called him “Uncle Eric”).
Mr. Liddell died of a brain tumor in the Weihsien Internment Camp on February 21, 1945. He died of an inoperable brain tumor. I recently had the privilege of meeting a lady who was a young girl in the same camp as Eric Liddell. She said that as children (she was with him from the time she was 9 to 11 years old), they knew nothing of his fame as an athlete. The children only knew that he was a kind, gentle man and one of their favorite teachers.” From article by David Peach. Eric’s wife was pregnant with their 3rd child when she left China: Eric never got to see his 3rd child or his wife ever again.
A quote from the actor who played Eric in the movie: “Wherever we go we either bring people nearer to Christ or we repel them from Christ. I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast! And when I run I feel his pleasure. You will know as much of God, and only as much of God, as you are willing to put into practice.” The self sacrifice and commitment of Eric is inspiring. I can’t imagine sending my family off to never see them again, and staying behind in China to help people in the name of Jesus, eventually dying in China. According to a fellow missionary, among his last words to a friend who was at his bedside were, “It’s complete surrender.” Liddell was not announcing his last breath. Instead, he was proclaiming how he had lived his life in complete submission to the Lord. From the movie: Eric Liddell: [reading from Isaiah, Chapter 40] “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up – with wings as eagles. They shall run – and not be weary.”
The story of Eric Liddell is so inspiring from both an athletic and Christian stand point. Paul spoke a lot about being true to your convictions, even if you might be wrong in what you believe (Romans 14). Conviction“ is defined as “a firmly held belief or opinion“, not being swayed by peers or others opinions. There can be a big difference between “belief” and “conviction”. One might believe that Jesus is the Son of God but might not have the conviction to confess that belief in the face of persecution. One might believe that something is morally and Biblically wrong but might not have the conviction to not do that thing in the face of peer pressure or temptation.
Athletics can be a purely prideful thing. It is always amazing to see an athlete who truly believes that he/she is using their God given athletic ability to glorify God and not themselves. Paul used “running in a race” to illustrate how Christians need to exercise the same self control as a runner. 1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as to avoid hitting air; 27 but I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” But Paul also reminds us, 1 Timothy 4: 7 discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8 for bodily training is just slightly beneficial, but godliness is beneficial for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
The title of the movie reminds us of Elijah ascending. 2 Kings 2:11-12 As they (Elijah and Elisha) were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!”
I won’t try to summarize the article so please read it. This quote tells what Mueller did: “He cared for 10,024 orphans during his lifetime,[ and provided educational opportunities for the orphans to the point that he was even accused by some of raising the poor above their natural station in British life. He established 117 schools which offered Christian education to more than 120,000.”
But the amazing thing about Mueller is not just what he did for orphans but how he did it. He operated on the principle of depending totally on God. When there was a need for food for his orphans, he would not go out and try to raise money as you might expect him to do. Instead he would pray to God for food and then just wait for God to provide, and God always provided what the orphans needed. That might sound a little extreme to us. A friend of mine is a fundraiser for EEM (Eastern European Ministries). I am not suggesting that his work for EEM is not needed. I am just pointing out the great faith of Mueller.
England had thousands of orphans, largely due to a cholera outbreak. There were no orphanages and the orphans would usually end up living on the streets, begging or thieving to survive. Some 6,000 ended up in prison for crimes. Mueller saw that and felt that God wanted him to open an orphanage, and he did. He totally depended on God to provide everything for that orphanage and the orphans in it. He would pray and then wait on God to provide, and God always provided. That first orphanage was opened in 1835, just two years before the publication of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens which publicized the plight of orphans and how poverty led to crime. You might enjoy reviewing the book at this time. As stated earlier, Mueller went on to care for over 10,000 orphans. I did not know how much he was involved in Christian education of orphans, so that was interesting to me since I am in Christian education.
Orphans have always been close to the heart of God. Psalm 68:5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.” James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” God has commanded His people to care for orphans. Deuteronomy 14:29 says, “And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.” He calls on His people to defend the “cause” of the fatherless. Psalm 82:3-4 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Deuteronomy 24:17Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge.”
So are orphanages, either private or government run, the best way to care for orphans? As with any good institution, there can be abuse and neglect in orphanages. Many sad stories of orphanages in countries where the treatment of the orphans is horrible. But good orphanages are still needed due to the vast number of orphans worldwide. There is a worldwide “orphan crisis”. “There are over 153 million orphans in the world today. Major contributing causes to this staggering number are war, poverty, disease, accidents, malnutrition and natural disasters. Other complex factors to the orphan crisis are human trafficking, child prostitution, and child slavery.” (AI) Thankfully there are many non profit organizations that raise money for and care for orphans worldwide. In my opinion, churches should be spending more of the Lord’s money that they collect from members on taking care of orphans, drilling wells for clean water, rescuing children from being boy soldiers and young girls from prostitution, etc. In other words, using the Lord’s money on the people that God cares about such as the orphans, the oppressed, and the poor. Instead churches on average spend about 50-60 % on staff and another 20-30 % on buildings for their own edification and comfort. That’s 70-80 % of staff and buildings. That doesn’t leave much for caring for the poor, widows, orphans, and the oppressed, does it?
The best way to care for orphans might be for stable Christian families to adopt orphans, but most Christians in churches (including me) have not responded to the call of God to adopt an orphan. I’m not saying that every Christian is called on by God to do that, but just imagine how many orphans could be cared for if more Christians adopted an orphan. My son and his wife adopted a Down Syndrome little girl from China. My daughter and her husband adopted 3 children. It has been amazing to watch how God has blessed their families through adopting children. I feel a little ashamed that I have not been more involved with orphans, but I am so thankful that my children have been.
There is a saying: “Pray as if it all depends on God and work as if it all depends on you.” Supposedly this quote is from St. Ignatius. That might be the strategy I would prefer. I am a type A workaholic, so often I work for the Lord as if it all depends on me and neglect prayer and depending on God. That is so opposite to what I should be doing. Others lead nice prayers but aren’t willing to work hard for the Lord. James 2:14 What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” We say, “put your money where your mouth is”.
So the example of Mueller’s total dependence on God and his work with orphans should inspire us to take a closer look at our faith and whether we (and our churches) are doing God’s work like He would want us to do in regard to the orphans and oppressed and poor of the world. Please read he article about Mueller. A very inspiring story.
I encourage you to subscribe for free to have the My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers to come to your email every day. I am enjoyed a renewed interest in his daily devotionals.
For example the devotional for March 17 was tken from 2 Corinthians 5:9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.” The Greek for “ambition is philotimeomai: To strive earnestly, to aspire, to be ambitious. “The verb “philotimeomai” conveys the idea of making it one’s aim or ambition to achieve something honorable or praiseworthy. It reflects a strong desire to accomplish a goal that is considered noble or virtuous. In the New Testament, it is used to describe a commendable pursuit or aspiration, often in the context of living a life that is pleasing to God.” (AI). The word is also translated as “goal” or “aim”, but I think “ambition” is the best translation. “While ambition can be a positive motivator, unchecked or excessive ambition can lead to negative consequences, including unethical behavior, burnout, and neglecting important aspects of life.” There is nothing wrong with having the ambition to climb the corporate ladder, achieve success in your career or field, make a lot of money, or own a lot of possessions as long as that ambition doesn’t become the main goal in life to the neglect of the spiritual or as long as we give God the glory and use our success for Him.
But notice that 2 Corinthians 5:9 says that our ambition should be “to be pleasing to Him”. There is nothing wrong with having spiritual goals, such a converting others, helping build a good church, going on mission trips, being involved in community efforts, etc. But Chambers says that those things should no be out ambition or aim. Our ambition should simply be to be pleasing to God. Yes, that would lead to striving to achieve some spiritual goals, but our ambition is just to be pleasing to God. If we make that our ambition, then the Spirit will guide us into specific spiritual things that God wants us to be to make him happy, to make him be pleased with us. Sometimes we set our own spiritual goals mainly to please ourselves, using our own wisdom and gifts without seeking God to see if he would really be pleased with what we are trying to achieve. I might be wanting to preach somewhere but that might not be what he wants me to do to be pleasing to him. He might have other things that He wants me to do.
That Greek word for “ambition” is only used 3 times in the New Testament: Romans 15:20 where Paul “aspired” to preach the gospel; 2 Corinthings 5:9; and in 1 Thessalonians 4:11. I love the one in 1 Thessalonians 4:11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we instructed you, 12 so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.” I especially like this passage b/c it describes my dad. He was from the “great generation.” AI: “The “Greatest Generation” refers to Americans born roughly between 1901 and 1927, who came of age during the Great Depression and World War II, and are often characterized by their strong work ethic, frugality, and patriotism.” My dad was born in 1918 so he lived through the Great Depression and World War II (although he did not serve b/c of some medical reason I have been told). He was raised country farm dirt poor. I’m not sure he graduated high school before he went to work with a concrete making plant and worked for them for about 50 years. He never made more than minimum wage so he worked a lot of overtime to provide for us. There was no union at his work, so his reward for all those years was a retirment check of about $100 per month! He built a modest house for us to live in comfortably but we never had much money. He took time to carry me fishing a lot and we built a cabin from scratch on Smith Lake and spent many weekends there fishing and swimming. He attended church regularly with our family but never led a prayer in church. He never prayed aloud with me or our family except when my mom would say at the dinner table, “Ambres, lead the prayer”, and he would pray “God is great, God is good, let us thank him for our food”. We never had a spiritual talk. He never said “I love you”, probably b/c his parents never expressed love for each other. The first time he said “I love you” to me was when he was 72 and was told that he had only 2 more years to live due to a lung disease. He spend those last 2 years expressing love, listening to gospel music, and reading the Bible, and died at age 74 in 1992. As you can see, he didn’t do a lot of the things you might expect a spiritual father to do. But what he did do was to make it his ambition or goal in life to fulfill that passage in 1 Thessalonians 4:11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we instructed you, 12 so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.” He did those things all his life! He lived a simple, quiet life. He mided his own business. He worked with his hands. He helped anyone who needed someone to fix something. He did things for a lot of people. When he died, about 500 people signed the register book at his visitation or funeral. Those people were from work, church, family, community, etc. Just a lot of people that he had helped, using his hands and knowledge of how to fix things, all through his life. We tend to think that a “spiritual”man is a Bible quoting, daily Bible reader, prayer leader, elder or deacon in the church, regular church attender, etc. But to me, my dad defines what it means to be spiritual for just a lot of ordinary, hard working, common people.
Read what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:14 For the body is not one part, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many parts, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it.”
Think about what Paul said. We tend to give the most honor to the more gifted in the church, the leaders, the preacher, the elders, the youth ministers, the ones who seem to be more important. But Paul says that those people know that they are more gifted and more visible, and they do not need to constantly be told how important they are. they don’t need special attention to buld them up, to show how badly they are needed in the body. Often times they are inflated with their own gifts and importance, as was teh case in the Corinthian church where some of the more gifted members had become arrogant. Instead it is the less noticeable who we need to give special attention and honor to. We need to constantly be telling them how important they are in the body. There is someone like my dad who got very little notice in the church activities, but the church is the people, not the organized church business model. He was important to the body in what he was doing to use his hands to help a lot of people outside of the church assembly, men’s business meetings, Bible classes, or visitation programs. We tend to think of the church in the church business model and what the members visibly do for the church business. Instead we should think of the church as the people using their gifts 24/7 at home, at work, in their friendships, in taking care of their kids and/or elderly parents. We sometimes say “10% of the members do 90% of the church work”, but that usually means church work taking care of the building, being involved in the visitation program, attending Sunday night as well as Sunday morning, attending Wednesday evening Bible classes, doing projects around the building, taking care of assembly preparations, etc. Maybe not all, but many of those 90% that we criticize are people like my dad who are fulfilling 1 Thessalonians 4:11 every day. They are doing “church work”. Or maybe some unassuming, humble, barely noticeable lady member who takes food to the poor every Saturday, or takes care of elderly parents, or takes care of some widows in the church or takes care of foster children. That is “church work”. We tend to give honor to those more visible in the church busines work instead of the real church work. We need to keep giving special honor to the less noticeable members doing the less noticeable church work.
I guess I got sidetracked! Just make it your ambition to be pleasing to God and He will guide you on what He wants you to do. It might not be what you want to do, but that doesn’t matter! Ask yourself every moment today: “Does what I am doing, thinking, or saying please the Father?
Adios y Dios los bendiga! Goodbye and God bless you.
This is a follow up article to the “Jesus came to conquer spiritual death” article so please read that first. Jesus did conquer spiritual death. But there is an apparent contradiction. 1) Paul said that the Ephesian Christians had already been raised from the dead spiritually before 70 AD (he wrote Ephesians in about 60 AD)? Ephesians 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Likewise with the Colossian Christians: Colossians 2:12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings.” 2) But the last enemy, spiritual death, was not defeated until 70 AD according to 1 Corinthians 15 (again read the first article if you haven’t). If spiritual death, the last enemy, was not conquered until 70 AD (1 Corinthians 15), then how could the Ephesians and Colossians be raised from the dead spiritually before 70 AD. That is the “already and not yet” of the transition period from 30 AD to 70 AD. This is an excellent article by Alex Polyak on this topic: https://thebiblefulfilled.com/the-already-and-not-yet/. Thebiblefulfilled.com is his site and he has many excellent videos and articles. He also has an excelent book, “The End is Here” (amazon prime) that is very detailed and deals with all the objections to full preterism). Why reinvent the wheel? I can’t explain this any better than Alex did, so I will simply quote directly from his article and say “Amen”.
“The New Testament is filled with New Covenant realities that had already arrived in part (pre-AD 70), but had not yet arrived in full. Consider the following examples:
Salvation had already arrived in part (2 Tim. 1:9, Titus 3:5, 1 Cor. 6:11), but salvation still had to come in full (Rom. 13:10; 1 Pet. 1:5; Heb. 9:28).
Righteousness had already come in part at the cross (1 Pet. 2:24), yet Righteousness would not come in full until “the elements burned with fervent heat” / the new heaven and earth (2 Pet. 3:13; Gal. 5:5).
Redemption had already happened in part (Eph. 1:7), yet Redemption still needed to happen in full (Eph. 1:14; 4:30; Rom. 8:23).
The Adoption had already happened in part (Rom. 8:15), but the Adoption still needed to happen in full (Rom. 8:23)
The Kingdom of God had already come in part (Col. 1:13; Luke 11:20), but the Kingdom of God still needed to come in full (Mark 9:1, Luke 21:31, Rev. 11:15).
The Gathering of Jews and Gentiles into one new body, Christ, had already begun in part (Eph. 2:12–13), but the Gathering would happen in full at the second coming (2 Thess. 2:1–2, Matt. 24:30–31).
The New Jerusalem had arrived in part (John 4:23, Heb. 12:22–24), yet the New Jerusalem still had to come in full (John 4:21, 23; Rev. 21:2).
The (General) Resurrection had already happened in part (John 5:24–25; Eph. 2:1, 2:6; Col. 3:1–2), but the Resurrection still needed to happen in full (John 5:28–29; 1 Thess. 4:16–17; 1 Cor. 15:51–52; Rev. 20:13).
The New Testament is filled with such New Covenant realities that had already arrived in part, but had not yet arrived in full. In fact, some of these events are spoken about in both the present and future tenses in the very same passage, just a few verses apart (see the redemption example above)! Either the New Testament writers/apostles blatantly and repeatedly contradicted each other–and even their own statements–or there was something more going on here. The already/not yet concept explains this nicely. The New Covenant realities had already arrived in part (pre-AD 70)…but they had not yet arrived in full. And when would they arrive in full? When the Old Covenant age of types and shadows[1] completely vanished away, which would happen at Jesus’ second coming in AD 70.[2] Paul captured this sentiment beautifully in saying (in AD 62/63): “He who has begun a good work in you [saints in Philippi] will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).
Note: Just about all Christians acknowledge the “already/not yet” concept. However, while preterists[3] contend it refers to the time period between AD 30 and AD 70, futurists[4] argue it refers to the time period between AD 30 and today–a 2000+ year time period–which would negate the purpose for using such a concept in the first place!
The time period between AD 30 (Jesus’ earthly ministry) and AD 70 (the second coming) was a time of transition. The Old Covenant types and shadows were gradually passing away…and the New Covenant realities were gradually being built up. As the writer of Hebrews said in approximately AD 60: “In that He [God] says, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first [covenant] obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away (Heb. 8:13). The Old Covenant was growing old…and the New Covenant was being built up.”
Now a few of my comments. If the futurists are correct, then we are still waiting for Jesus to return to conquer the last enemy death. Maybe they think that means that Jesus will return in the future to conquer physical death, but we have already seen that he did not come to abolish physical death. So if he hasn’t fully conquered spiritual death yet, then our redemption is not complete. I prefer to believe that he fully accomplished what He came to do, and that is to conqer spiritual death completely in my life and in the life of all believers. We are not living in the transition period (30-70 AD), still waiting for the completion of the redemption process in 70 AD. We usually read the New Testament as if we were living in the transition period, taking things written to those living in the transition period as if they were written directly to us.
I’m especially interested in the point Alex made about the kingdom. “The Kingdom of God had already come in part (Col. 1:13; Luke 11:20), but the Kingdom of God still needed to come in full (Mark 9:1, Luke 21:31, Rev. 11:15).” The spiritual kingdom of God, which is the church, was established in Acts 2 in 30 AD. Christians in the transtion period were added to that kingdom. Colossians 1:13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” But then Paul told recent converts on his first missionary journey: Acts 14:21 And after they had preached the gospel to that city and had made a good number of disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.” So there was another phase of that kingdom that the believers were going to enter later. Most think that is heaven, but it is referring to the final phase of the establishing of the spiritual kingdom in 70 AD. That is what Jesus predicted in Luke 21:31 So you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place.” Luke 21 is Jesus’ predictions about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. If the kingdom had already been established in 30 AD, how could he say that the kingdom would be “near” in 70 AD. B/c the final phase of the establishment of the kingdom would happen in 70 AD at the end of the transition period. The mistake that futurists make is that they are still looking for Jesus to establish a physical kingdom. They think that the final phase will be Jesus returning some day to establish a physical kingdom, but he never planned to establish a physical kingdom. John 18:36 Jesus answered (Pilate), “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
Another good point by Alex: “The New Jerusalem had arrived in part (John 4:23, Heb. 12:22–24), yet the New Jerusalem still had to come in full (John 4:21, 23; Rev. 21:2).” Isaiah had predicted the new Jerusalem. Isaiah 65:“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing And her people for gladness. 19 I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people; And there will no longer be heard in her The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.” Hebrews 12 calls it the “heavenly Jerusalem” and is referring to the church, not to a physical city. Hebrews 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven.” The new Jerusalem, which is the church, was established in 30 AD in Acts 2. So how does John predict the new Jerusalem coming down to earth at some time in the future after he wrote Revelation in about 65 AD?? Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” He then adds: 21:9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, full of the seven last plagues, came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God.” Again, “already and not yet”. There was another phase of the establishment of the new Jerusalem, i.e. the church, that would be completed in 70 AD. Why 70 AD? B/c the book of Revelation was written about 65 AD about things that. were going to happen shortly, soon, near (Revelation 1:1-3; 22:1-10). The book is about the destruction of the old Jerusalem in 70 AD, just as Jesus had predicted in Matthew 24. The final phase of establishing the new Jerusalem would be the removal of the old Jerusalem in 70 AD. So the transition Christians were already in the kingdom but would enter the completed final phase of the kingdom in 70 AD. But still it would be a phase of the spiritual kingdom, the church, and not some physical kingdom. Revelation 21:1-11 says that the new Jerusalem was the “bride of Christ” which of course is the church. The Hebrew writer spoke of this: Hebrews 13:14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.” It was still in the future for the transtion Christians, but not for us. We live after the final phase of the new Jerusalem, the church, was completed in 70 AD.
One last point from Alex: “Redemption had already happened in part (Eph. 1:7), yet Redemption still needed to happen in full (Eph. 1:14; 4:30; Rom. 8:23).” Paul said that the Ephesians had their redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us.” But just a few verses later he spoke of a future redemption for them: 1:13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, 14 who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” In Luke 21 Jesus predicted the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD in Luke 21. He spoke of the redemption of believers in 70 AD: Luke 21:28 But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” So the redemption process began in Acts 2 in 30 AD when the first 3,000 were baptized for the remission of sins, but the full redemption process was not completed until 70 AD when the last enemy, spiritual death, was destroyed, when they would receive their immortality whether dead or alive (1 Corinthians 15, read the first article). BTW this is what Paul was referring to in Romans 8:23 And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body.” There was a future redemption for the transition Christians he was writing to even though they had already been redeemed and forgiven of sins. Futurists say this future redemption has not yet happened. They say it will be a future recreation of the earth to its original Garden of Eden state at some future 2nd coming of Jesus and that believers will get some kind of a new physical body to live on earth for a millennium or maybe even forever. But notice Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory about to be (mello which always means something about to happen) revealed in us.” Their future redemption phase that Paul predicted in 8:23 was about to happen in their lifetime, so it could not refer to something that has not even happened yet some 2,000 years later! That future redemption for them was the final phase of redemption in 70 AD as predicted by Paul and Jesus. That is why the Roman Christians were so eagerly waiting for that final phase of redemption. Romans 8:19 For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God.” In 70 AD the identity of the true sons of God would be revealed. It would be shown once for all that God had rejected the unbelieving Jews and that the true sons of God were the Christians. The transition Christians had been told by Jesus and the apostles that all this was going to happen in their lifetime, so that explains why they were so eagerly awaiting their future redemption at 70 AD. I don’t know how much they understood all that would happen in 70 AD, but they were fully expecting it to happen within their lifetime and eagerly waiting for it. Again, we read transition passages as if they were written directly to us, but they weren’t. Romans 8:23 has already been fulfilled. The final redemption of believers has been available since 70 AD. We have that full redemption. When we die, we live on eternally in our spiritual bodies in heaven, wherever that is!
Hopefully this article explains the “already and not yet” concept. Again, I encourage you to read some of Alex Polyak’s articles and watch his videos on thebiblefulfilled.com.
One last note. Compare this transition period to our transition period in choosing a new president. We elect a new president in November but he is inaugurated in January. There is a transition period between the election and the inauguration. The newly elected president is called the president elect until his inauguration. He is the official next president once he is elected. He starts to form his new cabinet during the transition. The things of the old administration begin to b removed during the transition period, and are completely removed by the inauguration. But he doesn’t officially become the president until the inauguration. That’s the same as the transtion period in the New Testament. Jesus began his reign as king in his new spiritual kingdom in 30 AD, but he did not finalize his reign and his kingdom until 70 AD. He began removing all the remnants of the old Jerusalem, the old covenant, the old heavens and earth (i.e. the Jewish system), the old animal sacrifices, the old covenant priesthood, etc. during the last days of the Jewish Age (from 30-70 AD), but those things were completely removed in 70 AD. In about 60 AD, the Hebrew writer wrote: Hebrews 8:13 When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is about to disappear.” That old covenant was about to disappear in 70 AD just a few years after this was predicted. Hebrews 9:8 The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, 9 which is a symbol for the present time.” The final phase of the redemption process was not disclosed (phaneroó: To make manifest, to reveal, to make known, to show openly) until 70 AD after everything in the old covenant was removed. AI: “The verb “phaneroó” is used in the New Testament to describe the act of making something visible or known that was previously hidden or not apparent.” There had to be a lot of confusion about God’s final plan during this transition period. For 2,000 years God’s presence was built around the priesthood, the animal sacrifices, and the temple. But the Paul and others start preaching about a new covenant based on the blood of Jesus. So would believers in Jesus just try to obey both covenants? Should believers in the future do that? Just a lot of confusion. But 70 AD explains it all and brings the plan all together. This is what Paul was referring to in Ephesians 1:9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He set forth in Him, 10 regarding His plan of the fullness of the times, to bring all things together in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.”
It all began with Adam and Eve. Genesis 3:15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and tend it. 16 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for on the day that you eat from it you will certainly die.” Die physically or spiritually? They woould eventually die phyically since they were kicked out of the garden of Eden and could no longer eat of the tree of life, but they did not die physically the very. day they sinned. So it must be that they died spiritually the very day they sinned. Spiritual death is the result of sin. Sin causes us to be separated from a relationship with God. Isaiah 59:But your wrongdoings have caused a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. Paul confirms that Adam’s sin brought spiritual death to himself and to all men, but why? Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned.” Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Jesus came to conquer spiritual death. Hebrews 2: 14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken. 9 And it will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; Let’s rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” So when was Isaiah’s prophecy fulfilled? 1 Corinthians 15 tells us when. In that chapter Paul is discussing the resurrection and what kind of a body wll believers recieve in the resurrection. He says that the resurrected body will be a spiritual, imperishable body. He then says, 15:51 Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.” Paul is clearly saying that the resurrection of the dead would occur while some of those he is writiing to were still alive. He is saying that, dead or alive, the believers would receive immortality. 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. 55 Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” He quotes Isaiah 25:8,9 and says that in the resurrection “death would be swallowed up in victory”. That would be spiritual death caused by the sting of sin. He says that the power of sin was the Law of Moses. So when did the Law end? The Law ended in 70 AD. Hebrews 8:13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” The Hebrew author wrote that about 60 AD and he said that the first covenent was “ready to vanish away” at the time he wrote the letter. That has to be 70 AD whe the Romans destroyed the temple and the city of Jerusalem. The temple has never been rebult since then. There have been no Levitical priests and animal sacrifices since then. God replaced the old covenant with the new covenant in 70 AD. Thus he destroyed death by taking away the Law which was the power of sin which caused spiritual death. Spiritual death was the last enemy conquered by Jesus in 70 AD. 1 Corinthians 15:25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” That would be spiritual death. Daniel had predicted that a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous would occur at the end of the age, i.e. the end of the Jewish Age in 70 AD. Daniel 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Paul predicted the imminence of that resurrrection in Acts 24:14 `And I confess this to thee, that, according to the way that they call a sect, so serve I the God of the fathers, believing all things that in the law and the prophets have been written, 15 having hope toward God, which they themselves also wait for, [that] there is about to be (mello in the Greek which always mean something about to happen when used in the New Testament but is usually mistranslated as “certainly will be”) a rising again of the dead, both of righteous and unrighteous.” (Young’s Literal Translation). Notice that Paul says that resurrection was predicted in the law and the prophets, so he must be referring to Daniel 12:2! That resurrection was fulfilled in 70 AD. The dead under the old covenant had been in hades awaiting their resurrection and final sentencing at 70 AD. In 70 AD the righteous dead of the old covenant and the believers in Jesus would be given immortality whether dead or alive. That is why Paul told the Thessalonians not to worry about their dead believing loved ones who died before that resurrection. They would still get their immortality. Immortality is only promised to believers in Jesus in the New Testament and never to unbelievers.
Jesus accomplished his mission of destroying spiritual death in the lives of believers. 2 Timothy 1:10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” John 11: 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life (spiritual). Whoever believes in me, though he die (physically), yet shall he live (spiritually), 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die (spiritually).” I just had an epiphany! In one sense, he did conquer physical death. Not that he stopped believers from dying or that he abolished physical death all together. Instead, he conquered spiritual death for believers so that physical death was not the end for them. They would keep on living spiritually, eternally, after death. That makes Hebrews 2:15 even more meaningful: 15 and free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” Believers don’t have to fear physical death any longer. Thank you Lord for that thought b/c many of us still have that fear of death that has a constant hold on us making us death’s slaves!
My wife suggested this one. I told her that no one was invisible b/c I can see them. But I really knew what she meant. We always eat our Egg McMuffins at McDonalds every Sunday morning at 7 AM. The one we eat at is especially clean and has great managers. They hire one man to do nothing but clean, mop, pick up trash, etc. He looks to be a very simple fellow although he might be the boss like in the TV show “undercover boss”. But he is there every week, so I don’t think he is the boss! My wife called him one of the “invisible people” that we seldom take notice of. AI: “”Invisible people” can include mentally challenged adults, disadvantaged, unwed mothers on welfare, runaway teens, ex offenders, uneducated and unskilled people, illegal immigrants who clean hotels or do menial jobs, residents in inner city projects, elderly, child orphans or foster children, homeless people or anyone who experiences a sense of being ignored or separated from society as a whole. It can include just ordinary people doing all the little jobs that make life easier for us, people that we take for granted. We might say “thank you” but that’s about it, or we might even tip a little. But often we just get our service from them and ignore them.
Jesus was good at not ignoring the invisible people. The woman at the well. Would you pay much attention to a woman who had been divorced 5 times, was living with someone not her husband, and who was a foreigner that many looked down on in society? Jesus did. He would not even “snuff out a smoldering wick or break a bruised reed”. He would try to bring out the best in everyone. He would draw out what little faith someone had. He would give hope to those struggling with life. We don’t know how that woman at the well ended up, but he gave her hope of a better life if she would accept the living water Jesus had to offer.
Jesus stopped to heal the blind men who were following him, even though they were crying out, making a disturbance. He talked with a sinful woman who anointed his feet at Simon the Pharisee’s house. Simon was appalled that Jesus would even let this sinful woman touch his feet. He laid his hands on and blessed the little children who were brought to him by their parents, even when his disciples were rebuking them for bringing the children. He stopped to heal the woman with the 12 year bleeding issue. He did not rebuke her for secretly touching his garment but praised her faith instead. Jesus took note of the demon possessed man who had been living in the tombs and cast the demon Legion out of him. The whole town nearby ignored this man and just hoped that he would stay in the tombs area. Jesus ate with the tax collector Matthew and his “sinner friends” even though he was criticized greatly for doing so. Jesus stopped to talk to the Syrophoenician woman even though his disciples were begging him to send her away b/c she was crying out loud, annoying them. He then challenged and drew out her faith and case the demon out of her daughter.
So the lesson today is for us to pay attention to the “invisible people” that we see every day. Not just pay attention to them, but seek them out. “To visit the widows and orphans is pure and undefiled religion” according to James 1:28. There are plenty of widows out there who might not need financial help but who would love to have some one come visit and talk to them. Each one has a story to tell. Go to some place like the House of the Harvest here in Huntsville on Saturday morning and you will find plenty of invisible people. Many of them speak Spanish and are delighted when I give them breakfast with a little Spanish conversation. Go offer to help someone who fosters children. They often have many challenges. Think through your own daily experiences and identify those invisible people in your life. Stop and take time to talk to them and help them if possible.
Remember, the invisible people are all very visible to God so don’t ignore them.
Are you always in a hurry? My wife and I have different hiking styles. I attack the trail to finish it as quickly as I can. She stops often, and I have to wait on her. She says that we should stop along the way to, as Jesus said, “consider” the great things God has created in nature. “Consider” in the Greek is katanoeó: To observe, consider, perceive, understand. (AI): “The verb κατανοέω (katanoeó) is used in the New Testament to denote a deep, attentive observation or consideration. It implies more than a casual glance, suggesting a thorough and careful examination or contemplation. This term is often used to encourage believers to pay close attention to spiritual truths or to the example set by others.” I am Type A: Type A individuals as outgoing, ambitious, rigidly organized, highly status-conscious, impatient, anxious, proactive, and concerned with time management. People with Type A personalities are often high-achieving workaholics.” My wife is Type B: People with a type B personality may be easygoing and laid-back, and approach tasks with less urgency. Type B personality traits include patience, flexibility, and an even temper. People with a type B personality may be more prone to procrastination or distraction from a task.” So combining a Type A and a Type B in marriage for 54 has been an experiment of patience with each other’s personality quirks. I won’t go any further in that discussion! I’m sure she has put up with a lot more of my quirks than I have hers. At least I am saying that for this article!
Back to hiking and life in general. Every day in an adventure with God if you will make it: the statement “everyday is an adventure with God if you will make it” suggests that embracing a life of faith and actively seeking God’s presence can transform ordinary days into meaningful and exciting experiences.” That means that we have to “stop along the way” and “consider” everything closely. We should ask, “What might God be doing in this situation? How can God use me in this situation? How can I be kind and help that person I see who needs help?” We can consider nature and everything God has created, and then praise God for creating it all, whether He did it in 6,000 or 6 billion years. Either way, it’s amazing to create everything from nothing with such amazing design. We can consider scriptures, looking more closely at what they meant to the original recipients and how they might apply to us today. Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” Most of us dont just quit our devotion to Jesus. We just “drift away” slowly, like a small boat drifts out into the lake when it is loosed from the dock. We are so busy with our “worries, riches, and pleasures” (Luke 8:14) that keep us from bearing fruit and spiritual growth. We just drift away from our devotion, praying less, meditating on God and His word less.
So, short and sweet. Make today an adventure with God, considering God’s presence in everything in your life today.
Are you familiar with the book of devotionals by Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)? It is 365 devotionals to be read one at a time for the whole years. Oswald Chambers was talented in poetry, music, and art, but his passion was preaching the gospel. His parents were baptized by. the famed British pastor Charles Spurgeon and were very spiritual. Oswald felt that he heard the Lord call him, “I want you in My service but I can do without you.” He spent a decade in a theological training school and later began his own Bible Training School. He had a very “dry” period of several years until he asked God “for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, whatever that meant”. Jesus’ words in Luke 11:13 changed everything for him. Luke 11:3 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” He asked God the Holy Spirit and relied on the Spirit for the rest of his life in his preaching and writing. He married Gertrude Hobbs but he called her “Biddy”. He died from complications from an appendectomy in 1917. After his death, Biddy began putting his writings into some 4 dozen books, most notably My Utmost For His Highest. With her help, Oswald reached more people after death than he had in life.
I remember reading his devotionals in My Utmost For His Highest. It just seemed that each one spoke to my needs for that particular day. Is that just coincidence or the work of the Holy Spirit through Oswald giving me what I need for that day? I don’t know, but it sure seemed to work everyday. Maybe that is why so many people read these same 365 devotionals year and year and they never get old.
I urge you to go online and request the daily devotionals from the book to be sent to your email. I feel the same way about the Spirit using the Bible every day to meet our particular needs for that day. The Bible is not just like our constitution, filled with laws and doctrines, once for all time (and it does have that). All of it was written specifically to someone living in the past: to the Jews, to people living in the first century, to believers in churches, and to individuals like Timothy and Titus. None of it was written directly to us and yet the Spirit can use the Bible to speak to us through the application of what the Spirit wrote to others. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The Spirit can apply the word to our lives and needs. So when we read the word, we should be asking, “Ok, I know this was written to someone else, but what would the Sprit want me to take from it in my life today?” My mom wrote several looooooong letters before she died, dealing with some issues. When I read those letters, I can feel her spirit still speaking behind those words. It is the same with the Spirit and the word. When you read the word, try to picture the Spirit (however you might picture the Sprit) watching you reading the word and hoping that you will apply what you read to your daily life and needs.
Nicky's Notes 