Exercise Your Comeback Capacity

“8 We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair;
9 We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted [to stand alone]; we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed.”
(II Corinthians 4:8, 9 “Amplified Bible” with bracketed inserts for clarity.)

Knocked down, but not knocked out, does that sound like a summary of your biography? 

It is not whether we will find ourselves in a spiritual battle, but when. Scripture tells us how our predecessors responded and how we should.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds” (James 1:2).

Paul knowingly says it’s part of our privilege as believers. “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.” (Philippians 1:29)

Often even a molehill will morph into a difficult mountain to climb. Little surprises become big “hits.” You have been there, right? The fact you have been there is reason to know you are very likely to be there again.

The term “struck down” refers to the sudden emergency, the unforeseen incident, the crisis that seems to come out of nowhere, the catastrophe that overwhelms us, the earthquake of trouble that rocks our world.

Mike Tyson famously remarked, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” If you live long enough, you’ll be punched in the mouth more than once. Sometimes you’ll see the blow coming. More often it seems to come out of nowhere.

Compounding this is we have a combatant who specializes in sucker punches that floor us.  Only because of Jesus we are not crushed, despairing, forsaken, or destroyed by Satan. 

Our adversary wants to cause pain and suffering to the effective witness of every fruitful disciple. Satan is he who seeks to crush and perplex our work and witness. He wants to contain us and force us into every ungodly mold. He uses whatever method he can to persecute and perplex us, to oppress and embarrass us and bring us to the point of desperation.

When down, be encouraged by the fact “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

Even Jesus was once down, crucified, and buried and, for a time, the enemy surely rejoiced. But Jesus got up on the third day. Here is good news, the same power that raised him from the dead is at work in you as a believer. So, get up. 

It is remarkable how resilient that Jesus can help us become. We will always have ups and downs in life. Be assured He will enable us to have one more “get up” than “knock down.” Remember, Who your Trainer is and that He is in your corner.

He is a Master of recovery. Talk to Him. Seek His advice. He loves you.

You Can Experience His Resurrection Power: Part Three

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.” (Ephesians 1: 18)

Help is needed to receive and respond to Jesus’ calling of our lives.

THE HELP FOR HIS CALLED  Vs. 19

The resurrection power which brought Christ back from the dead is available to His followers today.  He who exalted Christ has guaranteed our inheritance. We can presently know His power by what He has done in the past.  To know the power of atomic energy look at Chernobyl. To know the power of God, look at the empty tomb. 

Paul’s prayer is worth praying: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection….” (Philippians 3: 10)

Jesus Christ rightly said, “Without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15: 5)

Paul, knowing this and availing Himself of the power of the resurrection wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4: 13)

In verse 19 note the first word “power.” It translates “dunameos,” the word from which we get dynamic, dynamo, and dynamite.

Note the second word translated “power.” It comes from the Greek “ischuos,” which means “might or strength force.” 

God’s dynamics work in the believer to provide strength that exceeds all other power that might threaten our inheritance.

The word “working,” “energeian,” the ability to do. Jesus wants to energize the believer.  As a mechanical toy needs an energizer, so does the believer. Christ in you is that Eternal Energizer. This energy is essential to salvation and service.

It was the resurrected Christ who said, “All power is given to me in heaven and earth….” (Matthew 28: 19) He is our energy and power.

This Little Light of Mine 2/21/99

Matthew 25:1-13
Page 1451 Come Alive Bible

Jesus Christ was a master story teller. He utilized everyday common events to illustrate uncommon truths. Once He used the common event of a wedding to teach.

We have the advantage of knowing where the story is going from the beginning. It had an immediate application to His presence with the people to whom He was speaking. Messiah had come and they were unsuspecting.

It has application to our day also. Jesus is coming again. Are we prepared?

Consider the customs of a mid-eastern wedding. It has been our good fortune to see several. There are several stages to such a wedding. In a village near Bethlehem we saw the phase of the wedding utilized in this parable.

The bride and her party were walking along a narrow street celebrating. Some were playing a tambourine, some flutes, all were singing, giggling, and smiling. They were on their way to the place of the rendezvous with the groom. They were wearing their most colorful clothes. It was a happy group.

Friends of the bride stay with her and celebrate the coming of the bridegroom. This may go on for some time. Villagers in that land are not time conscious like we are.

Reflecting this attitude one once said to me, “With so many centuries why be concerned with minutes?”

The bride and her entourage know about when, but not exactly when the bridegroom will come. It is his big moment and he often tries to get the most out of it. By the time he gets there the bridal party may be exhausted. In this parable they were even asleep.

There were ten friends with the bride when the groom came at mid-night. All ten had oil lamps. However, only five had oil in their lamps. That is about as impractical as having a flashlight without batteries.

Having failed to prepare for the event by purchasing oil they tried to borrow from those with oil. To do so would have meant no one would have had enough. They were sent to purchase oil. In going to do so they missed out on the party. Bummer!

This is the setting for teaching an important lesson. Three sad sayings are involved in this celebration.

I. OUR LAMPS ARE GOING OUT VS. 8
The ten virgins represent the church. Five had oil which is symbolic of the Spirit of God. The other five did not. This depicts some “profess” Christ don’t “possess” Christ. That is, they have all the external trappings of a believer but internally they have never really been born again. They have lamps but no oil. They have church membership and maybe even activities in the church but have never been saved. They are among the legion who will say, “Lord, Lord…” only to hear Him say, “I do not know you” (Vs. 12).

This parable seems to be directed toward those who are content with hearing the word but don’t do it.

Jesus doesn’t just solicit a confession of faith, but a conduct of faith.

He desires not only a profession of faith, but a practice of faith.

There are many to whom the preaching of the gospel is as music in the ears —- of a corpse.

Talk without practice is an enticing form of temptation. It is tempting to others to model the same external motions without internal change. It is tempting to talk about repentance without repenting. To say “I believe” without believing. To speak of Christ as Lord without submitting to Him as such.

May it not be said of us: “having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (II Timothy 3:5).

Jesus said of His followers “You are the light of the world.” In our spiritually darkening world we need to let our little lights shine.

In America annually 2,000 new churches are started. Unfortunately 6,000 close each year.

Every week 50,000 people walk out of church never to return.

For the church to survive and perform as the Lord has instructed there must be love within the body.

A man long shipwrecked on a deserted island was found by a rescue party. They said, “Get the others and let’s go.”
“Others, what makes you think there are others?”
“There are three houses, what are they?”
“Well,” he said, “one is my residence and one is my church.”
“What is the third?” they asked.
“Oh, that’s my former church. I got mad and moved my membership.”

Individually and collectively we must let our lamps be trimmed and full of oil.

It is not pushing this parable too far to identify the “oil” to the Holy Spirit in the life of individuals and the church. He is the empowering agent within each.

Daily resupply your oil. This is done through prayer and Bible study —- daily. The Holy Spirit is a renewable resource Who renews us.

II. THE DOOR IS SHUT VS. 10B
God is patient but He is also punctual.

It was too late and they resorted to impossible appeals: “Give us some of your oil.”

There are things you can’t borrow. You can’t borrow on the spiritual account of your parents or friends. Your faith must be your faith.

In the parent child spiritual relations there are two common errors.

One is the parents feeling their children will share their beliefs and faith spontaneously without them modeling and teaching them.

A second is the child thinking he or she will get by on the faith of the parents.

The parable teaches us there is a time when opportunity has passed us. We live with deadlines but fail to realize the importance of being ready for the ultimate deadline —- no pun intended. That deadline being death.

History is replete with stories of unusual death occurrences.

Attila the Hun, the fierce Mongolian warrior, died an unusual death. He wasn’t given to overeating and drinking but on one occasion in 459 AD he did. That night in his drunken stupor he developed a nose bleed and drowned in his own blood.

Aeschylus, a Greek playwright around 500 BC died a most unusual death. An eagle dropped a turtle on his head and killed him. Eagles were known to drop turtles on rocks to open them. One eagle mistook Aeschylus’ bald head for a rock and cracked it.

Sir Francis Bacon was one of the most influential men in all history. He was a statesman, philosopher, writer, and scientist. He died stuffing snow in a chicken.

While watching a snow storm in 1625 he began to wonder if snow could preserve meat like salt. He went outside and tried to stuff a chicken with snow. He never got the chicken frozen but he froze instead.

Jerome Irving Rodale, founding father of the organic food movement, creator of “Organic Farming and Gardening” magazine made an appearance on the “Dick Cavett Show” in January 1971. In that interview he said, “I am going to live to be 100 unless I get run-down by a sugar-crazed taxi driver.” Part way through the interview he dropped dead. The show was never aired.

Jim Fixx, author of the best selling “Complete Book on Running,” and father of the modern running craze was visiting Greensboro, Vermont when he walked out of the house to go jogging and died instantly.

I hope you and I live to be 140 and are having so much fun they have to dispatch us with an overdose of chocolate. However, the day will come when time will run out and the door will be shut.

Now is the day of salvation. Don’t put off till tomorrow what you should have done yesterday.

Today the door is open. Take full advantage of the day to prepare to enter it.

III. I DO NOT KNOW YOU VS. 12
The parable concludes with one of two responses that are applicable to each of us. There is an appeal by the unprepared maidens for admission to the celebration. This remorseful plea is comparable to the inevitable day when the Lord shall have no valid appeal for admission to heaven. “I never knew you.”

There is another potential response to a different plea found in concluding the next parable regarding faithfulness: “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord'” (Matthew 25:21).

There is a legend that Satan was interviewing three apprentice demons just before sending them to earth. He asked the first what he would do to keep people from making a decision for Christ.
“I will tell them there is no God.”
“That’s good but only a few will be foolish enough to ignore the many evidences there is a God.”
The second said, “I will tell them there is no hell.”
“Good, but not good enough. People know justice demands there be such a place.”
The third demon said, “I will tell them they should trust Christ, but there is no reason to hurry. Take your time, do it later.” “That is genius,” exclaimed Satan, “that will damn millions.’ I want to ask two questions using the same words.

Are you a Christian? Here the word Christian is used as a noun meaning have you trusted Christ as Savior.

Again: “Are you a Christian?”

Here the word is used as an adjective meaning is your conduct that which the behavior of a born again person should be?

It is not too late to respond in such a way as to answer “Yes” to both. There will come a time it will be to late.

The clock is running on the opportunity to obtain oil. Let me illustrate this. I have a calling card that allows 15 minutes of free conversation. At intervals a voice comes on saying you have a certain amount of time remaining. When the 15 minutes is up, it is up. There is an abrupt stop.

In essence, our Lord has given us each a calling card called a time in which to call on Him.

The parable concludes with an encouraging exhortation: “WATCH,” that is, be faithful, be prepared.

You Can Experience His Resurrection Power: Part Two

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.” (Ephesians 1: 18)

THE HOME OF HIS CALLED     Vs. 18 C

Heaven is the inheritance of the believer.

The believer is the inheritance of our Christ.

It was the Christ soon to be crucified and resurrected who said, “I go to prepare a place for you …”

Heaven is a place.

Heaven is a prepared place.

Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people.

There is a story told of a seaman stranded on an isolated island. He thought it was without population until he ventured to the far end of the island which he found to be inhabited. They received him warmly and made him their king. Daily they lauded and bestowed goods on him. Finally, he learned from one of the inhabitants what this was all about. When a newcomer came to their island they made him king and highly praised him for some time until one day they had him sent alone to a distant island to live out his days in isolation.

He being wise organized a small exploratory group which he sent to that island with plants, seed, and livestock. Soon thereafter he sent a group to populate the island. When he eventually was sent there to live out his days, he was greeted with a lavish welcome.

Heaven is that island. What treasures have you stored up there?

Till then believers have hope for this life. Some concepts slip beyond the membrane of memory and take up residence in the realm of reason. These are often found in music. If you have sung these words, now let your mind marinade in them.

“Because he lives I can face tomorrow
Because he lives all fear is gone,
Because I know he holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because he lives.
And then one day, We’ll all cross that river
And fight life’s final war with pain,
And then, as death gives way to victory,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know he reigns.”

That is made more daily relevant by these words of another chorus.

“I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today,
I know that He is living, whatever men may say,
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer
And just the time I need Him He’s always near.
He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today,
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life’s narrow way.
He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart,
You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.”

You Can Experience His Resurrection Power: Part One

Ephesians 1: 18 – 23

Jesus sent a shock wave through hell when He arose from the grave. In doing so He calmed the fears of His followers and lit in their hearts the triple candles of hope, glory, and power.

Jesus Christ dramatically demonstrated His authority and power in the moment of His bodily resurrection. Death’s final call He did not obey. He is risen.

Impersonal power is impractical. Applied power has a purpose. All of the power involved in His resurrection is without purpose unless applied in your life. That is precisely the one thing that accounts for the emergence of His young devotees. There is no way to account for the development of the infant church other than the resurrection. The fact the church exists today is a proof of the resurrection. 

A single simple theme ran through His follower’s minds in those days immediately after His crucifixion: “You killed Him, God raised Him, we have seen Him.” That theme transformed their lives and enabled them to triumph. 

Ekklesia is the Greek word for “church.” It appears 144 times in the New Testament. In approximately 100 of these uses it refers to the local church. The word means, “the called out assembly.”

The young church sprouted in the fertile soil of hope, grew in glory, and produced with power. Now consider how that hope, glory, and power relates to you.

THE HOPE OF HIS CALLED  Vs. 18

What is the hope of those He has called?

Calling translates “kleseos” meaning an invitation.

His first calling is to salvation.

He then calls the saved to full and more meaningful service.     

“Hope” means happy anticipation of a future certainty.

There is a basic explanation as to why so many people have lost hope today. In world War II the allied forces chased the German Nazi forces out of France. As they retreated, they changed road signs to confuse the allies. At great expense the allies soon learned the road signs couldn’t be trusted.

The forces of the enemy, that is the devil, have changed spiritual road signs in our world. As a result of following these wrong directions, many have lost hope. “There is a way that seems right to a man, But the end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14: 12) This truth is so important it is repeated in Proverbs 16: 25.

Listen to the loving Christ call you to Himself. Read such signs of hope as posted in Romans 15: 13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.” (Ephesians 1: 18)