Putting Jesus first. . . .

Christian books and Christian preachers say to put Jesus first. The Bible is clear; He is to be the priority of our lives, and telling others about Him is supposed to be a the top of our to-do list. It is easy to write about this, to discuss it with other believers, but doing it is more challenging.

My hubby shared Christ this week as easily as some people talk about the weather. The response was favorable. He was not ridiculed, a fear that keeps many mouths shut. I’m both pleased with his example and convicted that my obedience is more talk and less action.

Today’s reading offers a strong example and more conviction. Paul is in prison for preaching the gospel. He writes as I do but his words reveal that he ‘walks the talk’ and is doing what he tells others to do. These several verses reveal much about the priority of his life and that he is a teacher but also a doer…  

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For 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, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. (Philippians 1:12–30)

Paul’s first thought is to reassure those worried about him. He sees God’s purpose in having him in prison. Others are now also boldly sharing Christ, even those who have selfish motives. His priority is knowing Jesus AND making Him known. This is happening.

Not only that the “whole imperial guard” and others also are aware of this priority — because Paul is not keeping his mouth shut in jail but joyfully letting everyone know of his confidence in the Lord. He knows that such a response to his situation is affecting them. Christians will suffer for such boldness but Christ will be glorified, even if persecution and death are the result.

Earlier, Peter denied Christ in fear for his life, but when filled with the Spirit, he was bold to proclaim Him, just as did Paul, and just as many do today in places where their hearers will abuse and even kill them. This begs the question: what keeps my mouth shut other than fear? And since God is not the author of fear, all my talk about any desire to depart and be with Christ needs to be matched with action that proves it.

PRAY: Jesus, my heart is too often fickle in its loyalty to You, in putting You first in my life. It is easier to say it than actually live it out like I should. I confess unwarranted reluctance to practice what I preach. Grant boldness that I might honor You.

 

No matter what . . .

Election day happens on Tuesday. Some people are unsure. There are many new, inexperienced candidates, some with names that are difficult to pronounce. The main party leaders have been slinging mud at each other and claiming they alone know how to fix the problems. In our riding or voting area, all the names on the ballot are new. We have not heard them debate but are aware of the power struggle between political parties and personalities.

I’m thinking of that old nemesis today — the desire for power, to be on top, to have control of everything, to put down any and all threats. It happened as soon as the church came into being. The religious leaders saw the ‘baby’ Christians as a threat to their status and control over the lives of worshipers.

And as (the disciples) were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. (Acts 4:1–4)

No wonder these religious leaders felt threatened. Christians offered a message of eternal life, not earned or deserved but given freely to those who believe in Jesus. He rose from the dead and offered them incredible hope, nothing that their established religion had ever claimed. While Old Testament faith was about a coming Messiah that would save them from sin and death, that had deteriorated into a “do good and live” faith with a list of rules controlled by these leaders. “Believe in Jesus Christ and be saved” had great appeal but it also made mush out of their control.

On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:5–12)

That last line is the greatest threat to all other religious systems, whether controlled by one leader or an elite group. All their rules, rhetoric, charisma, and whatever else they offer is declared useless. Only Jesus can save souls and give eternal life.

The boldness of these uneducated, common men astonished the establishment. They obviously had been with Jesus. The man who had just been healed stood beside them. What could they say? They were stumped because “a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” (Acts 4:13–17)

They charged the disciples not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered to a higher authority. They replied, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

What else could be done? These were religious people. How could they deny that God was the greater voice? They further threatened the Christians, letting them go because they could find no way to punish them. Besides, all the people were praising God for what had happened. (Acts 4:18–21)

Reading this begs the question: Why am I sometimes unable to speak for God? Shy to share the good news of the resurrection? Hesitant to tell others that there is salvation in no other than Jesus? The Lord is greater than all the religious organizations put together. He can silence their protests. He can protect those of us who trust in Him. What is the worst that could happen? They could throw us in jail (and the jail stories in Acts show that didn’t stop the disciples) or they could kill us . . . and what would that do? It would send us to live forever with Jesus. No matter what anyone attempts, God’s people always win!

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Jesus, You are my Rock, my Defender, my Prince of Peace. Transform my life so that it shows without any doubt that I trust You, no matter what comes my way!

Normal Christianity

An author and prayer warrior wrote that many Christians live ordinary lives to the point that when someone starts living as the Bible says, they call that person a super-saint. That is, the sub-normal look at what is normal and think it is above normal!

Tozer puts it this way: “A church can go on holding the creed and the truth for generations and grow old. New people can follow and receive that same code and also grow old. Then some revivalist comes in and fires his guns and gets everybody stirred, and prayer moves God down on the scene and revival comes to that church.”

He adds that revival is when people who thought they were saved get saved and those who had believed only in a code become believers in Christ. This is normal, what Christianity is supposed to be.

Sometimes I’ve read the book of Acts and seen it as a superior form of Christian life, yet there are Christians now who live in the same way as then . . .

“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:29–31)

A retired missionary turned writer tells of his work in South America. He was involved with a people group that received him eagerly, wanted to learn to read, helped him in translation work to produce Bibles in their language, and quickly accepted Christ and formed a growing church.

That seemed normal, but when others in that area told of the resistance they encountered with other tribes, he wondered what caused the easy success in his ministry. Then he got a letter from a man who told of meeting this tribe many years ago. He had learned their tribal name but had no communication because they had no common language. The tribe seemed a hostile group, so there was no follow-up either, except this man began to pray for them. He started ten years before my retired friend was born, then and prayed for decades without knowing anything that was happening with this people group. He was praying in the dark. And God answered.

The faithfulness of God to hear and answer prayer is sometimes astonishing. Should it be a surprise? Or should this be a normal thing? As I read Acts, my heart says the reason we don’t see or experience such amazing things is “we have not because we ask not.” Or we have not because we obey not.

Does today’s average Christian pray for boldness to speak God’s Word? Do I? Do we give the Holy Spirit His main tool for opening hearts and giving people a reason for the faith we have? Do I?

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Jesus, I love the praying missionary’s story because it encourages me to keep praying, even ‘in the dark’ without knowing or seeing any answers. But I also love and am challenged by the retired missionary’s story because he was willing to go to needy people and share the Word of God with them, not knowing that God had been at work for years, preparing them to hear it and respond with joy! As Tozer says, “Where the Word of God is, there is fuel, and the fire falls and burns up the sacrifice.”

Sharing Christ

During dinner, one of our guests, a young Buddhist, mentioned that she was born on a certain day. My husband’s face lit up and he said that day was special to him too. He went on to explain how he decided to take the family to a nearby church, and at that church he responded to the Lord and became a Christian.

Earlier in the evening, the same person noticed the hearts on our calendar. We use them to mark the days we join with others to pray for our children. She asked about the hearts, thinking they were ‘date nights’ or something like that. He explained why they were there, and I added that we called our prayer group “Soft Hearts.”

She offered no visible or verbal response. A few months ago, when first sharing a meal with us, she asked another person at the table why we prayed before we ate. He said that was what Christians do; we thank God for providing for us.

This morning’s devotional reminds me of the importance of not only sharing our testimony of the Lord, but also using sound words to do that. My hubby is particularly good at that. I tend to get ‘theological’ but he is more apt to explain the Gospel in simple terms that anyone can understand.

Another important part of sharing Jesus with others is being bold, being unafraid to do it. This fear can come from pride (how silly is that?) and a sense of shame that I am a needy sinner (also silly). Sometimes I think the response will be angry or strong resistance (and sometimes it is). However, God tells me to do it anyway:

“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 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, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.” (2 Timothy 1:8–14)

Paul, who wrote this, was convinced of his calling. He was confident in his knowledge of God, never ashamed or fearful in his faith. He said to use those sound words, words that God can use to bring spiritual well-being to those who hear them — because faith does come from hearing the Word of Christ. People cannot believe unless Jesus speaks to their heart and He often uses the mouth of those in whom He dwells.

Not only must these sound words be biblical, they must be spoken in faith and love; faith that God will use them, and love that expresses a desire for the spiritual well-being of those who hear them. This is not giving an argument or a defense of the faith, nor a rebuke, or promoted by pride, haughtiness, or arrogance. it is speaking for the good of someone else.

These sound words are also given to us by the Holy Spirit and spoken out loud in the same manner that He speaks. Anyone who hears Him speak knows exactly what that means — the Holy Spirit has this wonderful way of being able to give our hearts a wake-up call and a hug at the same time!

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Jesus, I have no idea of Your plans for our Buddhist friend, but do thank You for the grace You give to my hubby in the way he shares his testimony. My prayer is that You continue to speak through him, and that You use what he says in the lives of those who hear. Of course, this is for me too, that I will never hesitate to speak out what You have put in my heart, and never be ashamed or fearful of negative responses. I never know what You will do with those sound words You give us to share with others and for that reason, they must be shared.