We must suffer

We must suffer


For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

Thinking about the struggles I see so many of my family in Christ going through lately. Wondering why does it have to be this way? The scriptures are full of verses that say it is coming and even needs to come.
“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;”
James tells us to consider it all joy. “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance and let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

What do you think about this thought? We know suffering and or trials are needed, that is very plain in scripture. We know the ultimate goal is for us to be more like Jesus. So what about this, imagine a scale from 1 to 10. Jesus is 10 and you and I are at 1. I know if we really had a scale like this it would be 1 to a zillion but for simplicities sake we will use 1 to 10.

We get saved and become a one, it takes salvation to even get us on the scale. When we read our Bible, attend Church and do the normal Christian things we move up a notch or 2 on the scale. We are heading in the right direction, becoming more like Jesus.

Some move up easier and faster, some really struggle and sometimes even seem to back up on the scale a little. But no matter how we move or where on the scale we get, we eventually stop. We hit the dead end, and it’s not at 10. Why? Because it takes suffering to produce perfection. “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. “
Also consider this, “Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,”

Suffering must come to make us more like Jesus. This is not an option. You and I will hit a point on the scale when without suffering we move up no more. It may be at level 2 for me and level 8 for you, but it will come. God in His Sovereignty knows when each of His servants are at the point. I believe each of us must hit that wall, reach that level when we are done advancing without His intervention. Really it takes His intervention at all levels and all moves, but He can use other things at lower levels. The higher we move up, the more we become like Jesus. Jesus was perfect. Perfection is not easy to obtain, especially when you start with something so messed up to begin with, like me.

So we must train and prepare. Build this house on The Rock, so that WHEN the storms come we are ready. We need to be ready to come out of the refiner’s furnace as pure gold without spot or blemish. Those of us who are not at the suffering stage yet, or have survived a round or two already have a job to do. It is stated in the verse below, may we be a comfort, and may I be a comfort to my hurting brothers and sisters in Christ.

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”

Brennan Manning

Brennan Manning writes in his book The importance of being foolish, how to think like Jesus.
"To ascertain where you really are with the Lord, recall what saddened you this past month. Was it the realization that you do not love Jesus enough? That you did not seek His face in prayer enough? Or did you get depressed over a lack of respect, criticism from an authority figure, your finances, a lack of friends, fears about the future, or your bulging waistline?"

Lord, please forgive me for being saddened by the wrong things!

Joe Stack

In case your not up to speed on Joe Stack here you go. Joe just caught his house on fire today, possibly with his 12 year old stepdaughter and wife in it. He then got in a plane and flew it into an IRS building. I just read his suicide note and am in awe. I am sorry for Joe Stack. Sorry that he felt the world was out to get him. He speaks against the Catholic Church, government and many others. He has reminded me of why we should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Could this world get us down? Absolutely! Should it lead us to the conclusions that Joe Stack came too? No way! Even the homeless in this country are in better shape than huge amounts of people in this world. If a Joe Stack had been born in Africa or Haiti to different circumstances what would his life have been like? What is it that causes all of us to chase some elusive dream of wealth until we get it or it drives us crazy? Or we give up and realize that life consists in more than the abundance of our possessions.

I am so sorry for people that don't have the love of Jesus Christ to help them think. The mind of Christ is the only way to process this world. The pain and suffering some go through takes my breath away. I am not talking about the pain and suffering of Joe Stack and those like him. I am talking about the pain and suffering of some who watch little children die in front of their very eyes and can do nothing to help them. The pain of losing your children or watching them suffer could surely send most over the edge. So many in this world truly suffer and seem to have every human reason to say why me Lord? But it's not usually those who snap. It's not those who's day to day existence requires herculean strength that snap. It's not those dealing with the special hardships of having handicapped children or children with cancer or spouses with Alzheimer's that snap. Most of the time it's those who many would say are doing OK with life. Yes financial problems can drain us. Yes losing jobs suck. But may I never get anything in my life that I can't handle losing. I want no job, no home, nothing that so captivates me that I would rather die or kill than lose it.
May God lead the Joe Stacks of the world to people who love God and love others. May we speak words of life to those who are hurting so badly. I am sorry Joe that you never seem to have found the peace that surpasses all understanding. Lord help us do a better job of reaching the Joe's of this world.

God's timing

God's timing is perfect right? We have always heard that. I was saved over 13 years ago. I think that I instantly knew that I was going to run a ministry. Within the 1st year I was calling people at other ministries and seeing about getting involved or partnering with them. How crazy is that, I just got saved and I am thinking God wants me to start a ministry? Maybe just plain arrogance? Sit down and shut up and learn rookie?Nothing happened? I see the wisdom in that so clearly now. I am so different now. Still a work in progress but headed in the right direction I think. I really just let the idea of a ministry go. I got involved in the Church and served. It was 5 years or more and The James Gang Ministry was started at the Church I was a member of. Then at the 10 plus year mark Northland Compassion Ministries was started. A real 501 (c) (3) parachurch ministry and I am so excited with what God is doing in NCM. His timing is perfect. His timing is not what I wanted in my flesh. I had very little choice in this it seemed, I wanted it. God said not now.

I would have so messed up this ministry 10 years ago. I may even mess it up today. But it will at least take longer ha ha. Oh that I could rest in God's timing, His plan for me. I know the plans I have for you.........He tells us. If God has spoken to you, given you a vision, it may be coming later. Don't give up. Let Him prepare you for what He is calling you to. I think it makes sense that the vision comes before the training. Train with the vision in mind. If I had done that I would be a better leader today. The process is as important or maybe more important than the result? The result will be you and me more like Jesus. Then God placing us were He wants us. That's a very good place to be!

Michelle

Went out to a youth dentention center last night. We help hold a Bible study on Wednesday nights. Last night was going to be different. Two girls had birthday's so we had a fellowship night. One of the young girls in the group, Michelle just had a Job experience. On Monday she lost her 4 month old son, 2 month old cousin, sister and grandma in a house fire. A group leader told me that all of those people had visted her just a couple of days before and now they are gone.


We had a group of 15 or so on one side of the room having a great fellowship. Michelle on the other side in the deepest mourning anyone could imagine. What a contrast. My body was on the fellowship side but my mind and heart were on the other side with Michelle. I know many in the group felt the same way. But we did not want to cross that line, that barrier that she had put up. She wanted to be alone and understandibly so.


What could I have said anyway? God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life? Could I have taken her through the ten commandments and shown her what a sinner she was? Sometimes my theology just goes out the door. I don't get it.


But the good thing is this. I don't have to get "it". HE has it. He has me. He has Michelle. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him......may He show Himself faithful in Michelle's life, like He has in mine. May she come to know His love, His heart, His Son. May no one offer her some proof text, some perfectly laid out theological lesson to explain the unexplainable God. May no one offer her God in a box. He just doesn't fit. I think I need to just weep with those who weep.

As iron sharpens iron,

As iron sharpens iron,so one man sharpens another.
I am so thankful that God is letting me see His word being fulfilled in my life.
I am also amazed that we (Men) try it alone so often.
Why?

Why have I reached the better than half point of my life without one really close Christian brother? And worse yet, why have I not really cared about that?
Yet, I know I am not alone in this. I have heard too many men say the exact thing.
I also don't think that most of us know what we mean when we say "close"
What am I looking for or what should I be looking for? I am in a weird spot, God has placed me into a circle. Men who not only say they have close Christian brothers, but they define what that means. Something inside me stirs. I need that. I want that.
It takes a lot of work to be a man. Most of that work involves fixing what I messed up. It will sure be nice to have some help.

No mind has conceived

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. 1 Cor 2:9-10

I was sitting last night at the Casting Crowns concert and I had the thought that this is what Heaven must be like. The crowd was singing and it sounded so good. A sound you can't get on any CD. A sound that only comes when you place thousands of people together. I have
heard this sound many times, at other concerts.

I heard this sound 13 years ago at Stand in the Gap in Washington DC.
Promise Keepers gathered hundreds of thousands of men together, to learn and worship. Hundreds of thousands of men can SING! Even with me in the mix. Last night at the concert this verse came to my mind. I thought to myself, if no mind can conceive of what God has prepared then maybe this is not what Heaven will be like?

This morning I looked at the verse again and realized I had not remembered all the verse. I could have very well been getting just a small glimpse of what Heaven might be like. The part of the verse I forgot was that "God has revealed it to us by his Spirit"
My mind couldn't get it, but my spirit could! Even now God whispers, if you liked that Dave, your going to be blown away for about a million years! Wait until the Angels join in. Wait until men and women from every tribe, tongue and nation join in! Hallelujah! Come quickly Lord Jesus!