Freely you have received, freely give

Freely you have received, freely give Matthew 10: 8

I have just been reading something from Joyce Meyer who was saying that she had great difficulty in the past from being merciful because she had never truly received God’s mercy for herself. She had no mercy from God to give others.

We can never give to others what we have not already received or have access to.  I cannot give you a glass of water if I have neither a glass nor access to fresh water. In the same way I cannot give you grace if I have not received God’s grace for myself. I was a very graceless person because I was hard and legalistic to myself and therefore to others. If I made a mistake I beat myself up about it so if others also made mistakes, even if I did not say anything, mentally I was criticising them for their mistakes. God had to show me how ‘bad’ I was and how much grace he had shown me, so that I too could show that same grace to others. It was a bit of a revelation to realise how graceless I was.

This difficulty can infiltrate all sorts of areas of our lives. If we feel guilty, we want to make everyone else feel guilty; if we feel shame, we want to blame others; if we feel rejected, we reject others and so on.  What we have, we give to others. The great news though is that as we get revelation of this, we do not have to sit in a pond of despair but realise that God is holding out his hand to lift us out. Jesus suffered to take all our sin, guilt, shame, rejection, sickness and every work of the enemy from our lives.  It takes time but God is patient and as we let him work in our lives, he will bring us to wonderful places of freedom.

So as we have been shown grace, we will be very gracious; as we have been shown mercy, we will be merciful; as God has set us free from sin and shame, we will walk confident in God’s goodness and love and show that to others. Where God has healed us, we will have great faith for healing for others. The very areas of greatest weakness and shame in my life have been turned around by God to bring freedom to others in those very same areas. As a teenager, I made quite a mess of my life – I was insecure, rejected and behaved very badly. As God has healed me, he has given me such a heart for teenagers not to have to walk through the things I put myself through. It is such an honour to help them find God’s love and walk through those tricky teenage years holding his hand and not walk through hopeless and helpless, trying all sorts of useless things to fill the void in their hearts.

So freely give what God has given you and if you are still struggling with some areas in your life, give them over to God, stop struggling and trust him to bring wonderful freedom that will bring great glory to him and help others. My old life honoured nobody; my new life I live for him to honour him as best I can.

Prayer - the first fruits of our day

There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven Ecclesiastes 3: 1

There can be a great temptation at busy times or on busy days to ditch the one thing that will help us to have a productive and fruitful day.  Prayer and spending time with God is essential every day and how much more on a busy day.

I think it was Martin Luther who said that if he had a busy day, he must spend more time not less in prayer. We deceive ourselves when we think that we can manage without any time with God. It is unlikely that we will catch up on prayer later or tomorrow – we need prayer and time spent with God for today and every day. There are some wonderful quotations by some of the great men and women of God on the matter of prayer.

"Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees." Corrie ten Boom

"The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the day." E.M. Bounds

"Satan does not care how many people read about prayer if only he can keep them from praying. Paul E. Billheimer

I can go on! Look up these and many other quotes on the internet – they are inspiring but they must not just stir our hearts but inspire us to pray. The devil wants to persuade us that our prayers are not making a difference, that we are wasting our time and we would be far better getting on with some work than waste time praying. Lies and more lies. We can accomplish so much more on our knees.

If you are feeling discouraged in the place of prayer or if you have a very busy time ahead of you – let me encourage you with a testimony. When I was still working God encouraged me to rise early to meet with him every day – it was hard because I was tired and stressed – yet these precious times were the lifeline that enabled me to accomplish all that needed doing in my busy schedule.  On another day when time was not an issue I had a wonderful time of prayer with God – it was extended and could have seriously cut into the rest of the day but the incredible thing was that this day was the most fruitful day of my life.  I accomplished so much I was amazed.

Time in prayer is never wasted but it can take an effort to get going.  Be encouraged today to place the first fruits of your day in God’s hands and trust him to fulfil his plans and purposes through your prayers. He will guide your days to be fruitful and a source of great blessing to many.

Is it nothing to you?

“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?
Look around and see. Is any suffering like my suffering
that was inflicted on me, that the Lord brought on me in the day of his fierce anger? Lamentations 1: 12

I am a big fan of John Stainer’s Crucifixion and he uses this verse from Lamentations, which was really written about the fall of Jerusalem, to show the indifference of the crowd on the day of Jesus’ crucifixion. The most important event in history was happening before a largely uncaring and even mocking crowd.  According to Luke people watched, rulers sneered, soldiers mocked and even one of the criminals flung insults at him.

I wondered if they had realised what was really happening, would they have repented?  Well in the days following Pentecost a very large number did. Most of them would have heard if not seen Jesus’ crucifixion and cut to the heart by Peter’s words, they turned to Jesus (Acts 3:41, 4:4 and 6:7). But on the day, apart from the already believing disciples, only a condemned criminal and a Roman centurion realised who Jesus was.

I am cut to the heart by what Jesus did for me on the cross yet for years I too was indifferent to him, even though I knew all about it. I was not ignorant of Jesus’ death and resurrection and what it meant but I ignored his pleas.  Jesus however never gives up. Till our dying day he cries to us ‘O come unto me, O come unto me, for why should you die?’ the words used by John Stainer.

It spurs me to renew my efforts in prayer, by friendship, witness and words to tell people the magnitude of God’s amazing grace to each one of us. I want to be more effective and I think one of those ways is through miracles and healings. Time and again people believed because of what they saw Jesus and his disciples doing because these things pointed to the kingdom of heaven is near.

Let’s be encouraged to press on to being vessels used by God to bring his good news, the Gospel to an indifferent yet dying world.

Maturity through obedience

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death
even death on a cross! Philippians 2: 5 – 8

If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. John 15: 10

I have been very challenged recently by the obedience of Jesus even to death on a cross. Jesus knew that the only way that sinful men, whom he loved so much, could be saved from sin and death was by his death at the hands of those very same sinful men.  It was sheer obedience to the Father that took him to and through the death on the cross.  Jesus had in mind the bigger picture, the salvation of the world, rather than his own personal comfort or desires.

This thought though can be rather overwhelming for those of us struggling with obedience on a much smaller scale. Jesus has set such a high standard that we feel we cannot get anywhere near so there can be a tendency to not even try especially when God seems to be asking us to do something that we find quite hard.
The first thing to remember though is that God knows how hard we find it and is only asking for our obedience because he knows we can do it, with his help. The second thing to remember is that there is always a greater good either for us or someone else or for both. God is not asking us to do something so we can fail but so we can succeed, even if it takes more than one attempt or even several attempts.

God is calling us up to higher things, to a Christ like nature, to maturity and that means obediently walking through some things we may find difficult. Most of us want a life where the flesh does not have to be constantly crucified but that is not the Christian walk. That walk is the one of denying ourselves daily.  Some go too far and are harsh on the body but Paul makes clear in Colossians 2: 23 that this has little value and some just like to indulge themselves. Neither is right.

Our path is one of obedience and some days and times that may be easy and at others very challenging; getting up early to go to the prayer meeting, fasting rather than eating that rather nice food in the fridge, going and talking to a stranger rather than our friends, making a stand against unrighteousness at work and so on. However God is spurring us on to something that will do us good, that will help us know him better and live the life he has planned for us. A self indulged child only thinks about themselves; a child brought up to consider others even when it is inconvenient is a joy to be around.

I am learning a hard truth that I do not need to look after me, to make sure I get what I need and even want. God will look after me and he will do a better job than I will even if it doesn’t always feel like it. Let us be encouraged to persevere in our training in righteousness and to press on to maturity through obedience.

Don't run away

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1: 12

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139: 7 – 10

All of us will go through trials and tests in our Christian walk.  Sometimes circumstances will seem to build up against us and at other times they come from our own mistakes and sin. God permits them in order that what is on the inside is exposed to us. Often it is only through difficulties that we get to see what is really in our hearts. Sometimes this is not good viewing!

Under pressure our attitudes, prejudices and beliefs come to light. It is often when things are tough that we discover what ungodly beliefs, pride, selfishness and insecurity are underneath the surface. This is not a surprise for God but can be a big surprise for ourselves. There have been times when I have been mortified by what has been exposed in my heart by the time of testing.  However this is not to make us feel bad about ourselves but to free us from sin, pride and insecurity.

The first thing that can happen though is that we want to run away and hide and we would be in good company. Adam, Elijah and Jonah all tried that one. Moses argued with God and tried to get out of an assignment that seemed to expose all his weaknesses. Our model though instead should be David. 

When caught in adultery and murder, he went straight to God and pleaded with him not to take his Spirit from him (Psalm 51). Psalm 139 written by David shows he knew you can never get away from God – even if like Jonah you run to the far side of the sea – even there God will find you and David was comforted by this. Hiding from God and other Christians in our times of weakness and testing should be the last thing we do. Instead we must press into God and seek out the company of trusted Christian friends.

God is for us, not against us.  He does not want us weighted down and hampered by sin and weakness. He wants us free from them to enjoy the fullness of his plans and purpose for our lives. The next time you stumble or feel under attack by either people who discredit you, speak unkindly of you or reject you or by the devil spinning his lies, don’t run away. Press into God’s presence. Whether the situation is of your making or by others, seek God and his comfort. Don’t try running away – it really doesn’t help. God will find us; God will have his way and we can completely trust his loving dealings in our lives the first time.   

Suffering and glory

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. I Peter 4: 12 – 13

I struggle to get an understanding on the positive benefits of suffering and how God’s glory is revealed through it. The Bible though is full of exhortation when faced with suffering and different authors encourage us to rejoice in our trials. We know that God was greatly glorified by the suffering and death of Jesus and it was the only way that God could redeem condemned men from sin and death. In the same way it seems that in the places of the world where there is most persecution of believers, thousands come to faith and there are incredible signs, wonders and miracles.

Brother Yun, The Heavenly Man, underwent the most horrific torture and humiliation for the sake of the Gospel in China.  He was imprisoned, humiliated, beaten with electric batons, fasted without food or water for 74 days (a human impossibility without God) and forced into latrines full of human excrement by both prison guards and his fellow cell mates. When he was so weak the prison authorities thought he was about to die they ordered his family to visit him to try to persuade him to confess his ‘crimes’ and betray his fellow workers.  His wife and family did not recognise him and only his Mother knew who he was because of a birthmark. He broke his fast and took communion with them and something broke in the heavenly realms.

His cell mates who were all suffering from a plague became Christians. Brother Yun spent his days discipling them and the many other prisoners who got saved. Then a condemned, suicidal, incredibly violent murderer, shackled for his and everyone else’s safety was put in their cell.  They treated him with love, mercy and kindness.  He was saved and transformed.  As he was led off to his execution he was rejoicing in going to be in heaven with his Saviour.

What an incredible testimony!  Jesus was indeed glorified by Brother Yun’s suffering and many came to faith as a result. Was there no other way for these precious souls to be saved?

Christians persecuted in this way however seem to regard it as an incredible honour to suffer as Jesus did. They are overjoyed when Jesus is glorified by many coming to salvation and they consider their lives as nothing as long as the Kingdom advances. Surely this is how the Christian life should be? Help us God to live our lives selflessly for your glory in our situations.

Rejoicing in trials

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  Matthew 5: 11 – 12

I have been reading The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun, a Chinese pastor who along with many Chinese Christians has been imprisoned and horrifically beaten, tortured and persecuted just for being Christian. They have an understanding of the joy of persecution that I have no comprehension of.  Yet their experience is Biblical.  Jesus suffered greatly for us. His disciples and the apostle Paul all suffered terribly for the Gospel and most were martyred yet I doubt any would have preferred an easier life.   

James tells us ‘to consider it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds’. Why? Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1: 3 – 4).

Brother Yun says, ‘There are many ways the Lord may lead a Christian during his or her life but I am convinced that the path of every believer will sooner or later include suffering. The Lord gives us these trials to keep us humble and dependent on him for our sustenance. I believe when suffering and pain increases, sinning decreases. … How we mature as a Christian largely depends on the attitude we have when we are faced with suffering. Some try to avoid it or imagine it doesn’t exist, but that will only make the situation worse.  Others try to endure it grimly, hoping for relief.  This is better but falls short of the full victory God wants to give each of his children.

The Lord wants us to embrace suffering as a friend.  We need a deep realisation that when we’re persecuted for Jesus’ sake it is an act of God’s blessing to us. This might sound impossible but it is attainable with God’s help.

When people malign you, rejoice and be glad. When they curse you, bless them in return.  When you walk through a painful experience, embrace it and you will be free! When you learn these lessons, there is nothing left that the world can do to you.’

Most of us have little experience of what Brother Yun suffered, yet how to endure and, yes, rejoice in our lesser suffering is the same.  His experiences were so extreme and dreadful yet all of us will also have trials at some time with family difficulties, work problems, financial worries and church! It is through these that we can know that God is always with us and will use these circumstances to bring about his plans for our lives as we press into him.  Self pity will always try and grip us but instead we must embrace God.  Our character and maturity grow to bring us to completeness as we persevere in the midst of our difficulties and as we test God’s eternal word and find it is completely faithful and trustworthy.  Maybe we will even learn to rejoice in our suffering realising God is doing a great work in our lives.