ORLANDO CHINESE CHURCH MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
JANUARY, 2003
Rejoice in the Lord
Several new believers shared a common experience among them. When first became a Christian, they all felt the newness in the peace and joy of being forgiven. The love of Christ was so real and rich that it richly filled their hearts. In fellowshipping with the Lord, it seemed that every prayer was answered, and every aspect of life was blessed. The new life was so full of hope with a willingness to obey and serve the Master.
However, it did not take long and things changed when one encountered discouragements. When unbelievers laughed at us, the Lord did not seem to care. The righteous suffered while the evil prospered. The prayer for sick relatives was not as easily answered anymore. The reality appeared to deviate far from the initial expectation of Christian life. Gradually, the fire in the heart became cold. As despair slipped in, prayer life suffered and peace and joy left. Such a spiritual down turn made one forget that the Lord did love and gave Himself for us. Some even began to wonder if the early experience was just an emotional affair in self-deceit.
Are you, dear one, also falling at this moment into this situation? In fact, not only the new believers, but some veterans in faith would at times feel discouraged, weak, lonely and spiritually down. The Bible recorded many such examples.
Moses once met God at the burning bush, was called to serve and even was revealed to him the Holy Name of God in Exodus 3. He was faithful in the house of Israel, as a great servant of God. Unfortunately, when he led the Israelites into the wilderness, Numbers 20 told us that he lost his temper at Meribah, and did not honor the Lord's name before the people. As a result, he was allowed to look at the promise land, but not to enter (see Deut. 32:48-52). Thank God, for He is merciful and loving. He did not forsake Moses. Instead, He made him present at the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 17.
David was chosen by God and anointed by Samuel to become the king of Israel. He was a man after God's own heart. Later he committed adultery and sinned against God. In disciplining him, God took away his young son, and even caused his own son Absalom to rebel against him. In Psalm 143:2-4, he wrote, "Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one is righteous before you. My enemy pursues me; he crushes me to the ground. My spirit grows faint within me, and my heart is dismayed." But he knew how to approach God in his sorrow, "I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you, and I lift up my soul to you." (v. 5, 8)
Elijah was one of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament. He raised the dead back to life. He prayed for rain in Israel. He overcame the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel. What you know that when Jezebel threatened to kill him, he lost heart and fled. The great prophet was just like us in the flesh, weak and full of fear. But he poured out his heart to God, who then spoke to him in a small still voice and revived Elijah.
The disciples of Jesus followed Him for three years. They heard His teachings, and witnessed many of His miracles. But, when the Lord was crucified, they all fled in fear. We are most familiar with Peter's denial of the Lord. However, because he wept bitterly, the risen Lord appeared to him and brought him back.
Even John the Baptist, who was the forerunner for the Lord, doubted Jesus at one time when he was jailed. He did proclaim that Jesus was the Lamb of God, who took away the sin of the world. He declared that "He will increase and I will decrease." Jesus did not forsake John because of his doubt, but praise him as the greatest among those born of women, (Luke 7:28).
Paul was the apostle greatly used by the Lord, who appeared to him many times. He even had the experience of the third heaven, yet he cried out, "What a wretched man I am!" or "who is weak and I do not feel weak?" Nevertheless, through a close fellowship with the Lord, he was able to say, "All things work together for the good of those who love God" (Rom. 8:28). He told us that he was "hard pressed but not crushed, perplexed but not in despair" (2 Cor. 4:8). While jailed in Rome, he could write, "Rejoice in the Lord!"
Are you discouraged and feeling hopeless? Does the wave of sorrow wash away your peace and joy? The Bible never promised that all be smooth sailing with no hardship. But Jesus did say, "In the world you have tribulations, but in Me you have peace, for I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). He promised the heavenly peace that will override the worldly sorrow and fear. Sometimes we suffer for righteousness sake, (2 Peter 3:17). There are times we run into resistance in our service (Neh. 2:10). Jeremiah suffered because of the sin of Israel (Jer. 3:51-52). Often we judge God from our own viewpoint, believing that we knew God well enough to do so. The result is that we become self-centered.
Let us turn from the level of man to the height of God. Do not look at man or self, but turn our eyes upon Jesus to receive His light and comfort. When we know more about His love and righteousness, He can take a fuller control of our lives and be glorified in us. In all things, think of ourselves with sober judgment in accordance with the faith God has given us (Rom. 12:3). Meditate on His great, sacrificial love that took our sins upon Himself, and gave us grace. We will then be jointed to the true vine and bear much fruit, because the things of this earth fade away in the unchanging love of our unchanging God (Heb. 13:8). May the love of God constrain us to return to the throne of grace, so we be revived to proclaim, "Who can separate us from the love of Christ?" (Rom. 8:35)
A Final Word For The Year
Paul usually put in a final word at the end of his letters to the churches. Those lines revealed to us Paul's burden for the brethrens as a spiritual father. As he concluded each epistle, he used those words to carefully convey the message entrusted by the Spirit. As the year draws to the end, may we encourage each other with those "final words", especially for those newly baptized this morning.
To the Corinthian church Paul exhorted them with a final word "to be perfect" (2 Cor. 13:11). Jesus also taught the disciples "to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt. 5:48), which is God's will for all who are called in His grace. Therefore, Hebrew 6:1 said that we should leave the elementary teaching about the Christ, and press on to perfection, or maturity. It reminds us that we are not just to be saved, but to grow unto maturity to have the senses trained to discern good and evil (5:13-14). May this be our prayer and resolution before the Lord in the New Year.
In order to begin the pathway toward maturity, there is a prerequisite, namely, the final word of "being a new creation" in Galatians 6:15. One needs to repent his sins before God, and ask for the blood of Jesus to cleanse him from all unrighteousness. Then, one shall receive the new life in the resurrection of Christ to begin a new way of life. "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17). Without this divine life, one may try to imitate the Christian way, but eventually will fail, unable to reach the goal of perfection.
In our pursuit of maturity, Paul further reminded us the following three points:
- Because of the attack from Satan we must "be strong in the Lord" (Eph. 6:10). Peter said that the devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Everyday we are in this warfare with the power of the dark world. In order for us to stand firm, Paul wrote this final word that we should put on the full armor of God against the schemes of the devil and be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (Eph. 6:10-11).
- Concerning the temptation of the world, Paul had the final word in Philippians 4:8, asking the brethren to have their minds dwell on whatever is honorable, right, pure, lovely….. Through our visual and hearing senses, the world infiltrates into our hearts in order to pollute us. Only when we "seek the things above, not on things that are on earth" (Col. 3:2), can we keep our minds from the earthly things. "Above" is where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God, and only He is honorable, right, pure, lovely and repute. May we dwell our minds on Him and Him alone!
- Furthermore, Paul asked the brethren to be a man of prayer (2 Thess. 3:1-3). For ministers like Paul, we need to support them with our prayer, such that the Word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified. With our prayer they may also be delivered from the evil one. When we invest in prayer, we will experience God's faithfulness in protecting not only those for whom we pray, but also ourselves from the enemy.
In the New Year, may the Lord keep us from the attack of the devil and the temptation of this world. As we dwell our minds on the heavenly things and earnestly pray in the Spirit, we may successfully run this course toward maturity for which the Lord has called us.