Tag Archives: Jesus

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Jesus Among the Lampstands

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The first paragraph of Revelation closes with the potentially ominous words, “take to heart what is written in it [the prophecy], because the time is near.” (Revelation 1:3, NIV). These words set the tone for a book that seems cryptic, yet is titled the Revelation to John, giving the reader the idea that something hidden is being unveiled to John (and by extension, to us).

John reports that Jesus sent this God-given message through an intermediary–an angel–to John, who was a reliable and trusted witness of all that he saw: the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. His purpose in relaying the message to John was so that he would proclaim it to show God’s servants what must soon take place.

Who Jesus Is

John begins by establishing the nature and character of the One giving the message, Jesus, describing him as follows:

  • Him who is, and who was, and who is to come (vs. 4)
  • the faithful witness (vs. 5)
  • the firstborn from among the dead (vs. 5)
  • the ruler of the kings of the earth (vs. 5)
  • the one who loves us (vs. 5)
  • the one who has freed us from our sins by his blood (vs. 5)
  • the one who made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father (vs. 6)
  • the Alpha and Omega (vs. 8)
  • the Almighty (vs. 8)
  • the First and the Last (vs. 17)
  • the Living One (vs. 18)

While in the Gospels we observe Jesus teaching his followers, performing miracles, preaching the Kingdom of Heaven, here we see Jesus resurrected, ascended, glorified, victorious, active in the affairs of his body, the Church.

Where We See Him

As John prayed, the veil between heaven and earth was rent. He no longer saw only his surroundings on Patmos, he saw into the heavenly realms. Hearing a loud voice behind him, he turned, falling as though dead at the sight of the exalted, glorified Jesus. The Ancient of Days stood before him in the midst of seven lampstands, dressed as a priest, supernatural, powerful, overwhelming in his holy presence.

We are told that these golden lampstands represented the seven churches of Asia.

This image was posted by the EarthtoSpiritWarrior Channel on Youtube on August 2, 2015.

What was Jesus Doing There?

Priests, in Old Testament times, were the ones chosen to move about inside the Tabernacle (later the Temple). The ministered before God, making sacrifices, tending to the show bread, offering incense, and so on. They also tended the golden lampstand. They kept the oil filled, they trimmed the wicks, they insured that the light would not be extinguished in the Holy Place. Writes Moses in Exodus 27:20 and following:

“You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set to burn. In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.”

Exodus 27:20-21, ESV

In other words, keeping the light burning was of highest importance. This room in the tabernacle separated the outer court from the Holy of Holies. Without the continual light burning in the lamps of the lampstand, the room containing the Bread of the Presence (symbolizing God’s nurturing presence) and the Altar of Incense (symbolizing the prayers of the saints) would go dark. Ministry in this space would cease. Only darkness would exist between the Holiest Place (containing the Ark of the Covenant) and the outer court where priests made animal sacrifice.

We might then deduce that Jesus, dressed in priestly garments, was moving among the lampstands, filling them with oil, trimming the wicks, insuring that the light will not go out.

It is noteworthy that earlier in the chapter, as John erupts in doxology, he proclaims that Jesus “made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father . . .”

The background image used is accredited as follows: “Israel-06877 – Solid Gold Menorah” by archer10 (Dennis) is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

So the church exists in that space between the Holiest Place where God dwells and the outer courts of the world. The church is the bearer of light, the container of oil that burns brightly for the King of Kings. And there in that Holy Place, moving among the lampstands, is Jesus Christ, the Holy One, filling the lamps with oil (symbolizing the Holy Spirit), trimming the wicks so that the lamps will burn bright and clear (not the smokey, smouldering flames characteristic of damaged wicks), so that the light will not go out.

Light in a Dark World

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

John 1:1-5, ESV

Jesus himself said of his followers, “You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14) His Spirit fuels our light. His Word keeps us walking with him.

“Your word is a light for my feet, a light on my path.”

Psalm 119:105

Jesus is quite serious about keeping the light burning bright and clear. He is not averse to disciplining his followers in order to cut away that which would dim their witness and dull their love.

His words are given to the seven churches, not merely the messengers of those churches. The criticisms that are leveled against the churches of Asia are leveled against congregations, not merely the individuals comprising the congregation. The expectation is that these congregations will experience life together, will discipline one another, will assemble in order to encourage one another, all the more as the Day draws near. Note the words of the writer to the Hebrews:

“And let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV

It is in the context of the assembly that we find:

  • Accountability
  • Encouragement
  • Exhortation
  • Motivation
  • Teaching
  • Mutual Prayer
  • Correction

To our shame, there are many who consider themselves followers of Jesus that have been deceived by the spirit of the age, believing that there are no consequences for sin or pursuit of self. Many falsely believe that you can follow Jesus without being part of the church. To believe that you can be a follower of Jesus without being part of the church is like believing that a leg can function in and of itself without being attached to a body. A leg detached from a body simply putrefies into a rotting, malodorous puddle of stench. Likewise, when we detach ourselves from the body, we become vulnerable to deception (including self-deception), loss of passion, discouragement, error, etc.

Henceforth, Jesus walks amidst the church, disciplining us for our own good. He calls us out on that which we have abandoned. He encourages us in what is right and good. And he leaves us with a stern warning (as is seen in the letter written to the Ephesian congregation): “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” (Rev. 2:5)

As I read those words, my mind is drawn back into the image of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. In Revelation, rather than there being a menorah with seven branches, there are seven separate lampstands, each one giving its light into the darkened space between the Holiest Place and the outer court. I see the glorified Christ tending to each lamp and finding one that is smoking and smouldering and filling the Holy Place with acrid smoke. I see him removing it from the space to prevent that space from becoming polluted.

Our Light

Even though each of us is part of a congregation (hopefully), we are also individuals. God pours the light of life into each of us when we repent and are joined to him in baptism. We receive the gift of the Holy Spirit when we are buried and raised with Him. We are given spiritual gifts that are to be used to build up the body. We are extended grace through faith. What we do in our hearts and minds and with our hands and feet affects the life of the body. We are not our own. We were bought with a price.

Because we have surrendered our rights and have accepted the exhortation to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him, we must each choose daily to live in light of our impact on others. Our choices impact the community.

The world’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has been used by the Lord to trim the wicks of the lamps. He has used it to expose the fissures in the foundation of our philosophy and practice. He has used it to force the issue with us that following Jesus isn’t about “Your best life now . . .” or your “best year ever” or about “being true to yourself”. He has used it to show us where our loyalties truly lay. James exhorts us to not let ourselves be polluted by the world, yet . . .

Satan wants to use this season to unleash hell on earth. In his fury he wants to destroy the church, isolate believers, and bring us to ruin. He wants to snuff out our light. But we have the promises, don’t we? “The light shines in the darkness, but darkness has not overcome it.” “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail.” “To him who overcomes I will grant to eat of the tree of life . . .”

We do well, beloved, to use this season which Satan means for evil to use it for good: to take stock of our lives, our assumptions, our practice and to turn a corner through repentance, surrender, and a renewed, deepened love for God and his Word.

” . . . the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

Romans 13:11-13, ESV

Let your light shine!!!

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Reflections on Revelation

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Do you get that tingling sensation in your stomach as the first words of a new book pass before your eyes? Are you immediately consumed by the story, carried away by the artistry of a master author? John’s Revelation has stirred this in me more than once over the years. John teaches us so much about the real Jesus–Jesus ascended to heaven, Jesus on the throne, Jesus the conquering King. As you read the Apocalypse, you can see Jesus, mounted on a white horse charging into Armageddon bent on vanquishing the enemy of our souls. This is the true Jesus, the Jesus we need in these tumultuous days.

With this post I’ve begun writing down reflections on this important book—not to present a detailed eschatology (study of last things), but to pull back the veil and peek into the shadows of some very challenging prophecy. I do not intend to spell out a system explaining 70 weeks or 7 years or the kind of stuff made into movies. Rather I want to draw out the life found in this cryptic book, like drawing water from a well. Revelation is about more than signs and symbols. It is a letter that can empower us to conquer today. Inasmuch as Revelation is the gospel itself, hidden from enemies, revealed to believers, it is powerful for salvation. As Paul wrote to those at Rome: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes . . .” (Romans 1:16, ESV) John paints on the canvas of our minds images of creatures and thrones and seals and terror and comfort and victory. There is holy war. There is tension and wonder and finally, resolution to the rebellion and sin that led mankind down the path of destruction.

It is my pleasure to share these reflections with you and my prayer that you find something in them to build you up in your most holy faith. Come journey with me through the pages of Revelation as we walk the path together that leads to the throne of grace, equipped and steadfast, following the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Stay tuned for upcoming posts, the first of which is entitled Jesus Among the Lampstands . . .

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Endurance in Adversity

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A Brief Word

When I started shakethegates.org several years ago, my intention was to help believers in Christ not only stand firm in the evil day, but forcefully advance the Kingdom of God despite the overwhelming opposition of society. I’ve been busy living in a developing nation, discipling believers, translating the New Testament, trying to stay afloat. My high aspirations for this website have fallen far short of what I’d hoped to do with it.

Lately, I’ve been feeling increasing urgency to prepare believers for a level of opposition that few have ever known. Intense opposition is the norm for many believers around the world. People in those contexts have endured the unspeakable, yet continue to stand. Not so much in the West.

The best way that I know to prepare believers for what lay ahead is to drill down into the Word of God and draw out the meaning, exhortation, nourishment, and hope found there. After all:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV

I covet your prayer as I step into a new season of study, writing, prayerful thinking, and preparation. I ask you to pray that the Father will grant me sharp focus, a heart tender toward Him, skillful word-smithing, and clear understanding of His word in order that I might serve Him and you well in this endeavor.

A few weeks ago I published an article entitled At Hand which you can read here. The urgency of the New Testament writers (in that case, Paul, Peter, and John) was unmistakable. The world of their time was pagan and poised against the subjects of the King of Kings. Their rulers were notorious for their extreme immorality and their violent reigns.

Imperial Persecution

Emperor Nero was representative of many of the Roman emperors. According to Henry Halley (Halley’s Bible Handbook), under Nero’s persecution “many Christians were crucified, or thrown to wild beasts, or wrapped in combustible garments and burned to death while Nero laughed at the pitiful shrieks of burning men and women. Paul and Peter suffered martyrdom in Nero’s persecution.”

Nero is most known today for his maniacal fiddling while Rome burned. There were a litany of emperors between Nero and Domitian, who exiled John. Nero committed suicide, leaving the throne to Galba who reigned a grand total of 7 months and 7 days at which time he was murdered by the Praetorian Guard. Then came Otho, appointed by the Praetorian Guard who reigned for 3 months and 1 day. He committed suicide after losing a battle. Vitellius followed, reigning 8 months and 3 days before being murdered by Vespasian’s troops. Vespasian replaced him and ruled nearly a decade before dying of natural causes. Then came Titus, Vespasian’s son, who ruled 2 years and 2 months before dying of fever. Finally came Domitian, who ruled 15 years and 4 days before being murdered by court officials.

During Domitian’s reign, John was exiled to the island of Patmos where he penned Revelation, having survived, according to Fox’s Book of Martyrs, being boiled in oil.

Modern Persecution

Though most of us have not suffered under this sort of rule, patterns and trends would point toward the possibility that, as our societies disintegrate and people attempt to cast off moral restraint, people will eventually demand some sort of powerful rule, whether a government system or a strong individual. What followed the October Revolution of 1917? Stalin’s reign of terror. What followed the Wiemar Republic and the stripping of Germany’s military might following WWI? The rise of national socialism and its leader, Adolf Hitler. Pol Pot led the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, leaving a legacy of murder. What of Chairman Mao and the cultural revolution in China? Or Fidel Castro in Cuba?

In each of these situations, followers of Jesus have suffered persecution. Stalin instituted the Gulag. Chinese Christians have consistently suffered intense persecution and opposition since the cultural revolution. Hitler’s government not only exterminated 6 million Jews, it imprisoned and executed political opponents and Christians who did not hold with the party’s brutality and extreme evil.

It seems that humanity is once again attempting to set the stage for 20th-century-like upheaval. Creation groans. Humanity is drunk with rebellion and notions of revolution. This generation desires to cast off all restraint. Many of our information sources are merely propaganda machines, spreading dissension and hate toward all that is holy. As we drift along the flow of history (past and future), proponents and servants of the world system increasingly attempt to silence the voice of reason and holiness.

Read more . . .
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The Power of Doxology

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When I was new to the Lord I learned an oft sung chorus simply called The Doxology. “Praise God from whom all blessings flow/Praise Him, All creatures here below/Praise him above ye heavenly host/Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.” It was sung after communion or at the end of the church service, in keeping with the Biblical tradition of book-ending a section of text with a “word of glory”, an ascription of value and worth to God. While this chorus is actually a Catholic prayer, doxologies are found throughout the Old and New Testaments.

Lately I’ve been thinking about doxology and this is what I’ve concluded: doxology has a powerful place in daily life. Consider the doxology included in the introduction to Revelation. “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”(Revelation 1:5-6, ESV) This one doxology, if internalized, has the power to revolutionize your life. In fact, this would be a great passage to meditate on at the beginning of each day this week.

This doxology is ascribed to Jesus and begins: “To him who loves us . . .” There are days when it can be a stretch to remember that He loves me. Perhaps I’ve not bothered to confess my sin and I’m feeling estranged from Him. Maybe the woes of walking in this world become heavy and I’ve neglected to release them to Him. Or I read the words and they merely bounce around my mind, never taking root in my heart. But not only did Jesus tell us that he loved us, he showed us. He said to his disciples in the closing hours of his ministry in his body: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13, ESV) That is precisely what He did for us. Allow this truth to sink down through the layers of your mind into the depths of your heart. Allow this truth to be a cornerstone to the foundation of your faith.

The doxology continues: ” . . and has freed us from our sins by his blood . . .” His love moved him from the Garden to Golgotha. Bloodied and tortured, he was nailed to a Roman cross in order to provide our reconciliation to the Father in Heaven who, by the way, loves us, too. When we were helpless slaves to our rebellion and rejection of God, he surrendered to the cross to free us to walk from death to life.

Having washed us by his blood, reconciling us to the Father, he ” . . . made us a kingdom . . . “ Not only did we become subjects to the King of Kings, he gave us a place of honor, allowing us to become kings with him, to share in his rule of the nations of the earth in the age to come.

He also gave us the privilege of becoming ” . . . priests to his God and Father “, that is to become mediators between the lost ones and the Father. Having been reconciled to the Father, we represent Christ to the world, appealing to its children to be reconciled to God. We not only intercede for the lost, we do all in our power to bring them to the Heavenly Father, that they too may be freed from their sins and be made new creations.
At this point the John puts hands and feet on the high praise given the King: ” . . . to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” May this never be merely a statement we make by rote before moving on with our day. First, says John, honor God with your life–forever. Second, surrender rule of your affections, attitudes, and actions to God the Father–also forever. That is, give him dominion of your being.

Meditating on these profound truths allows us the opportunity to begin our day basking in the love and gifts of God. As the truths take hold of our hearts, we respond by yielding the right to rule ourselves to God the Father, inviting him to show his glory, character, and majesty through us to draw a rebellious world to himself.

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At Hand

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Late last year I celebrated a half-century walking on this big blue marble. Admittedly some of those years were spent crawling or being carried, but you get the idea. Since turning 50 I’ve had a lot of new experiences: I had two major back surgeries (nearly died during the first one), I discovered why I’m so often tired (severe sleep apnea) and nearly every morning I’ve observed an increasingly gray beard. I point your attention to my beard as there is really nothing on top of the head to see (other than the glare of the sun). Every gaze into the mirror brings to mind memories of my father and my oldest brother–who both passed away younger than I would’ve thought they should. The gray beard, the persistent images, and a few moments in the Bible remind me of the fleeting nature of my time here. However, the Bible emphasizes something beyond brevity: urgency.

Urgency

Urgency is a recurring theme in the New Testament. I remember the first time that it really struck a chord with me was during a study of Romans 13:11-13. This passage greatly emphasizes the urgency of our faith. First, Paul writes, “Besides this, you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake up from your sleep.” He then emphasizes, “For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.” Indeed, it is. Finally: “The night is far gone; the day is at hand.“ He builds tension here that leaves the believer asking, much as thousands did on the day of Pentecost, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Paul’s Thoughts

Paul continues: “So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” He defines his terms so as to not leave any ambiguity. “Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Mankind has been fallen since that fateful day in the Garden. Paul warns the first-century believers against the very same kinds of sin that plague humanity today. Western society, specifically, plunges further and further into this cesspool as it rejects the very faith that was so influential in establishing the best parts of Western society. We dare not sit idly by and watch the world burn. Why?

Peter’s Thoughts

“For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (I Peter 4:17, ESV) There will be a day of reckoning when we all must give account for what we have or have not done. Paul, Peter and even John agree that this time of judgment is at hand.

John’s Thoughts

John introduces Revelation this way: “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.” (Revelation 1:1-3, ESV)

Kinds of Time

One might read the passages above and wonder how, after 2,000 years, anyone can say that salvation is “at hand” or that “the time is near”. A little bit of Greek might help our understanding. There are two words in Greek that are frequently translated “time”. The first word is chronos, from which we derive our English words like chronicle or chronic. It means what we typically think of as time–minutes, hours, days, etc. The second word, kairos, has a different vibe. It indicates an opportune time, decisive moment or crisis. Writes Bible scholar and commentator Robert H. Mounce in his commentary on Revelation:

“The Greek kairos (“time”) was commonly used in an eschatological [last things] sense to indicate a time of crisis or a decisive moment. The statement seems to have come from the standard Jewish messianic expectations of the day. In Mark 13 Jesus warned his disciples that many would come in his name claiming to be the promised Messiah (v. 5). A bit later in the chapter he spoke of the time of his return, telling them to be on guard because they did not know when that time (kairos) would come. The critical moment for the fulfillment of all that John had seen in his visions had drawn near. Hence the urgency of hearing and obeying the words of the prophecy.”

*Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 43–44. (Emphasis mine)

In other words, the next big thing on God’s timeline is Christ’s return and we don’t have a clear idea of just when that will be. We have general information but no specifics as to the time. Henceforth, we are warned time and again by Jesus himself to live in anticipation, as if he could return any moment. As you read above, his apostles echoed his sentiments. How do we do that?

Warnings and Exhortation

Paul exhorts us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. We can’t do that by our own strength. When Jesus ascended to heaven he sent his Spirit to indwell us. It is by the Spirit that we are able to overcome the works of darkness, to cast off sin, and to walk in newness of life.

Peter warns us that our adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8) He encourages us to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand, cast all our anxieties on him, to be sober-minded and watchful.

John promises that if we read aloud the words of his prophecy and who hear and keep what is written there.

Our Decisive Moment

I suggest to you that our generation has come to a decisive moment in our time. The nations are raging against the Lord Jesus Christ. The enemies of Christ are call good evil and evil good. As followers of Jesus, we face a time not unlike what Israel faced in the time of Joshua. Joshua reminded Israel of the deliverance and bountiful material blessings God had bestowed upon them. They knew how often they had turned away from God even in the midst of his deliverance. Aware of both the blessing and the chronic disobedience, Joshua says to them, “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served . . . But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14-15, ESV)

There is an urgency in our day, in our generation, that drives us to the point of decision. What might we think or do that will most prepare us for His coming? How might we pursue the kingdom of God faithfully with complete sincerity? What would prevent us from being ready? What must we ruthlessly remove?

Who will we choose?

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Authentic Weaponry

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Introduction

I’ve read a lot over the years about spiritual warfare–out of necessity, of course. I’ve been hip-deep in it more times than I’d like to remember. While some thinking in circulation rings true, other thinking is just zany. It takes more effort than expected to separate the zany from the true, searching the Scriptures and testing the “spirits”.

Most discussion (sound or unsound) includes the topic of spiritual weaponry. Yet to rush into talking about spiritual weapons without laying a solid Biblical foundation is folly. Weapons are useful only if you know how to use them. Their effective use implies the use of solid tactics, which themselves are employed within thoughtful strategies.

Warfare or Paintball?

We have been guilty in the 21st century church of treating the war for the souls of men and women like a game of paintball. We wage an ersatz war which we often don’t truly believe has consequences. Sure, maybe in some theoretical existence, but day to day? After all, what’s really at stake in a game of paintball? A little soreness? A loss of face if your team loses? You have a little fun then go back to “real life” when it is over.

Rather than rush into an overly familiar treatment of spiritual weaponry, permit me to turn your attention to a more foundational facet of spiritual warfare: authentic relationship. Real soldiers, trained and armed, move into harms way. Imitators play paintball on the weekends.

Sceva and His Sons

Acts chapter 19 illustrates this well. Sceva was a Jewish high priest during the earliest days of the church. His seven sons were itinerant exorcists. Lexicographers Johannes Louw and Eugene Nida* define an exorcist as “one who drives out evil spirits by invoking supernatural persons or powers or by the use of magic formulas“.

Though these sons were well respected, religious and active in engaging the enemy, they were nameless in the realm where demonic spirits traffic. They had a religious reputation without accompanying spiritual power. They saw Paul doing miracles in Jesus’ name and wanted in on the gig. So they treated His name as a mantra, a talisman, a magical word of power wedged into an empty formula.

I live and work in a culture where magic formulas are the religious norm. Rites and rituals are expected to control spiritual entities and bend the course of society. They are used for revenge or evil. They are also used for good (healing, fertility, fruitfulness in gardening, etc.) But much like the sons of Sceva, practitioners find that the mantras don’t transform, power words don’t stop suffering, and use of talismans don’t delay the inevitable.

Appearances

Paul warns Timothy that in the last days this sort of thing will become common in the church. Consider 2 Timothy 3:

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

2 Timothy 3:1-5, ESV

What was it in Paul’s use of Jesus’ name that was different?

Authentic Relationship & Delegated Authority

Paul lived in authentic relationship with Jesus. That relationship resulted in Paul using delegated authority as he confronted Satanic powers. This is not unlike a military chain of command. In the U.S., Congress declares war. The general staff utilizes strategy to draw up orders which are given to their subordinates. Those subordinate officers give orders to officers subordinate to them and it goes all the way down the chain to enlisted men who carry out orders–orders which are based on an ultimate strategy (at least ideally). The gunnery sergeant giving an order to a subordinate is analogous to a general giving an order to a subordinate. The gunnery sergeant is operating on the delegated authority, ultimately, of Congress.

Sceva’s sons were not in relationship with Jesus. They had no delegated authority. The evil spirits had no obligation to respond to these men at all. And so rather than obeying a bunch of imposters throwing “magic” words at them, they did quite the opposite.

“The evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?’ And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Acts 19:15-16, ESV

Any use of spiritual weaponry must begin with an authentic relationship with Jesus. If we are to operate in his delegated authority, we must be in subjection to His authority over us. Does this mean that we must be perfect? Of course not. Does it mean that we are living according to works? God forbid. It does mean that we operate on Jesus’ authority and command. He is the head, we are the body. He is the one given strategy, we carry out his strategy.

Results of Authenticity

What results when we act on delegated authority derived from authentic relationship?

“And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord was extolled. Also, many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices . . . So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.”

Acts 19:17-20, ESV

Next Post . . .

In the next post, let’s unpack what it means to walk in authentic relationship . . . See you there!

References

*Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (Louw and Nida)

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Unmovable

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My family and I live in the shadow of Mount Somau in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. While remote by most of the world’s standards, we still have access to cellular service, however slow it is in comparison with Western standards. It is still fast enough to  allow us  to download news on our phones, though I’m not always sure that is such a great thing.

Charles Spurgeon once said that a preacher should hold the newspaper in one hand and a Bible in the other. Perhaps. The perceptive reader will do so to connect the dots between the predictions of the New Testament and the fulfillment of those predictions today. Indeed, Paul wrote to Timothy that there would come terrible times in the last days. 

The sensitive follower of Jesus is distressed by the unspeakable nature of what the world embraces as not only normal, but laudable. We should ask the question, as Francis Schaeffer once famously did, “How then shall we live?”

Jesus spoke at length about both the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of days. Consider what he prophesies as recorded in Matthew 24:9-13: “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” 

  God’s people have been persecuted, threatened, opposed, hated, and murdered for millennia. Our end might be martyrdom or imprisonment. We might be cast out of society and despised. Whatever form persecution takes, Jesus warns that the increase in wickedness will threaten our ability to love one another, let alone the lost. We will be tempted to fall away,  but endure we must. We dare not yield to the pressure our enemy exerts to overwhelm, discourage, destroy and silence us.

Saiva Creek overflows after an hours-long torrential downpour. The boulders do not move.

From Mount Somau springs forth a stream that flows from the heights to the bottom of the mountain. As it flows down the steep slopes, it flows over and around scores of  enormous boulders that determine where its course. Rain or dry the boulders rarely move.

Our role in society must be like those boulders. While society flows into greater dissipation, we must remain unmovable in our convictions, loyalty to the Father, and commitment to endure to the end. We must withstand the torrent in love.

Is it possible? If so, what reward is there for the conqueror?

  • “The one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” (Revelation 2:7)
  • “To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” (Revelation 2:17)
  • “To the one who conquers and who keeps my word until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations . . .” (Revelation 2:26)
  • “The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.” (Revelation 3:5)
  • “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.” (Revelation 3:12-13)
  • “The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.” (Revelation 3:21)
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Mindset

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It is no secret that the mind is a spiritual battleground. Here Satan plies his wares of lies and lusts, tugging at the flesh to pull the pilgrim away to destruction. To protect our minds from the attacks of the enemy, we do well to cultivate a hedge of Truth.

A  few weeks ago, my family and I were discussing what Truth to focus on together in 2019. We settled on the early paragraphs of Colossians chapter three, which build upon Colossians 2:12:

“For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.”

Paul writes:

“If then, you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

As the world presses in upon us, it relentlessly pushes its message in our faces: smartphones, social media, billboards, TV, etc.. If we aren’t diligent, our minds can become polluted, distracted and blunted. We must operate in reality if we are to win the battle for the mind, and that reality is not bound up in the temporary. To operate there, we need to set our affections there. But how can we fix our minds on something so other as the heavenly realms? Are we left merely to our imaginations?

Bible teacher Alistair Begg rightly points out that we are not merely fixing our minds on a place so much as a person. In the “above”,  God the Father sits enthroned over all. At His right hand sits the victorious Son, who overcame sin and death in order that we might be with him where he is.

Where is the Son? What is he doing there? Plant a seed of Truth by taking a few moments away from whatever device you are using to read this. Quiet your mind. Grab a Bible and read through Hebrews chapters 8 through 10. Finished? Read through it again, chewing on passages that jump out at you. Lay your Bible before you and kneel (if you are able) and begin to talk to God in prayer about what you read there. Who are you in relation to who He is?

There is much more to be said on this topic, but I’ll leave you with a short passage that sums things up pretty well:

“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest . . .” —Hebrews 6:19-20

He has gone before the face of God to prepare the way for us to join him there. Now there’s something to set you to thinking!

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Take the Risk!

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Considerations

Some of us are rather doubtful about our place in the world and even more so about our place with those that we care about. This is commonly referred to as insecurity and it stems from any number of things. Some say certain personality types are prone to it (like the folks who use the Enneagram to start meaningful conversations). Others consider formative experiences early in life to be a root cause, or to some particular trauma that looms heavy in the person’s consciousness. A lot has been written on the subject, both in the popular and professional press*.

Whatever the seed that planted insecurity in our souls, the truth is that if that seed germinates in a soil fertile with bitterness, anger, unresolved emotional need, or hunger for “significance”, it will sprout into a vicious, virulent, venomous plant that will bring painful misery to those stricken with its poison.

If we consider ourselves Christ followers, it is important to recognize this reality, because our relationship with God is not immune to insecurity’s poison, but may indeed be most vulnerable. Why?

Questions

It all has to do with how we see ourselves in relation to God; how we relate to Him. A few questions may enlighten those unaware of insecurity’s grip on their own life:

  • How do I think that I acquire the approval of God?
  • Do I try win God’s affections through doing stuff?
  • What happens when I fail?
  • How do I try to make my failure alright in God’s eyes?
  • How do I know when enough is enough? Will it ever be enough?
  • If I think I can never do enough for Him:
    • Does it anger me?
    • Do I love Him? Hate him? Hide from Him? Rage at Him?
    • Do I feel helpless?
    • Do I hope against all hope that He might love and accept me anyway?

It takes courage to answer these questions honestly, even to ourselves. It can be costly. We act. We don’t always know why.  Insecurity with God stems from our need to be the actor rather than the acted upon, i.e., we try to earn His love and affection rather than receiving them as the gift that they are.

Inner Workings

We do well to remember that emotion and intellect do not react to stimuli in the same way. Intellect can understand and accept a theologically correct answer to all this, while the emotions may feel left out in the cold, as it were, waiting for . . . something. Healing, perhaps. (If you’re a Trekkie, it’s like Mr. Spock vs. Dr. McCoy.)

We need both intellectual and emotional stability to be healthy. One depends upon the integrity of the other. Both impact our spiritual maturity and our ability to accept God’s loving discipline as discipline and not rejection. The truth is that our Father disciplines us as his children. Though discipline isn’t enjoyable, it flows from love, not indiscriminate anger or abuse. It is meant to be corrective, so that we will be mature and complete.

Hence, it is crucial that we fertilize the soil of our hearts with Truth. We must take the Gardener’s tools and uproot bitterness, unrestrained anger, and hunger for so-called significance if we are to be fruitful in God’s Kingdom. What does it look like to weed the garden?

Truth becomes real to both the emotions and intellect in the interplay between our spirit and the Holy Spirit. This connection is most effective when we pray. We take our minds, souls, bodies, and spirits into God’s presence to forge a relationship that depends not upon a great mountain of our good deeds, but the simple, straightforward reality of His One Good Deed.

Let’s Face our fear

Let us consider the following as we face our fear and walk into the prayer closet:

“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory for ever and ever! Amen”

—Revelation 1:5-6, NIV

The more our sin, hurt, inadequacy, and anger is laid open before the eyes of a loving God, the more healing  and rest we will find in Him. Truth burns away the deceit of our sin and the misunderstanding of our pain.

Because it can be a painful process, some of us will, no doubt, resist the challenge to be vulnerable. We are afraid of the possibility of pain and rejection and suffering. Take the risk. Here’s a bit of Truth to bolster your courage:

“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?”

—Romans 8:31,35, NLT

Take the risk!

 

*A good starting point for understanding insecurity and co-dependency is a book published by the Minirth-Meier Clinic in the early 1990’s: Love is a Choice: The Definitive Book on Letting Go of Unhealthy Relationships. It was originally published in 1991 and has been revised and reprinted several times since then and made available in electronic formats such as Kindle. Click on the title above to link to the Amazon Kindle store.

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Fear’s Funeral Dirge

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“Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.”

Revelation 1:17-18, NLT

What is your experience like when you sit down with a hot drink and an open Bible? Why do you go there? What do you hope to draw out of the word?

Sometimes I come to the Scriptures hungry and needy and melancholy and desperate. I have waited too long and now I come, realizing that I am not enough. Ever. I come wondering if my lingering delay has damaged intimacy with Him. I come realizing that the depth of my own dysfunction clouds my thinking and incites fears that need not persist.

Pushing my fears aside and choosing to believe the Truth, I open my Bible, and then . . .

There is a tremor in my spirit. All my longings are concentrated into a single moment and I am confronted with holiness. I am in the presence of the Ancient of Days, the One Now Living, and the One Who Is to Come. There is no other like Him.

In His presence, I am completely exposed for who I really am. There can be no pretense. It is risky to try to pull the wool over the eyes of the God Who Sees Me. I must come to Him honestly, candidly—nothing to hide—ready to admit all, confess all, release all. He is the Lord. I am His servant. It must be so, for I am a missionary who lives from day to day in a country not my own, living and working in someone else’s culture and language, trying desperately to make it possible for them to come to the Scriptures and experience God through the word in their heart language.

Yet sometimes fear sings fortissimo. I need it to sing fortepiano. I need my spirit to not be overcome by the volume and painful pitch of fear in a situation, but to immediately quiet it to little more than a whisper in the background. Fear sings its loudest dirge when death is at hand, like in the days following my oldest brother’s death a few months ago. A mere fifty-six years old, he died in the night, sitting in his favorite chair, alone, of a heart attack. I am not much younger . . .

The Scriptures teach me much about life after death, but the experience of death remains a mystery. Before I moved to Papua New Guinea I had images of this beautiful land fixed in my mind. There was something magical about the imagined New Guinea. But the imaginary New Guinea lacked the intense heat and suffocating humidity, the pungent smells, the sounds of a thousand tongues and the complex relationships that must be cultivated in order for Jesus to be known here. It was but a dream. Even though I had talked often with others who had long lived here, the experience was still not my own.

Some of the images used in this composite are courtesy of www.lumoproject.com.

I talk with Jesus about death. I must. He’s been through it and this is what he says to me about it: “Don’t be afraid! I died, but I am alive—forevermore!” That tremor returns to my spirit. I am in the presence of Someone so holy and powerful that death itself has no hold on Him. I am overwhelmed with awe. But He’s not finished: “I hold the keys to death and the grave.”

Courage, dear friend. Courage! When the deceiver threatens your very life, take courage in the fact that death has no sting and the enemy of our souls is not in charge. Jesus alone holds the keys. You were made that you might shake the foundations of hell by shattering the deceptions and empty threats of a defeated enemy. Let the only tremor you feel in your spirit be in response to the holiness and overwhelming power of the Risen One.