One of the most exciting ministries I have ever been involved in is the Peru Bible College. This year, 66 students are studying for full time ministries and 12 will graduate this December. The director of the School is Miguel Murillo, pastor of the Hunter Baptist Church in Arequipa, Peru. Our missionary Chris Gardner, along with his family are in the states raising support for the Bible College as well as the TV station in Peru.
I would ask you to pray for Brother Chris, brother Miguel and all the students in Peru.
That is the missionary motto. I just talked to Kristen in New York. Their plane was delayed getting to its gate so they are not going to Morocco tonight. This reminds me of my first trip to Peru. She is sitting on the floor in the airport right now. The plan is to make camp there and leave tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. On this trip is Kristen, Kathy, Jamie, Paul, John, Miranda, Maria, Cole, Amber and Beth.
Pray for them that they can get on tomorrow’s airplane.
The condition of every believer in Jesus is very similar to that of the landlubber on board the ship who, when the sea was rather rough, asked, “Captain, we are in great danger, are we not?” He received no answer, and so said, “Captain, don’t you see great fear?” Then the old seaman gruffly replied, “Yes, I see plenty of fear, but not a bit of danger.” It is often that way with us; when the winds are blowing and the storms are raging, there is pleny of fear, but there is no danger. We may be greatly tossed around, but we are quite safe, for we have an anchor of the soul that is both sure and steadfast and will not move.”
From the book “Prayer and Spiritual Warfare” by Charles Spurgeon.
2 Timoth 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
The word endure means to stand without yielding, as a soldier would stand. It implies that there will be an attack or a force that will come against us and that resistance will be necessary. More than that, it implies that the force will be significant and will require that we stand for a long period of time. Endurance is a measurement of how long something can last.
Endure is given as a command. Why not? If we are soldiers then we are to follow orders. The example of a soldier implies I am not directing the battle, but I am performing the role of one who fights and defends at the direction of a commander.
Jesus Christ is the commander. Then my commander will have to provide the power for me to endure. He is giving the command and therefore knows how long I must endure, even if I don’t. He is all knowing and therefore would not ask me to endure if I was not able, or if the enemy would ultimately win anyway.
Hardness is what is coming. For me to stand without yielding under hardness means that hardness and I must come into contact at some point. It will be hand to hand combat or worse, a battle in the mind. Napoleon loved cannons more for the fear that they brought through their loud noise than for their actual destructive capabilities.
Endurance is built by enduring. That means every time we vacate the post and do not endure to the end of the attack, we not only fail to build our endurance, but we actually develop a habit of retreating earlier each time. Little by little we find a way to “spare” ourselves the agony and instead of becoming stronger, we become softer.
- Don’t make soft choices: It usually starts with making the soft choices as a way to avoid hardness. Little by little it becomes a way of life and before we know it our M.O. is to dodge rather than do.
- Don’t expect a soft life: We live in a sin filled world. The presence of sin all around us means that there will be more days of difficulty than of ease. Expect to endure and to grow through endurance, knowing that our commander in chief has already secured the victory.
II Timothy 2:2
In an airplane, on the take off roll, there is a point at which you have committed to the take off. There is not enough runway left to stop, you are going too fast and you have to rotate the airplane into flight. The consequences for not taking off at that point are usually catastrophic. The way an airplane gets into this situation is to start from a dead stop and go to full power with one thing on the agenda. Take off. The take off is the most exciting part of flying but its also the highest risk portion of the flight. At this point you have 100% skin in the game.
Making a commitment means putting some skin in the game. Until you get some real skin in the game, you are just a spectator. Skin can come in many different forms. It can be money, time, possessions, sweat, feelings, or just plain skin. Its different in each case but whatever form it comes in, it represents commitment for two reasons.
- It costs you something. Throwing your hat in the ring means you have to go in and retrieve it if you want it back. Put your treasure where you want your heart to be. Giving up something near and dear, like, that free night in order to spend time with someone is how you learn to spend and be spent. II Corinthians 12:15
- There is a high risk of loss. The risk of loss will keep your attention focused on the situation. It will also cause you to lay awake at night and figure out how to preserve the investment. That is a good thing because it builds commitment. That person you gave up your free night for stands a good chance of dropping out of church completely after just a few short lessons. That usually makes sure you never want to do it again. Do it again! You probably will leave lots of bodies in the wake just like Jesus did. The risk of loss is high.
II Timothy 2:2 has caused me to make huge investments in others and to risk a ton on them. I have left a pile of skin in the ring and must admit I have made more messes than successes, but the few that took it to other faithful men make all the blunders worthwhile. Is your life and ministry at commitment level or spectator level? If it feels safe, peaceful and secure, and does not make any waves, you are probably in the bleachers. If both the cost and the risk of loss are high then that scary feeling is called commitment.
Take a chance this week.
- Double your offering this week.
- Volunteer to help with VBS.
- Ask the Pastor what in the world his message was about.
- Talk to the guy that stands by himself every Sunday.
II Timothy 2:2 And the things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also When something is committed, it has been pledged or given in trust for its preservation. The place or person who has something committed to them takes on the responsibility for its preservation. Since we don’t have to invent anything, just hear it then commit it to other faithful men we need not be geniuses, just honest and disciplined. These are learnable traits and diligence beats genius any day of the week.
It doesn’t matter if you know it. The question is will you teach it. Anything else is just plain thievery. The things committed to us were put in our trust. Anything committed to us that we are not willing to teach dies with us. The idea of preservation involves propagation. The things heard from the Word of God and our mentors in the faith become the tools for our ministry of discipleship to others.
Find faithful men. Jesus was looking for men that would follow Him, not those He had to push. He did not waste time on those who did not value the truth or were lazy. He knew that they would not be good stewards of the truth that He came to teach. When there was a war on Saul looked for the valiant and strong men and took them to himself. I Samuel 14:52. Find faithful men and then tell them all you know. Commit to them the things you have heard. Teach only truth: Teach the truth that will stand the test of accountability that many witnesses provide. We are commanded to teach the things we already heard, and its even ok if the guy that taught you hears you using his stuff. John the Baptist and Jesus both had a message entitled, “repent for the kingdom is at hand.”
- Don’t be a black hole of learning. If you are not teaching anyone the things you learn then you will become like the dead sea. Go burn off some information calories and ask someone if they understood the message Sunday night. If they did, ask them to explain it to you. If they didn’t then explain it to them.
- You may not be able to create faithfulness or discipline in your first disciple. Remember, Jesus had entire cities come out to hear him only to have them leave when the sayings became difficult or the cost to high. Be ready to look hard for faithful men. When you find one, then invest heavily.
Start being strong: One component of my Christian life that I have resolved to do is to openly ask a blessing on a meal no matter what the situation. There are two things that you can think about that will make this an easy issue. First consider that it is God that provided the meal for us and we should thank Him from a heart of gratitude. Secondly, it lets strangers know immediately that you respect God above their critical thoughts about you. Here is why this incredibly powerful.
They never say no. I typically ask my meal guests in restaurants if they mind if we ask God to bless our food. In all the years I have done this, no one has ever said no. This goes for prospective clients all the way to adversaries with which I was attempting to resolve a problem. They never say no. How would it look for them to say, “no, I don’t want God to be any part of this meal.” The Spiritual result is that you honor God and let your testimony be known. The practical side is that you establish that you are not afraid of them or the loss of their business. Want to know how many business books establish this as a power negotiating position?
You create accountability. Phonies are easily spotted. Even when its us. That’s right we are phonies most of the time. What we say about our relationship with God does not line up with how we live. Most people recognize what we talk about and do and that its only mildly Christian. When you risk what is usually seen as embarrassment for Christ you create a standard to live up to. Accountability is powerful.
Being strong means doing good and resisting wrong. Start doing good in simplistic ways that really identify you as a walker and not just a talker.
- Be strong because you can. Take a tract along with your credit card to the meal. Start with prayer and end with leaving the waiter or waitress a good tip and a good tract or church invitation.
- Becoming strong means exerting your will to do something over your fear to hold back. The fear will soon go away as you face it.
II Timothy 2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Power is the measure of our capacity or ability to do the positive or resist the negative. The measure of the power is our strength. The source of our power remains a secret to so many of us. We don’t know where to turn when our strength seems tapped out. How can I identify my strengths and weaknesses?
Do the positive: Knowing the positive is one purpose of a daily familiarity with the Bible and the lessons it presents. Doing the positive is the application of all that I have learned and the expectation that the outcome I read about in the Bible is the outcome I can expect in my life. See if you can make yourself do the positive and measure the results. Can you keep it up or are you all talk?
Resisting the negative: Perhaps even more difficult than doing the positive is developing the strength to resist the negative. The motion of sin is pointed directly at our weakness where we have little strength. Our reserve of strength goes unused and we fall to our weaknesses. Be honest with yourself about how often you fall prey to weights and the sins that so easily beset you. What is your track record. Is it one you would be proud of? Now you know how strong you are when it comes to resisting the negative.
How do I draw strength from grace: Understand that anything connected with Jesus Christ is powerful. Grace is a favor shown to us by God that we have neither earned nor deserve. Be strong, do right, resist wrong because you can. Here are two things to practice this week to help develop your ability to use the strength found in Jesus Christ.
- Learn to make the Bible a part of your normal daily toolbox. Along with your cell phone and daytimer, keep the Bible with you and handy all day. Read from proverbs when you are tempted to do wrong.
- Learn to write down from what you read a positive thing to do and the outcome that will occur. Luke 6:38 is a good place to start. Give someone some help or even some kind words. Do the positive.
I will finish the Biography of Hudson Taylor tonight. I highly recommend this book. I have tried to give you some of the highlights but you should read it for yourself. The Spiritual Secret of Hudson Taylor, by Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor
Wating for the train to London from Brighton, Hudson Taylor was accosted by Russian Count Bobrinsky who wanted to give him some financial help toward the work in China.
”Allow me to give you a trifle for the work in china.”
Glancing at the banknote as he recieved it, Mr. Taylor felt there must be some mistake, it was for no less than fifty pounds.
“Did you not mean to give me five pounds?” he said at once. “Please let me return this note, it is for fifty”
“I cannot take it back,” replied the other, no less surprised. “it was five pounds i meant to give, but God must have intended you to have fifty; I cannot take it back.”
Impressed with the incident, Mr. taylor reached Pryland Road to find a prayer meeting going on. A remittance was about to be sent to China, and the money in hand was short by forty-nine pounds, eleven shillings of the sum thought to be needed. This sum was being asked for in simple faith, whereupon Mr. Taylor laid his precious banknote for fifty pounds on the table. Could it have come more direclty from the heavenly Father’s hand? “Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the kindness of the Lord.” Psalm 107:43
The sweetest part, if one may speak of one part being sweeter than another, is the rest which full identification with Christ brings. I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize this, for He, I know, is able to carry out His will, and His will is mine. It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than for me, for in the easiest positions He must give me His grace, and in the most difficult His grace is sufficient.
It little matters to my servant whether I send him to buy a few pennies worth of things, or the most expensive articles, In either case the servant looks to me for the money and brings me his purchases. So, if God place me in great perplexity, must He not give me much guidance; in positions of great difficulty, much grace; In circumstances of great pressure and trial much strength? No fear that His resources will be unequal to the emergency! And His resources are mine for He is mine, and is with me and dwells in me.
All this springs from the believer’s oneness with Christ. And since Christ has thus dwelt in my heart by faith, how happy I have been! I wish I could tell you, instead of writing about it.