Jesus often prayer that his followers would have such a radical unity that would be a testimony to the world. However, when we look at the Christian body today, it seems as though they divide up into hundreds of different groups, churches, and denominations. For those who are not Christians, it seems confusing. Why can’t they agree on anything? Why are there sometimes four different churches on the same street? Even for believers, the question often arises: Why are there so many Christian denominations?
This simple Sunday school song we may have heard as children reminds of the importance of daily Bible reading and prayer. While we may be aware of the significance of these spiritual disciplines in our lives, what is at stake when we neglect Bible reading, meditating on Scripture and prayer?
Does this promote legalism?
Being disciplined in prayer and Bible reading is not legalistic. They are not a way of gaining God’s acceptance. He accepts us not on the basis of what we do, but on our faith in what Christ has done for us. These disciplines do not undermine grace. Rather, they are a means by which we experience God and His grace. God has graciously revealed Himself to us in His Word and invites us into fellowship with Him through the privilege of prayer. As we do so, the Holy Spirit stirs up our desire for God. Our faith is strengthened. Temptation seems less enticing. We become less susceptible to the accusations of Satan as we cultivate these godly habits.
Bible Reading
How often do you go without eating? I would imagine that this period is rarely more than a few hours at at a time because you understand the necessity of feeding yourself. The health consequences would be dire were we to deprive ourselves of food. The same goes for our souls (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4). Without a consistent intake of the Scriptures, our souls become malnourished. A healthy Christian is a growing Christian, and a growing Christian is a Bible reading Christian. We have been born again to a new and living hope (1 Peter 1:3), so how can we not desire the very food which will make us grow? How else can we expect to increasingly know God apart from His self-revelation in Scripture? As we feast daily on God’s Word, our souls are nourished and our taste buds delight in the flavours of His goodness.
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Psalm 34:8
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
1 Peter 2:2-3
“God’s Word has life, gives life, and nourishes life… If we stop feeding the Word, we stop growing, we stop enjoying (tasting) the grace that we find in the Lord.”
Warren Wiersbe
Meditating on Scripture
Worldly meditation often involves emptying your mind; ridding yourself of all thoughts and emotions. Biblical meditation says fill your mind with the Word of God and reflecting on that which you have just read.
Thomas Watson wrote:
“Meditation is the chewing upon the truths we have heard… Meditation is the soul’s retiring of itself, that by a serious and solemn thinking upon God, the heart may be raised up to heavenly affections.”
(Thomas Watson)
Marvel at the words you read in your study. Apply them to your heart by savouring that truth and allowing it to shape your thoughts and affections, thus transforming your conduct. This is what enriches our Bible reading. Meditating on Scripture doesn’t only aid memorisation, but causes the Word to take root in our hearts and then shapes our lives.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Joshua 1:8
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:1-2
Prayer
When considering Bible reading and prayer, one might be tempted to compare which is more important between the two. However, both are equally vital:
When asked: ‘What is more important: prayer or reading the Bible?’ I ask ‘What is more important: breathing in or breathing out?’
Charles H. Spurgeon
Prayer is a privilege. By prayer, God invites us to participate in the fulfilment of His will on the earth (Matthew 6:10). Through spending consistent time in prayer, we also grow in intimacy with God. In prayer, the sovereign ruler of the universe desires to fellowship with us as both our Creator and our Dearest Father. I believe that if we pondered upon this more frequently, we would pray more often and with greater excitement.
And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Galatians 4:6
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.
1 John 3:1a
Self-sufficient people don’t pray; trust me, I’ve learned from experience. By engaging in prayer, we are humbled as we are confronted by our own powerlessness and God’s omnipotence.
The key to prayer is a heart of dependence. God desires that we come to Him in complete trust in Him as opposed to ourselves. God readily takes our burdens so that we need not bear them anymore. His power and grace is sufficient. As we take everything to God in prayer, He is ready to equip us with His inexhaustible strength to face the trials of the day. No issue is too small for His concern. No request is too great for Him to accomplish. The greatest comfort and joy is ours to experience as we devote ourselves to prayer.
I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 17:6
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:12
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Colossians 4:2
The spiritual disciplines we’ve explored are not exhaustive. Nonetheless, their centrality in Christian living cannot be overstated. This is why we must remind ourselves of their importance to then make them a priority in our lives. Start afresh today. Find ways to make these practices more fruitful and enjoyable so that you may deepen your relationship with God and invite others into relationship with Him too.
The character of God has been brought into question since the very beginning. Is God who He says is? Or does He change depending on the situation? The consistency of God is further brought into question with the apparent change in nature in the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. The bible declares that God doesn’t change (Malachi 3:6), so why does it appear that God and Jesus are different if they are meant to be One (Deuteronomy 6:4, Mark 12:29)? Did the Old Testament writers merely mishear God and write things about Him that are mistaken? Or perhaps we need a more careful reading of the scriptures to see that God hasn’t changed.
The Trinitarian God
The scriptures declare that there is one God, but unique to Christianity is the fact that this God exists in three persons. These three persons are co-equal, interdependent, and unified with the same nature but distinct in roles. This is what Christians refer to as the Trinity – One God in three persons. This is important because if each person of the Trinity has the same nature then One person cannot act in a way that would contradict the act of another. Furthermore, if One of the persons within the Trinity were to make a decision there would have to be total agreement since there is complete oneness within the Godhead. For example, the Trinity decided to make man in their image (Genesis 1:26). There was complete unity when making that decision and there is complete unity within the Trinity when making every other decision. Here is where the confusion lies, I think. Throughout the scriptures, God acts in different ways at different times. Sometimes it appears God has acted wickedly and other times He acts kindly. The confusion occurs when we separate God’s ways from God’s nature. God can and does act in different ways but He never acts in contradiction to His nature. So, what is His nature?
Is God Different?
Since creation, God has been progressively revealing Himself to mankind with this revelation culminating in the person of Christ (Hebrews 1:1-4). God’s plan from eternity past was to redeem a people for Himself, through His Son. So that these people can know Him and enjoy Him forever (Ephesians 1:3-10). Throughout the scriptures, God reveals much of His nature as the biblical story unfolds. After the Israelites committed idolatry causing Moses to break the ten commandments, God brings Moses back up Mount Sinai to re-write these commandments on new stones (Exodus 32). As Moses enters the presence of God, see how God describes Himself “The LORD passed in front of him and proclaimed: The LORD—the LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But he will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation”. (Exodus 34:6-7). This isn’t merely how God describes Himself, this is also how the people of God describe God (Daniel 9:9; Isaiah 30:18, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2). Repeatedly, we see that the God of the Old Testament is merciful, kind and patient. So why does He kill so much and Jesus didn’t at all? There are a few problems with this question. 1) It separates God (The Father) and Jesus. Remember they have the same nature and are eternally unified. In everything, they are in total agreement. 2) It disregards covenants. God dealt with different people in different ways at different times. All of His ways are consistent with His nature. 3) It disregards sin. God doesn’t kill people out of uncontrolled rage, God isn’t abusive. God is Holy and Just. God hates sin and responds to it with His wrath, occasionally enacting immediate justice to deal with sin, purify His people and remind them of their call to holiness (Nahum 1:2, Leviticus 18:29-30).
Understanding Jesus
Jesus is the perfect revelation of God, He isn’t the replacement revelation of God. Jesus didn’t come to correct the misrepresentations the people under the old covenant had, but to be the One that inaugurated a new one (Hebrews 8:6). God used patriarchs, prophets, judges and kings, sacrifices and other means to point to the coming of His Son who will be better than all these things. Jesus didn’t come to say disregard what you first knew, He came to say this is what you have been waiting for and it’s better than what you can imagine. The reason His people rejected Him wasn’t that God of the Old Testament was angry and Jesus was so mellow; they rejected Jesus because they hated the light (John 1:9-11, 3:19-21). Jesus affirmed the same oneness that God declared in the old testament (John 10:30). And when Jesus says He only does what He sees the Father do, He is referring to His role within the Trinity not discounting certain acts God the Father did in the Old Testament (John 5). Jesus had no issue with how God acted and interacted with His creation, so why do you?
Perfectly United
Admittedly there are some difficult portions of scripture to handle. If you are finding it difficult to reconcile the God of the old testament and the God of the new I understand. There are some texts that you will have to wrestle with. Fortunately, our salvation is not contingent on understanding the immutability of God. Salvation comes by believing in Jesus Christ. Believing in Jesus Christ means believing in who He says He is and what He says He has done. Believing in Jesus Christ also means believing that He doesn’t change (Hebrews 13:8). There is no difference between God the Father and God the Son, they are and always will be perfectly One.
Joke: Q: Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy?A: The area around Jordan, because the banks were always overflowing
Jesus brought up the issue of mercy repeatedly. Everyone wants mercy. The Bible tells us that mercy triumphs over judgment. Of course, we want it. Giving mercy requires us to give up revenge and hand the judgment part to God. Loving our enemies doesn’t mean allowing them to continue to hurt us. That would be a failure of loving ourselves as God loves us. We can do what is in our control to protect ourselves while trusting God to step in.
We can always pray for our enemies. Praying is an act of mercy. Praying is loving like our Heavenly Father. Praying changes our hearts.
God commands us to love everyone—including our enemies.
Here are some key Scriptures (Bible verses) on loving your enemies:
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34)
But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:27-28)
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. (Romans 12:14)
We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it. (1 Corinthians 4:12)
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17-21)
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. (1 Peter 3:9)
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. (1 John 2:9-10)
Our highest calling is to spread the Gospel and help others grow in Christ.
We should be passionately concerned about introducing people to Jesus. Along the same lines, we should be passionately concerned about other believers’ spiritual welfare.
Study “dissensions” in Galatians 5:19-21 and Romans 13:13.
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:35)
But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice. (Philippians 1:18)
Discussion
What is notable about these dissensions?
How does Paul advocate that we deal with these disagreements
Jesus loved his enemies. Make him your example.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! (Luke 13:34)
Realize that you may be right: The other person may be your enemy.
However, if someone insults you or dislikes you, respond in a Christ-like manner. Don’t take things personally or give in to hurt feelings and let your emotions control you. Instead, see the other person as someone with a problem who needs God’s help and your prayers.
Determine what part you played in the problem.
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:5)
See problems as opportunities to grow in Christ.
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds. (James 1:2)
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)
Love and forgive…even if your enemy does not apologize.
Follow Jesus’ example
Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34)
Follow Stephen’s example
Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:60)
Evaluate your love for your enemies
How well do you practice the following verses?
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
In groups score yourself from 0-10 on each of the following.
“0” means “I need a lot of improvement.” “10” means “I’m great at this.” ___ I am patient. ___ I am kind. ___ I do not envy. ___ I do not boast. ___ I am not proud. ___ I am not rude. ___ I am not self-seeking. ___ I am not easily angered. ___ I keep no record of wrongs. ___ I do not delight in evil. ___ I rejoice with the truth. ___ I always protect. ___ I always trust. ___ I always hope. ___ I always persevere. ___ My love never fails.
Conclusion
But loving our enemies? That goes against our human nature. Sometimes our human nature wants to hold a grudge or get revenge. But the Bible makes it clear: “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God.” Romans 12:19 (NLT).
To take revenge is to repay evil with evil. It’s easy to strike back or to strike out at our enemies. And when we feel attacked or hurt, it’s hard to love. But God says to let Him deal with our enemies. Only He can judge, and he doesn’t need our input on how it should look. We are to leave our enemy in his hands.
“Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.” 1 Peter 3:9 (NLT)
As Christians, we have a new purpose and a new way of life. Instead of “getting even” as our old self wants, we respond with a blessing, a prayer, or a positive response.
I am saved by grace, what next, do I keep living as I was before, just with the knowledge of the grace of God? No. “We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:2). We must not neglect the power of grace upon our lives, however, we should never abuse this grace. Once we have been saved, we have been set free from sin. Free from the penalty of sin and free to live as God intended. We are now the righteousness of God, by faith (Rom. 3:22), and we should live boldly with that truth. So, what does that mean?
Free to live
We can live our lives freely, knowing that the price has already been paid for our sins. We also know there is no condemnation for us who are in Christ (Rom. 8:1), so we do not walk around with guilt or shame. The burdens of our mistakes are lifted. The payment for our sin is complete and the power of death is defeated (Rom. 6). We live with a peace that surpasses all understanding. We live for Christ.
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who died and gave himself for me
Galatians 2:20
What we have received, through Christ, allows us to live with freedom. We are not slaves to the law, saying what we should and should not do. We are not under a legalistic covenant but a grace-filled one. And most importantly, we have a relationship with the Father through the Son; we live as children of a heavenly Father. Essentially, we are living a new life in Christ. Grace has freed us from our former way of life, where sin had dominion. No more do we let sin have free reign over our lives. To live free in Christ means understanding, accepting and walking in that freedom. Remembering, no matter what, we are forgiven.
Free to serve
Sin is no more our master. We are no longer slaves to sin, we have been freed from the shackles it had over our lives. We have an opportunity in the freedom of our salvation.
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love
Galatians 5:13
Becoming imitators of Christ, with the same servant attitude, we esteem others higher than ourselves. When we are ready to serve a brother or sister in need or to serve within our community, we point others to Christ. The grace we have been given is not of our own merits or because we deserve it (Eph. 2:8-9). We have been gifted with this grace and eternal life in Christ Jesus. How beautiful is it to share what we have received! “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace,” (1 Peter 4:10). Knowing our reward is elsewhere, we accept the call to serve on earth, and humbly surrender our will to the will of the Father. For as we have seen Christ do, we do the same.
Free to love
Without question the most important commandment is to love, to love God and to love our neighbours (Gal. 5:14). We must love.
And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma
Ephesians 5:2
The gift we have been given of salvation was only possible because of a love so deep, so wide and so immeasurably high. As it says in 1 John 4:9, “In this, the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him”. We are called to love even more, as we understand the love of God. Before the price paid by Jesus, there was a veil that kept us separate from the holiness of God, we were too sinful to be in His holy presence. However, Jesus tore the veil and now we can come boldly before God’s throne of grace (Heb. 4:16). Through Christ, we can share in this communion with the Father and closely experience this love.
Yes, we have grace but it does not entitle us to continue living unchanged. The good news of Christ is a changing force. Christ did what the law could not do, He made us right with God. There is a lot more to life under grace than we attribute.
The word humility is often thrown around to mean different things. People have even self-professed themselves to be “humble”. However, a humble person will never say they are humble, others call them so. “Let another praise you, not your own mouth” (Proverbs 27:2). Then how do we know we are humble, what exactly is humility and can we aspire to be called humble?
What is humility?
Humility is having a low or modest view of one’s importance. When we can exalt anything other than ourselves or our opinions. Humility allows us to have a teachable spirit and the ability to accept correction. When we are humble, we can acknowledge our mistakes, accurately assess our shortcomings and recognise that it is not all about us.
In Christ, we are called to a life of humility, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:24). To display the same kind of humility that Christ demonstrated is first a denial of self and then a call to esteem others higher:
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others
Philippians 2:3-4
Anywhere self is inflated or uplifted to a higher place over Christ, pride looks to draw the attention which is opposite to what we are called to. The opposite of humility is not pride but in fact self. Love of self is at the root of pride and comes from within (Mark 7:20-22). The visible appearance of a prideful person begins with the inward esteem of self – one’s achievement, one’s success – a single-minded focus on self.
However, sometimes, the attention of an audience elevates us to a higher status than intended and it is in these moments we fight to be humble. How do we accept acknowledgement of our achievements without becoming prideful or conceited?
Character of humility
We must always remember to give thanks and glory to God, as publicly as we receive the applause (praise). When we boast, our boast should be in Christ alone (1 Cor. 1:31) because He alone is really worthy of all the glory. We can show appreciation for compliments (praise) yet remain humble for we know that every good and perfect gift is from God, therefore we give thanks to Him.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you
1 Peter 5:6
Beware of false humility which looks to deflect deserved praise or publicly declare how humble we are, as the Pharisees did (Matt. 6:2,5) . The nature of this behaviour actually draws more attention to self as it is unnecessary and extravagant. Humble people do not exalt themselves. At the right time, we will be exalted when we meet God and hear “well done, good and faithful servant”(Matt. 25:21). Until then, we strive to remain humble.
Humble like Christ
John the Baptist modelled humility in this way. When his disciples were upset at how others were going to Jesus to be baptised, John simply responded “You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but ‘I have been sent before Him.’ (John 3:28).
He did not let the fame or crowds that came through his work of baptism distract him from the true purpose; he was only “preparing the way”. John understood who was to receive the true glory and attention. Therefore, when it was time to step aside, he could do so with confidence, “…therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease,” (John 3:29-30). This is leading a life of humility. Not seeking to be elevated, but to see Christ elevated.
We have seen humility perfectly in our King who took a servant position for our sake. Christ laid down his life for us. He made “Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7). This is what it means to be truly humble in life.
If we desire to be like Christ in all aspects of our lives, to esteem him above self and to say for the sake of Christ and the gospel, we are willing to lay down our life; we too can live a truly humble life. Everything we do should point to Christ.
The topic of swearing/cussing is one that often elicits deep divide amongst Christians. Some believing in no circumstances should use that type of language and some believe that they’re just words, what’s the big deal? So then what does the Bible say about this and should these four-letter words be in our vocabulary?
How do we respond when something we long for doesn’t happen or is taking a long time to happen? We’ve all been there, where we’ve prayed for something to happen in our lives and it has either taken far longer than we would have liked or not happened at all. I think our natural response to being forced to wait is anger or doubt – that has always been fallen man’s impatient response, ever since the first humans walked the earth. If we think about Adam and Eve for a second, it’s a story of two people who deep down didn’t believe that God had their interests at heart. Subsequently, they tried to do things their own way and rebelled, you know the rest of the story.
I write this as someone who often feels frustrated and discontent when things aren’t going my way, so I want us to explore together, what is the biblical attitude to embrace while waiting on God to provide?
Remember who you’re waiting on
When we’re frustrated that something hasn’t happened yet or happened the way we would like it to, it’s so easy to forget God’s character and the promises He has made to us in scripture. I love the book of Job; however, it can be a difficult read because there’s cause to feel great sympathy for Job. We’re told in verse one of chapter one that he was “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” yet by God’s sovereign will, he went through enormous pain and suffering inflicted by Satan.
In chapters 29 to 31, Job cries out in anguish at his circumstances. It’s God’s response in chapters 38 and 39 that I want to focus on. I would encourage you to read Job 38 to 40 where you’re sitting. It’s a mind-blowing portion of scripture in which God gives example after example of his might and his sovereignty. It is hard to read those verses and afterwards still feel discontent with God’s provision for you, instead, you may well find yourself hit with a sense of awe of His sheer might.
Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone,
Job 38:4-6
Reflecting on God’s sovereignty and might is a helpful way to combat impatience and discontent. Spend time in prayer praising him and thanking him for the many blessings he has already provided. He knows what you truly need, and he will provide it.
Ask Him to work on you
In this time of waiting, we have a great opportunity to ask God to use it to develop our character, so we become more like Christ. In fact, I believe that in many cases that’s the reason we don’t get what we ask for right away – God is working on our character, sanctification is taking place throughout the waiting.
A verse I quote often, to myself as well as others is Romans 8:28.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28
Few things are more comforting to me than reminding myself of this truth. In every season of life, in every frustration and disappointment, God is working for my good, and ultimately for his glory. We can truly rest and find peace in this knowledge. With this comfort as a foundation, we can ask God to help us become more patient and content with our circumstances. While we pray for the desires of our heart to come to fruition, we should be asking him to teach us what we need to be taught in the meantime.
Three keys to Godly waiting
In Romans 12, Paul is writing about the marks of a true Christian, and in verse 12 he urges his readers to “rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer”. This sums it up better than I ever could.
Rejoice in the hope that you have. A glorious hope based on the gospel of Jesus Christ, of an “inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Peter 1:4).
Be patient in the tribulation, because as we’ve already considered, everything you go through will work together for your good, and his glory.
Be constant in prayer. God is the dearest, closest friend you could ever have. He cares intimately about you and he knows exactly what you need. Continually speak to him, tell him about every desire and disappointment. It sounds obvious, but how easy it is to neglect regular prayer.
As we put these scriptural mandates into practice, I pray that we would become better at waiting for him to provide for us, and that we would be able to whole-heartedly say with Paul:
“my God will supply every need… according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever.”
Phillipians 4:19-20
To find out more about about this topic, listen to the latest episode of #ThePulsePodcast
Recently the government released a report on race and ethnic disparities, with the aim to offer a roadmap to racial fairness in the UK. The main chapters of the report covered 4 key areas: education, crime and policing, employment, and healthcare. The commissioners, who were predominantly from ethnic minority backgrounds, covered success stories but also delved into areas where there has been persistent racism. Their recommendations boiled down to 4 themes: build trust, promote fairness, create agency and achieve inclusivity. This report has created a lot of division instead of the intended unification of communities, and stirred up controversy, pain and frustration as Black and Asian communities felt as though their lived personal experiences had been glazed over. As Christians, how should we process and respond to such a report?
Unity doesn’t equate to uniformity
The Bible includes many examples of where people from diverse backgrounds were celebrated, carried out a divine purpose and glorified God. For example, there is the parable of the Samaritan man who behaved like a loving and compassionate neighbour independent of gender/tribe (Luke 10:25-37), secondly there was Moses who had a Cushite wife called Zipporah who was by his side throughout (Exodus 2). Thirdly in the book of Ruth, Ruth dedicated herself to God through her relationship with Naomi, yet she was a Moabite woman, “…the LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Finally in Acts we see the life of Timothy, a man full of faith and on fire for God, yet his father was a Greek Gentile. On the day of Pentecost in the book of Acts, as each believer was filled with the Holy Spirit they spoke different languages, but the crowd who gathered could hear those in the upper room speaking in their own language/dialect! Diversity is seen as beautiful in the eyes of God; the diversity of humanity is as kaleidoscopic as the image of God we reflect.
Jesus came to unify all nations
Whilst on earth we live under the authority of the government, but most importantly we live under the authority of God; the Maker of heaven and earth “the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” (1 Corinthians 10:26). Whilst you may feel powerless, alone or unseen, remember there is a God who sent His one and only beloved Son to die just for you (John 3:16). You are His child, made in His likeness and He is mindful of you. We serve a God who cares about every detail of our life (Psalm 139:3-7). Racism along with many other atrocities is a consequence of living in a fallen world, we must remember we are in this world but not of it (Romans 12:2). The things we see and experience were never God’s intention for this world and whilst at times the things we hear and read on the news or social media can seem unbearable, we should be reminded that Christ Himself is the pioneer of reconciliation;
“He himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,”
Ephesians 2:14
How do we process injustice?
1. Pause, process your emotions and pray for healing
2. Submission to God’s will, avoid acting or speaking impulsively
3. Hold strong to your identity in Christ and how God sees all of you
4. Live knowing God will fight your battles for you (Deuteronomy 32:35)
As Christians we know that our days on earth are numbered, this is not our home or our final destination. The book of Revelation gives us an insight into what our eternity will look like, and what a glorious image it is! People from every nation will bow before the lamb, will worship God side by side together as brothers and sisters. We serve a just, omnipotent, and omniscient God who oversees everything. He is a God who loves every nation and racism and/or institutional racism is not compatible with God’s nature or His Word. We pray as the church that we continue to be light and salt (Matthew 5:13) on this earth, that we would set the standard of racial reconciliation and usher in the Kingdom of heaven wherever we go and whoever we are with. God embraces diversity, He doesn’t seek to erase it.
Joke: Who was the first tennis player in the bible? Joseph because he served in Pharaoh’s court
In Romans 1, Paul addresses the Gentile believers at Rome and begins by explaining his mission, which was to preach the gospel to everyone. He concludes his explanation by saying, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith’” (Romans 1:16–17; cf. Habakkuk 2:4).
Discussion
Have you ever felt ashamed of the Gospel?
Where does Jesus shynesses come from?
Can you remember any periods where you didn’t share the Gospel boldly?
What do we mean by ashamed?
The word translated “ashamed” means “disgraced” or “personally humiliated.” A person “ashamed” in this way is like someone singled out for misplacing his confidence—he trusted in something, and that something let him down. The word can refer to being dishonored because of forming the wrong alliances. So, when Paul says that he is not ashamed of the gospel, he is saying his confidence in the gospel is not misplaced. There is no disgrace in declaring it. Paul had given his life to proclaiming the truths that Jesus Himself had revealed to him (Acts 9:3–6; 2 Corinthians 12:2–4). He explained to the Romans why he did not believe that he had wrongly identified with Jesus and why proclaiming Jesus’ message was his life’s work.
To be “ashamed of the gospel” is to allow willful sin to take over our lives and not look back because who cares what God says (Matthew 3:8). To be “ashamed of the gospel” would be to stop trusting in God’s provision and guidance, instead indulging in the world’s pleasures and our own desires. To be “ashamed of the gospel” would mean that we no longer have confidence in an alliance with God and His truth (1 Corinthians 3:3; 1 Peter 2:11) and want to put as much distance between us and Him as possible.
Instead of turning to God, we would “walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the path of sinners, and sit in the seat of scoffers” (Psalm 1:1). That is being ashamed of the gospel. That is not allowing God to show His true power through our lives because we have willingly cut Him off in favour of a sinful world.
How can I NOT “be ashamed of the gospel”?
Just as the Apostle Paul confidently put his everything (his whole life!) into Jesus Christ, so can we. We can confidently talk to others about our faith in God and the Bible because we can rest assured that an alliance with God is good and true (Romans 8:31-32). Romans 10:11 tells us, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” Any embarrassment we might feel about sharing the gospel is from the enemy trying to mess us up—not because God is untrustworthy.
We don’t have to fear God letting us down or changing (2 Peter 1:21; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). What was true about God thousands of years ago is still true today, and we can trust that to stay the same. The offer of salvation that was presented to humankind in the first century continues to be available to every man, woman, and child today (Acts 2:39; John 17:20).
To be “unashamed” of the gospel means that we not only speak this truth, but we also live it out in our lives. We can trust God and His Word for our daily activities and decisions. When we look at Paul’s life, we discover that his words and actions aligned with his faith in Jesus Christ. He did not preach one thing, then go out and live a different way. Even when he struggled with temptations and sin (Romans 7:14-25) and a “thorn” in his flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7), he continued to stay true to his alliance with God’s truth (Acts 20:19; Acts 28:31). Allow your faith to permeate your life to the point where the people you meet will see the difference in you and think, “There’s something different about that person… I wonder who they’ve been hanging out with?”
Where is the application?
The application can extend to us as well. Just as Paul placed his confidence in the gospel of Christ, so can we. We can proclaim with boldness the truths that God has revealed in His Word, with no fear that our confidence is misplaced. “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame” (Romans 10:11; cf. Isaiah 28:16). We can rest in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit who inspired the writing of Scripture never changes (2 Peter 1:21; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). What was true thousands of years ago is still true. The offer of salvation that was presented to people of the first century is still open to us (Acts 2:39; John 17:20).
To live unashamed of the gospel means we proclaim it, but it also means we apply it to our lives and show we believe it. Paul’s life choices supported his message. He did not preach one thing and live another. We are “ashamed of the gospel” when we allow sin in our lives to go unchecked (Matthew 3:8). When we indulge in worldliness and carnal desires or blatantly disobey scriptural standards, we indicate that we lack confidence in our own message (1 Corinthians 3:3; 1 Peter 2:11). When we “walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the path of sinners, and sit in the seat of scoffers” (Psalm 1:1), we are being ashamed of the gospel. We are not allowing its truth to penetrate our lives so that others see its changing power. To live unashamed of the gospel means that we, like Paul, allow it to dominate our lives to the extent that everyone within our sphere of influence can see that we have “been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).
