Our God Given Mission is to help millennial’s know the Gospel and preach the Gospel. Through our community, we aim create an environment where you can engage with us and other members on a deeper level so you can be an active part of the OGGM family.
Community Lead: George Obolo
Community Lead: Joyce Mugume
What do I get from joining the community?
Weekly Newsletter which includes; updates on our work, our recommendations
Invitations to community exclusive events which will include, games nights, debates, general discussions and much more…
Opportunities to engage with the OGGM team and writers
Opportunities to volunteer for OGGM
Invitation to “Heads Up” – Our weekly online bible study!
Become part of a network of Christians passionate about the Gospel
For many people, the epistle of James is one of the most controversial chapters in the Bible. At first glance, it looks as if James disagrees with the Apostle Paul on the matters of justification by faith. But as with most doctrinal issues, to gain a better understanding of the issue, we need to take more than a glace.
In his latest sermon at Ramp Church Manchester, Our Director, Mike Omoniyi, gives expository teaching of James 2:14-26 looking at the topic of ‘Alive Faith’, explaining the complementary relationship between faith and works.
Joke: The best mathematical equation I have ever seen: 1 cross + 3 nails= 4 given.
A witness in a courtroom tells what he or she knows about a given situation. The Christian witness tells others what he or she knows about Jesus Christ and what it means to personally trust Him with his or her life.
Discuss
Why must we witness?
What are some of the barriers that hold us back from witnessing?
Do you agree with the quote ‘preach the Gospel, if necessary use words’.
When He began His ministry, Jesus called two fishermen, Simon Peter and his brother, Andrew, and said, “Come, follow me … and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).
Through the ages, the same call has gone out to all those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. He reaches others through the faithful witness of people like you (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).
Reflect: If we don’t witness, what is at stake?
The different ways we can witness?
Your Life Example
As a witness for Christ, your life is a key part of your witness. You are a new creation; the way your new faith shows itself in your conduct is the greatest testimony you have (Matthew 5:16)
This means your habits and lifestyle should reflect a life given over to Jesus Christ. It does not mean that you must be perfect before you can be a witness. We all stumble from time to time as we are learning to walk, but as you learned in early on, God is willing to forgive your sins and put you back on your feet again.
People are watching us. How do we effectively witness through our life example?
The Power Of The Holy Spirit
You also need a power beyond yourself in order to witness. This is the Holy Spirit. Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will give us power to tell others about Him (Acts 1:8).
When your life is clean and you walk under the control of the Holy Spirit, He is able to witness through you. A man named Philip was chosen to serve the church because he was “full of the Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3).
He was having a successful ministry in Samaria (Acts 8:4-13), when an angel summoned him to go to Gaza (Acts 8:26), where an Ethiopian official was returning from Jerusalem. The Ethiopian was reading from chapter 53 of Isaiah at the time. Empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Philip began to talk with the Ethiopian using that very passage of Scripture and telling him the good news about Jesus (Acts 8:35).
Discuss
Do we have any examples of God using the Holy Spirit to witness in our lives?
The Power Of Gods Word
The third critical ingredient to effective witness is God’s Word: the Bible. In the story of Philip, God put the appropriate Scripture in the hands of the Ethiopian before He sent Philip to share with him. When the seed of God’s Word is planted in a prepared heart, it produces fruit — a new believer in Christ (I Peter 1:23).
It’s exciting to share your newfound faith in Jesus Christ with others. A great way to start is to tell how Jesus Christ changed your own life. There is great power in a simple and honest personal testimony. Also, be prepared with the facts of the Gospel message in mind.
SHARING YOUR FAITH – A Method
When you are explaining the Gospel, it may help to draw it on paper for the friend with whom you are sharing.
STEP 1: EXPLAIN THE FACTS.
On the top of your page, list the four basic truths of the Gospel. List them one at a time and use a Scripture or two with each one. Draw the graphic of God on one side of the chasm and us on the other. As you draw, share Bible verses that explain how the separation took place. Show how the cross bridges the chasm between God and us and how we can cross the bridge through faith in Christ.
STEP 2: INVITE A RESPONSE.
If you feel led by the Holy Spirit and the person is responding positively, offer an invitation, such as, “If this illustration is true — and I believe with all my heart that it is — then all of us are on either one side of the chasm or the other.” Then ask, “Which side are you on? Here … or here?” If your friend is unsure or knows he or she is on the wrong side, your friend can be sure of his or her position by:
Admitting your need — that you are a sinner
Being willing to turn away from your sins
Believing that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.
Praying to invite Jesus Christ to be the Lord and Savior of your life and control your life through the Holy Spirt
STEP 3: PRAY WITH THE PERSON RESPONDING.
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13). Remember, Jesus Christ is the door to eternal life. Through prayer, we can enter that door and receive Him as Lord and Savior. Lead the person in a simple prayer, such as:
Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
STEP 4: CONFIRM THE NEW BELIEVER IN HIS OR HER DECISION.
If your friend sincerely prays that prayer, he or she has become a Christian and has been saved from eternal death! You will want to share some Bible verses (such as I John 5:12-13) to give your friend assurance of his or her new standing before God.
FOLLOW UP
When you help a person in coming to faith in Christ, remember that this individual is a spiritual baby (1 Peter 2:2). In order to grow, an infant needs nurture and care. This means encouraging the person to begin to read the Bible and pray regularly. You can do so by using this online Bible study. Share what you have learned from Living in Christ.
Also encourage this new Christian to find a Bible-teaching church in order to have fellowship with other believers in Christ and continue to grow.
The Christmas season has just begun and the cheesy romantic Christmas movies are already populating our screens. They can be enjoyable to watch but these movies can also be full of false realities and unrealistic expectations. We cannot let our desires for romance be designed by a movie or by what we see in the world when God already has a predetermined plan. Who will we trust to fulfil our desires, God who is love, or man, who has yet to truly understand the meaning of love?
The danger of romantic movies
As much as we find them entertaining, romantic movies can paint dangerous ideas in our minds and cause us to lose patience in our singleness. We see images of people receiving what they want within 90 minutes and find ourselves comparing our lives to that timer. Sadly, for us, we only see the glamorised version of the romance that the actors are paid to display. The best parts of the scenes condensed from months of filming to mere minutes on our screens. We will never see the truth of what really happens in the relationship. Therefore, our best option is to take these stories with a pinch of salt and a lot of caution. Romance in a fallen world cannot be our example.
The biggest danger from romantic movies comes from the feelings experienced as we engage in them. Feelings of loneliness and unfulfilled longing. The questions of discontentment, insecurity, and inadequacy: “Am I enough?” “Why can’t I find someone?”. Chances are that the continuous lockdown has amplified these feelings. And if we try to find the answer to our hearts question anywhere other than the right source, we can be left more vulnerable.
These movies stir up impatience. They lead to restlessness which can drive us to take matters into our own hands. Abraham waited on the Lord for what was promised but along the way, he got weary in waiting, causing him to heed to his wife’s ill-conceived plan. This led to the birth of Ishmael, a son outside the covenant God had for Him (Gen 16). Despite this mistake, God kept his promise to Abraham. He would continue to wait again until God gave him what was originally promised. But Abraham learnt a valuable lesson which we need to learn too.
Patiently waiting, humbly trusting
We need to have more patience for the promises of God to be birthed into our lives. Babies take nine months to be fully formed. That time is important. God knew what He was doing when He set that limit. Premature births do happen, but we know the risks for both the mother and child. It is as with the plans God has for us. Running into a relationship prematurely, because of loneliness, without Gods approval, carries the risk of heartbreak and disappointment.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:14
Perhaps we are focusing on the things we want rather than listening to what God wants for us. It is understandable with all the images of happy couples shining through our screens. But we must trust Him and the process. God will renew our strength through these seasons of exasperation (Isaiah 40:31) and provide us with wisdom to discern what is right, if we only ask Him (James 1:5). The Holy Spirit is our helper for a reason. It is the Holy Spirit that will guide us (John 14:2) and who will also fulfil us when we deeply yearn for romantic companionship. The same Holy Spirit that will be in the person God has for us.
The hardest part of waiting for many of us is the unknown. The not knowing if there is actually a spouse at the other end of our wait. But God never promised us a spouse. He did promise that He would never leave us nor forsake us (Joshua 1:5; Deuteronomy 31:8). Those are real promises we can stand on because God is faithful to fulfil His promises.
We must wait
Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for their promised son, Isaac (Gen. 17 & 21). Jacob waited and worked 14 years for Rachel (Gen. 29). He knew what he wanted and trusted that he would receive it. They had Joseph who would later save the children of Israel from being wiped out by a famine (Gen. 41:37 – 42:7). We can find many examples in the Bible of God guiding people to where they were meant to be, in His timing.
Ruth was doing something very honourable in taking care of her mother-in-law (Ruth 1). Boaz was minding his own business whenRuth presented herself to him. Their union was not by chance. Boaz redeemed Ruth and together they had Obed who had Jesse who had David (Ruth 4).
Unlike Boaz, David was not minding his own business when he stumbled upon Bathsheba. He committed adultery by taking Bathsheba knowing she was another man’s wife (2 Samuel 11). Although David found himself entangled in sin, God redeemed him. It is from this lineage that our Redeemer was born. The second child born through this union is traced in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 1:1-17).
Our most important relationship
Life is more than finding a spouse. The true blessing of singleness as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 7:32,35, is the opportunity to focus on the most important relationship in our life; our relationship with Jesus Christ. Single or not, our lives have an eternal purpose once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. The greatest love story between you and the Creator (John 3:16).
In as much as Paul implores us as singles to remain as we are (1 Corinthians 7:40), he does not diminish the beautiful sanctity of marriage. We must do the same. In singleness, embrace the wholesomeness of the journey, to be undivided in our attention to the Lord. In dating, to continue to keep our attention on the Lord. And in marriage, to bring our spouses and family to the Lord, continuously, as we dedicate our attention to Him. Our focus always on Him.
This Christmas season, instead of dreaming about a long-awaited romance, we can look to share the love that God has lavished upon us to those around who may be missing out. We may not have a significant other to share this holiday with, but we have friends, family, a church community. I believe there are people within our close circle that would benefit from the love that we can share in light of Christ’s love for us, especially in this pandemic. We have an opportunity to share the best relationship we will have this side of heaven. The type that lasts longer than a 90-minute movie.
Displaying honour can be difficult, especially to those older than us, because it requires us to resist the urge to debunk the rules instead of readily giving in to the command or authority of our elders. Honouring becomes harder still when the recipients of such honour are undeserving of it or demanding it in an audacious manner. Despite the difficulty, the scriptures are clear. God commands that we show honour to those who it is due (Romans 13:7).
But what does honour mean and how can we best display it?
What is honour?
To honour someone is to hold them in high esteem or grant them great respect. The Bible is replete with commands to show honour to others, especially our elders (Leviticus 19:32; Romans 13:1; Ephesians 6:2). The term elders do not simply refer to the people that are older than you, but to those who are in positions of authority. According to Peter-Contesse, the term ‘elders’ in many cultures around the world age is still associated with authority and wisdom. The Hebrew term actually means ‘the beards’ or ‘the bearded ones’, signifying the wealth of wisdom and knowledge that accompanies decades of life experience.
We give those who are considered elders (whether by age or position) honour since all honour and authority belongs to God and He delegates this authority to whom He wishes. (Rom 13:1)
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
Roman 13:1
Consequently, displaying honour to our elders reflects the honour we give to God. The scriptures never exhort us to demand honour, only to give it. Therefore, how do we overcome the struggle of remaining honourable to authorities, parents and elders alike, who not only demand honour, but whose actions prove that they are unworthy of honour?
Overcoming this tension requires us to understand the purpose of our actions when deciding to honour and submit to authority even when they are undeserving of it. We give honour, especially when it is difficult because we want to declare to those around us that we honour God first and the honour the people He places in particular positions for His purposes. Even when placed in a difficult position by a person of authority, honour is still due.
What about me?
Honour isn’t unidirectional. What this means is honour isn’t just due to those who are above but also to those who are below. Romans 13:7 says
Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honour to whom honour is owed
Romans 13:7
And who is owed honour? Everybody (1 Peter 2:7). Human beings are the crowning point of God’s creation, made in God’s very image (Genesis 1:26). This means that man reflects the very image and glory of God. Therefore, every human being is worthy of dignity, respect and honour (Psalm 8:5). When we ascribe value to humans we are merely mirroring what God did first in creation, which is to crown each human being who will ever be made, with glory and honour. When we acknowledge this we make much of God’s handiwork.
Honour one another
In Ephesians 5-6:10, we see Paul outline the practical applications of holy living in relationships. Paul demonstrates how submission is vital to walking in love in our various relationships. In these verses, we can see how submission and honour are inextricably linked. If we are to rightly honour those in our lives, submission is required (Ephesians 5:22 – 6:9). Submission here is not forceful subordination to a person, but a joyful laying down of the will to serve another. When we see submission this way it will allow us to give honour more freely. For example, when parents give commands to children, they won’t see obedience as their parents trying to reduce their joy but increase it. Furthermore, parents that are committed to honouring won’t act in such a way that frustrates their children but treat them as fellow image-bearers and if in Christ, co-heirs.
Give and receive honour
So how can we promote a culture of honour in our various relationships? Romans 12:10 speaks clearly to this;
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another inshowing honour.
Romans 12:10
If we want to be people who both give and receive honour well, we must first receive and give love well. Honour and love are both derived in God. We look to Jesus and see that He is worthy of all honour, and also, that He is love. From this revelation, we can see how He endows honour and love on His people. He has clothed us in honour because we were created to reflect the honour that God alone deserves. So honour is not an option, but our duty. We must show honour to others and receive honour from others. Once we do this we will reflect the glory of God all the more.
In this weeks episode of the podcast, we are bringing to the table, the topic of honouring our leaders. The Bible calls us as believers to appreciate, respect and honour our leaders, but what does this look like in the 21st century Church?
Guests: Mike Omoniyi, Elijah Ajuwon, Raphael Olu-Jide, Shumi Mararike
“Having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,”
Ephesians 1:5
Do you find that certain phrases in the Bible are so familiar, you don’t even read them properly anymore? As an adoptive mum, I realised I took a verse like Ephesians 1:5 for granted, not really thinking about it when reading until we adopted our children. To be adopted into God’s family, having the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.Such an encouraging, positive word, right?
As with all Scripture, there is a lot more to this word then we think at first glance. Looking at my gorgeous kids, I learned so much more about the depths behind that word, as well as the other verses in Ephesians 1. Please allow me to share some of the things I found out, and I pray it will fill you anew with wonder at the Saviour, who is the Living Word.
God blesses His children
It starts to speak about our adoption in verse 3, telling us how God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings. Are you aware of those blessings? My youngest was 5 months, my oldest 5 years when they arrived, the other two somewhere in between. Were they aware of the blessings we were giving them? Not always, or probably more accurately, hardly ever. We gave them healthy, nutritious dinners, but they cried, for we denied them chocolate at dinner time. We gave them a warm, comfortable bed at night time, but they shrieked because they wanted to play outside in the dark, rainy night. We held their little hands when crossing dangerous roads, and they pulled and wriggled, for they wanted to run ahead.
Aren’t we like that with our Heavenly Father? He gives us what we need, and we feel let down, because we’re pointing at our wants, without realising the implications. He gives us spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, and we grumble because the shop was closed. We spend time comparing prices on the gadget we feel we need, thinking it will make our life so much better, whereas God is offering us spiritual blessings, not just at our desk or living room, but in heavenly places.
God has chosen you
So why does God offer us spiritual blessings? Because he has chosen us (vs3). We bless our children because we have chosen them. They didn’t apply to us to become their parents. We picked them, out of 200 sibling groups. As we were only one out of four adopters approved for larger sibling groups, this meant that we were free to choose any children, and we would probably receive them. Only four of those 200 groups of children was going to get a family, and there was nothing the other 196 groups could do about that. It was beyond their control. They could not assign more parents to the adoption world. They could not even make themselves more ‘adoptable’.
Our children are a great blessing to us, and we love them dearly. They are happy and content, feeling blessed (most of the time!) and they love us. But they did not choose us. We chose them, and before we met them, we were already determined to love them. We saw them as our children, we wanted to bless them, care for them and protect them.
We didn’t know what they were like. We didn’t know if they would be obedient, funny, kind and sweet. We determined to love them regardless. It was a case of two sinners loving four young sinners. Our love is imperfect, our blessings are limited, and we had no idea how our love would be accepted. We never know beforehand how our blessings will be regarded.
We cook a delicious meal, and our children might wrinkle up their noses, and make derogatory remarks. They might also declare this meal the best meal ever, their mother the best chef in all of Christendom. We don’t know, but God knows. He knew us before we were formed in our mother’s womb. He knows we are dust, He knows our going out and our coming in. He knows what’s in our hearts. But still, he calls us a chosen people, a royal priesthood. He chooses to pour out His blessings on us. He redeems us, He leads us, He draws us with cords of love.
Next time when you read the word adoption, think of the blessings God has shown you. Think how amazing it is that an Almighty God has chosen you, set you apart, called you by name, bestowed on you all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. We are so blessed, and often we don’t realise it. I challenge us all to be more aware of God’s blessings in the coming days and weeks.
I recently celebrated my 26th Birthday all to the glory of God. The moment was marked by an outpouring of messages from strangers and family alike. I read every message and savoured the kindness.
What is the point of life? I know it sounds dramatic, but I often find myself asking this question every year around the November mark. Maybe it’s my training in philosophy, maybe it’s my natural curiosity or maybe it’s a deeper thing in me, never satisfied, always looking for more.
In prayer this week, a slightly obscure scripture came to mind. Philippians 2 :17. First, some context, Paul in this passage is writing from a Philippian jail. From all secular accounts, his campaign to make Jesus known was not going well. It had landed him in jail. The natural response would be to assume him as being downcast, sad or even disillusioned. However, in Philippians 2:17 Paul says;
But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and the service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you
Philippians 2:17
There it hit me. The meaning of life is to find a cause greater than yourself that you don’t mind being poured out like a drink offering for. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying this year has been difficult! I’ve often felt like Paul in that jail, however I know God is up to something. I’m blessed to because I’ve found something I will gladly expire doing!
Here are 26 lessons I’ve learned in the last 26 years.
1) Self-care is everything. If you are going to be a world shaker, change agent, trailblazer and anything else, you cannot do it running on empty. It’s imperative that you take time to check on yourself and invest in your self-care. Find what brings you peace, what relaxes you etc.
2) Discipleship. You need to order and categorize all the different voices you hear in your life. If everyone’s voice is worth the same you will end up being confused and frustrated. Find people that can take intentional care of you and who’s thoughts and ideas you value highly.
3) Humble yourself. Do not get carried away, you don’t know anything yet. Always be a student. There is so much information you do not know and to acquire it often means walking in humility. God says he gives grace (empowerment) to the humble but resists the proud.
4) Clean up your house. Before you go out and change the world, put your house in order. Practice what you preach and be the best living example of all your wisdom. If this is really hard, then you probably need to preach less. Focus more energy on living it.
5) Go together. If you want to go fast, go alone If you want to go far, go together. Learn to ask for help from people. There are so many benefits from hearing the thoughts and opinions of other people. Even if you think you know what you are doing. Link arms and build consensus.
6) Social media is not real life. So many people are constantly making claims and it can feel as though you are behind. You’re probably not. Everyone here puts their best foot forward and you are far more aware of your shortcomings than theirs. It’s an unfair comparison.
7) Cherish Support. No one owes you anything. Always be happy and show appreciation for those that support you with nothing to gain. It is one of the most amazing things in the world to have the support of strangers.
8) Come offline. In this increasingly digital world, it can be tempting to live vicariously through your online avatar. Resist that temptation. Come offline and invest in real and meaningful interactions. Go out for food, coffee, holidays, see people in real life and engage.
9) Don’t do, be. Being is far more important than doing. Who you are is far more important than what you do. Do not let the world squeeze you into a box defined by your job title or your startup. You are first and foremost a child of God, made in his image.
10) Deal with it. Whatever you don’t deal with, will deal with you. It is important you confront personal issues otherwise they are simply a ticking time bomb. It can be hard to do because you need courage and strength. Pray for it, draw it from friends and family, but don’t ignore it.
11) Never waste a good crisis. When things are not going well, grab a notebook, you are about to learn things you will not learn through any other period in your life. Do not let this moment pass without you taking some key principles that will change your life.
12) Share Happiness. Happiness does not diminish from being shared. You lose nothing from making other people smile and brightening up their day. A single candle can light up ten thousand without losing anything, SHARE Happiness.
13) Never admire quietly. If you admire someone, tell them, reach out and tell people what you think. They probably need to hear it. Let’s create a culture where we openly say who inspires us and motivates us! It’s healthy for both parties.
14) There is enough space. The stars in the sky don’t compete to shine. There is enough space for everyone to make their dreams come true without robbing other people. You shouldn’t feel bad when other people are getting their own. There is space for you too, be patient.
15) Be patient. Patience is not simply waiting. Instead, patience is your disposition whilst you wait. Are you restless or are you confident that His word will come to pass? When you are impatient you are saying two things. My timing is better/God doesn’t always keep his promises.
16) Forgive. When you don’t forgive, it’s like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Unforgiveness slows you down and is unfair treatment of yourself. Why punish yourself with bitterness because someone else hurt you.
17) Don’t lie. Truth is amazing because it creates order out of chaos. It brings light out of the darkness. When we tell the truth, it shatters pretence, illusions and brings much-needed order and clarity. Being an ambassador of truth will enrich your life and those around you.
18) Friends. Don’t subject yourself to a friendship group that is unhealthy. It’s crucial to your journey that you are with sound people that can help you grow and that you can share memories with. You need people that can give you sound challenge embedded in love.
19) Let go. Don’t be afraid to let go of toxic people and toxic relationships. The difficulty often comes because you are too focused on what you are loosing. Think instead of what you are gaining. Freedom and more edifying relationships. It is a good trade-off.
20) Never Shrink. Never think you have to make yourself small to make other people feel comfortable. Their perception problems are not your problems and you are not to blame for their insecurities. Be the most authentic version of yourself and stop feeling guilty for being gifted.
21) What room are you in? If you are the smartest in a room, you are in the wrong room. Always look for rooms where you are small fish. It can be uncomfortable for your pride but it will enrich your life. You need an image of the future and these rooms can provide that.
22) Defend your friends. When you are in places where people talk bad about people you know. Defend them. Don’t sit by idly whilst lies are told about people you care about. Defend their honour and their character.
23) Pray for your leaders. It’s important that you support and pray for your leaders and mentors. They are going ahead of you to go through things so you don’t have to. They are fighting for you and it’s important you ALWAYS show appreciation. Support them and bless them.
24) Love GOD will all your heart. He wants to be glorified and you have this desire to be satisfied. When your desire to be satisfied meets His desire to be glorified, you have a beautiful thing. God is most glorified when you are most satisfied in him.
25) Find A Cause. Find a cause to pour your life out like a drink offering for. The quicker you find this, the sooner you will start living.
Have you ever felt as though your walk with God has become monotonous? The same old repetitious routine which stirs up minimal enthusiasm to continue pursuing Jesus. Or maybe you’re someone who’s facing trials which have discouraged you and caused you to lose your bearings, now uncertain whether you will finish the Christian race. But no matter who you are or where you’re at, you need to know that there is a goal toward which you should be heading. God has provided us with the direction and means by which you may confidently live the Christian life, maturing in the faith with full assurance that you will endure to the end.
The Goal
First things first, we have to know where we are going. The goal must be clearly identified as Paul has done for us in his letter to the Philippians.
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:10-11
Paul had acknowledged that all the spiritual privileges of his Jewish heritage were worthless in comparison to having a relationship with Jesus Christ. Awakened to the fact that his own works and credentials were of no merit before God, He trusted in the righteousness of God which he received through Christ by faith (Philippians 3:4-9). It was upon this realization that Paul was able to define the goal for us. The goal is to know Jesus in the most intimate way. To have a greater depth of knowledge of Christ and fellowship with Him. Paul tells us three ways that we can do this:
Knowing the power of His resurrection. The power which triumphs over death and gives us new resurrection life which transcends this present world.
Sharing in Christ’s sufferings. We cannot grow in knowledge and relationship with Christ without partaking in suffering (Romans 8:16-17). For it was His suffering on the cross which reconciled us unto God and brought us into fellowship with all three members of the Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). To know Christ intimately is to suffer with Him. This can range from physical or mental illness, rejection from our friends and families, persecution from the State and perhaps even death as was the case for Paul and the apostles. These sufferings cause us to lean wholly on God, developing in us a childlike faith and trust in Him.
Resurrection from the dead. Sharing in Christ’s sufferings is the means by which we too will eventually be resurrected unto eternal life with Him.
The goal may be summarised as this: complete Christ-likeness (Romans 8:29).
Not there yet, but on your way
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal…
Philippians 3:12
We must be humble and honest in our assessment of where we find ourselves in the pursuit of our goal. Complete Christ-likeness and all it encompasses is perfection. You’re not there yet (nor will you arrive at it on this side of eternity), but you have to keep striving toward it,making use of all the aid God has given to us; immersing ourselves in His Word, seeking wise counsel from spiritual mentors and the ministry of the Holy Spirit within us.
Press on toward the goal
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14
We arrive at our goal by pressing on. In this context, the original Greek word for “press on” (Diōkō) suggests the relentless pursuit of something with a single-minded focus. It was the same word used to describe the former relentlessness with which Paul persecuted the early Christians as Saul of Tarsus, the zealous Pharisee determined to bring the Jesus movement of the first century to an end (1 Corinthians 15:9; Galatians 1:13; Philippians 3:6). We are to press on so that we may we possess for ourselves the prize which Jesus won for us – the ultimate reward of faithful service for God.
To run with this kind of tenacity, we must strip ourselves off everything which slows us down – that includes your past sins and mistakes(Hebrews 12:1). Every single one of them. Dispose of them by confessing to God, repenting and leaving them behind as you dash toward the goal.
Called, kept and pressing on
Believe me, I know it’s easier said than done. At times I’ve felt tired. At times I’ve felt that the goal is too great and demands far more than I can do to attain it. However, there are two truths which energize us to press on:
We can press on because God has called us. If you had called yourself, then you’d have good reason to doubt that you could keep on going. But our call comes from above (v.14), from God Himself through Christ Jesus who persistently sought us while we were lost in our sin (Luke 15:3-10).
We can press on because we are kept by Christ. Christ has us in the palm of His hand, and by virtue of being in Christ’s hand, we are in the Father’s hand too. (John 10:27-30). He’ll never lose His hold on us because the Father’s power to keep us is greater than Satan’s power to snatch you away, let alone any power you have to wriggle out of His grip.
You are called by God and kept by Christ. Therefore, you can press on toward the goal of complete Christ-likeness one step at a time,yielding to the Holy Spirit’s life-changing work day by day.
Winter is coming. I find that this time of the season is always tough for me. Temperature dips and often I find that my mood falls with it. I wake up often with the despair of having to fight through another tough day of facing the daily stresses of life. Finding the motivation to do even the small things like reply to messages is often like trying to find a needle in a haystack – it is often buried under the weight of anxiety of having to respond to the message – ‘how are you?’, because you’re not quite sure what the answer to that is.
The familiar feeling of joylessness
Adulting does not get any easier, instead, it gets harder. It was not long ago that you were a carefree student, enjoying the luxuries of having someone else load your account with cash. Now the burden of carrying a financial responsibility that you feel unprepared for is beginning to dig into your shoulders, and you grimace as the pain of doing so sears deeper. You allow the busyness of life to run you over because it’s easier to just ‘get on with it’ than to slow down, face your worries and realize that perhaps ‘you’re not doing okay.’ Maybe when you open your Bible, you feel numb to the power of the words you read. When you finally pluck up the strength to pray, you find yourself distracted by the same fears you are trying to pray about. You feel as though you’ve let yourself down. Your ambition is falling at an alarming rate and this rut is not what you planned out for your life. Does it feel familiar?
I think I’ve read James 1:1-3 hundreds, if not thousands of times over during the course of my lifetime. It’s familiarity made the words feel slightly redundant to me because I had heard the rhetoric repeated to me so many times. I couldn’t wrap my simple mind around the questions of how you could be happy about hardship? What did James know about suffering that I didn’t? Why would you even want to remain in hardship let alone rejoice about it?
Tough times don’t last, only tough people last
The process of coinage – both refining (or in more exact terms, purifying) and testing gold and silver in Ancient history often involves the process of heating it in a furnace. The Greek noun ‘dokímion’ refers to the process of proving that sterling coinage was genuine as opposed to counterfeit. It involves the refining process of exposing the coinage’s imperfections and lifting the impurities from the genuine gold or silver coin.
James uses the same noun when offering counsel on how to deal with hardship. The reason for the use of the noun ‘dokímion’ (testing) in this verse is because similar to coinage testing, God’s will for putting us through tough periods in our life, is to demonstrate what is good in us. When He saved us by grace through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, the regeneration that took place in our hearts once we believed in Him, meant that we were approved of by God, and as a result sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13);
And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth the gospel of your salvation you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
Ephesians 1:13
Therefore, similar to the gold coin, your faith as well as mine is undergoing the test of the fiery furnace so that Christ can examine what He already knows about you, that you are yet to find out. That is, the faith that you possess is acceptable, real and genuine. It is the rough, hump days, (months, or even years) that must let the record show that such is the case. The beautiful thing about trials is no matter how ugly it gets, the end is always a positive result. This is because the focus of this testing is not to disprove or discredit us, though we may feel bad during the process. Instead, it is for Christ to hold us against His light and affirm that we are approved of by God and acceptable according to his righteousness. That is to say that, once our present suffering in Christ reaches its end, and is complete, we are met with future glory of eternal life with Christ because of the authenticity of our faith in Him. An authenticity proved by the road of tribulation paved before us. It is the very reason Job could say :
‘Yet he knows the way I have taken when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold’
Job 23:10
That being said, we should rest in the fact that God knows the way we must take in order for us to reach the destination of our future glory. This includes the battles and struggles that we must face along the way. I believe the reason why James invites us to ‘count it [our tough times] joy’, is because this joy is a natural response to knowing everything is being taken care of by a sovereign God. The term joy that he uses in verse 1 is ‘xará’; meaning to have an awareness of divine grace and implicit assurance which ignites a cheerful peaceful heart. Knowing that our present struggles are in fact positive testing and confirmation of genuine faith in Christ, who will not only keep us from falling but joyfully present us faultless before the presence of his glory, gives us not only the ability to endure suffering, but to ‘count it as joy’ while we do so.
