Count the Cost?

Mark 8:34-37   Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.  36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?  37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

We have this innate desire built deep within us somewhere for life.  We will go to incredible lengths to preserve life. And we should.  Life is a precious gift, not meant to be thrown away.  But sometimes we will actually inhibit the enjoyment of living life for the sake of preserving it.  Have you noticed that? 

And though I know Jesus was talking about eternal life in the passage we just read, it seems that the more insurance companies try to preserve life, the less fully life can be lived. Whoever wants to save His life will lose it.

There is something within us that wants to live.  That wants to thrive.  That wants to go beyond the everyday humdrum existence.  We want our lives to be lived…well, fully alive.  We long for more than just the day-to-day.  So many of us live for the weekends.   And we pack our weekends with  “fun” and “excitement”.  And then we go back to work on Monday worn out, but ready to exist until the next weekend.  And often we spend our lives in a dull meaningless existence, only waking up on the weekends to do the things we enjoy.

So for many of us, when we hear the words “deny yourself”, we think “I already have.”  Because in the back of our minds, we might think of someone who has more than we.

But that’s not what Jesus is talking about here.  Let’s look at that word deny.  It means to refute, refuse and renounce.   If we are talking about denying ourselves, it doesn’t mean just doing without something that we want or stopping ourselves from buying it.  It’s much deeper.  I believe that Jesus is calling us here to refute even the desires, to refuse to entertain the thoughts and even going so far as to renounce that desire in the first place.  Why does He call us to this?  First, so they don’t become a hindrance in our walk with Him. Secondly, I believe it is so we can take the resources that He has provided us and utilize them to bless others for the sake of the kingdom.

So deny yourself.  As one writer put it—Live simply so that others might simply live.

Next come those words we especially don’t like.  Take up your cross. It sounds so harsh and difficult.  And sometimes it is.  But 15^th century Scottish Presbyterian theologian and author, Samuel Rutherford wrote: Christ's cross is such a burden as sails are to a ship or wings to a bird.  I like that thought.

What Jesus is trying to do is free us from the expectations of the world.  He’s trying to help us realize that we don’t need to conform to the world’s demands, but instead, live life the way He designed us to in the first place.  Take up your cross simply means to live life in Christ, from God’s perspective and oftentimes counter-culturally.  This will mean that we will often be thought of as strange or bizarre, and Jesus said, the world may even hate us for it.

But Charles Spurgeon once wrote: “There are no crown-wearers in heaven who were not cross- bearers here below.”

Whatever God allows you to bear, bear it with patience.  I’m not saying you can’t pray to be released from it, but like Christ in the garden of Gethsemane, we must come to the place where we are willing to pray, “Nevertheless—Not my will, but Yours be done.

If you try to save your life, Jesus said, you will lose it.  If you lose your life for the sake of the Gospel, you will find it.

Martin Luther said: A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing.

Jesus never said the way would be without tears, or that it wouldn’t be hard at times.  But He did promise to be with us all the way to the end.  He promised that His very presence would hold us and carry us, no matter what we bear. 

Nathan C. Schaeffern puts things into perspective when he writes:

At the close of life, the question will not be,

"How much have you gotten?" but "How much have you given?"

Not "How much have you won?" but "How much have you done?"

Not "How much have you saved?" but "How much have you sacrificed?"

It will be "How much have you loved and served," not "How much were you honored?"

Jesus said we must count the cost if we are to be disciples.  How much will it cost?  Everything.  Your possessions, your family, possibly even your very life.  It’s the great irony of discipleship.  If you try to save your life, you’ll lose it.  If you lose your life for the sake of the gospel—if you invest your life for the sake of the gospel, instead of living it for yourself—you’ll save it.

Count the cost.   Deny yourself.  Take up your cross.  Follow Jesus.

Hold on Tight

Have you ever noticed that life is a lot like a roller coaster ride?   You spend years notching up for it, anticipating, waiting, kind of knowing what’s in store because you’ve watched others go around on the coaster.  As you get close to the top of the coaster, you start yelling, “Can’t turn back now boys!”  and then you hang at the top for just a brief second and all of a sudden, you’re holding on for dear life!  There are tons of twists and turns and rises and drops and you are moving so fast, you can only see what’s coming right in front of you, all the while anticipating the next big drop.   Your blood pumps faster, adrenaline races and without really meaning to, you hear yourself screaming at the top of your lungs.  And then, you come into another long climb.  Your heart slows down a bit, but now that you know what is in store, you realize that the climb is really only a catch your breath place.  It’s a little relief before you go into part two of the ride.  The ominous clack, clack, clack of the chain below you tells you that you’re  in for another gut-wrenching series of twists and turns.  You’re up and over the top, tossed to the left, then slammed to the right. Now your stomach is in your throat and now it’s in your toes and just as suddenly, it’s over.   And when your body fully understands that you’ve actually survived, and a rush of adrenaline and relief washes over you, then you are suddenly free to enjoy the ride.

What a tragedy!  What a tragedy that we have to go all the way through life, anxious and worrying over every last thing only to look back and say, “that wasn’t so bad.”

That’s how many of us approach life, isn’t it?  Everything we see on TV, everything we hear in the news, our conversations, just everything around us causes us to go OH, OH, OH as we anticipate the absolute worst outcome possible.  We wring our hands in anxiety and as all the stimuli hits us, we just freak out.   We’re ready to run for the hills.  And we live our lives on this knife edge of worry, just knowing that it’s going to be horrible and our lives are constantly filled with sheer terror as we  think about the twists, turns and drops ahead.  And again, we can’t really enjoy it until it’s over.  That’s tragic.

 But I want you to notice something.  When  we accepted Christ, Romans 8 tells us that we are to have a different spirit.

Romans 8: 15 "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”  16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children."

In other words, you are in the Father’s care, so there is nothing to fear.  Over and over again Jesus told his disciples not to fear.  Over and over He faced stuff that freaks us out, even death on a cross, without ever fearing.  He looked at the worst we had to offer in this world with complete peace in His heart.  We look at far less and freak.

Don’t believe me?  What happens in your heart when I say: “close of probation” or “time of trouble”?   Or what about “seven last plagues” or “mark of the beast” or “one world order”?    If you are typical, a little bit of fear starts to grip your heart.  Now what about these?  $5 per gallon gasoline.  Terrorist threats to Atlanta.  Hurricanes, Tornadoes, floods.  Faltering economy. How about Recession or Economic  Depression?  Or Presidential Election?

Now we’re on the roller coaster.  Our fears run off the charts.  And we have people who prey on those fears.  You need an alarm system.  You need more insurance.  You should sell everything you have and run to mountains.  And if you can’t do anything else, wring your hands in anguish. Have you ever noticed that people come out of the woodwork to heighten your fears?  You can’t even open your email now without someone forwarding something that freaks you out.  People in the back seat with a gun. Waking up with your kidney’s gone and you are packed in ice in a bathtub with a cryptic message on the mirror of the bathroom. Crooks getting in on the other side of your car while you are pumping gas and ripping you off. Cell phones igniting gas fumes.  And by the way, that one is true.

And while we must practice common sense and seek to be as safe as possible, fear can actually rip the guts out of you and keep you from enjoying the one life you have.  All you can do is moan or scream for the whole ride.

Listen to what Jesus said: John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Listen, if you have someone trying to scare you into something, it is not from God.  Jesus never preyed on the fears of people to get them to do right.  Jesus never tried to change people with stories designed to freak them out.  He always used a path of love and only wanted us to respond out of love.  Never out of fear or alarmism.

Even if people are professing to share with you the signs of the times we live in, if they are appealing to your fearful, sensational side, it is not from God, it is from their fearful, sensational side.

Jesus told us what was to come, but then he said, John 16:33   “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Some of us  are so taken in by this fear thing, that we can’t even hear the words of Jesus, much less apply them to our lives.  We focus on sign watching, and we see a shadow behind every bush and quite frankly, that’s because there is one.  But what we fail to realize is that in order to get the shadow on one side of the bush, the sun has to be shining on the other side.  Quit looking at the shadows all the time.  Quit freaking out over every last thing that happens in this world.  Let me help you out with this signs of the end thing.

Go to Matthew 24 verses 3-14 3   As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”  4   Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.  5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.  6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.  7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.  9   “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.  10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,  11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.  12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,  13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.  14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Jesus goes on in the rest of the chapter to outline other signs and things that would happen.  Did you know that every last one of these things has already found fulfillment except one?  Did you know they have all come to pass except one?  And that one is the one we spend very little time worrying about.  That one is the one we actually jump over most of the time.  That one is the one we really don’t notice, but it is the final one that needs to be fulfilled.  It’s in verse 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Get off of the sign watching.  They’ve already happened!  Every new one that comes along is simply a fulfillment of what has already happened.  Of course we’re living in the end times.  Of course Jesus is coming soon.  Of course things are winding down and if we are reading Jesus’ words here correctly, will get really bad before it’s over.  But that isn’t a reason to freak out and wring your hands anxiously.  Instead it’s a call to trust.  A call to hang on to the promises of Jesus that he will be with you to the very end of the age.  He’s your safety bar on the roller coaster of your life.  Hang on tight and enjoy the ride.

You’re going to have trouble.  You’re going to have a rough ride.  But if you learn to trust in Jesus, you are prepared for whatever comes and you are then free to enjoy the ride.  See, the disciples were not truly free to live, until they faced the fact that they could die, but that was ok, because there was a resurrection and they, like Jesus, couldn’t be held down.  The grave was not final.  When they got ahold of that, it freed them to live bold lives in the face of persecution and death.  It can free us to live bold lives and bring hope in the midst of an economic downturn or scary times in our history.  We don’t have to be overcome by a world that Jesus has already told us that he has over come.  Hold on tight to the peace that Jesus gives and then enjoy the ride!

Peace that Jesus gives is not the absence of trouble, but is rather the confidence that He is there with you always.  Safety consists not in the absence of danger but in the presence of God.

May you bask in His presence (and safety) today.

A Reason to Live

Man, ever since the fall, has been on quest for meaning and purpose in life.  And their search has pretty much yielded about as many different ideas as there are people.  We find tons of things to occupy our time, lots of work and free time activities, which we misconstrue to believe are the purpose of our lives.  But what we fail to realize is there is a relationship which makes life complete. Without that relationship, there is a void, a vacuum in life. Many people, even those who are well-known, can attest to that void.

For example, H.G. Wells, famous historian and philosopher, said at age 61: "I have no peace. All life is at the end of the tether." The poet Byron said, "My days are in yellow leaf, the flowers and fruits of life are gone, the worm and the canker, and the grief are mine alone." The literary genius Thoreau said, "Most men live lives of quiet desperation."

Ralph Barton, one of the top cartoonists of the nations, left this note pinned to his pillow before taking his own life: "I have had few difficulties, many friends, great successes; I have gone from wife to wife, from house to house, visited great countries of the world, but I am fed up with inventing devices to fill up twenty-four hours of the day."

Even the heady philosophers, after pondering where meaning is found, admit that it all seems meaningless.  That there is no stopping the hands of time, and that in the whole scheme of things man is pretty gutsy to stand up to the inevitable, today destined to lose his dearest loved one, tomorrow he himself will be rolled over.  Or as the book written in 1929 entitled Mysticism and Logic concludes:  “Man is proudly defiant of the irresistible forces that tolerate, for a moment, his knowledge . . . and his condemnation, to sustain alone, a weary but unyielding Atlas, the world that his own ideals have fashioned despite the trampling march of unconscious power.”

American humorist and author, Mark Twain, shortly before his death wrote, "A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle;...they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages over each other; age creeps upon them; infirmities follow; ...those they love are taken from them, and the joy of life is turned to aching grief. It (the release) comes at last--the only un-poisoned gift earth ever had for them--and they vanish from a world where they were of no consequence,...a world which will lament them a day and forget them forever."

King Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived tended to agree.  Look at Ecclesiastes chapter 1. 12 ¶ I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

When you look at all of life in a true perspective, it indeed does look meaningless.  Chasing after the wind, Solomon says.  That’s productive.  So what are we supposed to do with this life?

In Chapter 2, Solomon comes to his first conclusion: Eccl. 2:24 ¶ A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?

God designed us to live life with a purpose.  He wants us to find satisfaction in whatever it is we choose to do.  But He also wants us to know that in whatever it is we find to do, there is still an overarching purpose that transcends all of our activity.  And a person who lives life without realizing what that purpose is, is like …well, let me illustrate it.

 A rich man was determined to give his mother a birthday present that would outshine all others. He read of a bird that had a vocabulary of 4000 words, could speak in numerous languages and sing 3 operatic arias. He immediately bought the bird for $50,000 and had it delivered to his mother. The next day he phoned to see if she had received the bird. "What did you think of the bird?" he asked.

She replied, "It was delicious!"

A person who lives life without understanding the purpose, doesn’t really understand the value of the gift.  They just eat the bird and go on their way.   And we see that person and we say, “What a waste! Don’t they understand the value of what they’ve been given?”

Naturalist Henry David Thoreau is often noted for his statement that most men "live lives of quiet desperation." In an attempt to avoid that kind of existence, he lived alone from 1845 to 1847 in the woods of Walden Pond, Massachusetts. In 1854, he published his experiences in the book Walden. He wrote, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear..."

I love that line.  “I did not wish to live what was not live, living is so dear…”  If only more people would come to understand that.  If only more Christians would live that out for the world to see and take note of.  Don’t live what is not life…  don’t waste your time on things that won’t bring more meaning to your life.  Don’t fritter away the hours without meaning and purpose.  Life was meant to be lived with a purpose.  A meaning.

Thomas Carlyle once wrote: A man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder--a waif, a nothing, a no man. Have a purpose in life, and, having it, throw such strength of mind and muscle into your work as God has given you.

“What’s your purpose?” we ask a student.  And the answer comes back, “to make good grades.”  Why?  To get into a good college.  Why?  To get a good job.  Why?   To support myself and my family?  And then what? Live a good life, travel, enjoy.”

“What’s your purpose?” we ask a housewife.  “To keep my house in running in good order…to raise my kids…to cook and clean and mend.”  And then what?  When the kids are gone…then what?

“What’s your purpose?” we ask a businessman.  To make the next deal…to get ahead…to grow my business larger…to make more money…to be a success.”

John W. Gardner, founding chairman of Common Cause, said it's a rare and high privilege to help people understand the difference they can make -- not only in their own lives, but also in the lives of others, simply by giving of themselves.

Gardner tells of a cheerful old man who asked the same question of just about every new acquaintance he fell into conversation with: "What have you done that you believe in and you are proud of?"

He never asked conventional questions such as "What do you do for a living?" It was always, "What have you done that you believe in and are proud of?"

It was an unsettling question for people who had built their self-esteem on their wealth or their family name or their exalted job title.

Not that the old man was a fierce interrogator. He was delighted by a woman who answered, "I'm doing a good job raising three children;" and by a cabinetmaker who said, "I believe in good workmanship and practice it;" and by a woman who said, "I started a bookstore and it's the best bookstore for miles around."

"I don't really care how they answer," said the old man. "I just want to put the thought into their minds.

"They should live their lives in such a way that they can have a good answer. Not a good answer for me, but for themselves. That's what' s important."  (Dr. Dale E. Turner, MSC Health Action News, July, 1993, p. 7.)

I like that question: "What have you done that you believe in and are proud of?"   I like it because it begins to refocus us away from our activity and onto who we are becoming as people.  It begins to help us see that we are more than the activities we involve ourselves in.  Too often we seek to find our identities in what we do, and not what we’ve become.  Too often, we lose ourselves in this false identity and never become who Jesus wants us to be.

Christian author CS Lewis once wrote: The glory of God, and, as our only means to glorifying Him, the salvation of human souls, is the real business of life.

That’s God’s purpose for you.  Inspired Christian author Ellen White, in her book, lThe Ministry of Healing, page 164, writes: Christian motives demand that we work with a steady purpose, an undying interest, an ever-increasing importunity, for the souls whom Satan is seeking to destroy. Nothing is to chill the earnest, yearning energy for the salvation of the lost.

George Bernard Shaw,  was quoted in the book Courage - You Can Stand Strong in the Face of Fear, (Jon Johnston, 1990 SP Publications, p. 171) as saying, “This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one: the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap, and being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.”

There are only two paths. One path brings satisfaction and contentment.  The other misery.  Why?  Because the first path is what you were created to do…regardless of the occupation you choose.  The second path is what happens when you don’t know and understand and embrace your purpose.  It is as Solomon said…a chasing after the wind.

Solomon, as he finished his book of wisdom, brought it to this conclusion.

Eccl. 12:13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man.

Nothing else brings purpose to life.  Nothing else gives a reason to live.  Nothing else brings meaning.  God created us and knows that meaning is found in a relationship with Him alone.  He knows that purpose is found when we live out that relationship and share with others that they too can have meaning a purpose in life through a relationship with Christ.

As CS Lewis said, “The glory of God, and, as our only means to glorifying Him, the salvation of human souls, is the real business of life.”  May you go out and live life with a purpose.

Reason to Hope

It’s amazing how one phone call or one conversation or one piece of information can suddenly plunge us into our own world of darkness.  You know what I mean. “There’s been a terrible accident.”  “I hate to tell you this, but your tests came back positive.  You have cancer.  There’s not much we can do.”  “Your mommy and I just can’t live together anymore.”  We hear those words and our world goes dark.  The birds may be singing and sun may be shining, but it’s raining on the inside.  The storm clouds have moved in and the thunder and lightning in your soul drown out just about everything else.  Ever since sin entered into this world, life has become full of those moments. 

We can’t escape them.  We can try to pretend that they aren’t there and that nothing is wrong, but it doesn’t make it so.  We can deny and act as though we are fine, but our soul is in solitary confinement with the light shut out.  Where do we find the hope in a time like that?  Where is our one blade of grass on those days?  How do we go on when we don’t even want to?  What is our reason to hope?

And as long as you have hope, you can’t be defeated.  I’m not talking about unrealistic denial of the facts.  I’m not talking about hoping for what can never be.  I’m talking about a realistic trust in the Lord; a looking to Him for your stability in the midst of your storm.  A confidence that no matter what happens, He will see you through.  When you have that hope within you, no one can take it away, no matter what they do to you.  And you will, yourself, be a source of hope to those around you.

Anthony de Mello in his book The Heart of the Enlightened, page 19 writes:

Once upon a time in a concentration camp there lived a prisoner who, even though he was under sentence of execution, was fearless and free.  One day he was seen in the middle of the prison square playing his guitar.  A large crowd gathered to listen, for under the spell of his music, they became as fearless as he.  When the prison authorities saw this, they forbade the man to play.

But the next day there he was again, singing and playing on his guitar with a larger crowd around him.  The guards angrily dragged him away and had his fingers chopped off. 

Next day he was back again, singing and making what music he could with his bleeding fingers.  This time the crowds were cheering.  The guards dragged him away again and smashed his guitar.

The following day he was singing with all his heart.  What a song!  So pure and uplifting!  The crowd joined in, and while the singing lasted, their hearts became as pure as his and their spirits were invincible.  So angry were the guards this time that they had his tongue torn out.  A hush descended on the camp, a something that was deathless.

To the astonishment of everyone, he was back in his place the next day swaying and dancing to a silent music that no one but he could hear.  And soon everyone was holding hands and dancing around this bleeding, broken figure in the center while the guards stood rooted to the ground in wonder.

Two thousand years ago, thinking to silence hope, the devil looked at the Singer of life and love said, “Destroy this One, and we destroy any hope that humanity ever thought of having!”  And he did his best.  Satan used one of Jesus’ friends to betray Him.  The mob took Him. They spit on Him; pulled out His beard, beat Him until He was almost dead.  Then forced Him to carry his cross up a rugged hill, and there, they crucified Him. 

“That should do it!” Satan beamed.  And for a while, it looked like it would work.  The disciple’s world caved in.  They locked themselves into a room for fear of the Jews.  It was as if a hush descended on the camp, a something that was deathless.

All seemed bleak.  Hopeless.  Dark.  But then someone found the crack in the concrete.  A small hole with a single blade of grass hope.  “Hey, I wonder if it’s really true?” “What’s that?”  “Well, you know, what He said about the third day.”

It seemed hopeless to all, but to the astonishment of everyone, on the third day, Jesus was back in His spot once again singing hope.

Scripture tells us in Romans 8 that nothing can separate us from the love of God.  That’s hope.

Psa. 62:5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.

Lam. 3:25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;

Rom. 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Jer. 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I don’t know what dark cell you may be in this morning.  I don’t know what is darkening your sky…But I do know there’s hope.  I have no idea where you are in your walk with Jesus, but let me just say: That’s where your hope lies.  That’s where you will find it.  It may only be a blade of grass hope to start with, but He promises to give you a hope and a future.

You can go on.  You can make it, because He did.  You have an assurance of tomorrow because He’s provided it for you.  He’s still in His place singing His song of hope.  It may seem silent in your soul…but if you look closer, you might just see Him dancing and swaying in place to a music that can’t be conquered.  A music, that in the face of all odds can bring you hope.  A music that He longs to bring to your soul.  Because He did all that for you, He can bring you hope.  Open up your heart and receive it.  Look out from the darkness of your soul and see the color once again, no matter what you are facing.  It may be only a small wisp of fresh air and a view revealing that small blade of green grass, but that still signals there’s hope.  And Jesus is holding it out to you.  Reach out and take it. Take it and let Him put the music back in your soul.  And then turn to your neighbor, turn to your family, turn to any the Lord brings across your path and share that hope with them.  Be in your spot, singing hope to a world that so badly needs it. 

A Reason for Endurance

Sometimes, I think that our present generation of church people (and I include myself in that group) has grown soft and flexible, loving comfort more than Christ, seeking satisfaction rather than saving souls. I wonder what would happen to the Christian faith if, overnight, we faced the same trials and tribulations of the early Christians? Would we yield to our oppressors? Would we surrender to secularism? Would we deny our Savior?

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, for us, we don't currently have to face anything remotely like that, but there are other Christians in the world in places like China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Iraq, parts of Africa and even India, where our brothers and sisters in the faith will be hunted down, harassed, tormented, and even killed before the sun sets tonight.  Killed, not because they have done anything wrong. Their only offense is that they have chosen, like you and I, to love and follow Jesus.  I believe that their faith is stronger than ours; their commitment to Christ is better than our own; because their service to God is a matter of life and death, not a life style choice or leisure pursuit.

They consistently have to endure hardships that we haven’t even tried to imagine.  They have counted the cost and chosen to lay down a life they cannot keep in order to lay hold of a life which they cannot lose.

When Time comes to an end and History is over, we'll all be standing in line, awaiting our crowns of glory. We, who are always so used to being first, will be at the back of the line, watching those Christians who have nothing but faith being brought forward to the places of honor, glory, and power before us. It will come as a shock to us, but not a surprise, for didn’t Jesus often said, "The first will be last, and the last will be first?"

But we like being first.  We like being in positions of power and luxury.  We like having it soft.  I do.  I’ve watched myself grow more about comfort than about hardship.  I’ve watched myself grow more intensely devoted to making sure I’ve got it easy.  I don’t like sleeping on hard floors anymore.  I don’t like hard physical labor anymore.  I don’t want to even get out of my recliner to answer the phone or change the channel. That’s why God had someone invent cordless phones and remotes.  I don’t like it hard.   And if I’m not missing my guess, neither do you.  

We’ve become a soft society.    How do I know?  Listen to what we complain about.  They aren’t complaints that the government just killed our pastor or our uncle or our spouse for loving Jesus.  We don’t complain about how hard it is to share the gospel in our society. We don’t even complain about starving to death.  As a matter of fact, we complain about food.  We have the luxury to complain about food.  Don’t like this kind.  It’s gross.  Not enough of it to suit me.

We complain about weather.  Too hot.  Too cold.   Too windy.  Too rainy.

We complain about homework and jobs.  We complain about cars that aren’t as nice and about high gas prices.  We complain at restaurants or oil change places or even, believe it or not, Wal-Mart when the service isn’t fast enough.  We complain about other drivers who don’t go fast enough when the light turns green.  In spite of all we’ve been blessed with, or perhaps I should say, in spite of all the circumstances that we are blessed not to have to live with, we still complain about anything that encroaches on our idea of the good life.  We’ve become a soft society.

So how does the Lord get our attention in a soft society?  How does the Lord get us more committed when our lives are not on the line every day?  How does Jesus get us to grow closer to Him when we are more concerned with what we are eating after this than the food He wants to give us right now?

You aren’t going to like my answer.    I don’t like my answer…but it’s biblical.  I have come to believe that it is through suffering that God talks best.  Let me rephrase that.  I believe it is through suffering that we learn to listen best.  I don’t believe that God causes human suffering.  But I have come to believe that He will come to the one who is suffering and draw near to them and grow them to be closer to Himself.  When you think of suffering in the Bible, who do you think of?   Job.  Listen to what the book of Job has to say about this.

Job 36:15 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction. 16 “He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.

God knows that we weren’t really meant for this existence.  It is merely a growing up place,  a maturing place with a much better place coming.   But we try to make this life of distress as comfortable as possible don’t we?  We try to pretend that this is all there is.  So go for the gusto, baby.  Grab all you can, can all you grab and sit on the lid!  We set our eyes on the comforts of this world and actually believe that if we can surround ourselves with enough money, enough luxuries of life and enough friends, that we will have no problems.

I don’t care who you are—suffering will touch you.   There is really no such thing as a charmed life.  The wealthiest all the way down to the poorest.  We all suffer.  You might be saying,  “Oh, I’d like to suffer the way they have to suffer.  At least I’d have a Beemer.”  “Or at least I’d suffer in a million dollar house.”

If that’s your type of thinking then you haven’t really been paying attention.  If Hurricane Katrina taught us anything, it would have to be that the million dollar houses can be ruined and swept away as quickly as the shanties.

Recognize that while you may be thinking of a better way to suffer, there are millions of people who are suffering much worse.  Did you know that there are children being born in Africa, today, to parents with AIDS. Those children themselves, are born with AIDS, and they will live their entire life and then die an early death and not know one day without suffering. 

Think about that.  If you have had at least one day in your life free of worry or pain, you’ve got more than they will have their whole life.  But recognize that it is not the suffering, itself, that brings you closer to Jesus.

It is what you choose to do with your suffering.  It is how you choose to handle to crisis, the trauma, the sickness, or the bad news.  You can choose to run to Jesus and allow Him to deliver you in your suffering, or you can choose to run away from him and blame Him for your suffering.

One choice will bring you closer to Jesus and give you strength to bear up and endure whatever it is you are having to face.  The other will cause you to grow bitter and miserable, to the point that others will go out of their way to avoid you.

2Tim. 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

8 ¶ So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,  9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life — not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.

1Pet. 4:12 ¶ Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

19 ¶ So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

What was that?  Those who suffer according to God’s will… whoa…hold the phone…  What does that mean?  God wants us to suffer?  No…but He doesn’t necessarily want to rescue us from the troubles of this life because if He did, He knows that we would just be satisfied with staying here and then we would never long for heaven…so He allows suffering.  Suffering then, from that perspective, is within His will…  Whenever it comes then, Peter says our response should be to commit ourselves to our faithful creator and continue to do good.

Paul writing to Timothy says: 2 Timothy 2:3 "Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus." -

The writer of the book of Hebrews 12:7 "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?"

James adds this. James 1:2 ¶ Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (endurance)  4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

That’s a reason for endurance.  It helps us become mature and complete, not lacking anything. 

Need another reason to develop endurance and perseverance in your life?

James 1:12 ¶ Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Wherever you go today and whatever you do, be an enduring Christian first and foremost. Treat people with respect, serve one another, and show love. And if you happen to be hurt or disappointed by someone else, don't fret over it. Go to Jesus and He will help you endure.  Not only endure, but He will help you return the hurt with healing, he’ll help you cover your wounds with His love, and your disappointment with genuine grace. For those are the things that truly make us Christian.  Listen to the words of Jesus, found in Revelation 2:10

Rev. 2:10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Father,

You know that stuff happens here that we don’t understand.  You know that we suffer.  Yet you tell us not to be afraid, but to be faithful.  We can’t do it alone, Lord.  So come this moment and strengthen us in the middle of our suffering.  Give us endurance and the will to persevere, knowing that it’s safer to walk with you in the darkness than to go it alone in the light.  Keep us, Lord, in Your care and keeping… Help us to be faithful… not because we’re so good, but because You’re so good.  These things we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.