Hated, Yet Beloved

John 17:13-24

The world hates Christians for many reasons, but most importantly because they don’t share the same values. Worldly values are centered around pride, selfishness, and ego, whereas Christians live by godly standards including love, selflessness, and humility.

Although men are born in sin and shaped in iniquity, according to Psalm 51:5, what a person is exposed to, usually determines their life outcome. Many are born into families that are unexposed to the truth of God, and their lives are influenced by what the world portrays on TV and other media sources. It’s easy to be influenced by the world, especially when a person hasn’t been exposed to the Word, so they aren’t given a fair chance to discern between the two. Conversely, children who are raised in Christian homes and go off to college have a 75 percent chance of being turned away from the truth. The evil of the world is very influential, because it promotes those things people desire most; money, relevance, and happiness. But God desires that men grow in the knowledge of His Word, so they’ll develop an understanding of the true purpose of life.

In our text, Jesus prayed for His disciples because all He gave to them from the Father, caused them to be hated by the world. Like a good shepherd, Jesus prayed that God keep the disciples from the evil that would come against them in the world. Jesus didn’t limit His prayer to the disciples, but He extended His prayer to those who would believe on Him in the future (you and I). Yes, Jesus prayed for us, before we were even born. How awesome is that?!

I’ve been writing on prayer the past few lessons, because prayer is powerful and necessary, even when it seems like God isn’t checking His voicemail. The prayer of oneness Jesus prayed in the text should be continued amongst the church today, because unity is key, and the strength of God’s people. In the same way a tightly wound fist can deliver a more solid punch, when the church is united, their effectiveness in the world will have a greater impact.

Anguish And Agony

Luke 22:39-46

As Jesus neared the end of His ministry, the thoughts that clouded His mind caused Him much anguish and agony. How could the Son of the living God reach a point where His emotions were as those of normal men, and He experienced mental struggles? Jesus was God in the flesh, so how could He feel what normal people feel, while being all God, and all man? Being all God, Jesus understood His place in the holy trinity, and carried out His role as the Father commanded. The Son of God indeed was directly connected to the source of the greatest power that ever existed, but the human nature He was housed in felt all things just as man does. The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4:15). In other words, Jesus experienced life on earth as any human would, except He did not give in to temptation, nor sin.

As He went to the mount of Olives to pray, Jesus held in His mind literally all He had experienced, and all He would soon face. The thoughts of torture, beatings, persecution, and other wicked schemes against Him, were all playing in His mind, as He knelt to pray. The Bible mentions He was in agony, then began to pray more earnestly. Luke continues to mention how the sweat that fell from Jesus was as great drops of blood. My mercy! I often allow myself to go into a “sunken place” when I’ve sinned, or fallen into temptation, because I realize that I not only bring harm and shame to myself and loved ones, but most importantly to God. But, Jesus did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong, yet He prepared His mind and body to take on all the sins of the mankind, along with unprecedented physical and mental abuse.

Although Jesus was empowered with God’s characteristics and abilities, He willingly restrained Himself, so that you and I could have a better future in the life to come. Do you agonize over past mistakes or errors you could have avoided with consistent prayer and godly meditation, or are you preparing yourself to endure the suffering that comes with proclaiming the truth of God’s Word, and the attacks that come from covering and protecting those you love? Most of the suffering we experience comes by our own doing, but the suffering that follows a godly lifestyle, will be rewarded by the Father in this life, and the next. “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” (vs. 42).

“Pray that ye enter not into temptation.” – Jesus

Unrestricted Love

Luke 6:22-33

One of the things I’ve noticed Christians struggle with most is, loving their enemies. While it’s fairly easy to love those who love you, and do good to them who reciprocate it, Jesus commanded the church to show the same meekness and compassion to their enemies. To the babe in Christ, the concept of loving someone who could care less about your wellbeing can be hard to grasp, but after careful study and meditation on the life Jesus lived on the earth, a greater understanding of love will be revealed.

God loved the world so much, that He gave His best to save it. Jesus loved God’s people to the point He laid down His life, allowed men to scourge, thrash, and mangle His body, so the wages of sin could forever be washed away. During the time when Jesus gave this message in our text, the Jews hated the Romans, because they persecuted and oppressed the people of God. So, it may have seemed strange to hear, “Love your enemies”. The love Jesus referenced wasn’t deep affection, rather the willingness to forgive and possibly influence. The church is commanded to love all men the same, whether they have received salvation or not, because it’s the duty of the believers to win lost souls, not shun them away.

From the Old Testament to the New, the focus of those who walk after righteousness is, to compel men to come to God. Daniel 12:3 reads, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Jesus said in Mark 16:15, “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

As followers of Christ, the church has been commissioned to love and not hate, reach and not reject, influence and not contaminate, help and not hurt. Just because a man or woman has yet to accept God into their hearts, doesn’t give a believer the right to reject them, because God created them, and loves them just the same. Instead, we should should show sincere love to everyone we meet, especially to those who possibly hate our stinkin’ guts. Always remember, we were once lost in sin, and needed someone to help bring us in. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7).

In conclusion, sow love, even when it’s hard, so that you can reap a harvest of blessings and favor from God, and man.

Strong Hearts

Ephesians 3:14-21

As the world turns, and end-time prophecy continues to be fulfilled, it’s imperative for the body of Christ to tighten their unity amongst each other, and pray to God to strengthen their hearts. Standing for the truth is becoming more challenging, as hard times continue to plague the lives of the Saints. It’s unfortunate when members of the church are at odds with each other, when they were commanded to love, but believers can’t allow the events of the world to sever their togetherness. The church is stronger when all members join together with one mind, and set their affections on things above, but when unity and love are absent, the church will suffer greatly. In our text, the apostle Paul suffered greatly for the church, but his suffering was to their benefit. Paul’s example was proof that the church could also stand strong in times of persecution. Paul then prayed to God, in name of Jesus Christ, that the church be strengthen with might, by God’s Spirit, in the inner man. The enemy targets our most vulnerable points, the heart and mind, and once he can infiltrate either of them, he’ll quickly gain access to our soul. We must guard our hearts against all wickedness and temptation, and keep our focus on edifying each other in the Lord. The apostle Paul knew the importance of unity, especially during challenging times, and was confident that if the church would allow God to fill them with all His fulness, they could remain in the right place in Him, to be used for His glory. Be strength to one another, especially during these times, because only when all members of the body of Christ work together, can our impact in the world truly make a difference.

A Faithful Journey

Romans 15:22-33

The apostle Paul is known to be one of the greatest of all apostles in Scripture. His reputation was not based on prideful dealings, instead his preaching of the Gospel and establishment of churches had a major impact in the kingdom of God. Paul’s journeys through different regions were often met with confrontation, and there were many obstacles on his path that could have easily hindered his progress. For this reason, Paul would often ask the churches to strive with him in prayer, because his missions were often met with strong contention.

In our text, the apostle Paul planned in his heart to visit the church in Rome, but he delayed his trip in order to minister to the poor Saints in Jerusalem, and deliver blessings to them from the Saints of Macedonia and Achaia. It’s a beautiful thing when the church comes together to support one another. There are few today who actively participate in fellowship and giving to the needy, but it’s not as profound as it was in Paul’s day.

Knowing that the churches he established were continuing in the things of the Lord, brought Paul great delight, so he made it his business to visit them as often as he could. Paul did so much for the kingdom of God, until he needed all the prayer available, to help keep him focused as he ministered. I’m certain there were times when he considered throwing in the towel, but he never allowed rejection, persecution, or anything else to turn him away from doing God’s will.

Doing works for the Lord will always make one a target for the enemy, and he’ll do all within his power to hinder the progress of the Saints, but we must continue doing the will of the Father, regardless of who stands in our way. Be mindful of the fact that you aren’t the only one fighting the “good fight”, and there are many who are striving to do well, so join with your brothers and sisters in the Lord, and keep one another edified and encouraged, as the day of Christ draws near.

Wanted: Christians

Acts 12:5-11

When Jesus had finally left the earth, His disciples had set their focus on carrying out His commands without hesitation. The great apostles began establishing the foundations of the first church, and made certain that the message of the Gospel was freely given to the Gentile nations as well. The church had all things in common, and when situations became a bit tense, effective prayer and communication easily resolved all issues.

The early church began to strive and thrive in the name of the Lord, but their zeal for God came at great cost. During the development of the church, not everyone was pleased to see it prosper. Certain of the synagogues were opposed to the teaching of the Gospel, for reasons centered around pride and ignorance, and the best way these men thought to hurt the church was to make an examples of its leaders. Stephen, an outstanding leader, teacher, and full of wisdom and the Holy Ghost, was the first to be martyred amongst the brethren. Soon after this tragic event, persecution against the church, which began in Jerusalem, caused the people to scatter abroad, throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. The apostles remained in Jerusalem, and made great lamentation over Stephen’s death.

Following Saul’s conversion and acceptance of God’s will for his life, the message of the Gospel was still being preached by the apostles, but after king Herod decided to add his name to the church oppression party, the apostles were listed at the top of his wanted list. In order to please the Jews, king Herod decided to first kill James, the brother of John. The disciples were obviously aware that the days Jesus had spoken of, were now being lived, and they prepared themselves to face what was to come.

Following the death of James, the wicked king sought to kill Peter next, so they arrested him, threw him in prison, and waited to bring him before the people to be executed. The church in America today, complains that times are hard for them, but they’ve never faced persecution as the disciples did. While in prison, Peter being placed between two soldiers, fell asleep. How could one sleep, knowing they would soon be executed? The Bible mentions that prayer was made without ceasing of the church that God deliver Peter, and He did! The same night Peter was asleep, an angel appeared, released him of the chains that bound him, then led him safely away from the prison. Peter thought he was seeing a vision, and didn’t realize until after his escape, he was set free. Wow! The Bible explains it like this, “And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.” (vs. 11). Jesus had told Peter before, how he would die, but this was not his time.

Persecution is inevitable for the children of God, and we must be prepared to stand strong when that time comes. The devil hates God, and those who follow Him because we remind him of what he once had, and lost; fellowship and unity with the Father. Bible times are long gone, and the men who left us the example to follow already fulfilled their purpose, but now we must live ours, and hope to be as bold and firm as the men of old were.

A Higher Perspective

Mark 2:1-12

Bashing the modern-day church isn’t something I take pride in, as some do today. There are many who speak their thoughts over social media outlets, in reference to the state of church, and christianity, and most of them set the church in a negative light. The definition of the church is, a unified body, consisting of many members, all with different functions, yet operating with one mind, heart, and goal.

It is indeed sad how church has changed over time, and many who seek the truth, can hardly find it from those who profess to be believers, but the biggest problem facing those who are supposed to represent Christ is, perspective. Operating on human intellect alone, gives one a certain world view that is oftentimes contrary to the will of God. Men are indeed wise, and have knowledge to accomplish great things, but worldly wisdom and understanding can take you so far, until you’ll eventually yearn for a deeper understanding of life to grasp things from God’s point of view. In addition, just because a person attends religious services, doesn’t automatically make them qualified in their understanding of the Gospel message. Without the Spirit of God, no man can function appropriately according as God desires.

Our text gives an example of the different perspectives between carnal minded men, and the mind of Jesus. After seeing the faith of four men who sincerely believed that Jesus would heal their paralyzed friend, rather than heal the man first, Jesus focused on his soul. From man’s perspective one would think natural healing should come first, but Jesus proved to the arrogant and undisciplined scribes that a man’s soul is more important than anything else. The physical body of man is temporal, but the soul is eternal, and all souls belong to the Lord. The certain scribes in the text failed to understand that God had given His Son the power and authority to forgive sin, and from His perspective, Jesus was concerned about the total man, and not just the physical.

In times when we don’t understand the plan of God, trust and believe He sees more than we can with our limited sight and judgment. Be careful not to judge the church by where some are in life, because God may be doing something to help their eternal future, and not just a temporary situation.

Be Made Whole

Mark 2:13-17

As I continue to meditate on the pages of Scripture, my fascination of the power Jesus portrayed continues to swell, even to this day. From walking on water, to casting devils out of a man and into a herd of swine, the power of God working through the Son was, and is still amazing! The power of God is limitless, and all who came to Jesus, in faith, were healed. Not one person who suffered was left in their misery after their encounter with Jesus (unless they weren’t willing to change, like the rich man). But my focus for this lesson is on Judas, the disciple.

I know Bible prophecy will always be fulfilled, but I have concerns as to how Judas could be so close to the Savior, yet not seek His mighty power, to deliver him from his struggle. Jesus mentions in our text, “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick:” (vs.17). He continued to say that He came to call sinners to repentance. Although Judas was a disciple who closely followed Jesus and the eleven, his motives weren’t the same as theirs. During all the missions and travels of Jesus during His ministry, Judas was responsible for handling the finances, and I’m apt to believe, he was influenced by the devil, and allowed the love of money to rule his heart, more than the love of Jesus. I often say, conviction is a positive sign to Saints, because it makes them aware that they are nearing a fall, but when that conviction goes away, they’ll be open to act upon evil desires. This is what happened with Judas. He was literally with Jesus nearly every day, and was free to express his thoughts and struggles, but rather than seek help for what he battled with, he chose to remain in the sin that would eventually lead to his demise.

Even though we have God in our hearts, we can still be tempted to entertain sin. If we fall, we can come to God in sincerity and faith, knowing that He alone can forgive, and deliver us from our faults. Unlike Judas, who allowed money to rule his heart, let the peace of God rule yours, even in times of struggle, because the Father already knows what’s going on, and wants you to boldly come to Him in humility and love.

“It’s ok to not be ok sometimes, but don’t give up… help is on the way.” – Ell

Healing Through Faith

Mark 5:21-34

The Bible story of the woman with the issue of blood is one that has inspired many to hold fast to their faith in God, even for their own healing. Suffering with a blood issue for twelve long years, had caused the woman much misery, pain, and grief. What made matters worse for her is, she had spent all that she had on different treatments from physicians. Not only was she miserable and broke, but her issue grew worse. Her cries of help did her no good, until she heard of a man named Jesus, who just so happened to be in close proximity to her one day.

While continuing in His ministry of teaching and healing, Jesus made His way to the other side of the country of the Gadarenes. Mere moments after leaving the ship on which He traveled, Jesus found Himself surrounded by crowds of people. Before He could settle Himself off the ship, Jesus was approached by one of the rulers of the synagogue, who asked for His help to heal his daughter, who was at the point of death. Jesus agreed, then began following the man to his residence.

While on the way to heal the daughter of Jarius, the woman with the issue of blood, heard about Jesus, then fought her way to just touch His garment. Her faith grabbed hold to what she heard about Jesus, and she was certain that her healing would come, from just one touch. After she touched the Savior’s garment, “straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.” (vs. 29).

The woman could have easily ignored what she had heard about Jesus and continued in her issue, but after going through years of pain and disappointment, she literally had nothing else to lose.

What have you heard about Jesus, that excites you to the point you’re willing to go the extra mile to see Him? Do you truly understand who God really is? Or, have you not heard how He healed the sick, raised the dead, opened blind eyes and deaf ears, redeemed mankind from sin, prepared a place beyond this life for the Saints to live forever.

You may be dealing with an issue that seems to have no answer, but continue reaching out toward Jesus, and if your healing doesn’t come in this life, be strong and keep the faith, because God has much better awaiting us when we meet Him face to face.

Blessed In The Mess

James 5:13-16

In a world of chaos and confusion, it can be hard, at times, to find things that bring joy to one’s heart. With the recent chaotic events including the U.S. Capitol building riot, the continued worldwide pandemic, and other news, people of all over the country are weighed down with a heavy heart. Aside from disheartening global events, many deal with daily personal struggles like sickness, depression, financial instability, and other issues. But, in the midst of all the chaos and confusion in the world, there are still things to give God thanks for.

While life is indeed hard for many, God has never stopped providing for His children. Those who remain in the earth and have fully committed themselves to following after righteousness, should not let the current state of the world weigh them down, because God has been beyond good to them. Believers should always acknowledge the fact that they have the precious gift of salvation. Without Jesus being the means by which our sins were forgiven, our living would be in vain. Aside from being delivered from sin, God allows us the liberty to study and meditate on His holy Word. I’m aware of those countries that make it hard for Saints to even receive Bibles, but for those who have the freedom to read it, should always be excited for the opportunity to do so. With how the world has been lately, I wouldn’t be surprised if Bibles were eventually taken away. For this reason, we should hide God’s Word in the depths of our hearts. This way, no man can ever take His Word away from us. Along with salvation and the Bible, Saints are deeply connected to the Holy Spirit of God. This Comforter is responsible for reminding the Christian of Jesus’ teachings, as well as guiding them along the righteous path.

Let’s recap. The world is literally falling apart, but the people of God can still rejoice in the fact that they are blessed in the midst of mess. God does bless His people with natural things, but never allow hard times to take your focus off your salvation, God’s Word, and the Holy Ghost. Learn to realize how blessed you really are.