James

Standing Firm

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In 1 Peter chapter 5 these words are written, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” Ephesians 6:11 tells us to “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” 

Notice that in both cases we are called to stand firm. In almost 35 years of ministry, I have encountered evil many times, in many forms. I have seen people controlled by evil spirits, paranormal activity and things that don’t seem to have an earthly explanation. Unlike other individuals who go around seeking out encounters with spirits or claiming to do exorcisms, my encounters always happened in the normal course of doing ministry.

Instead of rebuking the enemy or seeking a “power encounter”, I have learned simply to stand firm and in doing so, the enemy has to retreat. I call on my Heavenly Father to give me the strength to endure and to stand firm while also calling on my Lord and Master Jesus to deal with the evil in front of me. Could I rebuke the unclean spirits in my authority as a Child of God? Yes. But I can also appeal to my Lord who is always with me. Now, if He says, “I will let you del with this one”, so be it. Until then, I will resist the evil, pray to the Lord to overcome my enemy and continue to stand firm in the face of all dangers.

Simply having the strength to stand firm in the face of terrible evil is difficult. It is overpowering, full of depravity and uncleanness. It is emotionally taxing, especially for those of us who are empathetic in nature. It is frightening when facing non-mortal entities and experiencing some of their power. Standing firm takes a lot of spiritual strength.

Ephesians 6 goes on to say, “13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” Three times here we are told to stand. We prepare by putting on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness and the gospel of peace. All this, just to stand firm. James 4:7 tells us to resist the devil and he will flee from us. We don’t have to attack him, we just have to resist, to stand firm, and like a strong seawall, his waves of attack will break against us and fail, leaving him no choice but to retreat.

We don’t roll over, freeze up or cower in fear – we stand. We also do not go seeking trouble, challenging what we don’t fully understand, but we stand firm in the truth. We stand firm in presenting the gospel, we stand firm in discipling the nations, we stand firm in advocating for morality, decency and peace. We don’t abdicate our responsibility. We keep our eyes on Jesus and stand in Him alone. He is our Shield and Defender. He is our Rock in whom we trust. Who shall we fear, knowing the Lord is for us.

Be encouraged, then, when the enemy reveals himself and you encounter evil. Stand firm in the strength of the Lord and watch the enemy retreat.

Orphan Adoption and Theology – an article

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A very good article written on adoption and theology. There is a link at the end of the article so you can go to the original posting. Ta Ethne supports the work of Together for Adoption in mobilizing the Christian world for global orphan adoption. Please take the time to read this well-written article and check out their website.

Occasionally, when people hear about Together for Adoption’s emphasis and stress upon theology, they sincerely ask, “Do we really have time to study the theology of adoption when there is so much to be done for orphans now?
Isn’t it enough that Scripture commands us to care for orphans? Shouldn’t we just do it?”
If we think of theology merely as information about God, as the mental collection of facts about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, then this question is legitimate. But if by theology we mean a real knowing of God, an ongoing and growing relational engagement with God, the question loses its teeth. Yes, theology necessarily involves information about God. Scripture is full of it. But theology is never merely information.
In Matthew 11:27 Jesus says, “All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (emphasis mine). Believe it or not, Jesus is talking about theology here. If you think about it, theology did not begin with the creation of man. It has always existed in the eternal mutual knowing of the Father and Son. For all of
eternity past the Father has known the Son and the Son the Father.
Understood like this, theology is a gracious gift to humanity. In reality, theology is actually a sharing in the mutual knowing of the Father and Son. It is a participation in the communion of love that the Holy Trinity is (“God is love”). There is no greater gift that can be given to man. So, do we really have time for theology when orphans need our help now? Yes, we do. If theology is ultimately about our participation in the love between the Father and the Son, then nothing can better mobilize and energize us to care for orphans now than theology. Nothing. Rightly understood and practiced, robust theology produces robust action. Just look at the life of Jesus. He enjoyed an infinitely robust theology and no one did more for the poor and
marginalized than he did. If you think about it, what orphans need, then, is Christians who are deeply theological. This is why Together for
Adoption stresses theology when we talk about orphan care.Theology is much more than gathering facts about God and arranging them into a system of
thought and belief. Now granted, theology is not less than true statements about God, but it is certainly and infinitely more than true statements about God. As James says, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” There’s much more to theology than a collection of biblically gathered facts about God. Theology is ultimately our real participation in the mutual knowing and loving of the Father and the Son in the communion of the Spirit. This is why I said that theology is infinitely more than true statements about God. The study of theology and communion with the Triune God must go hand in hand. No one—absolutely no one—was and is more theological than the Son of God. He has forever known the Father through-and-through, even as he is and has been known. For all of eternity past the Son perfectly knew and communed with the Father. Remarkably, this is the Son
who became man, who became incarnate and lived among us! By becoming the incarnate Son Jesus brought his communion with the Father into the world of men—into the very heart of our broken and devastated world!
That’s the good news of the Gospel!
Suddenly, communion with the Father became a very tangible and possible reality for fallen humanity. Never before—not even with Adam and Eve—had mankind ever known God the Father like the man Christ Jesus knew him (and knows him!). Jesus was a one-of-a-kind man! He is the true man. Jesus was as deeply and profoundly theological as it is possible to be. No matter where in the infinite corridors of eternity you search for someone like the incarnate Son, you will never find anyone enjoying the same level and intensity of communion with the Father as he does. If ever there is someone who is without peer, it’s Jesus —well, except for the Father and the Spirit (both of whom, of course, share his same stratospheric, otherworldly level of communion in all its mind-blowing fullness)! In light of all of this, do you know what’s truly remarkable, though it really should not seem that remarkable to us? Nobody—and I mean absolutely nobody—cared more for the poor, orphaned, and marginalized than Jesus. Rather than his robust theology weakening his social engagement with and commitment to the outcast and neglected, his robust theology unceasingly fueled and sustained his social engagement. As such, Jesus is the truest of human beings! Through the Son’s incarnation, he became what we were and are supposed to be, and he became such for us and in our
place!
What must we learn from this? As orphan care advocates, one of the worst things we can do is neglect or overlook theology. If we do neglect it, we, and the orphans of this world, will be the poorer for it. But if we embrace theology as ones who live in vital union with this amazing Jesus, we, and the orphans we serve, will be the richer for it. What orphans need most, then, is Christians who do not merely know a ton of true statements about God, but who by the power of the gospel daily participate in the mutual knowing and loving of the Father and the Son in the communion of the Spirit.

Article written by Dan Cruver. Email questions and comments to: dan.cruver@togetherforadoption.org

Click to access Article_Do_we_really_have_time_for_theology_PDF.pdf

Preconceived Notions

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Recently, as I was leading a small group study through the book of James, I was convicted by a passage we were studying. We were studying the verses on not showing favoritism based on wealth, which led us to talk about the preconceived notions about people we all hold. As we continued to talk, I was recalling the three new people that were supposed to be hired at a place where I work part-time. All we received in our department was a brief summary – names, approximate ages, background, of the new workers. How I was mortified to realize that my co-workers and I had already decided which ones would work out and which ones would not make it through the probationary period. The only one who made it – the one who we had decided wouldn’t last.

It was a humbling experience to realize that I had prejudged people I didn’t even know, which colored the way I acted towards them. Seeing this tendency in my own life, I was reminded again how deceptive the heart is. Thanks be to God who sees the inside, the heart, of all people and loves us anyway. In order to be a Christ-like witness in the world, I must learn to see people as He does, and to see myself as I truly am – a sinful creature completely dependent on the grace, strength and mercy of God. May God continue to transform me into someone who represents Him in the way I act towards people.

Without Finding Fault

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One of my favorite Bible verses comes from James, where the apostle tells us that if we lack wisdom, to go to God and ask Him because He gives it generously. The next part of that verse adds, “without finding fault.” This is so important. When we go to God admitting that we need His advice and direction, He doesn’t make fun of us, laugh at us or grudgingly grant our request. God delights in us having enough sense to ask Him – in being obedient in asking Him.

We don’t have to come afraid of being ridiculed. We don’t have to listen to a lecture of how we should have already known better. He gives without finding fault. Can we go to God today, seeking His counsel, without fear? I can, how about you?

Podcast – What Are You Doing For Jesus?

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Podcast – Ta Ethne

 

Sermon preached at the church I pastor, challenging them to relaunch the church so that we refocus on reaching all peoples. Theme combines the Great Commission with James 4:17, he who knows what is good to do and does not do it – sins