Tuesday, March 4, 2014

RECENT CONNECTIONS AND REFLECTIONS





RECENT CONNECTIONS:


The month of February was exciting and full traveling about
2,500 miles throughout Colorado and Utah conducting our annual Sectional
Tour.  It was a joy to meet with so many
of our pastors and in the course of conducting business to experience the
fellowship and mutual support of each one present.  Along the way many shared exciting reports of
what God is doing in their churches and communities.


Amidst the travels I had the privilege of preaching at Life
Church in Salt Lake City, UT.  This is a
church aptly named for the life of God is evident in this growing joyous
congregation.  God bless you Pastor Jim and
Carrie Ayers in your continued ministry.


I thank God for every one of our ministers and pray He will
protect the integrity of each one and abundantly bless their ministry.  I felt the Lord gave me a word for our
ministers on this tour and below is a summation of what I shared.


FINDING JOY IN MINISTRY:


The advancing abandonment of Judeo-Christian values in our
American culture causes us to grieve and even grow angry.  Though these developments are very concerning
we cannot allow anger to fester or it will pollute our hearts and ministries.  Several years ago Dean Merrill wrote an
excellent book entitled “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church” in which he
exposed the counter-productiveness of an angry church trying to influence the
world.


The Greco-Roman dominated world Jesus lived in was even more
corrupt than the world we live in today.
Yet, the kingdom of God was ruling in His heart as He lived out His life
and ministry in the kingdom of this world.
The bible succinctly describes the primary characteristics of the
Kingdom of God in Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of
eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”


We live in two kingdoms.
The child of God resting in God’s imputed righteousness and doing things
God’s way reflects His kingdom in a world permeated by evil.  Furthermore, being at peace with God through
faith in Jesus Christ and at peace with others by living out the love of Christ
reflects His kingdom in a world filled with conflict.  Living in the joy of the Lord in a hurting
world is also a reflection of God’s kingdom.


Biblical joy is the feeling of gladness based on the
provision God made for us and His unchanging nature.  This is the joy of the Lord that He desires
in us (John 15:9-11).  It does not come
and go based on the immediate circumstances around us, as is the case in our
normal experience with happiness.  As
ministers of the gospel I believe we need to be immersed in the joy of the
Lord.  Healthy Christians experience this
undergirding joy and flourishing churches exhibit the characteristic of
joy.  Joy is a sustaining factor in one’s
faith and a needed commodity in our hurting world.  Joy brings magnetism to the gospel.


Indeed, we will experience the sorrow that is so abundant in
a world without God for it rains on the just and the unjust.  And, we will sometimes be called upon by God
to suffer for His cause.  But for the
Christian, when heartache in the kingdom of this world collides with the joy
resident in the kingdom of God, joy will ultimately prevail.  Suffering is temporary; God’s joy is eternal.


Biblical perspective and faith opens the door of our hearts
to God’s joy.  Consider the following:


SALVATION PRODUCES JOY:
   

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him
now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for
you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”  1 Peter 1:8-9


DISCOVERING GOD’S PURPOSE PRODUCES JOY:

              Presence – “you will fill
me with joy in your presence” Psalms 16:11

              Transformation – “But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control.  Against
such things there is no law.”  Galatians
5:22

              Obedience – “If you obey my
commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s
commands and remain in his love.  I have
told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be
complete.”  John 15:10-11

                Suffering – “…we also
rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces
perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope.  And hope does out disappoint us, because God
has poured his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given
us.”  Romans 5:3-5

                Relationships – “I thank
my God every time I remember you.  In all
my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership
in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he
who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of
Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:3-6


ETERNAL HOPE PRODUCES JOY:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy he has given us new birth
into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and
into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for
you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the
salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a
little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.”  1 Peter 1:3-6


“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of
our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its
shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne on God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from
sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  Hebrew 12:2-3


Rejoice in the Lord for “the joy of the Lord is your
strength” (Nehemiah 8:10b).