• About
    • Welcome
    • Prayer Partners
    • Ministry Partners
    • Angel Partners
    • How to Promote
    • Crowdfunding
    • Statement of Faith
    • The Desert Warrior
    • The Temptations of the Cross (A Novel)
    • Jesus was an Alien (and Other Stories of Faith)
  • Desert Warrior
    • Tears of the Desert Warrior – The Absurdity of an Abnormal Existence
      • Prologue
      • Introduction
      • 1. The Secular Problem of Evil
      • 2. The Essence of Religion
      • 3. The Heart of the Human Experience
      • 4. The Moral Interpretation of Religion
      • 5. Finding Life in the Face of Death
      • 6. Reality, Language and Meaning
      • 7. The Myth of Human Morality
      • 8. The Dangers of the Divine Ethic
      • 9. The Religious Problem of Evil
      • Conclusion
    • Whispers of the Desert Warrior – Evidence of the God who is There
      • Prologue
      • Introduction
      • 1. The God Who is There
      • 2. The Breath of Life
      • 3. Pride and Prejudice
      • 4. The Divine Perspective
      • 5. Return to Babel
      • Conclusion
    • God of the Desert Warrior – Evil and the Goodness of God
      • Prologue
      • Introduction
    • The Desert Warrior – Finding Strength in Difficult Times
      • Series Introduction
      • Prologue
      • Introduction
    • The Way of a Desert Warrior – How the Desert can give you Courage
      • Prologue
      • Introduction
    • The Heart of a Desert Warrior – How Reality can set you Free
      • Prologue
      • Introduction
    • The Life of a Desert Warrior – How a Conversation can Change your Life
      • Prologue
      • Introduction
  • Family Secrets
    • Family Secrets – Chapter One
    • Family Secrets – Chapter Two
    • Family Secrets – Chapter Three
    • Family Secrets – Chapter Four
    • Family Secrets – Chapter Five
    • Family Secrets – Chapter Six
    • Family Secrets – Chapter Seven
    • Family Secrets – Chapter Eight
    • Family Secrets – Chapter Nine
    • Family Secrets – Chapter Ten
    • Family Secrets – Chapter Eleven
    • Family Secrets – Chapter Twelve
    • Family Secrets – Chapter Thirteen
    • Family Secrets – Chapter Fourteen
  • Jesus was an Alien
    • Preface
    • Created For His Pleasure
    • 1. Charles Benton. Neighbor.
    • 2. The Wedding
    • 3. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
    • 4. Truth in Flip Flops
    • 5. Jesus was an Alien
    • 6. Lucifer at the Cross
    • 7. The Way of the Desert Warrior
    • 8. The Anointing
    • 9. The Tower of Babel
    • 10. The Eight Year Old Evangelist
    • 11. Dr. House. Brilliant. Idiot.
    • 12. The Old Lady and the Giant
    • Return of the Prodigal
  • Seeking Jerusalem
    • Seeking Jerusalem – Days 1 to 10
      • Day 1 – The Plan
      • Day 2 – The Confession
      • Day 3 – The Rebuke
      • Day 4 – The Denial
      • Day 5 – The Judgment
      • Day 6 – The Power and The Glory
      • Day 7 – Holiness
      • Day 8 – The Cost (1)
      • Day 9 – The Cost (2)
      • Day 10 – Transfiguration
    • Seeking Jerusalem – Days 11 to 20
      • Day 11 – Desert Warriors
      • Day 12 – Revealing the Glory
      • Day 13 – Maturity
      • Day 14 – Spiritual Conversations
      • Day 15 – Hard Questions
      • Day 16 – The Weakness
      • Day 18 – Your Life Ministry
      • Day 19 – The Gift of Significance
      • Day 20 – Joshua
      • Day 17 – Spiritual Warfare
    • Seeking Jerusalem – Days 21 to 30
      • Day 21 – True Confessions
      • Day 22 – The Courage of Confession
      • Day 23 – Brokenness
      • Day 24 – The Culture of Grace
      • Day 25 – FaithWalk
      • Day 26 – Dr. House. Brilliant. Idiot.
      • Day 27 – Healing Power
      • Day 29 – Spiritual Unity
      • Day 28 – Spiritual Trust
      • Day 30 – The Anointing
    • Seeking Jerusalem – Days 31 to 40
      • Day 31 – The Sanctification Gap
      • Day 32 – The Sweet Spot
      • Day 33 – Hosea and Gomer
      • Day 34 – The Wedding
      • Day 35 – The Delivery
      • Day 36 – The Struggle
      • Day 37 – The Helper
      • Day 38 – The Secret
      • Day 39 – Messianic Prophesy
      • Day 40 – The Gathering Darkness
    • Seeking Jerusalem – Days 41 to 50
      • Day 41 – Dark Night of the Soul
      • Day 42 – The Divine Irony
      • Day 43 – Truth on Trial
      • Day 44 – The Descent into Hell
      • Day 45 – Death Comes in Darkness
      • Day 46 – The Divine Sting
      • Day 47 – Divine Visitation
      • Day 48 – The Kingdom Come
      • Day 49 – Transformation
      • Day 50 – The Road to Jerusalem
  • Temptations
    • Prologue
    • 1. Death of a Warrior
    • 2. The Old Man in the Temple
    • 3. Memories from the Past
    • 4. Battle Over Jerusalem
    • 5. Passover in the Holy City
    • 6. The Shedding of Blood
    • 7.Messianic Prophecy
    • 8. Ten Divine Words
    • 9. The Days of Artistry
    • 10. Breaking the Alliance
    • 11. The Covenant of Promise
    • 12. Birth Pangs
    • 13. Temptation in the Desert
    • 14. Prophet, Priest, and King
    • 15. Mobilizing the Forces
    • 16. The Gathering Darkness
    • 17. The Dark Night of the Soul
    • 18. The Divine Irony
    • 19. Truth on Trial
    • 20. The Descent into Hell
    • 21. Death Comes in Darkness
    • 22. The Divine Sting
    • 23. Divine Visitations
    • 24. Thy Kingdom Come
    • 25. Transformation
    • Epilogue
  • The Roman Road
    • Walking the Roman Road of Salvation – Days 1-10
      • Day 1 – All Roads Lead to Rome
      • Day 2 – “Let me Introduce myself….”
      • Day 3 – “….and my Ministry”
      • Day 4 – The Fight with Peter
      • Day 5 – Getting our Hearts in the Right Place
      • Day 6 – Getting our Heads on Straight
      • Day 7 – ……and the Demons tremble.
      • Day 8 – The Five Pillars of Evangelism
      • Day 9 – Truth in Flip Flops
      • Day 10 – A Conversation with Jesus
    • Walking the Roman Road of Salvation – Days 11-20
      • Day 11 – Jesus Was An Alien
      • Day 12 – Don’t Kill the Messenger
      • Day 13 – The Holy Hiatus
      • Day 14 – The Dilemma of Love
      • Day 15 – The Enigma of Evil
      • Day 16 – Dr. House. Brilliant. Idiot.
      • Day 17 – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
      • Day 18 – No Wonder God is Upset
      • Day 19 – Suppressing the Truth
      • Day 20 – A Law Unto Themselves
    • Walking the Roman Road of Salvation – Days 21-30
      • Day 21 – Intelligent Design for Stupid Fools
      • Day 22 – Evil is it’s Own Punishment
      • Day 23 – The Revelation of Wrath
      • Day 24 – But for the Grace of God
      • Day 25 – I’m A Good Guy
      • Day 26 – The Sin of Jonah
      • Day 27 – Reality is the Ultimate Judge
      • Day 28 – Obedience is the Ultimate Goal
      • Day 29 – The Heart is the Ultimate Standard
      • Day 30 – Blasphemer or True Heart
    • Walking the Roman Road of Salvation – Days 31-40
      • Day 31 – Sin Addiction
      • Day 32 – Friendship with God
      • Day 33 – Breaking the Alliance
      • Day 34 – Religious Virtues
      • Day 35 – Spiritual Warfare
      • Day 36 – The Path
      • Day 37 – The Holy Guarantee
      • Day 38 – Charlie Benton. Neighbor.
      • Day 39 – The Sacred Moment
      • Day 40 – The Nature of Our Struggle
    • Walking the Roman Road of Salvation – Days 41-50
      • Day 41 – The Quality of Our Struggle
      • Day 42 – Walking In The Spirit
      • Day 43 – More Than Conquerors
      • Day 44 – Living Sacrifices
      • Day 45 – Love Must Be Sincere
      • Day 46 – The Secret
      • Day 47 – Resurrection Maturity
      • Day 48 – Kingdom Evangelism
      • Day 49 – Seeking Jerusalem
      • Day 50 – Walking with Purpose

Desert Warrior Ministries

~ A Burden of Glory

Desert Warrior Ministries

Tag Archives: Romans 8:37

Seeking Jerusalem – Day 28 “Everything Matters”

16 Tuesday Jun 2020

Posted by Bert Amsing in 3. Steps To Maturity, Seeking Jerusalem

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

anointing, evil and suffering, Faith matters, Hope matters, Love matters, More than Conquerors, Romans 8:28, Romans 8:37, Suffering, suffering for the gospel, suffering under the curse, Testimony

THE WAY OF THE CROSSThe Way of the Cross – Lenten Season 2018

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

What, then, shall we say in response to this?  If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?  Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?  It is God who justifies.  Who is he that condemns?  Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”  (Romans 8: 28-34 NIV)

Everything Matters (6)

I remember the day that I finally understood my Mother.

She was a strong woman that was a teenager during the Second World War in Holland.  Apparently she ran errands for the Resistance on her bike but she wouldn’t talk about it much.  Something happened.  We don’t know much about that time of her life.  At least I don’t.  But she met my Dad who was working in a shop and they got married, had two kids in Holland and then decided to emigrate to Canada in 1953.

Mom had a difficult character anyway, but life was hard and that didn’t make things any easier.  On top of that, she ended up having eight kids in total.  The house was always full.  I remember one Thanksgiving Day dinner when we were all sitting at a long table in our house at 6 Bond St.  The table was full of food and Mom had just placed the heavy turkey in the middle of the spread when the table collapsed and everything came crashing down.  What a surprise!

I was a middle child, three from the bottom actually, and I had Mom’s character in spades.  I could fight with her ’till the cows came home.  It was my sister, Jolanda, who really provided the love in the family.  She was going to become a nurse.  I remember one time when my Mom hit me with a pair of pants in the middle of one of our fights.  Nothing serious, of course.  What can a pair of pants do to you, after all?  But in this case, one of the pants wrapped around my head and a tip struck my open eyeball and I yelled in excruciating pain.

My Mom wasn’t having it and thought I was exaggerating but my sister, Jolanda, looked more closely and realized that I had to go to the hospital right away.  After the surgery, I had both of my eyes covered for over a month.  Blind as a bat.  But I remember getting my first Monopoly game as a present (though I couldn’t play with it) and lots of applesauce (which was my favorite).  Mom was contrite, of course, but we still had our fights throughout my teenage years.

It wasn’t until I was in my thirties, with children of my own, thinking about my Mom and her apparent lack of interest in me (she had eight kids after all), that it finally struck me.  You see, there are a couple of things that I haven’t told you yet.  Yes, she had a tough character and had issues of her own, but there was more going on that I knew about at the time but didn’t really understand the impact of those events on my parents.

When I was around 12 or 13 years old, Jolanda died of leukemia.

She was 17 years old.  She was at a Youth Event in London, Ontario, I believe, and her nose started to bleed and wouldn’t stop.  They rushed her to the hospital of course, but six months later she died.  I remember the Sunday Service when she gave her testimony of faith from a hospital bed rolled into the sanctuary for the occasion.  My family had Bibles printed in her memory and distributed them to all of her friends.

To this day, we have no idea of the impact of her testimony on the church and her school friends and friends of the family as they watched a brave, young girl demonstrate her faith in God in such a practical way.

But that wasn’t the end of it.

A couple of years later, my brother Steve had a terrible car accident and almost died.  From what I remember, he was driving an Austin Mini and slammed into the back of a truck late at night.  Apparently, his girlfriend was with him but he was able to swerve the car in such a way that his side of the car took the worst of the impact and she was saved from anything critical.  But Steve was in the hospital for months.  His frontal lobe was deeply damaged and for a while we weren’t sure that he was going to make it.  Finally, he left the hospital and began his convalescence in our home.  He had to learn everything all over again, how to use his fine motor skills, holding a spoon, drinking hot drinks, learning to walk again, and all of the other things that we take for granted.

Of course, his mind was still that of a teenager four or five years older than I was so learning everything all over again was a frustrating and humiliating process that had its own emotional impact.

After a year of so, Steve was on his feet and able to function more or less like normal.  He got involved with the wrong people, drugs were a problem, and he was more rebellious that I was (if you can believe that).  My parents decided to sell their store to a friend and move to Prince Edward Island on the East Coast of Canada to get away from the situation in Ontario.  But, at the last minute, Steve didn’t come with us and simply struck out on his own.  The rest of us made the move to PEI and started to work on a small hobby farm near Twin Islands.  I remember working with my Dad and my brother, Jim, cutting logs and growing peanuts.

But my Mom went into a deep, black depression.

I was forgotten during these formative years and I resented it.  That fueled my own rebellion and we had our shouting matches to prove it.  Our adventure in PEI lasted about six months and by October of that year we were back in Clinton, Ontario starting a new store and beginning a new life.  We needed to be close to Steve to help him whenever we could.  It all made sense.  But as a teenager, I had no idea of the impact all of this was having, especially on my Mom.

When I finally figured it out, that she was dealing with grief from the death of Jolanda and fighting off fear in the case of Steve, I began my own healing process.  Her kids were dying and she was terrified because she couldn’t do anything about it.  Life was out of control.  Her faith was in the balance.  She couldn’t think straight much less pray and it affected her relationship with the entire family.  Now I get it.  I think we all do.  Suffering and pain has touched a lot of families and each family reacts a bit differently.  But we get it.

So when we talk about suffering for the gospel or “groaning” under the curse of pain and death, and all the tragedies that befall us, we are not taking it lightly or treating it calmly.  These things matter.  Everything matters.

Faith matters.  Of course.  But that is something we discover, not manufacture.  It is either there or it’s not.  Yes, we can nurse that faith, and exercise it in those dark moments.  No doubt.  Faith matters.

Hope matters.  Of course.  That’s what we have been talking about when we dwell on our glorification, when we think about our mission and the anointing of God upon our testimony.  Jolanda understood that instinctively.  But not only hope in the context of suffering for the gospel but also when we suffer under the curse of decay and death and all of what that means.  In that case, our hope comes as we contemplate the prayer support we get from the Holy Spirit and from Jesus Christ, Himself.  He understands our grief, our temptations, our weaknesses so when He prays, we can rest assured that His prayers matter.  To God.  To us.  His prayers are powerful and effective and He is praying for me.  That gives me hope.

But still there is a problem.  If the Holy Spirit is “groaning” on my behalf, expressing the emotional pain that I am going through, and Jesus is “interceding” with God earnestly because He understands what I need, then why does it seem that God remains silent.  I, myself, may not be able to pray but, supposedly, I have divine prayer support.  Why is God not listening?  Why doesn’t He do something?

It’s something that we all struggle with.  Sure, we can say, in faith, that the issues of life are bigger than our problems.  We can also agree with God that our testimony needs His anointing and that the salvation of our friends, our family, our neighbors is of vital importance.  We get it.  But it is still difficult to ignore the suffering and pain that we are going through.  Everything matters.  Everything hurts.  Everything seems to be falling apart.

There is no good answer to the problem of suffering and pain at that visceral level.  When a child is in pain, any parent would give their right arm to take their place and take the pain on their own shoulders.  I have felt that way and I’m sure you have too.  If God loves me, why doesn’t He take the pain away.  Maybe I can’t do it as a parent but God is all powerful and can do anything.  Doesn’t my pain matter to Him?  Why doesn’t He do something about it?

Part of the answer is that often God does do something about it.  He heals people.  He changes situations.  He intervenes and makes things better.  He does that far more than we realize, but not always.  Not always.  And that is the rub.  Why does he save some people and not others?  Why did Jolanda die but Steve did not?  Why was I ignored but my sister was not?  We may never know the answers to all of our questions.

Does God care?  Do I matter to God?  Is God at all emotional about me?  Does He like me?  And if He does, why doesn’t He intervene in my life and save me from my situation?  The Psalms are full of testimonies of David (and the other Psalmists) both asking this question and giving the answer that God does intervene, He does care, everything does matter to Him.  Jesus said that even the sparrows are important and the number of hairs on my head are numbered and cared for.  God is aware of it all.  He cares.  Everything matters.

But as a parent, I also know that sometimes my children have to suffer for their own good.  Sometimes the pain of a needle is a necessary precaution to fight off disease.  Sometimes eye surgery is a necessary evil.  Sometimes discipline hurts but it produces a better character in the end.  Yes, of course.

It is sometimes difficult to see the meaning in our suffering and pain.

That is so true.  We are not God after all.  He tells us a lot of things in the Bible about His priorities in this redemptive emergency.  He tells us about the horrors of the second death that awaits all of those who are NOT in Christ.  He tells us that this life is a drop in the bucket compared to eternity and that the dangers of the judgment far outweigh the suffering and pain of this life.  He tells us that our glory far outstrips anything we might endure in this vale of tears.  That is our hope.

But God goes even further.  He doesn’t just tell us things in general about His plans for mankind but He, Himself, endured the worst suffering and pain possible in order to save us and we are reminded that Jesus understands everything that we are going through.  He took upon His own shoulders the worse of the eternal suffering and pain that awaited us and saved us from that horrible experience of separation from God.

In the end, we have to accept that Faith Matters.  Hope Matters.  But what matters the most is Love.  Love Matters.  And that is what Paul is talking about here.

Remember that the prayers of the Holy Spirit and Jesus, himself, are interpreted by God the Father “according to His will.”  And that’s what we really want, isn’t it?  To please God.  To be in His will.  Just taking away the suffering and pain, if it means that my testimony suffers, or that my wife or children suffer, or are not saved, is simply not worth it, no matter how much I wish that I didn’t have to go through it.

Jesus understands that.  He didn’t want to go to the cross either but he found the courage within himself to say “not my will but your will be done.”  He could do that because he knew that His Father loved him.

Love Matters. 

Paul tells us that “we know that in all things God works for the good for those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (vs. 28).  We often quote those verses, a bit lightly, in those moments when we are NOT in a place of suffering and death.  But these are heady matters.

“We know….” Paul says.  Do we?  This is part of our spiritual maturity in Christ.  To agree with God that His redemptive will is good, pleasing and perfect no matter what it costs us.  We agree.  We know.  But here, Paul says that we know something about God.  Not just about His will.  We know something about His character.

This was the secret that gave Jesus courage.

He knew his Father and he never doubted that His will for him was good, pleasing and perfect.  He knew that his Father loved him dearly.  He could not doubt the love of God for him and that is why he could say “not my will but yours be done.”

Do you see the connection?

Yes, I know that Paul is talking about our love for God in this passage but look deeper.  Only love recognizes love.  I don’t consider myself to love God all that much.  I wish I did.  I long to.  But my love is rather weak.  Whatever love I have for God, I know was given me in the moment of my regeneration (together with faith and hope).  But it is there.  And because I love God, I know who He is.  I know His character.  I know that everything that happens to me matters to Him.  I know that He cares.  I know that He is paying attention.  I know that He weeps with those who weep.  Yes, we know this.  Paul is right.

But what is this “good” that Paul is talking about?

What possible “good” can come out of suffering and pain?  In the context of this world, quite a bit, actually.  But the “good” that God is focused on is described in the next verse where Paul points out the purpose of our lives “to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (vs. 29).

We have been saying this all along.

God is creating a certain type of person, someone like His son, who trusts his Father enough to go to the cross just because his Father asks him to do so.  Someone who loves God enough to obey Him.  Someone who can bear up under the sufferings of the curse and still bless God and follow Him even when there are questions and doubts and difficulties.  Someone who can reverse the original sin of rebellion and mistrust and change it into obedience and love.  That transformation is unusual and convincing and empowers our testimony that God is real and can make a difference in our lives.

Love recognizes love.  Love matters.

Our “smatterings” of love are enough to recognize that God cares deeply even though His agenda is eternal and He is willing to sacrifice our comfort to accomplish the salvation of real people.  Jolanda knew this truth.  She knew God loved her.  She used what little time she had to give her testimony and impact a whole generation of kids her age in our small town and beyond.  You see, that’s the thing.  We actually agree with God that it is worth it.

And that is what makes us More Than Conquerors “in all these things” as Paul points out in vs. 37.  In all what things?  We use this verse for everything from passing an exam to dealing with grief.  He had just quoted a text from the Old Testament talking about how “we face death all day long” and “we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”  Life is unfair.  Persecution will happen.  Suffering and death will happen.  We need to face reality for what it is.  But, in that context, Paul declares, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (vs. 37).

Everything that happens to us matters to God.

The question is whether we trust Him even in the midst of suffering and pain.  If so, our testimony will have the anointing power to transform lives.  If not, we still have to suffer and endure pain but now it is meaningless and worthless.  Everything matters to God.  The question is whether everything that matters to God, matters to us.  The salvation of our family, friends and neighbors most of all.

And right there is the thing.  That is how we can transform our suffering under the curse into suffering for the gospel.  The bridge is our testimony.  The key is trusting God.  The purpose is to save the people we care about.  Transformation is painful but, in the end, it is more than worth it.  Don’t you agree?

The Desert Warrior

Lord, I know that everything matters to you.  You don’t let any details escape your attention.  Thank you for that.  I know that you will intervene whenever possible and at just the right time.  I also know that if you want me to suffer for the gospel, I am in agreement with you.  Please save my children, my family, my friends and make my suffering and pain worth something to you and to your kingdom.  In your name I pray.  Amen.

Seeking Jerusalem – Day 30 “Steps to Maturity”

21 Monday Oct 2019

Posted by Bert Amsing in 3. Steps To Maturity, Seeking Jerusalem

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Tags

church discipline, consecration, Jude 21, Jude 24, Jude 25, just keep swimming, keep moving forward, Matthew 7:24, restoration, Romans 7, Romans 8, Romans 8:37, Romans 8:38, spiritual maturity

THE WAY OF THE CROSSThe Way of the Cross – Lenten Season 2018

Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life…..To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!  Amen.  (Jude 21, 24, 25 NIV)

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Romans 8: 37-39 NIV)

Keep Moving Forward

For those of you who know who Dory is, her words are an inspiration to children and adults alike.  “Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming….”  Or in the immortal words of the Robinson family, “Keep moving forward….”

Why am I quoting children’s movies to talk about spiritual things.  Well, because this is not just a spiritual truth.  It is a creational truth.  Keep Moving Forward.  Keep going.  Don’t stop.  These are words to live by and take to heart.  In life a lot of people have stopped and are not going anywhere.  They mill around like sheep in a pen with no direction, no guidance, no interest in going anywhere.  All they do is survive.  That’s no way to live…

Of all things, our walk with God has purpose.  There is a reason why we still live, why we are still here, why we haven’t gone on to glory.  And if there is a reason, a purpose, a point to our continued existence, then we must keep moving forward.

But it isn’t easy.  There is opposition.  It is easier to just stay home, not try, avoid rejection, mistakes and shame.  If the Devil cannot keep you from heaven, he will certainly try to keep you from being effective in your life ministry.  It is a battle after all.  So don’t be surprised.  Keep moving forward.

In fact, if you don’t keep moving forward, keep doing good, keep working for the kingdom of God, then that is also a statement.  Perhaps more a statement of unbelief than belief, but a statement nonetheless.  What do I mean?

The main reason that people stop moving forward is either because they are convinced that their work is ineffective or that they are unworthy.  To think that your work is ineffective is arrogant.  After all, what do you know about the results that God will work through your efforts.  Yes, you can try and improve your ministry but without the arrogance of final answers or ultimate results.  Progress not perfection is the name of the game.

But what about this idea that we are unworthy of continuing our ministry.  Most likely because of some sin or moral failure that we have committed.  Divorce.  An affair that became public.  Misuse of funds.  Personality conflicts with key personnel in your ministry.  Whatever it is, you are ashamed of yourself and cannot move forward.  Restoration is necessary.

The point is to get restored.  That is what it means to move forward.  Move forward in the path that God has set before you.  Perhaps you will no longer lead your ministry.  Perhaps you will need to start at zero again, do something different, go somewhere else.  But keep moving forward in faith and with the Lord.  Do not let sin, even your own, keep you from fulfilling your life ministry.  If you end up in jail, start a jail ministry.  If you end up on the street, start to minister to the street people.  Wherever you are, no matter what has happened, there is forgiveness and there is restoration, even if it looks different and feels strange.  Keep moving forward in your life ministry.

But there is a danger here as well. 

On the one hand, we have talked about the struggle, about surrender, about consecration and how the Holy Spirit helps us in our need.  We have talked about the importance of prayer and the context of grace.  But, on the other hand, the purpose of all of this is to restore us to the joy of our salvation and help us to become effective (maybe even more effective) in our life ministry again.  Without the end goal of restoration to effective ministry, we have missed the entire point of the exercise.

But here is where the danger lurks.  We want that restoration so badly that we are willing (and quite able) to skip the necessary steps for true restoration to happen.

Keep moving forward does NOT mean to get things back to normal as quickly as possible, to cover up the shame, to avoid dealing with the consequences of our sins.  Keep moving forward always means to take the path of the Way of the Cross without skipping a single step.  Restoration without resurrection power is useless and, in fact, may keep you from the very blessing and anointing power that was available to you to mark your restoration with even more effectiveness than ever before.  There is nothing more powerful than a sinner restored through the blood of the cross.  It is what the world deeply desires and needs.

But our tendency is to avoid the cross, to avoid the difficult introspection, the shame, the confession, the brokenness that the cross demands of us.  And that avoidance can be costly.

Our obedience is rooted in love but it must still be obedience.  The path before us is always the Way of the Cross.  The focus is on the relationship, most certainly, but it does not ignore the morality of our lives.  Morality is the symptom, the result, the fruit of our relationship with God.  Most certainly.  That is why we must take the time and make the effort to deal with the underlying relational issues whenever a problem in morality rears its ugly head.

As we obey, we will enter into struggle, no doubt.  As we struggle, God will uncover our idols of desire and our fortresses of fear and we will tear them down in the name and power of the Lord.  But it is a battle and sometimes we will fail, the temptation will take us by surprise, our faith will not be strong enough.  At that point, we must choose brokenness and surrender at the foot of the cross, embracing its shame and exchanging it for the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.  If we take that first step down the path in the Way of the Cross, it will lead us through a process of renewal and consecration that will make us even more effective as we return to our life ministry of obedience to God and struggle against sin.

Obviously, confession and repentance are key elements in the process and forgiveness and reconciliation the result.  This is always true between us and God and also true in terms of forgiving ourselves.  But what about other people….

This is where it gets difficult.  What do you do about other people who may or may not see things the same way?  What if they don’t agree or don’t even know about the Way of the Cross or the process of restoration?  What if they don’t understand that following means struggle and struggle means failure at times and failure needs to be surrendered and a renewed consecration be accepted?

Loving Obedience, Struggle in Faith, Surrender, Brokenness and Consecration are the natural spiritual steps in an ongoing virtuous circle of spiritual maturity.  In fact, if you ignore or deny any of these steps, your spiritual maturity is impossible for their is no spiritual maturity without the cross and learning to stay and walk in the Way of the Cross is the entire point of our Christian walk.

But what if your Board doesn’t see it that way?  They are ashamed of the problems of their pastor, their worship leader, their fellow board member.  They are confused about what to do about it and look to denominational guides and political handbooks instead of trying to understand the Way of the Cross.  I get it.  It has happened to me.

Jesus gave his disciples a simple parable that answers this question very well.  He tells his disciples that they should build their houses on the rock and not on sand (Matthew 7:24-27 NIV).  You do that by obeying his word.  Quite simple, really.  After all, Jesus didn’t say “if” the rains and floods come, he said “when” they come, you will stand, you will survive, if you built your life on the rock.

Of course, the first application of this saying of Jesus is to our salvation and discipleship.  But there is a general truth here as well.  Preparation is key.  If you are not prepared spiritually for the storms that will come, then you will have problems.  If your Board, or your partner, or your family is not prepared for the storms, you will get into problems.

And don’t just think about yourself.  Think about them.  If they are not prepared to understand what spiritual maturity is, or if they are not prepared for spiritual battle and warfare, or moral failure or disagreements in the church, then it can knock them off the path of their own obedience as well.   And that’s not good.

So, your job is to prepare your team, your Board, your family.  Your job is to teach them the Way of the Cross.  Train them in the priority of relationship over morality without excusing sin but learning to deal with it in a certain way, through confession, repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation.

Teach them that loving obedience always brings the struggle of faith and that in that struggle there are sometimes (many times) failures and problems as our idols and fortresses are uncovered and we are sometimes reluctant, sometimes even outright defiant in trying to maintain them because we need them, we want them, we would be lost without them.

It is a process of progressive sanctification.  The quality of our fight is what matters.  It is faith in the promises and truths of Romans 8 in the context of the struggle of Romans 7 that matters.  It is a rocky road on the way to spiritual maturity and many are those who do not find it.

But the solution is not rejection and fear but surrender and renewed consecration.  The goal is restoration.  The power is in the resurrection of our Lord and what that means for us today in terms of forgiveness and reconciliation.

But if we don’t train our team, our family, our church in these truths how will they learn spiritual maturity or deal with the storms when they come.  It isn’t just about us.

That doesn’t mean that we will keep our leadership position if we are in a particularly bad place in our spiritual progress.  Without condemnation, it may still be necessary to step down for a bit (or for good) but with restoration still the goal and faith that our life ministry may become even more powerful in the context of that restoration, and with faith that God has something different, better, more effective for us to do.

The point is to keep moving forward……with God, in the power of the Holy Spirit, in the truth that He keeps us in the palm of His hand, that our salvation is assured, that our job is to walk in the Way of the Cross and prioritize the relationship we have with Him.

Don’t let sin keep you from your purpose.  But also don’t let your purpose keep you from dealing with your sin.  Neither your sin nor your purpose is anything without your relationship with God.  Walking in the Spirit is our normal, mature place to be but even grieving the Spirit is relational.  We are still in the Spirit.  That makes everything spiritual.  Even our sin is a spiritual issue.  Our sin does not destroy the relationship but the joy of the relationship must be restored, otherwise what’s the point?

Spiritual maturity has to do with your ability to stay right there in that sweet spot at the foot of the cross.  Dealing with sin.  Confession and Repentance.  In the context of Grace.  Forgiveness and Reconciliation.  So that you can have even greater effectiveness in your Life Ministry.  Surrender and Consecration which is Spiritual Maturity.

It’s about the relationship, stupid.  It’s not about the sin.  The sin is a symptom of the relationship.  Sin has been dealt with at the cross.  Our job is to prioritize the relationship and deal with our sin through the cross.  The ability to do that consistently is spiritual maturity.  Spiritual maturity (which is relational) is the foundation and power-source for a life of morality and obedience in fulfilling our purpose and life ministry.

The Desert Warrior

Let’s talk to God…..

Lord, my sin sometimes overwhelms me.  Some of it is private enough to deal with quietly between you and me but other things are more public.  I’m scared of the fact that so few other people really understand any of this and I don’t want to be condemned out of hand.  But then I remember that you, too, were rejected by your own people, abandoned by your own disciples.  And you call me to share your suffering for the sake of the gospel so that I can also share your glory, your character, your spiritual maturity.  It takes faith and it is hard.  Of course.  Why am I surprised.  Like you, I have to choose to please God and follow Him no matter how those around me react or whether they even understand what I am going through.  Thank you that you will never leave me.  I want to stay in your love always.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

 

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The Desert Warrior

Artwork by Astray-Engel.

All rights reserved by Artist. Used with permission. Click artwork for details of the Creative Commons License.

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© 2012 vanKregten Publishers and Desert Warrior Ministries. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to vanKregten Publishers, Desert Warrior Ministries and/or Bert A. Amsing with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Specific reprint permission will be granted upon request via email for inclusion in digital and print media.

Scripture Copyright

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2012 by vanKregten Publishers. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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