Hello To All:
When Jesus asked the question, from the title for this posting, He had just finished the great proclamation, of verses 25 and 26: "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"
When Jesus asks Martha, this question: "Believest thou this?" - He is pressing her to believe in Him; and His sovereign ability to act, not only in the future; but, also, in the here and the now. But, look at Martha's answer, in verse 27: "...Yea Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God..." Martha only professes a belief in who Jesus is; and she ignores the resurrection proclamation. She is so caught up in, and overwhelmed by, her brother's death; that she cannot connect with the here and the now of her circumstances. She does not believe.
Earlier (verse 23), Jesus made another proclamation, with the intent of encouraging her to believe. In verse 22, Martha says: "But I know, that even now whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." This statement, at first read, seems to indicate that Martha was believing, in the here and the now of her circumstances. But, when Jesus proclaims (verse 23), that: "Thy brother shall rise again." - Martha looks to the future and states: "...I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Martha's belief is only for what Jesus will do in the future. Whatever she meant, by her profession of verse 22, clearly it was not a confession of belief in the ability of Jesus to do something, to bring victory in the midst of her calamity.
Martha, much like we are in west, believed Jesus for who He is; and she believed Jesus for what He could and would do, in the future; but, she was not able to believe, in Him, for the here and for the now of her circumstances. She did not believe.
Beloved, let us ask ourselves the question: Do we believe Jesus, for the here and for the now of our own circumstances; and the circumstances of those around us and near and dear to us?
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Did Mary And Martha Believe?
Hello To All:
It is time to return to John chapter 11, as we continue to search for a true understanding of why Jesus wept. Let us be reminded of a portion of verse 32, of John chapter 8: "...the truth shall make you free."
In our last posting, on this matter (see "To The Intent Ye May Believe"), one of the things that we did, was to examine the attitude of the disciples, with regards to Jesus. We came to the compelling conclusion, that the disciples believed Jesus for who He is; and, they also believed Jesus, for what He would and could do in the future. They were not able to believe Jesus for what He could do, in the here and now. They found their present situation hopeless. The only thing, that they could think of doing, was expressed in the words of Thomas: "Let us also go, that we may die with him" (verse 16).
The situation, for Mary and Martha was very similar. Martha believed Jesus for who He is (verse 27); and she believed Jesus for what He could and would do in the future (verse 24); but, neither Mary (verse 32), or Martha (verse 21), could believe Him for a supernatural and miraculous intervention, into their present calamity. They did not have any hope for victory. In the moment of their grief and sorrow, they did not believe.
Our text, for today's posting is John 11:21-27, where we find written: (21) Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. (22) But I know, that even now whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. (23) Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. (24) Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. (25) Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (26) And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (27) She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
The first thing, that Martha says is (paraphrased): Jesus, if you would have come, when we asked you to come, Lazarus would be alive. Mary says exactly the same thing in verse 32.
Now, my beloved, please do not be too quick to think that I am out of line, regarding the paraphrase of what Martha and Mary, first said to Jesus. Let us look at the context of their meetings with Jesus. In verse 6 we find written: "When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was." Let us be reminded of God's sovereign intent, for the delay. It is written, at verse 15: "And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe." Jesus sovereignly delayed His departure for two days. The intentional reality, of His delay, was so the disciples might believe.
The time-line is very important to our understanding of the true meaning of why Jesus wept. The time-line, is also very important to our understanding of the accuracy of my paraphrase. Mary and Martha sent a message to Jesus (verse 3). When they sent the message, Lazarus was sick and still alive (verse 3). Thus, they knew where Jesus was and they knew when He received the message; and they also knew how long it would take Him to travel from where He was to where they were. The intentional delay, in the departure of Jesus, caused Him to arrive two days later then they expected.
Their expectations were not in harmony with God's plan; but, they were not able to see that reality. From their perspective, Jesus was late. Their brother was dead; and they were not happy. From the perspective of Jesus, He was exactly on time.
Again, before you are too quick to think badly of this explanation; look to the text. When Jesus arrives, neither Martha or Mary greet Him. They do not thank Him for coming. They do not welcome Him, in any way. They do not embrace Him; nor do they seek to draw Him into their grief and sorrow. In the midst of their sorrow, the only thing, that they can think to do is to gently rebuke their friend and say: "...if thou hadst been here.." They were without hope and they did not believe.
Returning to the time-line, we find written at verse 39: "Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days." Our Lord Jesus Christ, with His intentional two day delay, purposed to arrive, when it would be proclaimed, regarding Lazarus: "...he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days." Thus, when Lazarus was raised up, there could be no doubt, in any one's mind, regarding the how. Lazarus was clearly dead - "he stinketh" - "he hath been dead four days." All of those present heard these words. All of those present knew, with certainty, that Lazarus was dead. Thus, when Lazarus was raised up, The Son of God, Jesus Christ, would receive all of the glory; and God our Father would be glorified through His Son. Let us be reminded of Christ's words to His Father, recorded in verse 42: "...that they may believe that thou hast sent me."
Mary and Martha were not able to believe, because their brother was dead. Jesus, on the other hand, was intending to use the occasion of the death of Lazarus, to create an epiphany moment, that would cause, not only Mary and Martha to believe; but it would also cause many, of those present, to believe. Can we say thank you Jesus!
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
It is time to return to John chapter 11, as we continue to search for a true understanding of why Jesus wept. Let us be reminded of a portion of verse 32, of John chapter 8: "...the truth shall make you free."
In our last posting, on this matter (see "To The Intent Ye May Believe"), one of the things that we did, was to examine the attitude of the disciples, with regards to Jesus. We came to the compelling conclusion, that the disciples believed Jesus for who He is; and, they also believed Jesus, for what He would and could do in the future. They were not able to believe Jesus for what He could do, in the here and now. They found their present situation hopeless. The only thing, that they could think of doing, was expressed in the words of Thomas: "Let us also go, that we may die with him" (verse 16).
The situation, for Mary and Martha was very similar. Martha believed Jesus for who He is (verse 27); and she believed Jesus for what He could and would do in the future (verse 24); but, neither Mary (verse 32), or Martha (verse 21), could believe Him for a supernatural and miraculous intervention, into their present calamity. They did not have any hope for victory. In the moment of their grief and sorrow, they did not believe.
Our text, for today's posting is John 11:21-27, where we find written: (21) Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. (22) But I know, that even now whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. (23) Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. (24) Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. (25) Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (26) And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (27) She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
The first thing, that Martha says is (paraphrased): Jesus, if you would have come, when we asked you to come, Lazarus would be alive. Mary says exactly the same thing in verse 32.
Now, my beloved, please do not be too quick to think that I am out of line, regarding the paraphrase of what Martha and Mary, first said to Jesus. Let us look at the context of their meetings with Jesus. In verse 6 we find written: "When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was." Let us be reminded of God's sovereign intent, for the delay. It is written, at verse 15: "And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe." Jesus sovereignly delayed His departure for two days. The intentional reality, of His delay, was so the disciples might believe.
The time-line is very important to our understanding of the true meaning of why Jesus wept. The time-line, is also very important to our understanding of the accuracy of my paraphrase. Mary and Martha sent a message to Jesus (verse 3). When they sent the message, Lazarus was sick and still alive (verse 3). Thus, they knew where Jesus was and they knew when He received the message; and they also knew how long it would take Him to travel from where He was to where they were. The intentional delay, in the departure of Jesus, caused Him to arrive two days later then they expected.
Their expectations were not in harmony with God's plan; but, they were not able to see that reality. From their perspective, Jesus was late. Their brother was dead; and they were not happy. From the perspective of Jesus, He was exactly on time.
Again, before you are too quick to think badly of this explanation; look to the text. When Jesus arrives, neither Martha or Mary greet Him. They do not thank Him for coming. They do not welcome Him, in any way. They do not embrace Him; nor do they seek to draw Him into their grief and sorrow. In the midst of their sorrow, the only thing, that they can think to do is to gently rebuke their friend and say: "...if thou hadst been here.." They were without hope and they did not believe.
Returning to the time-line, we find written at verse 39: "Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days." Our Lord Jesus Christ, with His intentional two day delay, purposed to arrive, when it would be proclaimed, regarding Lazarus: "...he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days." Thus, when Lazarus was raised up, there could be no doubt, in any one's mind, regarding the how. Lazarus was clearly dead - "he stinketh" - "he hath been dead four days." All of those present heard these words. All of those present knew, with certainty, that Lazarus was dead. Thus, when Lazarus was raised up, The Son of God, Jesus Christ, would receive all of the glory; and God our Father would be glorified through His Son. Let us be reminded of Christ's words to His Father, recorded in verse 42: "...that they may believe that thou hast sent me."
Mary and Martha were not able to believe, because their brother was dead. Jesus, on the other hand, was intending to use the occasion of the death of Lazarus, to create an epiphany moment, that would cause, not only Mary and Martha to believe; but it would also cause many, of those present, to believe. Can we say thank you Jesus!
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Monday, September 26, 2011
Do I Believe? Final Entry: Conclusion
Hello to All:
Where to start? How to bring this testimony to a comprehensible conclusion? What to say in a conclusion, that is intended to glorify God and to edify the brethren?
It is, of course, the truth that must be written; but, it is often the case, that the truth is a hard thing to accept, to embrace and to apply to our lives. The truth, wants to shake us free from our comfort zones. The truth, is not interested in the status quo, that we have chosen for our lives. Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ has to say about the truth: "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32). Our discipleship, in Jesus Christ, is confirmed by the revealed truth of His Word, as it is applied to our lives in a way that sets us free. Our freedom, in Jesus Christ, is a confirmation of our understanding, acceptance and application of the truth, that makes us free, to be His disciples. Hear some more of what Jesus has to say: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36).
Since discipleship, to Jesus Christ, brings freedom; it must then be concluded that whatever would put us in bondage, cannot be of Jesus Christ. The Galatian church embraced bondage. Hear what the apostle Paul had to say to them: "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:1-3). Instead of "obeying the truth," the Galatians had chosen "the works of the law." They willingly gave up their freedom in Jesus Christ; and willingly chose bondage. They were more comfortable with the status quo of their own choosing. Their comfort zone demanded bondage to a legal system, that defined who they were. That legal system, demanded circumcision, for membership in the local church. "O foolish Galatians!"
This was my condition, from the time of my return from Haiti to the end of May 2011. O foolish Theophilus! In Haiti, I was free in Jesus Christ. I returned to America and embraced the bondage of unbelief, without comprehending what I was doing; but, this one thing was certain: I was no longer comfortable with where I was and with who I was. For almost 25 years, I had labored, in the midst of the institutional church. I had persevered, in a tenuous relationship, with a legal system, that almost everyone was inclined to call church; but, now, I was growing weary; and I did not know the reason for that weariness. There were some things clear to me, but they were not the root of the problem; and I knew that I was no longer the person, that I once was. Haiti had changed me; and that changed man was trying to burst forth; but, the bondage was holding me back!
None of this, was a surprise, to our Lord Jesus Christ. He saw my condition and He heard my cries. Jesus responded to my needs and He set me free, to take an extended leave of absence, from the institutional church. Towards the end of May 2011, with the approval of and under the direction of Jesus Christ, I made my quiet departure, from the institutional church. This great adventure, continues, even as I write this posting. Shortly after my departure, I returned to writing. Shortly after returning to the writing, I was blessed with that epiphany moment with my friend Ron; a moment when we both believed!
The man I was, in Haiti, with the empowering help and presence of Jesus Christ, is bursting forth. Progress is being made! A regular portion, of my prayer life, is spent asking Jesus to cause me to believe; and, as previously stated (in another posting), Jesus and I are now traveling, together, on this journey; this great adventure. Amongst the many things, that are happening, are two, that are most important. My Lord Jesus Christ, is teaching me about his great gift of faith; and He is training me to believe. Thank you Jesus.
Well, my beloved, we have finally come to the end of this portion of my testimony. It has been a longer journey, then I had anticipated; but, the ways of Jesus Christ are always filled with surprises. As to that question: Do I Believe? You, my beloved, are in a better position to answer then I am; but, I can say this one thing: I believe that I am beginning to believe!
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Where to start? How to bring this testimony to a comprehensible conclusion? What to say in a conclusion, that is intended to glorify God and to edify the brethren?
It is, of course, the truth that must be written; but, it is often the case, that the truth is a hard thing to accept, to embrace and to apply to our lives. The truth, wants to shake us free from our comfort zones. The truth, is not interested in the status quo, that we have chosen for our lives. Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ has to say about the truth: "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32). Our discipleship, in Jesus Christ, is confirmed by the revealed truth of His Word, as it is applied to our lives in a way that sets us free. Our freedom, in Jesus Christ, is a confirmation of our understanding, acceptance and application of the truth, that makes us free, to be His disciples. Hear some more of what Jesus has to say: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36).
Since discipleship, to Jesus Christ, brings freedom; it must then be concluded that whatever would put us in bondage, cannot be of Jesus Christ. The Galatian church embraced bondage. Hear what the apostle Paul had to say to them: "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:1-3). Instead of "obeying the truth," the Galatians had chosen "the works of the law." They willingly gave up their freedom in Jesus Christ; and willingly chose bondage. They were more comfortable with the status quo of their own choosing. Their comfort zone demanded bondage to a legal system, that defined who they were. That legal system, demanded circumcision, for membership in the local church. "O foolish Galatians!"
This was my condition, from the time of my return from Haiti to the end of May 2011. O foolish Theophilus! In Haiti, I was free in Jesus Christ. I returned to America and embraced the bondage of unbelief, without comprehending what I was doing; but, this one thing was certain: I was no longer comfortable with where I was and with who I was. For almost 25 years, I had labored, in the midst of the institutional church. I had persevered, in a tenuous relationship, with a legal system, that almost everyone was inclined to call church; but, now, I was growing weary; and I did not know the reason for that weariness. There were some things clear to me, but they were not the root of the problem; and I knew that I was no longer the person, that I once was. Haiti had changed me; and that changed man was trying to burst forth; but, the bondage was holding me back!
None of this, was a surprise, to our Lord Jesus Christ. He saw my condition and He heard my cries. Jesus responded to my needs and He set me free, to take an extended leave of absence, from the institutional church. Towards the end of May 2011, with the approval of and under the direction of Jesus Christ, I made my quiet departure, from the institutional church. This great adventure, continues, even as I write this posting. Shortly after my departure, I returned to writing. Shortly after returning to the writing, I was blessed with that epiphany moment with my friend Ron; a moment when we both believed!
The man I was, in Haiti, with the empowering help and presence of Jesus Christ, is bursting forth. Progress is being made! A regular portion, of my prayer life, is spent asking Jesus to cause me to believe; and, as previously stated (in another posting), Jesus and I are now traveling, together, on this journey; this great adventure. Amongst the many things, that are happening, are two, that are most important. My Lord Jesus Christ, is teaching me about his great gift of faith; and He is training me to believe. Thank you Jesus.
Well, my beloved, we have finally come to the end of this portion of my testimony. It has been a longer journey, then I had anticipated; but, the ways of Jesus Christ are always filled with surprises. As to that question: Do I Believe? You, my beloved, are in a better position to answer then I am; but, I can say this one thing: I believe that I am beginning to believe!
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Do I Believe? Final Entry: The Great Adventure!
Hello To All:
When I returned from Haiti, I was filled with the wonder and awe of all that Jesus Christ had done. My life was changed. The next year was spent, in trying to understand that change; and the implications of that change. Curiously, I found, that there were very few, out of those who I had opportunity to speak with, who really wanted to understand the reasons for the change. I would have conversations, with individuals and groups, regarding the miraculous works of Jesus Christ, in Haiti; and, to my puzzlement, there was almost no interest, in a deeper understanding, of these wondrous things, that Jesus Christ had done. When talking to individuals, the subject would, most often, be changed, often very quickly, and always by the person that I was speaking with.
I cannot say, with any certainty, why any given individual, chose to not want to talk about the miraculous; but, I am compelled to consider the possibility, that the oppression of unbelief, is so extensive, that it is too difficult for us to consider the possibility, that Jesus Christ would do the works today, that we find recorded in His Book. Thus, in order to protect our own status quo, we must change the subject. To continue, the conversation, may present too great a challenge, to the status quo, that we have decided to embrace. It is too difficult, for us to consider the possibility, that we might not believe.
This is not meant to be harsh; and if, to some of you, it seems harsh, then consider this: I make no apologies for saying and doing the things that are necessary, in order that, all of us, would come, to more fully know Jesus Christ; and that all of us, might come to be more deeply aware of our union with Him. Thus, in the increasing knowledge of Jesus Christ; and in the increasing awareness, of our union with Him; all of us, can be more fully used, by Him, in the great works, that He continues to do, in His creation and amongst His people.
Another thing that happened, not long after my return, was that I stopped writing. I wrote about Haiti (those blogs were written in April and June of 2010); and then, there was nothing more to write. I was empty. There was nothing more to say! It was, as if, God had given me leave, to search for the person, that I was in Haiti. Thus, with the guidance and companionship of Jesus Christ, we continued our journey, towards the great adventure, that Christ had prepared for me.
During that year (the end of May 2010 to the end of May 2011), I was trying, and sometimes desperately trying, to understand the difference, between who I was in Haiti, and who I was, now, back in America. While still in Haiti, I asked God what I should say to people when they asked why the works that I saw in Haiti, were not being seen in America? After returning to America, I asked a similar question (see post of 6/17/10 titled: Haiti: Unbelief and Discipleship). God's immediate response was: "Tell them about unbelief." What I had not recognized, upon my return to America, was that unbelief, had swept back into my life; and the bondage, that I had left behind, when I traveled to Haiti, was, once again, holding me captive.
This would be a good place to stop, for now; so, until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
When I returned from Haiti, I was filled with the wonder and awe of all that Jesus Christ had done. My life was changed. The next year was spent, in trying to understand that change; and the implications of that change. Curiously, I found, that there were very few, out of those who I had opportunity to speak with, who really wanted to understand the reasons for the change. I would have conversations, with individuals and groups, regarding the miraculous works of Jesus Christ, in Haiti; and, to my puzzlement, there was almost no interest, in a deeper understanding, of these wondrous things, that Jesus Christ had done. When talking to individuals, the subject would, most often, be changed, often very quickly, and always by the person that I was speaking with.
I cannot say, with any certainty, why any given individual, chose to not want to talk about the miraculous; but, I am compelled to consider the possibility, that the oppression of unbelief, is so extensive, that it is too difficult for us to consider the possibility, that Jesus Christ would do the works today, that we find recorded in His Book. Thus, in order to protect our own status quo, we must change the subject. To continue, the conversation, may present too great a challenge, to the status quo, that we have decided to embrace. It is too difficult, for us to consider the possibility, that we might not believe.
This is not meant to be harsh; and if, to some of you, it seems harsh, then consider this: I make no apologies for saying and doing the things that are necessary, in order that, all of us, would come, to more fully know Jesus Christ; and that all of us, might come to be more deeply aware of our union with Him. Thus, in the increasing knowledge of Jesus Christ; and in the increasing awareness, of our union with Him; all of us, can be more fully used, by Him, in the great works, that He continues to do, in His creation and amongst His people.
Another thing that happened, not long after my return, was that I stopped writing. I wrote about Haiti (those blogs were written in April and June of 2010); and then, there was nothing more to write. I was empty. There was nothing more to say! It was, as if, God had given me leave, to search for the person, that I was in Haiti. Thus, with the guidance and companionship of Jesus Christ, we continued our journey, towards the great adventure, that Christ had prepared for me.
During that year (the end of May 2010 to the end of May 2011), I was trying, and sometimes desperately trying, to understand the difference, between who I was in Haiti, and who I was, now, back in America. While still in Haiti, I asked God what I should say to people when they asked why the works that I saw in Haiti, were not being seen in America? After returning to America, I asked a similar question (see post of 6/17/10 titled: Haiti: Unbelief and Discipleship). God's immediate response was: "Tell them about unbelief." What I had not recognized, upon my return to America, was that unbelief, had swept back into my life; and the bondage, that I had left behind, when I traveled to Haiti, was, once again, holding me captive.
This would be a good place to stop, for now; so, until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Friday, September 23, 2011
Do I Believe? Part Five: Ron
Hello To All:
The following events, are recounted here, with the permission of my friend Ron.
It was mid-summer, of this year. My great adventure, was in high gear; and I was traveling to a city near my home. One of the reasons, for my trip, was to visit my friend Ron. Ron was in a nursing home. Earlier, in the year, he had become paralyzed. He could not move his arms or his legs; and no one could figure out what had caused his paralysis. The nursing home was designed for rehabilitation; and Ron, daily, was being worked with. He was improving. By the time of this visit, he was able to sit-up, in a wheel chair; and he had limited use of his hands and arms.
The day was filled with expectation. I had already been blessed, to have visited with Ron, on several previous occasions. During one of those visits, after we had prayed together and asked our Lord Jesus Christ to heal Ron; the Lord our God, made it clear to Ron, that a day would come when God would heal him. It was also made clear, that he would be able to walk out of the nursing home, without any assistance, from anyone else.
I usually timed my visits, to catch Ron, a little before the evening meal. He, typically, would be sitting in his wheelchair, in preparation for being taken to the dining room. On this particular day, I arrived a bit early; and Ron was lying down, on his bed. He rang for a nurses aid. The aid came and worked to get Ron up and in his chair. I say worked, because that is exactly what she had to do. Because of Ron's condition, she had to pull him up and out of his bed; and then, she had to maneuver him into his wheelchair. Ron did what he could to help; but, at this point in time, there was not much that he could do.
The aid left; and Ron and I began our visit. We always talked about matters of faith and our Lord Jesus Christ. There was a small sofa in Ron's room. I was sitting on the sofa; and his chair was parked in front of me. It was time for us to pray together; and as we prayed, our Lord Jesus Christ, made me deeply aware, that the day was to be different from all other days. On this day, God was going to raise up Ron and heal him so that he could walk! We prayed again; and then, in obedience to Jesus, I spoke to Ron, in a way that was very similar to how Jesus had compelled me to speak to the lame man in Haiti.
At this point, in the unfolding events, I had one of Ron's hands in my own. I was rising up, from the sofa, with the expectation that Ron would rise up with me - empowered by God to stand and walk. But, instead of rising up, he grabbed my hand with both of his hands and began to pull. I locked my arm and body, in a rigid position, so as to keep me from being pulled into his lap. Twice, Ron tried to pull himself up; but, he was not able to. In the natural realms, he did not have the physical strength, necessary, to pull himself up and out of the chair.
I sat back down. We looked at each other; and I could see the frustration in Ron's face. He has a deep and abiding trust in Jesus Christ; and he, like me, was a bit confused by what not only did happen, but, more importantly, by what did not happen. Ron was still in his chair.
The air was still filled with expectation; and we were still confused. We prayed again; and then we sat, silent and waiting. In a moment it happened. It was as if God pulled back a great veil and Ron was able to see. At that moment, Ron put his hands on the arms of his wheelchair, he stood up, and he walked. I continued to sit on the sofa, rejoicing in the moment; and thanking Jesus for what He had just done, for my friend Ron. As Ron continued to walk around his room, we rejoiced together; and continued to thank God for what He had just done.
We visited for a while longer; and then the time came for dinner. Usually, an aide would come and take Ron, to the dining room in his wheelchair. Ron was ready to walk there, without assistance; and he was fully capable of doing just that; but, he was reminded about the restrictions that he had; so he took his walker (prior to his healing, with assistance, he had limited mobility with a walker) and headed for the dining room. A nurses aid saw him and came along side him. The last image, I have of Ron, on that day, is of him walking briskly down the hall, with his walker sort of held out in front of him; and the aid trying to keep up with him. It was a glorious site and one that I shall never forget.
Since that day, I have often wondered why God chose to allow the events to unfold as they did? Why was it necessary for Ron to struggle to lift himself up, in response to the command of Jesus, and not be able to do what he had been commanded to do: to rise up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ, for Jesus Christ had healed him? It was just in the last couple of days, as our Lord was preparing me to write this posting, that He gave me the understanding that I had been searching.
Listen, carefully, my beloved, to the understanding, given me by Jesus. It is very clear, throughout the King's Book, that in all things, God is to receive all of the glory. If God would have immediately raised up Ron, the sceptics could have readily said that this was just a normal progression in his rehabilitation; and that would have been a tough argument to counter. But, it was clearly demonstrated, to Ron and to me, that his physical ability and his physical strength could not raise him up. It was only after all of the efforts, in the physical realms, had failed, that our Lord Jesus Christ did His great work of raising up Ron, in a way that would cause Him to receive all of the glory, that rightly belongs to Him and to Him alone. Can we say Amen and Amen and Amen!
There is a lot here, to think on and to pray on, especially with regards to believing. Thus, this would be a good place to stop for now. But, one final note. In response to God's promise to him, my friend Ron, on many occasions, has walked out of the nursing home, without any one's assistance: to the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
The following events, are recounted here, with the permission of my friend Ron.
It was mid-summer, of this year. My great adventure, was in high gear; and I was traveling to a city near my home. One of the reasons, for my trip, was to visit my friend Ron. Ron was in a nursing home. Earlier, in the year, he had become paralyzed. He could not move his arms or his legs; and no one could figure out what had caused his paralysis. The nursing home was designed for rehabilitation; and Ron, daily, was being worked with. He was improving. By the time of this visit, he was able to sit-up, in a wheel chair; and he had limited use of his hands and arms.
The day was filled with expectation. I had already been blessed, to have visited with Ron, on several previous occasions. During one of those visits, after we had prayed together and asked our Lord Jesus Christ to heal Ron; the Lord our God, made it clear to Ron, that a day would come when God would heal him. It was also made clear, that he would be able to walk out of the nursing home, without any assistance, from anyone else.
I usually timed my visits, to catch Ron, a little before the evening meal. He, typically, would be sitting in his wheelchair, in preparation for being taken to the dining room. On this particular day, I arrived a bit early; and Ron was lying down, on his bed. He rang for a nurses aid. The aid came and worked to get Ron up and in his chair. I say worked, because that is exactly what she had to do. Because of Ron's condition, she had to pull him up and out of his bed; and then, she had to maneuver him into his wheelchair. Ron did what he could to help; but, at this point in time, there was not much that he could do.
The aid left; and Ron and I began our visit. We always talked about matters of faith and our Lord Jesus Christ. There was a small sofa in Ron's room. I was sitting on the sofa; and his chair was parked in front of me. It was time for us to pray together; and as we prayed, our Lord Jesus Christ, made me deeply aware, that the day was to be different from all other days. On this day, God was going to raise up Ron and heal him so that he could walk! We prayed again; and then, in obedience to Jesus, I spoke to Ron, in a way that was very similar to how Jesus had compelled me to speak to the lame man in Haiti.
At this point, in the unfolding events, I had one of Ron's hands in my own. I was rising up, from the sofa, with the expectation that Ron would rise up with me - empowered by God to stand and walk. But, instead of rising up, he grabbed my hand with both of his hands and began to pull. I locked my arm and body, in a rigid position, so as to keep me from being pulled into his lap. Twice, Ron tried to pull himself up; but, he was not able to. In the natural realms, he did not have the physical strength, necessary, to pull himself up and out of the chair.
I sat back down. We looked at each other; and I could see the frustration in Ron's face. He has a deep and abiding trust in Jesus Christ; and he, like me, was a bit confused by what not only did happen, but, more importantly, by what did not happen. Ron was still in his chair.
The air was still filled with expectation; and we were still confused. We prayed again; and then we sat, silent and waiting. In a moment it happened. It was as if God pulled back a great veil and Ron was able to see. At that moment, Ron put his hands on the arms of his wheelchair, he stood up, and he walked. I continued to sit on the sofa, rejoicing in the moment; and thanking Jesus for what He had just done, for my friend Ron. As Ron continued to walk around his room, we rejoiced together; and continued to thank God for what He had just done.
We visited for a while longer; and then the time came for dinner. Usually, an aide would come and take Ron, to the dining room in his wheelchair. Ron was ready to walk there, without assistance; and he was fully capable of doing just that; but, he was reminded about the restrictions that he had; so he took his walker (prior to his healing, with assistance, he had limited mobility with a walker) and headed for the dining room. A nurses aid saw him and came along side him. The last image, I have of Ron, on that day, is of him walking briskly down the hall, with his walker sort of held out in front of him; and the aid trying to keep up with him. It was a glorious site and one that I shall never forget.
Since that day, I have often wondered why God chose to allow the events to unfold as they did? Why was it necessary for Ron to struggle to lift himself up, in response to the command of Jesus, and not be able to do what he had been commanded to do: to rise up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ, for Jesus Christ had healed him? It was just in the last couple of days, as our Lord was preparing me to write this posting, that He gave me the understanding that I had been searching.
Listen, carefully, my beloved, to the understanding, given me by Jesus. It is very clear, throughout the King's Book, that in all things, God is to receive all of the glory. If God would have immediately raised up Ron, the sceptics could have readily said that this was just a normal progression in his rehabilitation; and that would have been a tough argument to counter. But, it was clearly demonstrated, to Ron and to me, that his physical ability and his physical strength could not raise him up. It was only after all of the efforts, in the physical realms, had failed, that our Lord Jesus Christ did His great work of raising up Ron, in a way that would cause Him to receive all of the glory, that rightly belongs to Him and to Him alone. Can we say Amen and Amen and Amen!
There is a lot here, to think on and to pray on, especially with regards to believing. Thus, this would be a good place to stop for now. But, one final note. In response to God's promise to him, my friend Ron, on many occasions, has walked out of the nursing home, without any one's assistance: to the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Do I Believe? Part Four:
Hello To All:
For almost 25 years, our Lord Jesus Christ has purposed for me, to labor in His service, outside of the institutional/denominational system of the church, in the west. This began in the fall of 1986, when He sent me traveling, on that 22,000 mile motorcycle journey. It continues to this day. For most of those years, I have regularly attended a local assembly; and contributed of time and treasure as much as I was able; and also contributed of talent, to whatever degree that I was allowed. These assemblies, were all part of the institutional church; but, since 1986, I have not been a member of the institutional church; rather, I have had, for almost 25 years, the status of a visitor; and, it has been in that capacity, as a visitor, that I have labored.
Being a perpetual visitor, has given me a unique perspective and a unique understanding of the workings of the institutional/denominational system that we, in the west, call church. Since becoming an elder, I have also gained a unique and deep appreciation for the struggles and bondage that church leaders, must daily face, as they seek to serve Christ, in a system that is extremely controlling and tolerates no deviation from its own precepts.
The labor of those years, has often been, and continues to be, very rewarding. The greatest reward being, that Christ has labored to draw me closer and closer to Him; and as He draws me to Himself, I become a more effective vessel in bringing an understanding of Jesus Christ, to those, in whose midst, I labor.
In the latter part of May, of this year, things changed. With God's approval, and under His direction, I have embarked on a great adventure. My guide and companion, on this grand journey, is my Lord Jesus Christ. A portion of His intent, for this journey, is to bring me to a deeper understanding, of His great gift of faith; to teach me how to access and use this gift to its fullest potential; and to purge my life from the unbelief, that so profoundly mitigates against the fullness that Jesus Christ has, not only for me, but for all who call on Him for salvation.
The catalyst, for this great adventure, took place in May of 2010, while I was in Haiti (please see the postings of May and June of 2010). When our Lord Jesus Christ sat the lame and blind man before me, I knew, with absolute certainty, that God was testing me. The intention of His testing was to edify and build me up - to heal the lame man - and to glorify Himself in that healing.
This was an epiphany; a moment of clarity; a moment of understanding; a moment when I believed! Jesus spoke -then, empowered by Jesus, I believed - then, empowered by Jesus, I spoke - then, Jesus healed the lame and blind man! The life of the man who was healed, was no longer the same. My life, the life of the man whom God had chosen to work through, was no longer the same; and since that moment, I have been searching for the person I was, when the lame man was healed. I have been searching for the capacity to believe now - just as I believed then.
This is a good place to break. When we come together, in our next posting, we shall take a closer look at this journey.
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
For almost 25 years, our Lord Jesus Christ has purposed for me, to labor in His service, outside of the institutional/denominational system of the church, in the west. This began in the fall of 1986, when He sent me traveling, on that 22,000 mile motorcycle journey. It continues to this day. For most of those years, I have regularly attended a local assembly; and contributed of time and treasure as much as I was able; and also contributed of talent, to whatever degree that I was allowed. These assemblies, were all part of the institutional church; but, since 1986, I have not been a member of the institutional church; rather, I have had, for almost 25 years, the status of a visitor; and, it has been in that capacity, as a visitor, that I have labored.
Being a perpetual visitor, has given me a unique perspective and a unique understanding of the workings of the institutional/denominational system that we, in the west, call church. Since becoming an elder, I have also gained a unique and deep appreciation for the struggles and bondage that church leaders, must daily face, as they seek to serve Christ, in a system that is extremely controlling and tolerates no deviation from its own precepts.
The labor of those years, has often been, and continues to be, very rewarding. The greatest reward being, that Christ has labored to draw me closer and closer to Him; and as He draws me to Himself, I become a more effective vessel in bringing an understanding of Jesus Christ, to those, in whose midst, I labor.
In the latter part of May, of this year, things changed. With God's approval, and under His direction, I have embarked on a great adventure. My guide and companion, on this grand journey, is my Lord Jesus Christ. A portion of His intent, for this journey, is to bring me to a deeper understanding, of His great gift of faith; to teach me how to access and use this gift to its fullest potential; and to purge my life from the unbelief, that so profoundly mitigates against the fullness that Jesus Christ has, not only for me, but for all who call on Him for salvation.
The catalyst, for this great adventure, took place in May of 2010, while I was in Haiti (please see the postings of May and June of 2010). When our Lord Jesus Christ sat the lame and blind man before me, I knew, with absolute certainty, that God was testing me. The intention of His testing was to edify and build me up - to heal the lame man - and to glorify Himself in that healing.
This was an epiphany; a moment of clarity; a moment of understanding; a moment when I believed! Jesus spoke -then, empowered by Jesus, I believed - then, empowered by Jesus, I spoke - then, Jesus healed the lame and blind man! The life of the man who was healed, was no longer the same. My life, the life of the man whom God had chosen to work through, was no longer the same; and since that moment, I have been searching for the person I was, when the lame man was healed. I have been searching for the capacity to believe now - just as I believed then.
This is a good place to break. When we come together, in our next posting, we shall take a closer look at this journey.
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Monday, September 19, 2011
Do I Believe? Part Three:
Hello To All:
It was not long after my conversion, that the Lord our God brought me to a deep and abiding understanding, that part of His plan, for my life, was the ordained ministry. I was to become an elder (elder, as used here, is in the New Testament context of ordained elder; as being opposed to the contemporary context of an elder being elected, by popular vote, for a term of office, as is, typically, the practice in the western church). How this was to happen, was not made clear to me; but, the fact that it would happen, was made very clear.
Shortly after my conversion, I became a part of the institutional church, by becoming a member of a well organized and denominational church. I liked how everything, including teachings and doctrines were all neatly systematized and clearly stated. Seemingly, here was understanding; here was truth.
One of the odd things, about this choice of church, was that two denominational perspectives, were competing for my allegiance; each of them claiming to know the truth; and each of them having significantly different perspectives, on a number of very important teachings. The odd thing was, was that the matter of truth was not as important to me, as the matter of heritage. The church that I chose, was the church of my youth. Having committed myself, to this particular institutional church, I embraced their teachings, as the truth; and I would not consider the possibility that they might, in some way, be in error.
This particular denomination, was organized by districts. Early on, I was being encouraged to consider the ordained ministry, by a number of the men in this assembly. From the perspective of the institutional church, I was an unlikely candidate; not having any significant education beyond high school; having had a less than morally and ethically correct lifestyle; and being a very recent new convert. But, in spite of these factors, the district pastor also recommended that I consider the ordained ministry. He made arrangements for me to visit one of their seminaries. Over a four day weekend, I went and stayed with a seminarian and his wife, sat in on classes, visited with professors and the president of the seminary. I was also tested in ways that brought me to my knees and to tears.
It was, while at the seminary, in the midst of the challenges of that weekend, that Jesus Christ made it very clear to me, that He was intending to set me apart and serve Him, as an elder, in His church. It was also made clear, to the seminary, that I should be allowed to apply, to their school, for the training that would lead to the ordained ministry, in their denominational structure. Shortly, after returning to my local church, I chose to follow the way of Jesus to ordination, rather then the institutional church. I did not apply to the seminary and went on to follow the path that my Lord Jesus Christ set before me. I did not have a clue, regarding how Jesus intended to ordain me; but, for almost ten years, I remained, by His grace, steadfast in that certain knowledge, that I would serve Him, in His church, as His elder.
In the fall of 1990, our Lord Jesus Christ, sent me and my family to the black churches of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Earlier, in the summer of 1989, I had been involved in some extensive street evangelism and was blessed, to lift up the name of Jesus Christ, to close to ten thousand people of varying cultural and ethnic backgrounds. But, in 1989, I did not lift up the name of Jesus to the black community; and, in this, I sinned against God and against my black neighbors.
In the spring of 1989, the Lord our God, in a most sovereign of ways, made it very clear to me that I was to go to Milwaukee, with the gospel. I was to go to the whole city, with the whole gospel. But, being a fairly typical white man: I was frightened by the prospect of being in the midst of my black neighbors; and, yielding to my sinful nature, I allowed that fear to keep me from my black neighbors. I took the gospel, to everyone in Milwaukee, but stayed away from the black community. The only excuse for such an attitude was my fallen sinful nature. Even as believers - sin can still get its grip on us. Then, in the summer of 1990, God did another sovereign work and brought me to repentance and the blessing of His forgiveness - thank you Jesus!
Then, in the fall of 1990, He sent me to a specific black preacher, in a specific location and at a specific time. The elder was there, as if waiting for me. His first words to me, after I walked up the path to meet him, were: "I want you to preach in my church." Two years later, he and other black elders, laid hands on me and confirmed God's intent for me; and they ordained me as an elder. A bit before my ordination, he told me that as I was walking up the path, on that first day, that God gave him a sign, affirming that I was the man that he had been praying for. You see, my brethren, this elder, who was also a bishop, had been praying for God to send him a white man to be his assistant pastor. I happened to be that white man; and in the midst of circumstances, that were completely surprising, Jesus Christ fulfilled His promise to me; and caused me to be ordained as an elder to serve Him, in His church. Can we say thank you Jesus.
Once again, our Lord has dug deeper than I thought He might; but then, Jesus is always full of surprises. His ways, are truly way beyond our ways; and for this, I am very thankful. We shall continue, with this testimony, on another day.
Until next time, my beloved brethren, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
It was not long after my conversion, that the Lord our God brought me to a deep and abiding understanding, that part of His plan, for my life, was the ordained ministry. I was to become an elder (elder, as used here, is in the New Testament context of ordained elder; as being opposed to the contemporary context of an elder being elected, by popular vote, for a term of office, as is, typically, the practice in the western church). How this was to happen, was not made clear to me; but, the fact that it would happen, was made very clear.
Shortly after my conversion, I became a part of the institutional church, by becoming a member of a well organized and denominational church. I liked how everything, including teachings and doctrines were all neatly systematized and clearly stated. Seemingly, here was understanding; here was truth.
One of the odd things, about this choice of church, was that two denominational perspectives, were competing for my allegiance; each of them claiming to know the truth; and each of them having significantly different perspectives, on a number of very important teachings. The odd thing was, was that the matter of truth was not as important to me, as the matter of heritage. The church that I chose, was the church of my youth. Having committed myself, to this particular institutional church, I embraced their teachings, as the truth; and I would not consider the possibility that they might, in some way, be in error.
This particular denomination, was organized by districts. Early on, I was being encouraged to consider the ordained ministry, by a number of the men in this assembly. From the perspective of the institutional church, I was an unlikely candidate; not having any significant education beyond high school; having had a less than morally and ethically correct lifestyle; and being a very recent new convert. But, in spite of these factors, the district pastor also recommended that I consider the ordained ministry. He made arrangements for me to visit one of their seminaries. Over a four day weekend, I went and stayed with a seminarian and his wife, sat in on classes, visited with professors and the president of the seminary. I was also tested in ways that brought me to my knees and to tears.
It was, while at the seminary, in the midst of the challenges of that weekend, that Jesus Christ made it very clear to me, that He was intending to set me apart and serve Him, as an elder, in His church. It was also made clear, to the seminary, that I should be allowed to apply, to their school, for the training that would lead to the ordained ministry, in their denominational structure. Shortly, after returning to my local church, I chose to follow the way of Jesus to ordination, rather then the institutional church. I did not apply to the seminary and went on to follow the path that my Lord Jesus Christ set before me. I did not have a clue, regarding how Jesus intended to ordain me; but, for almost ten years, I remained, by His grace, steadfast in that certain knowledge, that I would serve Him, in His church, as His elder.
In the fall of 1990, our Lord Jesus Christ, sent me and my family to the black churches of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Earlier, in the summer of 1989, I had been involved in some extensive street evangelism and was blessed, to lift up the name of Jesus Christ, to close to ten thousand people of varying cultural and ethnic backgrounds. But, in 1989, I did not lift up the name of Jesus to the black community; and, in this, I sinned against God and against my black neighbors.
In the spring of 1989, the Lord our God, in a most sovereign of ways, made it very clear to me that I was to go to Milwaukee, with the gospel. I was to go to the whole city, with the whole gospel. But, being a fairly typical white man: I was frightened by the prospect of being in the midst of my black neighbors; and, yielding to my sinful nature, I allowed that fear to keep me from my black neighbors. I took the gospel, to everyone in Milwaukee, but stayed away from the black community. The only excuse for such an attitude was my fallen sinful nature. Even as believers - sin can still get its grip on us. Then, in the summer of 1990, God did another sovereign work and brought me to repentance and the blessing of His forgiveness - thank you Jesus!
Then, in the fall of 1990, He sent me to a specific black preacher, in a specific location and at a specific time. The elder was there, as if waiting for me. His first words to me, after I walked up the path to meet him, were: "I want you to preach in my church." Two years later, he and other black elders, laid hands on me and confirmed God's intent for me; and they ordained me as an elder. A bit before my ordination, he told me that as I was walking up the path, on that first day, that God gave him a sign, affirming that I was the man that he had been praying for. You see, my brethren, this elder, who was also a bishop, had been praying for God to send him a white man to be his assistant pastor. I happened to be that white man; and in the midst of circumstances, that were completely surprising, Jesus Christ fulfilled His promise to me; and caused me to be ordained as an elder to serve Him, in His church. Can we say thank you Jesus.
Once again, our Lord has dug deeper than I thought He might; but then, Jesus is always full of surprises. His ways, are truly way beyond our ways; and for this, I am very thankful. We shall continue, with this testimony, on another day.
Until next time, my beloved brethren, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Do I Believe? Part Two:
Hello To All:
At the time of my conversion (the fall of 1982), I was 35 years old. For those 35 years, I was a reprobate and a sinner amongst sinners. I did not think of myself, in those ways; rather, I very definitely thought more highly of myself than I ought to have thought. I was selfish and self-centered. I had a keen mind and was reasonably successful, regarding the world's view of what life in the west should be. But, I was lost and empty; and I sensed this, deep in my being; but, I tried to ignore this reality, by indulging in the things and pleasures of the world. One of the practices, that I was very successful at, was doing and saying things, in a way that caused people to have a high regard for me, and to think highly of me. This, result, seemed to ease the deep emptiness, that was the driving force of my life. But, that "ease" was only temporary. It never lasted. There was always the search, for something more, for something to conceal the reality of who I was.
In the early years, I had even convinced myself that I was a Christian; and participated in a local church; and taught Sunday school; and even preached from time to time; and even thought, that someday I might be a minister. But, not many years after high school, I left all that behind. As I look back on those times - one thing stands forth, in a very dramatic way: No one ever taught me about Jesus. I was a practicing Christian - only, in outward appearance. Inwardly, I was still lost and without hope, in a world that offered only temporary relief, to the empty shell, that was the very essence of who I was!
Then, in 1982, everything changed. The Jesus, that was not known by me, demonstrated to me, in an absolutely certain manner, that: He is the Christ - The Son of the Living God! My life was changed, for all of eternity. Jesus, not only revealed Himself, for the truth of who He is; but, He did His great work of conversion; and He brought me to Himself; and I knew, with absolute certainty, that from that moment, and for all of eternity: I now belonged to Jesus! We then, together, entered into a journey, that has taken me to diverse places and into diverse circumstances. The journey continues - even, at this very moment!
From the first moments of our relationship, I had a sense, not as deep as it is today, but, nonetheless, I new that my life was no longer my own: I belonged to Jesus Christ; and since I belonged to Jesus, it also became clear, that He would and should direct the course of my life. He is the Master; and I am the servant.
This grand relationship, of Master and servant, of Creator and created, of Redeemer and redeemed, of King and subject, of Potter and vessel, of the Most High God and one whom He has adopted as His son: has consequences! These consequences are glorious consequences! Jesus has directed my travels, sending me from one city to another. Once He instructed me to travel by motorcycle, on a journey that lasted for one year and 22,000 miles. He has purposed for me to come along side, those in need; and He has empowered me to bring hope to some of those, encountered on this journey. He has given me a wife and instructed me to marry her (and I did - thank you Jesus). Some of those diverse places, have also been dangerous places; but, He was there, with me, and He brought me safely through. Someday (and I have often considered this - especially in these later years - as the work becomes more difficult), Jesus may decide to take me into that difficult and dangerous circumstance of martyrdom; and, I know, with absolute certainty, that He will bring me through.
The thought of martyrdom is pretty heavy-duty; but, even as you read this, many, in diverse parts of the world, are suffering and joyfully giving up their lives for the sake of Jesus Christ. Thus, we shall take another pause, in this testimony, and give ourselves time to ponder and examine our own relationship with Jesus Christ.
Until next time, my beloved brethren, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
At the time of my conversion (the fall of 1982), I was 35 years old. For those 35 years, I was a reprobate and a sinner amongst sinners. I did not think of myself, in those ways; rather, I very definitely thought more highly of myself than I ought to have thought. I was selfish and self-centered. I had a keen mind and was reasonably successful, regarding the world's view of what life in the west should be. But, I was lost and empty; and I sensed this, deep in my being; but, I tried to ignore this reality, by indulging in the things and pleasures of the world. One of the practices, that I was very successful at, was doing and saying things, in a way that caused people to have a high regard for me, and to think highly of me. This, result, seemed to ease the deep emptiness, that was the driving force of my life. But, that "ease" was only temporary. It never lasted. There was always the search, for something more, for something to conceal the reality of who I was.
In the early years, I had even convinced myself that I was a Christian; and participated in a local church; and taught Sunday school; and even preached from time to time; and even thought, that someday I might be a minister. But, not many years after high school, I left all that behind. As I look back on those times - one thing stands forth, in a very dramatic way: No one ever taught me about Jesus. I was a practicing Christian - only, in outward appearance. Inwardly, I was still lost and without hope, in a world that offered only temporary relief, to the empty shell, that was the very essence of who I was!
Then, in 1982, everything changed. The Jesus, that was not known by me, demonstrated to me, in an absolutely certain manner, that: He is the Christ - The Son of the Living God! My life was changed, for all of eternity. Jesus, not only revealed Himself, for the truth of who He is; but, He did His great work of conversion; and He brought me to Himself; and I knew, with absolute certainty, that from that moment, and for all of eternity: I now belonged to Jesus! We then, together, entered into a journey, that has taken me to diverse places and into diverse circumstances. The journey continues - even, at this very moment!
From the first moments of our relationship, I had a sense, not as deep as it is today, but, nonetheless, I new that my life was no longer my own: I belonged to Jesus Christ; and since I belonged to Jesus, it also became clear, that He would and should direct the course of my life. He is the Master; and I am the servant.
This grand relationship, of Master and servant, of Creator and created, of Redeemer and redeemed, of King and subject, of Potter and vessel, of the Most High God and one whom He has adopted as His son: has consequences! These consequences are glorious consequences! Jesus has directed my travels, sending me from one city to another. Once He instructed me to travel by motorcycle, on a journey that lasted for one year and 22,000 miles. He has purposed for me to come along side, those in need; and He has empowered me to bring hope to some of those, encountered on this journey. He has given me a wife and instructed me to marry her (and I did - thank you Jesus). Some of those diverse places, have also been dangerous places; but, He was there, with me, and He brought me safely through. Someday (and I have often considered this - especially in these later years - as the work becomes more difficult), Jesus may decide to take me into that difficult and dangerous circumstance of martyrdom; and, I know, with absolute certainty, that He will bring me through.
The thought of martyrdom is pretty heavy-duty; but, even as you read this, many, in diverse parts of the world, are suffering and joyfully giving up their lives for the sake of Jesus Christ. Thus, we shall take another pause, in this testimony, and give ourselves time to ponder and examine our own relationship with Jesus Christ.
Until next time, my beloved brethren, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Do I Believe?
Hello To All:
This question, regarding believing, has been asked on numerous occasions, in a number of previous postings. At times, the question has been: "Do you believe?" At other times: "Do we believe?" Today, the question comes home to roost, with all fingers pointing to me: "Do I believe?"
The fall of 1982, marks the year of my conversion to Jesus Christ. I cannot tell you, how many countless times, in the years since then, that this all important question, stated in a variety of ways, has been set before me: Do you, Theophilus, believe? The Spirit of God, compels me to address this question, on this day - for a variety of reasons; one of them being: His desire to give all of you, my beloved brethren, a deeper understanding of who I am; of who Elder Theophilus is. And, perhaps Jesus wants you to know, that I am more then just another talking head in cyber space.
But speaking or writing, regarding who I am, is a challenging reality, for me personally. I crave the anonymity that this blog gives me. It helps me to resist the desire to think more highly of myself then I ought to. I do not serve the Lord our God, in any sort of high profile manner. I am one of many that Jesus Christ has raised up, to serve Him, in what I have come to call, the in between spaces: the places where people are lost in their search. My task - my calling - is to help them find the Way: Jesus Christ. Can we say amen to such a calling; and may there be many among you, who would join me in this great work, of helping the lost, to find Jesus Christ. Amen.
To begin with, it is not a question that can be easily answered. A simple yes or no, is not sufficient! Oh, it is certain that I can say to you: yes, I believe that Jesus, is the Christ, the Son of the living God; but, that is foundational, that is first step, that is entry-level. The question demands more then an entry-level answer. It should take us into an examination of the deep ways of Jesus Christ; and our response to those ways. It is a question that should cause us to examine how well we exercise the great gift of faith, that comes to us from and with Jesus Christ. It is a question that, perhaps, cannot be answered in word; but, rather, it must be answered in deed. It is a question that, perhaps, can only be answered by others, as they observe the behaviour, both in word and in deed, of the one to whom the question is being addressed. It is a question that, perhaps, you, my beloved brethren, are in the best position to answer. The question being: Do I believe? So, let us, together, look for the answer.
First, let us provide some flesh and blood dimensions to this person called: Elder Theophilus. In January of this next year, I shall, by planet earth's reckoning of time, be 65 years of age. By God's reckoning of time, I am, always, as old as time - and as young as tomorrow. If you search the King's Book, you will find that this is a very biblical answer. If you do the math, you will recognize that 1947 was the year of my birth. I have a beautiful and godly wife; and two beautiful and godly daughters; and for my family, I am extremely thankful. By trade, I am a machinist and a woodworker. In both of these trades, I am an old world, traditional worker. My wife and I are supported, in our missions work, by the Lord our God, largely through the labors of our Christ empowered hands and minds.
We have faced many of the challenges of life, that you, my brethren, have also faced; and, in all of them, Christ Jesus has been more than sufficient to bring us to victory. From the church's perspective, and from the world's perspective, I am untrained and uneducated. I do not have any formal training, either as a machinist or as a woodworker; and yet, I have been blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ and empowered by Him, to serve customers in a dozen states and three foreign countries. I have never been to a bible school, never been to a seminary; and yet, I have been blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ and empowered by Him to lift up His name to thousands across this land and thousands in foreign lands. This blog, currently, has been read in 22 countries and the readership continues to grow. In all of these things, it is Jesus Christ who has opened the doors of opportunity; and it is Jesus Christ who has empowered me to step through those doors and to serve Him.
Through the years, I have seen our Lord Jesus Christ, work with power and authority, with signs and wonders, to do the work that only He can do. Through the years, I have seen our Lord Jesus Christ, choose to use me as one of His vessels, chosen for whatever work is at hand. And, through those same years, I have known the times of doubt and questioning - the times of, seemingly, falling so far from the mark, that I often wondered if I was wrong in my understanding of the King's Book, and its clear message that Jesus Christ is here, today, for us, in the hear and the now. But, in all of these things, Jesus has been faithful; He did not abandon me nor forsake me; rather, He empowered me to be victorious and He brought me through those difficult times. Thank you Jesus!
There is much more to tell; and, since this testimony is going to take longer than I thought it might, this seems like a good place to make a break in the work and take it up, the next time we are together.
Thus, until next time my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
This question, regarding believing, has been asked on numerous occasions, in a number of previous postings. At times, the question has been: "Do you believe?" At other times: "Do we believe?" Today, the question comes home to roost, with all fingers pointing to me: "Do I believe?"
The fall of 1982, marks the year of my conversion to Jesus Christ. I cannot tell you, how many countless times, in the years since then, that this all important question, stated in a variety of ways, has been set before me: Do you, Theophilus, believe? The Spirit of God, compels me to address this question, on this day - for a variety of reasons; one of them being: His desire to give all of you, my beloved brethren, a deeper understanding of who I am; of who Elder Theophilus is. And, perhaps Jesus wants you to know, that I am more then just another talking head in cyber space.
But speaking or writing, regarding who I am, is a challenging reality, for me personally. I crave the anonymity that this blog gives me. It helps me to resist the desire to think more highly of myself then I ought to. I do not serve the Lord our God, in any sort of high profile manner. I am one of many that Jesus Christ has raised up, to serve Him, in what I have come to call, the in between spaces: the places where people are lost in their search. My task - my calling - is to help them find the Way: Jesus Christ. Can we say amen to such a calling; and may there be many among you, who would join me in this great work, of helping the lost, to find Jesus Christ. Amen.
To begin with, it is not a question that can be easily answered. A simple yes or no, is not sufficient! Oh, it is certain that I can say to you: yes, I believe that Jesus, is the Christ, the Son of the living God; but, that is foundational, that is first step, that is entry-level. The question demands more then an entry-level answer. It should take us into an examination of the deep ways of Jesus Christ; and our response to those ways. It is a question that should cause us to examine how well we exercise the great gift of faith, that comes to us from and with Jesus Christ. It is a question that, perhaps, cannot be answered in word; but, rather, it must be answered in deed. It is a question that, perhaps, can only be answered by others, as they observe the behaviour, both in word and in deed, of the one to whom the question is being addressed. It is a question that, perhaps, you, my beloved brethren, are in the best position to answer. The question being: Do I believe? So, let us, together, look for the answer.
First, let us provide some flesh and blood dimensions to this person called: Elder Theophilus. In January of this next year, I shall, by planet earth's reckoning of time, be 65 years of age. By God's reckoning of time, I am, always, as old as time - and as young as tomorrow. If you search the King's Book, you will find that this is a very biblical answer. If you do the math, you will recognize that 1947 was the year of my birth. I have a beautiful and godly wife; and two beautiful and godly daughters; and for my family, I am extremely thankful. By trade, I am a machinist and a woodworker. In both of these trades, I am an old world, traditional worker. My wife and I are supported, in our missions work, by the Lord our God, largely through the labors of our Christ empowered hands and minds.
We have faced many of the challenges of life, that you, my brethren, have also faced; and, in all of them, Christ Jesus has been more than sufficient to bring us to victory. From the church's perspective, and from the world's perspective, I am untrained and uneducated. I do not have any formal training, either as a machinist or as a woodworker; and yet, I have been blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ and empowered by Him, to serve customers in a dozen states and three foreign countries. I have never been to a bible school, never been to a seminary; and yet, I have been blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ and empowered by Him to lift up His name to thousands across this land and thousands in foreign lands. This blog, currently, has been read in 22 countries and the readership continues to grow. In all of these things, it is Jesus Christ who has opened the doors of opportunity; and it is Jesus Christ who has empowered me to step through those doors and to serve Him.
Through the years, I have seen our Lord Jesus Christ, work with power and authority, with signs and wonders, to do the work that only He can do. Through the years, I have seen our Lord Jesus Christ, choose to use me as one of His vessels, chosen for whatever work is at hand. And, through those same years, I have known the times of doubt and questioning - the times of, seemingly, falling so far from the mark, that I often wondered if I was wrong in my understanding of the King's Book, and its clear message that Jesus Christ is here, today, for us, in the hear and the now. But, in all of these things, Jesus has been faithful; He did not abandon me nor forsake me; rather, He empowered me to be victorious and He brought me through those difficult times. Thank you Jesus!
There is much more to tell; and, since this testimony is going to take longer than I thought it might, this seems like a good place to make a break in the work and take it up, the next time we are together.
Thus, until next time my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Thursday, September 15, 2011
To The Intent Ye May Believe!
Hello to All:
The title, for this posting, takes us back to the end of our last posting and verse 15 of John chapter 11. The full text, for todays post is verses 13 thru 16, where we find written:
(13) "Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. (14) Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. (15) And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, To The Intent Ye May Believe (emphasis mine); nevertheless let us go unto him. (16) Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him."
God's intent is that we believe! Earlier in John's gospel, we find written (6:29): Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent." At 1 John 3:23, we find written: "And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ." The "work of God" - The "commandment" of God - The "intent" of God - The sovereignty of God: They all take us to the same place - they take us to salvation - and they take us to the fullness of salvation; and they compell us to, once again, ask the most compelling of questions: Do We Believe? The question needs to be repeated, because, if we truly believed: we would be experiencing and living as: victorious disciples in Jesus Christ. The truth is, if we are willing to see it, is that most of us are stuck in entry-level discipleship: we have salvation and eternal life - but, we are robbed of power, we are robbed of authority and we are robbed of victory because we do not believe!
Some of you are, possibly, in a most self-righteouse manner, thinking: well , I do believe in Jesus Christ; I have eternal life. My beloved brethren, I am so very thankfull that you believe -but, please be reminded that this belief, that you have, is the foundation of our eternal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is the beginning - it is not the end. Earlier in John's gospel (10:10), Jesus speaks these words to us, for eternity and for the present: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Yes, we would boast that we believe in Jesus Christ and have eternal life; and, in this, we should boast. But, the question, that now stands before us is this: Do we have life "more abundantly," in the present day - do we have life "more abundantly" in the moment of our need - do we have life "more abundantly" in the here and now of our lives? Do we believe?
The disciples did not believe! It was the soveriegn "intent," of our Lord Jesus Christ, that the disciples believe. He "abode two days" (verse 6); and then proclaimed - "Lazarus is dead" (verse 14); and then said this (verse 15): "And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him." Furthur on, in the chapter (verse 42), Jesus, again, emphasises His intent, when He states His reason for crying out to the Father: "...that they may believe that thou hast sent me." Clearly, Jesus has a purpose; and what is that purpose: that "ye may believe." The disciples did not believe! Thomas, speaking to the other disciples (verse 16) says: "Let us go, that we may die with him." Thomas and the disciples (no one protested what he said), were locked into the here and now, without hope. The disciples did not believe!
These are the same disciples, who, earlier (chapter 6 and verse 69), agreed to this confession: "And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." These are the same disciples, who (by the time of our text, for this posting), had already spent several years of their lives with Jesus. These are the same disciples, who had seen Jesus do many wonderous and miraculous works, including the raising of the dead. They knew who Jesus is and they knew what He could do; and yet - they did not believe Him. When confronted with the death of Lazarus, they could only function in the natural realms. They could not believe in the surpernatural intervention of Jesus Christ. They were robbed of power and authourity and victory because they did not believe. Oh, most certainly, they, like us, believed Jesus for who He is; and they, like us, believed Jesus for what He had done and could do (in the future); but, they, like most of us, did not believe Jesus for victory in the moment of their need, in the present, in the here and now. And so, my beloved brethren, the question must be asked, once more: Do We Believe?
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
The title, for this posting, takes us back to the end of our last posting and verse 15 of John chapter 11. The full text, for todays post is verses 13 thru 16, where we find written:
(13) "Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. (14) Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. (15) And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, To The Intent Ye May Believe (emphasis mine); nevertheless let us go unto him. (16) Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him."
God's intent is that we believe! Earlier in John's gospel, we find written (6:29): Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent." At 1 John 3:23, we find written: "And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ." The "work of God" - The "commandment" of God - The "intent" of God - The sovereignty of God: They all take us to the same place - they take us to salvation - and they take us to the fullness of salvation; and they compell us to, once again, ask the most compelling of questions: Do We Believe? The question needs to be repeated, because, if we truly believed: we would be experiencing and living as: victorious disciples in Jesus Christ. The truth is, if we are willing to see it, is that most of us are stuck in entry-level discipleship: we have salvation and eternal life - but, we are robbed of power, we are robbed of authority and we are robbed of victory because we do not believe!
Some of you are, possibly, in a most self-righteouse manner, thinking: well , I do believe in Jesus Christ; I have eternal life. My beloved brethren, I am so very thankfull that you believe -but, please be reminded that this belief, that you have, is the foundation of our eternal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is the beginning - it is not the end. Earlier in John's gospel (10:10), Jesus speaks these words to us, for eternity and for the present: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Yes, we would boast that we believe in Jesus Christ and have eternal life; and, in this, we should boast. But, the question, that now stands before us is this: Do we have life "more abundantly," in the present day - do we have life "more abundantly" in the moment of our need - do we have life "more abundantly" in the here and now of our lives? Do we believe?
The disciples did not believe! It was the soveriegn "intent," of our Lord Jesus Christ, that the disciples believe. He "abode two days" (verse 6); and then proclaimed - "Lazarus is dead" (verse 14); and then said this (verse 15): "And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him." Furthur on, in the chapter (verse 42), Jesus, again, emphasises His intent, when He states His reason for crying out to the Father: "...that they may believe that thou hast sent me." Clearly, Jesus has a purpose; and what is that purpose: that "ye may believe." The disciples did not believe! Thomas, speaking to the other disciples (verse 16) says: "Let us go, that we may die with him." Thomas and the disciples (no one protested what he said), were locked into the here and now, without hope. The disciples did not believe!
These are the same disciples, who, earlier (chapter 6 and verse 69), agreed to this confession: "And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." These are the same disciples, who (by the time of our text, for this posting), had already spent several years of their lives with Jesus. These are the same disciples, who had seen Jesus do many wonderous and miraculous works, including the raising of the dead. They knew who Jesus is and they knew what He could do; and yet - they did not believe Him. When confronted with the death of Lazarus, they could only function in the natural realms. They could not believe in the surpernatural intervention of Jesus Christ. They were robbed of power and authourity and victory because they did not believe. Oh, most certainly, they, like us, believed Jesus for who He is; and they, like us, believed Jesus for what He had done and could do (in the future); but, they, like most of us, did not believe Jesus for victory in the moment of their need, in the present, in the here and now. And so, my beloved brethren, the question must be asked, once more: Do We Believe?
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The sovereignty of God opposes unbelief!
Hello to All:
As we begin our search for the truth of why: "Jesus wept" - we look, first, to a portion of verse 4, of John chapter 11, where we find written: "...This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."
We often view sickness and death with an almost fatalistic perspective; and when I say, we, I am referrring to those of us who call ourselves "Christian." It is true, that in one place (Hebrews 9:27), it is written: "And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment;" and for all of humanity, this is a reality; and yet, our text quotes Jesus as saying: "This sickness is not unto death." For the Lord our God, death is not the end of all things. His "judgement" brings victory over death - if we will just believe; and here I speak of the eternal life, that God promises to all who call on Jesus Christ. It is written (John 3:16): "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Do you believe?
In the case of Lazarus, something wonderful and outside the normal was going to happen. God's sovereign judgment was that: the sickness of Lazarus - "is not unto death." Let me make a statement here, with a God inspired clarity: A sovereign God does not, repeat, does not come to weep with us in the midst of our calamity; He comes to bring victory! The question before us, then, is: do we believe? It is a commonly held belief that "Jesus wept," because of His humanity. His human nature caused Him to enter into the grief of all those gathered; and He wept with them because He understands our suffering.
Let us, examine this belief, in the light of our own humanity. Consider these circumstances: If your house is burning - will you be comforted, if the fireman comes only to weep with you? If something you value, is being stolen - will you be comforted, if the policeman comes only to weep with you? If someone in your family, becomes seriously injured - will you be comforted, if the paramedics come only to weep with you? Let us return to your burning house and the news that one of your family members is trapped in the house - will you be comforted, if the rescuers come only to weep with you? The answer, of course, to all of these questions is a resounding: NO! We expect, and rightfully so, that these responders will make every effort, humanly possible, to bring us victory, in the midst of our calamity. If we have this expectation, with regards to firemen, policemen and paramedics; why then, do we seem to expect so much less from God?
In a portion of verse 15, of John chapter 11, we find these words, of our Lord Jesus Christ: "...to the intent ye may believe..." A sovereign God, acts by "intent." A sovereign God brings glory to Himself and to His Son. He brings glory because His "intent"and His actions are always holy and always righteous. Thus, since God's sovereign intention is that we believe; the question then, that our Lord Jesus Christ, moment by moment, sets before us, is this: Do you believe?
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
As we begin our search for the truth of why: "Jesus wept" - we look, first, to a portion of verse 4, of John chapter 11, where we find written: "...This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."
We often view sickness and death with an almost fatalistic perspective; and when I say, we, I am referrring to those of us who call ourselves "Christian." It is true, that in one place (Hebrews 9:27), it is written: "And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment;" and for all of humanity, this is a reality; and yet, our text quotes Jesus as saying: "This sickness is not unto death." For the Lord our God, death is not the end of all things. His "judgement" brings victory over death - if we will just believe; and here I speak of the eternal life, that God promises to all who call on Jesus Christ. It is written (John 3:16): "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Do you believe?
In the case of Lazarus, something wonderful and outside the normal was going to happen. God's sovereign judgment was that: the sickness of Lazarus - "is not unto death." Let me make a statement here, with a God inspired clarity: A sovereign God does not, repeat, does not come to weep with us in the midst of our calamity; He comes to bring victory! The question before us, then, is: do we believe? It is a commonly held belief that "Jesus wept," because of His humanity. His human nature caused Him to enter into the grief of all those gathered; and He wept with them because He understands our suffering.
Let us, examine this belief, in the light of our own humanity. Consider these circumstances: If your house is burning - will you be comforted, if the fireman comes only to weep with you? If something you value, is being stolen - will you be comforted, if the policeman comes only to weep with you? If someone in your family, becomes seriously injured - will you be comforted, if the paramedics come only to weep with you? Let us return to your burning house and the news that one of your family members is trapped in the house - will you be comforted, if the rescuers come only to weep with you? The answer, of course, to all of these questions is a resounding: NO! We expect, and rightfully so, that these responders will make every effort, humanly possible, to bring us victory, in the midst of our calamity. If we have this expectation, with regards to firemen, policemen and paramedics; why then, do we seem to expect so much less from God?
In a portion of verse 15, of John chapter 11, we find these words, of our Lord Jesus Christ: "...to the intent ye may believe..." A sovereign God, acts by "intent." A sovereign God brings glory to Himself and to His Son. He brings glory because His "intent"and His actions are always holy and always righteous. Thus, since God's sovereign intention is that we believe; the question then, that our Lord Jesus Christ, moment by moment, sets before us, is this: Do you believe?
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Monday, September 12, 2011
Jesus wept: because of unbelief!
Hello to All:
How to begin, bringing some sense and the revelation of truth, to our understanding of the shortest verse in the King's Book (John 11:35); where we find written: "Jesus wept." The title of this posting, should give a pretty clear indication of my own stand on this matter. I have, consistently taught, that Jesus wept: because of unbelief! The question, now before us, is this: Is this conclusion - "because of unbelief" - the reason that: "Jesus wept?"
It is going to take a number of postings, to be able to fully and adequately answer the above question. But, let me say this, before any more is written: I would not have written the title, as it is, if I did not believe that it was absolutely true. But, let us also be reminded, that just because I, or anyone else, say that something is true, does not necessarily mean that it is true. Jesus Christ, The Living Word, is the Truth. His written Word is the revelation of that Truth. Thus, if it cannot be demonstrated, from the King's Book, that "Jesus wept," because of unbelief; then it cannot be received as the truth. Our task, then, as we continue in our quest for: "Victorious Discipleship in Jesus Christ"- is to examine the King's Book (through subsequent postings); and demonstrate the absolute truth that: Jesus wept - because of unbelief!
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Jesus Christ, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
How to begin, bringing some sense and the revelation of truth, to our understanding of the shortest verse in the King's Book (John 11:35); where we find written: "Jesus wept." The title of this posting, should give a pretty clear indication of my own stand on this matter. I have, consistently taught, that Jesus wept: because of unbelief! The question, now before us, is this: Is this conclusion - "because of unbelief" - the reason that: "Jesus wept?"
It is going to take a number of postings, to be able to fully and adequately answer the above question. But, let me say this, before any more is written: I would not have written the title, as it is, if I did not believe that it was absolutely true. But, let us also be reminded, that just because I, or anyone else, say that something is true, does not necessarily mean that it is true. Jesus Christ, The Living Word, is the Truth. His written Word is the revelation of that Truth. Thus, if it cannot be demonstrated, from the King's Book, that "Jesus wept," because of unbelief; then it cannot be received as the truth. Our task, then, as we continue in our quest for: "Victorious Discipleship in Jesus Christ"- is to examine the King's Book (through subsequent postings); and demonstrate the absolute truth that: Jesus wept - because of unbelief!
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Jesus Christ, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Thursday, September 8, 2011
O ye of little faith!
Hello to All:
As we continue on our journey to "Victorious Discipleship In Jesus Christ," we also continue in our examination, of the text from the King's Book, recorded in Matthew, chapter 16 and verses 6 to 12; where we find written (at verse 8): "...when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves...?"
Perhaps, all followers of Jesus Christ, upon reading this text, will immediately think of the times, when they believed that their own "faith," was a "little faith,"similar to that of the disciples; and not sufficient for the challenges at hand. The word "faith," that is translated from the Greek word that refers to the supernatural faith, that comes to us as a gift from The Lord our God, occurs 244 times in the New Testament. It is never spoken of as a faith that is "little." The Greek word, translated as "little faith," occurs only 5 times; and rightly understood, refers to the natural faith, common to all of humanity. Nonetheless, even though this natural faith is common to all men, we, who are followers of Jesus Christ, often turn to (and depend upon), this natural faith; having become convinced that this natural faith, is what Christ Jesus has given to us; and we are confused, because it never seems to be sufficient. It always seems to be a "little faith."
This was the plight of the disciples. Their reaction, to their circumstances, was based on their natural abilities: "they reasoned among themselves." When Jesus rebuked them for their "little faith," He also rebuked them for having "reasoned among themselves." Our natural ability to reason and our natural faith, are both part of our fallen nature; and these abilities will always cause us to fall short of the fullness that our Lord Jesus Christ has for us!
Our natural reason and our natural faith, are almost in continuous use. As we go about our daily activities: we prepare food, we take a journey, we ride a bus, we drive a car, we fly in an airplane, we climb a stairway, we use an elevator, we enter into a marriage, we start a new job, we form a business alliance; and in all of these things, we exercise our natural abilities to reason and to believe. In all of these things, we have an expectation, based upon our natural reason and our natural faith, that our efforts will be successful and that our goals will be achieved. Sometimes our goals are achieved. Sometimes our goals are not achieved. This is the way it is in the natural realms.
Even as Christians, we often fall short of the mark, that true faith should be able to achieve. This happens because we are, seemingly, so very willing to function only as the natural man. We rely on our natural reason and our natural faith. We do not believe. We never recognize, that we have denied ourselves access to the supernatural faith, that Jesus Christ has given to all, who call on Him for salvation. We are rightly rebuked, as being those, to whom our Lord says: "O ye of little faith." We are rightly rebuked, as being amongst those under: "The Oppression of Unbelief." And, because we rarely get beyond our "little faith;" we do not fully use the great gift of faith: The gift that brings us victory; The gift that moves mountains; The gift that raises the dead; The gift that enables us to lay hands on the sick and see them recover; The gift that heals the lame; The gift that brings site to the blind; The gift that preaches to multitudes and sees them converted; The gift that enables us to be: "Victorious Disciples in Jesus Christ."
If we will continue, in our pursuit of Jesus Christ; if we will come to understand that our discipleship is defined by the reality of Jesus Christ in each of us; and each of us in Jesus Christ: then, and only then, can we have the expectation, that the rebuke of a "little faith," and the "oppression of unbelief," will be lifted from us. Can we say Amen and Amen and Amen!
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
As we continue on our journey to "Victorious Discipleship In Jesus Christ," we also continue in our examination, of the text from the King's Book, recorded in Matthew, chapter 16 and verses 6 to 12; where we find written (at verse 8): "...when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves...?"
Perhaps, all followers of Jesus Christ, upon reading this text, will immediately think of the times, when they believed that their own "faith," was a "little faith,"similar to that of the disciples; and not sufficient for the challenges at hand. The word "faith," that is translated from the Greek word that refers to the supernatural faith, that comes to us as a gift from The Lord our God, occurs 244 times in the New Testament. It is never spoken of as a faith that is "little." The Greek word, translated as "little faith," occurs only 5 times; and rightly understood, refers to the natural faith, common to all of humanity. Nonetheless, even though this natural faith is common to all men, we, who are followers of Jesus Christ, often turn to (and depend upon), this natural faith; having become convinced that this natural faith, is what Christ Jesus has given to us; and we are confused, because it never seems to be sufficient. It always seems to be a "little faith."
This was the plight of the disciples. Their reaction, to their circumstances, was based on their natural abilities: "they reasoned among themselves." When Jesus rebuked them for their "little faith," He also rebuked them for having "reasoned among themselves." Our natural ability to reason and our natural faith, are both part of our fallen nature; and these abilities will always cause us to fall short of the fullness that our Lord Jesus Christ has for us!
Our natural reason and our natural faith, are almost in continuous use. As we go about our daily activities: we prepare food, we take a journey, we ride a bus, we drive a car, we fly in an airplane, we climb a stairway, we use an elevator, we enter into a marriage, we start a new job, we form a business alliance; and in all of these things, we exercise our natural abilities to reason and to believe. In all of these things, we have an expectation, based upon our natural reason and our natural faith, that our efforts will be successful and that our goals will be achieved. Sometimes our goals are achieved. Sometimes our goals are not achieved. This is the way it is in the natural realms.
Even as Christians, we often fall short of the mark, that true faith should be able to achieve. This happens because we are, seemingly, so very willing to function only as the natural man. We rely on our natural reason and our natural faith. We do not believe. We never recognize, that we have denied ourselves access to the supernatural faith, that Jesus Christ has given to all, who call on Him for salvation. We are rightly rebuked, as being those, to whom our Lord says: "O ye of little faith." We are rightly rebuked, as being amongst those under: "The Oppression of Unbelief." And, because we rarely get beyond our "little faith;" we do not fully use the great gift of faith: The gift that brings us victory; The gift that moves mountains; The gift that raises the dead; The gift that enables us to lay hands on the sick and see them recover; The gift that heals the lame; The gift that brings site to the blind; The gift that preaches to multitudes and sees them converted; The gift that enables us to be: "Victorious Disciples in Jesus Christ."
If we will continue, in our pursuit of Jesus Christ; if we will come to understand that our discipleship is defined by the reality of Jesus Christ in each of us; and each of us in Jesus Christ: then, and only then, can we have the expectation, that the rebuke of a "little faith," and the "oppression of unbelief," will be lifted from us. Can we say Amen and Amen and Amen!
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
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