Shipwreck
Paul remembered standing on the heaving deck of the ship assuring the men that they would be saved even though the ship was to be wrecked upon the rocks. Aware of the perils of the sea, he warned Timothy about the spiritual perils of making a shipwreck of his faith. 1Tim 1.19 Hold on to faith and a good conscience. When our lives are in a great storm, we have to hold on to faith. Hold onto the promise of God- everything works for good for those who believe. If you have a direct word from God like Paul on the boat, declare it and believe it and even if you if you don’t have a word at present, we still have His written word which assures us of His unchanging character. Rom 8.29 When you run out of understanding of His will we can still run in peace as it surpasses understanding. Also we need to hold a good conscience. In many storms God uses other people and if we get bitter, angry or harbour evil thoughts people we can make a ship wreck too. We need to see them as the instrument of God for good. If we keep our hearts right God gives grace to the humble.
Friend, don’t take the treatment of other people personally; they are tools in God hands to develop our character and prepare us for our future.
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Spiritual warfare
Elijah stood in front of all the people and demanded to know how long they were going to limp between opinions. But the people answered him not a word. Canaanite mythology believed that Baal ruled the earth and was responsible for harvest, rain and fertility and that Mot ruled below in the underworld, as the god of death. These two were engaged in constant battle and when Mot was winning, there was cold, drought and famines but when Baal got the upper hand, there was rain and blessings harvest and life. The ministry of Elijah was set in direct opposition to the supposed power of Baal. When Elijah declared that there would be neither “dew nor rain” it was a clear challenge to Baals’ supremacy. At Zarephath, he is seen to overcome death (seen as the power of Mot) when he raised the widow’s son from the dead. We too live our lives on a battleground not a playground but like Elijah, our God is with us to bring victory. The nation had turned away from God. God’s people were not fully following Jehovah but they weren’t fully following Baal either. There was accommodation in their life to his influence. After all, his religion was more satisfying to their flesh. He offered unbridled sexuality without restrictive standards. Baal titillated their imaginations. Many were not fanatical worshippers like Jezebel but they knew his philosophy and Baal was all the gossip around the nation. Sure we love God he has been our traditional God for generations but we like Baal too. We think there are some good things about Baal; we feel we can relate to Baal, he’s not all bad. Friend, surely we can see the picture here of the Western nations in the last days. The nations were forged and strengthened by God and His Word, but now they are post-Christian. They may still have prayer in parliament on occasions but there are new false gods in the land. Our leaders may choose to be like Jezebel in its state-sponsored syncretism and denial of the God of Israel but let not the people on the mount be a picture of ourselves!
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Reconciled
The guilty thief is pronounced not guilty and runs free from the court room. On the streets no one knew the judge was the thief's father. But the boy didn’t return home. Sad-Free but reconciled. We are not just freed and forgiven, we are reconciled to God. If we were only justified that would still leave us in dirty clothes cowering and uncertain although perhaps thankful for the goodness of the judge because He declares us holy and blameless. God is no longer a judge but He is our father and reconciliation is a family term. So we can talk to him relate to him share with him. He is your father. Not only are we reconciled to God but we are reconciled to men of Eph 2: 16 the Jews and Gentiles the most difficult people ever to get on together are now made one through the cross that are due a Gentile can become brothers any of us can become brothers and sisters through the cross. The Cross was the most shameful thing to happen to a person. They would die naked. It was the pits - they would cheer gladiators on the way to die. But never a crucified person. Now Paul was the opposite of the sophist and young rhetoricians of his day. He was old, dressed badly, poor and couldn’t speak that well. He said it is a miracle that the Corinthians listened or heard but it was God! Paul said for them to believe on the gospel is a miracle. I came with a ridiculous message, looking ridiculous to you but you changed it was a work of God.
Friend, the gospel is the power of God. it was then and it is now.
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Are you weak enough yet?
When God comes to Cain after he killed Able, Cain lied, “I don’t know where Able is! It was not me and I don’t know about it . People are healed when they take responsibility for their sin.
When God came to Adam in the garden after he had disobeyed there was no words of judgement - only inquiry "where are you ?" If Adam had of said I have sinned, please forgive me God would have done so.
It is a principle. If we confess our faults God forgives us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
Adam blamed Eve. This is the Adamic nature; our fallen behavior and while we blame anyone but us, we cannot be healed.
Cain could have repented and been forgiven. David repented and found forgiveness. Paul repented of murder and found forgiveness.
Friend, trust in Gods unfailing mercy and forgiveness that is offered to everyone who repents and confesses their sin. Only faith will move you forward to your future and receive the cleansing you need. Don’t allow your future to be limited by the past and don’t let your past determine your future.
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Whose Plan
When Philip the evangelist arrived at Samaria he expected to reap a great harvest from the seeds sown there by the Samaritan women and Jesus. When he got there, he found the devil, already had someone there. It seems to be a pattern in the Book of Acts that where the gospel goes, there was a stronghold needing to be broken. The devil brought Simon there as soon as he realized that God was planning something big in Samaria. The devil always tries to mess up your present life, before God “arrives.” He seeks to tie you up with business, porn, poverty or sour relationships. He wants you to discourage you with shame and regret or the pain of abuse. He wants you to stay distracted, because if he can stop you here. Your destiny will remain unfulfilled.
If there’s bondage or weakness right through your family; alcohol, adultery and divorce from generation to generation, the enemy has come to your family because he knows that God is planning to do something really great in your home and family. The devil filled Legion with hundreds of demons but it never stopped Jesus from reaching the legion and setting him free and if you keep praying, the tide of the battle will turn.
Friend, if it seems that the devil has been at work in your life, it’s because God is planning to do something great in your life.
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In focus
A number of years ago some teenagers from a local school were killed in a tramping tragedy. The rains came and the swollen river floated them away. One cried out to Jesus and he is saved but others are washed away. Presumably, they are praying too, wanting to be rescued but they die.
The parents gather around and wonder why one child is saved another is lost. Outside the theologians defend the sovereignty of God and console themselves with the mystery of Gods plan for the accident. Some people look at the tragedy and think God can’t look after his own so he’s either powerless or if he is powerful, maybe not as loving as we think he is. We are better to admit that God is loving and powerful but there are mysteries when it comes to tragedy in His people lives.
A man called Helmet Thielecke says “When you look through a magnifying glass at the cloth, the fabric is sharply in focus in the centre and blurred at the edges. We know edges are really ok because we have seen the centre. Life is like that too. There are many edges that are blurred but because we have seen the centre, the cross, that greatest demonstration of God’s love, we can accept that the edges we don’t understand will be woven by Gods love too.
Friend, we can understand God enough to trust his character when we can’t understand our circumstances
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