DIVIDING LINES

Too many things divide us.

Living in this New Testament Age of Grace, humans, not God draw most of the dividing lines. Let us trust the Word of God given by Jesus and the Apostles. For example, where lines had been drawn dividing ethnically and racially, Jesus taught we are to be neighborly by crossing the dividing lines like the Good Samaritan helping the injured Jew [Luke 10.] Dr. Luke also tells the story of Philip crossing the lines reaching out to the Samaritans and the Ethiopian in need of Jesus [Acts 8.]

In each case great joy resulted when God’s people genuinely and lovingly crossed those humanly drawn lines to share the practical love and benefits of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our prayer must be, “Holy Spirit guide me today that I might share your love and benefits without regard for societies dividing lines.”
 

Dealing with Mocking

Most of us have had to deal with some level of mocking and derision in our lives. We know that it can be hard to bear without lashing out in anger or crawling into a shell of some kind. However, as children of God we are expected to continue to walk right and with a good attitude. How can we do that and still be joyful?

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,” 2Pet 3:3

First, we should be expecting it in a world driven by the Devil and his values. I believe that knowing their motivation, arguments and attitudes can help us to remember that those very things (lusts, willing ignorance, and coming judgment) were our problems too before Christ. Moreover, those mockers are often the actual mission God has given to us. Our greatest weapon and support is to “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Vs 18

We cannot let this difficulty derail our testimony and mission.

Mission--FORGIVENESS

Can you remember the feeling you had when you knew you had done wrong and were just sure that you were about to be caught? We can all relate to that dark, lonely, sickening feeling of impending doom. What we needed, but seemed impossible, was forgiveness. What was done could not be undone, so our only real hope for restoration was forgiveness. Forgiveness goes beyond mercy to restore the relationship that was lost. The restored relationship is improved (because of the knowledge of that undeserved forgiveness), cemented by an understanding of the love that was necessary to go beyond the offense to genuine forgiveness and unity.

(Acts 26:18-19) “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Whereupon, …I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:”

People need us to be faithful to the heavenly vision so that they too may receive forgiveness. This is Missions.

HOPE

 

 Hope is a blessed thing. Biblical hope is one of the three great graces listed in 1Corinthians, it promises rest for the weary, and is so powerful that even in the most troublesome times the hopeful can rejoice and not be ashamed that trouble has fallen upon us. Paul wrote that the God of hope would fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope. I pray that our hope is so evidently supernatural that people will ask, “What reason could you possibly have to be so hopeful?” May our answer always be, “Jesus.” Keeping our eyes on Jesus always makes our problems seem smaller.