Final Things

Be Humble as a Response to God.

Passive command — “let yourselves be humbled” — comes from a right understanding of who God is… “mighty hand” points to His power, power sufficient to accomplish His will

Trust that He will exalt at the proper time

Remember the first shall be last (Luke 14:11 “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”)

We get this example from Jesus (Php.2:9 “For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,”)

Humility trusts God to care for us…humility is the opposite of self-reliant pride, and anxiety is a form of pride, trusting someone/thing other than God.

This is more an initial, one-time casting, surrendering all of life into the care of God.

Php.4:6 (“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”) becomes much easier if it is our life’s ambition to cast ourselves into the care of our “mighty” God.

We are assured that God cares for us, which means he takes a watchful care of interest and affection in us.

Think Clearly to Stand Against the Enemy.

Satan is seeking to destroy (Jn.10:10 “A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.”) Further, notice the subtle comparison — the Lion of the Tribe of Judah is the Chief Shepherd who gives life and protects His sheep whereas the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for anyone he can devour! BTW, he often comes as an angel of light, and his servants are often deceived along with Him, preaching a doctrine that falls easy on the ears. It reminds me of the line in a song called “Fal$e Teacher$”

“It’s kind of like a pyramid scheme / visualize heretics christianizing the American dream / It’s foul and deceitful, they’re lying to people / Teaching that camels squeeze through the eye of a needle… And you’re thinking they’re not the dangerous type because some oof their statements are right / That only proves that Satan comes as an angel of light.”

The call here mimics Jesus’ instruction to the inner circle in the Garden of Gethsemane where they were to remain alert/vigilant in prayer. Without being spiritually disciplined, we are not fit for the fight that lies before us. Philosopher poet Aaron Tippin reminded us in 1991, “You’ve got to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything.” How will we stand if we’re not informed and trained for the battle?

Along with being spiritually disciplined is the need for other believers. Together we are called to resist him, firm in the faith. The idea here comes from militaristic term that means a tightly packed rank and file…we’re to form a compact guard with a unity established around a common faith (Eph.4:5-6 “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”). Even if we come from a world of different places, we have an eternal bond through Christ.

Finally, don’t buy Satan’s lie that what we suffer and experience is unique. There are believers throughout the world that suffer similarly, and oftentimes more severely, than we do. Draw encouragement that we all suffer for the same name, that we have been counted worthy to suffer for Christ.

Worship God Because He Restores us After we Suffer.

The purpose of our salvation? We are called “to His eternal glory” that we might give Him “dominion forever.” We are saved for His glory, not ours!

To further His great name and to magnify His grace, He:

Restores — mends what is torn or broken.

Establishes — sets us securely placed and fastened.

Strengthens — either makes us strong…or stronger. In contrast, we are no longer frail or weak.

Supports — gives us firm footing, a solid foundation of stone.

One scholar summarizes, “Shall restore, that no defect remain in you: shall establish, that nothing may shake you: shall strengthen, that you may overcome every adverse force.”

Shane and Shane:

“I come, God, I come / I return to the Lord / The One who’s broken, The One who’s torn me apart / You struck down to bind me up / You say you doo it all in love / That I might know You in Your suffering… Though You slay me / Yet I will praise You / Though You take from me / I will bless Your name / Though You ruin me / Still I will worship / Sing a song to the One who’s all I need… My heart and flesh may fail / The earth below give way / But with my eyes, with my eyes I’lll see the Lord / Lifted high on that day / Behold the Lamb that was slain / And I’ll know every tear was worth it all

Rely on Others in the Body of Christ

Silvanus wrote

The sister in Babylon greeted

Mark was there as well, and remember — Mark has a past, he and Barnabas left Paul, but God healed and restored that as well. You know predators love to isolate, and Satan would love nothing more than to take wounds and brokenness, especially when we suffer them at the hands of other believers, and convince us it’d be better to break fellowship, cause disunity, not do the hard work of reconciliation, and go at the christian life alone.