The Thorn In The Flesh

We're going to take a look at a very enigmatic narrative recorded by the Apostle Paul through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 2 Corinthians in which he records his struggles with a "thorn in the flesh". There have been many different interpretations of exactly what Paul was speaking of, whether it was a physical malady, an overwhelming temptation of some kind, or perhaps a demon or other evil entity which followed him and sought to undermine his efforts to spread the gospel. In order to gain a full understanding of what Paul is speaking of, it is necessary for us to read the verses in their full context, so we will begin with 2 Corinthians 12:1 and read through verse 10..."It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." 

The first thing that we must take note of in these verses is the fact that Paul is making every effort to remain humble in light of the fact that he is recounting his very own visions and revelations. God had seen fit, fourteen years prior, to bring Paul into the third heaven, and such an experience it was, that Paul was not even able to tell whether he was in the body, or out of the body, at the time: only God knows. Paul was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, unlawful for man to utter. Such a personal and transformative experience this was, that Paul had kept it to himself for lo, these fourteen years, and only now reveals it to the Corinthians in an effort to demonstrate the virtues of sincere humility. Never one to lift himself up above those around him, Paul recounts his glorious visions of paradise, and yet immediately sheds light on his weaknesses, going so far as to admit that his fleshly desire would be to take glory in his visions, but he would rather glory in his infirmities, and not be a fool, he would rather speak the truth than to be exalted.

Paul goes on to explain that, in order to maintain his humility, and to ensure that he is not exalted above measure, "there has been given to me a thorn in the flesh", a "messenger of Satan to buffet me." There has been much discussion as to what exactly this thorn in the flesh was. Was it an illness? Was it poor eyesight? Was it a person, or perhaps even a demon, sent to discredit and undermine Paul? We know that Paul had been through many trials and adversities by the time that the Corinthian letters were written, as he eludes to in 2 Corinthians 11, as he recounts the five times he was scourged by the Jews, the three times that he was beaten with rods, the three shipwrecks he endured, as well as robberies, false accusations, hunger and thirst, and imprisonment. He had been stoned and left for dead, bitten by a poisonous snake, and betrayed by those he trusted. So we see that there are any number of physical infirmities which he could have suffered. There are several verses which seem to affirm that Paul's eyesight was less than perfect, namely Galatians 4:13-15..."Ye know that through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me." These verses, in particular, in conjunction with the fact that Paul was blinded for three days on the road to Damascus in preparation for his conversion, seem to point to the fact that his eyesight may have been lacking. However, we cannot definitively say that this was his "thorn in the flesh." 

Another possible explanation of the "thorn in the flesh" is found in Romans 7, as Paul so selflessly admits his own weaknesses, and owns his failings, and thereby sheds light on our frailties, as well, as we read in verses 14-21..."For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that I do not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me." Could temptation itself be what Paul was referring to?  We are all at war with forces unseen, with desires and temptations which can at times overwhelm us. Again, however, we cannot say with any certainty that this was Paul's "thorn in the flesh."

So, what could it be? And, ultimately, do we really even need to know exactly what it was? Perhaps it is in our best interest that we not know, because in not knowing precisely what the "thorn in the flesh" was, it becomes somehow applicable to all of us, to any situation that we face. Let us take a closer look at how Paul dealt with his "thorn in the flesh", as well as how it applies to each of us. 

Paul prayed on three separate occasions to have his thorn in the flesh removed, that it might depart from him. But rather than take it away, God told Paul..."My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." So, was the thorn given by God, or did God simply allow the thorn in order to perfect Paul? Bear in mind the fact that God allowed Satan to torment Job, in order to test his faith. He also tested the faith of Abraham, in commanding him to sacrifice Isaac. There are countless other examples of people's faith being tested throughout the Bible. We understand that God is in control of all things, and that He has our best interest at heart, as Romans 8:28 tells us..."And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." It is not God's intention that we should suffer, but if suffering in this life brings us closer to God, and serves to transform us into what He would have us to be, we should be willing to suffer for His name's sake, knowing that the crown which is laid up for us will surely be worth it all. And Paul understood this. He accepted the fact that God's grace was indeed sufficient. Through Paul's weakness, Christ's power could shine forth. This is why Paul could boldly proclaim..."Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." 

We all have, or will have, a thorn in the flesh at some point in our lives. Whether it be a physical infirmity, a mental illness, an addiction, or a personality disorder, we all have thorns. Perhaps neglect or abuse has left us scarred, maybe depression has overwhelmed us. Perhaps we have allowed ourselves to be overtaken by our own desires, and addiction has become the end result. Maybe we have been injured or fell victim to an illness which has left us in some way incapacitated. No matter what we have gone through, or will go through, God can turn our weaknesses into strength. He can make positives out of our negatives. We all have thorns, but God's grace is sufficient for us, our weaknesses clear a path for His power to perfect us.

We are never weaker than when we rely upon our own strength, and we are never stronger than when we rely upon God.

Victim...Or Victor?

Have you ever felt like a victim? Like circumstances were beyond your control, and you never really stood a chance? Perhaps you have been a victim at some time in your life, a victim of an accident, or a crime, or neglect, or of some form of abuse. Very few of us have not, at some point, been a victim of something, or someone. These experiences leave us with mental, and sometimes physical, scars which we carry with us. The wounds may heal, but the scars remain. How do we move beyond these tragic events in our life, and more importantly, what happens when we don't?

We can't begin to address all the ways in which someone can become a victim, nor will we attempt to. What we will attempt to do is find a way in which we can come to terms with the things which have happened to us, and to free ourselves from the "victim mentality" that causes us to place blame, and to make excuses for our own behavior. When we internalize the negative occurrences in our lives, we give them power over us. Whether it's something someone said, or did, to us, or a tragic event such as the loss of a loved one, we need not allow these things to gain control over our minds. Certainly, with any tragedy, or loss, there is a time of grieving which we must go through. Likewise, with neglect, or abuse, there are long-term effects, and sometimes these situations require counseling, or therapy, in order to begin the healing process. I am in no way attempting to minimize the impact that these events can have on our mental and emotional well-being, I am simply pointing out the fact that we cannot overcome these obstacles on our own. These struggles cannot be dealt with alone, and our best hope for healing comes when we lay our troubles at the feet of the Wonderful Counsellor, Jesus. He alone can provide the cure for all the damage that the world has done to us. 

One of the worst aspects of the internalization of negativity is that it will always come out in other ways. We begin to develop an attitude of bitterness, we lose our patience easily, we lash out, and we may seek to blame others for our own behavior. We will attempt to justify our actions based solely on the premise that "if this had not happened to me, I wouldn't feel this way", or "if they wouldn't act this way, I wouldn't lose my temper". When we attempt to justify ourselves in this way, we are simply making excuses. This is a form of denial. We can't accept the fact that we are responsible for our own emotions, and rather than bring them under subjection, we allow ourselves to lose control. These are all choices which we make, and though they may seem like subconscious choices, they are, in actuality, learned behavior. We lost our temper with someone and they bowed down, we got our way, and we liked it. We blamed someone else for our problems, and we got sympathy, and that felt good. So we kept on doing it...but at what cost?

Do we continue in this victim mentality, or is there an alternative? Is there a way out of this downward spiral of negative thoughts and actions? How can we battle these demons, and what can we do when it seems that we've lost control? 

We can surrender.

We can surrender all that we've done, and all that we are, to Jesus. We can give up on blaming others for our problems, we can quit making excuses, we can stop living in denial, and we can begin to live in VICTORY. 

Jesus has already defeated all the demons that we could ever face, and because of Him, we can have victory. He tells us in John 16:33..."These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." We don't have to feel as though we are alone in this fight, because we have a friend who sticks closer than a brother. We have an advocate, a mediator, One who has promised that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. 1 Corinthians 15:57 says..."...thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

When we choose to surrender to Jesus, to give Him our all, we choose to be a victor rather than a victim. We begin to take responsibility for our own actions, rather than blaming others. We still fail, but we own it. And we find forgiveness. And we move on. We acknowledge our shortcomings, but more importantly, we acknowledge the One who gives us the strength to overcome them.  Many people are reluctant to surrender to Jesus, to become a Christian, because they feel that they must first be "perfect" before they can give their hearts to God. This is simply not the case. God doesn't want your perfection, He wants to perfect you Himself. The Lord tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9..."...My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." And we read in Romans 8:37..."...in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." We simply have to place our trust in Him, as we read in Proverbs 3:5-6..."Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." 

Another significant change which takes place in our lives when we surrender to Jesus and choose to live in victory is that we begin to take back our power. So much of our energy is spent, depleted, on blame, denial, and excuses. And when we replace those negative aspects with responsibility, acknowledgement, and accountability, we begin to see positive changes. The energy which once was wasted is now renewed. The toxic emotions that once weighed us down give way to a peace "which passeth all understanding." Ephesians 6:10 tells us to..."...be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." 

One of the great paradoxes of the Gospel lies in the fact that our surrender to Jesus provides us with freedom. We live in bondage when we live for ourselves. Imprisoned by our own lusts and desires, and held captive by self-indulgence, we forfeit our freedom. We create our own prison, and sentence ourselves to life without parole. However, when we begin to realize the futility of our selfish nature, in contrast with the fullness of heart and peace of mind that Jesus provides, the choice becomes crystal clear. We read in John 8:36..."If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." What wonderful freedom we experience when we are freed from our sins! What beautiful liberty to be freed from the eternal punishment that our sins would ultimately lead to. Galatians 5:1 tells us to..."Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

We don't have to be a victim in this life. We don't have to be a victim of this life. We can choose victory. We can choose Jesus. When we are born again, born into His kingdom, we become victorious. And His victory will never fail us. Although we may sometimes lose focus, and become mired down in the cares and concerns of this world, He will always be there to pick us up if we fall. He will renew our strength, revitalize our faith, and restore our right standing. We read in 1 John 5:4..."For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." Our faith in Jesus is our assurance of victory, no matter what this world may throw at us, or how violent the storms of this life may become. Romans 8:31 tells us..."What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Jesus is the Light at the end of our tunnel, He is our Way back home. Jesus is the Truth in a world full of lies. He is our Savior, our Redeemer, our Friend...

He is our Victory.

Never Lose Hope.

We're going to take a look at the concept of hope, what it means to have hope, and what it means to lose hope. We'll examine its importance, which we can't even begin to measure in any real sense, because without it, we have nothing. We'll look at where hope originates from, how we can nurture it, and how we can hold on to it in a world that increasingly seeks to diminish it, and to take it away from us. 

There is an undeniable and unbreakable bond between hope and faith. In fact, it is not at all unreasonable to assert that we cannot have one without the other. If we have faith in God, and in what He has done and will do, for us, then we have a hope that the world cannot take away. If we have hope for the future, real hope, we know that it stems from faith in God and in His control of all things. So, we see that hope and faith are intertwined. They are in no way mutually exclusive, that is to say, you cannot have faith without at the same time having hope, and you cannot have true hope without having faith in the One who gives you your hope.

There is a beautiful old hymn, written by Edward Mote almost 200 years ago, entitled "My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less", and the words are both powerful and thought-provoking...
"My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. His oath, His covenant, His blood, support me in the 'whelming flood; when all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. When He shall come with trumpet sound, oh may I then in Him be found, dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne. On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand." 

And Jesus is our Hope. We read in Romans 5:1-5..."Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

Just as we established earlier, one cannot have hope without faith. In the same way, one cannot have hope without peace. If we are not at peace with God, there is no hope for our future. We cannot direct our own lives and at the same time be at peace with God. We read in Jeremiah 10:23..."O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." How true a statement this is. We cannot be in control of our own lives, with no regard for God, and be at peace at the same time. Sadly, this is the root cause of depression, despair, hopelessness, and addiction. One who has not come to know Jesus Christ, who has not been washed in His blood, not been justified by faith in Him, cannot have peace with God, and therefore cannot be at peace with himself, and depression, loneliness, despair, addiction, and even suicide are the end result. Even believers are not immune, and can easily slip into these traps if they allow themselves to drift too far from the shore, to be drawn away by the countless other things which would take our attention away from God and from His plan for our life. We have to maintain our hope in God, as we read in Psalm 31:24..."Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." It is the ultimate tragedy when a believer loses hope because it means that they have lost faith, they have let go of the one thing to which they should have held onto with all their might, the only thing that could save them. Psalm 119:114 tells us..."Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word." Jesus is our Hope, and we cannot take our eyes off of Him, we cannot allow the problems that we face, and the cares of this present world, to shift our focus from Him.  Remember, Peter was able to walk upon the water only as long as his eyes were on Jesus. When the storm around him drew his attention away, he began to sink. Simply put, we cannot allow ourselves to lose sight of the fact that this life is not all that there is. Our reality need not be defined solely by what we can see, or hear, or feel. Our eternal destiny is dependent upon our looking beyond this temporal world. Paul tells us in Romans 5:2..."...we rejoice in hope of the glory of God." We have reason to rejoice, simply because we have the hope of heaven, through His grace we look forward to the fruition of His promises, of the home which He is preparing for us. 

Paul goes on to say that we are to "glory in tribulations also", because "tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope." This is difficult to put into practice, but God expects us to have a certain immunity to the cares and problems of the world because our hope of glory should override any difficulties which we face in this life. Certainly, this is much easier said than done, but just as Paul so eloquently expresses, here, as well as in 2 Timothy 4, this is a process which we must endure, a race that we all must run, a course we must finish, in order to be found worthy of the crown which is laid up for us. We go through tribulations, which strengthen our patience. This leads to experience, which we can rely on to face future challenges, and when all of these factors come together, we have an innate sense of hope for the future. Hope is the end result of the trials we face.  Tribulation leads to patience, which leads to experience, and finally, our end result is hope. Interestingly, when Paul tells us, in verse 3, that "tribulation worketh patience" the original Greek word used there is "dokimen", which means "he is approved that has passed the test." So, we see that the tribulations that we face are really nothing more than a test, which we must pass, and when we do, our patience is tested, and tried, which leads to experience, and our experiences lead us into a mindset of hope for the future.  Paul concludes in verse 5 with a powerful statement..."And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Hope maketh not ashamed. What does Paul mean by this? The hope that we have in Jesus is not, and never will be, misplaced. We read in Proverbs 10:28..."The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish." We have an everlasting hope, and it will never deceive us, never disappoint us, never leave us wanting. It is a hope which is bolstered by the Holy Spirit, living in us and working through us, a living hope, which can never be extinguished.

Another aspect of hope is brought to light in Romans 8:24-25..."For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." Hope is here linked with salvation, thereby establishing it as being on the same level with grace, and with faith. Therefore, its importance cannot be overstated. We MUST have hope. However, at the same time, we hope for something which we have not yet seen, and this forever links hope with faith. And if we, through faith, by grace, hope for that which we have not yet seen, we will patiently wait for it, because we know that God has promised it to us, and we believe that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. We read in Lamentations 3:26..."It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord."

Though there are many verses referring to hope throughout the Bible, and countless instances in which hope is relied upon, and proven, we have but limited time here to expound upon it. To attempt to define all that faith, and hope, entail, would take more time and space than that which we are allowed. However, there is one final verse which beautifully summarizes what it means to have faith, and to have hope, and it is found in Hebrews 11:1, where we read..."Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." This verse, at first, seems rather cryptic in nature, not easily understood, and so, we must consider it carefully, dissect it, in order to fully grasp its meaning. "...faith is the substance of things hoped for..." we believe with every fiber of our being that God will do for us all that He has promised, as we read in 2 Timothy 1:12..."...I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." And our belief, our faith, and our hope are all interwoven, and work together to give us a kind of foretaste of glory. Jesus living in us, working through us, the indwelling of His Spirit, is the evidence of things not seen, our assurance of future glory, of a home not made with hands, where we will be with Him forever more. 

Jesus has promised that He would never leave us, nor forsake us, and our belief in Him is the grounds for our hope. 

                                  Never Lose Hope.

This Do In Remembrance Of Me: The Significance of Communion

We're going to take a look at the Communion, what it means to be a part of it, its significance, and its overall importance in the life of the believer. We will look at several instances throughout the New Testament where it is referenced, first at its institution, and then at the ways in which it was used, and misused, in the first-century church, and how we, as followers of Christ, are to use it today.

We'll begin with the institution of the Communion, the very night in which Jesus was betrayed. We read in Matthew 26:26-28..."And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." 

Jesus told his disciples in John 6:35..."I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." Just as the life of the body is supported by bread, so the life of the soul is supported by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus upon the cross, and by His mediation on our behalf. As Jesus takes the bread, He blesses it, and then He breaks it, signifying the fact that His own body would soon be broken for us. He was willingly broken in order that we, through His sacrifice, might be made whole. 

Jesus then gives the bread to His disciples, thereby establishing the fact that all of His disciples are to partake of and benefit from, this memorial. He then tells them to, "Take, eat; this is my body." Jesus fully expects His followers to accept His sacrifice, as well as the healing which stems from it, and to receive the atonement which He died to provide for them.

Jesus then takes the cup, and gives thanks, gives it to His disciples, and tells them..."Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." He uses the phrase "drink ye all of it", not to ensure that every drop in the cup was ingested, but rather, to establish that all of his disciples drink of the cup, in other words, that none should let the cup pass by them without drinking from it. Its importance is paramount, for it is the blood of the new testament, the new covenant, and without it, there can be no remission of sins. Hebrews 9:22 tells us that..."without shedding of blood is no remission." The Old Testament was confirmed by the blood of bulls and goats, but this New Testament is established upon the blood of Jesus Christ. His precious blood being the reconciling factor between God and man, Jesus wants to ensure that each one of us comes in contact with His blood and receives the healing benefits and forgiveness that it alone can provide.

We read of the institution of the Communion also in 1 Corinthians 11:23-31, as Paul goes into great detail concerning the importance of discerning the Lord's body, and how we are to conduct ourselves, and to bring our thoughts under subjection, when we partake of this solemn feast. "For I have received of the Lord that which I  also delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the  Lord's death till he come. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." It seems that some first-century Christians were using the Lord's supper as a normal meal, eating and drinking to excess, and not separating it as the solemn memorial that it was intended to be. Rather than focusing on the Lord, and on His sacrifice, they were simply eating and drinking, placing no significance upon the Communion as a reflective, introspective time of self-examination and solemn remembrance. This is why Paul warns against partaking of the Communion unworthily. It is not that any of us could ever actually BE worthy, because none of us are, but it is the attitude with which we approach the Lord's table that we need to be keenly aware of. The Communion is a sacred institution, and therefore we must enter into it with our minds firmly affixed on the sacrifice which Jesus made for us, and on His suffering, on His death, His burial, and His resurrection. It is a time of intense self-reflection, of coming to terms with our own weaknesses in light of His strength, of our own frailties and failings in contrast with His victory, and His Almighty Power. It is a very humbling thought indeed, to consider the fact that all of His sufferings, the very blood that He shed, was for ME, as an individual, for me personally, and if I were the only person who had ever lived, He would still have died just to save me. And He loves us all, individually, in this way, this much. We need to personalize what Jesus did for us, and the Communion is the perfect opportunity to do just that. 

So far, we have examined the significance of the Communion, how it was instituted, and how we are to approach it, but what role does it play in the life of a believer? Is it really necessary, and what benefits does it provide? 

First of all, we are commanded to partake of the Communion, as Jesus tells us in John 6:53-56..."Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him." It is both spiritually unhealthy, and neglectful, not to partake of the Communion. 

Secondly, our participation in this commemorative feast is a personal proclamation. We read earlier in 1 Corinthians 11:26..."For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come." When we partake of the Communion, we assert our faith in not only Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, but also in His future return. Our participation exclaims, "Jesus died for me, I believe this, and I know that He was raised from the dead, and that He will return to take me home to be with Him forever!"

Finally, we need to understand the fact that the Communion is not a ritual to be performed, but rather, a blessing to be received. Jesus took upon Himself all manner of disease, mental, physical, and otherwise, upon the cross in order that we could be healed. We read in Isaiah 53:4-5..."Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." The selfless nature of our Savior and the healing which He suffered to provide are represented by the bread in the Communion. Just as we receive healing in our bodies, and in our minds, when we partake of the bread, we receive forgiveness and mercy as we drink of the cup.  His precious blood procured our forgiveness, and it continues to cleanse us from our sins, and to solidify our place as joint heirs with Christ, as sons and daughters of God. We should consider it a privilege, as the highest honor, to be a part of this memorial. 

No higher price has ever been paid, no greater suffering was ever endured, than that which Jesus experienced in our stead. Let us meditate on these things as we accept and receive His healing, as we allow ourselves to be wrapped in His mercy and forgiveness, as we partake of the Communion in remembrance of Him.

No Weapon Formed Against Me

Have you ever felt as though you were under attack? Like you were at war with forces beyond your control? 

Those of us who love God, and who would strive to keep His commandments, to do His will, who would try to live in a way which would be pleasing to Him, are under constant attack. Many times, the onslaught is straightforward, blatant, and even blasphemous, in its heinous barrage on our senses, on the very fiber of our faith and on its origins. We are bombarded on every turn with unabashed and shameless sin, paraded before us in an ever more flagrant nature, almost flaunted, in front of us. The values that we as Christians hold dear, and cling to, are being minimized, ridiculed, and pushed aside. Television, the internet, society in general, are almost mocking Christianity in the ways in which sin is portrayed as the norm, and accepted, and dare not be spoken out against for fear of "offending someone" or "appearing to be intolerant". But more often than not, the devil's incursions are much more subtle. So many times, it seems almost as if they are internal, as though they come from within.

While we cannot minimize, and we certainly cannot ignore, the influence of Satan on our culture, and on the downturn of society as a whole, we cannot at the same time turn a blind eye to our own sin, to our own weaknesses. As easy as it may be to point out the sins and shortcomings of others, we must realize that every time we point a finger at someone else, there are four more pointed back at ourselves. It is simply not enough to recognize sin in others and to pinpoint what is wrong with society, to find fault and to criticize and to judge what we feel is wrong with those around us. These are the beginnings of apathy, this is how hypocrisy is born. If we can't recognize our own sin, if pointing out the failure in others has taken the place of  acknowledging our own deterioration, then we need to take a long, hard look inward, and strive to come back to a quiet place in our minds where we can once again perceive what it was to be innocent. Long before the weight of the world, and the cares and the struggles that we face day to day broke us down, broke our spirit, we were innocent, pure, and undefiled. This is how we were created, how God would have us to be. But rather than remain in this pure state, we become corrupted by the world around us, and by its influences, by the devil, and by his deceit. 

We read a very powerful and profound statement in Isaiah 54:17..."No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord."

What does the Lord mean when he tells us that "no weapon formed against us shall prosper"? Is He speaking of physical weapons meant to destroy our mortal bodies, or is He referring to something entirely different? We know that, throughout history, although God's people have been protected, they were not immune to the effects of physical harm. They were not "sword-proof", no more than we today are "bulletproof". We know, for example, that Stephen was stoned to death, John the Baptist was beheaded, many of the apostles were martyred, some in horrible ways, and these are but a handful of the atrocities which have befallen God's people throughout the ages.  However,  we find assurance that believers do not suffer in death, as do nonbelievers, as Jesus tells us in John 5:24..."Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." A beautiful example of this is found in Acts 7, as the crowd runs upon Stephen after his stirring sermon before the High Priest and the people, casting him out of the city to stone him. As Stephen is being stoned to death, He calls upon God, saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then we read in verse 60..."And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep." The Lord, in a stirring display of mercy, allows Stephen to simply fall asleep. Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:28..."And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell." So, we can see that not only does the Lord not intend for us to fear our fellow man, and what they may do to us, but also He would not have us to fear those things which we cannot see, the subtle ways in which Satan would seek to destroy us, because we have an assurance from the Lord that these weapons will not prosper against us. In fact, the only way in which we can be destroyed by the enemy is if we allow it to happen ourselves. We read in 1 Peter 5:8..."Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." Notice here, that Peter tells us that the devil seeks whom he MAY devour, not that he can just devour anyone he wants to. Only those who let him into their hearts and minds can fall prey to him. And although this may seem simplistic in nature, it is so easy to become enthralled with the world, and to lose sight of what is really important, of the things which really matter, and in the process, to lose ourselves along the way. So, what are some of the weapons that Satan uses against us? What are the ways in which he seeks to devour us? What should we be vigilant against, what do we need to be on the lookout for? How will we know when we come under attack?

There is no easy answer for these questions. As sad as it is to say, the devil is so relentless in his quest for our souls that he will try every tactic, every subtlety, any devious ploy, in order to enslave us. Because each one of us is different, he will play on our every weakness, and exploit our every frailty, in order to gain a foothold in our life. In many ways, he knows us better than we know our own selves. He knows which buttons to push, and when, to strike when we are at our weakest point. His power is not to be taken lightly, as Jesus refers to Satan as the "prince of the power of the air" and even as the "prince of this world". We are like children on his playground, but we need not fear being bullied. The Bible is filled with examples, instances, where the influence of Satan is felt, and must be dealt with. So blatant are his attacks that he did not even hesitate to dare to tempt Jesus Himself, so how could we ever think for a moment that we could be immune? He will use addictions, and greed, jealousy, envy and hatred to ensnare us. He will use bitterness, loneliness, depression, and apathy in order to drive a wedge between us. Even when we try to live right, he will prey on our sense of self-righteousness to separate us from each other, and ultimately, from God. 

So, how do we fight against such a foe? How can we be victorious over such a powerful enemy, one who seemingly has control over the very world in which we live? It is only through the blood of Jesus that we can overcome the temptations that face us every day. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:16, as he speaks on the armor of God..."Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." Such a powerful statement, to think that our faith will enable us to overcome, and not only simply to overcome, but Paul tells us through the Holy Spirit, that our faith will be able to quench ALL the fiery darts of the wicked. Not just a few, not some, but ALL. This tells us, in no uncertain terms, that we CAN be victorious, that the battle has already been won, because our faith in Jesus will ensure our victory. He is our righteousness, and His protection is our heritage. He provides us with victory. Victory over addiction. Victory over greed. Victory over jealousy, envy, and hatred. Victory over bitterness, loneliness and depression. Victory over any weapon formed against us. 

Victory In Jesus.

The Prodigal Son

We're going to take a look at an oft-quoted parable which Jesus spoke to the scribes and Pharisees in Luke 15:11-32, the parable of the prodigal son. We will begin by reading the parable, and then we'll endeavor to take a closer look at its meanings, and how we can apply them to our lives.

So, we'll begin with verse 11..."And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had wasted all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have fain filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son:  make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore his father came out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again: and was lost, and is found." 

Let us begin our dissection and analysis of this parable with the simple understanding that God is our Father. He is the Father of each and every one of us, the sinner and the righteous alike, the Jew and the Gentile, black and white, young and old, rich and poor.  Here, He is represented as the father of two sons, but in order for us to fully grasp the magnitude of this parable, and put into practice the wisdom which Jesus intends for us to receive from it, we first have to come to terms with our own heritage, with the fact that we are His creation, and only in this way will we be able to indentify with, and learn from, this parable. 

The first aspect of the parable which we will examine is the initial statement of the young son, as he demands, "Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me." This entitled appeal tells us a lot about the nature and character of the son at this point in his life. Notice, he did not ask that the father entrust him with a portion of his inheritance now, and a little more later, or even whether it was feasible for his father to endow him with his birthright at this time. He simply demanded all that was due to fall to him. Sadly, he cared more about his own wants and wishes than he did about his father or his family. As easy and as tempting as it may be for us to pass judgment on the son at this point, let us instead take a look inward. This young man's actions simply represent what many of us are guilty of, when the instant gratification of sin and greed dilute our view and cloud our minds to the truth. We often take for granted the gifts which God bestows upon us every day, and in so doing, over time, the grace which God affords us on a daily basis begins to be seen as almost a debt which we are owed. We become entitled and unappreciative, and this is how our focus is shifted to earthly cares and desires, and away from our Father and His will for our life.

Secondly, the son did not demand his inheritance in order to put it to good use, to start a business or to save for the future, but instead, he grew weary of what he saw as the overbearing rule of his father, and of his household. The son felt that he would be happier and at liberty if he were no longer under the watchful eye of his father. So many times, we unintentionally do the same thing. We turn our faces from God, because we know that the choices which we are making are not in accordance with His will. We seek liberty, but we only find entrapment. Likewise, the prodigal son yearned for freedom, but only became a slave, as his lustful desires and riotous living quickly dissipated his wealth. The parable tells us that, "when he had wasted all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine." The sinner soon becomes the slave. One of Satan's most diabolical weapons is lust and desire, the longing for material gain and worldly wealth, because the fulfillment of it solidifies his hold on us, it latches the shackles on our ankle. The devil knows that just a taste of what this world has to offer is all that is necessary to keep many people enslaved. 

The condition of the son worsens to the point that he would have eaten the husks which he was feeding to the swine, and then, he comes to a turning point. Jesus tells us that the young man "came to himself." A beautiful moment of clarity in a once clouded mind. He realizes that even the hired servants in his father's house have more bread than they need, and he is here, in this pig sty, perishing with hunger! He then comes to the conclusion that he must return, but not as the same self serving, entitled son that he was when he left. His heart has been humbled, so much so that he is willing to return not as a son, but as a servant. This is repentance in its purest form.

We envision this scene in our minds, as the son makes his way back home, contrite of heart, penitent in spirit, remorseful over his wasteful actions and his sinful attitudes, his head low, and his eyes toward the ground, his shame and remorse revealing the sincerity of his newfound humility. Jesus tells us that  "when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." What a beautiful picture of the love and mercy of God! 

The son then proceeds to confess his guilt, to beg for forgiveness, and to plead his case to become a servant..."Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." The father doesn't even give him a chance to ask to be made as a hired servant, as he commands a robe be brought and put upon his son, and a ring on his hand, and that the fatted calf be killed, saying, "For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found." Jesus tells us in Luke 15:10, just before the parable of the prodigal son, ..."I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." 

It is at this point that the eldest son hears the commotion, and upon finding out that his brother has returned, becomes angry. His father comes out to speak to him, but the son's anger would not be quelled, as he says..."Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed the fatted calf." Let us examine these statements carefully. First of all, the eldest son's comments reveal his own self righteous attitude, as well as his jealousy over the mercy shown to his younger brother. We see that his hypocrisy supersedes his loyalty to his father. 

We have all been the eldest brother.

It is easy for us to fall into this trap. We may feel that we have been loyal to God, and tried to live in a way which would be pleasing to Him, but if we are operating from a place of sanctimonious self righteousness, then our efforts are for naught. We cannot allow judgmental, hypocritical thoughts and attitudes to rule over us. These perspectives nullify any good that we have done, and cause separation between ourselves and God. The fact is, we ALL need God's mercy and grace, for none of us can ever be "good enough" on our own. It is only through the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross that our sins are forgiven, only through His Spirit are our lives changed, and only by His grace are we made into what God would have us to be.   

We are all the prodigal son. 

At some point in our lives, we must realize our utter helplessness. We have to come to terms with the fact that we have completely messed up what he have been given. We have wasted our gifts, we have brought shame and reproach upon the One who gave these gifts to us, and when we realize this, we find ourselves in a state of brokenness. Only then can we come to a place of repentance in our hearts and minds. It is at this point that our Father will come running to meet us, and He will bring us back into our rightful place, although we have done nothing to earn it on our own. Finally, to summarize, we read in Romans 8:14-18..."For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."  Amen.

Be Still

We're going to take a look at a simple concept, one whose underlying value sometimes goes overlooked, but its importance cannot be overstated. "Be Still." These two simple words were spoken multiple times in the Old Testament, as well as the New, to different people for different reasons, and they apply to us today just as much as they did back then. We'll look at a few times where this phrase was used, and how we can then make application of it in our own lives. Many times, we read the accounts of the battles of the children of Israel, or the life of David, or Abraham, or any other of the countless accounts of the Old Testament, and we feel that these are simply part of historical record, but this is not the case. We were meant to learn from these writings, from these people. These situations, as well as God's response to them, are just as applicable to us today as they were to the forefathers. Paul affirms this in Romans 15:4..."For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."

The first instance we'll take a look at is found in 2 Chronicles 20:17, as the children of Israel are preparing to go into battle against insurmountable odds. The humble prayer of King Jehoshaphat is answered by God in a beautiful and inspiring way..."Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you." 

So many times, we feel that our efforts are necessary to effect change, or to overcome obstacles in our life, when, in reality, all that is really needed is a humble plea to God to intervene in our circumstances, along with faith that He will come through for us. We can take solace and find comfort in the words "Ye shall not need to fight in this battle..." because this takes all the pressure off of our shoulders. God tells us here that all that is required on our part is to stand firm in our faith, and in the belief that He is in control, and then simply wait for the outcome. Not that we do not have an active role to play in our day to day struggles, but that underneath it all, behind the scenes, God will fight the battle on our behalf, if we will simply place our trust in Him.

The second verse we'll look at is found in Psalm 46:10..."Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." This eternal word, given to believers and nonbelievers alike, proclaims forever that our God will reign throughout all eternity. Those who choose to fight against His Kingdom, Be Still. Learn of Him and live. Those who embrace His lovingkindness, Be Still. Meditate on His word. Let all the earth be still and proclaim His Glory. Phillippians 2:10-11 tells us..."That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Contrary to the doctrine of modern day schools of thought, and hedonistic teachings of "institutions of higher learning", truth is not relative. Truth is absolute. Jesus tells us Himself, "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." Jesus IS truth. One of the best things we can do for our mental well being, as well as for our physical health, is to simply be still, still in our minds as well as our bodies, and meditate on God's providence and His provision, meditate on the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, and on His great love. Allow yourself to be loved by Him. Let His love flow through you, and let it change your life. Though none of us are worthy, we are made the righteousness of God through the sacrifice which Jesus made for you and me. 

Our final verses are found in Mark 4:39-41, as Jesus and His disciples are aboard a small ship late in the evening in the middle of the sea as a great storm arises. The disciples, fearing for their lives, seek for Jesus, and find Him asleep on a pillow in the hinder part of the ship. They wake Him, saying, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?" Then in verses 39-41..."And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" There are many things we can learn from these verses. We see the quiet confidence of Jesus as He sleeps in the midst of the storm, knowing that His Father has all things in control. We see that even in times when we may feel alone, or scared, that Jesus is there, and that He does care about what happens to us. We see that He has the power to intervene in any circumstance in which we may find ourselves, because even the very elements are subject to His Sovereign Authority. His beautiful command to the wind and the waves applies to us, and to our lives, just as it did to the storm. "Peace, be still."   

Jesus can calm the storm within us, as well. We can be at peace, and be still, because we have a Savior who will never leave us, nor forsake us. He has the power to change our lives into what they were meant to be, a beacon of light for others to see, to lead people to Him. 

May we ever be dependent upon, and confident of, the love of Jesus. Let it overtake our troubled thoughts, calm our fears, and quiet our minds. When the storms of life rage, and hope seems to be lost, may we hear His tender voice say, "Peace, be still."