Pray for Us

Thursday, April 13, 2023

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.  Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ.  That is why I am here in chains.  Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.  Colossians 4:2-4

It was a dramatic personal transformation that changed a man named Saul into Paul.  He met Jesus…and like Frost’s two roads that diverged in the woods, the journey required a choice – and the traveler could not take both – Paul emerged on the road less-travelled.  And that made all the difference for, perhaps, millions of believers down through the centuries.

You can see that change in Paul as he encouraged the Colossian believers to pray, wholeheartedly, alert, and with a thankful heart.  He asked that they include him in those prayers, focusing-on his mission to reach those who needed to hear about the Lord Jesus.  When he was Saul, the man wanted to climb to the top of the popularity and prestige ladder.  Now Paul, he had been commissioned an apostle to dig into the dregs of humanity reaching the lost, least, and rejected, to become his brothers in Christ.  Paul wanted to speak as clearly as possible to anyone who would listen, of the mystery and majesty of the King of Glory.

Taking the road less traveled eventually led Paul to a Roman prison, and the end of nearly all apostles – martyrdom.  The second century Christian historian, Tertullian records that Paul was beheaded at the end of his Roman imprisonment.  Having finished his race, what Paul wrote to the Philippian church came true, living meant living for Christ, and dying was gaining all to be with Christ.

Reflecting on your life is part of praying wholeheartedly, alert to what Christ is doing, and measuring how you have traveled the path, so you can choose wisely those next steps in the journey.  For me reflecting takes longer, having more than 75 years of history to consider.  I’m a lot older than the 8 year old boy who accepted Christ…and a little bit wiser than he was.  Looking back, there are three certainties about the path:

1.    I didn’t always choose wisely

2.    Christ was with me in both the wise and foolish choices, and was faithful in all, and is still

3.    Those who joined me in prayer helped lead me in better choices.

For You Today 

You’ll make choices today, some less important (like what to eat for breakfast), and some more important (like putting aside your fear of witnessing to that friend or co-worker).  One best choice you can make is to pray diligently, wholeheartedly, and enlisting others to pray with, and for you like Paul did.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,500 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper explore some of these:   The Grumpy Christian  and  Stay Alert  

Title Image:  Paul in Prison via Wikimedia Commons   Images without citation are in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©   

God's Deep Secrets

[1]

Friday, January 11, 2019

When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan.  For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.  I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling.  And my message and my preaching were very plain.  Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.  I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.  Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten.  No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.  But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.  That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”  But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit.  For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.  1 Corinthians 2:1-10(NLT)

Mystery and secrets – have I got your attention now?  Musterion is the Greek word Paul used that we translate as “mystery”; it isn’t something hard to understand or figure out…it’s quite simple, once you have the key.

I never liked the way the entertainment industry teases you with coming attractions; they sensationalize next week’s show with what promises to be the best, ever!  Then, they manage to come up with an unashamed tease for the following week that will be the best ever…ever!  All clouds, little rain!  

God, unlike Hollywood, however, always delivers on His promises.  The difference is that God reveals the key to the secret before he asks the question.  God showed up in a manger as our answer to life’s riddle about death, life and what can be done about our lives; then he asked the question:  Do you believe?

When Paul showed up in Corinth he’d had enough of intellectual debate with scholars and the elite.  Paul decided he’d simply declare the unambiguous Gospel, unencumbered by big words.  He told his listeners how Jesus came to us, was crucified by us, rose from the dead to save us, and is coming back for us.

This is hardly a James Patterson mystery novel, or a Steven King story, or a Stephen Hawking physics theorem; it’s plain enough for a child to understand.  Therein is the difference between what we humans usually trust, promises from human experience (what we can see, but don’t understand and can’t fix), over gifts from heaven (what we can’t see because we refuse to see, and don’t need to fix, only accept).

Why we refuse to accept the simple, unvarnished truth about God’s deep secrets of Jesus being the answer to our problems, personal, cultural, and eternal, is a complete mystery to me!

For You Today

Are you confused by why we have so much violence, anger, hatred, and separation in our world?  It’s no mystery in a culture rejecting Christ!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day.

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[1] Title Image:  Pixabay.com

Now, But Not Yet

[1]

Monday, December 17, 2018

In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat.

The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all.

The cow will graze near the bear.  The cub and the calf will lie down together.

The lion will eat hay like a cow.  The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra.
Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm.

Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea,
so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord.  Isaiah 11:6-9(NLT)

One of the most difficult concepts to wrap my mind around has always been the calling upon the Christian’s life to accept the Now, but Not Yet reality of Kingdom peace.  Peace is a reality now, but will not be accomplished (in the sense that God banishes everything which is not peace), until the not yet part is over; but we are to work towards it, even now. 

That’s like telling me to enjoy my ice cream even though I can’t have it until tomorrow!  While that goes against the typical instant gratification instinct of babies, mature believers have worked through that paradoxical impasse and live in the mystery of now, but not yet.  Though we may not see genuine, lasting, and total peace in this lifetime, we can live-into that quality of peace in Jesus Christ, because the Holy Spirit gives us Jesus’ promise:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7(NLT)

One thing I have learned about this promise of God’s peace is that it is true, and doesn’t depend upon the circumstances, even if the circumstances scream the total opposite!

My bride is a highly competent administrator.  She has worked with many pastors and denominational leaders assisting ministry in a number of settings.  Once she worked with a most difficult denominational assistant director whose personality bordered on Atilla the Hun.  He was Napoleon and General Patton rolled-up in one nifty, order-spewing package.  He called her from his car one day to read Elizabeth the riot act for the way she had handled some task.  In the middle of his tirade my sweet wife spoke up; she said:  I’m sorry; how can I make it right?  The phone went silent for longer than a few seconds, and when the boss next spoke his whole demeanor had transformed into a calm and rational co-laborer.  He never barked at her again.

Now that kind of makes you believe what Scripture declares:

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.  Proverbs 15:1(NLT)

For You Today

When believers are willing to overlook the world’s lack of peace, and live-into their Master’s promises, wonderful things can happen in the Now, but Not Yet department!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day.

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[1] Title Image:  Pixabay.com

Trinity

Monday, July 28, 2014

One of my early mentors in the faith used to say to me, “Russell, if you ever meet somebody who tells you he understands the Trinity of God, grab your hat and run….fast! You’re in the presence of a fool or a madman.”

It’s been a lot of years since I first heard that; I still think it’s true!

As a person who studies Scripture, preaches it, and does his very best to let God inform every part of who I am, with what I need to know, to be the best servant I can be…I can honestly say only this about the Trinity of God: I can give you textbook and common understanding about the Trinity. And I can give you what the master scholars say about the Trinity of God; I just can’t say with a straight face that I completely understand the Trinity of God.

Like the great old hymn[1] of the church says:

   Holy Father, Holy Son,
   Holy Spirit, Three we name Thee;
   While in essence only One,
   Undivided God we claim Thee;
   And adoring bend the knee,
   While we own the mystery.

This is where I am – it is a “MYSTERY” – and I own it; I admit, confess, embrace and re-tell it, this mystery of a Triune God, three persons, yet one; one person, yet three.

To attempt to explain the Trinity existential reality of God, other than just to name it, claim it and rest in it…is futile! This is a mystery you will not solve, except as you surrender your heart and life to Him and God gives you peace in your heart that it is true.

Garfield the cat is a favorite cartoon character of mine. (He explains a lot of deep theology). Once, Garfield was hanging upside down in a tree. He let go, and was falling, falling, falling…UPSIDE down! A split-second before impact at ground zero, the cat flips-over (like cats do), lands softly on all fours…looks out at you and says: Don’t ask me how I do it…I just does it!

Scientists may be able to explain the inner ear anti-upside-down device cats seem to possess, and their uncanny spinal flexibility that allows them a greater denial of gravity than you and I, but nobody will ever truly grasp the deepest mystery of God’s sovereign and eternal Trinitarian existence. That is one of those mysteries you’d better be ready to accept by faith if you want to be His child!

For You, Today…

Here’s what to do with nagging doubts about the Trinity, resurrection, why there is evil, and the rest. Give yourself to God and let Him do the worrying!

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.[2]




[1] Holy God, We Praise Thy Name, GROSSER GOTT, Words: Ignaz Franz, MUSIC: KatholischesGesangbuch
[2] John Wesley Covenant Prayer