Spiritual Lamp Oil for The Long Wait: God's Promises Fulfilled in Due Time

In the first part of Matthew chapter 25, we read Jesus' parable concerning ten young women who went out to join the wedding feast.  Five of them planned ahead, and brought extra oil for their lamps, but the other five did not (and got left out).  Obviously, five of them fully expected a long wait in the dark, while the others thought that it would not be an endurance test.  From what Christ indicated in His concluding remarks, this story was a warning that endurance despite a lack of visible change is a certainty when it comes to being a Christian.

We read that in other prophetic passages and stories in the Bible, as well.  Prophecies and promises from God came long before their fulfillment.  Abraham and Sarah waited until the winters of their lives to have Isaac.  Caleb waited until he was very old to see Israel entering the Promised Land.  David was anointed king in his youth, but before he could take the throne, he had to be hunted and threatened by King Saul for many years.  Thinking beyond them, it took thousands of years for the prophecies concerning Jesus to be fulfilled, and so far it has taken thousands of years to see the prophecies concerning the end of the world beginning to take shape.

In the mean time, from the least to the greatest of these, there was a long, tedious, even unpleasant wait.  They waited in camps in the desert, they waited in exile, they waited through mockery and violence, and they waited through the discouragement and hopelessness I'm sure they all felt from time to time.  Today, in my personal devotions, I read Psalm 89, which was written during the long wait between God's promise to establish his throne forever, and God's fulfillment of that promise through Christ's resurrection and ascension.

How did believers in the Bible survive the wait?  How can we learn from them during the long waits in our own lives?

• They remembered the day they began.  To cite one example, David frequently recalled the days in his childhood, when he first came to know God, when he first saw God's power acting on his behalf, and when God anointed him king and promised to establish his throne forever.  He also wrote in the Psalms about the early days of the nation of Israel, and all the things that had started their covenant with God.  If the virgins waiting for the wedding party had forgotten what they were waiting for, they might have given up.  It is clear that the ones who didn't bring enough oil did forget why they came.  They forgot how important it was, to them, to see the bridegroom, so they planned as if it wasn't important, or as if they could take or leave him and the party.  How important is it, to us, to see the fulfillment of God's prophecy and promises in our lives?  That is demonstrated in how determinedly we look forward to that day.
• They took God at His Word.  Frequently, in the lives of David, Abraham, and others, we see them speaking to God and reminding Him of the promises He had made to them.  This demonstrated to God that they hadn't forgotten what He said (in fact, that they were constantly thinking about it), and that they still believed He had told the truth when He made the promise.  Of course they were struggling and feeling impatient with the hardships of the wait, but that didn't mean that they were unwilling to wait.  They believed, unshakably, that it was all going to be worth it in the end.  We, too, are subject to long waits between the promise and the fulfillment of the promise in our lives.  Are we willing, even in the darkest, hardest times, to just believe that God keeps His promises?  This is a testing of the genuineness of our faith.
• They trusted in God's timing.  as Paul wrote, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance," (2 Peter 3:9 NIV 2010).  Steadfast Christians recognize that God is not lazy or irresponsible, but rather, that He keeps Himself to a timeline that He designed.  Everything that has happened was orchestrated to bring about the salvation of as many souls as possible.  While we may feel at times that the wait for our own needs is unbearable, we must understand that God planned it to deepen our faith, to allow for time to minister to others, and to give resistors a chance to change their minds before all opportunity is lost.  Maybe the reason why the bridegroom came so late to the party was to allow some people to change their minds at the last minute and show up. Certainly, all the other guests had to wait, but the party was that much better when it did start.  During the waiting periods of our lives, can we trust that God is watching the clock just as closely as we are?  Can we trust Him enough to accept His plan?
• They encouraged each other by talking about the promise as if it had already come.  Caleb and Joshua, as two leaders and survivors of their generation, most likely hung out and talked about the day when they were going to go back to the promised land.  The fighting men around David, and even Jonathan, often said "when you come into your kingdom..." when talking to David.  The prophets, when speaking about Christ, wrote in positive, precise detail about what it would be like when their salvation came.  No doubt the virgins were talking about the wedding they were about to attend while they sat there in the night with their lamps.  Likewise, we should make the wait easier by anticipating what is coming, rather than dwelling on the present troubles or feeling afraid to dream about the future.  If we truly believe in the promises and prophecies we have heard, we should encourage each other to boldly cling to those things.  Any other talk produces doubt that erodes our faith, and the faith of others.

So, friends, I encourage you to follow the same example as you wait for God's promises to be fulfilled in your lives.  We all need to remember the promises God has made to all of us, as well--promises of salvation, eternal rest, and Heaven.  Are we still watching for Jesus to come back?  Are we ready for Him, and have we judged the reward worthy of the wait?  Finally, are we excited about what is coming?

Weekly Snippet: Some More Christianese

Christianese, as it has been dubbed, is that list of  strange idiomatic phrases that Christians use and understand, but which make little or no sense to those outside the circle.  Some time ago I covered several examples, which you can read here, or by clicking the "Christianese" tag at the end of this post.  Today I thought I'd touch on a few more relating to prayer and the Christian way of life.

• The Army of God--This is not the name of some hidden, nutty cult, or any sort of political group.  God has instructed us to obey the laws of the land, and to respect the leaders He has put in charge of us (Romans 13: 1).  So when Christians talk about being "soldiers of God" or doing "spiritual battle," it has to do with resisting spiritual forces by sharing our faith, standing up for what we believe in, and doing what is right despite pressure to sin.  It is not a doctrine directing Christians to go out and beat up on people for Jesus, or to convert people forcibly through military action and threats.  More often than not, the most violent action Christians take in spiritual battle is saying the word "no," but they receive violence in return (see Acts 4: 1-21; Acts 5: 17-42; Acts7).  Spiritual battles may end up having a physical component, but they are not actually fought with muscle and weapon; ultimately they are fought in the mind and heart, and there alone can victory be won. 

• Prayer walking--When Israel marched in to the land of Caanan (what is now called Palestine), they encountered a fortified city named Jericho.  God instructed the army to march around the walls of the city once a day for six days.  Then, on the seventh day, He told them to march around again, seven times, and when the priests blew their trumpets, everyone was commanded to shout.  At the sound of their voices and the trumpets, the walls collapsed and the army moved in. See Joshua chapter 6.  A popular trend among Christians these days is to repeat this activity--walking around the perimeter of a place, such as a campus or mall, while praying against evil.  The idea is that we may not encounter physical walls, but there are entrenched supernatural forces of evil that we are resisting, in a spiritual battlefield.  For those who don't believe that evil can take up residence at a place, this doesn't make any sense.  For those who do believe, this prayer walking is done to remind us that our trouble is not from people, but from Satan, who wishes to destroy our souls and who wants to convince us he is not behind it all.  As Paul wrote, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms," (Ephesians 6:12 NIV 2010).  By the way, it is not necessary to walk around a place to pray for it.  God hears our prayers, wherever we are.  If it is needed to focus, or if God directed you to do it (often for the purpose of helping you focus), I say do it.
• Agreeing in prayer--Jesus said, "Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them," (Matthew 18: 19-20 NIV).  Basically, when Christians all get together and pray as a group for something, they are "agreeing in prayer."  Now, let me clarify something here.  If a group of people all pray for something that is opposed to God's purpose and plan (i.e., God's will), they should not expect God to honor their request.  For instance, if they are all united in asking God to postpone judgment at the end of the world, He will not.  This is why it is important to ask God's will and to learn what is pleasing to Him by reading the Bible, before asking for something.  When we come together in Jesus' name, that is, like an army assembling under a banner, we should ask for things that are in agreement with His will, and pray that His purposes win out over the solutions we think are right.

 Thanks for reading!  Do you have other examples of Christianese you'd like to see explained?  I welcome comments.  If you like this post, please subscribe to my blog or share the link with friends (just don't send it to them if they don't want it).

5 Names That Strike Fear into Modern Christians

I was sitting with a friend and my younger sister Saturday, and at one point we ended up discussing a name people call Christians, and our feelings about it.  It jogged my memory of other conversations about this, and other insults that I have received on account of my faith.

You know, I have been called many names in my life, and I am young yet.  I don't want to discount the fact that getting called a name, especially in front of an audience, will bring you up short, leave a scar, or even cause you to question or doubt yourself.  Still, as Christians, we have cause to celebrate--yes, I said celebrate--names that we have been called.  It is true that slander and insults hurt us deeply, and God never promised they would not, but we have a confidence that our persecutors do not:  We are on the side that has already triumphed, and the God we serve will defend us against those who have treated us badly.

Despite the victory that we have already achieved as followers of Jesus Christ, many Christians these days stagger and stop when they are called certain names.  I suspect the problem is that they are afraid there is a grain of truth in the lie they have heard.  They are afraid to question the insult, in case somehow the false accusations might stick.  So, are they true or aren't they?  Well, lets take a look at a few well-worn favorites:

•  Crazy--This is a classic favorite, which apparently even Paul had encountered, since he frequently spoke about the "foolishness" of Christianity and how the world rejected what we believe.  It is true that Christians believe some things that seem unbelievable, like a man who claimed to be God, whose mother was a virgin; people rising from the dead or being miraculously healed without medical intervention; and life after death and supernatural beings.  The fact of the matter is that all true Christians do believe these "crazy" things, but they didn't begin with them.  Even the sanest, most logical person could come to believe in Christ, but first that person must be convinced that (1) God exists, (2) We owe God something, (3) His assessment of our situation is truthful and correct, (4) God's solution is a good one, (5) God is powerful enough to make anything happen.  If we can believe these things, it is not a stretch to believe in supernatural or "crazy" events.  The question is, can we believe these things?  I'm not presenting evidence here, but I firmly believe that with enough research, the most basic tenants of Christianity can be logically defended and proven, from any angle or area of knowledge.

• Naive--While it is true that some Christians are naive, even about their own Bibles or the way the world works, it cannot be said that Christianity as a whole is naive.  The Bible is full of hefty and grown-up topics, and it doesn't shy away from the harsh and sometimes grim realities of life.  Of course, the Bible doesn't talk about technological advances and modern conveniences, but that hardly makes it naive.  When it comes to guile and a proper understanding of human behavior and motivation, I honestly believe Christianity is the least naive belief system out there.

• Old-fashioned--While it is true that the Bible is full of teachings that older generations adhered to, and it is also true that the Bible was written thousands of years ago by people long dead, I don't believe that Christianity is truly old fashioned. This "name calling" only reveals that Christianity is no longer fashionable, and that people wish it could be forgotten so they no longer have to deal with it. The true test of the Bible is whether its teachings really apply to modern people and situations, or whether it has truly been disproven. Are people still disobedient? Are people still cruel? Is God's idea of universal justice still just? If what we believe is so transient that it can survive only the length of one man's life, then it should be discarded. If, on the other hand, Christianity holds up to serious scrutiny, it should be worthy of our attention, and dismissing it is foolish.

• Closed-Minded or Intolerant--At the core of Christianity lies the understanding that truth is exclusive; in other words, opposite things cannot both be true, and therefore something must be false.  When we have arrived at the point that we no longer need further evidence that something is false, we make a choice, to the exclusion of what has been disproved or discredited.  In that regard, I think Christians truly can call themselves closed-minded and intolerant, because they have shut their minds against falsehood.  They aren't even friendly to the notion that falsehood is good, because they have confidence that what they have found is much better and unshakable.  That said, Christians should take it to heart that debate and discussion of the truth is necessary, so that others can also enjoy it, and they should remember that even Jesus told us to be kind to those who oppose us and hate us (Matthew 5: 43-48).  Being right does not include haughtiness or unkindness toward others.  If we are to be condemned for knowing the truth and standing by it, it is good; but if we are guilty of refusing to share it, or for deciding, as if we were gods, who is worthy of it, shame on us!  In that case, we have earned a name far worse than "closed-minded" or "intolerant."

• Religious or Pharisaical--At some point in history, each of these names were taken as a compliment, but in the past decade, they have suddenly become synonyms for spiritual death and hostility toward the unsaved.  How strange, since this is not a part of either definition!  Religion, as it is defined online, is "any specific system of belief and worship, often involving a code of ethics and a philosophy."  In other words, religion is a specific enumeration of do's and don'ts.  If this is so, Christianity, at its most basic, is religious: You must believe in Jesus; You must repent of sin; and you must obey God, to name a few core doctrines.  If you reject the most basic principles of Christianity, you are not a Christian--you believe in something else.  Pharisees were once commended, because they knew the details of what God had said and energetically rejected any departure from those words.  Unfortunately for them, they followed the letter of the law so strictly that they missed its intention and fulfillment in Christ!  They were so focused on looking like they were obedient that they stopped obeying God. I can't speak for every so-called Christian's behavior.  Some may act just like the Pharisees, rejecting the truth and choosing a form of outwardly good but inwardly wicked living.  If so, they are spiritually dead and cruel to others.  However, if you are a true believer, you are commended for rejecting wickedness and strictly adhering to the teachings of this religion.  What's the difference?   True believers take to heart two things: (1) They are ever conscious of the fact that they are sinners who needed God to save them from themselves (Romans 5: 8), and (2) Like their Savior, they are moved to compassion by the plight of those who are still suffering under the condemnation of sin (Matthew 9: 35-38).

Let us not shrink back and stumble when someone hurls an insult our way.  They are just words, and hollow ones at that.  I talked about name calling before, in my old Ad Hominem post (read it after this and have a good laugh).  I explained there that, behind name calling is a kind of desperation that comes when a person feels he has run out of logical arguments.  So when you are being called a bad name, enjoy the confirmation that you are on the right side, the winning side, of this great moral debate.

As Jesus said, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5: 11-12 NIV 2010).  Can we take Him at His word, and rejoice, or do we trust Him enough?  Maybe this is what James was getting at when he wrote, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1: 2-5 NIV 2010).  Let us persevere, then, so that we can be complete in Christ, with well-developed character!

Until next time, this is my reminder to stay savvy, and press on toward our reward!