Being a Pilgrim

Love and Hate

Posted on 17th Jun 20232nd Jun 2023 by korgrocker

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other.”
Romans 12:9-10 NLT

Paul wanted to see no false love between the Roman Christians. He made the point that they should “really love” each other. The Apostle Peter, in his first letter, implored his readers to love each other too. “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). And he reminds them that sins can be mitigated by loving each other, covering over their impact by a loving response of forgiveness. Peter, of all the Apostles, knew what deep love means. After denying Him three times, Jesus took the initiative and restored the relationship between them, the discourse recorded in John 21.

Paul could see that wrong things – behaviour, attitudes and sin in general – could destroy the relationship between those early Christians, hence his reminder to them that they should avoid doing, or being part of, anything that was wrong because it would potentially destroy them and their fellowship. Paul went even further, strongly emphasising that avoiding wrong was not enough. He implored them to “hate” anything that was even tainted by what was “wrong”. But what is “wrong”? How would we define that? I suppose, as some have found helpful, we could imagine God standing with us as we go about our daily lives. Would He approve of what we are doing, or watching, or saying? Is our behaviour sinful? Hmmm…

The Bible advises believers to hate anything to do with evil, and the writer of Proverbs lists a few. It is a sobering situation when we apply these to life today. Proverbs 6:16-19, “There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family“. Some of these things that the Lord hates are easier to imagine than others. For example, telling lies is obviously wrong. Plotting an evil deed shouldn’t happen. But one thing that grieves me deeply is the practice of abortion, the killing of “the innocent”. In England and Wales nearly one in four pregnancies result in a termination. And I shudder to think of the consequences for those whose “hands” are involved.

But we pilgrims should strive to do good, not letting any possibility pass us by. Paul wrote to the Galatian Christians the following, “Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith” (Galatians 6:10). We look out for ways in which we can bless those around us, and not just our fellow believers. The old lady next door might need someone to do some shopping or a practical repair in her home. A meal cooked and shared. A kind word to someone struggling with depression. We must be proactive in looking out for opportunities. It’s all about developing a mindset where doing good to others becomes a way of life to us. Matthew 5:16 records what Jesus said, “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father“. Of course we remember that we are not saved by good works but saved for good works. Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago“.

So we do good and hate evil. A strategy in which we grow in our Christian faith, day by day.

Dear God. Please help us to discern when we are in danger of falling into evil ways. Lead us, we pray, in the ways of goodness. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Loving Others

Posted on 16th Jun 20232nd Jun 2023 by korgrocker

Paul takes another breath, pausing while he thinks about what comes next, following his Holy Spirit inspired thoughts about the motivational gifts. We can almost see him with his pen held above the parchment, ink ready to flow. The Holy Spirit prompts his thoughts towards love. Loving others. In his mind is, perhaps, the memory of the strife in Rome, between the Jewish and Gentile believers. And he writes that they should love each other. And not just outwardly, with a false sense of going through the motions, but with real love, coming from deep within them.

This is a theme that he returned to several times in his letters. He wrote the much quoted section in 1 Corinthians 13 about the qualities of love, and how it should be applied. He wasn’t talking about a “what’s in it for me” sort of love. Rather a love that desires the other person’s highest good. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 bears repeating here, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance”. Paul sets out a measure against which we can gauge our success in loving. How patient are we with our husbands or wives? Do we get irritable with them? Do we remember those times when our partners wronged us, failing to forgive and forget, but instead bringing up the issue at every opportunity? Do we get jealous when someone we know and love achieves something that we wish we had achieved? Hmmm…

Jesus taught His disciples the importance of loving each other. We read in John 13:34-35, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples”. Jesus gave His disciples, and us, by implication because we are His disciples too, a commandment to love each other. Such an act will make the world notice us, but, sadly, the strife that so publicly marks differences between Christians tells a different story. Bigotry rears its ugly head frequently in our societies, bringing disrepute to the Christian faith. Inter-denominational rivalries overflow into secular and sectarian environments, and, here in Scotland, even to football matches.

We pilgrims are founded on love. God so loved us that He sent Jesus, so that He could lavish His love on us in Heaven. A sobering yet joyous thought. One which we can only respond to on our knees as we thank Him for His merciful love.

Dear Father God. Please forgive us when we dwell on the differences between us rather than the parts of our faith that bind us. In Jesus name. Amen.

Showing Kindness

Posted on 15th Jun 20232nd Jun 2023 by korgrocker

“In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”
Romans 12:6-8 NLT

The last of the seven motivational spiritual gifts is the “gift for showing kindness to others”. Other translations refer to this as the gift of mercy. Someone who shows mercy has detected in another person spiritual or emotional needs that others may overlook. We are all very good, most of the time, in covering up what we really feel. So as we walk through the church door on a Sunday morning, we might be asked the usual question – “How are you today?” To which we respond – “Fine”. The questioner doesn’t know that there may be turmoil within us. We may be worried about all sorts of things but to stop at that point and explain why we’re not “Fine” isn’t an option. It would just exacerbate the situation, at least for us. So we adopt a cheery demeanour and push back. The mask holds firm.

But someone with the Holy Spirit gift of mercy has been given a divine insight into the deep and hidden needs of the other person. So they won’t be put off by the “fine” response and will choose a moment when they can show the kindness and love the other person needs. A merciful person won’t be put off by a prickly response. Also, they will always be kind to the underdog, to someone who is different in some way.

Jesus taught that we should show mercy to our enemies. Luke 6:35-36, “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”. Now that is hard. Show mercy to someone who wants to harm you? But as Jesus said, we have a Heavenly Father who shows kindness to the “ungrateful and wicked”. But isn’t that what we were? Did He not show us kindness when we were far away from Him, living a life of sin? When we deserved punishment did He not mercifully forgive us through Jesus and His sacrifice at Calvary? A merciful person will have a different perspective when confronted by images of our enemies because they will see them as God sees them – with kindness and mercy.

In Matthew 5:7, Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy”. The implication is that as we are merciful to others, we too will somehow receive mercy, and blessings. James developed this theme, as recorded in James 2:12-13, “So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you”. It looks as though acts of mercy are not optional, if we wish to be shown mercy ourselves.

We pilgrims are followers of Jesus. And he was the kindest and most merciful man who has ever existed. We walk in His footsteps, praying for the right opportunities to be merciful to others, and praying for the Holy Spirit to work within us, enhancing and transforming our merciful thoughts and deeds.

Dear Lord Jesus. We thank You for all You have done, and still continue to do, for us. In these brutal and unloving days, please help us to reflect Your love and kindness to those around us. Amen.

Leadership (2)

Posted on 14th Jun 20233rd Jun 2023 by korgrocker

We continue looking at the qualities of a church leader. In a previous blog we looked at the contentious requirement of a leader being male, as we read in the teaching of Paul to Timothy, and listed in 1 Timothy 3:2, “So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach“. We also previously considered the requirement for a leader to be “above reproach”.

The next item on Paul’s list is the need for the leader to “exercise self-control”. This is the ability to manage emotions and impulses so that the person appears stable and reliable. He (or she) won’t react in response to a provocation. There will be no angry outbursts, or floods of tears. No going off in a huff. There may be turmoil internally, but the person externally is always in full control of their emotions. Surely this is a big ask, because we are all human. And a leader is no exception. At times of stress, or tiredness, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to always restrain our outward response to a situation. But Paul was clear – a leadership quality is being able to “exercise self-control”. Furthermore, Romans 8:9, “But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all)”. The inclusion of the Holy Spirit in every aspect of our Christian living is essential, because without Him we will respond in a worldly way.

Paul wrote that a leader must be able to “live wisely”. That is a statement that is surely extremely broad in its scope. Paul wrote about living wisely to the Ephesian church. Ephesians 5:15-16, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days“. The implication of this verse is that we should live very carefully because the time in which we live is evil. I don’t think any of us would dispute Paul’s analysis! In Paul’s day he discerned evil. Today every time we watch or read the news, what do we find – evil. We hear evil talk on the bus, or in the workplace or school. We observe behaviour around us that is – evil. Living wisely, then, is to avoid and reject evil. Instead we should seek the opposite of evil, which is goodness. This is a lifestyle choice and one we should look for in what we do and how we do it. We worship a good God, and He has infused our society with goodness. And if we look for it, we will find it.

A good reputation is a necessary quality of a leader. Our reputations are gained by being law-abiding, gracious, kind, merciful, having integrity and honesty, all qualities that combine with others to enable those around us to look up to them. Sadly, the leaders in our societies, our politicians, so often fail to display a good reputation, and are regarded as rogues, to be voted out of office at the earliest possible opportunity. Occasionally, those who lose the “good reputation” badge can regain it, as did the UK politician Jonathan Aitken. But most leaders who fail to live up to the right standards disappear, never to be seen again.

A leader “must enjoy having guests in his home”. Hospitality is a necessary quality of a leader. A guest will see how the leader, and his family live together. Jesus taught about the importance of being hospitable in Matthew 25, “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home” (Matthew 25:34-35). Hebrews 13:2, “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realising it“. And there are many others verses in the Bible promoting the importance of being hospitable; such a quality shines in a leader.

Lastly, in Paul’s list, is the importance of a leader being able to teach. This implies the ability of being able to communicate, and communicate well. Sharing a vision or goal, appropriate to the church, with enthusiasm and clarity, and with the authority that comes from a leadership position. Teaching in a Biblical sense didn’t always hit the mark though. Jesus was a good teacher and immediately His audience could discern the difference between His teaching and that of the scribes and teachers in the Jewish society. Mark 1:22, “The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law“. But we must always remember the responsibility placed upon those who teach. James 3:1, “Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly“. A teacher holds a position of great influence and has to be careful of what he or she teaches.

We pilgrims may or may not officially be leaders. But we may still have the motivational gift of teaching, a quality that will stand us well in the communities where we live and work.

Father God. Again we pray for our leaders, both in our societies and in the church. They have an awesome responsibility and need You to lead and guide them. Thank You. Amen.

Leadership (1)

Posted on 13th Jun 20232nd Jun 2023 by korgrocker

We all know what qualities we like to see in a leader. We look for integrity, charisma, fairness, enthusiasm, competence, and so on. We also know that some people are born to be leaders, but most are followers. Another fact is that there are many leaders out there who shouldn’t be in such a role, because they lack the necessary abilities and qualities. Paul wrote to his son in the faith, Timothy, and pointed out to him the sort of qualities a church leader should have. We read them in 1 Timothy 3:2, “So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach“.

Paul starts by making a statement that is contentious in mainstream Christian organisations, that a church leader must be male. David Pawson, the controversial Bible teacher, who sadly died recently, wrote a book “Leadership is Male” that reflected a view that was totally based on his understanding of the Scriptures. In his autobiography “Not So Bad As The Truth” he wrote, ”My second ‘reactionary’ belief is of male leadership, in the church and the home. I believe it is a God-given role and responsibility, not a question of superiority at all. God made us male and female, with distinct and complementary functions. The current trend to blur and even obliterate the distinction, both inside and outside the church, owes more to the spirit of the secular age than the Holy Spirit”. Pawson’s belief was founded on a fundamental interpretation of Scripture, not only shared by him, but we won’t dwell on this point – we each have to make up our own minds.

A church leader must have the quality of being “above reproach”. In other words, the person must not live a life that lacks integrity or honesty. He (or she) must behave in a way that is an example to their followers. So it would not do their reputation much good, if they are caught shoplifting or even speeding. Such behaviour would disqualify them from leadership. In the 1990’s, the Assemblies of God evangelist, Jimmy Swaggart, was found to have visited prostitutes. His high profile confession and subsequent events were well reported at the time, and the incident led to his withdrawal from ministry. Such behaviour fails to meet the quality of being “above reproach”. But before we take the moral high ground, we must remember that we are all sinners. It’s just that some people are more vulnerable to media scrutiny.

The next quality of a church leader, as listed by Paul, is that he must be faithful to his wife. Obvious really, because much of a church leader’s ministry is about relationships. How can a leader preach or teach about the family, if his own is in ruins? A pastor who cannot manage his own family must have a question mark hanging over him. Some years ago, I heard of a pastor whose wife left him to form a relationship with another man. As far as I am aware, he did what he could to rescue the situation, but without success. So he left the ministry, traumatised and sad. There was always the possibility that some of the blame for the situation would rest with him regardless of the circumstances.

Dear Father. We pray for our leaders, that You will be with them day by day, guiding them in all truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Giving

Posted on 12th Jun 20232nd Jun 2023 by korgrocker

When the word “giving” crops up, the first thing that comes to mind is our money. Paul wrote that the ability to be able to give, and give generously, is a gift from God. But in God’s economy, money is not the only resource that is available to be given. We must include our possessions and our time, and a combination of all our resources. This is because when we pilgrims became Christians, all that we have is made available to God. God said to Job, as recorded in Job 41:11, “Who has given Me anything that I need to pay back? Everything under heaven is Mine“. Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him“. We must never hold onto what we have so tightly that God can’t use it.

Paul wrote that if we have a gift of giving, then we must use it generously. Paul wrote about giving to the Corinthian church, as we read in 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others“. The strange thing is that God will give us the resources to give away. We can’t out-give God. Jesus taught, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back” (Luke 6:38). God even gave out the challenge that we can test Him in the matter of giving. We read in Malachi 3:10, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test“!

In the early First Century church, there was no social security or benefits system, but the Christians of that day shared what they had with each other, meeting people’s needs. We read in Acts 4:32, “All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had“. Acts 4:34-35, “There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need“.

We pilgrims who are available and willing to share our resources should do so generously, and by so doing we will fulfil what God has asked us to do.

God, we thank You for all that You have given us. We hold what we have in our hands, always open and outstretched towards You. Amen.

Encouraging Others

Posted on 11th Jun 202330th May 2023 by korgrocker

The next item on Paul’s list of God’s motivational gifts is encouragement. I think we can all agree, in these dark days of high energy and food costs, with inflationary pressures consuming our resources, with our health service under unprecedented strain, with wars and dire warnings about the effects of climate change, that we need encouragement. And lots of it. One thing is for sure – we will get very little in the way of encouragement from the media outlets. Or our politicians. Or the society around us. It seems that discouragement is the dominant force, sapping our motivation, and spawning the feeling, “what’s the point”. In my rambles in the community, I meet some very discouraged people. People who respond to “It’s a nice morning today”, with “Aye, but it will probably rain later”. People who always view a glass of water as being half empty. People who seem to thrive on having a good moan.

We pilgrims are of a different spirit, however. We are infused with the joy of the Lord. That doesn’t mean we go through life with a silly grin on our faces regardless of the circumstances. It means that, as citizens of the Kingdom of God, we have a different perspective, resourced with the riches of Heaven. Within us is an inner strength, fuelled by the certainty that one day we will be in an environment where the worldly negatives and discouragements will no longer be found.

In Nehemiah 8 we read about the time when the people of Israel asked Ezra the Scribe to read to them from the Book of the Law. The leaders explained what it all meant and we read in Nehemiah 8:9-10, “Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, “Don’t mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God.” For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength””. At a time of national challenge, as a remnant of the Jews who had returned after being exiled, they suddenly found that, although their circumstances didn’t change, their perspective did because of the “joy of the Lord”. They found great encouragement through the Word of God and their leaders who explained what it all meant.

In our fellowships, our communities, our families, and even in our workplaces or schools, there may be no-one available to share a kind word, or some encouragement, to counter the debilitating effects of rampant discouragements, except us. And God has provided just what we need. A Gift of Encouragement. Let’s use it wisely and effectively, as our lights shine like beacons in this lost world. If we pilgrims can’t display “the joy of the Lord” and encourage those around us, who will?

Dear God. You have put within us a deep-seated and immovable joy. Thank You! Amen.

Teach Well

Posted on 10th Jun 202330th May 2023 by korgrocker

What comes into our minds when we think about teachers? Someone standing at the front of a classroom, piece of chalk in hand, writing equations on a chalkboard? If so, this was not the sort of person that Paul had in mind when he wrote about those who have the gift of teaching. In modern days, we find there are several effective teaching methods, often used with varying results to an audience, often hostile and unreceptive, such as in some of our schools. But in the Christian sense, a teacher is someone who can expound Scripture, delivering truths and guidance to receptive people. What better place to start than with the best Teacher there has ever been – Jesus Himself?

Matthew 4:23, “Jesus travelled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness“. Matthew 7:29, “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law“. Jesus was a well-regarded and successful Teacher because He taught from a position of experience. He could teach about the Kingdom of God because He was God. He could teach about the Good News because He was the Good News. He could teach about healing because He healed those who were sick. Unlike the Jewish teachers of His day, He didn’t just teach about something. Because of this, the people of His day noticed that He taught with authority.

In our Christian environments, our teachers are, of course, not divine in their teaching. They are human beings like the rest of us. But God helps them to teach, and teach well with a gift of teaching. Paul encouraged Timothy to appoint Elders in the church he was overseeing. He wrote, “So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2 – emphasis mine). Paul also wrote about Elders to Titus, as we read in Titus 1:9, “He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong“. So in Paul’s day, the church leaders were expected to be able to teach their congregations. In the days of the early church, before the Canon of Scripture had been established, erroneous teaching was common, and Paul warned Titus about teachers of error. In Titus 1 he continued, “Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good” (Titus 1:15-16). Now that we have our Bibles, we have a solid foundation for our teachers to follow, and, like the Berean Christians in Acta 17:11, we can check them out, “And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth“.

But it is not just Biblical teachers who teach us. Colossians 3:16, “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts“. Part of our responsibilities in living the Christian life is to “teach and counsel each other”. What do we teach? “The message about Christ”, as Paul said. But, on reflection, we are indeed all teachers. It may not be in a formal setting. It may just be a brief conversation at the church door, or over a coffee. As we share life together, we can unconsciously teach each other. And we look to God for the gift that enables us to teach well.

Dear Father God. We are life-long learners, always looking to You, the Source of all that we are. Please continue to equip us to share our faith and teach others, to the measure of the grace You have provided. And please help us to be receptive to all that You teach us through others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Serving Others

Posted on 9th Jun 202330th May 2023 by korgrocker

We continue to look at the list of motivational gifts listed in Romans 12. The next one Paul listed was “serving others”. Service is not a fashionable word today, and perhaps one still carrying negative connotations because it exposed a class distinction between those who “have” and those who “haven’t”. Servants were people who found employment as a butler, maid, or cook, serving an aristocratic or wealthy family in a big house somewhere. The class distinction can be seen in period dramas and television series such as “Downton Abbey”.

Back in the 1930’s, my father found employment as an under butler, serving several families such as the Youngers, of Scottish brewery fame, who owned the large house at Mount Melville near St. Andrews in Fife. Before him, his father was a chauffeur/gardener, latterly working at Huntingtower near Perth. Today, the same jobs exist, but have different names. But in the end, every act of employment is a form of service, because we serve an employer.

However, was Paul referring to employment when he wrote that God has given us a gift of “serving others”? I think not, because he was bringing in the notion that “serving others” is both an essential part of Christian fellowship, and is underpinned by a heart attitude that is enhanced by a gift from God. Note three things here – “serving others” is something that God wants us to do, that He wants us to do well, and something that He has enhanced and helped us with a gift. In God’s Kingdom, the question – “What’s in it for me”? – is replaced by an attitude of heart that says – “What can I do for them”? In Philippians 2:3-4 Paul wrote, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too“. Jesus taught His disciples about “serving others”. We read in Mark 10:42-44, “So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world Lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else“.

So, what does all this mean for us pilgrims? Well, first of all, we are called to serve God, as we read in 1 Samuel 12:24, “But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you“. Also, serving others is not an option in our Christian lives. We Christians all need to be in fellowship, and, once there, we need to look for opportunities to serve our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. And some of us will find that our willingness to serve is enhanced by a gift from God. How wonderful is that?

Dear God. Thank You that You saved us for a life of service. We thank You for the encouragement that You have provided. Amen.

Prophesy

Posted on 8th Jun 202330th May 2023 by korgrocker

Paul starts to expand his thoughts about the gifts God gives us. We need to note that God has commissioned us to do something in our service to Him, and, through His kindness and grace, He has given us gifts to do what He wants us to do, so that we are effective. But what is the context within which we are to exercise these gifts? Is it in our church fellowships or in the communities in which we live? There is a clue in who the letter of Romans is addressed to. It is thought that Paul wrote this letter in AD57, while in Corinth, and it was addressed to the Roman Christians, who were experiencing a bit of strife between the Jewish and Gentile converts. So, primarily, the gifts that God supplied were to be used in a Christian fellowship setting. However, that said, our Christian lives, enhanced by the gifts God has given us, will shine like beacons on a dark world, and, who knows, there may well be opportunities to use our God-given gifts to help our fellow citizens in our schools, workplaces, and communities.

Paul starts with the gift of prophesy. Prophesy is, quite simply, a message from God. It can be about something that hasn’t yet happened, or it could be something that is related to a particular Biblical message. Foretelling or forth-telling. But in either case its roots must be in God. There are many examples of prophesy in the Old Testament, and the practice continued in the New. As an example of New Testament prophesy, there was the occasion when a prophet graphically brought a message about what would happen to Paul when he returned to Jerusalem. We read the account in Acts 21:10-12, “Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’” When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem”. The prophet’s message, unwelcome to the believers as it was, turned out much as he told it, as Paul was indeed arrested and bound, as we read in Acts 21:33, “Then the commander arrested him and ordered him bound with two chains. He asked the crowd who he was and what he had done”.

An example of forth-telling occurs when a preacher brings a message from the Bible. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he or she preaches from a certain verse or passage of Scripture, that is helpful to the fellowship at that particular time in their journey together. So the message might be about the Gospel and salvation, or about giving and stewardship. Such a message could fall under the category of prophecy, particular if the message needs to be heard, and the preacher doesn’t know the local situation.

How open are we pilgrims to prophetic messages? Sometimes God will bring us a prophecy in answer to our prayers. We might have been praying about moving to another city and, seemingly out of the blue, a prophecy would be given to us that answers our prayer and provides the direction, or otherwise, that we need. At other times a message might be preached that helps us get back on track in our Christian journey, or provides us with a new information to clarify the season ahead. But however delivered we need to wisely evaluate the messages to ensure that they came from God. A prophetic message will never contradict with the Word of God, as written in the Holy Scriptures. And we need to follow the wisdom of the Berean Christians. Acts 17:11, “And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth“.

We pilgrims are in a privileged place. We worship a God who wants to helps us and interact with us. Prophesy is just one gift, out of many, that He provides.

Father God. We thank You for this wonderful gift of prophesy, so rich and fulfilling. Amen.