Mission Faithwalk

               I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—   for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.   This is good, and pleases God our Savior,   who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (I Timothy 2:1-4)   Sadly, but not surprisingly, I see and listen to people who call themselves Christians calling our those who serve in our government names, calling for their impeachment, and talking about overthrowing the current administration, or (in at least some cases) indulging in homicidal daydreams of what will happen if the government comes after their guns. That’s not what Scripture teaches. That’s what the world teaches. One of the gun-dream set used to tell me I was too heavenly-minded to be any earthly good. My response was that he needed to watch that he didn’t come so worldly-minded to be any heavenly good. Scri

            My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. (Psalm 62:7)           Crisis. The government needs to do something! Crisis. You need to do something! Crisis. I need to do something. I’ve noted before that when we’re in pain, angry, or afraid, our focus tends to shrink to the size of the pain, anger, or fear. Included in that focus is the god to whom we look for salvation, honor, and refuge. Oh, we may also ask God for help, but our more immediate god for the solution is the one we really look to, whether it’s the government or ourselves.           Some folks may respond that sitting around waiting for God to do something when we can and should be doing something ourselves is stupid. The old “our thoughts and prayers are with you” garbage is just that – garbage. But that’s not what I’m talking about. What I’m talking about is the automatic response to a crisis being to look to the government, or to look to other people or to ourselves as our s

            Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel   without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.   For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.   (Philippians 1:27-30) Most places of employment have rules by which you’re to abide. Some places of employment or organizations not only have codes of conduct that you’re to follow when you’re at work, but they also have codes of conduct for when you’re at home. Some businesses expect their employees to engage in public relations campaigns, and if you do somethin

             Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.   Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and r

             For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)           Usually, we think of this verse in terms of those who aren’t saved facing death, while those who have accepted the gift of God have eternal life. I’m not saying that’s wrong. It is true, but I suspect there are other levels of truth here that we don’t consider. I’ve said before that death means separation from God. Once a person is saved, they are saved. There’s nothing that can separate you from the love of God. But, when we sin, we grieve the Holy Spirit. Grief is associated with mourning. When we sin, we separate ourselves from God – not permanently, but the separation is still there. In other words, even after we’re saved, the wages of sin is still death. It’s not eternal death, but it is as serious as death. When the going gets tough, we tend to cut ourselves slack. We tell ourselves it’s just a little sin. We assure one another that God will forgi

            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.   If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.   But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.   That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.   Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do…   Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:2-8 & 12)                      fixing our eyes on Jesus,  the  pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For   the   joy  set before him he endured  the  cro

            One day the angels came to present themselves before the  Lord , and Satan also came with them.   The  Lord  said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the  Lord , “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”                 Then the  Lord  said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”   “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied.   “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.     But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The  Lord  said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” (Job 1:6-12)   The patience of Job. The friends of Job. Even those who don’t kn

  “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.     I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!     So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.   I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.     Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.   To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was

  “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.     I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.     I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.   Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.   The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name o

  “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.   Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.   Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.   The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.     Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Revelation 3:1-6)   Things were bad enough at Sardis that Jesus could

  “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.     I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.    Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching, she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.     I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.   So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely unless they repent of her ways.   I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Sa

  “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:           These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.   I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.              Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.   Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.   Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written o

  “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.   I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. (Revelation 2: 8-11) His divine power has given us  everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (II Peter 1:3)   The  Lord  said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your sha