Comfort from a Church's Faith

“…for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.” -I Thessalonians 3:7

The Apostle Paul reflected upon the toils and troubles of gospel ministry. Jesus told us we are not above our Teacher, whom the world persecuted and therefore will persecute us (John 15:20). We suffer in the footsteps of He who suffered for us (I Peter 2:21) and we shouldn’t be surprised to suffer (I Peter 4:12). In the sharing of our Lord’s afflictions, we are blessed (Matthew 5:10-12).

In his letter to the church family in Thessalonica, Paul said that the stress of his ministry was comforted from the report from pastor Timothy regarding their faith. John echoes this when he said, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (III John 1:4). 

Pastoral ministry involves real lives, real sins, real marriages and families. There is much pain involved, including accusations and injury from words from those who delight in inflicting pain and division. Yet, I have discovered the joy of all joys: to see a strong church family who truly loves one another and delights in Christ together! 

And this is my plea to you, my beloved flock: delight in the Lord. Come and assemble on Sunday mornings yearning to delight in Him together. Come and be encouraged in the faith, then encourage each other in the faith. This brings comfort and joy to the pastors, which makes this difficult calling of watch care for your soul a joyful duty to our Lord, which is a benefit to the church (Hebrews 13:17). This love is God’s means of grace of delight and comfort for the whole church. This love displays the power and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church.

Heavenly Father, with gratitude we praise You for the unity of our church family. We thank You for the love we share. We pray that Jesus may increase, and we may decrease, that You would be glorified in Your people. We ask for Your mercy to treasure You more. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Our Worshipful Thanksgiving Together

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” –I Thessalonians 5:18

Thanksgiving is easy in those circumstances that meet our needs, or when people live up to standards we place upon them. The disciple of Jesus, however, is to have gratitude in ALL circumstances.

We gather each Sunday to sing songs making melody to the Lord with our heart (Ephesians5:20), yet these songs are filled with our thanksgiving to God (Ephesians5:21). Much like Psalm 69:30, “I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify Him with thanksgiving!”  Our grateful songs are to be a shared thanksgiving in all circumstances together.

What about those times our hearts feel low, or we just don’t feel joyful enough? We are tempted to use that to not attend Sunday services or, worse, to go and injure the church with our flaming tongues (James 3:6, 4:1). The temptation keeps us from God’s mercy, the very thing we need most. 

Grief and trouble comes in this life, and these things weigh heavy upon our hearts. I think the hymn writer Robert Robinson says it right, “tune my heart to sing Thy grace.” The prayer of a child to the Father, “Lord, my troubled heart feels low and troubled. Tune my heart to sing with the saints with a thankful heart.” We must be reminded of His rich mercy and goodness. We must hear the gospel. When we hear of the joys we wait for together, we rejoice with thanksgiving together.

Grumbling never builds up the church or encourages the faith; but thanksgiving in all circumstances magnifies the Lord. We can rejoice in God’s goodness, or we can complain about what did not meet our standards; either people or things. Paul told the church in Philippi whom he called “my joy and my crown” that he had learned to be satisfied in all circumstances (Philippians 4:10-13). If I am fully satisfied in Christ alone, I can rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians4:4) and let my thanksgiving and requests be made known to God (Philippians4:6).

When heavy hearts grumble or grieve, let us encourage joyful thanksgiving. When our own hearts need tuning to sing His praise, let us receive admonishment with gratitude before God. When we hear the call to worship, “O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together” (Psalm 34:3), let us resolve to enter Sunday morning with expectation to hear His gospel, tuning our hearts to rejoice, and magnify the name of God with thanksgiving together.

Heavenly Father, our hearts become burdened, pierced with griefs, or cold from our own pride. Help us to cast these weights aside, Lord. Tune our hearts to sing Your worthy praise, songs from the hearts of Your grateful people. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

New Year's Resolutions

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.” –Psalm 51:10-11

New Year’s Day marks a time when we reflect on the previous year and make resolutions for the coming year. I reflect on God’s mercy to give my family a home to own, to deliver me through a hospital stay, to deliver my dad through a heart attack, to bless our church family with another pastor, and His blessed kindness through many trials we have faced as a church family this past year. 

Looking back at 2017, what pains did you face? How has God been merciful to you even through these pains? What have you to rejoice in the Lord for? When 2018 ends, what improvements do you hope to achieve? Try and make your resolution a theme or a word to remember and recall as the year progresses. 

I see many resolutions based more on the desires of the flesh than the spirit anymore. Many resolve to dismiss negative people from their lives. If Jesus would make such a resolution, He would quickly dismiss me from His fellowship. Praise Him for His wondrous grace that He does not! Rather, the church has been given a ministry of reconciliation (II Corinthians 5:18). Our Lord does not treat us according to our iniquities (Psalm 103:10); Christians are instead called to love each other as peacemakers (Matthew 5:9).

What if we made Christ-centered resolutions instead? Do not make commitments based on natural desires (Galatians 5:13); rather, crucify such desires and have a driving passion to have the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:24). Delight in God, and may your driving passion be to invite others to delight in God with you. Do not love only those who love you (Matthew 5:46), or as the modern world says “surround yourself only with positive people.” This comes natural. It is a Christ-less effort. 

Be resolved to treasure Christ this year. Yearn to learn more of Him in Scripture. Long to be with the saints in a local church with an eagerness to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace with people there (Ephesians 4:3). Resolve to pray more, to treasure Christ more, and to repent even more of your pride. Resolve to be more loving and kind, a quick listener rather than a lecturer, and to persevere in faithfulness.

Heavenly Father, we need You every hour. As we reflect on Your mercies this past year, give us wisdom and strength to form resolutions that require Your Holy Spirit. Grant us such mercy as to be known by Your love and to be more Christ-like that we may worship You in Spirit and in truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.