Dr H Reflections

Climb the highest mountain

A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God. – Luke 12:21

Hebrews 11:24-26

 24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.

 25 He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin.

 26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.

I’d Climb the Highest Mountain was a film released by Twentieth Century Fox in 1951. This story is taken from a 1910 novel, A Circuit Rider’s Wife, by Corra May Harris. It is the story of a Methodist minister who was called to a north-Georgia mountain community to serve as a circuit rider in 1910. Along with this new bride they arrive in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia. William Lundigan is from the deep South while his wife Susan Hayward is from the big city.

Lundigan shepherds his flock and tends to their emotional and spiritual needs. The area is extremely isolated and impoverished. The everyday problems of the local people are a challenge for the couple’s faith and new marriage. Lundigan’s faith meets the challenges and his inner strength is more than sufficient to guide his flock through the struggles they face. He fearlessly leads them through a major epidemic. Through it all, he is able to teach and share the message of the Father’s love. Indeed, Lundigan climbed the highest mountain.

All children of the King have challenges. One of the most important is setting priorities and making the necessary adjustments to follow through.

There are general guidelines found throughout Scripture that pertain to all of the children of the King.

For most of all, it is incumbent upon each child of the King to put the Father first.

Exodus 20:2-5

 2 I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.

 3 You must not have any other god but me.

 4 You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.

 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.

Then there are individual responsibilities that are part of his purpose and plan for each of us. These challenges often create tension. The tension is relieved by a simple but very difficult decision. We make a decision once and for all to put the Father’s will and calling first. Once that major decision is made, the rest of life is simply a matter of carrying it out. You always know what you are going to do. There is no reason for tension.

That was the course of Moses followed. He refused the sumptuous, sinful pleasures of Egypt. Rather he identified with the people of God, the nation of Israel. He pursued a reward that is bestowed by the Father Himself. In the same way that Christ suffered for His people so did Moses. He chose to endure ill-treatment with the children of Israel rather than enjoy the passing pleasures of sin with the Egyptians.

Hebrews 11:24-26

 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.

REFLECT & PRAY

Jim Elliot “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

Father encourage and strengthen me to climb the highest mountain which you have assigned to me. I want to be “All in.”

INSIGHT

In the movie Chariots of Fire, Eric Liddell’s convictions and priorities took center stage. Liddell refuses to allow his participation in the Olympics to compromise His commitment to the Father. He flatly refused to run on Sunday which he considered the Lord’s Sabbath. He was accused of putting God before King. Headline news read: Olympic athlete Eric Liddell puts religion before country.

He was strongly pressured by various officials, representatives of the British government, and the media. He was treated with scorn by the entire watching world and condemned by Britain as a traitor who “upheld a rigid regional piety on a global stage that required transcendent statesmanship.”

This all went away rather remarkably when he felt the Father’s pleasure and won his event and the gold medal. He even set a new world record. He was miraculously morphed from traitor to a celebrated international hero. But that’s not the end of the story. He went on to serve as a missionary in China. His greatest triumph of all.

Liddell said, “. . . since I have been a young lad, I have had my eyes on a different prize. You see, each of us is in a greater race than any I have run in Paris, and this race ends when God gives out the medals” (christianity.org.uk).

Liddell learned from the apostle Paul that athletics, spirituality, and calling were perfect allies (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast and when I run, I feel His pleasure.”

Was he rewarded for his efforts before the end of his life on planet Earth? Absolutely not the Father had a far different plan in mind.

The Japanese invaded China and Liddell was imprisoned in a Japanese Internment Camp in the spring of 1943. Liddell became a leader and the source of overflowing love, light, and love at the camp. Liddell spent his time teaching Bible classes, helping the elderly, arranging recreational activities, and teaching science to the children.

Was he miraculously freed by angels? Were the guards blinded, locks opened, and did he simply walk out of the camp? Was he carried off by a chariot of fire? No, not at all.

He had an inoperable brain tumor and died on February 21, 1945, five months before liberation. According to a fellow missionary, Liddell’s last words were, “It’s complete surrender.” He was referring to giving his life to the Father. Liddell was “All in” until the very end. Eric Liddell did indeed climb the highest mountain. It led him into the very presence of his heavenly Father.

Luke 12:21 A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.

The Lord Jesus Christ cautioned all children of the King against wrong attitudes regarding earthly wealth. The richness of life is not found in the richness of wealth, but rather in a rich relationship with the Father. Rather than wealth and comfort, the Lord Jesus Christ promised hardship, opposition, and persecution. But intimacy with the Father is far more valuable than any material possessions.

“There is a story of a conversation between an ambitious youth and an older man who knew life. Said the young man, ‘I will learn my trade.’ ‘And then?’ said the older man. ‘I will set up in business.’ ‘And then?’ ‘I will make my fortune.’ ‘And then?’ ‘I suppose that I shall grow old and retire and live on my money.’ ‘And then?’ ‘Well, I suppose that someday I will die.’ ‘And then?’ came the last stabbing question” (Barclay).

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Inexorably pursue the good

Always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. – 1 Thessalonians 5:15

1 Thess 5:11-15

 11 Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
 12 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction,
 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.

 14 And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men.

 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men.

Catherine McAuley was born near Dublin, Ireland on September 29, 1778. Her father was a successful businessman and a devout Catholic. He devoted himself to serving the poor throughout Dublin. Many of Catherine’s earliest memories were of watching her dad provide personal care for the poor. Her father’s compassion and mercy made a deep impression on her. She in turn became empathic. She soon shared her father’s passion to care for those who were less fortunate. What a magnificent inheritance!

When both her parents died, Catherine went to live with relatives. They were strong Protestants and life became a difficult struggle for Catherine. It was a time of trial. But she had a good heart and responded appropriately with grace and kindness. As she depended upon her faith in God, she navigated her way through these difficult times. Her spirituality was centered on God’s Mercy grew stronger and still. She found “peace in the Cross, joy in suffering, prayer in action and action in prayer” (Bolster).

At the age of 25, a retired Quaker couple invited her to live with them. Catherine became their loving companion and caretaker. Her life was an example of holiness and love. Upon the couple’s death, they bequeathed their estate to her. A second great inheritance. She used the funds to build a House of Mercy, the first of many. She and other laywomen would shelter homeless women, reach out to the sick and dying, and educate poor girls.

Many of Catherine’s wonderful sayings have been passed down to us. Here is one of her most well-known. “The simplest and most practical lesson I know is to resolve to be good today, but better tomorrow.”

1 Thessalonians 5:15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

Not paying back evil for evil seems very unrealistic. Our natural reaction is to strike back and try to get even. We want to return tit for tat. It seems to be not only impractical but just wrong to our natural way of thinking. On top of that, there is the fear that the miscreant would not get what they deserve. They will not get what they have coming to

When we are hurt or offended by the actions or words of someone else our natural reaction is to strike back and try to get even. We want to return tit for tat. Not paying back evil for evil seems very unrealistic and totally the reverse of our natural way of thinking. On top of that, there is the fear in the back of our minds that the miscreant may not get what they have coming to them and so richly deserve.  

But stop and think for a moment. Did the Father give us what we deserved? Of course not! The Father in His mercy and grace chose not to give us what we had coming. The Father decided not to retaliate and pay us back according to our evil deeds. He did not give us evil for evil. Therefore He expects all children of the King to follow His example and act in the same way. Retaliation is completely off the table. Retaliation is simply not an option for children of the King.

Romans 12:17 Never pay back evil with more evil.

Who decides what people have coming to them as a result of their evil schemes and actions? When an appropriate punishment is identified, who is to say whether it is carried out or mercifully cut short or canceled? The Father is the lawgiver and the final and highest authority in the universe. Judgment and sentencing are His prerogatives alone.

The Greek word translated pay back or repayis apodidomi. Apodidomi means to recompense, render, reward, or punish someone based upon what we think they deserve.

Paul strongly admonishes the children of the King that they should do wrong to someone else because that individual has done wrong to them. This is the golden rule in reverse.

Rather than simply react, we are to be patient, kind, and forgiving. Our natural propensity to get even for wrongs received must be reprogrammed.

REFLECT & PRAY

If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all (Mark 9:35). 

Father lead me and empower me to live as the Lord Jesus Christ lived. Encourage me to do good and not get even.

INSIGHT

Paul now does a 180° turn. Instead of focusing on the negative, Paul focuses on the positive. His goal is to make kindness and forgiveness the go-to instinctive behavior and desire of every child of the King. Retaliation and revenge should no longer be in our vocabulary.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 Always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

Paul admonishes the children of the King to “always seek after that which is good.” The Greek word translated as try or seek is dioko. Dioko is a strong verb meaning pursue, chase, or run. It has the sense of to strive for something, go after it with the intent of catching it. It implies an ardent, inexorable effort to do good instead of evil. It is as though we are in a foot race running away from the inclination to do evil and instead of running full speed toward doing good.

This is a continuous, iterative, and ongoing “always on” pursuit of the good for one another and everyone else. Our primary responsibility is to do good to other children of the King, the community of faith. And then to everyone else.

To respond with kindness and love is unnatural. It requires commitment and determination. How is it possible? Paul spells it out.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

The Father must do a powerful work within us. He needs to make us holy to the depths of our being in every way, our spirits, our souls, and our bodies. He is to empower us to rise above the norm and operate on another plane.

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Asked to do hard – crazy things

“Now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” – Genesis 22:12

Genesis 22:1-13

 1 God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”

 2 “Take your son, your only son – yes, Isaac, whom you love so much – and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

 7 Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”

 8 “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.

 9 When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood.

 10 And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice.

 11 At that moment the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”

 12 “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way . . ..”

 13 Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son.

September 12, 1962

William Bradford, speaking in 1630 of the founding of the Plymouth Bay Colony, said that all great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and both must be enterprised and overcome with answerable courage.

If this capsule history of our progress teaches us anything, it is that man, in his quest for knowledge and progress, is determined and cannot be deterred. The exploration of space will go ahead, whether we join in it or not, and it is one of the great adventures of all time, and no nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in the race for space.

But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic?

We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills. After all, that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

In our topsy-turvy world, sometimes, the Father asks to do things that are seemingly illogical if not even crazy. Why does the Father do this? The answer is twofold.

First, the Father thinks differently than we do.

Isaiah 55:8-9

 8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

His logic centers in faith in His unseen and eternal purpose. We only get glimpses now and then.

Second, the Father tests our faith to demonstrate that it is real. That demonstration of our faith comes through actions performed in real-time.

How does the Father know that our faith is real? How do we know that our faith is real? It is one thing to say that we have faith, it is quite another to show or demonstrate that our faith is real by our actions and deeds.

One book of the Bible wrestles the issue of how faith and works intertwine: James

James 2:14-20

 14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?

 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

 18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.

 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

What does useless mean? The Greek word for useless is argos. It literally means not working, of no benefit, unprofitable. There is a subtle play on words in the Greek that is not apparent in English. The Greek word for works or deed is ergan. The word for “useless” is argos. Perhaps with a twinkle in his eye, James is saying faith without ergan is argos. In Greek, the word order is faith without action useless is.

How do action and faith work together? One demonstrates the reality of the other. Works demonstrate by action that the faith is real.

James 2:21-23

 21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.

 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God.

REFLECT & PRAY

Sometimes I think without believing. Other times I believe without thinking.

Father, I want my faith to be real and actualized by a change of life within and without. I didn’t get to be a person who walks by sight overnight. I will not get to be a person who walks by faith overnight either.

INSIGHT

“James does not quarrel with faith. He understands that faith alone can save someone. What he opposes is a phony faith, the kind that supposedly exists without giving any practical confirmation of its existence” (Stanley).

James 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Genesis 22 and James 2 meld together in a unified sequence of events.

Abraham hears the truth and believes what he hears. Abraham puts the truth that he believes into action. He is prepared to carry out what the Father requested. The Father never intended for Abraham to carry out the request. It was a test of Abraham’s faith. His unwavering action demonstrated that his faith was real and not mere lip service belief.

Abraham did not know the Father’s. Genesis 22 was not yet written. But he was willing and ready to do what the Father asked. For Abraham, it was hard, illogical,  even barbaric, if not crazy.

All the Father wanted to see was Abraham’s willingness. Performing the actual deed was not necessary. The Father intervened through an angel and stopped the sacrifice of Isaac. The Father provided a lamb instead.

Genesis 22:12-14

 12 “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”

 13 Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son.

 14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the LORD will provide”).

In modern colloquial English, we say “actions speak louder than words”.

Each child of the King will have their own “Isaac moment.” In fact, we may visit Mount Moriah more than once. RememberYahweh-Yireh, “the LORD will provide.”

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The Father sees as well in the dark as He does in the light

O LORD, You have searched me and known me. – Psalms 139:1

Psalms 139:1-12

 1 O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.

 2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.

 3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.

 4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.

 5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.

 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

 7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!

 11 I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night–

 12 but even in darkness, I cannot hide from you. To you, the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.

In The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper, the last words of Chingachgook, capture the human longing for companionship. All the people of his tribe have died, he is truly left alone. He poignantly declares, “I, Chingachgook – Last of the Mohicans.” Chingachgook was truly separated from his people and alone.

The fear of abandonment is a universal fear of beings. As a primal fear and driving force. Fear of abandonment does not sabotage our connections. Rather, the culprit is how we handle this fear.  

This begins by recognizing fear of abandonment is involuntary. It is not something we cause. It just happens. There is no reason to blame ourselves. But we can take responsibility for our feelings. We can seek to overcome them. The process is slow and steady and often sporadic. The goal is to have a modicum of self-reliance while at the same time, depending upon the Father to be there for us.

For children of the King, overcoming abandonment issues is a slow and steady, often sporadic process. The Father provides exactly for this need.

It seems to us at times, we are left to suffer in solitary rejection. In fact, it only “seems” that way. Nothing could be further from the truth. So often we feel alone, isolated, abandoned, and misunderstood. Our hearts desperately desire someone to see, understand, and sympathize with our pain.

When you think it through, intellectually it simply makes sense that our all-knowing, eternal Father-God sees everything, knows everything, anticipates everything, and is prepared for everything. The Father selectively intervenes where He thinks best. The Bible is replete with stories and parables of this remarkable life-changing fact.

But knowing that what we believe is true is entirely different from experiencing the truth we believe.

“As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances. God does not want us to run away from our problems, but to face them with His help” (Stanley).

REFLECT & PRAY

We are not alone or abandoned. The Father knows and empathizes with our pain. He feels it as if it were His own.

Father in the depths of my heartache and pain I feel so alone. I know I am not alone because Your Word tells me otherwise. May I draw near to You that You may draw near to me.

INSIGHT

The problem of lint. When new bath towels are purchased, often they must be washed repeatedly before all the lint is gone. This provides a practical life lesson for us.

Repeatedly we are encouraged to approach the Father without fear of recrimination. He is open and longing to receive us.

Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

However, there may be some lint that needs to be removed to eliminate impediments. Several Scriptures suggest that this is frequently a problem.

Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven once and for all, and all known lint is removed. But as we go through life things began to bubble up that we did not know about. It is part of The Father’s refining process for us. That is why we are to be continually and repeatedly cleansed by the blood of Christ.

1 John 1:7-9

 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

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Light dispels darkness

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” – John 8:12

Philippians 2:12-15

 12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.

 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

 14 Do everything without complaining and arguing,

 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

Light and darkness are natural phenomena. They are mutually exclusive. Darkness is the absence of light. Darkness is simply darkness. It never varies. Light can be increased or decreased but the darkness only endures when light is absent. However, with a bit of light, a dark place is no longer dark. The greater the light the less the darkness. In a sense, darkness is defeated by light. But light is never defeated by darkness.

Many people can remember flying commercial passenger jets in the pitch darkness of a cloudless sky at 35,000 feet or so above the earth. Far from large cities, some distance below all is dark if not totally black. This is particularly true over large bodies of water. Now and then tiny specs of light dispel the darkness below.

Our world is filled with darkness, it is a dark place. But the Father has brought light into it through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

As the light, the Lord Jesus Christ dispels the darkness of ignorance and death. Further, He claims that whoever believes in Him will enjoy the light that comes from the Father’s presence and produces life (Constable). The more we spend time with Him, the more His light illuminates our lives and decreases as our personal darkness, our dark night of the soul.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Lord Jesus Christ has come into the world to overcome the darkness of the world.

Father stir up within me the joy and determination to walk in the light. Encourage me to Allow Your Light To Shine In The Darkness.

INSIGHT

As children of the King, we represent the Father in our fallen and decadent world. We are lights in the darkness.

Philippians 2:15 Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

Modern 21st-century societies are no longer friends with the Father nor His children. Antipathy and conflict exist between the children of the world and the children of the King. The enmity will only get worse. We are on a collision course with the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 15:18-23

 18 If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.

 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.

 20 Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.

 21 They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me.

 22 They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin.

 23 Anyone who hates me also hates my Father.

Whether we like it or not, there is conflict between the children of the King and the children of the world. Why? Because we are different from the world. Our values and attitudes are incompatible.

The Beatitudes underscore this. They represent an outlook radically at odds with that of the world. The world praises pride, the Lord Jesus Christ embraces humility. The world endorses sin and indulges in it. It encourages others to follow suit. The more the merrier. The rise of the #Me too movement has done much to alleviate this, albeit somewhat selectively.

Matthew 5:3-12

 3 God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

 4 God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

 5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.

 6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.

 7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

 8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.

 9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

 10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

 11 God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.

 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

The world is at war with the Father. Yet the Father is seeking to reconcile with His enemies. He invites them to become children of the King. We are to live in such a way that our light shines in the darkness. Light will dispel the darkness. The final outcome is already assured.

John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

We must expect to be persecuted if we are living as the Father wants us to live. But we must be sure that our suffering is not due to our own foolishness or disobedience (Wiersbe). Darkness will not prevail and the light will never be extinguished.

2 Timothy 3:12 Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Philippians 1:12-14

 12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.

 13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.

 14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.

Darkness is only dark until the light shines and dispels it.

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