From Love Commanded to Love Lived Out

Here is the link to this sermon: https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/rbcchurch/sermons/26222242321050/

Bible college professor Yohanna Katanacho, who pastors a small church in Jerusalem, is subjected to much persecution. Israeli soldiers who patrol the city looking for potential terrorists impose spontaneous curfews on Palestinians and have the legal right to shoot at a Palestinian who does not respond quickly enough to their summons.

Yohanna tried and failed in his attempts to love his enemies. The Israeli soldiers’ random daily checks for Palestinian identification cards—sometimes stopping them for hours—fed Yohanna’s fear and anger. As he confessed his inability to God, Yohanna realized something significant. The radical love of Christ is not an emotion, but a decision. He decided to show love, however reluctantly, by sharing the gospel message with the soldiers on the street. With new resolution, Yohanna began to carry copies of a flyer with him, written in Hebrew and English, with a quotation from Isaiah 53 and the words “Real Love” printed across the top. Every time a soldier stopped him, he handed him his ID card and the flyer. Because the quote came from the Hebrew Scriptures, the soldier usually asked him about it before letting him go.

After several months, Yohanna realized his feelings toward the soldiers had changed. “I was surprised, you know?” he says. “It was a process, but I didn’t pay attention to that process. My older feelings were not there anymore. I would pass in the same street, see the same soldiers as before, but now find myself praying, ‘Lord, let them stop me so that I can share with them the love of Christ.’ ”

—“When Love Is Impossible,” Trinity Magazine (Fall 2005)

This morning I hope I can give you a taste of what it means to love God and love others. Truthfully, I have been working on this for nearly a year and half and I still believe I have much more to learn about Love. The likelihood that I will be able to condense all there is to know about practically living out love in a 30-minute sermon is nil. If I were to preach on the what the Bible teaches about love every Sunday it would take nearly 4 years to deal with every passage that the Bible mentions love. There is no way possible to accomplish that task in a few sermons. So, my hope is to highlight a few things and then encourage you to do some exploring on your own.

God’s Faithful Love

In God’s word we read that God is love.

1 John 4:7–21 CSB

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent his Son as the world’s Savior. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God—God remains in him and he in God. And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So, the one who fears is not complete in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And we have this command from him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.

​

God is love. We look to the life of Christ as the manifestation of God with us. He is our Emmanuel which means God with us. In this passage I just read Jesus demonstrates His love by pursuing us and ultimately sacrificing His life for our salvation. He was willing to give all for you and for me for our ultimate wellbeing. That we might be able to be saved from sin and destruction.

In the Old Testament we learn about “Faithful Love.” The Hebrew word is hesed (Hay-sayd). This word is most often translated “faithful love.” It also is translated “Kindness” “Loyalty” “Gracious” “Faithfulness” and “Constant Love.” When we say God is love it is this love that we are referencing. God’s love is faithful, God’s love is kindness, God’s love is gracious, God’s love is constant!

The first time this word is used in the Bible it is in a prayer by a servant of Abraham while seeking a bride for Abraham’s son Isaac. Genesis 24:12-14

Genesis 24:12–14 CSB

“Lord, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “make this happen for me today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. I am standing here at the spring where the daughters of the men of the town are coming out to draw water. Let the girl to whom I say, ‘Please lower your water jug so that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels also’—let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”

As he finishes the prayer Rebekah arrives. She is beautiful and full of hospitality and grace. She invites the servant of Abraham back to her father’s house. She was a perfect match for Issacs. So the Servant praises God saying: Genesis 24:27 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld his kindness (hesed) and faithfulness from my master.”

Prayer as it relates to love

Before moving on I want to note something about prayer as it relates to love. This servant knew something about God’s faithful love. He prayed that God’s faithful love would be made reality. When it came to pass then He worshiped and praised God for His faithful love. This seems to me a good pattern for us to follow. We seek to learn about God’s faithful love, we pray that God’s faithful love be a reality in our lives, and praise God when His faithful love is manifest in our lives.

There are many other occasions that God’s people praise God’s faithful love. One such instance is in the song the Israelites sang after crossing the Red Sea on Dry land. The whole event was evidence of God’s mighty hand at work. The protection from the Egyptians pursuing them, the parting of waters, the crossing all of it was God’s hand. They sang a song of praise. One stanza of this song says

Exodus 15:13 CSB

With your faithful love, you will lead the people you have redeemed; you will guide them to your holy dwelling with your strength.

 

300 Sermon Illustrations from Charles Spurgeon The Love of God Burns in Our Hearts (1 John 4:7, 19; Jude 21)

You have a magnifying glass and hold it up before the sun until you focus the rays on a piece of dry wood and set it on fire. Now, while you see the wood burning to ashes, will you tell me what it is that burns? Does the heat of the sun burn the wood or does the wood burn? The heat that you feel while the wood is burning, is it due to the sun or to the wood? Of course at first the fire is purely and simply the flame of the sun, but afterwards the wood itself begins to burn; the sun burns the wood and then the wood itself burns.

Even so the love of God comes into our heart, and then our heart loves too, and in both cases “love is from God” (1 John 4:7). No man is a Christian unless he himself loves God with his own heart, but yet our love to God is nothing more or less than the reflection of God’s love to us: so that it comes to the same thing.

​

The point I think is to understand how to love God we must first learn to understand God’s faithful love for us, seek to have that love manifest in our lives, and praise Him for his faithful love. The foundation of our love for God is not something that we find in ourselves ultimately. It is a manifestation of God’s faithful love flowing through us back to God and toward others. God’s faithful love in us.

God’s Love Is Faithful

Our affections can ebb and flow. The things I loved as a young adult seem quite trivial to me now. And the things that seemed trivial back then have become more important to me now. Love expressed in this way is not really the type of love we are seeking to understand here. God’s love is faithful. If we are to represent and manifest God’s love then our love ought to be faithful as well. What does faithful love look like?

As a Christian we know that God highest love is the atoning work of Jesus Christ. What does that mean? Jesus said before He died on a cross that

John 15:12–14 CSB

“This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

We also read that:

1 John 3:16 CSB

This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

When we look at these words of Christ and John, Christ’s sacrifice is central to the love we are discussing here today. You see our sin separates us from the faithful love that God wants to show us. So much so that left to our own ends we remain separated and unable to obey the command to love others. So, is Jesus asking us to do something that is impossible then? Well yes and no. It is impossible to love as God has commanded us without some supernatural change in our hearts and lives. Jesus is more than an example of how to love others. He is the very substance of Love that enables us to love God and Love others. It is the Gospel that is the source of ultimate love that flows into our lives and redeems our souls so that we can love God and love others empowered ultimately by God’s Holy Spirit.

Now if you have obeyed the Gospel then you already know what I am talking about. However, if you are here this morning and you have never received the message of salvation for your soul then the rest of this sermon is unlikely to do you any good. You must settle in your heart today whether you will surrender your life to Jesus Christ and make him savior and Lord of your life. Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead is the most supreme and loving act of all history. He wants you to respond and follow in his loving sacrifice. That is the obedience Jesus and John are proclaiming here. To Love God is to respond favorably to this Gospel call. This is the first step of obedience that grows and matures into the fullness of loving God and loving others.

Loving God’s Truth

1 Corinthians 13:6 CSB

Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.

Time and again God’s word connects obedience to loving God. Last week a shared several verses with you that stated how if we love God, we obey his commands.

1 John 2:5 CSB

But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in him:

Truly obedience to God’s word is our act of love. We are walking in love when we are faithful to God’s commands. This loyalty to God’s commands then is an expression of faithful love. It is this love for which we are striving. Why do we love God? Because God first loved us!

Jesus said it this way:

Matthew 22:37 CSB

He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

You see this love for God is Loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind.

How do we know God’s truth?

So, if loving God is obeying his commands, then the next logical question is how do we know God’s commands? Jesus has already answered that by quoting the verse in the Old Testament. Let’s look at that verse now:

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 CSB

“Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates.

So how do we know God’s commands? Well one thing you are doing correctly right now is showing up. When we come together to hear from God’s Word, we are learning a bit about God’s commands. So, seeking out solid Bible teaching is essential. We have life groups that meet on Sundays and some during the week. These groups spend time in God’s word learning from God’s Word and challenging one another to live out God’s commands in our lives. One thing though that is often missing is study God’s word for ourselves. Your love for God will be directly related to the amount of time that you spend in the Bible. This passage says to have God’s word in your heart repeat them to your children, talk about God’s word as you go through life, bind them to your hand write them on your forehead. God’s word is to be an intimate part of everyday life not just something you study once or twice a week. If you want to love God more, you would do well to spend more time studying and meditating on God’s word. Then as God’s will becomes more and more apparent, then you will learn and live out faithful love.

I just finished reading the Bible cover to cover in 90 days. I am going through a second time and am about a third of the way through. I read about an hour a day. Now think about this how many activities during the day do you spend an hour or more that have no eternal consequence. Would you be willing to join with me this year to give an hour a day for studying God’s word? Maybe you don’t read as fast. That is OK it is not a race. Read at your pace, just get into the word. Maybe you have a short attention span. That is OK as well. Take 20 minutes in the morning, 20 minutes midday and 20 minutes in the evening. My challenge to you is to regularly get into God’s word. It is only by knowing God’s word that we can truly obey His word and it is only by obeying his word that we can genuinely love God! If you commit to this hour a day you will be able to read through the Bible easily within the next year. Even when you miss a day or two along the way.

Loving Others

I would like to now turn our focus on to loving people. I will not be able to adequately cover the breadth of this subject. I only hope that we can get a taste of what it means and that you would as you dig into God’s word to get the depth of how we are to love each other.

Without rehashing last week’s sermon let’s makes some quick observations and then dig into a couple points. When we think about love for others there are multiple categories of people that this applies to. Each group we will experience and express love differently. This is mainly the nature of the relationships that we have. For example, the love I express toward my wife Amy is going to be different in experience and expression than the love I generally express to all of you. Some key groups then we see in scripture are spouses, family, elders (family and church), friends, fellow Christians, enemies, and the people world in general. Quickly then in a marriage love is to be demonstrated in the way that a husband lays down his life for his wife (Ephesians 5:25-33; Colossians 3:19; 1 Peter 3:7). This also is demonstrated in the way that a wife in turn respects her husband’s loving sacrifice toward her and submits to him. The Bible is unambiguous on this: A loving marriage is between a man and a woman. Our culture is working hard to redefine the nature of marital relationships. We cannot compromise on this to disobey God is to say we really do not love Him. That being said Husbands if you want to learn love, learn to lay your life down for your wife. This is not an either or. This love only works when both husband and wife are doing their part in relationship. With family we are to raise our children not in anger but to love and honor God (Ephesians 6:4). With our parents we are to honor them (Ephesians 6:1-3).

With fellow believers we love each other by building one another up, encouraging, meeting together, seeking unity, seeking peace, and provoking loving works (Ephesians 4:1-3,Colossians 3:14, Hebrews 10:24). With our elders we are to care for them (1 Timothy 5:3-4, 8). With church elders we are to honor them and make sure they are adequately compensated for their work (1 Timothy 5:17-20).

With friends we tell them the good news of Christ and serve them where we are able; we love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31; John 15:12-13). With our enemies we love them by providing for their basic needs, treating them with kindness, and praying for them (Luke 6:27-36). I have included the references to these verses so that you in your personal Bible Study time can get into God’s Word and write upon your heart the reality of God’s faithful love, our love for God, and our love for others. This week and in the last sermon I referenced about 70 passages about this subject. There are so many more I could have referenced. Someone joked after the last sermon “I hope you don’t run out of verses to use in your sermon.” This is not possible. In fact, God’s word mentions love over 752 times. To put this into perspective the Bible (The numbers vary a bit depending on the English translation) mentions the word doctrine 6 times, Discernment 36 times, Teach and teaching 231 times, learn 82 times, truth 170 times, and Holy 653 times. God’s overwhelming message to is in His Word is Love! The word love is found throughout the Bible. Here is a graph that shows the frequency of the word Love.

I will make all the Bible references in the last two sermons available on the RBC website and a paper copy is on the table in the back. I encourage you to dig into God’s word.

What does love look like?

I would like to spend these closing moments highlighting a few things from the love chapter.

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 CSB

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.

Love is long-suffering. The word patient is defined as suffering long for the one that you love. It is interesting to me that the very first characteristic of love is suffering. It seems strange, but as you meditate on in it ultimately becomes a profound truth. When we suffer long for the person, we love it becomes the ultimate expression of love.

Love is kind. Kindness is greatly missing from our lives in our culture. We are more likely to experience contempt and rejection that kindness and love. We can all work at being more kind to one another and those around us.

Love is not self-seeking. When we use relationships for selfish ends we cannot claim to be loving.

Romans 12:10 CSB

Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.

The goal is to take the lead in the race of loving and honoring each other. Further:

Acts 20:35 CSB

In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Giving is a blessing. In fact, Jesus says the blessing that comes from giving is greater than the blessing from receiving. Giving Love is greater than receiving love from others! Showing Kindness is greater than receiving Kindness. This is the mark of the Christian faith, “that we love one another.”

Conclusion

What can we say then? First Love reflects God’s faithful love. It is this loyal, kind, gracious, and steadfast love that God has for us that is the foundation of the love that we have for God and others. It is only by having this love in us through faith in Jesus Christ that this love is possible. Second, to obey God is to love God. The only way we can know and obey God is to saturate ourselves lives in His teachings. We do the through sermons, study groups, and most importantly individual study of His word. Third, we know that God has commanded us to love others. This takes many forms depending on the nature of the relationship. It is unquestionable that we are to love in all these relationships whether the inmate relationship of a spouse to the challenge of those that persecute and hate you and everything in between. In all things persevere in love. Finally, we need to recognize the love is long-suffering, kind, and self-sacrificing. When we commit to this type of love, which by is ultimately is expressed in Christ’s laying his life down for our salvation our souls, then we will be revived, our church will flourish, and our world will be transformed by the powerful faithful love of God. Let us pray.

 

Judgement is Coming

 1 Peter 4:12–19 CSB

Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name. For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God? And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.

In my last post I talked about how we as Christians can face end times when we “stay alert, be sober minded, spend more time in prayer, love in all ways and all circumstances, Practice being hospitable, and serving each other well.” Now I would like to turn my attention to God’s Judgement and our response to His judgment.

The first thing I would like to point out is that Peter seems to be indicating that God’s judgement starts with “God’s household.” By stating this we learn that God’s judgement is normal and expected. What is more, for those in God’s household judgement is a sanctifying good! We must shift our thinking about God’s judgement and learn how we can respond with hope to God's coming judgement!

When we are facing God’s Judgment it is easy to fear and feel hopeless. I certainly have felt that way often as I look at the decay of the society around us. Even a bit closer to home I see the decay in Christian institutions as well. Anger, Hatred, Disgust seems to rule the day at times. All of this makes sense to me. Been there done that!

Peter on the other hand offers a better way in this passage. The answer is found in two paradoxes of the Christian faith. We can rejoice in suffering and be blessed by insults. These two things it seems are related to God’s judgment for His people. Let’s explore how these apply to us.

One of the first things Peter says in this section is that we should not be surprised that when all around us has descended into unrighteous and ungodly chaos that we as believers will experience “fiery ordeals.” Further he suggests that these “fiery ordeals” are a test. We often read that word test through and academic frame of reference. That is, we look at tests as something we take to get a passing grade. However, test in this since is an investigation into the quality of character you have in you. “What are you made of?” is a better way to look at this test. When hardships come you discover what a person really believes.

It reminds me of the parable of the soils. Remember the soil in which the Word of God died in the heart of one of the people. Matthew 13:21 explains why this happens “But he has no root and is short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.” This test is a benefit. We learn whether what we have in our hearts is true or false faith. It can even be a benefit for the one that falls away for as long as he or she continues to live there is an opportunity to come to God in true faith. It is better to understand your faith is false and turn to true faith than to find out in the last judgment that you never knew Christ (Matthew 7:23).

A common question that comes to mind during fiery ordeals is “Why is this happening to me?” We treat it as something that is not supposed to happen. Peter is saying that we should not see this as something that is unusual. We should reach a point in our walk with God that we expect to be tested. It is a part of our walk and more importantly our sanctification with (and by) God (Hebrews 12:10). A “fiery ordeal” is similar in the way that precious metals are made pure. Gold is purified by heating it up and burning off the impurities. God wants us to be pure and turning up the heat is the instrument that he uses to accomplish His purpose.

Next, we find the first paradox to rejoice in suffering. These are not any kind of sufferings. These are the sufferings of Christ.

Handfuls on Purpose for Christian Workers and Bible Students, Series I–XIII Sufferings and Consolation

If we, as Christians, have consecrated ourselves to God to do His will and to manifest His truth, as Christ did, we shall understand something of the sufferings of Christ.

We in our western cultural mindset have adopted the belief that rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness are a formula for prosperity and comfort. To be honest we have had a good run of these things. So much so that we begin to view this as the normal way of life. However, the prosperity and relative ease of life we experience in the United States is an oddity worldwide and historically. Even when many of the horrific world events of the last 100 years have happened, we have for the most part been insulated from the suffering these events have caused on individuals. As a result, rejoicing in suffering is difficult to conceive. This lack of awareness of what it means to suffer leads us to replace our idea of true suffering with trivial inconveniences. The fact is we do not know suffering. Don’t get me wrong evil still happens in the United States and suffering from that evil is a real thing. However, we do not as a whole understand the depth of suffering that has afflicted the whole of humanity.

What is my point? When we see suffering as abnormal then we come to a passage that says “rejoice in suffering” we relegate suffering to some far-off time and place. We do not see suffering as being expected and normal for us. Further if we do have some sense of suffering if we are honest about it most of the time it would fall into the category of nuisance.

We need to change this mindset. I am not saying that we need to engage in self-flagellation. Self-inflicted suffering is something the Bible clearly teaches us to avoid. However, if suffering is normal and as this passage seems to indicate beneficial, then we need to work on changing our mindset on this so that it aligns with the Word of God!

What are the sufferings of Christ? Two major areas in which we as Christians can participate in the “sufferings of Christ” is through obedience to God and speaking the truth.

Again, with the comfort mindset we think obedience to God ought to lead to happiness. Eternally this is true. However, in this life obedience can lead to sorrow, obedience can lead to extreme discomfort, and obedience can lead to persecution. In the case of Jesus obedience led to death. Taken a step further the torturous death of Christ was the plan from the beginning. The sufferings of Christ were on purpose and not some unplanned result of coming to an evil and chaotic world. Let the sink in. If this passage is true then it may be part of God’s plan for you to experience deep sorrow, it may be his plan to have you be extremely discomforted, and God may intend for you to experience persecution. Now let me say something difficult. If you see that as a dreadful thing then you are not yet prepared for the coming judgement. It is time to steel your mind. If I am honest here, I am with you. I don’t like it. But I also see the need to get ready. We need to put our house in order!

Speaking the truth is vital to the sufferings of Christ. If someone suffers for a lie then that does not seem all that special. That is the way of the world. Again, and again lies and deceptions are creating all manner of suffering in the world. No wonder the ruler of this world is the father of lies (John 8:44). So, the world suffers for lies because it is in its nature to do so. On the other hand, we as believers suffer for truth (at least we ought to). This means that we need to be both selective and bold as to what we proclaim.

We need to be selective because we need to stand on the truth of God. There are so many lies around us that it is easy to fall into the trap of standing for something that sounds true, but in reality, is just a lie dressed up in light. Please hear me on this. I have been grieved by how much deception is in our world today. Not so much by the deception of those who hold animosity toward God. That does not shock me or surprise their father is the Devil. I have grieved over the deceptions that are promulgated by my brothers and sisters in Christ. We have thrown discernment to the wind and hitched our future to anyone that sounds like they might agree with us. I do not say this as a judgement. Please understand my heart longs for Christians to stand for the truth of God no more and no less. So being selective is vital to an end times mindset. We cannot afford to fight battles that ultimately are rooted in deception. This is not participating in the sufferings of Christ. And I sincerely believe that the Devil wants to use these to rob us from rejoicing in the sufferings of Christ. We will suffer! Whether we rejoice in suffering is strongly connected to discernment starting with those that most agree with us. This because the Devil is a crafty one and able to masquerade as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). Test everything and hold on to what is true (1 Thessalonians 5:21); and not what I feel is true or sounds like it could be true. Be selective!

Boldness is also needed. Too long we have been willing to live quiet lives so as not to disturb the negotiated peace with the world. Here is something that is vital. We cannot be bold in a worldly way. We must be bold in the Love of God and in the Name of Christ. I have written many things about God’s love and there is much more to write. It is God’s love that characterizes the transformed believer. When we are bold in worldly ways (sarcasm, insults, coarse jesting, deception, arrogance, instilling fear, shame, condemnation, and the like) we trade power for love and in the end, we will lose both. We must not let the world’s weapons of boldness become the poison that spews from our mouths. It is sick and wrong. It dishonors the name of Christ. We must rise above such pursuits and pursue love! Boldness in Love is the only redemptive way to speak truth. Just to drive the point look at this passage:

Ephesians 4:14–15 CSB

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.

By truth and obedience we will naturally experience the sufferings of Christ because the world hates Christ and will in turn hate us (John 15:18).

Boldness that we have is rooted in the Name of Christ (1 Peter 4:16). In times of judgement there will be pressure to be ashamed of the name of Christ. However, our boldness comes from the very name the world wants us to be ashamed of. One benefit of judgement of God is that the label Christian (i.e. follower of Christ) that has been so distorted that it is meaningless in our modern culture, will have a restored meaning. Those who do not follow Christ will abandon the name Christian out of shame. Those that truly follow Christ will be bold in their Christianity.

So then how do we rejoice in this?

One key point Peter is making to us is to look forward beyond the present sufferings to when the Glory of Christ will be revealed (1 Peter 4:13). The glory of Christ is hidden from those that are perishing (2 Corinthians 4:3-4), but one day it will be revealed for all to see. To those that are perishing it will be to mourning (Revelation 1:7). For the believer it will be rejoicing. So, one thing we keep in the forefront of our mind is that we will be glorified IN CHRIST!

We also rejoice since God is using these sufferings to help us to become the people he has called us to be. A call to Christian life is a call to suffering. This suffering is for our benefit and growth in faith and obedience. Without resistance of lifting weight our muscles don’t grow. Without suffering our faith does not grow. Therefore, we rejoice in the sufferings of Christ that our faith and character might be forged in the fires of ordeal.

Rejoicing is also protective. No suffering is pleasant. Let’s be honest in our hedonistic selves we would never choose suffering. When we expect to not suffer then we can easily become bitter when we do suffer. So, in this way rejoicing protects us from the bitterness that naturally follows most periods of suffering. There is a saying that “suffering can make you bitter or better.” It is my belief that the outcome is related to whether you can rejoice in suffering or not.

This brings us to the second paradox. It is a blessing to be ridiculed. This is something that I can understand intellectually. It seems heroic to stand for righteousness, love, and justice in the face of ridicule. Every remarkable story has an element of this heroic stand in the face of evil. However, we don’t live in the heroic fantasies of books, tv shows, or movies. We don’t even really live in the fantasy in which we are the hero of our own story. No in reality ridicule is something that tears us to the heart and will inflame passions of rage (at times even murderous rage). Since enduring ridicule is participating in the sufferings of Christ how did Jesus handle ridicule?

1 Peter 2:21–24 CSB

For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth; when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Jesus did not sin. Now I am not saying that we will live a life of sinless perfection. We can and likely will miss the mark. However, just because we miss the mark does not mean that we stop aiming. Jesus was not deceptive. I have already talked about this, but it drives home how important truth is. Jesus did not return insults. Jesus did not threaten those that caused his suffering. He entrusted himself to God becoming obedient and laying down his life for the forgiveness of sins and our righteousness. In this same way we can entrust ourselves to Him and lay down our lives for the service of others. That is how we respond to ridicule.

When we have a godly response to ridicule it is a blessing. When we have an ungodly response to ridicule, we get what negative consequences we deserve. Another way to think about it is when we respond insult for insult, we rob ourselves of future blessings that God has for our lives and for eternity.

The Holy Spirit figures strongly into how we respond to end times judgment. God’s Spirit “rests on you.” Stop and think on that for a moment. As judgement comes God covers us with his Holy Spirit.

Often wild land firefighters carry an emergency fire shelter that can be deployed as a last resort if they become trapped by a fire. The purpose of the shelter is to deflect the heat allowing the firefighter to potentially survive a lethal situation.

This is similar to how God deals with us. The fire of God’s wrath and judgement is coming. However, his Holy Spirit covers us and shelter us to deflect the heat of His wrath. I do not think this analogy is much of a stretch in light of the verse that follow later 1 Peter 4:18 “And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

The Holy Spirit also strengthens and gives wisdom and knowledge in addition to protecting the believer (Isaiah 11:2). The Spirit of God gives us reverence for God. This reverence for God is greatly beneficial in times of Judgement. Reverence and not bitterness is the appropriate response to God’s discipline of our nation.

When the Spirit of God rests upon us, we have the Glory of God resting upon us as well. Think about that for a moment. The eternal glory of God is a covering as you face fiery ordeals. That should put hope in your soul.

It is in this context that sufferings and insults become joy and blessings.

There is a warning to us here though. When judgement comes there will be a temptation to respond in a worldly manner. Peter stresses that we cannot go that route. He lists four sins that will place us out of God’s will for this trial: murder, theft, evil doing, and meddling. The first two seem obvious enough, but what are the second two?

An evildoer is a person who deliberately engages in evil activity and is worthy of punishment of that activity. That is an extensive list of things that is covered by this one term. I won’t list all of them but Galatians 5:19-21 contains a partial list of evil actions. One bible word study I did I came up with a list of 55 different evil actions that would be considered evildoing. Some that I would think are relevant to this conversation are deceiver, insurrectionist, slanderer, sexually immoral, false witness, pretender, false teacher, scorner, and oppressor. As I said the list is long and I could go on. Perhaps I may publish the list in a separate post. The point is this, evildoers do not participate in the joy and blessings of God’s judgement. Knowing this then we must make every effort to avoid every evil as we face trials. This can be difficult. For example, when facing insults for example we may naturally have the urge to counter attack, spread lies, be cruel, become proud, engage in slander, and so on. Peter is warning that our response to these things must be upright.

What is meddling and how do we avoid it? A meddler is a particular type of evildoer. Peter must see this as something that needs to be highlighted as we face trials. another translation of this word would be busybody. It describes someone who is more interested in the affairs of others than attending to their own issues. It is a tendency to point out the wrong of others to gain a sense of moral superiority. Well the Bible makes it clear that you do not gain moral superiority, but that you are an evil doer when you engage in meddling (See 1 Timothy 5:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:11). We avoid meddling by following the teaching we find in Ephesians

Ephesians 4:29–32 CSB

No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

This post is already long enough otherwise I would elaborate on this a bit more. Maybe a future post.

Let me just be real for a moment. I have failed. The reality that there are times of trials in my life that I have resorted to evil rather than placing my faith in God and allowing the covering of His Spirit to guide me. I say this with great shame and sorrow. To those I have hurt I am deeply sorry. It is a shame that I carry and regret in the depths of my heart. God’s grace rescues me from being hopelessly lost in regret. He is able to forgive me when I confess my sin to Him (1 John 1:9). Redemption from past mistakes is a blessing of God that even when we miss the mark God is greater than all my sin and shame.

In the end the admonition of Peter is a good place to wrap this post up.

1 Peter 4:19 CSB

So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.

God Bless You

~BJ

​

 

What Did You Go Out to See

Audio: Listen
Slides:



Text:

As these men went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?
Matthew 11:7 (HCSB)

Jesus as you recall had just responded to John's disciples about whether he was the one. He now turns his attention to the crowd. He asks three rhetorical questions. "Did you go to see a reed swaying in the wind? Dis you go to see a man dress in fine clothes? Or did you go to see a prophet?"

Speak the Truith in Love (What is Truth?)

“What is truth?” said Pilate.
John 18:38 (HCSB)

Indeed what is truth?  It would seem easy to define truth as that which is true.  However using a term to define a term is faulty logic.  I want to suggest that there are 4 types of truth.  There may be more, but alternatives are more or less variations on these four types.  The types of truth are absolute, objective, relative, and subjective.

I like to refer to Absolute truth as divine truth or God's truth.  We tend to think of this truth as always true regardless of time, place, or person.  It is true no matter what.  I  believe that absolute truth is a person.  That person is Jesus Christ.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6 (HCSB)

I Should, I will, or God Wills?

Image via Wikipedia

I have been thinking upon “I should” and “I will.”
“I should”
“I should” is either self-hatred or a way to not feel so bad for saying I won’t. In Self-Hatred should becomes a never ending list of things to condemn yourself. “I should lose weight,” “I should exercise,” “I should spend more time with family.” These are some of my should’s (you can identify your own I am sure). They subtly eat away at the general well-being of the soul. Taking all of our shortcomings, failings, and disappointments in life we can turn them into should.

It is self-hatred because should just eats away and eats away and eats away until the will to do anyting is gone. You become resigned to this death sentence on the soul. This self-condemnation does not change you or what you do. “I should” never leads to any change just greater and longer lists of discouragement.

Argument that Goodness and Omnipotence are Incompatible

Image via Wikipedia

Another argument that atheist put forth is one of so-called self-contradictory qualities that are attributed to God.  The most common is the the qualities of Goodness and Omnipotence (all-powerful).  The argument goes something like:

1) If God exists then He is all-good
2) If God exists then He is all-powerful
3) A good being corrects evil if it is in their power to do so
4) Evil exists and has always existed in the world
5) God has not acted (from 4)
6) If God unable to prevent evil He is not all-powerful
7) If God does not prevent evil, He is not good
8) Therefore an all-good, all-powerful God does not exist (From 5-7)

Remember this is an absurd argument from an atheist's perspective.  It is absurd in that they are assuming a priori something that they don't believe.  "If a non-existent thing exists."  So the first and second premise falls apart in the atheist's logic.  Arguing from absurdity makes any conclusion suspect. 

A second problem is what is good.  Goodness for the theist is a quality of God that extends to His creation (albeit imperfectly).  That is there is a standard for objective morality (goodness) that is given by God.  By what standard does the atheist use to determine what is good.  At best goodness is an opinion of the person making the judgment.  The first statement becomes "if God exists then he must be good according to my opinion."  The third statement becomes "a being ought to take what I think is good and correct what I think is evil."  The seventh statement becomes "If God does not prevent what I think is evil then He is not good in my opinion."

A third problem is in the assumption that God is impotent to do anything about the evil that exists making Him not all-powerful.  "If He can do something about the evil then why wouldn't He."  That a good being does not act in the face of evil does not automatically mean they are not good nor that they are powerless.  It could be that the being has another purpose, intent, or reason for evil to exist.  It could be that evil exists that goodness might be understood and appreciated.  It might be that evil exists that the good that comes from freedom can be fully realized.  It might be that evil exists because the fullness of time and ultimate goodness has not yet arrived.  There are many more missing bits of information that would lead a good being to not act or to delay their action. 

A forth problem is that it puts the arguer in the position of judge.  In one sense the arguer attempts to place themselves above God.  They are judging what is good, what should be corrected, and that God has not acted.  Let's assume that this person was justified to go where angels fear to tread. Then the arguer must be all-knowing themselves to make the determination that God is not good or that He has not acted.  But in fact they are making an argument from an incomplete understanding of the facts.  God may have acted imperceptible (or not in a manner our arguer expects), God may act in a time yet to come, maybe what we have judged bad may actually turn out good and so on.  The arguer cannot know all things so to make this argument without all the facts is giving one's opinion. 

Fifth, not really a problem more of an observation.  Often someone making this form of argument will have a deeply personal (often painful) circumstance, situation, relationship, and/or event that heavily influences their conclusion.  I believe that Christians would do well to not dismiss "the feeling that..." until they have "fully understood the underlying reason that..."  Even theist struggle with doubt about God's dealings with humanity in general and in our own lives specifically.  Shrill dismissals will not win a person over, but a compassion and an understanding heart just might.  Even great men of God have their moments of doubt.  Humble expressions of doubt will not make you seem weak, but rather it will make you honest. 

Lord, why do You stand so far away? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
Psalms 10:1 (HCSB)

I will say to God, my rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why must I go about in sorrow because of the enemy's oppression?" My adversaries taunt me, as if crushing my bones, while all day long they say to me, "Where is your God?"
Psalms 42:9-10 (HCSB)

In conclusion then we have an atheist who makes an argument which essentially says, "In my opinion God does not exist."  For an atheist to state their opinion in logical form is not a very powerful argument.  On the other hand we also need to recognize that we can minister to a hurting person if they let us.  Let us be mindful that we might not add to another's pain, but could possibly bring them from spiritual darkness into The Light.

God Bless You

Meditation: Suffering Exalted Servant

Image by riccardodivirgilio via Flickr

Passage
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
This passage will take several posts.  This post deals with Isaiah 52:13-15

Context
Isaiah is discussing the salvation of Israel.  In the midst of this presentation he inserts the "suffering servant."  In the context of the whole Bible (Old and New Testaments) this suffering servant is Jesus Christ.

Key Words
My Servant, act wisely, raised, lifted up, exalted, disfigured, sprinkle, see, understand.

Message
Jesus is the one that acts wisely.  He was raised from the dead.  He has been lifted up and exalted. In His crucifixion He was so completely beaten up as to be unrecognized as being a human being.  What is so completely amazing to me is that He did that for me.  His suffering was for me.  To demonstrate His/God's love for me.  His suffering was for you.  Praise Jesus our Lord.  I exalt Him in my life.   Making Him the very center of my life my all in all. 

This suffering was the spilling of blood.  That blood is sprinkled on many people (nations).  The purpose of that sprinkling was for purification.  He shuts the mouths of leaders, He reveals truth and understanding to those that have not heard before.  There is a blessedness that comes from opening your mind and your heart to hear from God.  He tends to break in at the most interesting moments rarely when it is expected.  Overwhelming joy and peace that comes from God's revelation is unsurpassed by any earthly pleasure. 

God reveal Your Truth, Give understanding, cover us with the sprinkling that purifies our hearts.  Lead us into the way everlasting.  In Jesus Name AMEN.

Meditation: Repentance

I do not have a specific verse for this mornings meditation.  I have more of what God has shown me through His word, though observation of others, and through personal experience. 

Repentance is not...

Wanting to change	thinking about change
hoping for change	feeling bad about something
guilt	remorse
sadness	changing behavior
trying harder	praying more
reading the Bible more	going forward in church
saying "I'm sorry"	promising to do better

To be sure all these things may be involved in repentance, but in and of themselves they are not repentance. 

Psalm 51:4

In order for repentance to occur one must be first aware that repentance is needed.  There is change that is most definitely needed in the life of a person.  Others may see the need for change, but until the person themselves is aware they cannot repent.  What is more often we push this awareness away from our conscious mind.  The recognition that a change is needed is too painful and so we push that awareness away.  We can also deny that a change is needed in the face of insurmountable evidence to the contrary.  It is amazing to me the level of denial that a human mind can come up with when all else points him/her in a different direction.  This denial keeps a person away from repentance.  Whether through ignorance, avoidance, or denial a lack of awareness that one needs to repent will keep one from repenting.  Awareness that a change is needed is not the same as repentance.  It is simply the first step in making a change.

How does one become aware that a change is needed?

  It is clear to me that God's word and his Holy Spirit are needed to make one aware of sin. 

Paul explains it this way,  "...sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure (Romans 7:13)."  God's word helps us to recognize when we have missed the mark.  Sin is just that "missing the mark."  We are imperfect and have many flaws leading us to miss the mark.  If a person says they do not sin then they are ignorant (1 Corinthians 15:34) or they are lying (1 John 1:8).   God's word removes ignorance and forces out of self deception.  When sin is in a person's life often a devotion to God's word is the first casualty. 

The Holy Spirit plays a role in making one aware of sin (John 16:8-9).  The Holy Spirit convicts regarding sin, righteousness, and judgment.  Without the calling of the Holy Spirit our natural inclinations would be to go astray (Galatians 5:16-18).    In fact no one is drawn to the Father (God) except by the work of the Holy Spirit (John 6:63-65) and the Spirit does this at the bidding of the Father.

At this point the person is at a crisis of faith.  He/She either believes the Word of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit or she/he denies the need of repentance.  It is a sorry thing when a person refuses to repent.  The immediate consequence is a removal of the peace that God desires to give.  The long term consequence is the removal of God's blessing and protection.  The eternal consequence for the unbeliever is separation from God.

All this to say that recognition of the need for change is a prerequisite to repentance. 

Change of Will

Once a person has this recognition they have to take the next step which is a change of will.  To repent you have desire the change.  Being aware that a change is needed is well and good, but if you do not desire to change then your repentance will be short lived.  There has to be a change of desire that occurs in the innermost part of your being.  This desire is a restoration of hungering and thirsting for righteousness. 

For consider how much diligence this very thing-this grieving as God wills-has produced in you: what a desire to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what deep longing, what zeal, what justice! In every way you showed yourselves to be pure in this matter.
2 Corinthians 7:11 (HCSB)

Desire to clear, indignation, fear, deep longing, zeal, and justice.  Those are powerful words.  Meditate on them.  Let them sink into your soul.  Let them spark spiritual life into your mind, body, and action.  These things grant inward repentance.  Transformation that is inside out. 

Change in Direction

Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there is no other.
Isaiah 45:22 (HCSB)

Repentance is a change in direction.  It is a change from worthless things to God (Acts 14:15).  It is a change from self-centeredness to God (Proverbs 18:1).  It is a change from "I got to have it" attitude to God (James 3:16).  Repentance is a change from a passive attitude about sin to a recognition of sin as God sees it (James 4:8-10).  Repentance is seeking God's Glory over the glory of men (John 5:44).  In short repentance is an about face from all the selfish desire and attractions of this worlds to a forward facing devotion to God and his kingdom (Matthew 6:33).

Change in Fruit

Repentance is a change in actions.  The actions in and of themselves hold no real power to repentance.  They are merely evidence of the change that has already occurred on the inside.  Often people will seek to do great works as a way to undo or compensate for the wrong that they have done.  This type of change is not repentance, but rather is works based religion.  The fruit of repentance is cultivating those things in your life that lead to genuine spiritual growth. 

In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit.
Matthew 7:17-18 (HCSB)

What is this fruit?  Here is a good list:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 (HCSB)

A person growing in these with consistency demonstrates the Spirit of God working in him/her.  A change of fruit demonstrates the change of heart.  That is repentance.  

Have a blessed day!

Friends of Christ

Image by Loci Lenar via Flickr

Speaking of meaningful conversation...

Jesus had many meaningful conversations, but none so dear as the ones that he had with those who were his friends.  Jesus called his closest disciples friends, I will discuss the 12 and the three beloved later.  He also has a group that were not disciples per sey, but experienced friendship with Christ. 

Lazarus, Mary, and Martha

He said this, and then He told them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I'm on My way to wake him up."
John 11:11 (HCSB)

Jesus had a deep care and concern for this family in that lived in Bethany.  Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were siblings.  It is inferred that Martha was the oldest and Lazarus was the youngest.  This family seems to be well off, based on the type of funeral/burial of Lazarus and on them owning very expensive items (See John 11 & John 12:3; 5).  Lazarus is only mentioned in John related to Christ raising him from the dead.  Jesus called Lazarus friend (John 11:11), loved him and his sisters (John 11:1; 5), was willing to risk his life for them (John 11:8), wept at his death (John 11:35-36), became angry that he had died (John 11:33; 38), and raised him from the dead (John 11:43-44).  Martha and Mary are also mentioned in (Luke 10:38-41).  Based on this it would seem that Jesus stopped in to see them whenever he traveled to Jerusalem.  He was quite at home with them and they would care for him while he was there with them.  

How does this apply to us?  We have confidence enough in our friends to trust we would be able lodge with them whenever we pass their way.   That seems to be a higher level of confidence in my mind.  So what is the quality of that type of relationship.  Well Jesus loved them.  Do we have a fond affection for this type of friend?  Jesus also loved them with His whole being so as to be moved to act in their best interests.  Do we act in the best interests of our friends?  Jesus loved them with tenderness.  Do we act with tenderness and compassion?  Jesus laid his life on the line for them (and more generally for us).  Do we sacrifice for our friends?  He shared deep spiritual truths (oh to be at the feet of our Savior and listen to what he had to say; See Luke 10:39).  We do not frankly and more often than not avoid spiritual discussions at all with our friends.

As I learn more about the relationships that Christ I am struck by how much of His life was about serving others.  Often we look at relationships as what benefit we can get out of them.  Jesus on the other hand (as if he needed anything) set that completely opposite.  His approach was what are their needs and how can I meet that need.  Tenderness, compassion, sacrifice, love, trust, and shared spiritual times are the mark of friendship according to an examination of Christ's life.  How are you doing in the friendship department? 

Trustworthiness According to the Bible

Image via Wikipedia

One of the strange things about the area of trustworthiness is that I takes many things to build it, but it only takes a few things (sometimes only one) to destroy it.  think about building a tower of blocks.  If you keep taking blocks out from the base the tower is going to collapse.  It is the same with trustworthiness.  But what is trustworthy and how do I know when I have it or have found it. 

According to the Bible a trustworthy person...

hates bribes	Exodus 18:21
is responsible	Nehemiah 13:13
keeps a confidence (not gossiping)	Proverbs 11:13
brings healing words	Proverbs 13:17
brings refreshing words	Proverbs 25:13
is honest with a friend even if means the subject is unpleasant	Proverbs 27:6
is above reproach, not negligent	Daniel 6:4
has friends willing to stand up for them	1 Samuel 22:14
believes in God and His word	2 Chronicles 20:20
has faith in God	Psalms 27:13
waits for God	Psalms 27:14
is a good steward (responsible with other's money)	Matthew 25:22-23
is given more responsibility based on faithfulness	Luke 19:16-17
is a servant of God and managers of God's mystery (gospel message)	1 Corinthians 4:1-2 See also Colossians 1:26-27
is respectful, not slanderous, self-controlled	1 Timothy 3:11
is an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity	1 Timothy 4:12
takes care of their family	1 Timothy 5:16
holds on with hope and without wavering	Hebrews 10:23
is concerned about others, promotes love, promotes good works, attends worship with other believers, encourages others	Hebrews 10:24-25
walks in truth (integrity) and supports others (even strangers)	3 John 1:3-8
is faithful during affliction	Revelation 2:10

Here is an interesting lesson on faithfulness.  Jonah the faithful prophet of God became unfaithful, yet God used him in spite of Jonah's unfaithfulness.  Albeit Jonah needed a little convincing in the belly of a fish for three days and three nights.  He still did not get it at the end so one wonders whether he ever got it turned around.  Probably otherwise we would not have the book.  Even more interesting is that the Ninevites whom enriched themselves with the plunder of wars became trustworthy in a moment through repentance at God's Word (Jonah 3:5-9).  Jesus even used them of an example of trustworthiness (Luke 11:32).    So the bloodthirsty Ninevites gain trustworthiness through the wonderful grace of God.  And that same grace is available to us through Christ.  Praise God for His wonderful mercy and grace.  Praise God for new beginnings. 

The story of Jonah along with the verses above have shown me that trustworthiness is first based on a relationship with God followed by a commitment to grow in Him.  A trustworthy Christian is one that is growing in his or her relationship with Christ.  One problem with thinking of trustworthiness as a category or a goal to achieve is that it lends itself to the belief that we can arrive at trustworthiness and then our work is done.  Not so.  These passages I have shared with you make it clear to me that trustworthiness is a life long pursuit and requires persistence to grow in this way. 

I encourage you to make faithfulness a goal of your daily walk with Christ.  Do not let neglect become your weakness leading to unfaithfulness ending in broken trust.  God Bless you.

In the Midst of Dark Times

Image by Kurt W. via Flickr

There are times in life that one comes to the edge of what they can know, feel, believe, and understand.  It is a bit like standing on the edge of an abyss.  There is not much peace in that place.  Doubts creep in.  You begin to question everything.  At times you question why you are here.  That is relatively mild compared to the more difficult questioning of your beliefs, your sanity, whether you have been deluded to believe that God exists.  If you have not been in this place then consider yourself lucky.  It is a lonely place.  A painful place.  It is a dark place. 

I presume that Paul was there on at least one occasion.  I base that on his remark:

If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.
1 Corinthians 15:19 (HCSB)

Most people who have not traveled to the Abyss will quote Pascal's Wager or some version of it.  The gist of Pascal's Wager is that God cannot be found based on reason only by faith .  Therefore it makes sense to believe as if he existed for one has nothing to lose (if God does not exist) and everything to gain (if God does exist).  Pascal's wager stand's in direct contrast with Paul on this point.  The fact is if we trust in Christ for this life only then we should be more pitied than anyone.  Those that would espouse such an argument trade faith for wishful thinking which leads unbelievers to mock Christianity. 

Coming to the edge of the Abyss forces us to the point of questioning and eventual rejecting of things we are unable to reason (knowledge of good and evil becomes our God) or we reach out and find a loving Shepherd longing to love us and guide us (by faith affirming Christ as our Lord).  In one sense the Abyss separates the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:32, Matthew 13:49).  A goat (one looking like, but lacking authentic Christian faith) will travel to Abyss and upon seeing his dilemma throw his religion into the abyss and walk away believing (faith in reason not in God) he has done something enlightening.  A sheep (on having authentic Christian faith) will come to the Abyss experience the pain, fear, doubt in all its fullness.  Then quietly wait in that place for his Shepherd to come find him and lead him out of that place. 

The 23rd Psalm

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name's sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff-they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live.
Psalms 23:1-6 (HCSB)

These words are foolish to the world.  They are useless to goats.  But to sheep these words are balm to the soul.  These words are comfort in times of pain.  These words are light in the midst of darkness.  These words are assurance in the feeling of loneliness. 

"The Lord is my shepherd."  We choose him when we come to him in faith.  He does reveal Himself to us, but we have a choice to accept or reject Him as our shepherd. 

"There is nothing I lack."  This seems a strange statement when one is standing next to the abyss.  In fact this whole series of pictures is strange next to the Abyss.  There are images of  "green pastures," "quiet waters," "renewed life," "right paths" and standing next to the Abyss you might say, "Perhaps The Good Shepherd has forgotten me.  I seem to have taken a wrong turn somewhere and do not see green pastures, quiet waters, renewed life, nor right paths.  In fact I lack very much.  God where are in the midst of this dark time?"  I believe that David (The one writing the Psalm) is reflecting back on in the past what God has done in his life in Psalm 23:1-3.  Looking back beyond the darkness of his present situation he recalls God's faithful provision of green pastures, quiet waters, renewed life, and right paths.  And now at this moment that reflection is something that can reaffirm your faith. 

"Even when I go through the darkest valley..."  Some translation say, "Valley of death."  When one travels to the deep abyss one can scarcely imagine walking through it.  It is terrifying enough to stand at the edge and look into it.  Yet even when we are near this abyss or traveling through it we can be assured of this:  the Shepherd is with us and desires to comfort us.  With the shepherd nearby we have nothing to fear.  David is describing his current situation in Psalm 23:4.  Looking at the darkness we see only pain and suffering.  Looking at our Savior we have nothing to fear even in the midst of grave danger.  With our eyes fixed on the Shepherd we have nothing to fear of doubts and suffering.  We have nothing to fear at the end of our reasonableness.  We have nothing to fear of our sanity.  We had nothing to fear for our Shepherd is in this place.  He guides us.  If we get to far to the right or the left with a gentle tap from His rod He will get us back on track as we travel this dark time in our lives.  What a comfort His rod and staff are when we have reached the end of ourselves and what we can do on our own.  Traveling to and through the Abyss can be a gut wrenching experience of this there is no doubt.  However, we will have the guidance and presence of God even when all we see is the darkness. 

"You prepare..."  In Psalm 23:5 David again shifts his focus from the present moment (in the dark valley) to the future.  Even our enemies cannot overcome what the Lord has prepared for us.  There is leanness right now in this valley, but then will be a banquet table, anointing oil, and plenty to quench our thirst.  There is abundance in our future when we walk through this with our Lord.  He has prepared it for you.  The image of anointing with oil is a symbol of God's selection of you.  God has chosen you.  He has anointed you for His purpose.  You are especially His!  Some day His anointing, blessing, provision will overflow to you.  His provision waits on the other side for you!

God's "goodness and faithful love" will "pursue" you the days of your life.  Walking to the abyss, walking through the abyss, God's unfailing goodness and love pursue you.  That is quite a statement.  That is boldness that is beyond being reasonable.   The world and the goats will say, "Show me the proof and then perhaps I will walk through that valley with you, but you are foolish to think that such a place reveals God's goodness or love.  Quite the contrary if God was loving and good the valley would not exist."  That is what they will say.  They will not understand.  They cannot understand walking through the valley because they do not have the Shepherd. 

"I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I live."  Notice the trip to the abyss did not destroy the faith, but made it stronger (Psalm 23:6).  Note the resolve that this trip produced.  I will dwell...as long as I live.  These are powerful words from a person who has been to and through the Abyss.  There is no room to pretend that God exists and if he does then He will reward you and if he does not then you have lived a good life.  This is utter foolishness. Either you do or you do not choose to dwell in the House of the Lord.  There is not phantom faith.  It either is true faith or it is not faith at all.  The wondrous thing is that once we have made the resolution to trust the Shepherd our weakness will be His strength and He will take care of us no matter how dark it might be. 

Blessings to you!