How do we prepare for worse times to come? And specifically, what if those times bring Christian persecution here in this country as there has never been before? Will we stand up in defense of the Lord even at great cost to us, or will we deny Him, thereby bringing upon ourselves the Truth of His Word that says He will deny us before the Father (speaking in terms of the day we stand before God to be judged)? We will either have the Great Advocate on our side, One for Whom we were also an advocate here on earth, or we will not.
The Bible says we cannot serve two masters at the same time [Matthew 6:24], for we will either hate the one and love the other, or vice versa, but never can we love both at the same time. We were created to have only one master, and No – it wasn’t meant to be us “being the master of our ship”. It was always meant to be God, the One who created us for HIS purposes!
The struggle is simply stated as this: God or self; Spirit or flesh [Galatians 6:17] (with Satan on the side of flesh adding fuel to the fire, literally).
At times the Bible calls SELF, our FLESH. How far will we go to protect our SELF? What discomforts are we willing for our FLESH to go through for the honor of defending Christ?
Well, let’s consider the discomforts we are already going through for His sake, in preparation for the really evil times to come:
- We daily deny our flesh by spending time reading His Word rather than spending that period of time on the internet, or watching TV, or reading other more interesting books, right? [John 15:4-8]
- We daily spend time on our knees in prayer to Him (a great privilege we have been given at the cost of Christ's death for us by which we were given access to the very throne room of God, imagine, such a gift to us whose sin He died for.) So, we honor that great hard-won gift of God by utilizing it to the max, right? [Hebrews 4:14-16]
- And no matter how hectic our schedule, we put Him first, right? We serve Him in ways that add to His kingdom, more than we serve ourselves and others in ways NOT adding to the kingdom, right?[Matthew 13:22]
- We always manage to speak of the Lord to whomever we talk to, right? Because He is the most important thing in our lives, and we always talk about the most important thing in our lives…and He is more important to us than even our families, our children and grandchildren, our pets (that's a big one these days), our accomplishments, our politics, our hobbies, our jobs (or lack of), right? Sometimes it feels safer just to spend a lot of time talking about our church or even about our pastor and the loving members of our church...but do we talk to those who are perishing about Jesus and the Good News He has for them? Or are we afraid to be labeled a fanatic, and so we avoid using His Name, and we speak only of "church" instead. [Mark 8:38]
- We give of the firstfruits of our financial increase (and more!) in humble thanksgiving to Him for all His blessings, right? And we would rather spend HIS money (for without His mercy and grace, we would have none at all) on things that will increase His Kingdom, rather than buying more stuff for us, right? [Matthew 6:19-21]
- We always do exactly what Jesus tells us to do in the Bible, in obedience to Him, we never rationalize our way out of His commands, right? [John 15:14]
That's my list. You can grow your own list, but, believe me, the more honest we are, the more it will grow.
So, if we cannot deny our flesh enough to do the few things listed above for His Name’s sake, how exactly will we willingly sacrifice our livelihood, our freedom, or our very lives, for His Name’s sake? How is it we will be overcomers when told “Deny Christ, or have your head cut off”? [Revelation 20:4] If we give our flesh what it demands in easy times, how much more so in hard times?
Would we willingly stand up in a classroom when crazed gunmen ask who believes in Jesus, and say “I do”, only to be gunned down immediately because we spoke faithfully and did not deny Him? [Columbine]
If you are like me, you have to wonder how it is that you will be able to overcome. But, if we are willing, we will be able to say, as Paul did:
“O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” [Romans 7:24-25 and Romans 8:1-4]
[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
A Martyr's Death
Will that lot ever fall to any of us? We cannot tell, only the Lord knows.
If it does fall to us, will we have the courage of Papa ten Boom and the thousands upon thousands of martyrs who have followed the Lord in the example of His sufferings, even to the point of death?
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:23-26 KJV)
“And I say unto you my friends. Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” (Luke 12: 4-5 KJV)
These are important passages to remember and take to heart, for we never know if the day shall come when we are asked to surrender our lives, either to a prison or to death, for the sake of another and the Lord. The ten Boom family had a very comfortable life and business prior to the events we are reading about. Their world changed practically overnight. Yet they were able to trust the Lord for all that they had need of, even the courage to face unwarranted death.
Here in America, the current economic times are wreaking havoc in thousands of lives. We are told things are getting better, but we haven’t heard that from those who have lost jobs and homes and in those states where the unemployment is 10% or more. Yet, even with all that is happening here, we have a ways to go (or do we?) before we are asked to risk our lives for the sake of the kingdom of God. Even in these hard times we are facing, we still are not suffering the life of a martyr for Christ.
But those Christians living today in India and China and so many other countries, and those many new Christian converts from Islam, all understand what it means to fear not the one who threatens to kill, and does kill, but rather to fear the one who can cast them (and us) into hell for denying His Name. They are risking their lives, literally, to believe in Jesus. [See “Voice of the Martyrs” Magazine began many years ago by a former religious prisoner tortured for Christ. The magazine reports on those countries all over the world where Christian persecution and killing is rampant even now.]
“For whosoever will be ashamed of me….” Powerful words to be remembered in this country where the name of “God” is being removed from every possible usage, and speaking the name of Jesus Christ brings out a raging anger in so many around us, even in our own families.
America is not guaranteed escape from evil times. Just as suddenly as these tragic times descended upon the ten Booms, they can descend upon us. But the Bible tells us that the evil to come will surpass that of the early Christian persecution (worse than being fed alive to the lions?) and it will surpass that of the evils of WWII (worse than execution squads, starvation, gas chambers, and burning furnaces that killed millions?)
Yes, worse than all of that. How then do we prepare for what is to come?
[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]
If it does fall to us, will we have the courage of Papa ten Boom and the thousands upon thousands of martyrs who have followed the Lord in the example of His sufferings, even to the point of death?
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:23-26 KJV)
“And I say unto you my friends. Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” (Luke 12: 4-5 KJV)
These are important passages to remember and take to heart, for we never know if the day shall come when we are asked to surrender our lives, either to a prison or to death, for the sake of another and the Lord. The ten Boom family had a very comfortable life and business prior to the events we are reading about. Their world changed practically overnight. Yet they were able to trust the Lord for all that they had need of, even the courage to face unwarranted death.
Here in America, the current economic times are wreaking havoc in thousands of lives. We are told things are getting better, but we haven’t heard that from those who have lost jobs and homes and in those states where the unemployment is 10% or more. Yet, even with all that is happening here, we have a ways to go (or do we?) before we are asked to risk our lives for the sake of the kingdom of God. Even in these hard times we are facing, we still are not suffering the life of a martyr for Christ.
But those Christians living today in India and China and so many other countries, and those many new Christian converts from Islam, all understand what it means to fear not the one who threatens to kill, and does kill, but rather to fear the one who can cast them (and us) into hell for denying His Name. They are risking their lives, literally, to believe in Jesus. [See “Voice of the Martyrs” Magazine began many years ago by a former religious prisoner tortured for Christ. The magazine reports on those countries all over the world where Christian persecution and killing is rampant even now.]
“For whosoever will be ashamed of me….” Powerful words to be remembered in this country where the name of “God” is being removed from every possible usage, and speaking the name of Jesus Christ brings out a raging anger in so many around us, even in our own families.
America is not guaranteed escape from evil times. Just as suddenly as these tragic times descended upon the ten Booms, they can descend upon us. But the Bible tells us that the evil to come will surpass that of the early Christian persecution (worse than being fed alive to the lions?) and it will surpass that of the evils of WWII (worse than execution squads, starvation, gas chambers, and burning furnaces that killed millions?)
Yes, worse than all of that. How then do we prepare for what is to come?
[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]
Monday, October 26, 2009
Christian Liberty
Hopefully, you have now read Romans 14. And hopefully, in that passage, you have discovered why I believe that neither Nollie, Corrie or Betsie sinned in either lying or not lying, as they saw fit to do.
“Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eatheth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks, and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.” (Romans 14:1-6 KJV)
“Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Romans 14: 22-23 KJV)
What I understand from Romans 14 is that Nollie believed that she was commanded by God not to lie, and so her faith was such that she had to stand firmly on that belief and act accordingly, even if it put another person’s (and her own) life in danger. God rewarded her because what she did, she did by faith. If Nollie, who had always believed this way, suddenly acted differently than what she had always believed, then she would have sinned. Perhaps, another person’s life had never been at stake before, so it took all the more courage to remain true to what she believed was true. Nevertheless, she acted properly according to her faith.
Corrie and Betsie, on the other hand, had faith that believed that God would allow them to lie in order to protect another person’s life. (An example of this is Rahab the prostitute in Jericho – Joshua 2:1-24 – who lied to protect two Israelites and yet she is listed in the book of Hebrews as having faith.) Corrie and Betsie acted according to their faith as well, and so God rewarded them by protecting all those for whom they lied, and delivering them safely.
The point is that we are to do nothing unless we do it by faith. “For without faith it is impossible to please God: for He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)
And we are to be true and consistent (not hypocrites) in our faith so that, once again, our actions match our words.
It helps me to remember what Romans 14 says regarding each of us believers being a servant of God and therefore God being our master, so why do we need to judge or worry about the actions of another brother or sister in the Lord, at least in matters that really don’t amount to that much according to God, it seems. Since God is your master, and you are His servant, I don’t need to involve myself much in your affairs of faith now, do I?
For me, this is a lesson about having the courage of my convictions….and also about having grace toward my fellow brother or sister in the Lord.
[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]
“Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eatheth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks, and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.” (Romans 14:1-6 KJV)
“Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Romans 14: 22-23 KJV)
What I understand from Romans 14 is that Nollie believed that she was commanded by God not to lie, and so her faith was such that she had to stand firmly on that belief and act accordingly, even if it put another person’s (and her own) life in danger. God rewarded her because what she did, she did by faith. If Nollie, who had always believed this way, suddenly acted differently than what she had always believed, then she would have sinned. Perhaps, another person’s life had never been at stake before, so it took all the more courage to remain true to what she believed was true. Nevertheless, she acted properly according to her faith.
Corrie and Betsie, on the other hand, had faith that believed that God would allow them to lie in order to protect another person’s life. (An example of this is Rahab the prostitute in Jericho – Joshua 2:1-24 – who lied to protect two Israelites and yet she is listed in the book of Hebrews as having faith.) Corrie and Betsie acted according to their faith as well, and so God rewarded them by protecting all those for whom they lied, and delivering them safely.
The point is that we are to do nothing unless we do it by faith. “For without faith it is impossible to please God: for He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)
And we are to be true and consistent (not hypocrites) in our faith so that, once again, our actions match our words.
It helps me to remember what Romans 14 says regarding each of us believers being a servant of God and therefore God being our master, so why do we need to judge or worry about the actions of another brother or sister in the Lord, at least in matters that really don’t amount to that much according to God, it seems. Since God is your master, and you are His servant, I don’t need to involve myself much in your affairs of faith now, do I?
For me, this is a lesson about having the courage of my convictions….and also about having grace toward my fellow brother or sister in the Lord.
[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]
Saturday, October 24, 2009
When Right Seems Wrong
[Just back today from Huatabampo, Mexico where we had a wonderful trip: helped build a church building for a very poor group of Mexican Christians (most of whom are new believers except for the very energetic pastor who led most of them to the Lord in the first place), helped the permanent missionaries down there in their work, gave our testimonies which were translated for us by some excellent Christian translators, and generally were blessed by God to have the opportunity to bless others! It was great! But I did miss being able to continue in our study. We left off in a situation regarding Nollie’s faith about complete and utter obedience to God…at all times and under all circumstances. So, back to our study…]
This is a difficult issue to grasp…Nollie’s kind of faith. Faith that says “I will be obedient to your Word, Lord, even when doing right seems to be the wrong thing to do.”
I don’t know whether or not Nollie was fearful when she opened her mouth to answer the question of whether or not the blonde woman standing next to her was a Jew, but being human as we are, I suspect that she was very fearful, both for the young Jewish girl’s life and for her own! But she was committed to obedience to God….and this commitment to be obedient to God began long before that particular test met her head-on in her own livingroom! And so she was able to pass the test. And when we see her later in her jail cell, whether she was fearful or not in the beginning, at some point soon thereafter she is actually singing praises to the Lord, she was so able to “rest” in HIS decision (although I suspect it took some prayerful “Are you sure about this God?”, much as David did.)
The answer can be found in Romans chapter 14. We’ll discuss it in more detail tomorrow. Meanwhile, you might want to read Romans 14 for yourselves.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
"I never thanked Him..."
Betsie’s response to Corrie’s statement about Jesus dying naked on the cross, cuts me to the core. How quickly she responded with thoughts of thankfulness in such an intensely evil place! Would I have done so in her place?
How often do I remember to thank the Lord in the normal course of a normal day for the very fact that it IS normal? Not often enough, I’m afraid.
And yet, in EVERYTHING we are instructed to give thanks. In wealth or poverty, in health or sickness, in good times or in bad times (Does it sound a little like marriage vows? And who would be the bridegroom?) If I forget to give thanks while in the good times, how will I possibly remember to do so in the bad times, as Betsie did?
It reminds me of the Israelites in the desert and their lack of thankfulness…I’m afraid I might have been one of them had I been alive then. Remember how they had been delivered from the Pharaoh’s hand where they were slaves, making mud bricks and hauling them all day long to build the cities of the Pharaoh. God allowed them to become slaves because of their thanklessness to begin with, and after 400 years of it, they had finally had enough and were crying out to God for deliverance! And so He gave them Moses, and delivered them. He brought them across the miraculously dried up Red Sea, He guided them with a cloud by day and fire by night, He set up His tabernacle in their midst (the mighty and holy God of Heaven living in a tent even as they did...a foreshadow of Jesus living in human form for us?), He fed them with miraculous manna from heaven. Yet, with all this, and even having seen the mighty miracles of God in their deliverance from Egypt, they soon began to grumble and complain, and of all things, to even wish they were back in captivity:
“…Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: but now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.” (Numbers 11:4-6 KJV)
…besides this manna? The miraculous manna? Did they not know they were complaining against GOD? Do WE not know that when we complain it is against GOD that we also are complaining as He allows everything that is in our lives to be there for His purposes? Sometimes we complain about the very miracle that He has placed in our lives to provide for us, but we’re so busy complaining we don’t see it as a miracle or a provision from God…we’re just bored with it and we want something new and fresh and different. Just like the Israelites. And God heard them, just as He always hears us.
And so they got quail. Boy, did they get quail!
A friend recently pointed out that the quail were two to three feet deep and a day’s walk in any direction…that’s how many quail suddenly surrounded their camp to provide them with meat. Each family gathered 10 homers (approximately 60 bushel baskets) worth! That’s a lot of quail!
But then they had done a lot of complaining! And in His wrath, God gave them all that they asked for…AND MORE! He said: “I will give you meat until it comes out your nostrils!” (Numbers 11:18-23 KJV) The image I get is of being so stuffed with quail that you would vomit it up and it would come out through your nose! Granted, not a pleasant image, but I’m pretty sure that if God said that’s how it would be, then that’s how it was!
But here’s the best part…even though they complained, non-stop it seems [see Numbers 20, and Numbers 21], God still loved them and longed for them to return His love, and gave them chance after chance to change. We would seldom give someone a second chance or even a third chance if they were so horribly ungrateful. Yet, that’s not showing the love of God, for His love is never-ending.
He always hoped they would turn back to Him in love and thanksgiving, but many of them never did. Not one of those who complained were allowed to enter into the promised land.
What does that tell us?
[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]
How often do I remember to thank the Lord in the normal course of a normal day for the very fact that it IS normal? Not often enough, I’m afraid.
And yet, in EVERYTHING we are instructed to give thanks. In wealth or poverty, in health or sickness, in good times or in bad times (Does it sound a little like marriage vows? And who would be the bridegroom?) If I forget to give thanks while in the good times, how will I possibly remember to do so in the bad times, as Betsie did?
It reminds me of the Israelites in the desert and their lack of thankfulness…I’m afraid I might have been one of them had I been alive then. Remember how they had been delivered from the Pharaoh’s hand where they were slaves, making mud bricks and hauling them all day long to build the cities of the Pharaoh. God allowed them to become slaves because of their thanklessness to begin with, and after 400 years of it, they had finally had enough and were crying out to God for deliverance! And so He gave them Moses, and delivered them. He brought them across the miraculously dried up Red Sea, He guided them with a cloud by day and fire by night, He set up His tabernacle in their midst (the mighty and holy God of Heaven living in a tent even as they did...a foreshadow of Jesus living in human form for us?), He fed them with miraculous manna from heaven. Yet, with all this, and even having seen the mighty miracles of God in their deliverance from Egypt, they soon began to grumble and complain, and of all things, to even wish they were back in captivity:
“…Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: but now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.” (Numbers 11:4-6 KJV)
…besides this manna? The miraculous manna? Did they not know they were complaining against GOD? Do WE not know that when we complain it is against GOD that we also are complaining as He allows everything that is in our lives to be there for His purposes? Sometimes we complain about the very miracle that He has placed in our lives to provide for us, but we’re so busy complaining we don’t see it as a miracle or a provision from God…we’re just bored with it and we want something new and fresh and different. Just like the Israelites. And God heard them, just as He always hears us.
And so they got quail. Boy, did they get quail!
A friend recently pointed out that the quail were two to three feet deep and a day’s walk in any direction…that’s how many quail suddenly surrounded their camp to provide them with meat. Each family gathered 10 homers (approximately 60 bushel baskets) worth! That’s a lot of quail!
But then they had done a lot of complaining! And in His wrath, God gave them all that they asked for…AND MORE! He said: “I will give you meat until it comes out your nostrils!” (Numbers 11:18-23 KJV) The image I get is of being so stuffed with quail that you would vomit it up and it would come out through your nose! Granted, not a pleasant image, but I’m pretty sure that if God said that’s how it would be, then that’s how it was!
But here’s the best part…even though they complained, non-stop it seems [see Numbers 20, and Numbers 21], God still loved them and longed for them to return His love, and gave them chance after chance to change. We would seldom give someone a second chance or even a third chance if they were so horribly ungrateful. Yet, that’s not showing the love of God, for His love is never-ending.
He always hoped they would turn back to Him in love and thanksgiving, but many of them never did. Not one of those who complained were allowed to enter into the promised land.
What does that tell us?
[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]
Monday, October 12, 2009
"Truth upon truth, glory upon glory"
Isaiah 28:9-10 says: “Whom shall He teach knowledge? And whom shall He make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.”
Ephesians 2:18-22: “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”
Thus does the Lord build His temple…and we are His temple. “Truth upon truth, glory upon glory” as Corrie wrote. “Precept upon precept, line upon line”, as Isaiah wrote. This is how God builds.
Corrie saw it so clearly.
But we should be seeing this in our lives as well. Perhaps we get impatient with the building process, but God knows when and where to place the next stone in this building. And what He builds no man can tear down.
Did I mention that Corrie was in her fifties and Betsie in her sixties when they were at Ravensbruck, going through all that they did? Two elderly spinster sisters. Yet, even at that age, look how much Corrie grew in faith and in the Lord. As long as we draw breath, the Lord works in us. He is not limited by any of our physical encumbrances of age or disability. I thank God for that!
But it is now, when we are not in desperate times as were Corrie and Betsie, that we must begin to have “confidence” in the Word of God. And one of the most precious promises that I have confidence in is:
Romans 8:28-31 – “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified. What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
Betsie and Corrie hardly knew what to do in their situation. It was so unique to anything they had ever experienced! So they just turned to God. And He did all that He had promised to do: He made all things work together for good to them; He caused them to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ; He called them, justified them, and glorified them. He did it all. All they had to do was turn to Him!
Same goes for us. Even now, in these not-so-good times. In preparation for any very terrible times that might come our way, either individually or as a country. So that we can be as victorious as Corrie and Betsie. What a joy to have such rest in the promises of God…joy that increases with each truth upon truth and each glory upon glory!
[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]
Friday, October 9, 2009
Grace to Stand
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Romans 5:1-5 KJV)
Can you “hear” the love of God and of the life of Jesus Christ being imparted to us in this passage of scripture? We can’t be in a hurry; we have to be still and quiet long enough to “hear”, or we’ll miss it! So, take your time, re-read this passage again, and again, and again. Perhaps, instead of gulping down this “bread of life”, you can take small bites and chew it thoroughly, drawing out of it all the spiritual nutrients your soul needs to live.
In the tribulations that Corrie and Betsie went through, can you “see” the refining work that was being done in them, through these tribulations? Can you see the potter molding the clay in these earthly vessels He was preparing for His use? Especially in Corrie. He used Betsie to teach, prepare, and encourage Corrie (some plant the seed, some water…see First Corinthians 3:6-9). When we get to the end of their story, we will see what tremendous and constant use He made of Corrie, well into her eighties. But in the process, He is chipping away at us, adding more to our knowledge of Him, and to our faith in Him, until He has the vessel that He can use. In all of this it is God who is doing the work, not us, as we merely surrender to His hand in our life.
Philippians 2:13 says: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”
I Peter 1:3-9: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: whom having not seen ye love: in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”
I believe Corrie and Betsie, having been tried in that fire, and receiving by faith the grace to stand in the midst of it, did also receive the end (result) of their faith, and are reunited with all of their family, even now, in the very presence of Jesus Christ.
May you and I meet them there some day. But until then, we have more to learn from them. ‘Til tomorrow!
[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]
Can you “hear” the love of God and of the life of Jesus Christ being imparted to us in this passage of scripture? We can’t be in a hurry; we have to be still and quiet long enough to “hear”, or we’ll miss it! So, take your time, re-read this passage again, and again, and again. Perhaps, instead of gulping down this “bread of life”, you can take small bites and chew it thoroughly, drawing out of it all the spiritual nutrients your soul needs to live.
In the tribulations that Corrie and Betsie went through, can you “see” the refining work that was being done in them, through these tribulations? Can you see the potter molding the clay in these earthly vessels He was preparing for His use? Especially in Corrie. He used Betsie to teach, prepare, and encourage Corrie (some plant the seed, some water…see First Corinthians 3:6-9). When we get to the end of their story, we will see what tremendous and constant use He made of Corrie, well into her eighties. But in the process, He is chipping away at us, adding more to our knowledge of Him, and to our faith in Him, until He has the vessel that He can use. In all of this it is God who is doing the work, not us, as we merely surrender to His hand in our life.
Philippians 2:13 says: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”
I Peter 1:3-9: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: whom having not seen ye love: in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”
I believe Corrie and Betsie, having been tried in that fire, and receiving by faith the grace to stand in the midst of it, did also receive the end (result) of their faith, and are reunited with all of their family, even now, in the very presence of Jesus Christ.
May you and I meet them there some day. But until then, we have more to learn from them. ‘Til tomorrow!
[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]
Monday, October 5, 2009
Faith Made Perfect
Just found another definition of faith in my Nelson Open Bible: faith is confidence in the testimony of another. Faith in God, then, would be defined as having confidence in the testimony of God (better known as His Word or the Bible). And going a bit further with the definition we would say: and acting in accordance with that confidence.
So now we know that faith without works is dead, and that works without faith is sin ("Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:22-23 KJV). What then is perfect faith?
The Book of James says: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” (James 2:21-22 KJV)
We see by this scripture that faith and works are intertwined in such a way, that without one (works), the other (faith) is not made perfect, and yet the works came out of Abraham’s faith in God (or Abraham’s confidence in the testimony of God) and, combined with the works, formed “perfect” faith.
We’re all familiar with chapter 11 of Hebrews that speaks so abundantly of faith, listing so many of the men and women of the bible whose faith was made perfect by their works. And then it finishes with these “works” of faith made perfect:
“…who through faith:
- subdued kingdoms,
- wrought righteousness,
- obtained promises,
- stopped the mouths of lions,
- quenched the violence of fire,
- escaped the edge of the sword,
- out of weakness were made strong,
- waxed valiant in fight,
- turned to flight the armies of the aliens,
- women received their dead raised to life again,
- and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection,
- and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment,
- they were stoned,
- they were sawn asunder,
- they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins,
- being destitute, afflicted, tormented, (of whom the world was not worthy),
- they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:33-40 KJV)
The ten Boom family is in that list somewhere, even though you do not see their names written. Betsie, herself is one that did not receive the promises, although God showed her in visions what was to come. She died without seeing them, yet she believed. And Corrie believed and lived to witness them all, as even some of us are doing through the reading of this book.
May ALL of us BELIEVERS, having confidence in the knowledge that Jesus Christ resides within us, walk in perfect faith by the power of HIM WHO WAS PERFECT.
[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]
So now we know that faith without works is dead, and that works without faith is sin ("Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:22-23 KJV). What then is perfect faith?
The Book of James says: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” (James 2:21-22 KJV)
We see by this scripture that faith and works are intertwined in such a way, that without one (works), the other (faith) is not made perfect, and yet the works came out of Abraham’s faith in God (or Abraham’s confidence in the testimony of God) and, combined with the works, formed “perfect” faith.
We’re all familiar with chapter 11 of Hebrews that speaks so abundantly of faith, listing so many of the men and women of the bible whose faith was made perfect by their works. And then it finishes with these “works” of faith made perfect:
“…who through faith:
- subdued kingdoms,
- wrought righteousness,
- obtained promises,
- stopped the mouths of lions,
- quenched the violence of fire,
- escaped the edge of the sword,
- out of weakness were made strong,
- waxed valiant in fight,
- turned to flight the armies of the aliens,
- women received their dead raised to life again,
- and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection,
- and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment,
- they were stoned,
- they were sawn asunder,
- they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins,
- being destitute, afflicted, tormented, (of whom the world was not worthy),
- they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:33-40 KJV)
The ten Boom family is in that list somewhere, even though you do not see their names written. Betsie, herself is one that did not receive the promises, although God showed her in visions what was to come. She died without seeing them, yet she believed. And Corrie believed and lived to witness them all, as even some of us are doing through the reading of this book.
May ALL of us BELIEVERS, having confidence in the knowledge that Jesus Christ resides within us, walk in perfect faith by the power of HIM WHO WAS PERFECT.
[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Faith: Belief in Action
I have begun this posting about three different times, trying to approach faith from several different angles, I believe. But in the end, all I can say is this: the strength of our faith is not dependent upon the size of our faith (Jesus said that if we had faith the size of a mustard seed we could move mountains – see Matthew 17:20). Rather, the strength of our faith is dependent on the size of the “object” of our faith: GOD. So how big is God to you? And which of us doubts HIS strength? It’s impossible to doubt Who He is, for we only need to look around us and say to ourselves: “God was able to create all that I see by just ‘speaking’ it into being. Then He created man. What is there that He is not able to do? Nothing!” So, you must know WHO it is you are putting your faith (or trust) in. And there you have faith. Or do you?
For many believe that God is able to do all things, and yet many of those same folks live lives that show that while they ‘say’ they trust God, their actions indicate that they really believe that they have to rely upon themselves or others for the things they need, sometimes even for their salvation, rather than relying completely and totally on God. I think this is an important part of faith that many of us miss: that our actions must match our words. When they don’t match, then our lack of faith is showing.
The book of James says: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:19-20 KJV) In other words, while ‘believing’ is a good and necessary thing, it amounts to nothing (“is dead”) if it isn’t shown to be ‘alive’ with corresponding actions that give proof to the fact that we do, in fact, believe that what God says is true.
Many of us try to put the cart before the horse, in this case, works before faith; and in doing so, we sin. We try to please God by our actions, and hope that because of our actions we will please Him and He will love us; rather than knowing (by faith) how much He already loves us, and then allowing our actions to flow out of our love and gratitude for Him. We must know that our actions gain us nothing, for we already have all that we need from God in Christ Jesus. Hebrew 11:6 says: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
Our actions are simply a demonstration of the faith we have in God. Our God is:
…..the same God who “so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 KJV);
…the same God who “commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 KJV);
…the same God who “loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10 KJV);
…the same God who “hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1 John 5:11-12 KJV).
Perhaps the most important aspect of faith (or what we believe to be true about God) is that He loved us enough to die for us, even though we were such sinners, and that He loves us still. When we believe that to be true, that He loved even the despicable sinners that we were, then it becomes very easy to love all others, even those who have sinned against us, knowing that God loves them equally as He does us, and that He died for them as well. Then our actions, as those of the ten Boom family, will speak clearly of our faith in God.
[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]
For many believe that God is able to do all things, and yet many of those same folks live lives that show that while they ‘say’ they trust God, their actions indicate that they really believe that they have to rely upon themselves or others for the things they need, sometimes even for their salvation, rather than relying completely and totally on God. I think this is an important part of faith that many of us miss: that our actions must match our words. When they don’t match, then our lack of faith is showing.
The book of James says: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:19-20 KJV) In other words, while ‘believing’ is a good and necessary thing, it amounts to nothing (“is dead”) if it isn’t shown to be ‘alive’ with corresponding actions that give proof to the fact that we do, in fact, believe that what God says is true.
Many of us try to put the cart before the horse, in this case, works before faith; and in doing so, we sin. We try to please God by our actions, and hope that because of our actions we will please Him and He will love us; rather than knowing (by faith) how much He already loves us, and then allowing our actions to flow out of our love and gratitude for Him. We must know that our actions gain us nothing, for we already have all that we need from God in Christ Jesus. Hebrew 11:6 says: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
Our actions are simply a demonstration of the faith we have in God. Our God is:
…..the same God who “so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 KJV);
…the same God who “commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 KJV);
…the same God who “loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10 KJV);
…the same God who “hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1 John 5:11-12 KJV).
Perhaps the most important aspect of faith (or what we believe to be true about God) is that He loved us enough to die for us, even though we were such sinners, and that He loves us still. When we believe that to be true, that He loved even the despicable sinners that we were, then it becomes very easy to love all others, even those who have sinned against us, knowing that God loves them equally as He does us, and that He died for them as well. Then our actions, as those of the ten Boom family, will speak clearly of our faith in God.
[This blog is an ongoing study of the lives and the faith of Christian women who have experienced and demonstrated victorious living through Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The current study is about Corrie ten Boom which began on September 21, 2009.]
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