W.A.I.T. Part 4: Fellowship Beats Self-Reliance

Genesis 2:18 "The LORD God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.'"

Living in America has effectively brainwashed the masses into assuming that they can do everything on their own. We are to just "pull ourselves up by our bootstraps" and soldier on through life, giving no thought to anybody else. This is exactly the kind of thinking I'm sure God frowns upon. As was highlighted in the verse at the top of this post, God desires for His people to have community and to rely on one another, not our own strength. This is exactly why Eve was created out of Adam's rib; to be his companion. God knew that Adam needed a helper, so He created a suitable one so that Adam would not get lonely in the Garden.
The same goes for us today. We are to be in community with one another in order to create the unifying Body of Christ. Romans 12:4-5 outlines this point by stating, "For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Each and every person has a specific function within the body, and it is only when we all work together that we can find harmony. No single person has all of the answers, which is why we must turn to our brothers and sisters within the church for help. Not only can they assist us with our questions, but our fellow Christians can also pray for us and hold us accountable. If we stumble, we don't want to be alone. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 serves as a wonderful example of why we need each other: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."
Just this past week I had to remind myself about the benefits of the Body of Christ. I had a job interview on Thursday and I had mentioned it to my family earlier in the week so that they could pray for me. They urged me to share with other members of my Bible study group, but I'll admit that my first response to this idea was that I didn't want to ask for prayers. My gut reaction was that it was selfish to have others focus their prayers on me and my job interview, but then it hit me. It was even more selfish to rely on myself to get through the job interview without asking others for their prayers and support. Once I thought about it in that light, I immediately passed on the message to a handful of my friends at Bible study to please hold me in prayer, which they did gratefully. It was a great learning experience for me to remember to humble myself enough to ask for help instead of just relying on myself.
The Body of Christ is also a great place to eagerly seek counsel from others. The Book of Proverbs highlights the benefits of having others to counsel us. Proverbs 15:22 relays, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed," while Proverbs 18:1 expresses, "An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels." It is only when we express our plans to others that we succeed and avoid silly quarrels with others. When we think only of ourselves and not how our decisions might impact others around us, that is when we can run into trouble. It is best to seek the wisdom of others around us who are outside the situation in order to gain a different perspective on how to handle a particular set of circumstances.
Lastly, it is best to try and leave at peace with one another because we are essentially one big family. In Ephesians 4:2-3, it says, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." This doesn't mean that everyday is going to be happy-hunky-dory, but if we strive to be patient with each other, we are better off in the long run. It is better to try and include everybody because nobody should feel like an outcast amongst other believers. Today, I was grateful for an elderly couple to extend an offer for me to join them for lunch at the local diner. Little did they know that I was dealing with a bit of anxiety because I felt a bit out of place surrounded by the numerous people, along with feeling disappointed over the reminder that my own grandmother has decided to cut herself off from her family. It was a moment that I felt quite lost and was questioning if I was indeed a part of the community, but their invitation served as a pleasant reminder that I am loved and hold a place of value within the Body of Christ. My goal is to continue to remind myself that I have a place within the community and that it is best to turn to others when I feel lost, rather than depend on myself. Not until I fully grasp this concept will I be able to thrive as a Christian.

Evangelism

Mark 16:15-16 "He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.'"

Matthew 28:19-20 "'Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"   
The original disciples were commanded by Jesus to go out and preach the Gospel. This was the first call for evangelism, and it continues for every generation of Christians. As believers, were are to go out into the world and share the Good News with all, in the hope of planting seeds so that God can call more of His people back and bless them with saving grace. This takes much courage because we will face much mocking from those around us, or worse, depending on the area in which you choose to share the Gospel. There are countries in which Christianity is considered illegal, with death being the punishment. But we must remember that fear of man should never be something to stand in our way. Instead, our focus needs to be on the lost and broken people on Earth who are in desperate need of a redeeming Savior. Matthew 9:37-38 should be the driving force behind everybody's desire to enter the mission field, whether at home, work, or in a foreign land: "Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'" There are so many people who still know hardly anything about Jesus or have yet to accept Him into their hearts, and it is every Christian's job to bring the message of hope to all. It'll probably be much easier to reach those who have never heard the Gospel because they are eager to learn more and soak up the Son. But sharing with these people typically involves the most danger because people who know little about the Gospel tend to be those who live in countries where it is forbidden.
Evangelism is definitely no easy task. I have already mentioned some of the issues that people might face. In my opinion, though, the hardest people to reach are the rich, who love possessions, and those who were either raised in the church and claim to still be Christians, or those who go through the motions of being Christian, but do not have Jesus in their hearts. They are not open to rebuke. As C.S. Lewis stated, ‎"A world of nice people, content in their own niceness, looking no further, turned away from God, would be just as desperately in need of salvation as a miserable world - and might even be more difficult to save." These people feel that they are doing well by their own standards, and thus refuse to compare themselves to God's standards. They are much like the Pharisees who lived in the time of Jesus, who were merely hypocrites. This is why Jesus reminds us to not continuously butt heads with such individuals in Matthew 10:16 ~ "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." Know when to walk away and move onto others in need of the Gospel. Remember that only God can open people's hearts to Jesus, so don't get discouraged or feel unworthy. You are merely following through with Jesus' command in the hopes that God will draw others close to Him and fill them with the Holy Spirit.
In conclusion, allow God to guide your steps into the mission field. Use His Word as a means of discernment to help determine your direction. Some might be called to evangelize at home, while others the jungle, desert, or arctic. One thing to remember, though, is to walk the narrow path of Jesus in order to be an example of a true believer to those around you each and everyday. Others should look to you and wonder what you have that they don't. Do not end up living like the people C.S. Lewis mentioned in this passage: "When Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well, we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world...Our careless lives set the outer world talking; and we give them grounds for talking in a way that throws doubt on the truth of Christianity itself."

Abandon Worldy Living and Live for Jesus

How many times have you heard someone say they will kick their bad habits tomorrow? Or they promise to start improving their lifestyle in the morning? As a recent college graduate, I have spent evenings with friends at bars or parties and the next morning, after they suffer from a horrible hangover, listened to them declare that they will never drink again. Then of course the next weekend comes and I come to find out that they went out and got drunk all over again. It's sad that people don't keep their word, but it's even sadder that they choose to not put the effort in to change their bad habits that they clearly know are bad.
When we were all born into this world, we were born into a sinful lifestyle; one that does not respect or honor God. We have the ability to choose: God or Satan's world? This choice has to be a proactive one, though. We cannot just say, "I believe in God," and let it stop there. We need to completely reinvent ourselves in order to be more Christlike. Once you decide to be born not of this world, but of Christ, "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness," according to Romans 6:18. Instead of allowing sin to have control of your heart and life, allow God to change it so that you are remodelled closer to the image of Christ. By renewing yourself, you become more capable of doing God's work here on Earth. This is in line with the thinking in Ephesians 2:10, which declares, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
While here on Earth, we are not to live for ourselves, but for God. Once we are set free from sin because we realize what Jesus sacrificed for us on the cross, we should have this overwhelming desire to promote the goodness of the Lord to all people in order to bear fruit. Our good works cannot save us because we are saved by grace alone (Ephesians 2:8), but we should always be trying to live for God so that others can be drawn closer to Him when they see His light shining through us. We need to remember that we are not our own. We are here to live for Christ, but it is your decision on how well you are used. 2 Timothy 2:20-21 states, "In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special uses and some are for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work." From this passage, one should grasp that they can either be special or common. I bet most would desire to be special, but that requires more work. One must consciously work to rid blatant sin from their lives in order to be the best use to the Lord. As a born again, He will use you no matter what, but your effectiveness on others will be limited if you are still caught up in blatant sin. God warns us in 1 Peter 2:15-16 to not abuse our freedom in Him: "For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves."
Many might feel that it is hard to avoid blatant sins, and I would have to agree with them. Any bad habit or addiction is hard to crack. I personally have a bit of a caffeine addiction that I am determined to break, so I have stopped drinking Pepsi in order to improve my health. It definitely has not been easy because I have had to deal with withdrawal headaches, but I am determined to kick the habit. The easiest way for me to do this is to just avoid all Pepsi products to reduce the temptation. This is the exact same way someone should approach dealing with blatant sin in their lives: avoidance. 2 Timothy 2:22-24 recommends we, "Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful." Avoiding the evil desires of youth will help you reduce the blatant sin in your life. Also, by avoiding arguments and foolish quarrels, the respect people have for you will slowly grow. This can be used as a teaching tool because if someone asks about your self control, you can share with them about Jesus. Avoiding quarrels also helps you live out the following proverb: Proverbs 12:18 ~ "The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." By ending up in fruitless quarrels, you end up cutting down the other person, which highlights your sinful nature. By demonstrating restraint and avoidance of quarrels, you appear wise, which can be attributed to living your life for Christ. The teachings of Christ always bring healing to people's hearts because everybody needs a Savior.
My recommendation to you is to put effort into avoiding blatant sin in order to live your life for Christ. Try your best to share the Word with someone everyday in order to guide them to the Lord. This does not have to be a deep theological discussion. It can be a passing comment like, "God blessed us with a beautiful day," or, "Yes, I attend church on Sunday." Have the courage to express your faith in order to evangelize to others because that is why we are here as slaves to God and righteousness. We must share the Good News with all so that they too might be saved. The beauty of this is that you can start in your hometown. There is no need to go to another state or country. You can minister to those you work with, go to school with, or those who serve you coffee. The world is your mission field and it is up to you when to demonstrate your courage and live for Christ by sharing the Word.

Seek God's Wisdom in Times of Turmoil: Gaining Discernment and Guarding Your Heart After or From Betrayal

Betrayal is always hard to swallow. Anger and panic tend to ensue when we choose to live in our flesh, as opposed to turning to God. And even when we pray for understanding and forgiveness, it can be hard to get rid of the bitter taste left behind in our mouths. King David speaks of the pain endured when facing betrayal. Some believe that Psalm 55:12-14 mirrors the betrayal Jesus felt when Judas turned him over to the authorities. This passage states, "If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God."
Our first instinct might be to harden our hearts towards whoever has betrayed us. This never solves anything and only harms your peace of mind in the long run. Immediate forgiveness also is not a smart route because it does not allow for complete healing internally. One can claim to have forgiven someone, but if anger and bitterness are still anchored in their heart, true forgiveness and healing have not taken place.
I found some intriguing words from Reverend Douglas Showalter on this topic. In an article entitled Forgiveness: Through Gritted Teeth or a Journey of the Heart?, he speaks about how many feel it is their "Christian duty" to forgive others quickly. The following is his response to this misconception:
"I ask you: aren't there times when you and I have the intense heat of coals burning within us? Someone deeply wrongs us or betrays us, and suddenly a coal fire is ignited within us. Our chests burn with pain, with anger, and sometimes even with the desire to get revenge: to hurt the one who has hurt us--or our loved ones--so wrongly. Fiery red coals burn within us. But then we are told, by a well-meaning friend--or our own guilty conscience--that to be a good Christian, we must always forgive quickly and completely. We Christians often assume it's a law of our faith--virtually carved in stone--that we should always forgive quickly. But let me ask you, have you ever tried to put out a coal fire quickly? It usually can't be done. Oh yes, one can dump buckets of water in a hot cast-iron stove, and likely see the stove itself break up. But short of that, it takes time for burning coals to be extinguished. And so I think it is after a serious injury: I think it usually takes time for our pain, anger, and any ill will we may feel, to be extinguished. For like fiery red coals, our deeply negative feelings rarely go out in an instant--just because we want them to. Usually, it takes time to be rid of these things. In fact, it takes a process of inner healing--and such healing cannot be rushed."
We are called to maintain unity with fellow Christians, so reconciliation after forgiveness is the best policy in the long run. That does not mean that a relationship will be normalized overnight. It takes time to mend from betrayal and this process must not be forced or expedited. In my opinion, one should never rush into forgiveness. It'll take patience to move past the awkward stages when you first encounter those who have hurt you in the past, but with some conscious effort, one day things will be okay again. Much like a crumpled piece of paper, it takes time to iron out all of the creases.
During these times, it is best to seek discernment from God's Word in order to protect oneself from future betrayal, and also to determine how to respond to one who has betrayed you. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life." This bit of wisdom suggests that we should not rush into matters of the heart, whether it is an intimate relationship with the opposite sex or a new friendship. Other advice on this matter can be found within Proverbs 12:26 ~ "A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray." I believe these proverbs can also be applied to friendships that one already holds. You might be called to re-evaluate the impact that certain individuals have on your life and how they shape you. God has a purpose for each person He brings into your life, but you must pray for discernment in order for that purpose to be revealed to you.
God also warns us to be discerning when we encounter the following types of individuals: false friends and those of poor character. In order to protect our hearts, we must become acutely aware of these two types of individuals. The first that I am going to address is the false friend. These individuals feign interest in your life and put on a really good act of compassion, but it is only for their own gain. These individuals believe that they can use you at their own convenience and see no harm in doing so because they are unaware of anybody else's happiness or well-being. They prey on people to meet their own needs and then move on once they are satisfied. In the long run, the whole friendship is just a fallacy. The Book of Psalms warns us to be on the lookout for such individuals. Psalm 28:3 states, "Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts" while Psalm 55:21 puts it this way: "His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords."

Individuals of poor character can also impact our lives in a negative fashion if we don't protect ourselves. We can easily be lead astray by those individuals that we strive to be friends with because they appear to be popular in society. Little do we realize that these people travel the wide path to destruction, rather than the narrow path that leads to life. That is why Proverbs 13:20 says, "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." I'm not saying that you should avoid certain people in society, but I am suggesting that you maintain your morals and judgement when difficult situations arise with these people. They will most likely pressure you into trying things that make you uncomfortable. Anybody who does that really does not have your best interests in mind. If they make it seem like you won't be cool or won't be accepted by them, it might be best to just walk away. Try not to fall for these traps because, as 1 Corinthians 15:33 states, "Do not be misled:'Bad company corrupts good character." The longer you remain in the company of these individuals, the more you will turn into them if you are not discerning, for we all try to emulate our friends or supposed friends. In the end, be sure to pray to the Lord to seek His wisdom and guidance in all situations in order to protect your heart and determine what people should be a part of your life.