There is so much to say and so little time.
These are perilous times.
Hard to do, to take, to approach. Hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous. Harsh, fierce, savage. (Thayer's Greek Lexicon)
Some worry about the times. They worry about the lack of their training, the overreaches of the authorities, and the attention of the people.
Some worry, while some have grown bored, others impatient, many slumber and sleep.
The faith we once held dear has been reduced down to nothing more than words on a page. Words we’ve heard 100 times over. And in hearing them so frequently, they’ve grown familiar. And in growing familiar we’ve begun to discount them as elementary and despise them as insufficient for the task at hand.
This tragedy has grown to the point that now when we repeat the words, because we do still repeat them, we repeat them each time a little more lackluster than the last.
What we are left with is a fading of the glory of these words, rather than, “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away.” (1 Peter 1:4)
“What can we do? How can we survive? Tell us what works!” shout the faded ones.
Pray.
“Insufficient,” they shout!
Read the Word.
“Boring,” they declare!
Obey.
“Too hard, none will follow,” they plead!
Some worry, while some have grown bored, others impatient, many slumber and sleep, we must not be of this type. Instead, we must be those who “carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions.” (2 Timothy 3:10-11)
And in carefully following, we must also “continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of.” (2 Timothy 3:14)
Pray. Read. Obey.
And when we pray, let us pray in secret, pray for others and pray together, never ceasing to make our requests known to God for all things.
When we read, let us read from end to end, meditating on the words, believing them to be sufficient for all things.
And when we obey, let us do exactly what it says, not adding, not taking away, especially as it relates to preaching the full Gospel, discipleship, love, holiness, and walking in the Spirit in all things.
Pray. Read. Obey.
Why only these methods? Why can we not expand upon them to our suiting?
An example from our nation’s past will help us here.
By 1742, the Great Awakening was in full swing across New England, and questions had been raised around the legitimacy of the methods being used.
As a response, Jonathan Edwards published, “Some Thoughts on the Present Revival of Religion.” An excerpt below:
Indeed God has not taken that course, nor made use of those means, to begin and carry on this great work, which men in their wisdom would have thought most advisable, if he had asked their counsel; but quite the contrary.
But it appears to me that the great God has wrought like himself, in the manner of carrying on this work; so as very much to show his own glory, exalt his own sovereignty, power and all-sufficiency.
He has poured contempt on all that human strength, wisdom, prudence, and sufficiency which men have been wrought to trust, and to glory in.
‘And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.’ Isaiah 2:17
We have some counsel, some strength, some wisdom. God, on the other hand, has all sovereignty, all power, all-sufficiency and will get all the glory, “The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.”
In these last days, these perilous times, God will again reveal Himself to be all and above all. Some will be bowed down, others made low, we, however, must be those who, “looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.” (Psalm 34:5)
We must hear the call and enter the breach.
Once more unto the breach.
Once more and once and for all.
Into the breach.
What is this breach? Dietrich Bonhoeffer explains it well in his book, “The Cost of Discipleship,” written 1937.
Until quite recently these men [the disciples] had been completely identified with the multitude, they were just like the rest. Then came the call of Jesus, and at once they left all and followed him.
Since then they have belonged to him, body and soul…they have renounced everything at his call.
By calling us he has cut us off from all immediacy with the things of the world. He wants to be the centre, through him alone all things shall come to pass. He stands between us and God, and for that very reason he stands between us and all other men and things. He is the Mediator!
This breach with all our immediate relationships is inescapable.
We cannot follow Christ unless we are prepared to accept and affirm that breach as a fair accompli [an accomplished and inescapable fact].
We must hear the call, leave everything, belong to Him completely, fix our eyes ever on Him and enter the breach.
Once more unto the breach.
Once more and once and for all.
Into the breach.
In love,
Derek