Afflictions and trials

Faith Makes Us Courageous

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

“So he sent horses and chariots and a heavy military force there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. Then the attendant of the man of God arose early and went out, and behold, a military force with horses and chariots was all around the city. And his young man said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he said, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”” (2 Kings 6:14–16, LSB)

Yesterday I wrote that “sin makes us stupid.” You can read that post here. But in the continuing saga of Elisha, we also see that faith makes us courageous.

The King of Aram was determined to get Elisha and silence him. He sent what is described in 2 Kings 6:14 as ancluded not only armed soldiers but also horses and chariots “heavy military force,” which i. Not that any of that scares God, or even Elisha. But it did scare Elisha’s servant.

Can you imagine that poor young man? He got up in the morning and probably went out to the well to make some of that good dark roast Damascus coffee for himself and his master, and what does he see? An enormous army at his front door! Maybe he backed up slowly. Maybe he screamed like a child. Who knows how he reacted initially, but what we read is that he reported to his master his dismay: “What shall we do?”

Elisha’s reaction is calm and cool. He doesn’t rush to look out the window. He doesn’t start pacing or figuring out how he can talk himself out of being killed or arrested. He doesn’t begin counting up all his valuables to see if he has enough to bribe the commander of this grand army. Nope. Elisha, in my imagination, takes a slow sip of his coffee and smiles as he tells the servant to calm down.

“Don’t be afraid,” he says to his attendant. Elisha seems to know something that this young man doesn’t. Don’t panic? Don’t be afraid? Clearly, Elisha didn’t have a full grasp of his faculties. How could they not panic? How could they not be afraid? Today they were most likely going to die. At best, they would be imprisoned and beaten! Don’t be afraid?

The servant saw a great army of the enemy of Israel, but Elisha knew that there is more out there than what our limited human eyes can see. We might be tempted to think that Elisha could see more, but the Bible doesn’t say he saw anything. I think he could only see what his young man could see—an overwhelming situation that would make all of us panic. So what gives? Why was Elisha so calm?

The prophet of God knew what all people of faith know—that this world is made up of material and immaterial realities. We cannot see all that is before us. But with the eyes of faith, we can entrust ourselves to the God who sees it all. Not only could God see the King of Aram, but He can also see our predicaments as well. Elisha knew this, and thus, he was cool and settled even if he didn’t see anything more than his servant.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (LSB). Elisha took the opportunity to show his young servant (as well as Israel, and us too), what only faith understands, that God is greater than any problem we face. He is a Warrior and King, and He is our Defender and Shield. God tells us that in His Word, so we need to believe Him for what He has said. But for our benefit, Elisha prayed that the curtain, just this once, would be pulled back so that our feeble, faithless eyes could see what is ordinarily invisible. And wow!

Elisha wasn’t afraid. Not because he could see the unseen. But because He believed God with the eyes of faith. And that faith makes men and women of God courageous in the face of troubling circumstances. However it might look, we need to remember that God is in control, and there is much more at play behind the scenes than we will ever know.

Finding Hope in Chaos: Isaiah 6:1 Reflection

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

“In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, with the train of His robe filling the temple.” (Isaiah 6:1, LSB)

Over the last couple of days, I have watched as the world ponders what could have been, and what might be.

  • A former US President and current candidate for the United States Presidency was almost assassinated.
  • Today, the headlines are swirling around a major tech upheaval as computer systems all over the world are causing problems for airlines, 911 emergency systems, banking, and a host of other issues related to our hyper-networked world.
  • And if that wasn’t enough, the calls for the current President of the United States to step out of the race due to growing concerns within the Democratic party over his ability to win his race against Donald Trump.

If I may, I want to jump back to the days that the words of Isaiah were written to connect some dots for my Christian readers. King Uzziah’s fall is described in 2 Chronicles 26:16-23. Although this king of Judah had started off well, his latter days were lived in the hous of a leper because he forgot who he was before God. This is a point we all need to watch for in our own lives. Our success is a matter of God’s grace upon us, and we need to watch our own hearts lest we well up with pride, the downfall of so many.

However, a more significant point touched my heart this morning as I meditated on the current events in our world, particularly in the US. The downfall and death of Uzziah must have been a shocking blow to the kingdom. This king, who was undoubtedly loved because of his faithfulness and care for his people, reigned over his kingdom for 52 years, taking the throne at the tender age of 16 (2Chron 26:3). America has never had a president reign in office for anywhere close to that time. The news of how he was stricken by God with leprosy in judgment must have been a severe blow to the nation, and then his eventual death must have brought the whole kingdom into a deep sense of mourning.

But Isaiah 6:1 is a passage that we need to ponder for our days. We could insert our own national calamities…

  • “In the year that Donald Trump was almost assassinated…”
  • “In the year that computer systems crashed and left our nation paralyzed…”
  • “In the year that two planes were flown into the twin towers in New York city…”
  • “In the year that…”

Who knows what will come tomorrow or next week? It seems like so much is coming quickly that we hardly have any time to breathe. How does the Christian faith deal with such chaotic times? Let’s read the rest of Isaiah 6:1: “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, with the train of His robe filling the temple.“

While the kingdom of Judah was reeling in national grief and possibly confusion and fear for what would happen next, we read that the Lord God was sitting upon His throne, exalted. How does the Christian faith deal with an assassination attempt, a tech meltdown, a coup, war, a terrorist attack, or any other tragedy and upheaval that might come? We look to the heavens and recognize that our God is still in control and that He never lost it.

I am praying for America–for our current President, Vice President, and every other elected official. I am also praying for the many candidates who are running for office, including former President Donald Trump. I’m not simply praying for healing and protection for Donald Trump, but I recognize that all men will die one day in some manner. I am praying that America will look beyond the red, white, and blue into the heavens above and see that there is a Throne and He who is sitting on it is still in control. No matter what happens here in America or elsewhere on this planet–He knows, and He rules over it all. I pray that our president–whoever he is, bows his head in humble submission, recognizing that his every breath is given to him as a gift from God, and He alone sustains and removes it.

So, dear Christian friend, don’t fret. God is firmly seated upon His throne. No matter what comes, place your trust–not in men, nations, money, political parties, or any other idol–no, put your trust in Jesus Christ because He alone holds all power and authority.

The Blessings of Hardship

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

“And you shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. And He humbled you and let you be hungry and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh.” (Deuteronomy 8:2–3, LSB)

Who would choose to be “humbled?” I wouldn’t and apparently Israel didn’t choose this path either, but the Lord God chose it for them as He led the people through the wilderness and forty long years of lessons for the greater good of His people.

The word “humble” can stir up different connotations in people’s minds. You might picture a quiet person, someone who looks down at the floor to avert their eyes away from direct contact. Perhaps they are poorer, and a little ashamed of their status in life. Whatever your picture of humility might be, the word used in Deuteronomy 8:2-3 would better be understood as “humiliated.” The Hebrew verb (‘nh) can refer to one who is “bowed down, afflicted, wretched, emaciated.” Such a person fits with the person who is described above–except the passage above states that it was the Lord who actively brought about this humiliation. It is connected to the testing of Israel for the Lord to know the true condition of their heart as a nation.

There is a lot to unpack here, such as why God, who knows all things, would seek to discover the heart condition of His people. What I want to focus on has to do with the fact that God actively allowed the hardship and difficult conditions of Israel in their forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Why would He do that?

During that time, Israel needed to learn some lessons that can only be learned by experience. The people had been in Egypt as slaves for a long time and they had picked up some bad habits and practices. Although God had promised their forefather Abraham that He would save them out of slavery, they had grown accustomed to their situation and dependence upon their captors. Their exposure to the gods of Egypt also apparently had an impact upon them as well since they seemed alarmingly prepared to put pagan gods in the place of their God, as they did with the golden calf incident.

In addition to their longing to return to slavery in Egypt, they had also become proficient in discontentment and complaining. As slaves, we would think that they would be happy to be free, but the biblical record shows that this wasn’t the case. Even as slaves, they felt their lives were easier than they were in their freedom.

To help rid them of these sinful habits and attitudes, the Lord gave put them in a place where they had nothing. No homeland, no farmland, no buildings, no water, no food, no clothes, nothing. When they became hungry, they couldn’t go to the garden, the river, or the market. When they became thirsty, they couldn’t go to the well or the river. They could not plant crops because they constantly were on the move, and the wilderness was inhospitable and waterless. When they cried that it was better in Egypt, this wasn’t an exaggeration.

But the people of Israel needed to have everything taken away so they could be “bowed down, afflicted, wretched, emaciated.” As weak and broken people, they were needy. Even in their slavery, they were a proud people. Don’t believe me? When Jesus told the Jews that the truth would make them free, they answered this way: “They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s seed and have never yet been enslaved to anyone. How is it that You say, You will become free?’” (John 8:33, LSB). Never been enslaved? They had been enslaved many times! But to the proud people of Israel, their physical captivity did not reflect their outlook.

This was why God needed to humble them. Their hunger and thirst made them dependent in a way that they had not been dependent upon their Egyptian masters. But their Master, the Lord God was using this humiliation for their greater good. When they needed water, He richly supplied it. When they needed food, He gave it to them daily. He did not allow their clothing or shoes to wear out for their entire captivity, and He gave them godly leaders in Moses, Aaron, and the elders of Israel.

The lessons learned in the wilderness were more than the fact that God supplied their needs. The biggest lesson that they were taught, and one we need to learn as well, is that we need God. Not “need,” like we need wifi internet service. No, “need” like we need oxygen to breathe. We are dependent upon Him moment by moment for everything. And for life, this especially means we need to hear from Him, from “everything that proceeds from the mouth of Yahweh.” And if that requires going through some humbling circumstances so He can get our attention, we shouldn’t grumble and complain, but rather we should thank Him for the fact that He cares for us so much that He pursues us even when we have become distracted by so many other things in this world.

Facing the Future With Hope

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

It is a bright and relatively warm day today here in West Michigan, where often this time of year is cold and dreary. The sun shining brightly will soon enough give way to dark skies, bitter cold, ice, and shorter daylight hours. For a person who has lived his whole life in sunny Southern California, the darkness can feel oppressive at times.

The winters in Michigan can sometimes echo the spiritual and cultural climate we are feeling right now. The darkness and gloom seem to grow, and we are only at the beginning of winter. Certainly, there will be bright days, when the clouds will part and the sun will peek through. But soon enough, the clouds will return and the bleakness will return. Winter must run its course, and so must human history.

Hebrews 6 gives some excellent counsel as Christians think about how to face the future–with realism, and hope. Today I’d like to point out three truths that I found to be particularly comforting:

  1. When Facing An Unknown Future, We Must Rely on God’s Certain Promises.

“For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “I WILL GREATLY BLESS YOU AND I WILL GREATLY MULTIPLY YOU.” (Hebrews 6:13–14, LSB)

When the Lord spoke to Abram and told him to take his family out of Ur of the Chaldeans, we need to remember that He didn’t tell Abram where he was going. And after the Lord told Abraham that He would make him the father of many nations, He didn’t explain in detail how this would happen. In each step of God’s plan, Abraham was in the dark and was only able to walk by faith and not by sight. God doesn’t owe us a full explanation of His plan and how it will all work out. He often doesn’t give us His plan to review and approve. Most of the time, we just need to step out in faith and go where He sends us trusting that He will work it all out in the end.

In the above verses (Heb 6:12-14), the writer of Hebrews reminds the Christians that he is writing to that all the promises of God are based upon the bedrock of God Himself. Governments, banks, and people make promises every day, but the promises they make are only as good as their reliability and stability. Some government promises are better than others. Some people can be believed more than others. But God’s promises are built upon His perfect, unfailing character and can be completely trusted in every aspect.

2. For Those Who Trust God, We Must Wait Patiently and Avoid the Temptation to Force Our Own Way

“And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.” (Hebrews 6:15, LSB)

Interestingly the writer to the Hebrews states that Abraham waited patiently because Genesis seems to show us his impatience at times as well. Abraham tried to “help God” by lying twice about who Sarah was when he feared he would be murdered so the men could take her as their own. So Abraham lied in order to “help” God keep him alive. When he worried about his age becoming an issue for having children (he had none at this point), he gave in to Sarah’s suggestion that he take her maiden Hagar to be their “surrogate” mother to bear a son. Even after the Lord gave the promise and several reassurances, Abraham and Sarah doubted–could a couple that were both nearing a century of age each become first-time parents? Abraham would see with his own eyes that God’s promises–no matter how outlandish they might seem–are never failing.

Many Christians doubt the promises of God toward His Church, and the nation of Israel. How could God possibly save all of Israel (Rom 11:1, 26), and that Christ will usher in His Kingdom in His time? He has given us plenty to do while we await His return, but we cannot force our own way to compel God as if we could do so. The Lord will return, and not a second later or earlier than He has ordained. We must not sit twiddling our thumbs, nor working to do what only He can do.

3. Even in Times of Greatest Despair and Uncertainty, We Must Not Rely on Feelings, or What Our Eyes Can See, But on the Irrevocable Promises of God

“For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.” (Hebrews 6:16–18, LSB)

In this world, we see only dimly, and even what we see is partial. Our feelings as well can be very unreliable and can sometimes betray us or even lead us into sinful responses. The writer to the Hebrews speaks in the above verses of men making oaths in order to support their words. We expect that those who make an oath should keep their promises, but we also know that even the most honest person sometimes has to break his or her word because circumstances beyond our control can force us to do so.

But God, who is not limited in power, and will never lie, has made promises to us that give us “strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.” Yes, difficult and dark times are on the horizon and even among us in the times we are living in. But what we see, and what we feel are not the sole reality. Even more real, and more dependable are the promises of God to us.

These three truths act like an anchor for our souls in our stormy world. Jesus, our Great Captain, has gone before us, and our duty as His children, is to simply follow Him. “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and confirmed and one which enters within the veil, where a forerunner has entered for us—Jesus, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6:19–20, LSB)

Rejoicing in Trials

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

“Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,” (Philippians 1:15–18, ESV)

Circumstances do not bring joy, only Christ does. The Apostle Paul’s outlook on his own life was that it was not his own, that he was a servant of Jesus Christ first and foremost. He said that in his opening words to the Philippian church. Paul derives his joy from his identity as a servant so that he does not look primarily to his circumstances but to the fulfillment of his Master’s will. Endurance through trials is not a work of the flesh, but a work of the Spirit.
This is something that the world cannot understand at all. For a world without God, when suffering comes, they often seek the quickest route out. The world does not see any benefit in suffering and pain. As a matter of fact, when they see a Christian suffer, they can sometimes mock us, and ask where our God is. Why doesn’t he relieve our suffering when we have been so faithful to serve him?
Paul is helping them to see that his imprisonment is not the worst thing that could happen to him. Discontentment is worse. Joylessness is worse.
In Philippians 1:15-18, Paul sat in a prison cell, yet was filled with joy in the continued preaching of the gospel. He was not bitter about the fact that he wanted to be out doing the work of the ministry, and he was good at it!
And he wasn’t bitter about those who were free, and used their freedom to preach the gospel, not to serve Christ, but to jab at Paul! Paul ended his thought in verse 18 with “in that I will rejoice.” Christ was being glorified. How could anything be better?
But as Paul thought for a second, he realized that there were reasons for continued rejoicing beyond just the present preaching of the Word. Let’s look at a few of these reasons that he laid out for rejoicing:

Rejoice in the Prayers of the Saints (v.19)

“for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,” (Philippians 1:19, ESV)

Paul writes how he can rejoice because he knows that the brothers and sisters in Philippi are praying for him. In Philippians 4:1 Paul mentions that he constantly kept the church in his prayers, and he is aware that they have done the same for him.
This is a greater challenge in the church today because our society tends toward more and more isolation. We might see what you eat on Facebook, and hear about how great your vacation was, but the real issues in our lives are kept hidden.
In general, we shouldn’t overshare, meaning that we need to be wise about what we say and to whom we say it. But in matters of praying for one another, we need to grow deeper without going into gossip or unnecessary details.
The example we see from Paul is that he shared himself with the church. He shared his thoughts, his fears, his needs, and his weakness. This type of transparency allowed the church to better pray for him. And in this prayerfulness for one another, Paul could rejoice. He knew that the church was praying for him in his struggles and trials. And he prayed for their welfare as their spiritual father. But prayer is not all that was needed. He adds, “And…”

Rejoice in the Help of the Spirit

Paul’s joy was based upon much more than the faithful prayers of the saints in Philippi. Prayer is only as good as the God to whom we pray. The intercession of the saints must be accompanied by a movement of God. Our prayers shouldn’t stop until God answers one way or another.
Paul knows that something will happen when the saints pray and the Spirit “helps.” This is really where Paul finds his assurance. His confidence comes with the work of the Lord.
The word “help” (ESV) is an unfortunate rendering because it seems such a weak word. The KJV’s “supply” is a little better, but still doesn’t give the best picture of the critical nature here. The Greek word epichoragia is a word that is used in Ephesians 4:16 to speak about a ligament that serves to support the body: “from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:16, ESV)
That is the kind of “help” the Spirit is. Without him, we are crippled spiritually. We cannot go on. He is that critical. The Spirit’s help is not like an assistant, whom we can do without. He is like a knee joint for a sprinter—invaluable. The reference to “the Spirit of Jesus Christ” means the Holy Spirit. He is the One who will bring about Paul’s “deliverance.”
But what sort of deliverance was Paul expecting? Some have thought that maybe this salvation is from his situation—a temporal salvation, others have thought that it was spiritual. Perhaps Paul was thinking about the fact that whether he lived on and was freed or whether he died a martyr’s death, he would be saved. The Spirit of Jesus would deliver him from death, or deliver him from this life through death. Either way, Paul would be set free in some form or another.
Where we set our eyes changes what we see. If we set our eyes on Christ, we see hope. Christ delivers us from the challenges we face today, and he has conquered our sins, winning for us salvation and eternal life. But when we put our eyes on our problems, on the circumstances that we are in the middle of, our vision is clouded. We can be given over to despair and hopelessness. Paul could have easily gone there as he sat in prison. But he knew he had good friends praying for him, and that the Spirit of Jesus was working it all out. He would get out of that prison, and either he would be reunited with his friends, or he would be safe in the arms of Jesus.
What about you? Are you trusting in the Lord to deliver you in your times of need? Have you forgotten the power of God? Stop trusting in your own strength. Stop seeking to be the answer to your own prayers. Depend upon the Lord’s strength. Why are you downcast? It is because you have placed your hopes in something other than the Lord. Hope in God. Finally, we need to…

Rejoice in Expected Courage (v. 20)
Paul is eager to see where the Lord is directing him. He knows the prayers are for his release, and he knows that the Spirit is at work, but the future is still unclear.
When Paul says he has “eager expectation,” this idea pictures a person straining his neck to see what is ahead just around the bend. It is a great word. Paul isn’t dreading the future, he is embracing it. He is hopeful!
So what are the possibilities? He expects that whatever happens, he will not be ashamed. Why would he be? He is not a criminal. He is on trial for the gospel. He has no remorse in prison. He would do it all over again. He has glorified his Lord in his ministry.
Let me ask you, are you ready to meet the Lord today? Would you be ashamed of what you have accomplished in your short life on this planet? Are you banking on the next 10-20 years to make something of your life for Christ? That is borrowed time, my friends. It may never come. You need to put your life in order today. You don’t want to be lying in a hospital bed thinking about how ashamed you will be to face the Lord because your life was a pursuit of personal desires.
Instead, Paul was anticipating having a lion’s heart to face whatever would happen. He expected to have “full courage” for whatever he faced. You see, if he was released from prison, his message of the risen Christ would be vindicated in many people’s eyes. And if he received the death penalty, then he expected to be filled with courage just as much. How? It had to do with how he had been as a servant. You see, Paul wasn’t only speaking about the courageous death he would face—courage as he faced the executioner.
Whether he lived or died was inconsequential. Eager expectation, hope, and courage marked Paul’s outlook. Paul’s lion-like boldness was based upon the salvation won for him at the cross and how he had remained faithful to his Master. Paul was ready to die well.
With heaven before us, what do we really need to fear? Jesus has conquered sin and death. Our best days are ahead of us. Christ is King! Let us have the courage to face the uncertain future knowing that the face of Christ and eternal life is a certainty!