Paul in the 21st century

brothers, we must have a chat

A Prayer to the King

/ Christopher Terry / Leave a comment

Lord You are the King of all creation.  You are the Master of the entire universe.  Father You are all-knowing.  You are all-powerful.  You are omnipresent.  God You made all things.  Lord because You know all things, I can trust You and not worry.  Lord I do not need to worry about how my church is doing, because You are in control.  If they are born again, You have done it.  If they are going to grow spiritually, You will do it.  Lord I can only love others if I am filled with Your love.  Help me to be filled with Your love, Lord.  God I am sorry for not trusting You like I should.  Lord my faith is so small.  God please help me to trust You in all ways and in everything.  Lord please help me to understand and believe Your Word always.  God please strengthen me and grow me spiritually.  Lord, help me to become the man of God that You have saved me through Christ to become.

in His name I pray,

amen.

A Living Sacrifice

/ Christopher Terry / Leave a comment

As I wrote to the Roman Church I encouraged them to present their bodies as a living and holy sacrifice to God. As I look back now, I know that many of them did just that. They died to self and their own desires, and became alive to God through Christ and His desires. They paid a great price for this, some losing their lives. What a tribute to Christ! They loved not their own lives, even unto death! Through their sacrifice, many people in Rome turned from their sins and trusted in the Lord Jesus as their Savior and Lord! Today, I write to you in a century that I have not lived in, 21st century America (when I was on earth, I did not know such a place existed). But, you do not face situations that are that much different that what I faced in the 1st century. You face an enemy greater than yourself, the deceiver, Satan. He desires to draw you away from God and the pursuit of His kingdom priorities. You have sin within you fighting against the Spirit of God, pulling you to disobey God. I implore you, stand fast in the Word of God. Do not quench the Spirit. Yield the members of your body to God as instruments of righteousness, and not instruments of unrighteousness.
You were bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your bodies. Hold fast brothers and sisters, the Lord Jesus is coming! Come even now Lord Jesus!

Learning a little from the reluctant revivalist

/ Christopher Terry / Leave a comment

Paul the apostle to whom it may concern,

Greetings everyone!  I was reading my Bible today and I decided to explore the episode of Jonah’s life that he would have rather forgot.  I was oddly taken by the similiarity of Jonah’s refusal to fulfill God’s mission to Nineveh, with the refusal of Christ followers to take the gospel to their neighbors.  Jonah was thinking from his own perspective about the rather dangerous idea of the Ninevites (capital city of Assyria) turning from their sin and being spared from judgment.  If the Ninevites were spared, they might change their mind later and destroy Israel (Jonah’s people).  Jonah decided that it would be better to let the “enemy” be eliminated now.  No, Jonah would not warn the non-believers of the judgment to come.

It seems strikingly similiar to us.  Brothers and sisters, what is it that is preventing us from taking the gospel to our neighbors?  It is the same problem that Jonah had.  We have not learned from his mistake.  We have refused to fulfill God’s mission for us.  He is calling out a people for Himself, He is building building His Church.  Yet, He has chosen to use us a part of the process.

What will be our consequence for refusing the call of God in our lives?

The problem of desertion

/ Christopher Terry / Leave a comment

Greetings my brothers!  Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

God has been so good to us by setting us free from the empty way of life that we formerly lived through the death and resurrection of Jesus.  He has given us new spiritual life and a new identity in Christ, children of the living God. 

There are a few things that we must discuss though.  As I wrote many years ago to the Galatians, I was concerned that they had left the true gospel of grace and adopted a “gospel” of rules.  This was a problem and some deserted the faith as a result of this lie.  There was a similiar problem with the Ephesians.  They had left their first love.  They deserted a devotion and passion for God, exchanging it for a devotion to empty ritual.  This caused many to forget that a living, growing relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ is the key to the life of a Christ follower.

Today, as I write to you I recognize that there is a spirit of the Corinthians among you.  There is rampant selfishness.  People in your midst claim to be servants of Christ, but instead are servants of self!  This is to your own shame.  To think that God has bought you with a price, and yet you believe that you are your own!  This ought not to be so.  You must turn from your sin of selfishness and ask God to help you to view things His way.  There is also an issue with materialism that has arisen in your midst.  This evil must be expelled from among you!  God has not called us to pile up possessions on earth, but treasure in heaven.  Ask God to free you from the chains of this sin!

God has given us victory through Christ our Lord!  Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.  Make a difference through your life for God.  Give Him all the praise, honor, and glory!  Amen.

Sincerely,

Paul