Thinking Right
My wife and I went to church six times Sunday. [Pastor Stiekes wrote this piece for January 26, 2021.] I’m sure this does not sound strange to some of you. Due to my immunes system and the Coronavirus, we are not gathering in large crowds at this time, but we are watching our church services and other services through the computer and the television. While on one hand, we are being fed and blessed, we miss the fellowship of our brothers and sisters in Christ. How is this virus affecting your Lord’s Day activities?
Philippians 4:8 was the subject of one of my devotionals last week on the subject as to how God wants us to THINK. Yesterday morning, my wife and I read A. W. Tozer, the title of the chapter was “To Be Right, We Must Think Right.” He stressed the importance of our getting quiet to think about high and holy things. “Thinking about God and holy things creates a moral climate favorable to the growth of faith and love and humility and reverence.” His emphasis was on “Spirit-inspired thinking.” How much of your thinking would you say is Spirit-inspired? “The best way to control our thoughts is to offer the mind to God in complete surrender. The Holy Spirit will accept it and take control of it immediately.”
In Philippians 4:11, the Apostle Paul speaks of CONTENTMENT. Paul experienced so many difficult circumstances. He was often arrested and placed in some jail. He was ship wrecked, bitten by a poisonous snake, stoned almost to death, and knew what it was to escape from angry crowds. And yet he states, Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
We are all hearing people speak about their lack of contentment due to the Coronavirus. I remember this little chorus from Vacation Bible School as a child. Do not minimize the ability of children to understand spiritual truth. “With Christ in the vessel we can smile at the storm, as we go sailing home.” Currently, we are all in the “virus vessel,” and many are discontent. That would not have affected the Apostle Paul negatively and it should not affect us that way either.
Notice from Paul’s statement that contentment is learned. For those in Christ, it is not something that comes to us only when the circumstances are right. Recognizing that Christ is still on the throne and that He is steering our circumstances, the attitude of contentment ought to be ours regardless of the circumstances we face from day to day. His circumstances did not rob Paul of the peace of God or the joy of the Lord in his life. If we recognize God’s sovereign control in our lives, our contentment should never be affected by circumstances.
In Philippians 4:12, Paul experienced times of poverty and hunger as well as times of abundance, having more than enough. Some would say that he was self-sufficient, but in reality he was “God sufficient.” Again, regardless of we would say were his needs, Paul said, But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). There is a sense that God is telling us, “Griping not tolerated!” What a joy it is to know that real contentment comes through Jesus Christ.
Even with the circumstances currently in our government and the persecution that will be coming against the church of Jesus Christ, WE CAN STILL BE CONTENT. God is not surprised by our circumstances and neither should we be. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (II Timothy 3:12). Yes, we can even be content when corruption is rampant in our land.
We know that we should pray for our political leaders, but how should we pray for unsaved leaders? There are some that it would be easy to pray imprecatory prayers against, but Paul instructed us to pray for God’s guidance in their lives so that we might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty (I Timothy 2:2). Do not miss the command of Jesus in Matthew 5:44 – But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and PRAY FOR THEM WHICH DESPITEFULLY USE YOU, AND PERSECUTE YOU. Pray that God would open their blind minds that they also might know the peace of God and the joy of the Lord. It is good and acceptable in the sight of God that we pray this way (I Timothy 2:3).
Tobiah, Sanballat and Noadiah were enemies of the people of Judah and Nehemiah prayed that God would think upon them according to their works. He was asking that God would judge their evil. While there may be a time when it is correct to pray this way, we can take comfort to know that God has already intended to fully judge the evil of all mankind. He will right all of the wrongs, and what a joy would be ours if God would bring them to Himself and they would obey the Lord instead of their evil agendas.
When we talk with the Lord in the morning, there are needs amongst some of God’s special people we need to remember:
- Evangelists: These special servants of God normally have full schedules, preaching revival in churches across our land and in other lands. However, with the Coronavirus, most of our churches are not meeting on a regular basis. Also, air travel is limited and of course, there is the concern of the evangelists and their families coming down with the virus.
- Missionaries Families: We often pray for the ministries of our missionaries and special requests that they often share. How often do you pray for their children? We need to recognize that missionaries deal with the same kinds of issues in their families that we do here in the states. Some of them have older children that are in colleges back here. Their welfare, air travel protection, and God’s plans and purposes for their lives are important as well.
Thought
If we measured Noah’s ministry success by numbers, we would say he was a miserable failure. He preached for 120 years while building the ark and yet when he set sail, there were only eight passengers within it. Yet God considered him a success based on obedience. God recognized him as being successful in Ezekiel 14:14 and Hebrews 11. Based on today’s methods in many of our churches, he could have easily filled the ark with people. However, he would not have been obedient and he would have lost reward.
George Stiekes serves as a Lay Pastor at Bethany Bible Church in Hendersonville, NC. See here for a more complete bio of brother Stiekes extensive ministry. We republish his material by permission.