Peace in Prison
Peace in Prison
What do you do or think if you're in prison waiting for trial and a sentencing of up to life imprisonment with hard labor or even death? Your crime is being a missionary and you are caught in communist North Korea and it is 2012 and not 2000 years ago. We can read it regarding Apostle Paul but what about 3 years ago?
Let me introduce you to Kenneth Bae. He is an American missionary who was jailed for over two years in North Korea because he forgot to remove a portable hard drive from his bag. I will let you listen to his testimony and here is the link. https://vimeo.com/167680426
One thing that stuck with me about Bae is when the Holy Spirit spoke to him and reminded him that He is with him and never to fear. Is that where you are right now? Are you in your own prison of circumstances and you think there is no exit? Can you trust the whisper of the Holy Spirit? He is with you and me.
As we come almost to the end of our study of Paul's Epistle to the Philippians we must pay attention to what Paul in summary is telling his Philippian friends. Remember Paul is writing from prison:
“9 The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [in daily life], and the God [who is the source] of peace and well-being will be with you”. Philippians 4:9
Practice (trust in God) makes peace not perfect. Practice, practice, practice and practice daily. We are full of theories and have lots of pundits. We dissect and analyze bible passages and have great notes. We attend every conference there is and still we lack peace. Why? Are we guilty of divorcing the teachings of Scripture from our daily living? Is there a special time set aside to apply Scripture other than in the ordinaries of life? If I can't relate the word of God to my daily living why study it?
What exactly has Paul said: The things we have learned and received? The gospel (Christ) is what we have learned and received. The gospel gave us new birth into brand new lives - born not of flesh or the will of man. We are new creations in Christ. This is who we are and what we have learned.
For the Philippians they had seen it first hand as Paul lived among them. They saw him risk all to bring them the gospel. He received public beatings along with Silas in Philippi (Acts 16-17) and was delivered by earthquake from prison while praying and singing. Paul is now in a different prison in Rome suffering and not sure if he will come out alive.
Paul talked about wanting to know his Savior Jesus Christ and to partake in his sufferings. Bottom line there's no other way of living except the way of the cross. And God will finish the salvation work He started in us.
We must daily take up our cross and die to self. We must totally trust God who by His grace supplies life to us. If we don't we lose our peace and become bitter about our lives. We equally become bitter about others expecting too much from them instead of what God's grace can accomplish in their lives. Do you ever see yourself and say except for His grace what a hopeless person I am? Now see others with the same lenses.
Paul is saying life is lived in the ordinaries and as such we must think of things that are true and honorable in every situation while keeping in mind that the Lord is at hand and coming soon. We are to rejoice in the Lord who is our joy and completeness.
We must live with the eager expectation of Jesus’ return. We are not living just to have Jesus bless and pave the way for our total enjoyment of that which this world can offer. Sometimes I wonder if we really want Jesus or only want what Jesus can provide us in this world's goods.
Why long for the soon return of Jesus? Listen to Revelation: “3 And then I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “See! The tabernacle of God is among men, and He will live among them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them [b][as their God,] 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be death; there will no longer be sorrow and anguish, or crying, or pain; for the [c]former order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4.
How can this practice look like on daily basis? It would be different for each of us except for trusting totally on God and His grace. There will be all kinds of trials but we cast all our cares to Jesus and not worrying about anything but rather praying with thanksgiving to our Lord.
Kenneth Bae suffered in a North Korean prison but his heart is still there. After assurance of the Holy Spirit, he changed his thinking and mindset to focus on showing Christ to North Korean people who are in almost total darkness without the gospel and the Church.
This prison of our flesh and world is temporary. We have been delivered out of this prison of death into His marvelous life in Christ. Let's make it our mission to ever love and adore our Savior and Lord Jesus. Let's make it our task to be His ambassadors telling others of the grace and hope for living that is only found in Jesus. Let’s pray for open doors for the gospel in North Korea and similar countries. Amen
Let’s decide to live for today putting into practice all we have learned and received and heard and seen in Christ – self-sacrifice and death to my own rights. Grant someone your rights for a change and watch what the grace of God can accomplish in both your lives.
Lord, as we trust you daily, may your peace abide and remain with us now and forever. Amen
Jesus is Lord & Savior ! Visit us at our blog-site: http://house2housemd.blogspot.com
What do you do or think if you're in prison waiting for trial and a sentencing of up to life imprisonment with hard labor or even death? Your crime is being a missionary and you are caught in communist North Korea and it is 2012 and not 2000 years ago. We can read it regarding Apostle Paul but what about 3 years ago?
Let me introduce you to Kenneth Bae. He is an American missionary who was jailed for over two years in North Korea because he forgot to remove a portable hard drive from his bag. I will let you listen to his testimony and here is the link. https://vimeo.com/167680426
One thing that stuck with me about Bae is when the Holy Spirit spoke to him and reminded him that He is with him and never to fear. Is that where you are right now? Are you in your own prison of circumstances and you think there is no exit? Can you trust the whisper of the Holy Spirit? He is with you and me.
As we come almost to the end of our study of Paul's Epistle to the Philippians we must pay attention to what Paul in summary is telling his Philippian friends. Remember Paul is writing from prison:
“9 The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [in daily life], and the God [who is the source] of peace and well-being will be with you”. Philippians 4:9
Practice (trust in God) makes peace not perfect. Practice, practice, practice and practice daily. We are full of theories and have lots of pundits. We dissect and analyze bible passages and have great notes. We attend every conference there is and still we lack peace. Why? Are we guilty of divorcing the teachings of Scripture from our daily living? Is there a special time set aside to apply Scripture other than in the ordinaries of life? If I can't relate the word of God to my daily living why study it?
What exactly has Paul said: The things we have learned and received? The gospel (Christ) is what we have learned and received. The gospel gave us new birth into brand new lives - born not of flesh or the will of man. We are new creations in Christ. This is who we are and what we have learned.
For the Philippians they had seen it first hand as Paul lived among them. They saw him risk all to bring them the gospel. He received public beatings along with Silas in Philippi (Acts 16-17) and was delivered by earthquake from prison while praying and singing. Paul is now in a different prison in Rome suffering and not sure if he will come out alive.
Paul talked about wanting to know his Savior Jesus Christ and to partake in his sufferings. Bottom line there's no other way of living except the way of the cross. And God will finish the salvation work He started in us.
We must daily take up our cross and die to self. We must totally trust God who by His grace supplies life to us. If we don't we lose our peace and become bitter about our lives. We equally become bitter about others expecting too much from them instead of what God's grace can accomplish in their lives. Do you ever see yourself and say except for His grace what a hopeless person I am? Now see others with the same lenses.
Paul is saying life is lived in the ordinaries and as such we must think of things that are true and honorable in every situation while keeping in mind that the Lord is at hand and coming soon. We are to rejoice in the Lord who is our joy and completeness.
We must live with the eager expectation of Jesus’ return. We are not living just to have Jesus bless and pave the way for our total enjoyment of that which this world can offer. Sometimes I wonder if we really want Jesus or only want what Jesus can provide us in this world's goods.
Why long for the soon return of Jesus? Listen to Revelation: “3 And then I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “See! The tabernacle of God is among men, and He will live among them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them [b][as their God,] 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be death; there will no longer be sorrow and anguish, or crying, or pain; for the [c]former order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4.
How can this practice look like on daily basis? It would be different for each of us except for trusting totally on God and His grace. There will be all kinds of trials but we cast all our cares to Jesus and not worrying about anything but rather praying with thanksgiving to our Lord.
Kenneth Bae suffered in a North Korean prison but his heart is still there. After assurance of the Holy Spirit, he changed his thinking and mindset to focus on showing Christ to North Korean people who are in almost total darkness without the gospel and the Church.
This prison of our flesh and world is temporary. We have been delivered out of this prison of death into His marvelous life in Christ. Let's make it our mission to ever love and adore our Savior and Lord Jesus. Let's make it our task to be His ambassadors telling others of the grace and hope for living that is only found in Jesus. Let’s pray for open doors for the gospel in North Korea and similar countries. Amen
Let’s decide to live for today putting into practice all we have learned and received and heard and seen in Christ – self-sacrifice and death to my own rights. Grant someone your rights for a change and watch what the grace of God can accomplish in both your lives.
Lord, as we trust you daily, may your peace abide and remain with us now and forever. Amen
Jesus is Lord & Savior ! Visit us at our blog-site: http://house2housemd.blogspot.com
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