Three More Temptations of Jesus

Luke tells us that after Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he departed for a season.  The devil would be back.

One of those return visits was when Jesus was hanging on the cross.  We read this account in Matthew 27:39-44.  This time the devil used some of his most willing accomplices to tempt Jesus - other people.

The first temptation was for Jesus to prove Himself.  "If  you really are the Son of God, come down from the cross!"  In other words, "Prove yourself!"  This temptation is very much still in play today.  Why?  Because it is so effective.  The devil doesn't need new tricks because the old ones are still in great shape.  How many of us as teenagers made foolish choices in an effort to prove ourselves?  How many people have hurt their relationships in an effort to prove themselves?  How many of us in ministry have made foolish choices in our service to the Lord and others because of the real or perceived pressure to prove ourselves?  What was Jesus' response to this pressure?  Silence.  Steadfastness to His mission.

The second temptation was to compromise in order to win acceptance.  "Come down from the cross, and we will believe you."  The devil keeps this tool well oiled too, doesn't he?  The position you are taking is too radical.  You will have more friends/followers/adherents if you could just lower yourself from that lofty position up there.  A little concession here and there will help people be able to see that you are just like the rest of us.  By the way believer, you are to be peculiar - not ordinary.  Also, we are called to win people to Jesus, not ourselves (Joel 2:13).  What was Jesus' response to this pressure?  Silence.  Steadfastness to His mission.

The third temptation was to defend God.  "He trusted in God, let Him deliver him."  If God is a God of love, why would he allow this in your life?  Why would He allow you to suffer like this?  Why would he ask of you this sacrifice?  Why would he ask you to raise your family so far from your family?  Why would he call you to minister in a place where you aren't wanted?  Why would he allow you to suffer so?  Why would he leave you so alone?  We've all heard at least a few of these, right?   As we read Scripture, we see that God is the great Defender.  He defends us.  Nowhere are we told to defend God.  Twice we see Paul defending the Gospel, but never are we told to defend God.  We are told to trust God and put our faith in Him.  First John 5:4 tells us that the victory that overcomes this world is faith - faith in the hard times.  Matthew 8:10 tells us that faith impresses our Lord.  Romans 1:8 tells us that our faith is a testimony to others.  Romans 4:20 tells us that our faith gives God glory.  Romans 5:1 tells us that faith brings peace. What a testimony that is!

So how can we respond to these types of questions?  Don't try to defend God, but rather trust God for the victory through faith.  Glorify God through faith.  Exhibit the peace that faith alone can bring.  Trust Him for the results.

How did our Lord respond to this?  Silence.  Steadfastness to His mission.  How could He do that?  He knew that there was a great day of reckoning coming.  He was going to rise from the dead!  There is a great day of reckoning coming for all of us.  Let's live in light of eternity! Let's walk by faith!

The Faithful Missionary Woman

When I think of a few generations back and what it took to be a missionary, I think today we have it easy in comparison. Reading missionary memoirs and biographies might tend to glorify the lives of missionaries, but if you’re careful to read autobiographies and real stories, you find that your heroes deserve to be heroes.

• David Livingstone, after his wife died, rode thousands of miles on horseback, suffering from bleeding, malnourishment, and malaria while befriending chiefs and leading many to Christ.
• Scottish Olympic champion Eric Liddle was separated from his family and later captured by the Japanese and kept in a prison camp. He used the opportunity to teach people about the Lord. He also started children’s sports teams in the camp, and all while suffering terrible headaches from a brain tumor. He died in captivity, not ever seeing his wife and daughters again.
• William Carey nursed his wife, who was mentally ill, while working on translations of the Bible into several languages in India. He suffered from opponents, fire (which burned about three years’ work), and he kept doing what he knew the Lord called him to do.

Just getting to the mission field killed many willing servants. Long ocean voyages, overland portage, disease, parasites, fatigue, heat, and poor medical care doomed many aspiring missionaries before they even made it to their target field. 

Opposition came. Because of lack of experience and information, supporting churches and organizations back home didn’t have a point of reference. Even though missionaries tried to tell the truth—while softening it—they weren’t believed. People back home were shocked. How could the mission field be that bad? How could sin be so prevalent? How could our proper missionary even mention these subjects? The home base didn’t understand.

I think of Elisabeth Elliot’s biography of Amy Carmichael, A Chance to Die. Amy was a Victorian lady in every sense of the word. She was single and probably very naïve, yet God gave her a burden to rescue children who were used as sex slaves in Hindu temples. Amy sensed in her heart something awful was happening. She might not have understood the facts of life, but she knew those children needed help, and she risked her life to save them. Her orphanage gave hundreds of children the opportunity to hear the gospel in a safe, loving atmosphere.

Today, travel and field conditions are much better. We even have Skype and Facetime. Missionaries can email their home pastor in the time it takes to type out the message. We (usually) have electricity, water, and mail service. We enjoy a few prepared foods, even in the most primitive places. Missionaries have house help or machines. Life is different.

Yet, the battle is the same. Most missionaries live in societies that have gone more and more amoral. Most minister to people who either serve false gods or no god at all. They are either slaves to traditions or slaves to sin—or both. There’s a prevalence of vices. On some fields, it’s alcoholism. On others, it’s drugs. On most fields, it’s immorality, including pornography. And, then there are the diseases. Aids, STDs, dengue, cholera, malaria, parasites, and others are all around us and can threaten our families. Those in earthquake and volcanic zones often wonder if this is “the big one.”

And they serve.

Missionaries do things for people that few could even comprehend. They cut old ladies' toenails, bathe children, rock HIV positive orphans, and pull folks out from the rubble of their homes. They make meals, clean churches, teach Sunday school, take care of children, and organize neighborhood outreaches. They distribute tracts, give oral witness, and homeschool their own children. They faithfully keep in touch with churches that never contact them.

They serve every day.

Missionary women are as much a part of missions as their male counterparts. Singles, married, and widows all contribute to the strong witness that goes out from their ministries. Without them, missions would be different—and not nearly as effective. I believe God enables each ministry team to use its gifts together for evangelism and edification.

What does it mean to be faithful? I don’t think we can box it up, put a ribbon on it, and say voilà, here it is, wrapped up in a neat looking package. Let’s see what the Bible says about faithfulness.

First, God is faithful.

• Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 7:9)
• God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthians 1:9).
• Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
• But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil (2 Thessalonians 3:3).
• If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
• And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness …. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood (Revelation 1:5).
• And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11a).

The Bible is faithful.

• Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful (Psalm 119:138).
• And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful (Revelation 21:5).

The Bible lists people who are faithful. I’m surprised how many there are!

• Moses (Numbers 12:7)
• Hanani (Nehemiah 7:2)
• Shelemiah, Zadok, Pedaiah, and Hanan (Nehemiah 13:13)
• Uriah and Zechariah (Isaiah 8:2)
• Lydia (Acts 16:15)
• Timothy (1 Corinthians 4:17)
• Paul (1 Corinthians 7:25)
• Abraham (Galatians 3:9)
• the saints in the church at Ephesus (Ephesians 1:1)
• Tychicus (Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7)
• the brethren in Colosse (Colossians 1:2)
• Epaphras (Colossians 1:7)
• Onesimus (Colossians 4:9)
• Moses (Hebrews 3:5)
• Silvanus (1 Peter 5:12)

God requires faithfulness. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2).

God actually says the saints—that’s us, ladies!—are faithful. Of course, it’s only in Jesus that we are anything at all. He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful (Revelation 17:14b).

God rewards faithfulness.

• O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer (Psalm 31:23).
• His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord (Matthew 25:21; also Matthew 25:23 and Luke 19:17).

We serve.

May we be found faithful!

  

The Most Undesired Ministry Success Ever

Soon after thinking about a summary of Noah's ministry, I recalled a sermon my husband preached at a supporting church on the book of Jonah. We had fun contrasting the two "ministries."

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Noah

Mission field: the very wicked people of the world
Message: total destruction
Converts: only his family (eight people)
Reaction: a sacrifice of thanks

Jonah

Mission field: the very wicked people of the capital city of Israel's enemies
Message: total destruction
Converts: everyone, from the greatest to the least
Reaction: anger, wishes to die

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What fantastic irony! Can you think of two more polar opposites in Scripture? Noah preaches and prepares an ark for salvation but sees no fruit from his efforts outside of his family. But he praises the Lord for their salvation, this little fruit that came from his long ministry.

Jonah, on the other hand, doesn't want to see the salvation of the Ninevites, even though he himself has been so miraculously saved from a watery death. His sermon is as short and perfunctory as can be (eight words in English), and yet he has incredible success in a mass revival that involves even the beasts fasting and wearing sackcloth!

Jonah by George Frederick Watts

His angry reaction is even more incredible. I mean--what missionary doesn't long to see a revival like that? We can't even tell if he made it the three days the Bible says it took to cross the city before repentance falls on the people. But he is angry at God's great mercy, at His goodness. His emotions are extreme: "It displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry."

He spits out his prayer, which with your permission, could be summarized in modern speech, "I knew you'd be like that! You know... GOOD. I'd rather die than see this!"

We can learn so much from the book of Jonah. But for now, what can we learn from a comparison of Noah's and Jonah's ministries? I think we can be encouraged by the answer to a natural question that might come up when comparing the two ministries.

Why was Jonah's ministry so successful, though so vehemently undesired, when Noah's ministry was dry as a desert? (That is, ahem, until the waters covered the earth.)

There is only one answer. I'll use Jonah's words:

SALVATION is OF THE LORD.

That is the only explanation for such vast differences between the two ministry results, especially when we consider that Jonah actually worked and prayed against the salvation of the Ninevites!

Look at all the actions the Lord does in the book of Jonah:

• He calls Jonah. "The word of the Lord came unto Jonah..., saying, 'Arise, go.'"
• ...the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea...
• ...the Lord...which hath made the sea and the dry land...
• ...the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah.
• [according to Jonah] "He heard me...thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep....Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.
• And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
• And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, "Arise, go...and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee."
• And God saw their works...
• And God repented of the evil that He had said that He would do unto them; and He did it not.
• He gently questions Jonah, "Doest thou well to be angry?"
• ...the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief.
• But God prepared a worm...
• ...God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun...

After being attacked by criminals, a few pastors asked if I was struggling to believe in God's goodness. Honestly, at the beginning, I wasn't struggling very much on that point. I knew God was good, if for no other reason than that He saved our lives!

Actually I admitted that where I struggled to believe in God's goodness and love towards us was in the extreme difficulty and scant results of our evangelism efforts. I am sure many missionaries can relate to struggling with a feeling of bitterness towards our Lord. "I gave up all ___ for You, and where are You? Why aren't You blessing our ministry? Where's the fruit?"

This is actually nothing but a feeling of entitlement that God owes us certain glories for what we've sacrificed for Him, an expectation of a certain minimum of results. But hasn't it been said so many times in the Bible, that God is the One responsible for our ministry successes?

• "I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
• "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."
• Even the pagan sailors whom Jonah sailed with admitted, "...thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee."

It is initially discouragingly humbling for us to realize that it is not our charisma or plans or goodwill or activities that effect revival. It is the wind of God blowing where it will.

But there is one thing that we can do, that we must do, in order to see God's hand at work. We must go. And we must preach.

Why God, with all of His amazing power and mercy, has chosen to use such a weak tool as the foolishness of preaching, is a mystery to me. But He told us to go, and He said that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and He said that they cannot believe unless they hear, and they cannot hear without a preacher. So...

...don't be discouraged by the truth that God is ultimately responsible for the salvation of souls on your field. Let that truth encourage you. He said He would do it. It may not be as immediate as it was with Jonah; in fact, it could take a long time, but He will go with you, and He will build His church.

And what should be our only response?

Definitely not anger:
"Why are You doing it this way?"

But gratitude and humility. Embrace humility:
"Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?"

And gratitude:
"You saved me and included me in Your plan of salvation for the Tsonga people? Thank You, Lord. You, O Lord, have done as it pleased You."

Salvation is of the LORD.

"Hey, How's Your Church?"

Photo by: arkorn

When I’m at a summer camp with other independent Baptist missionaries, inevitably someone asks, “How’s the church doing?” I guess it’s a logical question. I guess it’s a fair one.

How’s the church? Hmmm . . . .

My friend might have caught our church in an upswing—better attendance than in the last ten years, growing Christians, and we’re starting a choir. Or, she might have caught us at the bottom—poor attendance, backsliding members, and two divorces.

I usually reply: “Well, we’ve had good times and bad times.” Or, “Probably something like your church. We have our ups and downs.” About this time, my questioner is looking for an escape route, and I’m a little sorry to have given such a dumb answer.

How’s anybody’s church doing?

How’s your church doing?

A church, by definition, is a congregation of baptized believers. (I look at ours, and we have some unsaved people coming regularly, one unbaptized believer, and Christians who are doing well. We also have people with personal problems, addictions, and sinful habits.) It’s a needy church.

Is that strange? I think not.

If we look back to the beginning of the church in the book of Acts, there were: divisions, strife, a failing experiment in communal living, prejudice, lying, immorality, and intolerance. The apostles had their hands full teaching truth, obedience, and doctrine. They had to combat the idea of people following people, instead of the Lord. The people said, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Paul’s response was, Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:12b-13)

So, how’s your church doing?

It’s filled with sinners, some saved and probably a few that aren’t. Your missionary team is trying its best to share the gospel, disciple, challenge, and meet needs.

• Some Sundays are great, and some are not.
• Some prayer meetings are well attended, and some aren’t.
• Sometimes the church is growing, and sometimes attendance is going backwards.
• Some years are rough and slogging, and some are mountaintop hallelujahs.
• Sometimes you have capable, eager native leaders, and sometimes your best people move away to another part of the country (or leave it altogether).
• Sometimes there are no native leaders at all, and you are doing all the work.

Let’s see God’s view of the church. I have a feeling it’s not as man sees it—and not as the missionary usually sees it.

It’s God’s church. It is so very important for us to recognize the local gathering as God’s church and not ours. God will do His work in His church. It’s our job to be submissive to His leadership. (You can read many references to the church of God and church in God in the New Testament.) The Bible says that God adds to His church saved people. (Acts 2:47) God cares so much for His church that He sent His Son to die for it.

The pastor leads the sheep while relying on the Good Shepherd to lead him. As women in the church, we need to uphold our pastor in prayer. Pray that God would lead the church and that the pastor might be sensitive to God’s leadership. Pray for your pastor’s Bible study, for God’s guidance in his preaching, for the Holy Spirit’s working in hearts.

If the pastor is your husband, encourage him. Listen to his messages. Take notes. Nod your head. Make eye contact. Be his best “amen corner.” (I don’t mean out loud, necessarily.) Find something nice to say to him after the sermon. (Did something in the message meet a need in your own heart? Did it convey the gospel clearly? Was it well-organized, well-preached?) Give positive feedback, every time. Your husband needs this from you.

Be faithful yourself. Go to church when you are physically able. Don’t go if you’re contagious or in terrible pain, but otherwise, be there. Be an example to the believers.

Be cheerful. Nothing deadens the service more effectively than long faces and complaining words. Greet, smile, encourage. Many times, women set the tone for happiness. This happens in the church as well as in the home.

Teach women. Titus 2:2-5 speaks of the men first, but these characteristics are for the women, too: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Are we what we’re supposed to be? Are we actively teaching women? Are we teaching them what we’re supposed to teach? (The whole outline is given in these verses.) If we’re not teaching the women in our churches, we’re not doing our job as “aged” Christian women. (“Aged” speaks of mature Christians, not necessarily grandmas. “Younger women” includes our daughters.)

Give children the gospel. Jesus said, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God (Mark 10:14b; also in Matthew 19:14; Luke 18:16). It is very important to share the gospel—Jesus crucifixion for their sins, His death, and resurrection—with children from a very young age (3-4 years old). It is not enough to teach Bible stories like Jonah and the great fish without sharing the gospel. Jesus said, For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40). Demonstrate how the Old Testament links to Jesus! Preach Jesus!

Pray for Divine appointments. God opens doors in amazing ways and in crazy places. I have watched Him do that for me, and I’m sure you’ve experienced it, too. Keep your spiritual eyes and ears attentive to the Spirit’s guidance. You’ll be amazed how God uses you to share Him with others!

Be prepared. Have gospel tracts on you, always. Pray and keep your heart clean before God. Be soul-conscious.

It’s humbling that God—Creator, Redeemer, Perfect God—could use us at all. What a privilege!

May the Lord bless His church through you!