Thursday, May 7, 2015,
3:25 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “When in The Stillness.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read
Romans 8 (quoting vv. 18-39ESV).
The Bones
I woke out of a dream
which relates to this passage of scripture, so I will share the dream: We knew
something really bad was coming. Christians were now being persecuted on a
massive scale. I was among the persecuted. The persecution was not physical, at
first, but it was about to be. They were getting ready to break all our bones.
Christians were now the enemy worldwide, I believe. We were being rounded up
like cattle ready to be slaughtered.
There were two men who were put in charge of having the
responsibility of breaking our bones. I think both met with some kind of fate.
One of them was in a serious automobile accident. Yet, this did not stop the
persecution. The day came when someone came with some kind of tool (instrument)
to be used to break all of our bones. So, he began to break all my bones, and
that is when I woke up. End of dream.
Dreams are often not to be taken literally, but figuratively,
so I looked up “bones” in the dictionary and in the Bible. In the Bible, I
learned, bones (plural) were often figurative of one’s whole (entire) being. Bones
are also symbolic of strength. I also noted that many idioms in the English
language use the term “bone(s)” in relation to our minds and emotions, and to
the words which we speak, which fits with bones being used to describe our
whole being, which includes our minds, soul, emotions, and strength, etc.
The goal of persecution, I believe, is to break (stop,
discourage, dishearten) us. To wake up from this is to be stirred or “to become
cognizant or aware of something; and/or to rouse from lethargy, apathy,
ignorance, etc.” (dictionary.com). There are many ways in which our enemy will
try or might be successful for a time in “breaking” us (our bones). The
instruments he uses to try to break us are not always physical hammer and
chisel, though, but are the people he uses in our lives to try to beat us down,
to strike us, and who attempt to defeat (slaughter) us, not just physically,
but mentally, spiritually and emotionally, too. They do this with words. And,
the goal is to destroy us and/or to try to get us to conform to their ways and
to stop sharing the truth of the gospel of our salvation. So, we need to be
aware of (awakened to) their tactics so that they don’t break us and so we are
able to use the armor of God with which to defeat Satan’s evil attacks against
us (See: Eph. 6:10-20).
Our Sufferings
For
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing
with the glory that is to be revealed to us… And not only the creation, but we
ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait
eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we
were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Likewise
the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we
ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for
words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because
the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know
that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who
are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also
predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be
the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also
called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified
he also glorified.
Jesus said that his true followers will be hated and
persecuted just like he was hated and persecuted, and then was hung on a cross
to die, though not because of anything he had done wrong. We who are his
followers are called to suffer for the sake of Christ and for the sake of his
gospel, so it should not take us by surprise or undo us when it happens. We
should become aware of Satan’s tactics he uses to break us so that we can use
the armor of God against him and so that we remain strong in our faith and in
our determination to continue to preach the truth of the gospel, in spite of
all opposition. Yet, we don’t do this in our own human strength or willpower,
which is subject to weakness and failure, but we rely upon the strength of the
Lord and the power of his Word within us to keep going.
Since we live in flesh bodies we are subject to weakness,
yet the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. Paul said that he delighted in
his weaknesses (not sins), because God’s grace was sufficient for him in that
God’s power was made perfect in his weakness. Therefore Paul concluded that “For
the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships,
persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Co.
12:10). That is a good attitude to have when we are being mistreated and spoken
evil against falsely. And, it is encouraging to know that we have a comforter
who is there to help us, and to intercede for us when we don’t know what to
pray, and that he does so in accordance with God’s will. Amen!
More Than Conquerors
What
then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He
who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also
with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against
God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the
one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God,
who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For
your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be
slaughtered.”
No,
in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I
am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present
nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all
creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
I find these words so encouraging, don’t you? Even though
many of us are facing persecution at the hands of those who oppose the full
gospel message, and whose goal it is to “break our bones,” i.e. to defeat us,
we are more than conquerors through him (God/Jesus) who loved (loves) us. It
doesn’t mean we won’t have enemies or that the persecution will cease, or that
God will deliver us physically out of our persecutors’ hands, but none of this
can separate us from God’s love, and it does not have to defeat us. Jesus won
the victory over Satan, and so the victory is ours because of what Jesus did for
us in dying for our sins. We just have to rely upon the strength of the Spirit
within us and allow God’s power to be perfected in our weakness. Satan means
the breaking of us for evil, but God allows this mistreatment for our good, and
for the good of others whose lives we touch with the love of Jesus and with his
message of hope and healing for the penitent sinner who trusts in God’s grace.
When in The Stillness / An Original Work /
September 26, 2011
When
in the stillness
Of
this moment,
Speak
to me, Lord,
I
humbly pray.
Be
my desire,
Set
me on fire,
Teach
me to love always.
Help
me to walk in
Fellowship
with You,
Listening
to You;
Sit
at Your feet.
Whisper
Your words to me,
Oh,
how gently,
Guiding
me in Your truth.
While
we are waiting
For
Your blessing,
Lord,
in our hearts
Be
King today.
Help
us to live for
You
ev’ry moment,
List’ning
to what You say.
May
we not stray from
Your
word within us,
Help
us obey You,
Lord,
in all things,
Walking
each moment,
Lord,
in Your presence,
Our
off’rings to You bring.
Help
us to love You,
Lord,
our master;
Be
an example
Of
Your love,
Helping
the hurting,
Lift
up the fallen,
Showing
them Your great love.
Teach
them to love You,
Follow
You always,
Bearing
their cross and
Turning
from sin;
Walking
in daily
Fellowship
with You,
Making
You Lord and King.
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