How Great a Struggle I Have for You

“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:1-3 ESV)

I have this same struggle, and for people who I have never met face to face, especially since the ministry that the Lord has given to me is one of writing, and of posting these writings on the internet, which are then going to people in many nations all over the world. For, although I do what I do because to this God called me, and because I love my Lord, and because I want to obey him, I do what I do because I love the people of this world and my fellow believers in Jesus, and I want for all of you to know Christ and to obey him.

For those of you who have made professions of faith in Jesus Christ, my hope for you is that you are hearing the truth of the gospel being taught, for so many people these days are teaching lies, i.e. they are altering the message of the gospel of Christ to make it more appealing and acceptable to the ungodly, which includes to many who call themselves Christians but who are still walking in sin and not in walks of obedience to the Lord. Thus, so many are not teaching on repentance and holiness and obedience to God.

I, as well, want to encourage your hearts with the truth of the Scriptures. But please understand that this word “encourage” is not all about saying only what makes people feel good. The word primarily means to exhort (insist, spur, prod), to beseech (implore, beg, plead), to entreat (request), to admonish (reprove, caution, rebuke, warn), and to urge with a holy urging. But if you are one who is encouraging with this kind of encouragement, here in America you might be chided for being “negative,” and thus to be ignored.

Now the encouragement here that Paul was offering was first of all that they (believers in Christ) would be knit together with one another in love (agape). And the word “love” means to prefer what God prefers, which is what is holy, just, honest, morally pure, upright, godly, faithful, and obedient to the Lord. And for the believer in Christ it means to prefer to live through Christ, and to choose his choices, and to be obeying them through his power. The believers were all to be doing this together, helping one another to grow in Christ.

Sadly, though, in America, what is largely being pushed is that we are to “stay in your own lane” and to “mind your own business” and to stop being “judgmental” and “negative,” etc. And so many Christians (or professing Christians only) have gotten this mistaken idea that it is rude or prideful for one Christian to exhort and urge and warn other Christians based on what the Scriptures teach. Well, they might be okay with it if you have certain credentials or a title of “pastor,” but not generally for us without titles.

But the Scriptures do not teach that only people with certain credentials or certain titles in front of their names have the biblical right and authority to encourage one another as is defined above. All of us who profess the name of Jesus, if our faith is genuine, and if we are walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh, are to be restoring fallen brothers or sisters back to a right relationship with the Lord. And we are to be those who are bringing back sinners from their wandering to save their souls from death.

And we are to be utilizing the Spiritual gifts given to us by the Spirit in the body parts assigned to us by God to warn other believers in Christ against false teachers and false teaching so that they are not led astray. And so we are to be speaking the truth of God’s word to one another to help one another to grow to maturity in Christ, as each one of us does our part. And we are to be teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, addressing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

And then we are all to exhort one another EVERY DAY, so that none of us may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. And we should be stirring one another up to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together (any day, any place, any time of day, every day) for the express purpose that we are encouraging (exhorting, urging, warning, comforting, lifting up) one another, and all the more as we see the Day of judgment drawing near. For not all who call Jesus “Lord” will go to heaven. Only those obeying him.

[Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:15-21; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23; 1 John 3:4-10]

Draw Me Close To You  

Donnie McClurkin

Draw me close to You

Never let me go

I lay it all down again

To hear You say that I'm Your friend

You are my desire

And no one else will do

'Cause nothing else can take Your place

To feel the warmth of Your embrace

Help me find a way

Bring me back to You

Bring me back, oh Jesus

You're all I want

You're all I've ever needed

You're all I want

Help me know You are near

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAnwBixzuNo 

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