Some Better Thing

Dear Friends,

In my last Letter, I recalled a number of examples of troubles and trials working together for good, the Valley of A’chor representing not only ‘trouble’ but also a ‘door of Hope.’  “And what shall I more say?  For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae, of David also, and Samuel, and the prophets, who through faith
  subdued kingdoms,
    wrought righteousness,
      obtained promises,
        stopped the mouths of lions,
          quenched the violence of fire,
            escaped the edge of the sword,
              waxed valiant in fight,
                turned to flight the armies of the aliens,
                  women received their dead raised to life again.”

The world was not worthy of such people of faith.  (Heb. 11:32-35a)

However, the author of the book of Hebrews continues on to recount also the list of those who, though they “obtained a good report through faith, did NOT receive the promise!”

“Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance…..and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yes, moreover of bonds and imprisonment.  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword.  They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated.  They wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” (Heb. 11:35b-38) We think of Jeremiah, Obadiah, Elijah, Stephen, and Paul.

These all had witness borne to them of faith, but the promise to them was that they might obtain a “better resurrection…They received not the promise, God providing some better thing for us, that they, without us, should not be made perfect.” (Heb. 11:35, 39-40)

Not all were rewarded in this life, but they were “looking for that blessed HOPE, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a people for His own possession, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:13,14)

Job, though he received great blessing during his lifetime, is typical of the Old Testament saints who died, not having received the ultimate promise, but Job knew his day would come:  “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, and…in my flesh shall I see God.” (Job 19:25,26)

The Apostle John, writing in his Revelation, encouraged all of those going through tribulation:

“Fear none of those things which you shall suffer.  Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison that you may be tried;  and you shall have tribulation ten days.  Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10)

Peter, Paul and James, as well as John, all described crowns awaiting all faithful believers:

James assures, “Blessed is the one who endures temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love Him.” (James 1:12)

Paul proclaimed, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:7,8)

Peter promised that “when the chief Shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that would not fade away.” (1 Peter 5:4)

Peter also referred to a glorious inheritance. Read these wonderful opening words in his first letter addressed to the Believers then scattered throughout Asia minor:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who, according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again unto a living Hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:  Whom, having not seen, you love;  in Whom, though now you see Him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls…..Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:3-9,13)

“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.  But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. (1 Cor. 15:19,20)

As for ourselves?  “…let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith (and Who is our supreme Example), Who, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

So we continue “looking for that blessed HOPE (confident expectation), and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ….” (Heb. 12:1, 2; Titus 2:13, 14)

In Agape,

Eulene

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Precious Promises

Referring again to a quotation in my last letter from 2 Peter 1:4 & 5, a further thought stood out to me concerning God’s “precious and wondrous promises” which He has given to us.  The phrase “in order that” explains the purpose for these wondrous promises.  They are given in order that-  through them – we might participate in the very nature of God. We do well to seriously consider these precious promises.

“And this is the promise that He has promised us, even eternal life.”  “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law…that we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through faith.” Having trusted in Christ, after hearing the Word of Truth – the Good News of salvation – and believing, God has sealed us with the promised Holy Spirit, that Spirit being a pledge and a foretaste of future blessing.

(1 John 2:25;  Gal. 3:14;  Eph. 1:13)

The context of Paul’s “Therefore, having these promises…” in his letter to the Corinthian believers, reviews the incredible truth that we are “a temple of the living God;  as God has said, ‘I will dwell in them, and they shall be My people’…’and I will be a Father unto you, and you shall be My sons and daughters…’ ” (2 Cor. 6:16; 7:1)

There is a multitude of promises concerning our Heavenly Father’s loving care, supply of our needs for spirit, soul and body, the impartation of faith, peace, joy, and love.  Then there is “the living HOPE by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” that we, too, shall not sleep in death, but “shall be changed…”   “Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

(1 Cor. 15:51;  1 John 3:1-3)

In her Sincerely Yours devotionals, Ann Mainse reminds us of a fascinating story first told by Ken Taylor.  In Communist Russia, in the 1930’s, there was a great deal of persecution of the Christian believers.  Stalin had ordered that all Bibles be confiscated and the Christian citizens sent to prison camps.   Many of them died as “enemies of the state.”

In 1994, after the fall of Communism and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a Christian missions team arrived in the now-liberated town of Stavropol.  They had arranged for a shipment of Bibles to distribute in that town, but it had been delayed at customs.  Someone told them about a warehouse outside of town where some of the confiscated Bibles which had escaped destruction were still stored.  Having received permission to take and distribute them, they hired several local Russian workers to help load their trucks with the dusty Bibles.

One young man, a cynical and bitter individual, agreed to help, but he assured them it was only for the pay he would receive.  After a while, it was noticed that the angry young man had disappeared.  Much later, he was discovered in the corner of the warehouse, weeping uncontrollably, with an open Bible in his hands.  He had intended to steal it and later sell it, but when he opened the cover, he discovered on the fly-leaf his own grandmother’s signature!   As he read the life-changing words of that Book, his heart began to change and he was remarkably transformed by the very Bible for which his grandmother had been persecuted!

Endless stories can be told of how, throughout the ages, the inspired Scriptures with their Precious Promises have revolutionized countless millions of people the world over.

Your Word is like a garden, Lord, with flowers bright and fair;
And everyone who seeks may pluck a lovely cluster there.
Your Word is like a deep, deep mine, and jewels rich and rare
Are hidden in its mighty depths for every searcher there.

Your Word is like a starry host – a thousand rays of light
Are seen to guide the traveler, and make his pathway bright.
Your Word is like an armory where soldiers may repair
And find, for life’s long battle-day, all needful weapons there.

O, may I love Your precious Word, may I explore the mine;
May I its fragrant flowers glean; may light upon me shine.
My faith be settled in the PRECIOUS PROMISES of God;
His faithfulness my blessèd HOPE as on through life I plod.

Edwin Hodder, 1837-1904                            (The last two lines altered)

 

“For ALL THE PROMISES OF GOD, whatever their number,
have their confirmation IN HIM;
and for this reason through Him also OUR AMEN
acknowledges their truth
and promotes the glory of God through our faith.”
“Let us hold firmly to an unflinching avowal of our HOPE,
for HE WHO GAVE US THE PROMISES IS FAITHFUL!”

(Heb. 10:23;  2 Cor. 1:20 Weymouth)

In Agape,

Eulene

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