JRAM Church Online - April 12, 2020 Resurrection Sunday

JRAM Church Online - April 12, 2020 Resurrection Sunday Speaker - Bishop Efraim Tendero - World Evangelical Alliance Secretary General & CEO

Please click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jramfamily/

The Scriptures Brings Assurance

One thing that is certain as we pursue our earthly journey in this ever-changing world is securing an assurance anchored in God’s Word. Why? Just look around and observe what’s happening in the world right now. There’s much uncertainty in every sector of our society. We are experiencing a pandemic affecting many nations of the world. Panic is setting in and fear is gripping many hearts as the days pass by. How do we oppose such negative emotions when we are bombarded with news of uncertainty? 

No copyright infringement intended

Allow me to provide specific things for daily reflection. First, God’s word never fails in fulfilling its intended purpose: So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:11). Next, God’s word is reinforced by the power of God’s Spirit: Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 4:6). Lastly, God’s word assured us of eternal life when we put our faith in Jesus: 

The promise of eternal life when we hear His words: Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life (John 5:24).

The Scriptures are filled with illustrations of God’s Word and its assurance to those who believe. 

·      King Jehoshaphat received victory after following God’s Word: “And he said, "Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s (2 Chronicles 20:15). 

·      The Roman Centurion took Jesus at His words: But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. And to the centurion, Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment (Matthew 8:8, 13).

·      The apostle Paul received strength from God’s assurance: But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 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 Corinthians 12:9-10).

How can these examples apply to our time? They are individuals just like us. Although they lived in a different time, their concerns are very similar to ours. Whether our issues are big or small, they show our response leaning towards fear or towards God. You have a choice to make when confronted by an issue larger than us. I implore you to seek God’s Word and find assurance there. If these Biblical examples showed the capability of God in answering their concerns, God is able and willing to provide what you need today.

When you see and read the headlines of today, it seems that everything is downhill. Yet when you choose to trust God, things around you may not change, but I guarantee that you will change. Where do you start? I recommend reading the book of Mark, the shortest of the four Gospels, to discover Jesus. The greatest headline begins in you when you discover God’s assurance through His Son, Jesus. God loves you and He’s waiting for you to seek Him with all your heart and soul. Only in God, we will find the assurance we are looking for in this life and the next. Would you consider His promise to you: Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:12-13, Berean Study Bible).

Let’s talk again!

Suffering and Perseverance

We are living in a time of various sufferings. Suffering is a reality of life we must endure at all costs. Unfortunately, people disdain the concept of suffering simply because of its unpredictability. From a Christian perspective, suffering is expected. The apostle Peter exhorted everyone how suffering produces the God’s grace: And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you (1 Peter 5:10, ESV).

Randy Alcorn provided his observation about suffering and its purpose from Gods perspective:

God uses suffering to purge sin from our lives, strengthen our commitment to him, force us to depend on his grace, bind us together with other believers, produce discernment, foster sensitivity, discipline our minds, impart wisdom, stretch our hope, cause us to know Christ better, make us long for truth, lead us to repentance of sin, teach us to give thanks in times of sorrow, increase our faith, and strengthen our character. And once he accomplishes such great things, often we can see that our suffering has been worth it.

No copyright infringement intended

Suffering, when fully understood from God’s perspective, is good for us. Adding perseverance when going through suffering adds the faith dimension of seeing God work for His glory and our benefit. H. Jackson Brown, Jr. exemplified how perseverance changes the dynamic when suffering is present: “In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins, not through strength but by perseverance.”

Here are some practical truths to learn as we go through life’s suffering. First, sufferings are part of our life and must be expected in Christian life. However, giving up is not an option. The apostle Paul showed what attitude one must apply: And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9, ESV). In addition, it is best to remember Charles Spurgeon’s reminder, “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.”

Next, sufferings are an opportunity for God’s grace and power seen and manifested. That’s why we need to “seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” (1 Chronicles 16:11, ESV). Billy Graham described,

People who go through life unscathed by sorrow and untouched by pain tend to be shallow in their perspectives on life. Suffering, on the other hand, tends to plow up the surface of our lives to uncover the depths that provide greater strength of purpose and accomplishment.

The apostle Paul exemplified suffering and adding a huge dose of perseverance. He simply followed Jesus’ example. Actually, Jesus foretold that his Christian journey is marked with much suffering. He responded accordingly with this knowledge on hand. Inwardly, he rejoiced with hope in God’s promises and assurances. Outwardly, he exhibited perseverance during tribulations, and he stood firmly at all times. Most importantly, he prayed constantly and sought help from the Lord without wavering. 

In this New Year, your life may be filled with sufferings similar to or worse than last year. However, here’s something you need to realize as you face another year, “You made it! And no matter how you faced the challenges or sufferings of the past year, God was with you last year and if you allow Him, He’ll be with this New Year!  

If you ask me, allow me to share the Bible verses that became my daily source of facing life’s sufferings with joy and perseverance: 

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him. The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him” (Lamentations 3:22-25, ESV).

Keep looking up to God for help and He will never let you down.

Let’s talk again!

GOD’S WILL IN ALL SEASONS

Everyone needs an assurance of  this fact: God is fully involved in the affairs of human history since day one. He does so because He is the Lord of heaven and earth. 

J. R. Miller provided an excellent illustration of how God works in our lives:

God's will is always the best; it is always divine love. A stricken wife, standing beside the coffin of her husband, said to a friend: "There lies my husband, my only earthly support, my most faithful human friend, one who has never once failed me; but I must not forget that there lies also the will of God, and that that will is perfect love." By faith she saw good and the blessing in what appeared to her the wreck of all her happiness. But truly the good and the blessing are in every dark providence which comes into the life of God's child. Our Father never means us harm in anything He does or permits. His word is, "I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace."

From a biblical perspective, we can get a glimpse from one of the apostle Paul's missionary journeys when he engaged the philosophers of Athens and used an “unknown altar” as his entry point of sharing about God’s will. In Acts 17:24-28, we can read this occasion of great value for us today:

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for "'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, "'For we are indeed his offspring.' 

The apostle Paul began by asserting God’s Omnipotence as the Lord of heaven and earth and the Creator of everything we have. God’s will displayed in all seasons from His throne showing He is in full control of the affairs of the nations. Psalms 103:19, “The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.”

Next, Paul affirming God’s Omnipresence as the Destiny-maker of all men in realizing His great purpose (Deut. 32:7-8). God’s will affirmed in all seasons according to His timetable showing He is in control of the affairs of humanity in general.  Daniel 2:20-22, “Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.”

Finally, Paul acknowledging God’s Omniscience as the Source of what we need in sustaining our life as human beings. God’s will reiterated in all seasons as stated by the Scriptures  showing He is control of individual people’s lives and their destiny in particular. Job 12:10, “In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” (Gen. 2:7; Hebrews 9:27)

No copyright infringement intended

Overall, here’s the gist of it all: God created you and me to live on a high plane and to carry out the great plans He has for our life. May we have wisdom to yield our lives to Him so that the forces of sin may not take us captive and cause us to miss His plan for our life (Gospel Herald).

In looking ahead, never forget God’s will for us is sure and His promise is secure for all those who believes in Him. No matter what you see ahead, God always provides a direct path towards the best plan anchored in His will. 

Let's talk again!

Fifty Years and Counting: A New Journey of Life

Somebody said, “50 is the age when you look back and smile at what you have achieved, frown at those missed opportunities, and release a slight chuckle at those moments.” 

I've officially entered the golden age; thus, another level of adventure awaits. I believe I’m at the point of seeing life from a top-view perspective. It is simply having an attitude of “I’ve been there and done that” standpoint. Life, as I move forward, becomes a new epic journey. My children are in their 20’s and living out their lives with fullness and great expectations. Also, my wife and I celebrated our 25th year of marriage. Altogether, the year 2019 is a double whammy for my marriage life and my personal life. 

What could be better than this? From a spiritual perspective, it is expecting greater things from God’s and being ready for them one step and one day at a time. Life is indeed great with abundant blessings; however, they are not without challenges. The only difference between facing them is having God at our side. He makes all things possible when things seem impossible. What’s my goal in the next years inching towards the end? Keeping my mind focused on what’s important and valuable as a family man and a disciple of Jesus. Restating what the apostle Paul said: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead" and "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14). There’s no higher aspiration than finishing God’s calling in my life through godly wisdom and biblical guidance. 

From a biblical background, listed below are some of the references I found in the Scriptures about the number fifty: (Source: https://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/50.html)

•      The number 50 derives its meaning from its relationship to the coming of God's Holy Spirit. 

•      Fifty can be found at least 154 times in the Bible.

•      After Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene on Sunday morning, April 9 in 30 A.D., he ascended to the Father in heaven (John 20:17). His ascension, as a type of firstfruit from the dead (Revelation 1:5), occurred on the day God told the Israelites they were to wave a sheaf composed of the firstfruits of their harvest (Leviticus 23:9 - 11). It is on this day that the count of 50 days to the Feast of Pentecost begins.

•      In the New Testament, the word Pentecost comes from the Greek word for fiftieth (Strong's Concordance #G4005). Also known as the Feast of Weeks or Firstfruits, it was on this special Holy Day that God first poured his Holy Spirit upon about 120 believers who had gathered to keep the day (Acts 1:15, 2). They became the firstfruits of God's spiritual harvest of humans. 

Finally, new things are ahead and I’m pretty excited about what the Lord prepared for the next phase of my life and ministry. I’m blessed in fulfilling my calling and serving God’s ministry through JRAM. Being surrounded by mighty men and women in pursuit of God’s best makes it all worthwhile. No dull moment, as one may say. Indeed, greater things are yet to come. 

No copyright infringement intended

As each day comes and goes, I’m fully persuaded that I’m placed exactly where God wanted me at this point in my life. Whatever may happen next, it’s all in His hands. I trust and entrust to God every aspect of my life, whether good and not so good things. It’s all about learning the lessons intentionally and growing in God’s grace daily. This is the day that the Lord has made, and I will rejoice more in the next days ahead. Become excited with me and keep me in your prayers as well. 

Thanks for sharing your time in reading this short reflection as I enter my golden age towards a life that honors God. 

-->