The Visit

 

Photo in Central Park by Steveen Manon 2012

In this dream, I am expecting a visit that evening from someone I’ve never met before, but whom I know is very important to my life. At last I will meet face to face with the formerly anonymous patron of my college education, and I want to make a good impression on him so that he’ll continue to support me in achieving my life goals.

On a gray wintry day in New York City, I’m preparing for this visit that could determine my destiny. I want my benefactor to know that I am physically fit, but then I realize that actually I’ve let myself go and I’m no longer in very good shape. So I begin jogging around Manhattan and even stop at the gym, but I’m too exhausted to complete this last-minute workout.

Knowing that my physical fitness is less than exemplary, I wonder if I can find the perfect outfit that would at least help me look my best. I spot a gorgeous, turquoise lace pageant gown in a boutique window. But it costs $460 and I haven’t saved up any money or even established any credit, so I leave the store empty-handed.

I enter another upscale store, but no one is there. I spot a package of crackers on top of a cabinet and suddenly realize I’m ravenously hungry. After toying with the idea of leaving some money to pay for my “purchase,” I just take the crackers and leave, reasoning that they won’t be missed. Filling my stomach reminds me that I should be hospitable and prepare a meal for my guest. So I decide to rush home to see if I have any provisions in my cupboard and to buy whatever else is needed.

I find myself in Central Park, where the trees are ablaze in fall colors, brightening the dreary sky and momentarily lifting my spirits. My apartment is on the East River, so it shouldn’t take me too long to get there. But then I realize too late that I’m on the wrong side of the park, and that I’m headed west instead of east.

I want to hail a taxi, but the streets are strangely deserted. In a panic, I realize that night is falling, the appointed hour for the visit has come and gone, and that I missed him because I was unprepared and preoccupied with unimportant things.

As I awoke, my thoughts turned to the Visit I am most eagerly awaiting – the Rapture when Christ shall return to meet His children in the air (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16). Jesus Christ alone is my Benefactor Who has not only blessed me so richly in my life to date (John 10:10; James 1:17), but Who has secured my eternal destiny in Heaven through His death on the cross, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Based on Bible prophecy and current events (Matthew 24), it seems like the remaining time before this meeting in the clouds is very short, although no man knows the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36). How we spend this time can alter our eternal future. Those who do not know Christ as their Lord and Savior will be left behind to face the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21). If they accept the mark of the beast, who is the Antichrist, they will be irreversibly doomed to eternal hell (Revelation 14:9-11).

Even many who are now in churches, yet not born again (John 3:5-8), will be left behind and no longer able to make the crucial transition from having an intellectual understanding of Who Jesus Christ is to having an intimate heart relationship with Him (Romans 10:9). Sadly, they will be deluded and believe the lie that the Antichrist is God, accepting his mark and then being doomed to eternal punishment in hell (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12).

These “Christians” in name only will be like the foolish virgins who are unprepared for the wedding feast, representing unsaved people who think they will go to Heaven because they are church members or come from a Christian home. Unlike the wise virgins, representing born-again believers, the foolish virgins lack oil in their lamps, which symbolizes the indwelling Holy Spirit. When the Bridegroom returns unannounced, the foolish virgins are locked out from the feast and from His presence because they had left to buy the oil they should have already received (Matthew 25:1-13).

For those of us who are saved, how we spend these last moments before His return could determine whether we have crowns to lay at His feet (Revelation 4 9-11) and eternal rewards to enjoy in Heaven, or whether we will suffer loss when we face Him at the judgment seat (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). The fields are ready for harvest, and yet the laborers who are bringing souls to Him are few (John 4:35-36; Luke 10:2). Are we doing all we can to spread the Good News of salvation through our faith in His grace? (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Each day we face choices, and our decisions can glorify Him or be a meaningless detour set up by Satan to distract us from God’s will for our life. Physical fitness is good because it helps to preserve our body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). And yet if we neglect our spiritual fitness, we cannot possibly fulfill God’s perfect plan for us (1 Timothy 4:8).

In the dream, it was futile for me to engage in a last-ditch effort to get physically fit. In reality, we cannot achieve physical or spiritual development in a single, short-lived burst, as both require daily discipline over the long haul.

Many churchgoers spend excessive hours and dollars in selecting a flattering outfit and stylish accessories for church, and even having their hair and nails done. Yet I know that Christ loves and accepts me unconditionally, whether I’m dressed to the nines in a pageant gown or just wearing my old pajamas. There is nothing wrong with wearing our best to God’s house if we do so out of respect and love for Him and it does not hinder our service, make others uncomfortable, or deplete our money better spent on offerings.

I have seen young women in church wearing stiletto heels that were so high that they could not climb the few steps to the choir loft without help, often from elderly singers who could have used assistance themselves. I have heard of women who were struggling financially hesitate to come to church for fear of looking shabby next to their well-heeled sisters. Sometimes our priorities are sadly misplaced.

As we dress and get ready for church, do we spend enough time and prayer in preparing our hearts (1 Chronicles 29:18; Job 11:13) to receive God’s blessing and to bless others with His light (Matthew 5:14) and love shining through us? Our obedience can be a testimony to His mercy and grace, or we can lose the power of our testimony by sins that Satan convinces us are harmless, even something as seemingly insignificant as taking a package of crackers that belongs to someone else.

The Christian race set before us (Hebrews 12:1; 1 Corinthians 9:24) is a marathon, not a sprint, and last-minute efforts are likely to be too little and too late to be of lasting value. Yet if we have gone off course (Hosea 11:7; Jeremiah 3:14), as I did in my dream, neglected the daily discipline needed for a meaningful walk with Christ (1 Corinthians 9:27), or never entered the arena, now is the appointed time (2 Corinthians 6:2) to get on track!

We don’t know when Jesus will come again (Matthew 24:42-44), so may we be ready for His all-important Visit! Come quickly, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)

© 2014 Laurie Collett

Are You Spiritually Fit?

Photo by David McSpadden 2014

As we have been studying, the apostle Paul wrote a letter to his convert Titus, whom he left in charge of the churches in Crete, to instruct him on the principles of church leadership and on how to select suitable pastors. But as we further explore the book of Titus, we discover that qualifications for church leaders apply in a broader sense to older men in the church, and that these admirable character traits and behaviors should also apply to our older sisters in Christ (Titus 2:2-4).

In the world today, there is great emphasis on physical fitness, particularly among developed and wealthier nations. This is ironic, for richer countries tend to overindulge in food and drink and have higher degrees of automation in manufacture, agriculture, and transportation, resulting in a more sedentary lifestyle.

Residents of wealthy nations therefore tend to be less physically fit, even though the ideal epitomized by many celebrities and models is not only facial beauty, but also sleek, svelte and strong physique. Billions of dollars flow into health clubs, gym memberships, personal trainers, weight loss programs, dietary supplements and monitoring devices that track our every heart beat and calorie ingested or burned.

But Scripture warns us that although exercise and physical fitness can be good, we should be far more concerned about our spiritual fitness (1 Timothy 4:7-8). Those whom men thought of as natural leaders because of their physical attributes, like King Saul (1 Samuel 9:2; 10:23-24; 18:12), Samson (Judges 16), and Absalom (2 Samuel 14:25; 15-17), had spiritual weaknesses leading not only to their own downfall, but to the detriment of those for whom they should have been Godly examples.

Therefore, it is crucial that church leaders be spiritually fit. Similarly, all members of the body of Christ, or those who are born again (John 3:3-8) by their faith in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), should follow His example of spiritual soundness in faith (Hebrews 11), doctrine (1 Corinthians 2:16), and lifestyle (Ephesians 4:1).

At the head of Paul’s list of qualifications for a pastor is that he be “blameless” (Titus 1: 6).  In the natural, that is impossible, for every pastor, bishop and pope are still human and must contend with their sin nature (Romans 7:14-25). To serve God and lead their flock, they must die daily to the desires of their flesh (1 Corinthians 15:31) and yield to the guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:4; Galatians 5:16).

Every born-again believer who does this can also be regarded as blameless, not because of their own merit, but because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ credited to their spiritual account (Romans 3:22). However, we must be sensitive to avoid even the appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22), rather than using our Christian liberty (Romans 8:21) to become a stumbling block to others (1 Corinthians 8:9), or to give them an excuse to criticize us (1 Corinthians 10:29).

Part of being blameless, or having a good reputation (Ecclesiastes 10:1) based on sound character, integrity, and especially faith, is being faithful, which is why Paul writes that the pastor should be the husband of one wife (Titus 1: 6). We cannot peer into the hearts of others (Luke 16:15) to see if they are faithful to God, but we will ultimately find out if they are unfaithful to their spouse (Luke 8:17). Marital infidelity has brought down many a church leader and demoralized and scattered his flock.

So clearly a church leader should not be a bigamist or an adulterer (Malachi 3:5; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Hebrews 13:4), and neither should any of us. But controversy arises over whether a previous marriage disqualifies a potential candidate for pastor, as in the case of a widower (even though he is allowed to remarry; 1 Corinthians 7:39), or one who was divorced before being saved.

At first glance it may seem inconsistent that Saul of Tarsus murdered Christians before he was saved (Acts 7:58) and then became the apostle Paul (Galatians 1:1) after he trusted Christ, whereas a man who was divorced before being saved and then remarried would be unfit to become a pastor.

But in the case of a pastor, who is the undershepherd of his flock, it may be wise to hold him to the highest possible standard so that he is above reproach (1 Timothy 3). Conversely, Paul’s requirement of the pastor being the husband of one wife (Titus 1: 6) disqualifies even himself, for he was unmarried. Ordinances of the Roman Catholic Church or other churches that prohibit priests from marrying are therefore unscriptural.

Interestingly, Paul also wrote that in terms of Christian service and godliness, celibacy was preferred over marriage for those who could remain single, for then they could devote their full attention to serving and pleasing God without being encumbered by the needs of their family (1 Corinthians 7:1-9; 32-40). Yet for those who might fall prey to sexual sins, Paul said it is better to marry than to be consumed by lustful temptation.

Although Paul was chosen by God to write fifteen books of the Bible, to evangelize the Gentiles (Romans 11:25), and to plant churches on his missionary journeys (Acts), he never served as a pastor, indicating that he himself followed the Holy-Spirit inspired rules he set forth to Titus.

We can surmise many reasons why it would be better for a pastor to be married with children, including having the experience, wisdom and compassion needed to counsel church members going through marital or parenting problems (2 Corinthians 1:4-6). In addition, he and his family could be Godly examples and role models to the congregation, and his wife could be a spiritual mother to women in the church (Titus 2).

For that reason, Paul writes that the pastor should have “faithful children not accused of riot or unruly” (Titus 1: 6). If a pastor cannot lead his own children to love and serve the Lord, their family, and their church, it is unlikely that he will lead his flock to do the same. For example, the priest Eli had sons who loved the devil, causing corruption, confusion and disobedience in the temple (1 Samuel 2:12-17) until God raised up the prophet Samuel to restore love for His Word (1 Samuel 3).

Although this is specifically a qualification for pastors, all born-again parents aspire to have children who are faithful to God and His Word (Ephesians 6:1-4). We should therefore pray fervently and regularly for our children, immerse them in God’s Word at home (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) and in a Bible-preaching church (Hebrews 10:25), and be Godly examples to them rather than asking them to “do as I say, not as I do.”

But if our children seem to turn away from God, we should not lose heart. Even God, Who is the perfect Father, faced rebellion from Adam and Eve (Genesis 3). Yet Scripture teaches that if we raise our children to obey God, then when they are old they will follow His ways. Even Adam and Eve, who brought the curse of sin on the world, were restored to fellowship with God, for they believed His promise and taught their children to obey Him (Genesis 4:1-3; 25-26).

As we continue to study the qualifications of a pastor, may we ask God for wisdom to see how we should similarly live out the Gospel in our own lives, families and churches! May we be spiritually fit, training under Holy Spirit direction to win the prize of the high calling of God in the race that is set before us! (1 Corinthians 9:24-25; Philippians 3:12-14).

© 2017 Laurie Collett