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I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . . —Colossians 1:24 This verse has been the source of considerable confusion in the church. The problem comes with the phrase “lacking in the afflictions of Christ.” We are alerted by these words because we know that Christ’s death is complete as the basis for our redemption. He has done it all. But we also know there is suffering, before and after our new birth as a Christian. Paul here is referring to sufferings for the Church.  We know that all that we are as Christians arises from being in Christ. Paul considered it an honor which he rejoiced in to be considered worthy to suffer in some small way as Christ did. Paul’s suffering doesn’t add to the work done by Christ; but rather is evidence of the indwelling redeeming life of Christ. If we are His, we will do His will, walk the walk He calls us to and that will, inevitably lead to suffering.  What is lacking in Christ’s afflictions is our faith and trust in Him. When we trust Him for […]

We do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered —Romans 8:26 When we become children of God; we begin to move in the spiritual world. But it is a world with which we are not familiar. We tend to still think in the natural. Part of the work of the Holy Spirit is to teach us the ways of the spiritual and to intercede for us in matters we do not yet understand.  We realize that we are energized by the Holy Spirit for prayer; and we know what it is to pray in accordance with the Spirit; but we don’t often realize that the Holy Spirit Himself prays prayers in us which we cannot utter ourselves. When we are born again of God and are indwelt by the Spirit of God, He expresses for us the unutterable. “He,” the Holy Spirit in you, “makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:27). And God searches your heart, not to know what your conscious prayers are, but to find out what the prayer of the Holy Spirit is. […]

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God . . . —Romans 8:28 We sometimes judge how things are going taking the circumstances into count. We say things are okay “under the circumstances.” As a Christian, I should  never be “under the circumstances.” I am “in Christ” and above all the circumstances. The circumstances of a saint’s life are ordained of God. In the life of a saint there is no such thing as chance. God by His providence brings you into circumstances that you can’t understand at all, but the Spirit of God understands. God brings you to places, among people, and into certain conditions to accomplish a definite purpose through the intercession of the Spirit in you. All of your circumstances are in the hand of God, and therefore you don’t ever have to think they are unnatural or unique. I must use the circumstances in which I find myself and the people who surround me. I must keep my conscious life as a sacred place for the Holy Spirit. Then as I lift different ones to God through prayer, the Holy Spirit intercedes for them. I am blessed “under the […]

Do you believe this? —John 11:26 Martha believed in the power available to Jesus Christ; she believed that if He had been there He could have healed her brother; she also believed that Jesus had a special intimacy with God, and that whatever He asked of God, God would do. But— she needed a closer personal intimacy with Jesus. Martha’s theology had its fulfillment in the future. But Jesus continued to attract and draw her in until her belief became an intimate possession. It then slowly emerged into a personal inheritance— “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ . . .” (John 11:27). Our faith must become intimate, personal. It usually happens as it happened to Martha, through some personal tragedy, some personal loss. It is only in that raw emotional situation that our theology becomes intimate. Our believe in a God in heaven and even in our eventual residence there becomes the personal belief that He is with us now, loving and walking with us on this earth and through these circumstances. It’s the personal relationship that raises the Christian above every believer in every other god.  Is the Lord dealing with you in the same […]

. . . but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings . . . —1 Peter 4:13 The question, “Why do the righteous suffer?” or the broader “Why does God allow suffering?” has plagued man from the beginning. There are many reasons for suffering, today we look at only one.  Sometimes, the suffering is not correction or chastisement it is not inflicted to improve us or even to teach us. If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a number of experiences that are not meant for you personally at all. They are designed to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what takes place in the lives of others. Sometimes we just need to know what it’s like to go through certain trials so that we can better relate to others who suffer similarly.  When suffering comes, it does not good to try to determine which of God’s many possible purposes are at work. Much of our Lord’s life consisted of experiences which led Him to understand what we go through. He was hot, cold, hungry, and tempted. He suffered like none of us […]

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you —James 4:8 After a night of watching election returns on television, it seems strange to be confronted with the subject, “the Authority of Truth.” It seems in the natural world truth is relative; that there is my truth and your truth. As Christians we know that there is A truth and it is Christ. As we draw near to God, His truth becomes undeniable. It blots out all of the pretenders to truth.  Truth becomes reality when it is acted upon. It is essential that you give people the opportunity to act on the truth of God. The responsibility must be left with the individual— you cannot act for him. It must be his own deliberate act, but the evangelical message should always lead him to action. Refusing to act leaves a person paralyzed, exactly where he was previously. But once he acts, he is never the same. As we draw near to God and His truth becomes undeniable; we are compelled to action. As Jesus described Himself as the Way, the Truth and the Life. Truth requires action. Truth acted upon becomes Life. The only Life we […]

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . . —Galatians 2:20 A bondservant is different from a slave. A bondservant, by his own consent, binds himself to His master, to serve and obey him.  It is a fair picture of the breaking and collapse of my independence brought about by my own hands, and the surrendering of my life to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus. No one can do this for me, I must do it myself. God may bring me up to this point three hundred and sixty-five times a year, but He cannot push me through it. The passion of Christianity comes from deliberately signing away my own rights and becoming a bondservant of Jesus Christ. Until I do that, I will not begin to be a saint. Be faithful and bound and be blessed. Nick Sigur

If you love Me, keep My commandments —John 14:15 First comes love, then obedience. Our obedience flows from our relationship with Him. Self denial and following of Him, also flow from relationship: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . .” (Luke 9:23).  Ours is not a set of rules. It is a standard provided by Our Lord along with the power to meet that standard. . If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone else, myself. Jesus Christ will not force me to obey Him, but I must. And as soon as I obey Him, I fulfill my spiritual destiny. If I obey Jesus Christ in the seemingly random circumstances of life, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God. Then, when I stand face to face with God, I will discover that through my obedience thousands were blessed.  Nick