Back Against the Wall

I have been teaching at church about the predictions in the Bible about the end times.
It has been very interesting and challenging.  God ultimately holds the fate of our times
and of civilization in His hands.  And He has given us indicators about how things will
go down and some markers for when.
I teach a literal understanding and interpretation of Scripture and this makes a difference in
what I believe about how things will wind down for civilization.
One of the incredible narratives contained in the Bible has to do with many nations gathering their military forces
to go against Israel for the purpose of annhilating her.
What purpose might God have for allowing such a series of events to take place against a nation that
He calls His Chosen people?
His purpose is to cause the people of Israel to repent (change their minds) of their unbelief and recognize their
Messiah-their true God and Savior.  He will one day cause their back to be up against an absolutely inpenetrable wall, and this will effect the recognition-and ultimately-worship of their true Messiah.

I have thought at many times in my ministry about why things are allowed which seem to be so inconvenient, hard-won, or seemingly counterproductive.  In ministry, why does God allow relatively simple things like car troubles and financial woes that make your time and effort more laborious, to occur?  In life and ministry, why does God allow circumstances and people to grind the best kind of progress to a halt? 
The answer is the same for these questions as it is for why Israel will one day find her back up against the wall.
God is interested in people acknowledging Him.  He wants people to realize that He wants a relationship with them and gave His Son to see that happen.  He wants to get Christians' attention so they'll stop following their own paths and follow Him.  He wants folks to come to see the ineffectiveness of traditional solutions and look up to Him and all that He offers.
It isn't accurate to say that God then is some kind of indiscriminate control freak who MUST have His way
and will wreak havoc in people's lives to get it.  The exact opposite is true.  God is allowing things to occur in our lives with the express purpose of rearranging our lives to be lived to the max.  The problem is that the "max" is defined differently with us than it is with God.
It is hard to navigate through difficulty.  But there IS a benefit and blessing to having my back against the wall.  I can emerge a more complete person if I let God have His way.
 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Rom. 5:3-5
pscott

Remembering Scott Courbron

I run in the path of your commands,

for you have set my heart free. 

Ps. 119:32

Scott Courbron was a pastor friend of mine who recently passed away.

He was one of those people who had a knack (genuine heart of Christ's love)

for relating to people who needed a friend in one way or another.

His funeral was filled with people to whom he had reached out and befriended

and who were filled with joy at the chance to relate how that effort had

brought them direction, help, and comfort.  It was a dramatic forum of faith.

My ministry experience had been cross-cultural and I have lived overseas.

In pastoral work, sometimes people who need your help aren't always able

to just receive advice or a financial helping-hand and move on.  They need consistent

guidance and encouragement because the life they have led before Change still wants very much to lead them. I was able to learn from Scott about how much a little bit of time spent (he spent lots) with those who are struggling can be so encouraging.

I became familiar with court appearances and jail; with some of the struggles with

which drug-addicted people have to contend.

Scott's heart had been set free as he followed Christ's commands for life and ministry.

One of the central ways that a freed heart manifests itself is in its ability to love.

If we have allowed Christ's sacrifice for us to become a real part of our daily lives, we

can expect to love others and certain things more than ourselves and the things of this

passing world. 

That kind of love was on display in the life of Scott Courbron.  His heart had been set free by Christ.  

Does how you roll have to do with Christ's commands?  It is the only right recipe for

living a life that will make a difference in others and is made possible by having a heart that has been set free!

pscott