Skin Therapy for the Christian

1st Thessalonians 2:1-2
1You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. 2We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.

One of the challenges a Christian will face is to remain faithful to Christ when their pride or feelings come under attack. Had Paul, Silas & Timothy lived by their natural sinful desires, they would have most likely lashed out at those hurling insults at them while in Philippi. Their actions would/could have undermined their God ordained efforts to effectively preach the gospel to the Thessalonians.

Thin-skinned Christianity will always fail to show Christ as evident in your life as it is a selfish attitude at work instead of the Holy Spirit being front and center in your life. When the Christian responds to objections with hateful words versus a Biblical response to an unbeliever’s objection(s) it serves to undermine Christ. Angered or spiteful remarks (stemming from the flesh) are in direct contradiction to the working of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:19-21
19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The next time you’re challenged to lash out at rejection and objections, recall how a family member friend, neighbor or perhaps a stranger at the time, took the time to share with you the good news of Christ crucified for the forgiveness of your sins. Recall how you were shown to be a sinner in God’s eyes, yet in spite of that condemnation hanging over your head, Christ died for you, for all the sins you committed and will continue to commit. Remember the relief you found in Christ.

Galatians 5:16-18
16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The Apostle Paul says in verse 1, “You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure.”; the visit (to proclaim the gospel of Christ) was a success!  The important point as to why the visit was a success is that they relied upon God to strengthen them (v2) in those times of adversity, hostility and opposition at Philippi.  That lifting up by the Lord allowed  Paul, Silas & Timothy to overlook those previous transgressions and to focus on the ministry at hand in Thessalonica .  What mattered mostly was not the insults received; precedence for the calling from God became priority.  Though the Lord tells us to go out and preach the good news we would be wise like Paul to not assume that we ever have to go at it alone.

Suggested readings: Mark 8:31-38; 2nd Corinthians 9; Romans 6; 1st Corinthians 15;

Grace and peace be with you.

Jesus is the door – Blackaby devotional

 
"I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."
John 10:9

As Christians, we talk about God "opening doors" to us as a means of His revealing His will.  What we are asking God to do is engineer our circumstances to match what we think would be best.  The problem is that we misunderstand what the door is.  Jesus said He is the door.

Circumstances are irrelevant, for no one can shut the door that Jesus opens (Revelation 3:8).  If you have substituted activity for your relationship with Christ, then circumstances can disrupt your activity.  When the activity is hindered, you may assume the door has been closed.  Yet, if Christ is the door in your life, He will guide you into every experience of Him that He wants, and there will be nothing that people can do to stop Him.

When Paul and Silas were thrown into prison at Philippi, it appeared that the door to their ministry in Greece had been violently and firmly closed (Acts 16:22-24).  The reality of their situation, however, was that their Lord had opened a door of ministry to a previously unreached group of men in prison.  The Philippian jailer and his household would become a significant nucleus of the new church in Philippi.  From a human perspective, a door had been closed; from God’s perspective, Paul and Silas continued to minister exactly where God wanted them to.

When people oppose us, we can become discouraged or worry about what others are doing to us.  We may even try to take matters into our own hands to accomplish what we think God wants.  This reveals that we do not really believe Jesus is the door for our lives.  If we do, we would be assured that through Christ we have access to everything He wants to do in and through us.

Henry and Richard Blackaby
Experiencing God Day-by-Day