"The Insanity of GOD" excerpts

Warning!
Do not read if you do not want your heart questioned.  :)

As I am in the midst of reading a book The Insanity of GOD by Nik Ripken it is just TO good not to share a couple of things from the book.  We've been learning in Sunday School how to apply the scripture in Romans that we have been studying.  We do not live in a persecuted country but have the blessing of living in a country where we and everyone else have the freedom to worship as one likes. 

This book is written about Nik Ripken (pseudo name) as he ministered the 1980's and 1990's in Somaliland during the famine and loss of many, many people living in that land.

     I met may other believers on that trip to Russia.  Hearing Dimitri's story must have inspired Viktor too.............
     One morning Viktor arranged for me to meet with a group of his friends--several Russian pastors, some evangelists and church planters, and some elders--a cross section of his church.  I listened in wonder as these believers almost casually recounted being sent to prison for 'five years,' 'three years,' or 'seven years,' and being 'beaten', 'forced to sleep naked in a cold, damp cell' or 'having nothing but moldy bread and boiled cabbage to eat for months.'  These same men shared joyful memories of 'the time when my wife and son visited me in prison,' 'when I was placed in a cell with another believer who could encourage me as I encouraged him,' and 'how the church cared for the needs of my family while I was in prison.
     When we stopped to eat lunch, I gently scolded the group, saying: 'Your stories are amazing.  Why haven't they been written down?  Your stories sound like Bible stories come to life!  collected them in a book, or recorded them in some video form.  Other followers of Jesus around the world could hear your stories and be encouraged by what God is doing here among those who are persecuted.
     They seemed confused by what I was saying.  Clearly, we were not understanding each other.  Then one of the older pastors stood and motioned for me to follow him  He led me over to a large window in the front room of the home.  As we stood together in front of the window, the old gentleman speaking passable, but heavily accented, English said to me:  'I understand that you have some sons, Nik?  Is that true?'
     I told him that it was true, He nodded and then asked me, 'Tell me, Nik.  How many times have you awakened your sons before dawn and brought them to a window like this one, one that faces east, and said to them, 'Boys, watch carefully.  This morning you're going to see the sun coming up in the east!  It's going to happen in just a few minutes.  Get ready now, boys.'  'How many times have you done that with your sons?'
     'Well,' I chucked, 'I've never done that.  If I ever did that, my boys would think I was crazy.  The sun always comes up in the east.  It happens every morning!'
     The old man nodded and smiled.  I didn't understand his point. 
     I didn't understand his point, that is, until he continued:  'Nik, that's why we haven't made books and movies out of these stories that you have been hearing.  For us, persecution is like the sun coming up in the east.  It happens all the time.  It's the way things are.  There is nothing unusual or unexpected about it.  Persecution for our faith  has always been--and probably always will be-a normal part of life.'
     His words took my breath away.  Though I understood what he was saying, I wondered if it was true.  Certainly, I had never heard this before.  In fact, there was a part of me that wanted to object to his claim.  I wondered if the certainty of persecution always is normal and ordinary, like 'the sun coming up in the east.''
     I had always assumed that persecution was abnormal, exceptional, unusual, out of the ordinary.  In my mind, persecution was something to avoid.  It was a problem, a setback, a barrier.  I was captivated by the thought:  what if persecution is the normal, expected situation for a believer? if persecution can be, in fact, good soil?
     I began to wonder about what that might mean for the church in America--'

As I have been reading through this book and have been stirred not only by this book but the real life Christians that are being persecuted for their faith in other countries today, I cannot help but be so grateful for Christian brothers and sisters to help encourage my faith and also for the freedom we have here in the USA.  How can we experience what we do not know?  We can't.

      but we can:
         pray for others who are persecuted,
         give to missions,
         give to mission trips,
         give to those on the mission field who have given up the comforts of the USA
         look for areas around us that people need Jesus
         learn and memorize scripture
         study the word of God so it isn't something we study but it is who we are
         reach out to our neighbors and show them Jesus
         stand firm in our faith in Christ
         praying for opportunities to show Chris to others
         be obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit
         be an example of a "bond-servant" of Christ
    
Most of us will never live outside the USA or suffer the persecution of believers in other parts of the world, but we can do what Jesus is calling us to do where we live.  First and foremost is to love the Lord your God will all your heart, mind and soul, and then secondly, you are to love your neighbors as yourself.  If you have a willing heart to serve Him, there are plenty of people around us who are hurting, who are not walking with Jesus and have horrible life experiences.  They have all the pleasures of life i.e. TV, conveniences, smart phones, X boxes, money, clothes, entertainment but they do not have Jesus.  Ask the Lord to show you people's hurts and how to minister to them.  Things are fine, but they do not bring healing of the heart, true love, joy and peace and eternity with Jesus Christ.

Choosing

by

Charles Ligon

 

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my Salvation (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

 

I am blessed to minister to two men who face tremendous physical adversity. Both live with deteriorating physical health conditions. Their prognosis is discouraging and both have uphill battles. Both understand that unless God miraculously heals them, their condition will only get worse. I love being in their presence! They inspire me because both walk with an undaunted faith and have accepted what the Lord is allowing them to endure. In spite of their ill health they continually rejoice in Him and sing His praises. He holds their future and they choose to trust Him wholeheartedly.

 

Habakkuk was facing adversity too. He found himself in a dire circumstance; everything normal and predictable in his life was collapsing. Still, in spite of the calamity he faced, Habakkuk wholeheartedly trusted the Lord. He knew that God was bigger than what he faced. So, rather than being fearful and confused, Habakkuk chose to rejoice in the God of his salvation.

Let me ask you. Is there a “calamity” you face? Are you being challenged in your faith? It might be cancer, unemployment, a failed marriage, a sick child, loneliness, depression or something worse. God is aware of every circumstance and He calls us to trust Him and, yes, even rejoice in the midst of our trials. But, let’s be honest! Trusting God and rejoicing during any adversity is not easy, nor is it common. Casting our cares and letting go of anxiousness is easier said than done. Singing praises with a broken heart, through tears, is not normal activity. But, neither was it normal for Habakkuk. Despite his difficulty, he chose to be joyful in the God of his salvation. It was a decision.

 

Our workplace challenge is to choose to trust God when adversity comes. We must choose to trust Him in all circumstances and declare publically our wholehearted dependence on Him. Sing praise songs more. Meditate on His promises more. Reflect more on the many ways He has been your helper through the years. Decide now to rejoice in the God of your salvation for He is your strength and your joy, and you can trust Him!

Sunday School Lesson for Romans 13:1-7

                       “Subjection to Governing Authorities”
                                              By Pastor Rich Paradis
                                                     Romans 13:1-7

 

We’ve done it now! We regularly take on one of the most sensitive areas of life, that is, religion. And now, we are going to discuss the other “forbidden” subject, politics! We’re not really going to discuss politics, but we are going to consider our reaction towards those that rule over us. In this age of “knowing” our leaders perhaps as well as any other time in history, we are regularly given the opportunity to not only praise but also critique our leaders. Is this alright? Are we to follow blindly? Are we to rebel aggressively? What is to be our conduct towards those that rule over us? Romans 13 is perhaps the most notable passage in the New Testament on the subject. Let’s see what it says…

Unique Words In The Passage

1.      Subjection – To subject oneself, to obey

2.      Governing – The prominent men, authorities, kings

3.      Authorities – A ruler or human magistrate

4.      Resist – To range battle against, resist

5.      Condemnation – Judgment, penalty, sentencing

6.      Avenger – Exacting penalty from one, punisher

7.      Devoting – To be steadfastly attentive to, to give unremitting care to a thing

8.      Render – To pay off or discharge what is due

 

I.                    Some Introductory Thoughts

a.       Again, as we consider this passage, we are looking at something that would seem to “open and shut”. When you read the passage, the instruction looks to be very clear and not at all difficult to understand.

b.      The problem with this passage is not understanding, it is application. There are at least a couple of reasons why this passage is difficult to apply:

                                                               i.      We are looking at a passage that would seem to have little consideration of the leader that is not “doing it God’s way”.

1.      The time of writing for the book of Romans would give us some insight into the times and the types of leaders that were ruling around that time. While there was not widespread and direct persecution toward Christians at this point, there soon would be. Caligula, Claudius, and Nero are among the emperors that would inflict awful things on Christians and are contemporary to this time period. At the very least, these leaders were pagans with no agenda to do the things of God as they ruled over those under them.

                                                             ii.      We don’t want to. Our sinful character has a difficult time following anyone. But the Bible gives many examples of areas where submission is a part of the Christian lifestyle:

1.      Jesus’ own reaction to his earthly parents. (Luke 2:51)

2.      The relationship of the Son to the Father in eschatological order. (1 Corinthians 15:28)

3.      The relationship of a Christian wife to her husband. (Ephesians 5:25)

4.      The relationship of church members to church leaders. (Hebrews 13:17)

5.      The relationship of younger men to older men. (1 Peter 5:5)

6.      The relationship of believers to one another. (Ephesians 5:21)

7.      The relationship of all of us to God. (Hebrews 12:9 and James 4:7)

 

II.                 The Command Itself    Romans 13:1

a.       The passage begins in Verse 1 with a very direct statement: “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities”. Pretty clear, huh? The words and their definitions don’t offer much wiggle room either.

                                                               i.      Subjection: To subject oneself, to obey

                                                             ii.      Governing: The prominent men, authorities, kings

                                                            iii.      Authorities: A ruler or human magistrate

b.      Paul goes on to offer us a “why” to this command. He says that the very institution of authority and leadership is from God. He also says that those authorities and leaders that exist are established (arranged, assigned and appointed) by God.

 

III.               Motivation #1 For Subjection To Governing Authorities: Wrath and Condemnation    Romans 13:2-4

a.       In light of the command and reference to God Himself, let’s take a look at Verse 2. If in fact all leadership and leaders are established by God Himself, then to resist (To range battle against, resist) leadership is to oppose the ordinance (disposition and arrangement) of God. As in other areas of disobedience and rebellion, condemnation (Judgment, penalty, sentencing) from God will be the result. Whether this condemnation comes via the governing body or person themselves or in the form of directly from God, it has ultimately come from the hand of God Himself.

b.      This is a good time to connect this entire passage to Romans 12:1. In light of the mercies of God demonstrated so beautifully in Romans 1-11, we are to offer our bodies and our minds as a “living sacrifice” to Him, a demonstration of our worship towards Him. To oppose the ordinance of God is a very serious matter that should be carefully considered before going forward.

c.       As Verses 3-4 unfold, Paul is not stating that all leaders match up to this description. He is saying that this is a picture of what God had in mind as He established ruling authorities.

d.      This ideal has in mind the governing authorities not being someone for the good folks to fear, only those that have evil and overthrow in mind. In fact, they can and should be a source of praise for those that desire right living. Why? Because it was set up to be a minister of God to you for good. If you do evil, than you should expect governing authorities to wield a sword of power as an avenger for God who will bring wrath on the offender.

 

IV.              Motivation #2 For Subjection To Governing Authorities: Conscience Sake    Romans 13:5-7

a.       With the first of the motivations for subjection noted, that is, self-preservation, let’s continue to the second motivation. The first is pretty easy to understand, but the second has some nuance that must be considered before understanding can be achieved. That motivation is conscience sake and is brought to our attention in Verse 5.

b.      One might think that this is merely doing it because of knowledge of what is right and the “conscience” that is offended when we do wrong. While there is something to this, another thought may offer additional insight in light of the fact that whenever a believer goes to the point of defiance he or she can hardly be accused of having a tender conscience. That thought is that the believer, because of his or her relationship to God has insight and knowledge related to both his or her own position before God and the position of the state in God. That knowledge or conscience should guide that person to their attitudes and reactions. 1 Peter 2:19 is another example of this type of thinking.

c.       As the passage concludes, Verses 6-7 offer some very helpful insight into these reactions and attitudes. If in fact these authorities are established by God than to support them is a very reasonable response. Taxes and customs are a very real way that our witness is demonstrated here. I think that “render to all what is due them” really helps us to understand our responsibility to governing authorities. While these authorities are to be obeyed, they are not God. When the governing authority is in direct opposition to the clear guidance of God for Christian living, than we are to subject ourselves to God first. Of course, we have to recognize and accept the consequence from these authorities. We see examples of this all over the world as missionaries are constantly thinking through the implications of this passage.

 

V.                 An Application For All Of Us

a.       Consider an extreme example from the book “The Insanity of God” on pages 182-3. What an incredible example of Romans 13 in action! Instead of looking for a loophole to this obedience and subjection, be ready to offer this living sacrifice to God!