No Opposition

No Opposition

Revelation 11: ⁴ The two witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lamps that stand before the Lord of the earth. ⁵ If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths and destroys their enemies; and in this way whoever tries to harm them will be killed. ⁶ They have authority to shut up the sky so that there will be no rain during the time they proclaim God's message. They have authority also over the springs of water, to turn them into blood; they have authority also to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.

 

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Trying to watch a TV show, I got my food ready because I did not want to miss a moment. Just when it got to the “good part”, the doorbell rang. “Would you like to buy my stuff?” was the unimportant interruption. I got back to my program and an important moment had passed.

 

• I was interrupted.
• The salesperson was trying to get me to hear a different message than the one I wanted to hear.
• My peace was opposed.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, saw the two witnesses of the “LORD of the earth.” They will be sent to “proclaim GOD’s message.” Any opposition to this message will be met with severe retaliation, leading to destruction.

 

My Observations:

• GOD gave the two witnesses the authority to speak on HIS behalf.
• GOD also gave the two witnesses the authority over earth, water and fire.
• GOD’s message is so important that human messages will not oppose HIM.

 

No message will oppose GOD’s message. I mean, in these days of bad news, political posturing, and overt or covert hyper-individualism GOD’s message of love can be lost. To some humans, HE can be viewed as a weakling, who allows bad things and randomly gives the lottery to people. BUT GOD sees all hearts.

 

GOD is patient versus weak. Unfortunately one day, HIS patience will end on the Day the LORD returns. HE told us what HE would do and it is up to us to heed HIS warning. The Gospel is available for anyone to accept, right now.

 

Challenge

• What is the writer trying to describe?
• Have you ever tried to hear an important message and were interrupted?
• Will you seek to understand that GOD is trying to reach many people and is being patient, so while HE is, will you proclaim HIS message today?

Opposition

Opposition

2 Timothy 3: ⁶ Some of them go into people's houses and gain control over weak women who are burdened by the guilt of their sins and driven by all kinds of desires, ⁷ women who are always trying to learn but who can never come to know the truth. ⁸ As Jannes and Jambres were opposed to Moses, so also these people are opposed to the truth—people whose minds do not function and who are failures in the faith. ⁹ But they will not get very far, because everyone will see how stupid they are. That is just what happened to Jannes and Jambres.

 

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Trying to live a life that followed JESUS was hard. I had built a reputation of being the “fun” person. I used to hold parties and spread “fun” wherever I went. But when I tried to turn my life over to the LORD, I went back to the people who loved me for my party prowess and was met with opposition.

 

• I was no longer part of the in crowd I longed to be part of.
• I no longer fit in the world I had put together for myself.
• I did not expect how difficult it would be to change my life for CHRIST.

 

Paul continues to warn Timothy about people who oppose the Gospel and prey on those who may have had difficult lives. He gives a specific spiritual example of Jannes and Jambres, magicians who tried to oppose Moses. While their attempt seem to work, GOD intervened and ultimately they failed.

 

My Observations

• Opposition to the LORD form other people is not something I should be worried about.
• If someone chooses to oppose the LORD for his or her own purpose, GOD wants me to remain near to HIM and know their opposition is noted by HIM.
• Opposers of the LORD will get somewhere, but not very far and will be exposed by GOD.

 

Siding with the LORD brings opposition. I mean, when I become a follower of CHRIST, the enemy throws all kinds of opposition at me that will make me question my faith, the company I keep and my direction. BUT GOD wants me to know HE has the upper hand.

 

Those who oppose GOD will be exposed and I do not need to see it happen. HIS plan for me is solid and supernatural. Those who slither and slide around like snakes, looking for complex ways to appear like the truth will ultimately “fail in the faith.” I am grateful GOD protects me from those who oppose HIM.

 

Challenge

• What opposition do you think the writer is speaking about?
• Have you ever tried to live for the LORD and was met with opposition?
• Will you let go of your worry about those who oppose the LORD and know HE can handle any opposition because HE is all powerful and HIS plan for you will not fail?

Supported

Supported

Philippians 4: ² Euodia and Syntyche, please, I beg you, try to agree as sisters in the Lord. ³ And you too, my faithful partner, I want you to help these women; for they have worked hard with me to spread the gospel, together with Clement and all my other fellow workers, whose names are in God's book of the living.

 

⁴ May you always be joyful in your union with the Lord. I say it again: rejoice!

 

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Not knowing what I was doing, I stayed up late trying to understand my next move. I had never led anything, and now it was my turn to lead a group. Someone must have saw my struggles so he or she paired me up with a more experienced person.

 

• I was glad to have the help.
• I did not know what I was doing and felt overwhelmed.
• I was relieved to be supported.

 

Paul begs two women to agree. He, himself had disagreements that he regretted. He later saw that agreeing with a variety of approaches is far better than everyone doing things the same way. He then requests support for the two women who had a disagreement because they were passionate about the LORD.

 

My Observations

• GOD wants me to be passionate about spreading the Gospel.
• GOD wants my passion to be focused with discernment and agreement with a variety of approaches.
• GOD wants me to appreciate many styles so I can support versus debate.

 

“There is the right way and there is your way” is most people’s approach. I mean, when it comes to GOD, it seems like worship is the most segregated, gender and age biased thing we can do. Disagreements over music types, racial examples and “young” or “old” thinking keep us separated and weak. BUT GOD has a remedy.

 

Unity with the LORD breaks down arguments about GOD. When I unite with the LORD, HE is the center of attention, not me. HE gets presented in the way that is best for all and I can rejoice even when it is not sung or said the way I would expect. I am glad to be supported and I will support the efforts of those who seek the spreading of the Gospel of our LORD.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think the writer wants these two women to agree?
• Have you ever been passionate about something and were met with someone who was just as passionate about an opposing, yet correct, view of the Savior?
• Will you unite under CHRIST and figure out how to support one another’s views so “more” people can be reached for HIM today?

Stay for the Opportunity

Stay for the Opportunity

1 Corinthians 16: ⁸ I will stay here in Ephesus until the day of Pentecost. ⁹ There is a real opportunity here for great and worthwhile work, even though there are many opponents.

 

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“Why don’t you just leave?” or “Why not just give up? were the answers given to me regarding  hard situations. On the surface the short term solution of giving up or leaving seemed like a great answer.

 

• I was thinking short term and throwing away the long term benefits.
• I was thinking of myself and not others.
• I was thinking how this situation affected me.

Paul knew his time in Ephesus was going to remain difficult, yet he chose to stay. He saw the “opportunity for a great and worthwhile work” even though he had many barriers and obstacles. Giving up would have been easy and he would have been justified.

 

My Observations

• GOD wants me to persevere during times of opposition.
• GOD wants me to keep going when I feel like quitting.
• GOD wants me to stay in places where I can bear fruit.

 

Whenever the Good News about JESUS is spread, there will be opposition. I mean, opposing forces do not want JESUS to be the ultimate authority in everyone’s lives. The simple message of love and surrender becomes a battle ground as it is spun into evil messages from those who speak HIS name, but do not know HIM.

 

Instead, hate messages and divisive, discouraging words are presented as obstacles to hearing “JESUS loves all who believe in HIM.” GOD wants me to remain encouraged so I can see the opportunity of presenting HIM as the only answer. I do not like the spiritual battle, but I am grateful the battle is GOD’s and not mine.

 Challenge

• Would you make the choice to stay somewhere that you are not welcomed by some in order to do something great?
• What oppositions are you facing that are trying to make you give up?
• Will you ask GOD to open your eyes to the opportunities versus the barriers to HIS success today?

Being the Opposition

Ezra 4: ³ But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”

⁴ Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. ⁵ They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

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After our meeting, we parted with our plan to build it ourselves. Our boss’s, boss’s boss was taking too long to give us the funding we needed so we found a way to get the work done without internal funding. We worked hard and, at the convention, our project was the big hit!

We won the battle but later found out we lost the war.  Internal opposition grew. It was harder to get things done and department after department met us with frowns. We were the opposition instead of the solution.

• Sometimes I think I am providing solutions when I am really opposing.
• Sometimes I think I am helping when I am really hurting.
• Sometimes I think I am part of the team when really I am part of a mob.

Challenging the norm is quite alright if done the right way. If the norm isn’t challenged, then innovation can’t happen. BUT I must consider when and where this is appropriate. The officials thought they were doing the right thing by opposing the rebuild of Jerusalem in the passage but in reality they were opposing what GOD had ordained.

• GOD wants me to consult HIM before I go into battle.
• GOD wants me to be humble before HIM to chart my course.
• GOD wants me to look for unity instead of opposition.

In the fight for power it is taught to collect as many people on my side as possible then I can be successful. BUT GOD says all I need is HIM on my side to be successful. This means I need to rely on tools that don’t seem like they would work. HE wants me to rely on humility, peace, love, kindness and compassion.

The world would look at that type of person as a sap, BUT GOD loves those who pursue HIS ways and look to HIM for protection.

• Are you the opposition?
• Do you talk about “that” person?
• Can you spit out your poison and speak about them with grace?
• Will you work on unity instead of ‘winning?”