25 August 2014 - endure all things

Jesus wants to see our faith flourish.  With that faith as the basis "the love of every one of you for another grows ever greater."  If we have faith our love grows.  We say with James, "I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works" (cf. Jam. 2:18)  When our love grows it follows that we have "endurance and faith in all your persecutions and the afflictions you endure."  This is a direct cause.  Paul says, "Accordingly".  He directly connects our faith and love to our ability to endure persecutions and afflictions.  He wants a faith that is so real that we can genuinely act on it in love.  James makes the same point when he says that we should "Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."  In the midst of affliction and persecutions the love which faith creates manifests as endurance.  It this kind of love which wants to see the Kingdom come on earth.  It is love which will suffer for that kingdom.

This is love which doesn't cop out.  This is love which doesn't try to allow wiggle room for itself in case the stakes get too high.  This love puts the kingdom before self-interest.  It doesn't just put any old generic good first.  It puts the kingdom first.  The priorities of this love are in the proper order.

which is greater, the gold,
or the temple that made the gold sacred?

...

which is greater, the gift,
or the altar that makes the gift sacred?

We don't succeed when we try to use the strength of self to set aside selfishness.  This is especially obvious when we suffer.  When we suffer on our own strength we are not "considered worthy of the Kingdom" because we ultimately end up seeking ourselves rather than that kingdom.  Fortunately, God himself does all that is necessary to make us worthy.

We always pray for you,
that our God may make you worthy of his calling
and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose
and every effort of faith,
that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,
and you in him,
in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ.

He is the source of all we do.  He wants to give us a flourishing faith which culminates in the ability to give ourselves for love of God and love of neighbor.  He transforms us so that our lives can become a sacrifice of praise.  He gives us power "to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God" (cf. Rom. 12:1).  Our priorities are put in the proper order and our lives become songs of praise to him.

For great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
awesome is he, beyond all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are things of nought,
but the LORD made the heavens.