Down – But Not Out


He had been knocked down many times, but never had he been knocked out.

And he wanted the other Christians to know it – and follow his example.

Of course, I am speaking of Paul. And, of course, if you are familiar with his epistles, you know that I am referring to 2 Corinthians. It was from people in this church that he had received harsh and unjust criticism. Some had even gone so far as to allege that he was in ministry for the sake of pride and influence, perhaps to gain wealth.

You really have to wonder why anyone would say such things. Was it jealousy? Perhaps someone disliked the message Paul presented. He might then have decided that since he couldn’t change the message, the messenger would have to go.

“Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked long and hard, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm” (2 Corinthians 11:24-27, NLT).

I can hear someone say now – “Hey Paul, if you had more faith these things would not have happened to you. Just think about a new chariot and a healthy, young horse to pull it. If you don’t envision it, you’ll never have it.”

That kind of attitude is exactly what his enemies had developed. His only crime, if I can figuratively say it, is that he chose to faithfully pursue and complete his calling from God.

The attitude of keeping on and of keeping the faith is becoming lost to contemporary American Christians. We in the Western world have become accustomed to instant gratification. Consequently, we easily put aside long term gain, which may invite inconvenience or discomfort. The value of persevering through difficulties is lost. Everything has to be quick, fast, instant. And easy.

The fact is, it takes time to cultivate the spiritual graces. God is very interested in seeing spiritual values developed in our lives, and He is in no hurry.

We can all be very glad that Paul, the Apostle, chose not to seek sympathy from others, did not exaggerate his victimization, and did not retreat from adversary. He was neither interested in instant gratification nor in doing things the easy way. Had he been a 21st Century American, he might have done just that. But he chose to be courageous and to persevere in the face of difficulties. We are the beneficiaries.

Does life seem difficult for you right now? If so, may you gain strength from the same source as did Paul. Persevere through troubles, knowing that the living God is with you. He is using any difficulty you may face to develop spiritual values and Christian graces.

Its okay to get knocked down, but don’t let yourself be knocked out.

The Forgiving and Life-Restoring God


Ever heard of Katyn Woods?

As the year 2010 was ending, the Russian government finally provided an answer to a puzzling situation remaining from World War II. The puzzle was: what really happened at Katyn Woods, Russia (an area near Smolensk)? The grisly truth showed the true character of the dictator, Joseph Stalin. Stalin was guilty of many crimes, but Katyn Woods was exceptional.

In 1939, Stalin and Adolf Hitler had their respective representatives sign a non-aggression pact. Part of the pact involved the partition of Poland. That is, Germany would invade, the Soviet Union would not intervene and then the two countries would partition Poland, half going to Germany and the other half to the Soviet Union. Nice little agreement between the two monsters, wasn’t it? Following the defeat of Poland by the German forces, the Soviet Union sent in an army to “stabilize” the region. It was stabilized all right. Stalin, who earlier had had his best generals executed – he feared them – now had the Soviet army round up the top Polish military minds. Thousands of Polish military officers were taken to Katyn Woods, where on March 5, 1940 Stalin himself gave the order that they should be shot. They were – and then buried in a mass grave. This mass grave was later discovered by the German army and exposed to the world.

But for decades scholars have wondered who was responsible. As time progressed, the Polish people became more suspicious that the Soviets were responsible for the needless slaughter of their fathers, brothers and sons.

The Russian Duma (the legislative body), in a gesture intended to resolve the tension and mistrust that has existed between itself and the Poles since 1940, provided information from its archives proving Russian responsibility for what happened at Katyn Woods. Russian propagandists had for years attempted to blame the Germans for the massacre, but finally had to admit culpability.

This episode, sordid as it is, does remind me of an important scripture: Numbers 32:23 – “…you may be sure that your sin will find you out.”

The practice of sin will most certainly manifest itself – it is just a matter of time. The effects are not only witnessed in a person’s life, but also manifested in his personality. Matthew Henry, a Bible commentator from an earlier era, has written for every era these words: “Be sure your sin will find you out. Sin will surely find out the sinner sooner or later. It concerns us now to find our sins out, that we may repent of them, and forsake them, lest they find us out to our ruin.”

Listen, my friend, you cannot get away with wrongdoing. It will catch up with you sooner or later. The time to turn away from such practice is now. Need help doing it? Then seek the presence and power of God in your life.

The announcement from the Russian Duma concerning Katyn Woods helps to write the history books correctly. The sin of the Soviet government, carefully hidden for sixty – five years, has now been found out.

Your sins will be found out, too. Turn from them now, and turn to the forgiving and life-restoring God.