Suffering

Something bad has happened to me, something from which I was not sure I could recover, but I have learned a lot from the past five months - God works all things for our good. That's something we can count on.

Fr. Dwight Longenecker writes,

"We don't know what God is doing, except that he is at work bring the best out of the worst and redeeming all things. The problem is, he doesn't always do this the way we think is best. God's providence is often a severe mercy."

"That is why in the middle of even the most heartbreaking and absurd suffering we turn back to God and co-operate with his grace to see how even this cross may have a resurrection somewhere, somehow on the other side."

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Hide Away in the Love of Jesus

Come weary saints, though tired and weak
Hide away in the love of Jesus
Your strength will return by His quiet streams
Hide away in the love of Jesus

Come wand’ring souls, and find your home
Hide away in the love of Jesus
He offers the rest that you yearn to know
Hide away in the love of Jesus

Hear Him calling your name
See the depths of His love
in the wounds of His grace
Hide away

Come guilty ones, weighed down with sin
Hide away in the love of Jesus
The freedom you long for is found in Him
Hide away in the love of Jesus

Hear Him calling your name
See the depths of His love
in the wounds of His grace
Hide away

Come hopeless hearts, do not despair
Hide away in the love of Jesus
For ten thousand joys await you there
Hide away in the love of Jesus

"THEN ALL THE DISCIPLES FORSOOK HIM AND FLED."

Have you ever been abandoned by those closest to you in your greatest time of need?

One only needs to have some troubles to find out who your true friends are. But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Cling to Him. There you will find your strength, for He is faithful and has promised never to leave you or forsake you. Let Jesus be your Rock, your Fortress, your Refuge, your Comfort. He knows your need, even before you seek His aid.

Bullying in the Church

Susan Burns writes,

"Bully: a person who uses strength or power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker." [The New Oxford American Dictionary]

I loathe bullies. Absolutely loathe them. I have run across them many times in my lifetime. Mostly in the church. And I know many of you have too.

In Christendom, we have pastor/elder bullies. I have heard many horror stories about those guys and have witnessed bullying in church meetings and at presbyteries. And in all the times I have watched this occur, I do not recall one instance where the bully was called down and held accountable for his obnoxious treatment of a brother or sister believer. In fact, these bullies continue to serve as a pastors and elders and continue to bask in the warm regard and respect of fellow elders. Now the church bullies I know have behaved this way for years. Bullying is their pattern of behavior. If the Biblical standard for eldership were upheld by their congregations, these guys would be tossed out of the sheep pen and forced to look for employment outside the church. Just to remind you, that standard is (among other things) "not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker…just, holy, temperate" (Titus 1:7, 8). Yet, these oppressors continue to preach, teach and, in some cases, publish, and speak at our conferences.

and

The real problem with Christian bullies, however, is the Christian men who aren't bullies, but who allow this treatment to continue. In almost every case of bullying I know about, Christian men have been present or were aware of what was going on. And did nothing. That has got to change. As anyone who has confronted a bully knows, they are huge cowards and just showing a little fang will send them running under Mommy's skirts. . . . So, through the years, I have wondered why Christian men don't take on the bullies, confront them, and tell them this is not acceptable behavior in the kingdom of God.

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