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Philip Conley's Morning Thoughts

Morning Thoughts (Revelation 2:10 – “The Duration of Warfare”)

Morning Thoughts, , ,

“The Duration of Warfare”

Revelation 2:10, “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

This morning, life seems to follow a pattern of one of the famous literary lines, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” To the disciple of Christ trying to adhere faithfully to His injunctions, it seems so dark and distressing at what the world is propagating these days. To that same individual, today is the closest we have ever been to the 2nd coming of our Lord. Truly, this day – with all of its sorrowful circumstances – is still the best in the regard of being nearest to the blessed end. Till that blessed day arrives, much needs to be done in combating the problems that cross our path as diligent and faithful soldiers of the cross. While we will always have problems as long as we dwell in a sin-cursed plane, that does not necessitate our falling prey to them. So, the question that any soldier must ask is, “How long must this fight endure?”

As we launch into this mode of thought, please note dear reader that the only portion of our study verse that we will consider is the expression “be thou faithful unto death.” There are many more good things in this verse and the immediate context regarding the address to the church at Smyrna. However, our scope is more broad than the focus on one church as this lesson is primarily directed. Since the answer to the soldier’s question is readily apparent from the expression itself. Consider this quote from a famous American general as we go into this, “The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” — General Douglas MacArthur

The injunction on warfare’s duration is simple and straightforward. As long as we have breath, we should stand and war a good warfare faithfully. In the workforce, people look forward to one thing seemingly more than any other: retirement. I must confess that at my relatively young age, I think about it. Most of my thoughts revolve around how I much I could do that I want to do if retired. However, it should not be so for the disciple’s life of service. Our “want to” should align with our “ought to.” We may have times and seasons where we want to quit the fight or take a sabbatical. But, faithfulness should know no season and cessation of conflict with the world should never occur, as this world is not our friend.

In recent days, I have seen the rise of the retirement mentality in some Christian circles regarding their service and faithfulness to God’s kingdom. In the denominational world, preachers are retiring (mind boggling thought!), and even in our own churches, people are semi-to-fully retired in their efforts worshipping the Lord. While I am all for encouraging younger, fresher people in churches to take responsibilities as they grow and develop, there is no discharge in this war and service of ours. Prayers should stay most fervent. Worship should remain passionate and heart-felt. Daily life should still look as bright and refulgent as a shining light in a cold dark world. Years ago, a much older minister confessed to me that he had not really read or studied his Bible in years. His preaching was basically a re-presentation of things preached in years past. He said with shame that he had been brought to his knees by the Almighty to pick his sword back up and war again.

Let us transition this thought to our highest Example. Jesus Christ the Lord was faithful unto death. While this question does not apply to us with the same weight it does to Him, what are the ramifications of not being so? Had Jesus Christ not been faithful all the way to death, we would be yet in our sins and of all men most miserable. Thank God and bless His name that our faithfulness unto death does not carry such eternal ramifications! However, consider how our faithfulness in this regard does affect us, and more pertinently those around us. Most people are going to remember what portion of someone’s life? More than likely, the thing that will stand out the most is how they finished their course.

When runners run in a race, a fast starter that fades down the stretch will be a mere footnote as a participant in the race. Though he may have led the first half of it, his effort will not endure. There have been ministers I have known in the past that were great blessings for many years to God’s people. Their preaching was mighty and powerful, but down the stretch they either faded to a moral problem or theological error. All most people remember about them is not the years of faithful service but the reprobate or heretical behavior that came forth at the end. The greatest legacy we can leave for our children and those following after us is not money, land, possessions, or even seasons of faithful examples. Rather the greatest legacy we can leave those we love is the example of finishing our course with joy, rejoicing in hope even until the end, and steadfastly holding on to those things that bring lasting peace and joy to the soul.

Getting back to the quote from the beginning, every one of us should have the prayer of peace first and foremost in our hearts. Not peace with the world but peace from out of his world. We will be at peace one day with a full cessation of hostilities for evermore. That discharge will come from either death or Christ’s coming. Until one of those two events transpire, faithfulness should be our primary course: in all seasons, in all situations, and no matter the price that it costs. Faithfulness to His Divine will occurred for our Lord all the time, no matter what He was faced with, and even at the cost of His life for us. May our course follow the same direction and path. May our best days of faithful service be those before us. As the world grows darker, may we grow brighter. As death nears, may we rejoice in hope with all faith even more. As another memorable character said during a great time of conflict, “This was their finest hour.” May people remember the end of warfare as being our finest hour of service, thanksgiving, and praise knowing that our arms would be laid down forever to rest in peace and at home.

In Hope,
Bro Philip

Philip Conley's Morning Thoughts

Morning Thoughts (Matthew 8:14-15 – “Healing and Ministry”)

Morning Thoughts,

“Healing and Ministry”

Matthew 8:14-15, “And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.”

This morning, our world often gets the “cart before the horse” in their reasoning. There are many principles and concepts that must come on the heels of other things. One of the major points among the theological world is the truism that life must precede action. So many times, the ideas of salvation in the religious world are predicated upon action that Scripture tells us natural man is incapable of performing since he is dead. (Ephesians 2:1, I Corinthians 2:14) Without spiritual life, one cannot perform spiritual action. If more people properly reasoned the life before action principle, there would not be so many skewed perspectives about the salvation of man to heaven’s pure world. On the other hand, much of our service here must be built upon something as well. Proper spiritual engagement requires something go before it, and without those prerequisites, it will be crippled service.

In our study verses, we see what might be known in literature as a “throwaway” story. It takes up little ink, and seems like a minor detail in the broader picture of the life of Christ. However, nothing that is written about Christ was haphazard or without reason. This account shows the compassion of Christ, but it also points us to one of the best mindsets that the disciple of Christ can employ. This story deals with a literal, natural sickness and literal, natural ministering. However, the story can be employed to a spiritual plane as well.

When Peter’s mother-in-law was sick, she was really incapable of doing much. Any of us when dealing with a fever leaving us bedridden know that the body is just too weak to do much. Think about the church today. Scripture repeatedly calls it a body (I Corinthians 12 for example), and when the body is sick, it is hard for her to minister as she should. When a church gets bedridden from sickness, sometimes the ultimate sadness is that there is a denial of being sick. People trying to convince others they are not sick will say, “I’m really ok. No really. I’m ok.” Denial of natural sickness can end up being more severe as we press through things and do more damage to the body. Denial of spiritual sickness can bring prolonged illness that damages the body’s functions and usefulness.

When Christ appears though, what deliverance is found! This non-throwaway story shows Christ simply coming in an touching her. When a church is in trouble and laid up with a sickness, the Master’s touch can heal and drive away the problems that are troubling the body. Too many times, we live with a short-sighted mindset of God’s power and healing ability. In my own spirit, I know that I have sold Him short many times. While He may not be willing to do a thing, none of our problems are outside of His ability to heal. In today’s troubled culture, I have heard a lot of hopeless talking by those in the community. While my opinion of God’s will to bless and heal the country due to our prolonged refusal and rebellion against Him is a different matter for a different day, let us never think that one touch of the Master’s hand is insufficient for any problem that we see.

Let us look now to the scene after the Master’s touch. It would seem at a glance to be even more “throwaway” than what has preceded it. When Peter’s mother-in-law is healed, she rises and begins ministering. Put in proper perspective, this is magnificent! Let us think of it this way. You are the host or hostess that has been laid up in bed for several days. No doubt your body is weakened from the labour, but in a moment, your sickness leaves you. With a still weakened frame, you rise from your bed with all of your guests looking on as you do so. Then you begin to immediately cook food, take requests to attend to their needs, and do everything that a host or hostess would be expected to do. What would the guests think about that? After all, you were just sick! “Don’t you want to rest a bit honey? Shouldn’t we get you something instead of you serving us?”

We have a tendency to “recover” when we have been knocked around a bit. However, this woman just simply got up and started serving. The word here “ministered” is from the same word that the word “deacon” comes from. Both show forth servitude, and the spirit and heart of one that desires for others above themselves. Relating this back to a spiritual plane, I believe the Lord Jesus has had compassion and mercy upon His church repeatedly. She gets sick a lot, but He is faithful to heal her over and over. When those times of healing come to the body, we may think we are still too weakened to do much, but we should rise immediately to serve as we have been called to do.

People really do not want to receive something from a “sickie.” Whether the concern is germs or otherwise, we want sick people to be quarantined from us. When a church develops a sick reputation, people will not want to be in the room with her. However, when the sicknesses get driven away, we should be willing to minister showing forth the wellness that God has given us. These days, it is increasingly difficult to get someone to come visit your worship services. There are so many other things to do in life right now. However, one of the most popular responses I get is, “I’m not going to be with those hypocrites.” While I try not to let those statements deter me, they are discouraging. One of the best responses to a mindset like that is to explain that yes, we are sinners and imperfect. However, we strive to get better, and we dwell in a position to receive healing from on high. I do believe that the Master’s compassion and face is seen in our house more than outside of the house. Therefore, as one that gets sick in soul quite often, I need visits from the Great Physician regularly.

When I feel that reviving that the Spirit brings, I should then be willing to immediately serve rather than be served. There are people that need attending to, and I should minister to them with all that I have in me. This past weekend, I heard a wonderful expression that is going into my repertoire. The statement is that “many of God’s people are living beneath their means.” God has given us so much, and yet we fail to use what He has given us so often. Correlated to natural things, we can be like spiritual misers. When someone is blessed to have much money and not do much with it, we call them misers. We are blessed to be kings and priests unto God, and we should do much with it. Friends, I delight in the Master’s appearance to heal my sin sick soul, lay His hand upon my hurting heart, and calm my troubled mind. When those moments come, my course should be to show my thanks by helping others where I can. His healing is not given for naught. He expects a return from it. May we live in our means spiritually so that the blessing we can be to others does not go unrealized when He has healed us to be able to perform it.

In Hope,
Bro Philip