ON PICKING FIGHTS - CROSS PURPOSES 130
CROSS PURPOSES 130
August 13th 2008
ON PICKING FIGHTS
Under the cover of the Olympic focus on Beijing, Russian troops have occupied the Georgian province of South Ossetia and made deep incursions into Georgia itself. The propaganda claims on both sides, allegations and representations alike, make it impossible to know who or what is right/wrong true/false.
One thing struck me about this above all others. I know these figures are not correct but they do give a true picture of the balance between these nations.
RUSSIA GEORGIA
MISSILES 10,000 50
TANKS 7850 22
FIGHTER JETS 3220 7
TROOPS 7,960,000 23,000
A bit one-sided eh? If Georgia picked this fight, for whatever reasons, its leaders were not thinking of Jesus’ advice in Luke 14:31-32.
"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace."
There is a message for us Christians here too. We are quite accustomed to being told by our teacher/preachers that we are engaged in warfare as followers of Jesus Christ. If this is our situation against satan and his minions then we can apparently do so with great hope. Consider:
4 Romans 8:37-39 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
4 Colossians 2:14-15 “having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
4 Ephesians 1:19-21 “and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”
4 Romans 8:31 “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
There are hundreds of other such great passages and verses in scripture, especially in the New Testament. When God in Christ is with us-when we are “in Christ”, then we can’t be rolled, as surely as Jesus Christ can’t be rolled.
EXCEPT EXCEPT EXCEPT…
Look again at Luke 14:31 and 32 – and this time I’ve added verse 33.
"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”
Why does Jesus add that? And what does it mean? And how can I know?
Time for more thinking and prayer Fred!
Bless You
Fred
August 13th 2008
ON PICKING FIGHTS
Under the cover of the Olympic focus on Beijing, Russian troops have occupied the Georgian province of South Ossetia and made deep incursions into Georgia itself. The propaganda claims on both sides, allegations and representations alike, make it impossible to know who or what is right/wrong true/false.
One thing struck me about this above all others. I know these figures are not correct but they do give a true picture of the balance between these nations.
RUSSIA GEORGIA
MISSILES 10,000 50
TANKS 7850 22
FIGHTER JETS 3220 7
TROOPS 7,960,000 23,000
A bit one-sided eh? If Georgia picked this fight, for whatever reasons, its leaders were not thinking of Jesus’ advice in Luke 14:31-32.
"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace."
There is a message for us Christians here too. We are quite accustomed to being told by our teacher/preachers that we are engaged in warfare as followers of Jesus Christ. If this is our situation against satan and his minions then we can apparently do so with great hope. Consider:
4 Romans 8:37-39 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
4 Colossians 2:14-15 “having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
4 Ephesians 1:19-21 “and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”
4 Romans 8:31 “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
There are hundreds of other such great passages and verses in scripture, especially in the New Testament. When God in Christ is with us-when we are “in Christ”, then we can’t be rolled, as surely as Jesus Christ can’t be rolled.
EXCEPT EXCEPT EXCEPT…
Look again at Luke 14:31 and 32 – and this time I’ve added verse 33.
"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”
Why does Jesus add that? And what does it mean? And how can I know?
Time for more thinking and prayer Fred!
Bless You
Fred
posted by PastorFredVeerhuis at 12:42 PM
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