What Jesus Freaks Know! - CROSS PURPOSES 138
What Jesus Freaks Know!
I’ve been reading a book by C J Hill called “Enjoying God”. It’s a reasonable read. In his last chapter he writes about hunger in the spirit for God, and his holiness and love. He includes the following:
“In the introduction to the book Jesus Freak, Tom White, director the Voice of the Martyrs, writes, “The greatest pressure on the freak who stands up for Jesus is the thought that they are all alone – the only one. That is a lie. When I was on trial in Cuba for the Gospel, with a machine gun behind me, the prosecutor made fun of me. I told him about Hebrews 12:1, which mentions the cloud of witnesses around us. He was upset when I mentioned the saints and angels around me. Before trial I had been placed in special, cold cells with no furniture, no blanket, and no light. Cold air was blowing in above the door. Everything was taken from me. I began singing hymns and praise choruses. The guards got angry and pounded on the steel door with their fists. I was not destitute and alone. Second Corinthians 6:10 states that we can have nothing, yet possess everything. I fellowshipped with the Creator of everything.”
Hill then makes a very simple, urgent and valid point. If in your current circumstances you have nothing, or face losing what you do have, or are disillusioned by everything, yet have Jesus Christ, then you have all things, because all things, all in all, are found in Jesus Christ.
On the other hand, if you have all things - material and social, financial and academic – all things, but do not have and know Jesus the Christ as Saviour and Lord, then you have nothing – zip – nothing at all.
Jesus claims to be “the way, the truth and the life – no one comes to the Father except trough me.” ( John 14:6) Little secret here. He is not only the way, ie the door, the narrow gate, the entry point. He is also the life. Know Him, know what life is. Not know him, not know what life is. Or as the old Warrambui staff T-shirt it had:
KNOW CHRIST – KNOW LIFE
NO CHRIST – NO LIFE
That’s why Tom White, and thousands of those who have suffered for Jesus’ name and kingdom experienced such pure, unadulterated joy in prison and under torture. Jesus Christ was all they had. In that place it was all they needed.
Guess where you are called to focus your hope? Freakish, isn’t it?
Have a good week.
Fred
By the way: For those of you in Sydney on October 26 we will have August Fricke – Asia Focus Man – As the preacher for Reformation Celebration.
You are all welcome – St Pauls 10:30am.
I’ve been reading a book by C J Hill called “Enjoying God”. It’s a reasonable read. In his last chapter he writes about hunger in the spirit for God, and his holiness and love. He includes the following:
“In the introduction to the book Jesus Freak, Tom White, director the Voice of the Martyrs, writes, “The greatest pressure on the freak who stands up for Jesus is the thought that they are all alone – the only one. That is a lie. When I was on trial in Cuba for the Gospel, with a machine gun behind me, the prosecutor made fun of me. I told him about Hebrews 12:1, which mentions the cloud of witnesses around us. He was upset when I mentioned the saints and angels around me. Before trial I had been placed in special, cold cells with no furniture, no blanket, and no light. Cold air was blowing in above the door. Everything was taken from me. I began singing hymns and praise choruses. The guards got angry and pounded on the steel door with their fists. I was not destitute and alone. Second Corinthians 6:10 states that we can have nothing, yet possess everything. I fellowshipped with the Creator of everything.”
Hill then makes a very simple, urgent and valid point. If in your current circumstances you have nothing, or face losing what you do have, or are disillusioned by everything, yet have Jesus Christ, then you have all things, because all things, all in all, are found in Jesus Christ.
On the other hand, if you have all things - material and social, financial and academic – all things, but do not have and know Jesus the Christ as Saviour and Lord, then you have nothing – zip – nothing at all.
Jesus claims to be “the way, the truth and the life – no one comes to the Father except trough me.” ( John 14:6) Little secret here. He is not only the way, ie the door, the narrow gate, the entry point. He is also the life. Know Him, know what life is. Not know him, not know what life is. Or as the old Warrambui staff T-shirt it had:
KNOW CHRIST – KNOW LIFE
NO CHRIST – NO LIFE
That’s why Tom White, and thousands of those who have suffered for Jesus’ name and kingdom experienced such pure, unadulterated joy in prison and under torture. Jesus Christ was all they had. In that place it was all they needed.
Guess where you are called to focus your hope? Freakish, isn’t it?
Have a good week.
Fred
By the way: For those of you in Sydney on October 26 we will have August Fricke – Asia Focus Man – As the preacher for Reformation Celebration.
You are all welcome – St Pauls 10:30am.
posted by PastorFredVeerhuis at 7:31 PM
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