THERE IS NO COMPARISON

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

(Rom. 8:18)

There were periods of time during my wife’s struggle with cancer that I was personally perplexed. Then, as always, the blessed Comforter led me to the above text. During those hours of her suffering, had I compared it as a drop of water to that of the ocean, I would not have come close. There is absolutely no comparison of our suffering now to our glory then!

In our text Paul makes reference to...“the sufferings of this present time.” Also in 1 Cor. 7:26 he mentions, “...the present distress.” A study of church history, I think, shows that every age of Christians has had their share of suffering and distress in one form or another. The consistent principle is, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer…” 2 Tim. 3:12 

I like how Matthew Henry puts it, “[Our] present state is a state of education and preparation for the inheritance...the honour and happiness of an heir lie in the value and worth of that which he is heir to.” He goes on to say, “[the] sufferings of this present time, strike no deeper than the things of time, last no longer than the present time.” It’s “…light affliction...for a moment.” 2 Cor. 4:17

There seems to be a scale. Paul puts suffering on one side of the balance and glory on the other. The former is found wanting; for the latter outweighs it. WEIGHED DOWN BY GLORY. Imagine going throughout eternity weighed down by glory, so to speak. That makes me want to shout, “GLORY! GLORY! GLORY!” This glory is not going to be shown to us, but seen in us.

THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST

“He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. He bindeth up the waters in His thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. He holdeth back the face of His throne, and spreadeth His cloud upon it. He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end...He divideth the sea with His power, and by His understanding He smiteth through the proud. By His Spirit He hath garnished the heavens; His hand hath formed the crooked serpent. Lo, these are parts of His ways: 

but how little a portion is heard of Him?

(Job 26:7-10, 12-13)

Please allow me the liberty to apply this portion of scripture differently from what is generally taught and believed. Paul tells us we can use all scripture for instruction. In our opening text, Job is telling us of a few of God’s mighty works, then adds “... but how little a portion is heard of Him?”

Does this not apply to the Lord Jesus? We hear much of His works, and rightly so, but little of His Person.

Those familiar with Paul’s writings may have noticed in his latter epistles, when older and shut-in, he speaks more of the Person of Christ than the Work of Christ as he did in his earlier books. The last letters are more profound and mellower than the first are. In closing out his life and ministry he seems to be calling the saints’ attention to their relationship to the Person of Christ— the union between Him and their soul. 

As mentioned in a recent article, I am giving myself, in the time I have left on this earth, to an in-depth study of the Person of Jesus Christ. I’ll turn eighty-six on the fifteenth of this month and I want to go out talking, praying, writing, thinking, and longing for Him and Him alone. So for whatever time I have left, you can look for my writings to be all about HIM! HIM! HIM!

“And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.”

(Matt. 17:8)

An Old Disciple

WE JUST THINK WE KNOW THEM

“I knew thee that thou art an hard man...” 

(Matt. 25:24)

In Matthew chapter twenty-five Jesus continues His Olivet Discourse begun in the previous chapter. The two chapters concern themselves with His return and coming Kingdom. The stories He uses to illustrate this great event are parabolic. The above text is about a servant who thought he knew his master, but had absolutely no conception of his true character. 

Small and uncompassionate thinkers fit into this category. I shamefully confess I was among this hord for many years. When our children were small I once said, sarcastically, to one of my boys who had been mischievous, “I know you, boy!” My wise wife, when we were alone, said to me, “You really don’t know anything about him. You were not brought up in a Christian home as he.” I had made the mistake so many make concerning others, “Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself.”

When evaluating others we need not only take ourselves out of the equation, but to remember that time and events play a big part in changing people, for better or worse. What someone was, in the past, does not necessarily men that is what he or she is, now. Saul of the New Testament and Saul of the Old show this contrast for the better or for the worse. 

Far too many of us, I think, major on knowing others when the real focus ought to be on, “Know Thyself.” Once we know this person (ourselves), we will be far too busy in our attempt in figuring out someone else.  

“Before we remove a tiny speck out of our brother’s eye we need to work on getting the telephone pole out of our own.”

(rds)

An Old Disciple

ISAIAH’S CRISIS

“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne...Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King...Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”

(Isa. 6:1,6,8)

Isaiah is on the brink of entering his prophetic ministry, so God sends a crisis in his life. In a creature-created crisis we learn nothing, it ends in frustration. But in a Christ-created crisis we learn a great deal; its end is fruitfulness. Nowhere do we get a more honest and clear picture of our heart than during those times of a God-created crisis. And in most, if not all, it is not a pretty portrait. It ends in our beholding the unpleasantries of our inner self as well as getting a true look at those we dwell among. “Woe is me,” resulting.

In Isaiah’s case, as in ours, the Lord had to remove the king of his life. God has to take people and things we hold dear and in high esteem before we can say, “I saw the Lord...mine eyes have seen the King.” Moseses and Elijahs must be taken out of the picture before we can see, “Jesus Only.” Such a vision leaves one no longer disillusioned concerning himself or others; he or she will see clearly, no longer seeing men as trees. All the props are gone and now it is just us and God, face to face. Everything is tainted, except our GOD!

After such an experience as Isaiah’s a man or woman will be willing to go anywhere, do anything, and be, if God so chooses, “...the filth of the world... and the offscouring of all things” (1 Cor. 4:13). The prophet could say with Paul, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19). And

“immediately” he got a move on (Acts 16:10)! There was no hesitation, no procrastinating. This type of person doesn’t consider the impossibilities involved, as Abraham of old didn't. For he or she lives in the realm of the supernatural!

An Old Disciple