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13 June 2009
08 June 2009
What is the Recession For? By John Piper
What Is the Recession For?
February 2, 2009 | By: David Mathis (Pastor Piper's Executive Assistant)
God is sovereign over all finances. Any economic recession—global or personal—is never less than recession-by-divine-design.
When the economy plummets, God has his purposes—perhaps thousands upon thousands of purposes. Some of these purposes he has made known in his Book.
At least 5 of them are:
1. To expose hidden sin and so bring us to repentance and cleansing.
2. To wake us up to the constant and desperate condition of the developing world where there is always and only recession of the worst kind.
3. To relocate the roots of our joy in his grace rather than in our goods—in his mercy rather than our money, in his worth rather than our wealth.
4. To advance his saving mission in the world—the spread of the gospel and the growth of his church—precisely at a time when human resources are least able to support it. This is how he guards his glory.
5. To bring his church to care for its hurting members and to grow in the gift of love.
2 Corinthians 8:1 2 might be the clearest "recession text" in the Bible. It describes the roots of the joy of the Macedonian believers in their "recession." In their "severe test of affliction" and "extreme poverty, "their abundant joy overflowed in a wealth of generosity."
Their generosity didn't come from prosperity but from God's grace — and this grace rooted in "our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich" (2Corinthians 8:9).
February 2, 2009 | By: David Mathis (Pastor Piper's Executive Assistant)
God is sovereign over all finances. Any economic recession—global or personal—is never less than recession-by-divine-design.
When the economy plummets, God has his purposes—perhaps thousands upon thousands of purposes. Some of these purposes he has made known in his Book.
At least 5 of them are:
1. To expose hidden sin and so bring us to repentance and cleansing.
2. To wake us up to the constant and desperate condition of the developing world where there is always and only recession of the worst kind.
3. To relocate the roots of our joy in his grace rather than in our goods—in his mercy rather than our money, in his worth rather than our wealth.
4. To advance his saving mission in the world—the spread of the gospel and the growth of his church—precisely at a time when human resources are least able to support it. This is how he guards his glory.
5. To bring his church to care for its hurting members and to grow in the gift of love.
2 Corinthians 8:1 2 might be the clearest "recession text" in the Bible. It describes the roots of the joy of the Macedonian believers in their "recession." In their "severe test of affliction" and "extreme poverty, "their abundant joy overflowed in a wealth of generosity."
Their generosity didn't come from prosperity but from God's grace — and this grace rooted in "our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich" (2Corinthians 8:9).
03 June 2009
Are We Next?
Persecution of Christians is a way of life and on the increase in Asia and the world over. Thus, of late, I have been wondering: Are we next?
Let's assume for a moment (or more) that serious - even brutal - persecution may soon be part of our Christendom reality.
This possible (probable?) scenario begs - for starters - the following corollary questions and comments:
Are we ready? Are we preparing?
How truly intimate with Jesus and the Body of Christ are we?
Unengaged, uninvolved, spectator believers are not a threat to godless governments, institutions and individuals that only persecute fruit-bearing Christians.
Is the testimony of my lifestyle worthy of persecution for Christ's sake?
How about yours?
What bodies of believers from around the world will seek God for tangible ways to remind us that we have not been forgotten by our brothers and sisters - if, when, serious persecution is upon us?
Meanwhile, having briefly considered what it would be like for "us" to be "them":
How can you help encourage and equip those that are already suffering persecution or living daily under its threat.
The ministry of Frontline Resources is one way you are able to: Remember them that are in bonds (in ARNA), as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Hebrews 13:3
Frontline Resources
Let's assume for a moment (or more) that serious - even brutal - persecution may soon be part of our Christendom reality.
This possible (probable?) scenario begs - for starters - the following corollary questions and comments:
Are we ready? Are we preparing?
How truly intimate with Jesus and the Body of Christ are we?
Unengaged, uninvolved, spectator believers are not a threat to godless governments, institutions and individuals that only persecute fruit-bearing Christians.
Is the testimony of my lifestyle worthy of persecution for Christ's sake?
How about yours?
What bodies of believers from around the world will seek God for tangible ways to remind us that we have not been forgotten by our brothers and sisters - if, when, serious persecution is upon us?
Meanwhile, having briefly considered what it would be like for "us" to be "them":
How can you help encourage and equip those that are already suffering persecution or living daily under its threat.
The ministry of Frontline Resources is one way you are able to: Remember them that are in bonds (in ARNA), as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Hebrews 13:3
Frontline Resources
What do Waffles and Persecution Have in Common?
We have observed “waffle-like” patterns in China and Southeast Asian nations for over two decades. Here is what we mean: While one square of the waffle (city, province, region) in a given country may be relatively peaceful (syrupy enough to swim in), the square(s) adjacent to it or hundreds of miles away can be full of persecution (dry), Bible shortages, etc. Moreover, present realities - be they characterized by relative “peace” or “persecution” - do not guarantee that circumstances will stay the same. Often a report from one square of the waffletoday will be quite the opposite over the next month, or year, or other seemingly random sequence of time.
"Square(s)” situations can and and often do change. So, please do not rely solely on reports that declare the end of persecution, or that there are plenty of Bibles, or that there is no need for training, or that it is no longer necessary for missionaries / “tentmakers” to guard their identities, etc. These reports typically come from good-willed people whose knowledge is limited to “their square” &/or influenced by Chinese Communist propaganda. Hence, these well-intentioned, but limited-in-scope reports are often errantly presented as representative of the entire waffle. “It’s all good” reports may be true in one, or many waffle’s squares, but they rarely reflect Christendom realities throughout a given province, region or country and they do not guarantee the same will be true next month, or next year, or … tomorrow!
Waffle Concept Credit to Chinese Christians.
Frontline Resources
"Square(s)” situations can and and often do change. So, please do not rely solely on reports that declare the end of persecution, or that there are plenty of Bibles, or that there is no need for training, or that it is no longer necessary for missionaries / “tentmakers” to guard their identities, etc. These reports typically come from good-willed people whose knowledge is limited to “their square” &/or influenced by Chinese Communist propaganda. Hence, these well-intentioned, but limited-in-scope reports are often errantly presented as representative of the entire waffle. “It’s all good” reports may be true in one, or many waffle’s squares, but they rarely reflect Christendom realities throughout a given province, region or country and they do not guarantee the same will be true next month, or next year, or … tomorrow!
Waffle Concept Credit to Chinese Christians.
Frontline Resources
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