How Did I Get This Way? - Part I

Bob Rakestraw

On this last day of 2009 I want to begin writing about the twelve individuals who have most shaped me into the person I am today. Of course God is the ultimate shaper of our lives, and I give him all the glory for whatever good he has accomplished in me and through me. But God works through circumstances, through our personal decisions, through his own sovereign activity in us, and through people.

I do not idolize these individuals, but I do respect them highly. Six—possibly seven—have died, and most of the twelve influenced/inspired/impacted me primarily in the earlier years of my life—up to my mid-forties. (One lesson to all of us from this latter point is to be eager to spend time with youth and young adults. They are sometimes highly influenced by experiences with and around us.)

I am writing this piece partly to honor these persons, but even more to encourage you and me to live our lives in such a way that we will have a lasting impact for good on others. With some of these I have spent a great amount of personal time, while with others I have had only brief encounters. But all of them, at significant times in my life, were used greatly by God, whether or not they ever realized this. Three are relatives, four have been my teachers, two are scholars (as well as teachers of others), one was a missionary-scholar, and two are current pastors of mine (one of whom was a longtime missionary).

My sketches will need to be brief, but I could write much more about each one, with numerous incidents and specifics. I could easily have compiled a “top twenty” or “top thirty” list. So many others, in addition to these, have helped make me who I am. Thank you sincerely—all of you, whether listed here or not—for who you are and how you have lived. It has been your person, passion and character, as well as your deeds, that God has used to inspire and shape me.

1. Arthur Rakestraw. My father. Quite rough around the edges. Strong convictions. John Wayne type. Left the last of his foster homes at age 14 and rode the rails out west until age 30. Loved the outdoors/natural world (“I love every blade of grass,” he told me on his deathbed), classical music, and God. Very honest and sincere. Came to Christ at age 50, after praying: “God, if only I had a simple faith.” A gruesome news account in the newspaper shocked him most into seeing his and this world’s need for God. Taught me by example to work hard (landscaping, tree work) from the age of nine or ten. The biggest single influence in my coming to Christ at age 19, by encouraging me to read the New Testament after I refused to read any of his “heretical” literature.

2. Brian Miller. My high school math teacher, and the reason why math was my favorite subject in high school. A Franciscan priest, he had very high standards and expected his students to work hard. When I was doing poorly in trigonometry, I worked long and hard for about three weeks to get up to speed. He noted my rather dramatic improvement and mentioned it to the class as an example for others. This academic experience impacted me greatly, and all of my life I have seen how the human will, through a period of concentrated, expectant hard work and practice, can master what seems impossible.

3. Ruth Dearing. My first Bible teacher in an academic setting. When I arrived as a new Christian at Prairie Bible College in Alberta, Canada, at the age of nineteen, I began my studies in Ruth Dearing’s Bible 101. She took the whole year, three days a week, to cover Genesis to Song of Solomon. She was not an innovative teacher (lectured to a room of 300 students) but was consistent, devout, a careful student of the Word, and very tough in her grading standards. It was this last factor in particular that God used to prompt me to return for my second year at Prairie (and thus to get to know the woman who would one day be my wife). After rigorous high school classes, followed by two years of pre-medical studies, I was turned off by the easy courses at Prairie. But because Ruth Dearing would be teaching another course the next year, I returned to Prairie. My four years as a student there became the most formational in my Christian life.

4. Judy Rakestraw. Formerly Judy Engevik. My beloved wife since 1967. More than any person I have ever met, Judy has been the single most influential person in my life. She is the most unselfish and consistently godly person I have known. A farm girl, the second oldest of eight children, she is a hard worker, very bright and a true Christ-follower. Still a relatively “young” (four-and-a-half years) Christian when we married, I basically learned how to live the Christian life daily by being around Judy. I wasn’t conscious of “observing” or “imitating” Judy, but as day after day, year after year, went by, I learned from Judy patience and kindness above all. Gratitude, contentment, adaptability, and sincere love for people are further qualities of this five-foot, red-headed, gently powerful woman.

5. L.E. Maxwell. Founder, President and long-time teacher at Prairie Bible College, Three Hills, Alberta, Canada. I sat under his teaching and regular Sunday preaching for four years as a student at Prairie, and after several years away for more education I served five years on the Prairie faculty, teaching Bible and preaching. Maxwell’s main contribution to my life and ministry, even though I barely knew him personally, was his animated, passionate, scripturally-based, piercing preaching and teaching. It was not simply that he was always robust and interesting in his delivery (both in the pulpit and the classroom), but more that his content was powerfully illustrated and applied. He was a master of the memorable quotation and the contemporary illustration—often from those he knew on the mission field—and drove home relentlessly his teachings on “death to self,” the “crucified life,” and the needs of a lost world. The sermons and lessons of L.E. Maxwell brought conviction to me, but also remarkable role-modeling for a lifetime of preaching.

6. Francis Steele. Missionary-Scholar. First-rate specialist in ancient Near Eastern studies. Highly respected among scholars in his field. Moved from academic to missionary service with the (formerly named) North Africa Mission. I came to know Dr. Steele while a student at Prairie, where he visited from time to time as a representative of the mission. He impressed me greatly with his calm, compassionate and informative presentation of the need in one of the toughest mission fields in the world. He did not plead, but urged students to consider service with NAM. His major impact on me came out of his blending of missionary zeal and high-level Semitic studies. I saw not only the great need in North Africa but also that mission and academics need not, and should not, conflict. All my life I have been struck by God’s high call to mission for every Christ-follower, and to keep the ends of the earth and the ends of my street continually in focus. One final point: When Dr. Steele was little, a relative accidentally gave him lye for medicine. This permanently damaged his vocal cords, but as a result he learned to speak Arabic perfectly, able to make the precise guttural sounds that are so difficult for Westerners to learn.

(In the next posting I will discuss the remaining six individuals.)

Who Needs You Most?

Bob Rakestraw

I assume that most of you reading this desire to help others. I hope all of you do. In our better moments, at least, most of us want to do acts of mercy and kindness, and want to see justice prevail on earth. For all who are serious disciples of Jesus, or long to be, the tugs on our hearts are especially persistent and varied. This is good, and reflects our Father’s heart of compassion, outreach, reconciliation, and blessings toward all people, both now and forever.

There is no question in my mind that you are needed to help the needy, even though I may never have met you. I say this for two reasons: conditions around you and around the world, and your unique qualities and abilities. Malnutrition, oppression, cruelty, sickness and anguish of every kind—these circumstances (possibly much closer to you and me than we realize) cry out for someone to come into their midst bringing justice and showing mercy.

The English word “need” has descended through a background of an Indo-European term meaning “to collapse with weariness” and a Welsh term meaning “starvation.” The hurts and longings of people everywhere demonstrate that you are needed—urgently.

The second reason you are needed is because of your unique qualities and abilities. Every person is different from every other person. It is not always flattery or hyperbole when someone says “you are unique.” It’s true of everyone. Your character, personality, skills, and, most of all—in believers—your hunger for truth, righteousness and God himself makes you just the right person to help specific people in specific situations.

The Bible says that all followers of Jesus Christ have gifts that are to be used in the church and in the world (Romans 12:1-13; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; 1 Peter 4:7-11). Many of you reading this have some idea of your primary gift. God does not want this to be a great mystery, but wants to reveal to you how you are especially suited to serve. I generally tell people to ask three questions about a gift or skill they think they may have:

(1) Do you enjoy using this gift?
(2) Have others said that you seem to have this gift?
(3) Have you seen fruit (evidence; good results) when you use this gift?

If so, then continue to develop and use this gift to meet the needs on this crying planet. You are a gifted person, and you yourself are a gift!

But, who needs you the most? Should your decision be influenced by geography (do the “neediest” nations require you most?), family or acquaintances (should you help those you know best?), or the heinousness of the evil you wish to eradicate (human trafficking, for example)? Or is your local church where you are needed most?

I have no precise scientific formula or series of tests to lead you to the ministry and people who need you most. The best thing to do is to look around you right now, while keeping your eyes and heart open to the ends of the earth. Begin somewhere, somehow, if only by making a phone call or visit to some needy person. Perhaps work with a group where your skills are combined with those of others. And always think of the needs in your local church.

To answer our original question: you are needed most where God is tugging at you to help. This is not ultimately determined by studying population densities, social strata, prevalence of orphans, amount of education or Christian population in various parts of the world. I believe strongly in doing these kinds of research, but even more strongly in listening for the voice of the Spirit, living and praying and serving daily in the situations close to you today. If and when God wishes to use you differently, and you do not allow fear or selfishness to misdirect you, you will make future decisions wisely and confidently.

I close with these classic verses from the Bible.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5, 6, Today’s New International Version

As Time Passes By

Bob Rakestraw


I have been having a rough time lately. Some of you have been too. I wish it were not so. But, here we are, and life keeps passing by—one day at a time. As I am writing this, the day is almost done, and I will never live this day again. Perhaps I can write something that will help both you and me to live out our days well. This is my desire and prayer.

Probably the biggest source of difficulty over the past few months has to do with my health. I am not speaking here of specific medical symptoms in themselves, but of the accompanying issues that surround and intertwine with physical problems. Emotional, volitional, interpersonal, and spiritual facets of chronic illness are every bit as much a part of experience as my specific medical condition—transplant vasculopathy, due to my body’s chronic rejection of the “new” heart (now six years in its present home).

I now have a new cardiologist. My previous one, who has guided me since before the transplant, moved to a position in another city. I have had some difficulties adjusting to the new doctor, one reason being that he ordered a number of major tests, yet spent no time discussing the results with me. Instead, he ordered exercise, so I am now going to cardiac rehab when I am able. He is getting to know me as I am getting to know him, and that will take time. Perhaps I am too sensitive. I do know that a change of transplant cardiologist, after six-and-a-half years, is major.

My previous cardiologist understood me and my condition quite well, and had concluded that the disease progressing in my heart arteries will not be reversed to any appreciable extent, and will eventually lead to a major heart attack or attacks. My new doctor hasn’t contradicted these conclusions, but has focused (so far) on exercise and more medications. I will certainly be glad for any improvement.

I write the above not to malign the doctor in any way. We have met only twice. He seems to be a likeable guy, with much knowledge and a lifetime of experience. I say these things to provide one window into a roomful of issues and effects. This new relationship has raised or reawakened spiritual and psychological matters within me that I am seeking to resolve.

I feel a bit foolish writing the above. It’s actually not about the doctor, but about my need for understanding and empathy. Since I try to write about how things really are, not about how things should be, I am writing what I have been feeling.

After 25 years of heart problems I have become not only weary of tests, procedures, blood draws, doctor visits, medications, hospitals, IV’s and surgeries, but I have also become cautious—even wary—of medical opinions and recommendations. I am almost as suspicious of “natural” remedies and supplements. I try, however, to discern what is helpful from both the medical and alternative worlds, while all the time trusting God with the outcomes.

I am very thankful, frequently, for my doctors, nurses, medical technicians, my children, grandchildren and extended family, my friends, my wife, and especially my Lord and Savior. I do not want to leave the impression that I am ungrateful. I do need to acknowledge, though, that a certain spark has gone out of me over the past couple of years. Perhaps this is due to the cumulative, wearing-down effect of living with the sword of Damocles hanging over my head. I will never forget November 28, 2006, when after Judy and I spent two hours—unscheduled—with my cardiologist, we were told that my major invasive procedures that morning revealed chronic rejection of my heart, and nothing more could be done medically. I might have a few months or a few years to live.

Well, next month marks three years since that meeting, and I’m still here. I admit to bewilderment and discouragement, but I notice significant improvement in my attitude and mood since those very dark days in January of this year (written about earlier).

My biggest praise item concerns the small collateral vessels that are bringing oxygenated blood to my heart, even though one major artery to the pumper is 100% blocked by the vasculopathy, and four others are 75-90% blocked.

My biggest prayer request is that I will know how to use my time profitably. Even though I may have only a small amount of energy each day, I desire to use what I have to honor Jesus and extend his reign over the earth. Writing is my primary medium for this, and I need the perseverance and optimism to stay at my tasks.

I trust that I have said something that resonates with you, and will be of help in your set of circumstances. I close with these strong words from the epistle to the Hebrews (10:22-23).

“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful.”

Ramblings from My Readings

Bob Rakestraw


Here are some books I read during 2008, with the annotations I wrote when I finished each. I thought I’d post them, since I appreciate the comments of others about materials they’ve read. Happy reading!

Post your books also—you may benefit others.

• Jim Kerwin, The Rejected Blessing: An Untold Story of the Early Days of the Pentecostal Movement. Foreword by Vinson Synan. (Mpls.: OTC Publishers, 2003), 95 pp. paper.

The story of division within the Pentecostal movement concerning the Wesleyan doctrine of entire sanctification—how the “second blessing” has mostly become a “rejected blessing” among the majority of Pentecostals. A well-written study of how William Durham’s “finished work” view came to be the dominant view. This is a book I would like to read again.

• E. Stanley Jones, The Divine Yes (Nashville: Abingdon, 1975), 160 pp. paper.

The last of the 28 books written by the well-known Methodist missionary to India. Written in the 14 months between a major stroke and his death. Excellent autobiographical account of his sufferings and how he managed to live with them by the grace of God.

• W. Phillip Keller, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1970), 141 pp. handbook.

An excellent study of Psalm 23 by an actual shepherd. I remember Phil Keller (father of Lynn Keller, a classmate of Judy and me at Prairie Bible Institute) delivering these lessons live at the Prairie Tabernacle. These observations on sheep and similarities to Christian living are powerful, especially the one overarching truth that God is our all-loving and all-wise shepherd and cares for us with the greatest concern and detail always. I have benefited greatly from all of Keller’s books.

• William P. Young, The Shack (Los Angeles: Windblown Media, 2007), 248 pp, paper.
Surely this is one of the most unusual books I have ever read. It is “Christian Fiction,” and was #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. This guy, Mack, spent a weekend with God in a shack in Oregon, and records his conversations and activities with God. The best features, in my opinion, are the author’s presentation of the Trinity—a very “social,” delightfully interpersonal “trio,” and his way of viewing godly relationships. One weakness is that there is little speaking of evil in the sense of wickedness that calls down the wrath of God in judgment. It is fiction, of course, and not a theology book. Keeping this in mind, I believe the reader can be greatly encouraged in his or her Christian life by reading this book.

• Joyce Landorf, Silent September (Waco, TX: Word Books, 1984), 64 pp., hardback.

The author suffered severe pain from TMJ (temporomandibular joint stress dysfunction), and writes very plainly and specifically about it. It is a very helpful book about suffering except for the very serious error near the end: God cannot do anything to defeat the pain. God is presently limited. “I know You would heal me now if you could. I know my pain is utterly frustrating to you,” she says to God (p. 57).

This raises the age-old “problem of evil.” Either God is able to take away the pain, and does not, or he is not able even though he is willing. The three seemingly contradictory truths are that there is genuine pain, God loves us greatly, and God is all powerful. Which of these three must be compromised for there to be a “logical” answer to the problem of evil? I argue that none must be given up: God is all-powerful, God is all-good, and genuine evil exists. All three are true, but Landorf gives up the first, that God is all-powerful. God can’t take away the suffering. This ruined the book for me, in a sense, but I find much value in the rest of it.

• Sue McRoberts, The Lifter of My Head: How God Sustained Me During Postpartum Depression. (Mustang, OK: Tate Publishing, 2007), 178 pp., paperback.

This is a very informative, stimulating, and encouraging book. Judy brought it home from the church library. I saw it and read it and am very glad I did. While the topic does not, obviously, affect me, the book as a whole (and in parts) is a superb account of depression—its awful effects and God’s powerful working. I read it eagerly and benefited much. It is a good piece to put into the hands of those suffering in any way. Thank you, Lord, for this author’s honesty, and for your restoring powers.

• Don Piper with Cecil Murphey, 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life. (MI: Revell, 2004), 206 pp., paperback.

A remarkable book, but not because of Piper’s account of his experiences in heaven, as he describes them (this part of the book is just two out of 18 chapters), but because of his very honest and detailed account of his recovery from a horrible car accident. According to Piper, he died in the car accident, and then went to heaven for 90 minutes. The two chapters on heaven speak of three things in particular: light, music, and relationships (he was with many of his friends and relatives).

The book helped me greatly because I could relate to many of the problems and moods he experienced in his 13 months of initial recovery (the accident occurred on Jan. 18, 1989, and his recovery took years; he lives in constant pain even now, and will never truly “recover”). I am so glad I read this book (another one that Judy brought home from church—borrowed from a friend).

I think that this book, and Amy Carmichael’s Rose from Briar are the two books that I have related to most in the years since my heart transplant.

Thank you, Lord!

Do You Care, God?

Bob Rakestraw


Recently I spent four days in the hospital. I was admitted from the emergency room after my wife took me in for severe abdominal pain. It was basically a time of tests and consultations with doctors, more about heart than abdominal issues. Some of the test results were a bit encouraging and others were inconclusive. I came home with three new medications—just what I wanted! I also have more major tests and doctor visits in the weeks ahead concerning my heart. I left quite bewildered over the whole ordeal.

Chronic problems are difficult to deal with. Whether they are physical, mental, financial, spiritual, relational or some other kind of difficulty, if they are long-lasting they become tough to handle. There is a very real wearing-down effect of chronic trials. I have experienced this effect for many years, especially since my heart transplant in 2003, and especially in 2009. At the present time I am experiencing significant problems with breathing.

In the hospital, and in the days since I’ve returned home, I have been thinking about many things. Here are two of them.

1. It is good to have your Bible with you in the hospital. I did not have mine when I went into ER, but my wife brought it to me after I was admitted. I was greatly helped by the apostle Paul’s last recorded words in 2 Timothy 4: “The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength,” and “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.” I also read: “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship.” This last exhortation did not come across to me as harsh and unfeeling, but simply as God telling me what I needed to do. The text, rather than stressing me, actually strengthened me and enabled me to get through the hospital stay. I know that God truly does care.

2. Yielding, not fighting, is the way to peace. By yielding I mean accepting from God. Over the years I have struggled, as a theology professor and in my own life, concerning the origin of troubles. Are they from Satan and his cohorts? Are they from human beings primarily? Are they from my own mistakes and sins? Are they basically due to the reality that we are natural and fallen beings, living in a natural and fallen world? Or are they from God?

I will not be looking into each of these five possibilities, but I believe that troubles may come from any of these categories, and often from a combination of two or more of them. The biggest question to me concerns the matter of God’s involvement. Does God send us troubles directly? Does he simply allow them? Or is it that God is powerless to prevent them or to deal with them?

I totally reject the last possibility, even though I have read so-called theologians who hold to it. The real issue to me is how much God is involved in sending and/or permitting the trouble. My study of God’s word leads me to believe that, while God at times may directly send troubles to people (for example, causing a tree limb to fall on one’s head) for their good (to knock sense into them, perhaps), most of our problems come from the other sources listed above. Yet there is no doubt that God knows about them before they happen, and he allows them. Job’s trials and Paul’s thorn in the flesh are examples of this.

Concerning my own health matters, I accept them from God in this sense. I yield to God and to my God-allowed troubles. I no longer fight the health problems. Some may see this as a cop-out, and that I am giving up the battle in order to attain a false sense of contentment. Where is the fight to get better? Since Buddhists consider desire to be the root of all unhappiness, am I not capitulating to this Buddhist philosophy of life?

I admit that I have sometimes lowered my expectations or tossed them out entirely regarding some matters, so that I will not continue to be disappointed. Too much desire can be destructive. But this is not the kind of yielding or acceptance I am experiencing. I am not passively waiting for the next body-blow. I don’t want to be a punching bag. My yielding (in my better moments, at least) is a positive, active, robust trust in God’s wisdom and goodness. While he has all power, he allows difficulties so that I may be conformed to the likeness of Christ and may be of most use in expanding God’s reign in the earth. In the long run, this does the most good for people and the most good for me. God care for me, and for you!

I close with one verse from the Psalms that came to me over and over in the hospital. I offer it to you with grace: “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him.”

Are You There, God

Bob Rakestraw

Sometimes people wonder if God is really “there.” They know he exists, but they would like to feel and experience God’s presence. They know their hope is based on facts, not feelings, but they still would like to sense the presence of God sometimes.

I have no infallible answer, but there are four things I do regularly (daily) that help me a lot in this area. They may help you.

1. I read and/or meditate a lot in the scriptures—not so much quantitatively as qualitatively. I chew on my favorite texts over and over, memorizing them and repeating them often. I underline a lot in my Bible. One of my favorite all-time verses is James 4:8—“come near to God and he will come near to you." God wants us to take the initiative; sometimes it's just a few words to him and he comes near.

2. I say "Thank You" to God several times a day—maybe 6-10 times a day. I mostly thank him for the eternal realities in my life, such as forgiveness of my sins of commission, omission, and disposition; genuine peace and hope, for today, tomorrow, and the whole future (based on the verifiable fact that God has never let me down one day in my life); as well as the daily, material and spiritual blessings I experience—relationships with family, people in my church community, money to buy food and pay the bills.

3. I visualize Jesus standing right in front of me or next to me. Somehow I never picture him sitting, but daily I make the effort (it takes very little once this becomes a habit, which is true of the other items mentioned) to look at the space in front of me and say, "Thank you Lord for being here," or something like that. I do it with my eyes open, in faith, and Jesus always shows up. Somehow I believe he is actually there, looking serious but not stern, and sometimes with a slight smile. But I don't so much think of specific facial features, but just the outline of his form being there, visible in my mind but not my eyes. This is very real.

4. I confess sin throughout the day, as I need to, as soon as I become aware of the fact that I am grieving the Lord in some way—thought, word, or deed. I do this, not to stay saved, to be saved, or to avoid God's wrath, but because I have displeased my best friend, and I want to get back in fellowship with him. I especially rest on the truth of 1 John 1 (the last few verses) and 2 (the first couple of verses).

Well, these are my habits. I trust that each of you will know God personally as well as cognitively.

Jesus and Money: Can Jesus be Trusted?

Luke 12:31
(2009 – 11)
Bob Rakestraw


There is richness and depth in the promise of Jesus in Luke 12:31: “Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (NRSV). This posting will surely not exhaust the depth of the verse, but it will draw together our thoughts on the text by concluding the question we began to consider last time—“Jesus and Money: Does the Promise Really Work?” For this posting I ask the same question in a slightly different way—“Can Jesus be Trusted?” Last time I offered three reasons why it may seem to some people that this promise of Jesus is not true. In this piece I offer three more explanatory points that I hope are helpful.


1. We Are to Accept God’s Sovereignty

We easily forget that our God is the Sovereign Lord, and does what he wills according to his own good pleasure. We become very uncomfortable when our wants and then our needs begin to dwindle. Our necessities may not be coming in, or we are getting close to that point, and we then begin to doubt God. Even though my wife, Judy, and I have found the promise of Jesus to be consistently true during the forty-plus years of our marriage, we have had to rest in his sovereign care and accept that he works in his time and ways, not ours.

Over the years, Judy and I have gone through a foreclosure on our house, lost money that we had saved for our later years due to economic turmoil, and have often had very little money to buy even a few groceries. For several years we did not own a car. I received a heart transplant that has led to chronic rejection and numerous difficulties in daily living. I can truthfully say, however, that God has provided all of our basic needs every day of our lives. R.V.G. Tasker says it well: “His servants may not grow wealthy as the world understands riches, but they will not lack” (The Gospel According to St. Luke [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974], p. 215). You may lack money to buy junk food, excess food, restaurant meals, questionable entertainment, unnecessary clothing, cigarettes, and other non-essentials, but you will never lack for your daily bread and other daily needs.


2. We Are to be Givers to the Kingdom Work

We may not be giving to the needy as we should be. When times are tough, we instinctively want to hold on to the little we have. We assume God does not want us to give, or give much, when we are in difficulty. But this is one of the three mandates from our Lord in Luke 11:31-33. “Strive for his kingdom” (v. 31); “Do not be afraid, little flock” (v. 32); “Sell your possessions, and give alms” (v. 33). We are not to give only when we are comfortable in doing so, but consistently, through easy times and hard. We may need to give less when our income is less, but we are to never stop being cheerful givers. If you are down to two loaves of bread, and you discover that your neighbor has none, give one of the loaves to your neighbor. Don’t be foolish or boastful in your giving, but be merciful and joyful, trusting in God.

New Testament scholar Alfred Plummer has some fine words on this last point.

“[There is here] no condemnation of possessions as sinful. As Bede points out, Christians are not commanded to retain nothing for their own use (for Christ Himself had a purse out of which He gave alms), but to take care that fear of poverty does not interfere with benevolence. Almsgiving is not to be a mere giving of what we can spare. Nor is it merely for the sake of the receiver. It is also for the good of the giver, that his heart may be freed from covetousness. The attempt to keep the letter of the rule here given (Acts 2:44-45) had disastrous effects on the Church of Jerusalem, which speedily became a Church of paupers, constantly in need of alms (Romans 15:25-26; I Corinthians 16:3; 2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:1).” (The Gospel According to St. Luke [Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, Fifth Edition, 1922], p. 329).


3. We May Have to Endure Persecution

Sometimes God in his own wisdom, and for our ultimate good, allows his children to suffer severely. In the words of D.A. Carson: “I think the major exception to this pledge [Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:31] occurs when Christians are suffering for righteousness sake. Some are martyred by starvation and by exposure. The overwhelming importance of the kingdom may require self-sacrifice even to this ultimate degree” (The Sermon on the Mount [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1978], p. 93). This brings up the matter of God’s sovereignty again, applied to extreme cases. I am reminded of the biblical account of God’s people who suffered greatly: “They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, (Hebrews 11:37-38, NIV).

Such special cases, while grievous, do not negate the overall promise of Jesus. Some promises in the Bible may be overridden by the will of God in specific instances. God’s people have for centuries placed themselves in the care of the Lord, knowing that if outward circumstances turn sour, God will never leave them. If God allows suffering for his children, it is for their ultimate good throughout eternity, and for the growth of the kingdom of God here on earth (Hebrews 11:32-40). While we must never forget the persecuted church, and need to give to and pray for their care, we are not to live our daily lives focusing on possible exceptions, but dwelling rather on the general principle behind all of God’s promises: our heavenly Father continuously watches over his children with tender care, and provides all our needs as we strive above all for his kingdom and righteousness.

Ultimately, all of the matters in these six postings boil down to a simple threefold formula, already mentioned above, in Luke 12:31-34: strive for God’s kingdom, do not worry, and give cheerfully to the advancement of God’s kingdom on earth. Here is true peace, true joy, and true satisfaction in life. Here is freedom from anxiety, a reason for living, and a wise heavenly Father to trust in every circumstance. I close with a section of scripture that has become more and more special to me as the years have passed. May you make these words your own, all of your life.

“Though the fig tree does not blossom,
and no fruit is on the vines;
though the produce of the olive fails,
and the fields yield no food;
though the flock is cut off from the fold,
and there is no herd in the stalls,
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will exult in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength;
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
and makes me tread upon the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19, NRSV)

Jesus and Money: Does the Promise Really Work?

Luke 12:31
(2009 – 10)
Bob Rakestraw


Here is where the rubber meets the road! I have been considering the Bible text, Luke 12:31, for the past several postings, and now I must face the toughest question: Does the promise of Jesus in this verse really work? When the Lord says, “Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (NRSV), does he intend this literally and in all cases? In the context, as we have seen, “these things” refer to the food, drink, clothing and other necessities of daily living. Can we count on this promise, however difficult our circumstances may be?


Identifying the Problem

It is important to think about Bible promises that are verifiable in experience. If a verse teaches that everyone who sincerely receives Christ becomes a child of God (John 1:12), we may rejoice in this, and do what it says, but we cannot “prove” in some mathematical sense that this really happens. If we read that Christ died for our sins (I Cor. 15:3), we may celebrate that, but we cannot know this is true by objective calculation. But some scripture texts are verifiable (to some extent, at least, keeping in mind that spiritual truths can never be fully reasoned out or proven through science).

The scripture verse we have been considering for the past several blogs is a text that may be verified in experience. Jesus spoke of those who strive and become anxious about how they will obtain their daily necessities. He urged them to stop worrying and to seek God’s reign. If they did so, Jesus said, he would meet all of their needs.

For some people, however, this raises a difficult question: Does the Lord’s promise expressed here really “work”? Have the people of God over the centuries found these words to be true? God is making a huge commitment to his people, and he intends for this text to be a trustworthy guide for our lives.

I know that numerous Christ-followers have experienced the full blessing of these words. My wife and I are two of them—for forty-two years. I know many people personally who have followed the principle in this verse and have not lacked the essentials of life. I have heard numerous testimonies to this effect. But what about those who are not receiving the daily necessities of life? I know that many people around the world—including some who call themselves Christian—are suffering from malnourishment, unclean water, and terrible housing conditions. How are we to think about such people and such circumstances in light of Luke 12:31 and Matthew 6:33?

I hesitate to tread on such difficult terrain, but these questions must be addressed. Every promise in the Bible, properly understood, is meant to be believed and trusted, and the fulfillment of God’s Word should be evident in real life. Here are some possible reasons or explanatory points for those occasions when it seems that Jesus has not been true to his word.


1. We Are to be Christians

It may be that the ones in need are not really believers in Jesus. Luke 12:31 is clearly a text for Christ-followers. Note how Jesus in chapter 12 first addresses the disciples (vss. 1-12), then the crowd (vss. 13-21), then the disciples again (vss. 22-53) and then the crowd again (vss. 54-59).

While all people are children of God by creation, not all are his children by adoption. This verse applies to those who have been adopted into God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ. Mercifully, God often does supply the needs of non-Christians, especially through his people’s efforts. But the crimes against humanity, especially by corrupt political leaders and warlords, are a major source of hunger and poverty in this world. God grieves over this even as we grieve.


2. We Are to be Dedicated Christians

Another reason some people may think that this verse is only “pie in the sky,” and not a workable promise, is because they are not fulfilling the first half of the verse. After Jesus urges his disciples to stop worrying and striving about their food, drink, clothing (and no doubt other basics of life) he makes a sharp contrast: “Instead, strive for his kingdom.”

Some people—perhaps many who go by the name “Christian”—may be praying and pleading for God to supply their needs, yet they do not intend to change their selfish, sinful way of life. They may not even realize how far removed they are from the kingdom values of Jesus. The may be praying for a better job, a better car, a better apartment or living conditions, and when God does not seem to be answering, they may conclude that this promise is not true. The truth, however, may be that they are not seeking the kingdom above everything else. They are seeking first the necessities (and sometimes the luxuries) of life, and then perhaps think about God’s will (if they think at all about it). Jesus wants to reverse this order.

It struck me recently that Luke 12:22-34 is not teaching us to pray at all. It is good to present our requests to God (Philippians 4:6-7), but this text is urging us to do three things instead: (1) do not worry (vss. 22-30, 32), (2) strive for the kingdom (v. 31) and (3) give to the needy (vss. 33-34). Your Father knows your needs, and it is his good pleasure to give you the kingdom—material and non-material needs. We simply need to receive the provisions he has promised to supply, while concentrating on the three orders from our Master.


3. We Are to Expect Suffering

Some Christians forget (or never learn) that we are to expect trials and suffering in this world. Jesus is promising to supply all of our needs, not all of our wants. He often does fulfill many of our desires as well, if they are in accord with his best intentions for us. Our needs may not always be met according to our timetable, however, but they will come in God’s timing. Along this line I offer the following from D. A. Carsen.

”Some have been privileged to experience pressure to the point where they have had absolutely no recourse but God. I know a couple who, some years ago, were serving a small, lower class church in Montreal. On Christmas Day, the man distributed food packages, gathered by the church, to the destitute in the vicinity. He returned home to his wife, and both of them thanked the Lord for the food with which he had provided them—one can of beans. One half hour later they were invited out to a Christmas dinner” (The Sermon on the Mount [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1978], pp. 93-94).

In our next posting I expect to present some further explanatory points concerning the seeming failure of Luke 12:31. In the meantime I ask you to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness. If you are not yet a Christ-follower I urge you to read one of the four gospels and the rest of the New Testament, with a heart seeking God’s truth. Seek and you will find. If you are a believer in Jesus, seek him and his kingdom daily, and give to those in need. Finally, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”

Jesus and Money: Understanding the Kingdom

Luke 12:31
(2009 – 9)
Bob Rakestraw

Knowing that our main pursuit in life is to “set our hearts on” and “strive first” for the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:33; Luke 12:29-31), we now need to ask a second major question on these issues: “What is the kingdom of God?” What did Jesus mean by this expression, and what does it mean to us today? If we get this right, and have the attitude of seeking the kingdom always, we will have solved, in principle, the overarching question of existence: “Why and how do we live life and provide for our basic needs?” A proper understanding of Jesus’ words, received with a heart to obey, will do us more good than a thousand sermons from the most gifted preacher in the world!

Many reams of paper and gallons of ink have been used over the years to try to explain the meaning of the phrase “the kingdom of God.” Whatever else has been accomplished, this huge effort demonstrates that Christians everywhere and always have recognized the importance of the words. Whatever else we may say about the kingdom,, we know that it is the most important thing in life to pursue. We are to strive first for it—above all else.


The Meaning of the Kingdom

It is always essential when trying to discover the meaning of any phrase or word in the Bible to look at its context, both immediate and broad. In the Gospel of Luke the word kingdom (basileia) is used 46 times. A meditative reading of these texts, as well as the many dozens of other locations of basileia throughout the New Testament is one of the most profitable exercises a Christian (or even a non-Christian) may experience. “Kingdom” is one of the most frequent and important words from the lips of Jesus, although the word is also found often in the book of Acts, the epistles, and the book of Revelation.

Most simply stated, the kingdom of God is the reign or rule of God. Ever since the creation, God has reigned as King, and his reign will never end. He is not a tyrant king, however, but is benevolent, merciful, loving, righteous, just and holy. We may even say that before the creation the kingdom of God has always existed as the harmonious trinity of Father, Son and Spirit. The characteristics of the King are the characteristics of the kingdom. Because God wanted to share his love and populate his created realm with living beings, some of whom would be able to make free moral choices, he created angelic beings, animals, and human beings. With the creation of angels and humans God allowed for ideas and actions opposed to his pure and perfect reign. Even after sin defiled God’s creation, God still reigned—and always will—over his domain: earth, the heavens and all things.


Clarifying the Concept

Many Christians think erroneously of God’s kingdom as a place rather than a realm. They often think of it as the place we go when we die, or the kingly government of Jesus over the earth from his throne in Jerusalem. There are reasons why these ideas have developed during the course of Christian history, and they contain some valuable insights. But the kingdom of God is a much broader concept than usually realized. N. T. Wright says that “God’s kingdom” in the preaching of Jesus “refers not to postmortem destiny, not to our escape from this world into another one, but to God’s sovereign rule coming ‘on earth as it is in heaven’” ["Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection and the Mission of the Church" (New York: Harper Collins, 2008), p. 18]. Wright goes on to consider the prayer, “Thy kingdom come, on earth as in heaven.” He states,

“That remains one of the most powerful and revolutionary sentences we can ever say. As I see it, the prayer was powerfully answered at the first Easter and will finally be answered fully when heaven and earth are joined in the New Jerusalem. Easter was when Hope in person surprised the whole world by coming forward from the future into the present. The ultimate future hope remains a surprise, partly because we don’t know when it will arrive and partly because at present we have only images and metaphors for it, leaving us to guess that the reality will be far greater, and more surprising, still” [Wright, p. 29].

Wright’s words help us to see the kingdom as already here on earth but not yet fully realized. It is possible to think of the kingdom as always existing within the Godhead, yet from the beginning of the human race prophesied and anticipated as something fuller, more tangible, than God’s rule over humanity in general.


Anticipating and Experiencing the Kingdom

During the thousands of years before the coming of Christ, God’s people were looking for the coming of the kingdom. The early chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke reveal how this heightened sense of anticipation culminated in the birth of Jesus—the King of Kings. Jesus came preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and announced that “the kingdom of God is among you.” Jesus embodied the kingdom—the peace, justice, righteousness, joy and hope within the Godhead—and radiated the qualities of the kingdom himself to the people he taught, fed, healed, and forgave.

Everything about Jesus revealed the kingdom. As Wright indicated, however, the inauguration of the kingdom through the new people of God—the new sphere and agency of God’s rule on earth—did not occur until the first Easter Sunday. From the first Easter until now the kingdom of God has been coming more and more to earth as it is in heaven. This is the kingdom of God we are to strive for and seek to extend as we live here on earth. This is the kingdom that is now here, and the universal gift from God for all the earth. It is, of course, vital to pursue our coming rest with God upon death, as we await our bodily resurrection, and it is important to envision and hope for the coming of the New Heavens and the New Earth (the kingdom of God in its full realization). But neither of these is the kingdom of God we are to be striving for now in the sense of Luke 12:31 and Matthew 6:33.

One key to what Jesus meant by his kingdom is in Matthew 6:33 itself: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” A major aspect of the kingdom is God’s righteousness. The apostle Paul instructs us so helpfully on this point. “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval” (Romans 14:17-18).

The kingdom we are urged by Jesus to seek—to strive after above everything else—is a close daily walk with God, an attitude of generosity and kindness, a heart quick to repent and confess and a desire for holiness in thought, word and deed. It is also a zeal for justice, reconciliation, righteousness and the good news of salvation and wholeness to spread throughout the earth, engendering lives filled with love, joy and peace flowing from the life of God within.

This sounds like an impossibly high standard, and it is—if we strive after such a life and spirit by our own energy. But by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God we can live such a life, one day at a time, one minute at a time. God does not require of us what he does not enable us to do. In fact, in our classic text from Luke 12, in which he assures us that our Father knows our needs for the daily provisions for life, and in which he urges us to strive for his kingdom, he assures us that as we do so, “these things will be given to you as well.” Then he gives us those remarkable words of comfort and hope, with which I close. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Jesus and Money: Striving for the Kingdom

Luke 12:31
(2009 – 8)
Bob Rakestraw

This is the third in our series on Luke 12:31: “Instead, strive for [your Father’s] kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” We previously noted that these words of Jesus contain a remarkable promise and offer us strong hope from day to day. However, some of you may be struggling with trying to obtain “these things” (the physical and financial necessities of life) in the economically turbulent world in which we live, and find this promise of Jesus either unclear, simplistic or unworkable. In this posting and the next I hope to address some of the issues and questions that are raised by these classic words of our Lord.


What Does “Strive” Mean?

The first question—one easily overlooked or minimized—is: what does it mean to strive for God’s kingdom? It helps to compare this text with the parallel verse in Matthew (“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness”) and to note that the word “his”—from the context both in Matthew and Luke—refers to “your Father” or “your heavenly Father” (Matthew 6:32-33). The fact that this discourse is addressed to those who are known by their Father and who are the disciples of Jesus (Lk. 12:22) indicates that “seeking first” would arouse the listeners greatly. When this miracle-working Rabbi from Galilee tells his followers to pursue something “first” or “above anything else,” they listen.

God has made it plain what he will do if we seek his kingdom. While we will study the word “kingdom” more in the next posting, we can say for now that God’s kingdom is his rule, his reign, his way of righteousness, peace, justice, holiness and mercy. If we seek first the realm of God, the money and the provisions we need for everyday living (food, clothing, shelter, furniture, transportation, heat, light, water) will be given to us by God. There is no other thing mentioned in the text for us to do than to seek the Father’s kingdom. This is such an all-encompassing and highly-practical promise that one could easily use this as his or her life verse. It deserves and rewards our most careful attention. It almost seems too good to be true.

Matthew’s addition of “first” (“seek first”) reveals the emphasis Jesus places here on priorities. (Luke was not led by the Spirit to include this adverb, nor was he present, as Matthew was, when Jesus gave this discourse. The similarities and differences of the gospels are well worth reflecting on, as every part reveals the truth of God uniquely and richly.) The simple yet easily neglected truth, according to Jesus, is to strive first after God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and then our needs will be met. The painful (to our Father, for sure) fact, however, is that many of Christ’s followers seek first their daily needs—and often their daily wants—and then after they are having trouble paying their bills and supporting themselves they seek God. I suspect all of us have been guilty of this at some time or another. It may even be our daily approach to life, and Jesus wants to reverse this order.


Seeking and Striving Amplified

The words “seek” or “strive for” are used three times in Luke 12:29-31, once in each verse. The words have the same Greek root, but the middle verse, speaking of all the nations of the world, adds an intensifier to that root, and may be translated “eagerly seek” (NASB). Even though the three occasions all use the same basic root, one version reveals nicely the nuances in each verse:

29. “And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father know that you need them. 31. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.” (NIV)

As is often the case, the context itself gives us the meaning of a word, and this is clearly the case above. Whereas some versions translate the basic root the same way each time (“strive,” NRSV; “seek,” NASB), the variations on the original Greek words, as shown above (“set your heart on,” “run after,” “seek”) bring out the fuller spectrum of color in the word. It is a strong word, and Luke instructs us both how not to strive (vss. 29, 30) and how to strive (v. 31).

To seek or strive after the Father’s kingdom is to “set our hearts on” the things of God, to “run after” God’s way, to long for the purity and holiness of God. We do this, in part, by praying something like the following as soon as we rise, “Dear Father, I give myself to you today. I love you, adore you, and trust you to direct my ways today. Thank you, Father, for giving yourself to me.”

“Seeking” is the mental/spiritual attitude with which you go through the day. The Greek is “be continually seeking.” Whether you are a bank teller, construction worker, student, homemaker, or computer technician, you do your tasks carefully and honestly, while always being aware of your status as a child of the King. You pray as needs come to your mind, you praise and thank God often, and you are always seeking ways to introduce others to the King and the Kingdom, whether by giving time, money, acts of kindness, words of compassion, or even blessing the needy in your mind.

It is important to correct one basic misconception that sometimes arises, and that can easily crush us in our quest for the kingdom of God. When Jesus tells us to “seek” and “strive after” the kingdom and its righteousness, he is not asking more of us than we are able to do by his grace. Yes, it is an impossibly high standard for us to achieve on our own, but when we respond to the grace of God at work already in us, he gives us more grace. As we are strengthened more and more by the Spirit within, we find that we are living the life of the kingdom—one word at a time, one action at a time, one day at a time.


The Giver of All Grace

It is possible to hear the command of God as coming from a rigid lawmaker or from a grace-giving enabler. If you see God the first way you will become weary very soon with “striving” after the kingdom of God. You may feel downcast and guilt-ridden when you read The New American Bible’s translation of Matthew 6:33: “Seek first his kingship over you, his way of holiness, and all these things will be given you besides.” You may feel that you need to play Christian music all day long, read only Christian books and magazines, associate only with believers, and pray through a long list of prayer requests every day. You may find the business of seeking God’s kingdom exhausting, and you may soon give up.

But if you are coming to know God as a grace-giving enabler, you are not overwhelmed by his commands. Of course, they are very high, but you come to know that with every expression of the will of God for you there is the generosity of God’s grace and enabling power to direct you in the way of the kingdom. You know personally the experience of the psalmist: “I find my delight in your commands, because I love them” (Ps. 119:47). And you hear the gentle words of Jesus often: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:30). You serve God throughout the day in whatever occupation you have, but you have a calmness about how you pursue the things of the kingdom. You are striving first for the kingdom, but you are experiencing an inner rest and freedom from anxiety as you walk with God and do your work.

We know that God desires strongly to meet all of our needs for living in this world. The verses before and after our text for today reinforce this truth. “Your Father knows that you need them. … Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:30,32). I know that finances are a major concern for some of you who read these postings, and for you and all of us I repeat the command and promise of Jesus to strengthen your faith and hope.

“But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”

Jesus and Money: The Remarkable Promise

Luke 12:31
(2009 – 7)

Bob Rakestraw


One of the biggest concerns in our lives is money. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but the concern becomes corrosive when money becomes the principal thing. Jesus taught more about money than any other topic—more than he taught about heaven, hell, the new birth, hypocrisy, worship, loving one’s neighbor, or the great commission. But he never taught that money is evil. He said, “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed” (Luke 12:15), and “You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matthew 6:24). And the apostle Paul, a faithful disciple of Jesus since they met on the Damascus Road, warned that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (I Timothy 6:10). It is covetousness, or greed, not money itself, that corrupts peoples’ souls and often ruins their lives. Trust in God and contentment with the necessities of life is the fundamental teaching of Jesus and his disciples toward material wealth (Luke 12:13-21; I Timothy 6:5-10).


The Necessity of Money…and Work

To say that money is one of our greatest concerns is not to say something necessarily negative about human beings. In fact, money—or some system of bartering or otherwise obtaining provisions for life—is essential for survival. All of us should be concerned about money to some extent, since each of us needs to pay our way in this world. I was struck a while ago when I re-discovered several warnings in the apostle Paul’s letters concerning those who considered themselves believers yet did not earn their own living. This seems to have been a considerable problem among some early Christians (I Thessalonians 4:11-12; 5:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15; see also Acts 18:3; I Corinthians 4:12; 2 Corinthians 12:13-15). Paul gave the early Christians this rule: “Anyone unwilling to work should not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

Most people in Jesus’ day, and most people today, instinctively know that they need to work on a regular basis to support themselves. A small percentage are quite wealthy and need not work in the traditional sense, but they still need to manage their assets wisely and regularly. Another small percentage are lazy and decide to opt out of the work world, and become a drag on their families, friends, and society. Generally, however, we know that we need to work and that we need money to live decent lives.


The Foolishness of Worry

Because many of us, perhaps most, have limited resources, we very much need the words of Jesus about worry recorded in both Matthew 6 and Luke 12. Just like the disciples, we tend to be anxious about our financial needs, even though we usually do not, as in their case, experience the literal, day-by-day uncertainty about tomorrow’s food—or even today’s (“Give us this day our daily bread,” Matt. 6:11).

In Luke 12:22-30 Jesus warns us six times about worrying and anxious striving. “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear” (v. 22). “And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them” (vss. 29-30).


The Promise of Almighty God

After teaching how God feeds the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of the field, Jesus presents the words that have encouraged millions of believers for two thousand years: “Instead, strive for his [your Father’s] kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (v. 31).

These are incredibly comforting words, but they are also stern words. They contain a twofold exhortation—not to worry, and to strive for God’s kingdom and righteousness. The result is not something we have to do anything about—just receive the blessings: “all these things will be given to you as well.” However, there are conditions to this remarkable promise as there are in the classic words of Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV). Just as Romans 8:28 is often stated without careful thought, so are Luke 12:31 and Matthew 6:33. The qualifying elements in these promises are not meant to frighten us away or discourage us, but to prompt us to love God and strive for his kingdom. In fact, this is why Luke 12:31 is followed immediately by these amazing words: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (v. 32).

As we strive for God’s kingdom, God is pleased to give us his kingdom, and that kingdom will include our daily food, drink, clothing and necessities of life. God is not promising next week’s food or the money for next week’s electric bill today, but he is obligating himself to meet your daily needs. He is not promising all of our wants, however, but he is promising our needs—and his kingdom, forever!

Jesus and Money: Hope from Day to Day

Luke 12:31
(2009 – 6)
Bob Rakestraw


Who of us has not been affected in some way by the current worldwide economic turmoil? In whichever country you live you have likely been impacted, if not directly, then indirectly. Some of you may have lost jobs, or have had your work hours reduced, or you may have had pay cuts or income lessened in some other way. Perhaps you have been touched indirectly, because you know those who have been affected financially and are now living a more sparse existence, perhaps having lost homes, health care, or adequate nutrition. We all need to be praying for others as well as for ourselves, because we are all in this together.

John Donne wrote the classic, always-applicable words that fit the current situation especially well:

“No [one] is an island, entire unto itself. Every person is a piece of the continent, a part of the mainland. If a clod is washed away by the sea, Europe [or Asia, Africa, the Islands, Latin America, North America] is diminished, just as if the sea had washed away a mountain or one of your friend’s grand houses. Any person’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in humankind. Therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for you” (John Donne, Religious Poetry and Prose, ed. Henry L. Carrigan, Jr. [Brewster, MA: Paraclete, 1999], p. 91).

Donne’s words apply not only to death, but to the numerous ways people around the world face adversity and hardship. He writes, “By [the] consideration of another’s danger I begin to contemplate my own, and I secure myself by making my recourse to God, who is our only security” (p. 91)


Growing Up Limited

I have been thinking of economic matters since I was young, because our family had relatively little of this world’s goods. Money was always scarce, but I do not regret having to save, work hard as a child and teenager, and spend carefully. My brother and I each saved $12.50 to buy the only bicycle we ever owned, a simple used two-wheeler that we took turns sanding, painting, riding, and repairing. I bought my first car at the age of 17 for $175.00 – a mint-green 1953 Ford. (It was definitely cool!) Judy and I started married life with a strict budget of $7.00 a week for food and grocery-store items.

Financial stringency is not, in itself, a hardship. Jesus grew up in a land of very meager incomes, and the vast majority of the early Christians were from among the lower economic classes. While some of these were poor (and while poverty always involves hardship and stress), living economically due to tight fiscal circumstances is actually an opportunity for blessing rather than a burden. While God loves equally the wealthy and those of moderate or meager means, depth of character and respect for hard work are more likely to result from austerity the prosperity.


Greed and Grace

Most of the people Jesus ministered to were financially pressed, and they listened eagerly whenever he spoke about money. Some of the wealthy also heard Jesus speak of material wealth, and were struck forcefully by the simplicity and seriousness of his words. In the Gospel of Luke, just before the passage we will be considering, Jesus said, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15, NRSV). He then told a parable about a rich man who said to himself, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” God called him a fool (Luke 12:16-21).

Jesus then spoke more directly to his disciples, who had an opposite set of circumstances from the rich man. Because of their meager financial means, he instructed them about worry, fear, and anxious striving about their daily necessities. Luke 12:22-34 is one of the most tender, yet firm, discourses of Jesus in the Gospels. While he rebukes them gently for their “little faith,” he reminds them that their Father knows that they need daily food, drink and clothing. He adds one of the most loving sentences in all of the Bible, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).


Striving for the Best

It is from this context that I lift out the verse that I wish to focus on for The Benediction Project. After exhorting his disciples not to worry and not to strive anxiously for their daily necessities, he says, “Instead, strive for his [God’s] kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (Luke 12:31). Some of you may be more familiar with the wording in Matthew’s gospel: “But strive [seek] first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). I memorized and have quoted the verse from Matthew all of my Christian life, but for this discussion I wish to work primarily from the Lukan context because of the unique words of Jesus following Luke 12:31.

I started this piece by referring to the likelihood that all of us are affected in some way by current economic patterns. Before the next posting I encourage you strongly to read and think about Luke 12:13-34, especially the words of Jesus given directly to his disciples (vss. 22-34). In the Gospels Jesus speaks much about money. Scholars say that it is the single most discussed topic in all of Jesus’ teachings. Whether you are wealthy or poor, or somewhere in-between, you probably have money on your mind frequently. Jesus’ encouragement to “strive for his kingdom” is the most sure way to keep your priorities in order, and to keep your mind and heart stable in these turbulent times. Let me bless you, in closing, with a refreshing translation of our key text.

“[Your Father] will give you all you need from day to day if you make the Kingdom of God your primary concern” (Luke 12:31, New Living Translation).

Tests and Temptations: Personal Reflections

(2009-5)
I Corinthians 10:13
Bob Rakestraw


With this posting I will conclude our study in 1 Corinthians 10:13. I continue to stand amazed at the simplicity and profundity of the text and its promise of great hope for all of us who are tested and tempted by sufferings and trials of many kinds. Here is the verse from The Message.

“No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.”

Remember the context of this verse, as we pointed out earlier. The Corinthians had just been warned against desiring evil, idolatry, self-indulgence, sexual immorality, putting Christ to the test, and complaining (see verse 6-10). They are warned in the verse just before our passage: “So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.” And they are urged in the verse just after our text: “Therefore, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.” These are the verses that frame our famous Bible verse, and seem to suggest that both spiritual pride and idols in our lives are sources of major temptation and testing. I have found this to be the case in my life.

In this posting I want to itemize briefly some aspects of “the way out” that I have discovered in my current situation. My chief test and temptation, at the present time, is to give up, give in, and give out. In other words, discouragement over my terminal health condition, and the limitations and symptoms I face daily. While I just celebrated five years of living with my heart transplant, my health is poor. The anxiety has crept back in, and I must rest in God continually with it. (I wrote about this in the two January entries on this blog.) With the great hope that something I say will be helpful to one or more of my readers, I offer these thoughts. (In this and other postings I usually quote from the New Revised Standard Version.)


The Example of Jesus

1. The “way of escape” pertains not only to individual moments of test or temptation (although these necessarily occur), but to long-lasting tests, such as chronic illness, singleness for one who desires marriage, unfavorable employment circumstances (or no job at all), or a needed change in living circumstances.

2. Jesus asked for a “way of escape” and he received it. In Hebrews 5:7 the scriptures record that “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission” (see also vss. 8-9). Jesus’ true humanity has been a powerful example to me, but the point that strikes me most here is the statement that the cries of Jesus were heard, and the “way of escape” for him came not by rescue from harm but by death and resurrection. This reminds me that the “way of escape” may be something quite different from what we expect, or what we are asking for.

3. It is crucial to remember that God does not promise to take away the test or temptation, but he does promise to provide a “way out” in the midst of it. God’s “way out” for you may not be a divorce, a different job, or a dramatic healing, but God will never allow more than you are able to bear, and he will always provide a way of escape at the moment you need it. He is more deeply concerned for you than you are for yourself, and he is as deeply concerned for your character development as for your immediate crisis ( Romans 5:3-5).


Not a Great Mystery

4. If someone asks you or me what the “secret” is to finding the “way of escape,” we need to mention that this is God’s business primarily, not ours. He is the one who promises to “provide the way out.” We need to recognize it when it comes, with our spiritual and physical senses as alert as possible, but God knows how weak and ignorant we are, and doesn’t keep this aspect of life a mystery to us. The important truth is that God is faithful, and “he will not let you be tested beyond your strength.” God does not intend for there to be some great mystery or secret that is beyond the grasp of humble, earnest Christians.

5. Even though we are not to be frantically searching for a way out, we ought to be doing what we know to do to help us in our time of testing. A recovering alcoholic knows not to walk home past the bar. A recovering sex-addict knows to escape immediately from any websites that are even a little bit questionable.

6. I have found that, in my situations of severe anxiety, a major part of the “way of escape” has been to meditate in the scriptures, resting in their glorious truth, speaking gently with God (“I trust you Lord,” “I love you Lord”), floating not fighting, as I described in my January postings. Meditating on my “top twelve” scripture texts of 2008, especially 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (“I will boast or glory in my sufferings, that the power of Christ may rest on me”) and Philippians 4:19 (“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”) has been enormously helpful.


The Help of Others

7. Seeing two doctors was helpful. I take some medications that are beneficial, but I try not to view them as a permanent “way of escape.” They may be part of the way, but God’s operations through my mind and will are more significant. I have mentioned previously the book recommended by my doctors, Hope and Help for Your Nerves. I cannot overestimate the importance of this book in my life, even though it is not written from a Christian perspective.

8. Call or write at least one person to pray for or with you, if only over the phone, computer or text messaging, at the moments of most severe testing. Never forget the open invitation in James 5 to call for the elders of the church. (The word for “sick” in verse 14 also means “weak” or “without strength”—just how we feel at the moment of temptation. This scripture is not only for the physically ill.)


Scripture, Prayer and the Spirit

9. What was Jesus’ way of escape when tested by Satan in the wilderness? For each temptation he had a scripture text ready. How did Jesus “escape” the test in the Garden of Gethsemane? He offered loud cries and tears to his Father, then he rose and went to his chosen assignment. In between these two momentous events he often went apart from the others and rested and prayed. His was the only perfect life, not because he was God and could not sin, but because he was human and did not sin, relying instead on the same resources available to you and me. This is why he can be our example (Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:14-16; 5:7-9). I have found much victory over the years in testings and temptations by focusing on the remarkable human example of the man Jesus, leaning hard on the Holy Spirit to strengthen him, just as we may.

10. Spend time in the epistle of First Peter, and think about and pray for Christians around the world who are suffering (and who have suffered over the centuries) in numerous ways. This has helped me greatly over my lifetime. Somehow my trials seem more bearable. The book of Hebrews and the precious Psalms may also become very valuable to you.

11. In your time of testing call upon God to work in his way, not necessarily your way. “And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him” (1 John 5:14-15). This is a truly remarkable promise. You may not know if it is God’s will to give you a different job, but you do know that he wants to give you the fruit of the Spirit in whatever job you have (Galatians 5:22-23). It is always good, however, to ask for what you want—a new job, a better car, a spouse, a physical healing, a raise in salary, a sphere of ministry. But keep the attitude, “according to his will.” He knows better than you do what you really need in the light of eternity.


The Compassion of God

12. Remember that our heavenly father is exceedingly kind, merciful, and gracious. He does not use us in ways that are bad for us. As a wise father, he always seeks our good—for now and eternity. An older Bible translation, that of Rotherham, offers comfort in low moments: “The soul of the wounded calleth for help, and God doth not regard it as foolish” (Job 24:12). Amy Carmichael’s comment on this word is priceless. (She was a missionary to India who became an invalid for twenty years.)

“The soul of the wounded may call for help, and God will not regard it as foolish. Quick upon the call will come deliverance. Something will occur to break the monotony—if nothing outward, then something inward. Some little candle will be lit; the dull fog will lift; it must be so….’I am in a manner imprisoned and grievously [chained] until (blessed until) you refresh me with the light of your presence.’ And then? But who can tell it? Who can tell what you are, O Lord? Who can tell what you know? Who can show to another what your large grace can be?” (Rose from Briar, Christian Literature Crusade, 1973, pp. 140-41).


Do Your Part Well

13. Avoid three things like the plague: complaining, worry, and unbelief. Really believe that there is a way out, as our text says. Never feel that your particular test is unbearable. Hans Conzelmann says so well, “The measure of the bearable cannot be theoretically determined. It shows itself on each occasion in the measure God appoints” (in Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians [Eerdmans, 1987], p. 461, n. 54).

14. Keep busy with profitable activities—those tasks that are beneficial to you and others. Stay away from things that waste your time. (One of my biggest complaints with television is not so much how bad the content may be—and it often is—but how it wastes valuable time.) Whatever else you do, get involved with your local church fellowship, not only on Sunday mornings. Volunteer also at local mission agencies in your area. Get close to mature people of God. Ask God to provide these (at least one) in your life, and be willing to approach them for spiritual interaction.

To all who suffer from tests and temptations (and that includes all with a biblically—informed conscience) I offer this benediction from the earthly brother of Jesus.

“Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 24-25)

Tests and Temptations: What is the “Way Out”?

(2009-4)
I Corinthians 10:13
Bob Rakestraw


The classic scripture text before us, and the one we have been writing about—in some form or another—during the previous three postings, is 1 Corinthians 10:13. I want to quote it with the verses before and after it, because this immediate context will help us to see the broader implications of the passage.

12.”So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. 13. No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it. 14. Therefore, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols” (NRSV).

As I stated in a previous posting, the Greek word translated “testing” may also be translated “tempting” or “temptation.” One version in my library (Wuest) actually translates the word in this text as “a testing time or temptation.” Every test or trial we go through has some element of temptation in it, such as complaining or rejecting God’s grace, and every solicitation to sin is certainly a test of our character and will.


Common to Everyone?

The first words of our verse are striking: “No testing [or temptation] has taken or overtaken or seized you (plural) that is not common to everyone.” The last three words are one word in the Greek language: anthropinos. The word literally means “human,” but the idea is “common among people.” The Good News Bible (GNB) translates this word “normally comes to people.” Take heart, dear friends, you are not alone in your temptations and testings!

In light of the above, is Paul teaching that everyone experiences the same kinds of temptations? If so, how literally do we understand this? Does everyone experience being “seized” or “overtaken” by a temptation to steal, lie, dishonor our father and mother, and covet our neighbor’s goods. I believe it is accurate to say that all humans are tempted to break all of the commandments of God, and most likely, in one way or another (if only in the mind) we have broken them. This does not mean that everyone is tempted in the same way (and, remember, the verse is talking about temptations and testings, not sins). Nor is everyone tempted to the same degree. Those who have yielded little to a specific kind of temptation in the past may not experience intense temptation in that area now. The opposite is true as well. Those who have fallen often in a certain way may find it very difficult to overcome that tendency even today. Fortunately, the all-powerful and all-forgiving grace of God can change the worst liar or thief into a godly, radiant, truthful and honest person. So with each of us with our temptations and sins.


The Faithfulness of God

The important part—one of the most important doctrines in all of the Bible—is that God is faithful (consistent, steady, loyal) and “he will not let you be tested beyond your strength”—beyond what you are able to bear. “Whereas pagan writers emphasized human will, Paul emphasizes God’s faithfulness” (Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament [InterVarsity, 1993], pp. 473-74).

I have had to look at this statement directly, over and over again. I have asked myself if it is really true. If it is (and I believe strongly that it is) it is one of the most powerful tools or weapons in the arsenal of the Christian. No matter what you or I are going through right now, it is not more that we can endure by the grace of God. Yes, I have sometimes said, “I can’t take it anymore,” but I have been wrong every time.

I am grateful, however, that the verse does not stop there. The apostle Paul—one whose life was filled with severe testings, temptations, sufferings, beatings, and numerous other calamities—goes on to say, by inspiration and by experience, “but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.”


The Example of Jesus

Several items in the original language call for attention. One is that the word “but” is a sharply contrasting word. The author wants us to see how God’s strength is superior to our strength. A second point is that God works with the test or temptation. He does not ignore it, but uses it, working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). Remember, testing and temptation are not sinful. Jesus experienced every major type of temptation during his earthly life (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:15-16; 5:7-9), yet he never sinned once—by thought, word, action, omission, commission or disposition. He experienced these testings as a fully human person, assisted by the same Spirit of God you and I have. He did not switch over to his “deity” mode when a temptation came to him.


Communal and Personal Testing

Another notable feature is the definite article “the” before “way out.” While it is possible to translate this as the NIV does, “he will also provide a way out,” the NRSV, which we have been using, keeps the literal Greek wording, as does the NASB: “will provide the way of escape also.” Either translation is acceptable, as long as we keep in mind that the way of escape will always be suited to the nature and severity of the test or temptation. It is “the way out” for you or me at that time, not necessarily the same way for everyone at all times. Of course we can say that Jesus is “the way out” for everyone, always, but something more specific seems to be in Paul’s mind. Fred Fisher says it well: “The expression [‘the way’] assumes that every temptation has its own way of escape. The temptation and the way of escape go in pairs” (Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians, [Word, 1975], p. 159).

We said above that the pronouns “you” in verse 13 are plural. The references are also plural in verses 14 and 15. This indicates, in part, that a whole group (such as the Israelites in the wilderness) can be liable to testing or temptation of a similar kind, and all must stand for God, in solidarity with one another. You or I are not expected to endure the testings alone, but in close fellowship with God and his people. Yet verse 12, just before our classic text, has singular pronouns. “So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.” Even though we may sometimes be tested as a group (think of some young adults planning an upcoming weekend party), we must stand on our own two feet, strengthened by God, to be able to avoid sinning and to be able to lead others in the right direction.


The Way Out

What is “the way out”? Whatever it is, God is said to always be faithful, and therefore he will always provide “the way of escape” (NASB), so that we may be able to endure the test. In some cases it might be flight: “flee youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:22). In some cases it may be fight: “Fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). In some cases it may be float: “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him” (Psalm 37:7). But it should never be fright: “Fear not, little flock” (Luke 12:32). (All four citations are from KJV.) The “way out” is very personal and individual for each person, on each occasion, even though these tests and temptations are common to everyone. We are all urged to receive this powerful word of deliverance. The “way out” may be a combination of things, and may need to be provided for you fifty times a day. But God is always faithful, and he promises to open the way every time you are tested or tempted. In the next posting I hope to write of specific aspects of the way out that I have experienced.

Tests and Temptations: Common to Everyone

(2009-3)
I Corinthians 10:13
Bob Rakestraw


During the twelve months of 2008 I sent out postings covering the twelve most influential scripture passages from the forty-five years of my Christian life. As the year moved along, I struggled with how to cover all of my favorite texts in just twelve months, studying one scripture passage per month. The result is now history and the postings are available in the archives of this blog, but there are numerous Bible texts that I wanted to discuss yet could not. Now I am free to consider some of these additional passages.

One such text which, when added to the original twelve and thus giving us a “baker’s dozen,” is 1 Corinthians 10:13. In my two January, 2009, postings on anxiety and fear, I referred briefly to this Bible verse. I did so because it had become such a big help to me with my anxiety, and I wanted to at least call attention to the amazing truth of this passage. (By the way, I need to say a major “Thank You” to all of you who prayed for me during the very bleak months of December and January. Through your prayers and friendship, some medications, a book by Claire Weekes [see most recent posting], the help of my doctors and numerous hope-giving scriptures from the Spirit, I have had a significant recovery. While I face daily challenges regarding my health I am extremely grateful for the stability God has given me.)


Trials and Enticements

Before I quote I Corinthians 10:13, I need to mention one word in the verse, the Greek word peirasmos. It means both a test or trial, as well as a temptation or enticement to sin. The context of a particular usage determines which meaning predominates. In our scripture text, both senses are valid, because every temptation is surely a test of our character, and every time we are tested or tried, there is an element of temptation in it, for example, to complain against God, to blame someone else for the trial, or even somehow to “cheat” in the middle of the test.

Some translations use the word “tempt,” while others use “test.” Here I quote the New Revised Standard Version, which uses “test.”

“No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it” (I Corinthians 10:13).

As always, there is a need to look at the broader context. While this text, like many others, serves as a “stand-alone” truth from God’s Word, the verses before and after, and the broader historical situation, help us to understand Paul’s thoughts more fully.


The Corinthian Context

The apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians around the year 55, near the end of his three-year stay in Ephesus. He knew the Corinthians well, having stayed with them for a year and a half, teaching them the scriptures and seeing many of them come to Christ (Acts 18:1-18). He also knew the city of Corinth well, and its damaging effects, in many ways, on the Christians in Corinth.

The city, with some 650,000 people in Paul’s day (but only about 10,000 today) was a major commercial and cultural center of Greece. It was also known for its religious emphasis (Corinth had at least twelve temples) and for its sexual immorality. The worship of Aphrodite, goddess of love, at one time involved 1,000 sacred prostitutes who served in her temple, high above the city on the Acro-Corinth—a prominent tribute to the goddess and the debased way of “worship” associated with her. The immorality of Corinth was so widely known that the Greek verb “to Corinthianize” came to mean “to practice sexual immorality.” This way of life, not surprisingly, infiltrated the Christian community at Corinth.

Other problems that this young church faced, and which Paul had to address in this first epistle to the Corinthians, included divisions among the Christians, pride in human wisdom and philosophy, divorce and remarriage, lawsuits between believers before pagan courts, disrespect toward the Lord’s Supper, abuses of spiritual gifts, and a general lack of maturity and holiness. In other words, it was much like many churches today!


Warnings from the Past

With this background in mind, Paul’s words in chapter ten become much more vivid. In fact, our focal text—verse 13—comes as the climax of a section (10:1-13) titled “Warnings from Israel’s History” (NIV). The Exodus of God’s people from Egypt, and the wilderness wanderings for the next forty years, are presented as examples to the Corinthians to not depart from the Lord. After all crossed over the Red Sea on dry land, and after all “drank” of the same “spiritual rock” who accompanied them—Christ himself, most of the people died in the wilderness, never entering the promised land.

Before Paul writes his famous verse about testing and temptation, he warns the Corinthian Christians not to set their hearts on evil things. He then warns them specifically against some of the sins during the Israelites’ wilderness wanderings: idolatry, pagan revelry, sexual immorality (for which 23,000 died in one day), testing the Lord, and grumbling. Paul then repeats his statement that these warnings from Israel’s history are given as examples so that the Corinthians—or any of us today—do not fall in the same way. Then, just before verse 13, Paul writes, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall” (I Corinthians 10:13, NIV).

This warning against spiritual pride is the crucial lead-in to our classic text. It indicates that an attitude of satisfaction with one’s spiritual life is a dangerous frame of mind to have. “Be careful,” he says, “that you don’t fall.” Apparently some of the Corinthians, perhaps most of them, were not wantonly going after the sinful lifestyle in their notorious city, but they were in danger of the pride—including spiritual pride—that goes before a fall. With this background, Paul then speaks of tests, temptations, and the way of escape.


The Remarkable Promise

Once again, I will close this posting with 1 Corinthians 10:13, having prepared the ground, I trust, for its further unfolding in our next entry. This time, however, I will quote from the Good News Bible. This is a marvelous promise and a rich blessing for all of God’s people, in any age or place.

“Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.”

Breaking the Fear Cycle

(2009-2)
I Corinthians 10:13
Bob Rakestraw


In the previous posting on this blog (“In the Grip of Anxiety”) I described and started to analyze some horrific times of fear I had recently experienced. (I use the word “horrific” deliberately.) These were truly frightening times, and I have been learning lately that many people have them.

Because I have been so helped by a certain book—in addition to the prayers and encouragement of God’s people, my doctors, medications, and my lifetime experience with God and the Bible—I felt it may be helpful to hand on some of the insights from the book to you for possible use either now or in the future. Even if you never face this awful scourge (and I hope you never do), the following materials may be something you can use to help yourself or others in the practical business of daily living.

First I will summarize briefly the four steps for dealing with serious anxiety presented forty years ago by Dr. Claire Weekes in her excellent work (with a somewhat archaic title), Hope and Help for Your Nerves. Her book is still considered by some mental-health professionals to be one of the best of the lot in this type of literature. Here are her steps.


1. Facing

Look at yourself and your emotions, and note how tensely you are fighting the fears rising within you. Do exactly the opposite. Sit comfortably and do not shrink from the upsetting sensations. Face and examine the awful feelings. Don’t fight them. By your anxiety you are stimulating an excessive flow of adrenaline which then produces the very sensations that are troubling you. Face the fact (for it is a fact) that most people with this problem eventually find the cure from within themselves, with the guidance of an outside helper or helpers.


2. Accepting

Be prepared to accept and live with your illness for some time. Your body has quite likely been through some very serious episodes, and your nerves have been highly sensitized. Small triggers may set off your sensitized nerves very easily, so be sure that you truly accept (not “put up with”) your physical illness and symptoms. This means 100% acceptance (not 99%) at the very peak of your crisis experience!

Try to live and work with your symptoms without paying them too much attention. Weekes says, “Symptoms can be intensified only by further fear and its resulting tension, never by facing and accepting.” The reason acceptance is key to recovery is that with this attitude adrenaline and the sympathetic nervous system are not being triggered, hence there are no symptoms.


3. Floating

“To float is just as important as to accept, and it works similar magic,” according to Weekes. Let “float” not “fight” be your slogan. Just as a person, floating on smooth water, lets him or her self be carried this way or that by the gentle movement of the water, so should the anxious person let his body “go with the flow” of his anxious feelings instead of trying to withdraw from them or force his way through them. When a person “floats” through the most intense crises, he or she will sense relaxation, not panic. Let the terrifying thoughts float away—picture them leaving your body. Realize they are only thoughts; don’t be bluffed by them.

Stop holding tensely onto yourself, trying to control your fear. This simply generates more fear. Don’t even strive to relax. “Simply let the thought of relaxation be in your mind, in your attitude toward your body,” says Weekes. “The very act of being prepared to accept your tenseness relaxes your mind, and relaxation of body generally follows. You don’t have to strive for relaxation. You have to wait for it.” Calm breathing, where you allow your abdomen to move out and in with each breath, helps tremendously. In fact, in stress clinics, patients often say that the most helpful exercise they learn is abdominal or “belly” breathing, whether sitting or lying down.


4. Letting Time Pass

Despite your new approach to your illness, your symptoms will almost certainly continue to return for some time—perhaps, at first, as acutely as before you learned these techniques. Weekes says that “your adrenaline-releasing nerves will continue to be fatigued and sensitized for some time longer, in spite of your new approach.” Instead of finding yourself disappointed and depressed for days after learning how to help yourself, your “understanding and willingness to let more time pass finally work the miracle.” Weekes adds: “Do no think I expect you to do this without the help of a sedative,…[but] you must have a doctor’s help in choosing the type and dose of sedative.”

It is important to stay occupied even while the troublesome symptoms and feelings are present. But do not feverishly seek occupation in order to forget yourself. This is running away from fear, and you can’t run far from fear. Calmly accept what is happening, and the fear gradually subsides. Every short respite from fear helps to calm your nerves in a very real, physical way, so that they become less and less responsive to stimulation and your sensations become less and less intense.

Resensitization of nerves may occur at some future time, but because you have developed an inner core of confidence and strength you will pass through the fear. “Because this confidence has been born the hard way, from your own experience, you will never quite lose it. You may falter but you will never be completely overwhelmed again.”


Parallels to Everyday Living

My guess is that you have already spotted in the above a number of parallels to life experiences apart from the specific problem of serious anxiety episodes. So many experiences in life tend to make us fearful, worried, sad, discouraged, depressed, lonely, impatient, angry, frustrated, or seeking escape in harmful ways. The four steps given by Weekes can be helpful in dealing with each of these disturbing conditions, whether you are a religious person or not.

However, if you are a follower of Jesus, and desire to live faithfully as his disciple, you have an enormous body of additional material (the scriptures) and a powerful indwelling presence (the Holy Spirit) to comfort, guide and sustain you through the most awful episodes of nerve sensitization or other mental-health conditions. You even have the assurance that God the Son and God the Spirit are actively praying (interceding) for you in your trials (Romans 8:26, 31, 34). We also have the community of God to encourage us and pray for us, as we do for them.

The four steps given above—facing, accepting, floating, and letting time pass—apply very helpfully to the struggles, temptations, anxieties, and other spiritual battles of the Christian life. For example, when you are tempted to make an angry phone call or send an angry e-mail, the four steps may help you choose a wise course of action.


Face the Problem

Admit you are angry—even furious. Allow yourself to fume and don’t stuff your emotions. Sit down comfortably, breathe deeply, and ask God for his gracious help to keep you stable. Thank God for allowing you to experience this situation even though you detest the circumstances.


Accept the Problem

Fully admit that this is a serious situation—to you at least. Your nervous system is highly charged, and you need to become calm by accepting this difficulty as from the hand of God. Not that God inspired any wrongdoing on the other person’s part or yours, but he is letting you go through this so that you will be stronger—to develop your character (Romans 5:3-5; Hebrews 12:4-15). The scriptures say not only to give thanks in everything, but for everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20). Ask God for the grace of acceptance, with gratitude that he is willing to give it to you, “for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).


Float with the Problem

Don’t keep fighting the battle in your mind. It is understandable to review the circumstances that led to this crisis, and to consider possible courses of action, but invite God to guide you and guard you from erroneous thinking and acting. After a while, take a break. Do something else, take a walk, talk to someone, listen to some calming music. Take a nap.

Don’t strive to relax, but ask God to give you thoughts of peace and relaxation. Quote Bible verses in your mind, such as Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is stayed on you.” Tell God you trust him in this situation, and thank him for his understanding of every detail of your life. Continue to breathe with abdominal or “belly” breathing, not with rapid, shallow breaths into your upper chest only.


Let Time Pass

The above three steps may take two hours or two days. Before you make any decision (and remember, sometimes the best action is no action), read James chapter one carefully and prayerfully, asking God for wisdom to do what is most honoring to him. When you arrive at a tentative decision, let some time pass before you take any action. Ask God to rest your troubled soul. Set a time, such as 2 p.m. today, when you intend to act, and then let your tentative decision marinate for a while. Try not to visit it every five minutes. Above all, when 2:00 p.m. arrives, let neither sinful anger nor cowardice motivate you, but the love of God for your neighbor. Sometimes love must be tough, but it should never be nasty. It should always be kind.

Once again I leave this theme for now without delving into the powerful scripture from 1 Corinthians 10:13. I do want to quote it here, however, to encourage you to ponder it in the light of these last two postings on anxiety and fear. If you read it as I do, you see how the text bristles with insights on our topic. Next time I trust to be able to examine this remarkable verse.

“No testing [or temptation] has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it” (NRSV).