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About
CFCFFL
Who
is the CFC-FFL?
The
Movement for Restoration Our
Covenant
Our
Mission and Vision
Our Statement of
Philosophy
Our
Core Values
Family Ministries Kids
for Family and Life (KFL) Youth
for Family and Life (YFL)
Singles
for Family and Life (SFL)
Handmaids
for Family and Life (HFL)
Servants
for Family and Life (SvFL)
Wish
to JOIN?
The
highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity,
choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over
popularity.
Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for THERE IS
NEVER A WRONG TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
-
Bishop Soc Villegas
25 July 2007
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THE WAY FORWARD IN CHRIST
(Part 9)
REFLECTIONS
ON PERSECUTION AND SUFFERING
The
readings these past 3 days have been consistent in talking about
persecution and suffering. These are God’s words to us. They direct
our path.
June 6 – 2 Tim 3:12
“In fact, all who want to live religiously in Christ Jesus will be
persecuted.”
June 5 – 2 Tim 2:8-9 “such is my gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.”
June 4 – 2 Tim 1:8,12 “bear your share of hardship for the gospel
with the strength that comes from God. ….. On this account I am
suffering these things”
Suffering
and carrying the cross are the ways of a true disciple.
What are
some of these sufferings? The fulltimers who resigned/retired from
CFC-GK are not being given their benefits (for some it will be almost a
year already), and are in dire need, for daily sustenance and for coming
education expenses. Our intercessors are being viciously attacked
spiritually, to the point of physical suffering. Our seniors throughout
the world are being maligned and attacked personally. GK beneficiaries
who align with us are being threatened. A brother was even ousted from
the golf committee!
There is
no let-up, and in fact the attacks are intensifying. Look at their blogs
(I myself do not, but hear about their content), their anonymous emails,
the newspaper attacks, the continuing disinformation (quoting even the
Vatican out of context).
Lamentations
continues!
What is
God doing? God is forming us in order to prepare us for the
glorious years ahead.
This
is a time of purification. SO REJOICE!
The extent and the intensity of the persecution and our suffering are
directly proportional to the glory that God intends to accomplish in and
through His holy remnant.
God is
teaching us and forming us. We should not focus on crying out for relief
or for His judgment on those who persecute us, but we should be entering
more deeply into understanding His ways and allowing these to be
embedded deeply within our very being.
June 5 – Ps 25:4-5
“Make known to me your ways, Lord; teach me your paths. Guide me in
your truth and teach me”
June 6 – Ps 119:157,159-160 “Though my persecutors and foes are
many I do not turn from your decrees. ….. See how I love your
precepts, Lord; in your kindness give me life. Your every word is
enduring; all your just edicts are forever.”
So what
are these continuing and intensifying persecutions all about?
First,
they help purify us. So praise God for this great way to grow in
holiness. Without such trials and crosses, we would not be as
holy.
June 4 – 2 Tim 1:9 “He
saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but
according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ
Jesus before time began”
Second,
they teach us, in a painful but blessed way, how we are to be as
Christians (pain is inherent in the process of purification). They
prepare us for our relationships (with God, with brethren, with others)
for the work of the future. Given what we are enduring, we must learn
not to fall into such sins ourselves.
-
Do not lie. This will
include such things as half-truths and distortions (such as
reporting only the good and hiding the bad).
-
Do not just speak about
love but actually love. Do we still harbor grudges against each
other? Are we unable to forgive? Do we look down on others? Do we
look to the interest of our brethren first and foremost? Are there
brethren we have not fully accepted with the love of the Lord?
-
Do not be tampuhin
(onion-skinned). This is a sign of great immaturity. This shows we
do not have the heart of a servant.
-
Look to serving God and
not man. We look beyond the shortcomings of those over us. As we do
so, we see Christ, who is the one we are actually serving.
-
Do not malign others.
But speak the truth in righteousness. It is the truth that sets
people free. But let your speech be gracious.
-
Love your enemy. It is
God who will judge them. Pray that they will be converted so that
they will not be judged harshly.
-
Be at peace with all.
Third,
God is giving us the privilege to be directly invested. There is no
other way to truly transform us. We know all about suffering and
crosses, but this cannot just be a vicarious experience. Unless we
ourselves experience them in a personal, concrete and significant way,
the impact on our lives is limited. God loves us so much and is
preparing us for so great a future that He is prolonging and allowing
the intensification of our suffering.
So what
do we do?
First,
and again, REJOICE! We are worthy
to suffer even just a little bit of what Jesus suffered—false
accusation, betrayal, abandonment, insults, ridicule, painful blows,
hatred. The fruit of such little suffering will be tremendous and
awesome.
Second,
continue to learn the lessons of Lamentations.
This is not just for 2007, but forever. At least once every year,
preferably during Lent, read and meditate on the book 40 Days of
Lamentations. Look to suffering and pain and the cross as God’s
blessings (if we have not acted unrighteously). Meditate on the very
many passages in the Bible that speak of this (Mt 5:10-12; Acts Acts
5:41; Acts 14:22; Jas 1:2-4; 1 Pt 1:6-7; 1 Pt 2:19-21; 1 Pt 4:12-19; 2
Cor 1:3-7; 2 Cor 6:3-10; 2 Cor 12:9-10; Phil 2:5-8; Col 1:24; Heb
12:1-13; many others). But always remember, Lamentations is about hope
and joy.
Third,
let go and let God. Many times
this will entail not just a spiritual assent, but actual physical or
material loss. For example, while the fulltimers should fight for what
is legally and morally due to them, they should not be focused on the
money (no matter how great their need) and even at some point be willing
to suffer material loss as they go about the Lord’s work. Let go of
money, of reputation, of employment, of friends (because of them, not
because of us), even of golf. But in all things, be blameless. And trust
in God.
Let
us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
June 4 – Ps 123:1-2
“To you I raise my eyes, to you enthroned in heaven. ….. so are
our eyes on the Lord our God, till we are shown favor.”
Let
us continue to recognize our own sinfulness and look to God’s mercy.
Let us always consider the plank in our own eye and not the splinter in
others. Let us humble ourselves, and allow the Lord to
raise us up.
June 5 – Ps 25:8-9,11
“Good and upright is the Lord, who shows sinners the way, guides the
humble rightly, and teaches the humble the way. ….. For the sake of
your name, Lord, pardon my guilt, though it is great.”
Let
us follow Jesus’ (and Paul’s) teaching, with all that these entail.
June 6 – 2 Tim 3:10-11
“You have followed my teaching, way of life, purpose, faith,
patience, love, endurance, persecutions, and sufferings”
June 5 – Ps 25:14 “The counsel of the Lord belongs to the
faithful; the covenant instructs them.”
Let
us continue to put our faith, trust and hope in God.
June 6 – 2 Tim 3:11
“Yet from all these things the Lord delivered me.”
June 5 – Ps 25:6-7 “Remember your compassion and love, O Lord; for
they are ages old. Remember no more the sins of my youth; remember me
only in light of your love.”
Let
us remain faithful to God, to His ways, and to our covenant.
Let us fear the Lord in His awesome majesty. This is the way to being
blessed.
June 6 – 2 Tim 3:14
“But you, remain faithful to what you have learned and believed”
June 5 – Ps 25:12-13 “Who are those who fear the Lord? God shows
them the way to choose. They live well and prosper, and their
descendants inherit the land.”
Let
us rejoice, for the victory, in God’s time and in God’s way, is at
hand.
God
console, sustain, strengthen, and bless you all.
frank
June 6, 2008
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