Lessons from Iraq

One Sunday night, Tom Roach visited Camden Avenue to talk about his just completed military tour in Iraq and some lessons he learned while over there. He spoke to us about his excitement over finding other Christians to work and worship with. He also reminded us of the role Iraq has played in Bible history. His lesson was inspiring and encouraging. Among the lessons he shared with us:

1. Church responsibilities don't change based on geography. Those items of worship described in the New Testament (singing-Ephesians 5:19; praying -Acts 2:42; teaching-Ephesians 4:12; giving-I Corinthians 16:1-2; The Lord's Supper-I Corinthians 11:23-26) are the same for Christians here or in Iraq.
2. Few leaders are born-most are made. The army makes leaders but the church needs to do the same. Good men need to step up.
3. Opportunities are everywhere (Matthew 7:12.) We are surrounded by opportunities to talk about the Lord. There are so many we come in contact with on a daily basis-coworkers, neighbors, etc. that we just need to be always talking about spiritual things. Talking about what we know can turn into a teaching opportunity.
4. There are also challenges to be faced. In Iraq, worship services could be interrupted at any time by mortar and rocket fire. Sometimes you just duck and keep on going. In our world, we have to overcome challenges faced by the church.
5. You are responsible for your own salvation (Philippians 2:12.) In Iraq, Tom pointed out that he had no one to make sure he got to church, did his Bible lesson, or prayed as he should. He had to have the faith to continue to be all he could be for the Lord. That's a great point for over here many Christians have to have a baby-sitter just to get them up on Sunday morning to come to church and many don't make it. Paul still says, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
6. You can be happy or miserable in any circumstance. It is our choice. That is the same lesson Paul learned in Philippians 4:8-13.
7. God provides for us. We need to believe it and trust in Him. We can only imagine being uprooted from all we know to travel half-way across the world to be in a war zone. With danger and fear on every hand one learns fast to depend on God. See what Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-11.
8. Family matters! The closest relations and our biggest support in this life comes from those we love most. Being apart from family for fifteen months makes the bond that much stronger. As Tom put it, "Family matters because...it just does!"

A Story for All Time

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, lived a man who had it all. He had all the money he could possibly want. He also enjoyed the happiness of having a large family that he cared for deeply. He prayed for his children every day. No doubt he was well respected in the community because of his position and he enjoyed good health. Yes, he had everything people crave even today.

But one day, tragedy struck. A messenger came to tell him that his children had been killed-all of them. While that messenger was speaking, another came to tell him his property had been destroyed. Then he got very sick and his health was in absolute misery. And to make matters even worse, his own wife turned on him and he ended up in the city dump. He was a shell of the man he once was. While most people may experience one tragedy at a time, few lose everything in life.

But there were at least three friends that cared enough to visit and for a time they had nothing but sympathy for their suffering comrade. But even they couldn't refrain from attacking him with accusations of some great wrong that he was being punished for. Of course this suffering man had to defend himself and wanted to even meet with God to let Him know that enough was enough. Everyone probably wishes they could do that.

But God answered first and wanted to know if this man had helped Him create the world. Ouch! A question like that brings us back to earth and reality. While the suffering man struggled with understanding the many tragedies that had befallen him, he never lost sight of God and the Lord rewarded him with deliverance from his trials. God has a way of doing that when we keep our patience and trust in Him. Read about it in the book of Job. "You have heard of the patience of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how that the Lord is merciful" (James 5:11.)

Knowing Each Other in Heaven (Part 2)

What a happy time heaven will be. Together with the saints of God and free from the toils and burdens of this life. We will be at home and at rest in the presence of God. But, there are some other things to consider about our existence in heaven.

Recognitions will be different that what we have known in this life. I Corinthians 15, that great chapter on the resurrection, reveals to us, "the body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption" (verse 42,) and again, "For this corruption must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality" (verse 53.) In this life we tend to recognize folks by physical characteristics. It may be a hairstyle (or lack thereof) or some scar left from an accident. We notice physical characteristics more than anything else but in heaven those physical characteristics will be gone. We are transformed from this lowly, physical body into a glorious body like the Lord's (Phillipians 3:21.) We don't know what this body will be like because it hasn't happened yet (I John 3:2) but it will be without corruption and suited for eternity.

Paul said, "Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer" (II Corinthians 5:16.) Paul had seen Christ and was an eye-witness to the resurrection and could have given us a physical description of Jesus as He was on earth. But after this life, Paul would not know Him in that fleshly relationship. It would be a spiritual relationship and that is what Paul was looking for. So should we.

Christians should be aware that what we have known in this life and how we recognize others will be different. Jesus tells us, "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven" (Matthew 22:30.) We like to think of being reunited with out spouse in heaven and that we will just keep on "house-keeping" for all of eternity but such will not be the case. The physical relations we have on earth are just for that-while we are on the earth and in the here and now. Each person here has the responsibility to serve the Lord and will give an account of their life (Romans 14:10.) In the church, we are all "one" in Christ (Galatians 3:28) regardless of our fleshly relations or recognitions and like Paul we should begin to look at others through spiritual eyes as we will in heaven. This may scare or sadden some but remember that in heaven we will be in the presence of the eternal God, surrounded by His love, quite frankly more so than we could ever experience here. What a joy to sit down with all the saints and experience love and spiritual relationships far surpassing anything we could experience in this life. We will know one another in far superior ways than we do here but we better begin preparing.

Knowing Each Other in Heaven (Part 1)

The question is often asked, "Will we know each other in heaven?" There is universal interest in this subject because we would like to think that we don't lose all memory of our loved ones after death. We want to pick up in heaven without loved ones where we left off here on earth.

The New Testament gives us an idea of what to expect in heaven. At least as far as it can describe it for us. Paul said, "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of the Lord at His coming? For you are our glory and joy." (I Thessalonians 2:19-20.) The Thessalonians were going to be a joy for Paul when he saw them at the coming of the Lord. How could that be if he couldn't recognize them? In another passage, Paul said, "knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you" (II Corinthians 4:14.) Again, what joy would there be if there were no eternal recognition. Paul knew the saints he worked with in this life and looked forward to being with them in heaven. He certainly thought he would know them there.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18 is a wonderful passage. The Thessalonians were afraid their dead brethren would miss the coming of Christ but Paul assured them the dead in Christ will rise first. Then those alive on earth would be caught up together with them to be with the Lord forever. Notice verse 18, "Therefore, comfort one another with these words." Here Paul portrayed the return of Jesus and the reunion that would follow and this would provide comfort to them. But what comfort there be if everyone was a stranger at that great reunion?

Luke's account of the transfiguration yields some information as well (Luke 9:28-36.) Moses and Elijah appeared as men but in glory and could be recognized. Will we know each other in heaven? Yes! How? By the power of God. But there is more to consider on this. Keep reading!