COMMENDABLE QUALITIES IN CHRISTIAN CONFLICT!

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.  1 Corinthians 16:13 KJV

Edward Garbett (1817–1887)who was an honorary canon of Winchester, England, was a religious figure and writer of the 19th century. Here's what he wrote on this verse: 

The requirements of the Christian warfare

The associations of war and battle breathe in every word of this exhortation. 

It touches the heart as the spirit-stirring address of a trusted leader touches the hearts of his comrades at some great emergency of the conflict. 

As the foe gathers in the distance, half hidden behind the brow of the hill or beneath the shadow of the forest, and it remains doubtful for the moment at what quarter the storm will break, his warning voice calls to vigilance--“Watch ye.” 

As the tide of war rolls its threatening masses onwards, and the advancing column of the enemy, grim and ominous as a thundercloud, threatens to overwhelm the slender line of defenders, the leader’s clear voice is heard in the momentary hush of suspense, exhorting them to steadiness and constancy--“Stand fast.” 

As the opposing lines break in the shock of battle confusedly, like the meeting of two angry tides, and warrior contends hand to hand with warrior, the familiar voice still sounds amid the tumult, “Quit you like men.” 

As beneath the fury of the assault the line of the patriot host shakes and wavers, and the crisis calls for a courage prepared to die, but never to yield, I picture to myself the figure of the dauntless leader as he lifts his banner aloft and shouts, “Be strong.” 

(Canon Edward Garbett.)

"Watch ye!"

Every Christian believer, and indeed every person on this planet is engaged in a spiritual conflict. The Christian believer however is aware of this conflict, and is warned and encouraged and advised about it. 

In the single verse above we are exhorted to "Watch ye!" or to be on guard. As noted in Batman Begins...you have to learn to mind your surroundings! Things may not always be what they seem to be, and we are cautioned to be vigilant! Peter said Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 1 Peter 5:8-9 NKJV

Paul says, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints; Ephesians 6:18 NKJV

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Matthew 24:42-44 KJV

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.  Matthew 25:13 KJV

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:40-41 KJV

Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. Mark 13:35-37 KJV

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 1 Thessalonians 5:4-10 KJV

But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.  1 Peter 4:7 KJV

Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.  Revelation 3:3 KJV

"Stand fast!" 

As believer we are required to "Stand fast!" We do not cut and run when the going gets tough! "Stand Fast!" We face the enemy head on, and stand toe to toe, for there are many depending on us ! Of the enemy the Bible says Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.  1 Peter 5:9 NKJV 

 That's what we do! We resist! Sometimes it seems so easy to give up, to surrender, to lay down and die. Many have tragically done so! They have stumbled, slowed down and dropped out of all activity to do with Christ and His church! But the Bible says Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.  Romans 8:37 KJV

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.  Romans 8:37 NLTse 

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  James 4:7 KJV

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13 KJV

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 KJV

For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.  1 Thessalonians 3:8 KJV

Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;  Philippians 1:27 KJV

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.  Galatians 5:1 KJV

When bondage looks like liberty and liberty in Christ looks like bondage, we have become willingly blind and its difficult to see where we are going when we keep our eyes closed.

"Quit you like men!" 

We're more than defense! We're the offense! "Quit you like men!" When our country declares war, regardless of how we feel about it, we are also at war. We're treated as the enemy and we fight back as the enemy! Be it know to Christian believers, all and sundry, everywhere! The kingdom of heaven has declared war against evil everywhere, and every believer is automatically enlisted, engaged and enmeshed in this war under the leadership of the Commander in Chief! Therefore "Quit you like men!" 

When Jesus came to the earth He stepped right down unto enemy territory and bested the enemy! He then proceeded further and stepped down into Death and Hades, and ripped authority away from them! He stormed the gates of hell and prevailed!

The enemy will try to install gates in your life! Gates allow the entry of evil into a stronghold. Gates are fixed but they open or close to receive and let go, allowing passage. Jesus said the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church built on The Rock! Jesus said He  will build His church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The church was not called to be on the defense but on the offensive! We're not called to hold the fort but to storm the gates of hell!  We are not fighting a defensive warfare and struggling to hold on desperately to what we can get! No! We are engaged in a frontal assault on the gates of hell, and we have God's own promise and assurance that those gates cannot stand against us! So when the conflict is raging around us, in the middle of all the noise and confusion "Quit you like men!"

"Quit you like men!" in your marriages! Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;  Ephesians 5:25 KJV

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.  1 Peter 3:7 KJV

"Quit you like men!"as fathers with your children And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  Ephesians 6:4 KJV

"Be Strong!"

Over and over again we are exhorted and encouraged to be strong! Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Ephesians 6:10 NKJV 

You are not standing in your strength alone for ...the LORD is the strength of your life! Psalm 27:1 "Be Strong!" 

The joy of the LORD is your strength! Nehemiah 8:10 "Be Strong!" 

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. Deuteronomy 31:6-7 KJV

Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:6-9 KJV

And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.  1 Chronicles 28:20 KJV

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. Isaiah 35:3-8 KJV

'''the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.  Daniel 11:32 KJV  "Be Strong!"

It is vital and of eternal consequence that we know God! How can we know God! Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? John 14:8-9 KJV 

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. John 14:5-7 KJV

To know Christ is to know the Father! To know the Father is to know God! To know God is to be strong and do exploits! Believe Him! Believe on Him! Be strong in Him!

Again I say Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  2 Timothy 2:1 NKJV 

OF WHAT DOES A MAN'S LIFE CONSIST? BUILDING BARNS ON EARTH OR BANKING IN HEAVEN?

And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. Luke 12:13-21 KJV

“Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts or happenings. It consist mainly of the storm of thoughts that is forever flowing through one's head.” ― Mark Twain

And He said to them, Guard yourselves and keep free from all covetousness (the immoderate desire for wealth, the greedy longing to have more); for a man's life does not consist in and is not derived from possessing overflowing abundance or that which is over and above his needs.  Luke 12:15 AMP

Man's life is not made up of the things he possesses. If that's all it is, then we're poor indeed!

What does man's life consist of? We're looking for life in all the wrong places and life is found only in Jesus Christ!

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  1 John 5:12 KJV

It's more than meat and the body more than dressing up...or down! It's having the Son!

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  John 14:6 KJV

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  John 10:10 KJV

"He [Jesus] came to bring men to God, not to bring property to men." Leon Morris

It's so deceptively simple to fall into the ways and lifestyle of the world. We give ourselves all the right sounding reasons why we should! The man was right but he was also so very wrong! We spend so much time and effort acquiring and accumulating in this world, with diminishing returns in the next world!

The man recognized the physical need but failed to realize the spiritual need!

Many talk about living as though there's no tomorrow but so many more live as though there's no eternity!

Are we also intently caught up with satisfaction of our physical needs at any cost, while we lose perspective of our spiritual need?

We can plan for the distant future but do we know the immediate future? We can lay up for retirement and old age but have we laid up treasure in heaven?

This man was so caught up in  the “here and now,” that he ignored and neglected the hereafter.

We can become so wrapped up in our life or pleasure seeking and enjoyment that we are prepared to totally ignore the things of God and that way lies tragedy!

Note that Jesus did not condemn the man's riches, but rather contrasts it with his poverty towards God.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 KJV

Can you picture right now in your mind's eyes the structure you are building up in heaven? How does it compare with your possession on earth. Has it been left in a state of neglect and disrepair? We may take pride in keeping a clean, tidy, well decorated home down here, but is it weed overgrown and crumbling up there?

Setting out to be rich as our primary goal is a poor ambition. If however our primary goal is to seek the face of The Lord, then all others are but secondary goals, and remains subjected and modifiable by our primary goal. There is danger when a secondary goal insidiously worms its way into the primary position. The resultant sidetrack is dangerous in its effects and results.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21 KJV

Wherever our treasure is, that's where we find our heart! Does our treasure makes us ashamed of the Lord?

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Mark 8:34-38 KJV

When we put aside our testimony for the sake of pleasure, leisure and treasure before our friends and family, we have proven ourselves to be ashamed of the Lord!

Mistakes we do not want to make!

Someone said this man made three mistakes.

1. He mistook himself for God

2. He mistook his body for his soul

3. He mistook time for eternity

His perspectives were all off center and resulted in great tragedy. He was not prepared!

He is what we would call a successful failure!

He was

1. Obedient yet Disobedient v 16

a. He was obedient to  the natural laws. He paid attention to the natural laws of agriculture, investment and management!

b. He was disobedient to the Law of God There was no sense of spiritual values, no thanks to God and for there was no acknowledgement of God's help!

2. Generous yet Selfish v 18,19,21

a. He was generous in his plans for building, in his ideas of expansion and storage, and his thoughts of himself

b. Yet he was also selfish, for there is no mention of helping others, no thoughts of sharing, just his covetousness and greed!

3.  Wise yet Foolish vv.17-20

a.  He was wise in his work and planning where material matters were prominent.

b.  He was foolish  in leaving God out of his life Pr 21:1 and in trying to dictate his own future

Remember...man proposes but God disposes!

4.   Rich yet Poor

a.   He was rich in that he had substance and wealth, and could afford to enlarge and expand for he had a great harvest.

b.   Yet he was immensely poor for there is no poverty greater than spiritual poverty.  He failed to make spiritual investments and so his spiritual harvest was eternal bankruptcy.

By the worlds standards he was a success story. By heaven's standard he was a failure! He was simply a successful failure!

It's time we take stock of our lives and see what our present relationship to the Lord!

It's time we pay attendance to the things of God and turn our feet back to the Father house!

It's time we begin to believe the Word of the Lord when He said But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Matthew 6:33 KJV

And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. Luke 12:22-40 KJV