Freedom through chains: living, serving, sounding out
https://www.facebook.com/thechurchintoledo/posts/1598716053620730Eph. 6:20 For which I am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I would speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Our gospel today is found in the signs of the times. During this global crisis, in this very confining situation, how do we carry out the Lord's dispensational speaking? Study the Bible: when Paul was persecuted and limited, especially when Paul was in prison, the only way the New Testament Ministry could be carried out was through literature. The majority of the New Testament Bible are epistles written by Paul — these very letters are considered God's word. Paul served the churches while he was in prison through his letters. For example, Paul served the Ephesians through his epistles when he was in prison. The majority of the high books —Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians — the heart of the Bible — were written when Paul was in prison. That is the Lord's sovereignty.
Equipping and Sounding out
Like Paul, we are also in prison, in a certain way to speak, but we're not prisoners imprisoned by man. We should be imprisoned by a burden. If you love, you can care, you can serve, you can give. We are not bound by the confinement here in this period of quarantine. If you have something to say, say it. This year, the Lord has given us the opportunity to equip ourselves for the purpose of these two goals: 1) to gain a proper understanding of the Gospel, God's full salvation. This is a very essential understanding in the Bible which is often glossed over; 2) the literature work for these dark times. We should thank the Lord for all the limitations and this time of confinement at home. Consider Paul's life; we have not even been persecuted yet. We should use our energy to do our human activities in that sphere of limitation. If you're a mother, be a mother; if you're a husband, be a husband; if you are a child, be a child; if you are siblings living together, then be siblings. We are in that Divine relationship. That’s it. We should reign in the spheres and relationships we live in—we are gaining the substance today to continue His dispensational work for this generation.
(Above are notes of fellowship taken from a gathering on 4/12/2020, not reviewed by the speaker.)
