Justin Weekly

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The Spirit of God has been powerfully speaking words of wisdom into my life.  God is living and moving and breathing all around us, and I have been so blessed as to hear His gentle voice in the passing by.  Over the next few weeks, or perhaps through the course of couple months, I will be posting a series of entries on my website that deal with difficult concepts of the Christian faith, including: sin and forgiveness, life and death, hope, holiness, truth, and love.

This new series, entitled ”We Might Need a Bigger Box,” very much incorporates many of the themes discussed in my ”One Fish, Two Fish, Me Fish, You Fish” series.  I’m telling you this now so that if you are feeling ambitious you might take the opportunity to do a little reading, reflection, and personal investigation.  As always I invite you to use the Word of God as it is intended for; that is, for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness.  If I am in error, you are charged to use the Scripture for these purposes.  I will do my best to not wrangle around with words, but instead accurately handle the word of truth with no shame.

Lastly, as this post is also an introduction to those following, I will add scriptural references and passages that would be a great help to you and I as we stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

Romans 8

1Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

3For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

10If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

12So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh– 13for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

15For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”  16The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  19For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  22For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.

23And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

24For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?

25But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.  26In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.  29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

33Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36Just as it is written,”FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

37But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.  38For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Corinthians 10

1Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ–I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!

2I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.  3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

5We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

7You are looking at things as they are outwardly.  If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we.  8For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, 9for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters.

10For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.”

11Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present.  12For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.

13But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you.  14For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ; 15not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you, 16so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another.

17But HE WHO BOASTS IS TO BOAST IN THE LORD.

18For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.

There are many more passages that I would like to get into, but for now, these two will be a good start.  May the holy Lord God, His Lamb, and the Almighty continually fill your heart with joy and peace, and light your path forever.  Amen.

All for the King and His Kingdom,

Justin Weekly

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It has come to my attention that there are several dear friends of mine suffering from complex feelings of not wanting to continue stepping forward in their walk with God; but rather just go home now and live in the presence of our perfect Father for all eternity. At times we all experience the reality that the things of this world are vanity and a striving after the wind. However, this does not give us the right or privilege to even think about giving up now. Allow me to encourage you with a Biblical teaching in regard to this timeless internal turmoil.

1 Kings 19:1-18

1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.

And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

11 The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

15 The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”

In the context of this incredible Biblical account Elijah is in a very precarious situation. He had just won what he considered to be the ultimate victory against the evil King Ahab and his wife Jezebel. After proving the falsehood of the god Baal, and even more, proving the supreme power and sovereignty of the one true God in front of the entire kingdom of Israel, and after killing by the sword all of the prophets of Baal, Elijah was STILL being hunted by Queen Jezebel.

In this moment, Elijah flees to escape death at the hand of his enemy and plea for death at the hand of his LORD, whom he had served faithfully in all things. But God’s reply to this is ‘Get up and eat.’

Now, in today’s context, we find ourselves in a slightly modified situation. The bread that we eat is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

John 6:32-35

32Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34″Sir,” they said, “from now on give us this bread.”

35Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

Friends stay strong, be diligent in the work to which God calls us. All of the things Elijah did, he did through the empowerment of God and the aid of the angels; but we know that we are empowered with the Holy Spirit, the breath of God and His eternal wisdom, in ALL that we do that is done in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. Never forget that us being in the world and sanctified by the Word of God was the prayer of Jesus Christ. We MUST get up and eat because there is work to be done.

Lastly, I call to attention the whisper of God:

11 The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

When we know that God is present in our surroundings, we must be careful not to be distracted by the mountains bowing down before our LORD. Turn your eyes to the gentle voice of our LORD and listen with all intentness lest you not hear clearly the instruction of God for your life.

May grace and peace abound in your lives this day as you eat and drink the body and blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Justin Weekly

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In my last ”Weekly Update” I left you all with the challeng to think and dwell on things of good report as it is written in Philipians 4.

”8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Well, no more than two hours after I asked you to do this, I was given a huge challenge from God to do the same. On my way home from the University of Costa Rica I was the victim of an armed robbery and near abduction.

Now, knowing just this much already, and none of the details, let’s do our best to dwell on the glory of God and the fullfillment of His Word in this situation. I think that by the end of this slightly different analysis of what happened, we may all have a humbler heart.

After dwelling for a while on the Godliness involved in loneliness, my soul was comforted and my spirit ready to listen and obey. At the bus stop, a group of three young people assaulted me with knives and began robbing me. Although my body wanted to react in natural and instinctive ways of self defense and fear, I felt an immense sense of peace; the knowledge that God is my protector and He is near, and the wisdom to let my gentleness be evident to all.

My attackers ordered my to follow them down a dark street, but God was my light. They made me hold the hand of their female partner and embrace her as if we were a couple. I began asking her questions about where she was from, and how she knew the other two men. God gave me the comfort and strength to stand tall and not fear their evil acts. I was seated on the guardrail of a bridge and interrogated and God’s protective hand prevented them from pushing. I was left in an empty lot behind an abandoned building in an unfamiliar place, but the Holy Spirit comforted me still, and guided me home.

Friends, we have no reason to fear evil. The Bible calls the wise man one who shuns, hate, flees, and avoids evil, but NOT one who is afraid. When Timothy was traveling to Corinth on behalf of Paul in I Corinthians, Paul advised the members of the Church in Corinth to ‘’see to it that Timothy has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am.”

This is the same mentality we should all have. In this spirit, you are empowered to dwell only on things of good report, even while acknowledging the presense of evil in the world. And more, when you come into my home, it is my charge to ensure that you have nothing to fear.

May our holy God God of peace guide you continually to a reconciled spirit, and a humble and gentle heart. Amen.

All for the King and His Kingdom,
Justin Weekly

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As one can imagine, I’m going through a lot of personal growth and challenges and spiritual fortification as I’m out here.  In one hand, I am able to hold on to a life full of friendships, relationships, and family.  Since I’ve been apart from the Christian community of YWAM I have been waving the other hand around, trying to find something to hold on to - an anchor of sorts.
I have come to the conclusion that it is good to experience loneliness.  Jesus experienced loneliness and even prayed in lonely places, thus it is natural that someone who has been sanctified by the Word of God (or even IS the Word of God) should experience loneliness.  Even while Jesus had one hand with His disciples, He still went through a time before His crucifixion where He was alone.  In the time when He laid His life down completely, to the point of death, He was perhaps the loneliest of His life on Earth.
Here, in Costa Rica, the knowledge within me that I am different is very apparent - I feel that Christ loneliness.  This might be the first time in my life where I have been able to fully see just how different being a Christian in this world is.  While at home you and I both know that being different is, at times, worse than murder.  My theory now is that we, as Christians, decline the gift of difference - our sanctification; and we know that those who are not sanctified are not known by God.  We do this to avoid loneliness, because by nature we are created to desire love.
I have been struggling with what appears to be a paradoxical situation.  If we are created to desire and seek love, how then are we permitted (or even expected) to be lonely and different.  Although, I never knew that this was a struggle of mine (and as I suspect, everyone in the world), I have been blessed to discover yet one more example of how my flesh is in conflict with my spirit.  There is no paradox.  We are created to seek the love of God and not the attention of the world.  When we, as Christians, give up our sanctity, we do so to gain the approval of the world.  Loneliness comes when we find ourself in the place where our soul knows that the attention and approval of the world is not the love we were created to feel.  Our spirit takes us into a state of what we call “loneliness.”  In reality, however, we are being protected from the temptation to not be different.  Let me take you to a Psalm that has been a great help in this time:

Psalm 25

1To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
2O my God, in You I trust,
Do not let me be ashamed;
Do not let my enemies exult over me.
3Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;
Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.
4Make me know Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.
5Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day.
6Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they have been from of old.
7Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
According to Your lovingkindness remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O LORD.
8Good and upright is the LORD;
Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.
9He leads the humble in justice,
And He teaches the humble His way.
10All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth
To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.
11For Your name’s sake, O LORD,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
12Who is the man who fears the LORD?
He will instruct him in the way he should choose.
13His soul will abide in prosperity,
And his descendants will inherit the land.
14The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him,
And He will make them know His covenant.
15My eyes are continually toward the LORD,
For He will pluck my feet out of the net.
16Turn to me and be gracious to me,
For I am lonely and afflicted.
17The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses.
18Look upon my affliction and my trouble,
And forgive all my sins.
19Look upon my enemies, for they are many,
And they hate me with violent hatred.
20Guard my soul and deliver me;
Do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.
21Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.
22Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of all his troubles.

Some might think that this is a terribly distressed Psalm; that David was depressed and desperately needed God to lift him up.  However, David was not praying that God take him out of a situation, but that He would give him the grace to seek wisdom and love in his times of loneliness, that God would release him from the traps of his oppressors, that God would guard, deliver, and preserve him and that this grace would be spread over all of God’s chosen people.
This is my prayer, that as I am in the world - wherever in the world - that God would supply to the me wisdom and knowledge and reason that is necessary to carry forth in the calling of the Lord; not only this, but that God would rescue me from the nets of my enemies, that He would guard my soul when the troubles of my flesh are enlarged, that integrity and uprightness would preserve me, and that God would deliver me from the plots of the evil one.  And even more, I pray all this for you, my brothers and sisters.
May the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Dwell on excellence, dear friends - those things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good report.  Dwell on those things worthy of praise.  Praise God for loneliness!
Lastly, you who suffer in my afflictions do well.  As in the example of our forefathers, Paul and Timothy, I rejoice greatly in the Lord our God that you are concerned for me.  I too, am learning to be content in every situation.  And for those of you who send your gifts, I am joyful not only for the gift, but for the profit with which God will surely
increase your account.  For it is written: “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).
I long to share with you the intimate relationships and details that of this time abroad, but I am convicted to maintain a level of humble quietness.  With all this said, let us give ALL the glory to God above.

All for the King and His Kingdom,

Justin Weekly