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