maturity

PROSPERITY

Posted on April 19, 2022April 19, 2022 by West Oaks Fellowship

“Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers”

… a remarkable and extraordinary prayer from the Lord’s Apostle/Elder, John, for the believer Gaius from 3 John 2. Here, this faithful New Testament church leader expresses a strong and earnest desire for the side-by-side development of spiritual maturity, physical well-being, and material blessing. While certainly it is appropriate to seek God for any of these as significant aspects of one’s life, the coupling or joining of them together in this passage is unprecedented in the biblical text. In addition, there is supportive evidence that physical health and spiritual well-being are uniquely intertwined, and surely success and/or prosperity in one’s career or business affairs can play a role as well in any individual’s overall well-being.

Here, in 3 John 2 we find the Greek word, ‎euodoo (yoo-od-o’-o), which is a compound expression meaning to succeed along the road, to reach successfully, and/or to prosper in business affairs. The continuous tense in this scripture suggests consecutive, uninterrupted circumstances of varying prosperity as weeks follow weeks. This concept is in the likeness of the inner man being renewed “day after day” as in II Corinthians 4:16. In other words, this prayer finds Gaius’s faith father (see 3 John 4) praying for his spiritual, monetary/material, and physical well-being … prosperity!

Most committed Christians can either quote or find a verse related to God’s material blessings being poured out (like Luke 6:38), God’s provision of health and/or strength (as in Proverbs 3:7-10), or concerning spiritual growth/maturity (such as Colossians 1:10), but how about all three, spoken together in one powerful and discerning prayer passage? WOW! How do you think brother Gaius must have felt when he received and read this prayer from Elder John?

Undoubtedly, this experienced apostle/elder fully understood the concept conveyed by his co-laborer, the Apostle Paul, in his instructions to the Philippian church:

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. (Phil 2:3-4)

Isn’t it interesting to note that this prayer ties both the physical health and material blessing directly to one’s spiritual growth and development as a vital/essential priority? It appears, according to 3 John 3, that Gaius is growing spiritually and that there is distinct/clear evidence of this maturing being manifested throughout his life. Apostle/Elder John seems to be delighted as well, even elated with his progress …

For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. (3 John 3-4)

This simple, yet broad-reaching, unelaborate prayer would include success in business ventures and investments, happiness and peaceful fulfillment in domestic/family interactions, as well as within one’s spiritual relationships (with the Lord and other believers). In addition, this intercession is inclusive of all the activities, engagements, and/or transactions in which a committed believer might lawfully engage within one’s society (pagan or not). It shows that it is absolutely and unhesitatingly right for us to encourage our friends through prayer, whether in good times or bad, lean or abundance, that they may have success and growth in their spiritual lives, be in good health, physically/ mentally/ emotionally and prosper through the works of their hands and in their plans of life. John must surely have learned this from Jesus, whose concern for people’s physical troubles is attested to in all four Gospels. Certainly this is a biblical warrant for Christians today to pray for the temporal as well as the spiritual and physical needs of our peers in Christ.

At West Oaks Fellowship, we’ve learned to actively embrace our cultural differences, as well as the distinctions in our widely diversified heritages. We are truly “nations gathered for worship” who at the same time are actively “sharing the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Now let us embark on praying for one another — not just when needs arise — but as the Apostle/Elder John prayed for Gaius, that each one in our body will be in good health and prosper even as his/her soul prospers!

Let’s just do it! -PF

STUDY

Posted on March 22, 2022 by West Oaks Fellowship

Almost everyone can come up with a reasonable definition or understanding of the word “STUDY” as we use it in today’s communication. In addition, most believers are familiar with the instruction of II Timothy 2:15:

Be diligent (study or labor) to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

In this New Testament passage, one finds the Greek root word, spoudason, literally meaning to:

1. make an effort

2. be earnest/serious.

3. endeavor/exert effort.

The KJV and Amplified translators used the word “study” because the “accurate handling” of God’s Word is of the essence, and the implied method to reach that result could only be achieved through consistent diligence in one’s personal study.

The grammatical Greek structure found here in II Timothy 2:15 is second person, singular, aorist (tense) active (voice), imperative (mood) verb, which conveys the idea of saying … “Do your best, make haste, give diligence, hurry on, and be eager about showing yourself approved unto God” – all in the use of one word, “STUDY!”

The Apostle Paul used the same word in Ephesians 4:3, with the same emphasis, concerning the preservation of unity within the church body where “endeavor,” as used in some English translations, is too weak of a word. Paul’s intention was to stir up his son in the faith, Timothy, now the young lead pastor at the church in Ephesus, so that he would seek the Lord’s approval in/while handling, instructing, teaching, equipping, and training the believers in that community.

Pastor Tim was not instructed to seek any level of human approval, like that of the community at large or even of those in the congregation; instead, His Lord’s endorsement, and in so doing would ultimately prove himself to all as being a responsible workman according to his gifts and callings.

Therefore, the approved workman diligently and steadfastly studies the Word … first, seeking to apply it / live it personally, then sharing it with those he/she teaches, trains and equips so they can do the same. The Word is the workman’s tool for building up the body of Christ until we “attain unity of the faith,” and become mature individuals in Christ through the knowledge of Christ! (See Ephesians 4:12-13)

Then, as a result of the workman who is approved by God Himself and not ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth, believers no longer act like children, tossed around by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men and deceitful scheming, but instead, speak the truth in love, and grow up in Him, the fullness of Christ Jesus! (From Ephesians 4:14-15) The entire body then successfully comes together and is held together according to the proper working of each individual. This always causes the growth and even more maturing as Christ’s Body, His Church, is being built up and strengthened in genuine love (of/for Christ, His word, and one another)! (From Ephesians 4:16)

The sloppy and ashamed workers get all hung up on other distractions — what others think of them, how they themselves feel about a topic or subject, what others are doing and saying, or even how their teaching(s) may be accepted. Some of these even handle the word of truth deceitfully in order to twist it into saying exactly what they want it to say. As they waste time on these things (some trivial and some complete heresy), they have little or nothing to give of true substance, that spiritually-enriched meat that brings about powerful life transformation!

My sincere prayer and personal desire as your pastor is for each and every believer at West Oaks Fellowship to become an approved worker who is not ashamed, and can accurately handle the word of truth on a daily, moment-by-moment basis.

Nonetheless, that dream/goal is unattainable unless God’s people are: 1) making an effort. 2) earnest/serious. 3) endeavoring/exerting effort.

How then shall we live? (See Matthew 4:4) — His & yours, PF

STABILITY

Posted on March 9, 2022 by West Oaks Fellowship

What immediately comes to mind when you hear the word “stability?” Then, what’s the opposite of stability?

At this year’s Men’s Hibernacle, all our bible study and teaching were focused on the concept of Spiritual Stability. One might, in naivety or foolishness, ask, “Who in the world needs that?” Yet, in reality, many believers (you know them) are spiritually unstable, constantly up and down, turning here, turning there and continuously being tossed around, like a cork in the sea by every wind of doctrine. Would you consider that spiritual stability?

In Ephesians 4:11-16 Paul anticipates this perilous position that individual believers and even Christ’s Church would find themselves/herself ensnared by.

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children (infant/babe), tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Accordingly, our Lord gave certain leadership offices to His church for the exact purpose of “stability,” bringing His church and its congregants into maturity … “growing up in all aspects into Him!”

We are not to be:

Children (in thinking and actions, in spiritual development)
Tossed here and there by every wind (ever changing in direction, fluctuating, surging) of doctrine
Led about by ever changing, non-biblical doctrines (faddish “cool” concepts) that sweep through the church
Led about by the trickery of church leaders (both men and women who are frauds, ear ticklers – See 2 Timothy 4:3-4)
Led about by craftiness in deceitful scheming (subtle trickery)

Instead, we are to “grow up in all aspects into Him!” Growing up moves one from instability to stability. Watch a baby learn to walk, or a beginning gymnast on a balance beam. Remember your first bicycle experience? All pictures of instability, yet ultimately stability prevails. How about in one’s Christian walk … are you running in maturity or teeter- tottering like an infant, stumbling, whining, fearful, even at times returning to a crawl? Well, here is a clear path and 5 steps to spiritual stability from Philippians 4:1-9 that Pastor/Teacher David Ice shared with us at Hibernacle 2020! Get out your Bibles and dig in.

We stand firm (vs 1) (become spiritually stable) by proceeding in the following path:

Step 1 – Resolve to live in harmony with other Christians/Believers (vs 2 & 3)

Step 2 – Determine to face life’s circumstances with joy (vs 4)

Step 3 – Make it your ambition to be known for a gentle spirit (vs 5)

Step 4 – Talk to God about everything (vs 6)

Step 5 – Dwell (think/focus) on the things of the Lord (vs 8)

Step 6 – Practice what you’ve been given (vs 9)

THE PROMISE FOR ALL WHO STAND FIRM (vs 7 & 9b)

The obvious consequence of spiritual stability is awesome! Something each of us need in our lives on a daily basis. However, one must honestly evaluate … take an inventory on one’s own life to determine if “spiritual stability” exists and to what degree. Wise, godly counsel may also be a great help when determining how you’re doing. The simple test is to go through each step, grading yourself with 1 being not at all, up to 5 representing most of the time. As I did an honest evaluation, the weaknesses were clearly revealed and I embraced a definite and distinct plan of action to stand firm in spiritual stability.

Will you join me? — Pastor Frank (Please study and consider James 1:5-8 as well.)