"We want revival—and it’s coming, but it’s coming with persecution. Everyone wants Antioch, but we forget that it was the persecution in and destruction of Jerusalem that birthed Antioch." Pastor X from 'Sheep Among Wolves II' encourages and calibrates us for the decade ahead in PILGRIM VOL. IV from Frontier Alliance International (FAI).
Written by Dalton Thomas in the months leading up to the birth of FAI in Dec. 2011, UNTO DEATH explores the implications of the resurrection, the imperatives of costly discipleship, and invites those who love and confess Jesus to invest their limited life in this age for an abundant life in the next—driven by the apostolic "blessed hope" befitting those who worship a crucified King & slain Lamb.
Written by Dalton Thomas in the months leading up to the birth of FAI in Dec. 2011, UNTO DEATH explores the implications of the resurrection, the imperatives of costly discipleship, and invites those who love and confess Jesus to invest their limited life in this age for an abundant life in the next—driven by the apostolic "blessed hope" befitting those who worship a crucified King & slain Lamb.
“One thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” By the time he wrote these words, Paul was several years along the narrow road, with several more yet ahead of him. He knew what it was to lose family, prestige, career, relationships, health, and friendships to obedience—and it doesn’t seem he ever entertained regret. You “become what you behold,” and Paul locked his gaze on Jesus and persevered down the path of costly discipleship.
Wilderness is uncharted territory, lack of direction—and lack in general. Whatever it is, you have the amazing opportunity to meet with Him there, and this mysterious opportunity only exists for a short window of time. The desert season is not just a time to endure scorching, it’s a time to look to the skies and watch manna fall. If you don’t see anything, go again in the morning and check the ground. And again, and again, every day until you’ve found what He wants to give you.
There is a biblical principle that we must “go down to come up,” that we must be planted in the earth to grow into the light, that night comes before day, that resurrection only comes after death. The devil can try to destroy us, but God means to bless not only us, but others, in our trials. Through our trials, pain, and deepest despair comes a path of salvation for us, for our family, and, as we shall see, for God’s nation.
We must steward the talents bestowed and assigned to us with wisdom, to be sure, but we must also leverage what we’re entrusted with for the growth of the Gospel’s roots in our lives and communities. We must disciple people into affection for and allegiance to Jesus, anchored in the sure hope of His soon return.
In this personal reflection, Nicole Hope shares the story of entering the field as a single woman, meeting her husband, and building a family—while continuing to serve on the field. She and Nathan give operational leadership to FAI RELIEF in northern Iraq, serving the Kurdish people as their neighbors have become friends and family through the glories and grief of life on the field.
There is no merit in just plain suffering. In the Kingdom to come it is said that "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Thankfully, the coming fullness of the kingdom of God has no suffering in it. We have, however, much that can be gained by our willingness to suffer as we minister to the pains of mankind, in general, and specifically Israel, in this age.
Nearly every artist and creative is driven by a sincere, legitimate desire to make people “feel something.” But you cannot take to someone that which you do now know yourself. How do we mine mysteries, avoid millstones, and grow into maturity? How do we help our friends, families, and nations do the same?
Jesus had to set His face like flint to accomplish the destiny God had for Him. Refusing to suffer would have cost Him the victory of His earthly race and His ability to inherit His people—not only to purchase our salvation but the right to lead us as the righteously Suffering Servant. If Jesus had to be determinedly all-in, should I expect an easier path?
As we reflect on the last twenty years, and remember the 2,977 lives lost on American soil the day we learned even our skies are not altogether safe, and the some-6,800+ U.S. soldiers (in addition to the thousands of coalition partners, allies, and Peshmerga, etc) who’ve died in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the war against ISIS ever since, let us do so with open hands. The Son of Man is truly coming on the clouds in power and glory, and He will end every war. He will rebuild and restore, and usher in the day tears cease to fall and bodies cease to die. He is our only surety. He is the joy set before us; let us not only look for and wait for Him—let us partner with Him in all He is doing to get us there.
God determines where we will be dispatched and what we must speak, and this brings us to the point I wish to highlight most: we can suffer because we may believe, whether it is true or not, that we have labored in vain. Our best efforts may seem to fail. All may seem lost. Yet there is no anguish that we need to stifle in this process. We do not need to be heroic while being obedient. We are not the final judge of whether we have succeeded or failed. We stand or fall on our obedience, not on our success.
Bearing His Name, despite our own imperfections, is our great honor. Our many mistakes are rich fodder to learn the kind heart of God firstly toward ourselves so that we can share that honestly with others. If you are thinking that is too hard a task, know that He has already addressed that handily in this passage: “He will not fail nor be discouraged, till He has established justice in the earth.” He is up for hard! He will not give up on you or His mission till the ends of the earth are brought under His just rule.
We are living in-between the Cross and the Crown, in a window of mercy opened for the fullness of the Gentiles to enter into the Kingdom of the Son of His love. This is the moment in eternity with the declaration of the Son of Man, “Maranatha,” sweeps across the nations of the earth that, truly, all might be blessed through the promises made to Abraham. And these days, as any, are numbered. This window of mercy will close—because He has promises to keep to Jerusalem, and when the new song reaches her city of origin again, this “present evil age” will finally end.
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