Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

  - Acts 21.13

I expect daily to be killed, betrayed, or brought back into slavery, or something of the kind. But, because of the promise of heaven, I fear none of these things. For I have thrown myself into the hands of Almighty God, who reigns everywhere...

  - Patrick, Confession, Irish, 5th century

Each of us tends to live toward our expectations, our hopes. We are promise- and future-oriented in everything we do.

We choose our friends, spouses, work, and places to live on the basis of what we expect of them, what we hope they will bring to us in terms of goodness or happiness.

We avoid things that we expect to bring us into conflict, opposition, suffering, or pain, because we are conditioned to live our lives with a view to maximizing material comfort and personal pleasure.

But comfort and pleasure that take account only of the needs of the body will throw the soul under the bus to avoid painful expectations.

We have even been taught to believe that our faith in Jesus should not only not inconvenience us, it should not be a source of upset or distress to others, either. And we live our faith accordingly.

Which often means, in practical terms, that given the opportunity to proclaim Christ or take a stand for the Christian worldview on some issue or topic, we decline. We don’t want to upset anyone – or, more importantly, have them become upset with us.

Neither Patrick nor Paul lived this way. They knew the Gospel would stir up controversy. They knew it would make people angry and resistant, even to the point of causing difficulty and suffering for themselves.

They knew it and expected it, because they knew Jesus had promised it.

They knew that Jesus had told us to expect as much, and so they did! What about us? Don't we know that Jesus told us to expect that the world would hate us like it hated Him? That the Gospel we proclaim will cause divisions and strife? That people will speak ill of us, persecute us, and do all manner of evil against us because of the Gospel?

No, we know all these things, don't we – we just don’t really expect them. And since we don’t expect them, we live a comfortable, untroubling, all-pacifying, nonconfrontational gospel.

The only problem is, that’s not the Gospel of Patrick, Paul – or Jesus.

Psalm 2.7, 8, 9, 10 (Agincourt: “O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High!”)
Proclaim the message far and wide that God has exalted the Crucified!
From heav’n He sent us His only Son, Who has for us salvation won!

To Christ, the Lord be given all who humbly embrace Him and on Him call.
Be wise, be warned: His judgment comes to break the prideful, sinful ones.

Lord, bring my expectations into line with Yours, and give me a true heart of faith!

Introduce Your Pastor to The Fellowship of Ailbe
At the website, check out the video introducing the four meetings in The Pastors' Fellowship fo 2014-2015 (at the bottom of the screen). Not only will this give you a concise, 15-minute overview of how to think about Christian worldview, but you can send the link to the webiste to your pastor, and encourage him to join The Pastors' Fellowship and gain new perspectives and tools to enhance his ministry.

Be sure to forward today's Crosfigell to a friend and encourage him or her to join you in The Ailbe Community by subscribing (copy me, and I'll write your friend, too). And thanks for sharing with us in this ministry. For your gift to The Fellowship at this time we'll send a pre-release copy of The Landscape of Unseen Things, 24 studies behind the veil separating time from eternity, to enhance your vision of Christ and the unseen realm. Use the donate button here or at the website, or send your gift in any amount to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Dr., Essex Junction, VT 05452.

Many are registering for the course, "Spiritual Maturity 1: Revival." You can study this important course on your own, or we'll provide you with a Mentor. Register at the webiste and I'll send you the course materials and keys to the videos. No charge for an of it.

T. M. Moore, Principal
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.