A Good Platform Udskriv
Skrevet af Jørn Nielsen   
Tirsdag, 11. Juli 2017 02:54



When you read the "Ephesians" you may think that its heavenly and militant language is that of an eloquent, powerful conference speaker  on a big platform with a charming smile addressing a smiling audience in high spirits, -  but this is not the setting of that New Testament book.

The setting is a Roman prison, and the "eloquent" speaker is not eloquent at all.  He is, ironically, "an ambassador in chains" (lit. "in a chain"), Eph. 6:20  and yet he expects to open his mouth boldly "to make known the mystery of the gospel" which is really what the spiritual warfare is about.

I share this with you or with those of you who may be "chained" too, if not, though, in a physical prison (o, many Christians are that in North Korea, in Moslem countries and the like), - I mean chained to unfavorable circumstances in your country, in your family, in business, in health, etc.

What about it?  O, praise the Lord for the message of "Ephesians" delivered to us from "an ambassador in bonds" who starts that epistle on a  position of great outlook praising the Triune God for being enthroned  "in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6).

I find myself "chained" too.  There´s no complacent romance about travelling which  exempts me from "suffering for His sake" and "striving for the faith of the gospel"  (Phil. 1: 27, 29).  I get discouraged, and yet Paul´s example is there with the kind of platform he was offered.

A man of God once asked me, "Do you take your own platform with you?" when I told him that I was heading for meetings in Norway.  I´ve never been asked that way before.  But he had a point.

The platform offered me right now is the platform of "chained" circumstances, and yet I may join Paul in his praise leaning not on the arm of flesh or on high pressure platform techniques, but on the prayers of the saints and "the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ"  (Phil. 1:19).

My suffering brother or sister, rejoice in that "platform"!

July 11, 2017 - jn