What Is Your IFF?

IFF stands for, “Identification, friend or foe.” It is…“a cryptographic identification system designed for command and control. It is a system that enables military, and national (civilian-located ATC) interrogation systems to distinguish friendly aircraft, vehicles, or forces, and to determine their bearing and range from the interrogator.” Soldiers on the ground wear IFF transmitters in their helmet and armor. Tanks transmit IFF signals as do planes and other military transportation. (I’m sure many other things, too. But, this description is just my puny attempt at explaining something very cool and complex.) This is helpful in so many ways. But, on Sunday dad was talking about C-130s. A C-130 is an enormous plane (think an elephant that flies)! One of the functions of a C-130 is to fly low to the ground at night and bomb houses, cites, etc. The pilots of these planes carry IFF transmitters and they look for people and vehicles on the ground that are transmitting their IFF signal. If the person/vehicle is blinking rapidly, they are a friend. This distugishes them from the potential foes and helps the pilots know where to drop a bomb and where not to drop a bomb. Fascinating Jess, but is there a point? Yes! If you’re flying a plane or driving in battle and you see a flashing person shooting another flashing person, what are you going to do? Nuke ‘em! The enemy may have taken a dead soldiers armor or even worse, a friend has turned into a foe. Dad’s question on Sunday was, “What is your IFF?” What kind of signal are you transmitting? Friend or Foe? If you’re a friend, are you acting like it? Are you shooting your comrades? Are you sleeping on the job? Are you drunk on the job? Are you representing the country you fight for?

Dad was preaching from 1 Thess. 4:13-5:10. Personally (though some of my friends couldn’t grasp it) I found this illustration helpful. What kind of signal do I transmit? What do other people see? What do I think/feel that no one else sees? I can be good at hiding what I think and feel. I can be strangling someone in my head and look fine to those around me. (Not something I recommend, btw.) So what does my heart reveal?

Sunday was encouraging and convicting. It was good to see where God was at work and where I had grown. The Holy Spirit was actively pointing to the things that I do right. That was so encouraging. That would no have always been the case, so it was cool to see where God had been working. I was also convicted. How often I “shoot” my fellow soldiers in my head. How I harbor anger and bitterness. How I judge self-righteously. And how I get “sleepy” on the job. I can serve out of habit, not actively being motivated by my love for them and my Savior. I go through the motions without reminding my heart why. I do not serve to be notices. I do not serve to be thanked. I serve because I love my Savior. I serve because I dearly love the people He has put in my life. It doesn’t matter if they don’t notice or if they don’t like it. Am I faithfully representing my King? Love should not be conditional, but tireless. Serving should never stop, never cease. It is the job of a soldier. But, serving isn’t motivated by duty. It’s motivated by the gospel. When I forget the gospel, when I forget my love for my friends and Savior, I serve out of duty. Then my guard goes down and I get sleepy. Joy is gone. Pride, self-righteousness, and self-pity assail my soul. I need to wake myself up with a strong cup of the gospel!

Love MORE And MORE

Dad has coined a very helpful phrase: “Don’t go speck fishing in your brother’s eye when there is a home depot truck in your eye!” (Matthew 7:3). This Sunday he made a great point, turning that phrase on it’s head. “We should always be hunting for the minutest speck of God’s working in our brothers & sisters lives.” Do I point out and look for every possible evidence (no matter how small) of God’s grace in my friends lives?

Remember the commands in Scripture to love more and more? Dad asked a great question. Do I/we view them as commands (which they are!) or simple suggestions? Is laborious love a non-negotiable or optional? Darn, that’s convicting!

I think I was convicted specifically in the little things. When mom asks me to take out the trash, do I grumble inwardly or joyfully serve? Do I look for ways to clean up after care group? Do I eagerly reach out to newcomers in the church or default to friendships that are comfortable? Do I sit on my bed at 11pm gladly listening to my sister’s struggles (instead of wishing I was asleep)? Do I serve in secret, doing the “nasty” jobs at church (knowing this serves my church family just as much, or more, as any other service). Do I draw my friends out, even when I’m tired? Do I look for ways to bless, serve, and love my brothers and sisters?

I was encouraged that the answer to these isn’t always a no. Honestly, that is SO encouraging! But, I have such a long way to go. Thinking this way is very helpful. I’m grateful for the Holy Spirit!!! This week as I’ve been tempted to be frustrated (ok, biblically speaking, angry) or tempted to be selfish, He has reminded me to “love all the more as you see the day approaching.” What a fresh reminder of the gospel. God doesn’t leave me to walk out my sanctification alone. Part of the glories of the gospel is that He is always with me. I can do NOTHING right without His grace and power (Romans 1:16, 1 Peter 1:5). And because I am His ransomed child, He is there with me along the journey. That gives me much hope. Change is possible (even in the little things that seem impossible to change in). My hope doesn’t rest in my abilities, but in the awesome God that calls me His child!

 

1 Thessalonians 4:9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

Difficult Love

1 Thessalonians 2:17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

3:1 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker [1] in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

As I read Sunday’s passage, I was struck by Paul’s intense love for the Thessalonians. The verbiage reminds me of a mother that is estranged from her children. She loves them so much, she’ll do whatever it takes to see them/hear from them. There is a longing, a yearning that can only be satisfied with a first-hand report. Paul’s love for this little church is compelling. He had only known them for a month, yet it seems like he was ready to burst with want of news of their welfare. Do I love people like that?

The other thing that struck me was his immediate discussion of persecution. He didn’t shy away from talking about hard things. Persecution is a very real part of the Christian life. Paul wanted to make sure that his friends were biblically informed. He wanted them to have the correct view of the hardships they were facing. He wanted them to know that it was part of God’s plan. What? God wants us to experience persecution. Yes! The intensity may be different, the circumstances change, but God has designed for His children to face affliction at the hands of sinners. Why, you may ask? That’s a good question. I do not fully grasp the reason why, but I’ll take a stab at it. We’re called to imitate Christ, to be like Him. To be like Him in everything, not just the easy things. Persecution refines our sinful hearts unlike any other trial. Persecution shapes convictions, love, and a steadfast spirit. If walked out correctly, persecution draws us even closer to the Lover of our soul. It make us dependent on Him for strength and wisdom. Because Christ suffered for us, we have the privilege to suffer (so small in comparison) because we love Him.

That may seem harsh. But, it isn’t. Our puny brains cannot even begin to grasp the goodness and wisdom of God’s plans. God promises to never leave us or forsake us. He promises to never give us a trial or temptation that we cannot handle. He promises to be near and to give us the grace and power to handle whatever He puts in our paths. So, no matter if the trial is persecution, sickness, fighting with sin, contentment, bereavement…He is always there. He never leaves, never forsakes, and always provides the power (Rom. 1:16) to stand up under the trial. He is good and faithful.

He has saved me from my sins. He has snatched me from my head-long leap into hell. He is the Lover of my soul. The Good Shepherd who cares for His sheep. What is a little persecution (what we as Americans deal with is so puny, compared to many places in the world) compared to what He has done for me? It should be my joy to sacrificially love my Savior in any way that He chooses.

Love Is The Result

Where God is the focus, love is the result. –Jim Britt

God has to be the focus. Not my own reputation, comfort, or my own solutions. I cannot love others, if I do not first love God. If I love God, than I will be enamored with Him. And if I am enamored with Him, then I will want to pour the love I have received onto those He loves.

Indeed I love my fellow-Christians not simply because of the gospel, but I love them best when I am loving them with the gospel. –Milton Vincent

I guess the real question is, who do I love the most? Christ or myself. I cannot love others if I do not love Christ. And I cannot, not love others if I am entranced with my Savior. It’s an interesting thought. How do I love others more? How do I change from selfishness to selfless love? By loving Christ more than anything. It’s not about actions and checklists to change (though they are important). The goal as a Christina is to love Christ more. When my soul is full of Christ, it will naturally turn to loving His people (actions & checklists). Nothing else is possible for a redeemed soul.

Where God is the focus, love is the result.

Change Occurs When…

1 Thess. 2:1 For you yourselves know, brothers, [1] that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, [2] as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle [3] among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

13 And we also thank God constantly [4] for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind 16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But God's wrath has come upon them at last! [5]

This passage of Scripture is simply amazing to me. To be honest it leaves me somewhat in awe. If I was facing questions and malicious accusations like Paul, I would not have worded my defense as He did. I would have been attempting to be eloquent, step carefully, and I would have done a lot of backing down. But, Paul didn’t! He told the Thessalonians exactly what he did, reminding them of everything he did right. He wasn’t being arrogant, he wasn’t boasting. He was simply stating facts. His boldness staggers me. Oh to be like that. To be that confident in God. I constantly give into the fear of man. I’d rather serve quietly in the background and let other people be bold. Confrontation…no thanks. Speaking the truth in love…every once in awhile, but it’s not my preference. Doing things out of my “comfort zone”…um, yeah no! God has been increasingly convicting me of these sins. Often times by putting me in a situation and as I’m squirming, showing me my sin. There has been a lot of fear of man (being consumed with another’s opinion or perceived opinion of me). I have also been giving into fear (instead of trusting God to provide in all things.) I’ve also seen my no-so-nice companions, pride and selfishness. 

What is the difference between Paul and I? (Besides the obvious. I am aware that I’m a girl and he was a guy :)…) It’s a very simple difference. Paul was God-centered, he was God-focused. He was more concerned with loving and pleasing God than anything else. His boldness didn’t come because of his personality or from himself. It came from God. He relied on God to give him the power and grace to do what he had been called to do (Ro. 1:17, 1 Pet. 1:5). Another way to put it, He was a Mary, more than a Martha. He was listening, relying on the Holy Spirit instead of his actions and abilities.

I like to come up with a 5-step checklist. I need to do this, this, and this. Once these things are done, I’ll be different. Fear of man will be gone. Pride will have vanished. But, it doesn’t work that way. This side of heaven, I don’t think I’ll ever completely kill my fear of man. And change will not come to pass through my actions and strivings. Gazing upon my Savior produces the desire to change. Working on my sin, while trusting in Him, will give death blows to my pride. It can’t be done without Him. And when I try to do it on my own, I begin to drown in the waves like Peter.

I’m so grateful for a Savior who picks me up and points me back to Himself. I love that change occurs when I gaze on Him and trust in Him. What a gospel! Change happens by enjoying God. How upside-down (and amazing) is that!!!

God-centered Life

In the next verses, Paul writes, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (5:16-18). How can you be joyful always? Not by centering your life upon circumstances. Circumstances will always change. However, if you center your life on God, regardless of what happens at work, regardless of what happens at home, regardless of what happens at church, you can be joyful. God is at the center of your being, and he does not change!

How then do you center your life on God? First, pray continually, as Paul says in 5:17 (1 Thessalonians). Second, give thanks in all circumstances, as he says in 5:18. As him for what you need. Thank him for what you have. The Christian life always has God at the center. Is God always at the center of your mind and thoughts?

- Mark Dever, The Message of the New Testament, 1 Thessalonians: The Second Coming