30 September 2015

Hot Showers and Creaky Knees

How easy it is to take things for granted!  Often it takes lack or denial of what we are accustomed to  before we recognise with gratefulness the gifts God has graciously supplied.

About 10 years ago I went on a trip to Israel and stayed in the Mugraby hostel in Tel Aviv.  It was a clean, affordable option close to the beach.  The only downside was in chilly November our group returned to the hostel late at night.  The toilet and shower facilities were shared between several rooms on a single floor.  By the time I was ready for a shower before bed, all the hot water had been used.  Let me tell you, I was surprised the water flowed from the shower head at that temperature!  Surely it was spitting sharp icicles, not water!  Ever since that experience, I have always been so thankful for hot showers.  I have had some cold showers since, but I thank the LORD the water is not always so cold.

Have you ever thanked God for your knees?  I hadn't - until I fully ruptured my ACL and needed surgery.  I can't recall ever thanking God specifically for my knees until I endured the pain of recovery and physical therapy.  Now that I am walking normally, can kneel when necessary, am able to golf and play baseball, I am not sour over minor swelling, tightness, and pain which will be likely part of my life for the duration.  I am so grateful to God that He has seen fit to heal me and enable me to do things I enjoy.  It took a major injury for me to understand sport and physical activities I have always been able to do are not a permanent fixture.  My knees are a gift God has provided me for this season of my life, and when God moves me into another season where sport is not possible I will still have Him, the Giver of abundant life.

I encourage you to thank God for something today you use all the time without thought but have never specifically thanked Him for.  You will discover quickly there is much more to thank God for than there are seconds in the day.  Every one of your trillion cells in your body cry out with thanksgiving to God.  All of eternity will not be enough time to praise and thank God enough for who He is and all He has done.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  Thank God for making His will known to us, and let us seek to fulfill it!

29 September 2015

Just Business

"Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath."
Ezekiel 45:10

God's people were to be a reflection of His honest and just character.  Proverbs 11:1 says, "Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is His delight."  He commanded His people, "Be holy, for I am holy."  They were not to be like people who naturally showed partiality, favouritism, or nepotism, but to be honest, trustworthy, just, and conduct their business matters with integrity.  When discovered some people shrug at their own dishonest business practices and say, "That's just business."  If the God of Israel is also your God, the call to just weights and measures remains true regardless of what is socially acceptable.  In a "dog eat dog" world, we are to walk in light of the new nature God has given us through faith in Jesus and live His way.

From an early age people have the knack of always seeking preferential treatment for ourselves.  We eye the biggest slice of dessert, naturally seek the best deal, the most profitable investments, the biggest return for our money.  Both in Monopoly and real life we don't mind the concept of "Bank error in your favour."  Man shows partiality to himself over all, but those who are God's are to consider others more important than themselves.  That is the essence of biblical love displayed by Jesus Christ:  sacrificing self for the good of others.  If our benefit or profit comes at the expense of others through dishonesty, we ought to mourn rather than rejoice and seek to put things right.  The chief tax collector Zacchaeus demonstrated the connection between becoming a disciple of Christ with returning wealth gained dishonestly with interest in Luke 19.

Christians are not perfect, but we ought to strive to live justly in an unjust world.  If we skew the numbers for our own selfish benefit, we have become thieves worthy of just punishment.  To deceitfully enrich ourselves shows a fundamental lack of faith in God to provide for our needs.  Willful dishonesty for gain reveals we are greedy, dissatisfied, and ungrateful with what God has given us.  Our call as believers is not to measure ourselves by the world's distorted view of fairness, but to make decisions in light of God's justice.  Our assurance of forgiveness and salvation hinges upon this immutable characteristic of God as it is written in 1 John 1:9:  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

We expect God to justly keep His Word, and we bring glory to His name when we trust Him, love others, and deal justly in our business.  In just business God delights!

26 September 2015

Remember and Believe

When we see negative examples in the Bible of unbelief, folly, or wickedness, it is a portrait of stunning detail of ourselves.  Let us not scoff or shake our heads disapprovingly of what we do ourselves but learn from the unerring truth of scripture.  We can say in every case, "It is I, LORD!"  We may not have taken all sins to their ultimate fulfillment, but the potential and willingness to transgress is always present in our mind and members.

Last night I read Psalm 78, a comprehensive account of God's faithfulness, power, and miraculous dealings with the children of Israel.  Asaph provided a historical overview of many things God had done to deliver, provide, guide, and establish His people.  The common issue at the core of Israel's problems was their unbelief of God.  Though God had done much in the past and given great promises for the future, the people seemed incapable of connecting God's faithfulness in the past to assurance of His future faithfulness.  No matter what God did - the ten plagues in Egypt, deliverance through the Red Sea He parted, or provided water from rocks - the people tended to doubt God would come through in their current situation.  This unbelief provoked God to anger.

God did great wonders, but the people did not live in light of His certain love, strength, and power.  Here are a handful of verses all of God's people can relate to at points in our pilgrimage:
  • The people forgot:  Psalm 78:9-11 reads, "The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. 10 They did not keep the covenant of God; they refused to walk in His law, 11 and forgot His works and His wonders that He had shown them."
  • The people tested God in unbelief:  Psalm 78:18-22 says:  "And they tested God in their heart By asking for the food of their fancy. 19 Yes, they spoke against God: they said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? 20 Behold, He struck the rock, so that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?" 21 Therefore the LORD heard this and was furious; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel, 22 Because they did not believe in God, and did not trust in His salvation." 
  • They flattered God with lies and their hearts did not remain steadfast:  Psalm 78:35-37 says, "Then they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer. 36 Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth, and they lied to Him with their tongue; 37 for their heart was not steadfast with Him, nor were they faithful in His covenant." 
  • The people tempted and limited God because they forgot His deliverance:  Psalm 78:40-42 states:  "How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, and grieved Him in the desert! 41 Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. 42 They did not remember His power: the day when He redeemed them from the enemy..." 
  • They were unfaithful and turned aside to idolatry:  Psalm 78:55-58 reads, "He also drove out the nations before them, allotted them an inheritance by survey, and made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents. 56 Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God, and did not keep His testimonies, 57 but turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers; they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. 58 For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, and moved Him to jealousy with their carved images."
We may not have seen God's deliverance in battle, seen water flow miraculously from the rock, or experienced His deliverance from slavery, but we have more practical evidence of God's character and power than the children of Israel:  we have the Word of God provided for us!  There is the testimony of fulfilled scripture, Jesus Christ, and the indwelling Holy Spirit.  We also have our own testimony of God's faithfulness, power, and deliverance from the power of sin.  Though we are without excuse, we can justify the habit of making them!  I encourage you to read what God did for His people in Psalm 78 in full and consider the wondrous things He has done for His people and for you.  Let us not be as the children of Israel, forgetting what God did in the past so we doubt His present power.  Instead of bringing condemnation or guilt, the end of such considerations is genuine hope.  This is one necessary application of scripture, as it is written in Romans 15:4-6:  "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

24 September 2015

Comfort Beyond Words

Paul and Silas had a rough day.  Though innocent, they had been falsely accused, arrested, beaten, humiliated, thrown into prison, and their feet secured in stocks.  Acts 17 tells us they were praying and singing praises to God at midnight when suddenly there was an earthquake, the chains fell off the prisoners, and the doors swung open.  The jailer woke up and panicked at the sight of the open cell doors.  He was about to kill himself when Paul called out he should do himself no harm.  No one had escaped, and the man's life would not be required at the hand of his superiors.

Deeply moved the jailer asked, "What must I do to be saved?"  Paul answered, "Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, you and your whole house."  The man believed, rejoiced, and was baptised.  He washed the stripes of Paul and Silas, having been whipped terribly.  When Paul and Silas were released the following day, their miraculous, amazing story was not nearly over.  They went to visit a new born-again Christian Lydia who had offered them hospitality previously.  Acts 16:40 reads, "So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed."  Who encouraged who?  One would have thought Paul and Silas could have used some encouragement because of their terrible experience the previous night.  Yet it was Paul and Silas who encouraged the brethren.  Lydia and the others were no doubt distressed over the harsh, unfair treatment endured by Paul and Silas.  They had been beaten down, but not destroyed.  They came out of the prison battered yet were an encouragement to others through the power of the Holy Spirit who dwelt within them.

As A.W. Tozer said, Christianity is not designed for the classroom but for use in real life.  A life following Christ is to be lived out on the street, in a prison, during times of pain and tragedy, in spite of unfair treatment, and to encourage others.  Paul wrote the exhortation of Philippians 4:4 during house arrest:  "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"  Paul and Silas did not rejoice in physical pain or incarceration, but in the midst of those things they devoted themselves to rejoice in the LORD.  He is always worthy of praise, despite our sufferings.  He will never leave us or forsake us, knows what we are going through, and provides comfort and peace which passes understanding.  It is a peace which cannot be logically explained but only experienced through a life of faith in God.

As I considered how I would conclude this post, this morning I read a Facebook status of a Christian woman.  She posted the immortal words of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."  This verse was not shared by a person who had just received a promotion at work, received a permanent resident visa, or won the lottery:  it was shared by a woman who just heard her father suddenly and tragically passed away.  Who was encouraging who?  I was the one who was encouraged as I in awe considered the strength God grants to all who stand on the solid bedrock of faith in Jesus Christ and His Word.  Our God is a God of all comfort who comforts us in all our tribulation so we may be able to comfort others facing trouble.

Do you experience this comfort which defies description?  God offers it freely to all who trust in Him.  He graciously grants this divine strength not only so you can receive comfort and be strengthened, but so you can comfort others with the comfort you have received from God.  Praise God nothing can separate us from the love and comfort of our glorious Saviour Jesus Christ.

22 September 2015

The Door To Glory

Jesus knew His coming to this world would involve much suffering, yet His suffering or pain was not His focus.  Even as Paul recognised the sufferings of this world could not be compared to the glory which would be revealed in him, so Jesus for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross and despised the shame.  Jesus was never selfish or self-focused.  He did not balk at obedience to the Father because it would mean temptation, physical pain or spiritual separation.  John 12:23-24 says, "But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain."  Jesus didn't spend the bulk of His time speaking about His future pain, but how His death would be the path to eternal glory and fruit.

When Jesus spoke of His future crucifixion, He spoke of it with the ultimate end in mind.  He maintained an eternal perspective.  Women who desire to have a baby rejoice and celebrate their pregnancy with friends and family, even if it means migraines and morning sickness.  There are happy parties planned with friends, gifts are given, great care is taken to prepare a nursery, and a future mother ensures cute outfits and supplies are ready for the miraculous addition.  Prospective mothers experience a wide range of physical and emotional ups and downs to be sure, but the nine-month period of pregnancy is not set aside for weeping and mourning because a day of intense, excruciating pain is coming.  Future pain isn't the focus:  those nine months are filled with joy at the happy expectation a child will be born into a loving, growing family.

Jesus did not sugar-coat what awaited Him in Matthew 20:17-19:  "Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again."  What part of His message does your heart seize upon:  betrayal, condemnation, mockery, scourging, death, or resurrection?  The resurrection of the dead swallows up all those previous troubles as mere inconveniences easily shrugged off in the light of eternity.  We Christians can allow these passing pains to rob us of love, joy, and peace God has provided us through Christ's victory.  Our response to trials reveals to us the condition of our faith, whether we truly trust God or not, or if we will focus on ourselves or turn our eyes to Jesus.

Last night while I waited for my son to be dropped off outside a church, I saw through illuminated windows a wooden figure of Jesus fixed to a crucifix.  Though the carving was three-dimensional, it reduced Christ to one dimension.  There an image hung of God-made-flesh perpetually suffering, always dying, but never dead, risen, or glorified.  How blasphemous that wood appeared to me!  The invisible God who appeared on Mt. Sinai told His people in Deut. 4:15-16 they should never corrupt themselves by making a male or female image.  We ought not wash the blood from the cross, a picture of God's demonstration of love and sacrifice for undeserving sinners.  But by all means remove the pathetic impersonation of my God, the risen LORD who lives today, who will return to earth with eyes flaming with fire to judge His enemies.  Jesus once for all died for the sins of the world, and to affix Christ permanently to the cross only robs us of consolation and Him of glory.

Suffering is not our enemy, but our flesh can oppose the work God intends to do through it.  Our limited vision is often incapable of seeing how God is able to redeem the struggles and pains we endure.  But even as Jesus had to die so many could live, so we know that all things work for the good to those who love God and are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).  Jesus called His disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Him.  Let us not falter at the prospect of betrayal, mocking, persecution, suffering, pain, or even death, for the day of our glorification draws nigh.  May the LORD enable us not to look at future pain or rejection with fear, but to look beyond into the face of our glorious Saviour gazing at us through His Word who will never leave or forsake us.

20 September 2015

Is Seeing Believing?

"Seeing is believing," some say.  This statement can be safely tucked away with many other sayings which are not always true.  Thomas believed when he saw Jesus physically standing before Him, but some have believed who never laid eyes on Christ once.  The people who personally saw Jesus perform many miracles and even saw Lazarus whom Christ raised from the dead did not believe, as it is written in John 12:37-40:  "But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, 38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?"39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: 40 "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them."

The Jews in Christ's day could not cite "lack of concrete evidence" for their unbelief, and neither can people today.  Quoting from the Bible Knowledge Commentary it says, "Then John again quoted from Isaiah 6:10 to explain that the nation as a whole was unable to believe. Because they constantly rejected God’s revelation, He had punished them with judicial blindness and deadened...hearts. People in Jesus’ day, like those in Isaiah’s day, refused to believe. They “would not believe;" therefore they could not believe."  No man can charge God with blame for his own unbelief, for God has clearly revealed Himself through creation, the order of the heavenly bodies, the complexity of the human body, the existence of a conscience in people, and through the Law, prophets, and Jesus Christ.  He fulfilled prophesies, did many signs and miracles which cannot be historically disputed, died on a Roman cross, and rose from the dead.  He was seen by over 500 people at one time (1 Cor. 15:6), many of whom faced death for their profession of faith in Christ as the Resurrection and the Life.

Jesus said, "Except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe" (John 4:48).  John 12:37 says even some who see divine signs will refuse to believe.  The most sound logic and undeniable proofs can be explained away and rejected by those unwilling to believe.  It is not that man cannot believe:  it is better said he will not.  God will not trample on man's will, having freely provided every man the choice to follow his own will or surrender himself to God's will.  There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end of it is death.  The soul that sins shall surely die, but those who repent and trust in Christ as LORD will receive life eternal.  Believe the Word of God or don't.  But I beg all men to cease labouring under the foolish notion God must do some arbitrary act before you will believe in Him.  Your existence and consciousness alone should awaken within you the realisation there must be a consciousness who has gone before to create this world and all within for His purposes.

God has spoken.  God has revealed Himself, and those willing to believe will perceive the truth.  Do you want to see?  Look into the life and person of Jesus Christ yourself.  Jesus said in Luke 4:18-19, "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."  After Jesus read these words from the scroll of Isaiah that day, some believed and some didn't.  Some were enraged and tried to kill Him, but others followed Him.  Are you willing to believe or would you kill God if you could?

Insidious Idolatry

Over the past couple months I first noticed my vision was blurred, especially over distance.  I have always been blessed with good vision, and I decided it was time to have my eyes checked professionally.  I was diagnosed with mild astigmatism and sent to a specialist because it appeared my optic nerves were swollen and performed poorly on a peripheral vision test.  After a few additional tests were done, it was discovered I have a fairly rare condition called "optic disc drusen" which is when deposits of calcium and protein collect in the optic nerve.  Typically it is considered a benign condition, but it can lead to increasing peripheral vision loss and even blindness.

One site I read called it an "insidious" condition, which sounds more menacing than it is.  Most often (like in my case) optic disc drusen is discovered when ruling out more dangerous conditions.  The second definition of word "insidious" in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is, "having a gradual and cumulative effectsubtle; developing so gradually as to be well established before becoming apparent."  In the case of optic disc drusen, there is no known cure or recognised treatment.  My life and my eyes are in God's hands, and I am comforted and at rest placing my soul and sight under His care.

Eye conditions are not the only conditions which are insidious.  Sin is most insidious.  The first definition offered in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is, "awaiting a chance to entrap:  treacherous; harmful but enticing:  seductive."  Idolatry is one of those sins which easily pass unnoticed.  Often we must have our idols stripped from us before we realise the grip they have on our lives.  In Judges 17-18, a man named Micah is an example of such a one.  In a day when everyone did what was right in their own eyes, Micah crafted an ephod, household idols, and even hired a Levite as a priest.  He believed himself devout, and believed God would do him good for his efforts - despite the self-serving and idolatrous nature of his worship (Judges 17:13).

Such riches did not go unnoticed, and five spies from the tribe of Dan discovered the expensive treasures within Micah's house.  The discussed with the Levite a promotion and a better deal, and when he agreed with the backing of 600 armed men they took Micah's idols.  When Micah discovered the theft, he and some neighbours pursued the men of Dan.  They questioned his motive for following them, and Micah said in Judges 18:24, "You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and you have gone away. Now what more do I have? How can you say to me, 'What ails you?"  Micah's heart and money were invested in idols made with his hands.  When they were taken away from him by force, he felt the full weight of their loss.  He felt bereaved of what was most important, though they were idols, mere nothings.

It occurred to me we do not often recognise our idols until they are ripped away from us.  Our flesh resents being separated from what we have idolised.  But idolatry is an insidious deception.  Sin prowls around the door of our heart, waiting for an opportunity to strike.  Micah's idols had become his life, but they prevented him from experiencing the life of faith God desired.  Micah's idols became a snare for him and his family, and later became a snare for the entire tribe of Dan as their power grew.  Micah reveals we may recognise our idols best in hindsight.  One way we can discern what was actually an idol for us is how we would feel when it is taken from us.  Idolatry starts small and in the heart, but it will not stay small for long.  Like an advanced case of optic disc drusen, the field of vision slowly narrows until blindness is the result.

May the LORD wrench from our grip all idols which have a hold on us so we might serve and glorify Him alone!  It is Jesus who gives sight to the blind, and He will reveal even this to those willing to heed Him.

16 September 2015

Living it Up?

There is no shortage of worldly options which offer themselves as substitutes for the life God intends.  The flesh always prefers gratification over denial.  But Jesus said if we will be His disciples, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him.  He always lived to please the Father, and as we learn to follow Him we find satisfaction for our souls.  Denial of the flesh becomes a great source of joy, for in obedience to God there is rest and freedom from the bondage of sin.

No man can serve two masters, Jesus said:  we cannot serve both God and money.  The pursuit of wealth and love of money causes men to be pierced through with many sorrows, though money promises what only God can deliver.  Trusting money instead of God places our feet on a foundation of slippery sand.  People look to money to supply security, material possessions, the freedom to acquire, and to open doors for travel and experiences.  But like all things men idolise, money is incapable of supplying what we seek.  People want to "Live it up!" but these empty pursuits only makes a man sink lower.  A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions, and all the money in the world cannot quench a man's unquenchable thirst for belonging, significance, purpose, and eternal life.

Alcohol is another worldly substitute for the Spirit-filled life.  Ephesians 5:17-18 says, "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit..."  There is a stark contrast between drinking to excess and being filled with the Spirit and are completely incompatible with one another.  Alcohol stimulates dopamine production in the "reward centre" of the brain, but only intensifies feelings of depression later.  Our bodies can become dependent on alcohol, and the permanent effects are deadly.  Instead of looking to strong drink to cope with pressures of life, we are called to rely upon the Holy Spirit and the strength only He can supply.  Drinking has put many in the poorhouse, but those filled with Spirit have wealth money cannot buy.  Drinking makes a man forgetful and brings regrets, yet those who are filled with the Spirit have sharpened perception without fear or shame.

The mother of Lemuel said to her son in Proverbs 31:4-5, "It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes intoxicating drink; 5 lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the justice of all the afflicted."  After warning her son not to give himself to ways which destroy kings, she reminded him that as a king he was always "on duty."  Should he give himself over to drunkenness he would be unfit to uphold God's justice.  His judgment would be clouded and be an influence for evil rather than good.  The same is true for a child of God, having been made kings and priests unto Him through the Gospel (Rev. 1:6).  No Christian is ever "off duty."  It is God's will that we be continually filled with the Holy Spirit so we might live above reproach, conscious of God's leading and being empowered by Him.  Even the risk of momentarily forgetting God and His righteous judgments should be enough cause for us to remain sober and vigilant.

What is the impact of a Holy Spirit-filled life?  The passage continued in Ephesians 5:18-21:  "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God."  Drunkenness is a characteristic of the unsaved, a life of fleshly excess.  Being filled with the Spirit brings God's Word to bear upon our lives, puts a new song in our hearts, causes us to overflow with thanksgiving, and enables us to maintain a humble perspective before men and God.  Happiness depends on what happens, and the euphoria supplied by alcohol is temporary.  The joy of the LORD is the strength of a Christian, and this fruit of the Spirit is available continually to all who trust in Christ - without the hangover.

Money, alcohol, fame, and earthly security are all pathetic, temporary substitutes for the genuine supplied only by God.  God provides the true riches and the Holy Spirit.  All who repent and trust in Jesus are known by God, and He gives eternal life to all who come to Him by faith.  The world sells knock-off goods at shockingly high prices:  they demand the death of your body and eternal soul.  If you love the things of this world, you are being ripped off and robbed blind.  Hear the words of a Saviour who actually loves you.  Jesus said in John 10:10, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."  In Christ we discover the "High Life" - a life worth living!

15 September 2015

The Sacrifice of Obedience

Many times the impact of what Jesus said can be lost in our modern day.  The spiritual spin we apply to a verse by jumping to interpretation before we have carefully observed can remove the strength of emphasis which struck Christ's hearers.  For example, during the Sermon on the Mount Jesus employed a complete paradigm shift from what the Law said to what He said.  In doing so He claimed to be a greater authority than Moses, which was an unimaginable claim to the Jews!

Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-24, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."  The Law said "Thou shalt not murder," but Jesus took it further.  He claimed the motives leading to murder to be as sinful as the physical act.  Cain's anger which led to murder was just as sinful as actually killing his brother Abel.  Even as a physical assault led to prosecution and judgment, so verbal attacks were equally sinful in God's sight and would not go unpunished.

Verse 23 emphasised the high value God places on reconciliation between men.  In the day of temple worship, men often traveled great distances to Jerusalem in obedience to the Law to present themselves before the LORD on days appointed and offer sacrifice.  Say a man traveled three weeks on foot to Jerusalem with his family and animals.  Jesus said if that man remembered even at the precise moment before offering a sacrifice to God someone had an unresolved quarrel with him, he should leave his offering at the altar "unoffered," and go all the way back home to earnestly seek reconciliation with his offended brother.  After doing his part to restore that relationship, he could return and offer his gift.  If a man did not love his offended brother enough to seek reconciliation with him, could he truly claim to love God?  1 John 4:20-21 says, "If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also."

Do you see the very high value God places on being reconciled to our fellow men - especially those of the household of faith?  We are called to love even our enemies, and God desires obedience over sacrifice.  God's love is sacrificial, and obedience always comes at a cost.  Can you imagine making the trek to Jerusalem, only to remember a conflict back home or in the synogogue?  I suppose I would easily justify sacrificing to God since I was already in Jerusalem and then seek reconciliation later - if I bothered to do so at all!  But Jesus stated plainly the importance of fostering unity with our brethren in our private lives over performing public acts of piety.  The sacrifices under the Law were holy and good, but the true words of Jesus cut to the heart.  If we love God, we will love our brother and seek reconciliation and restoration of relationship.  If we do not care to be reconciled to our brother, Jesus said not to bother with other unacceptable sacrifices.  Psalm 51:17 reads, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart-- these, O God, You will not despise."  God will not endure hypocrites, and it would be better to tie a millstone around our necks than to willingly offend one of God's little ones.  

14 September 2015

The Lazarus Effect

God's ways are truly higher than ours.  Our vision is sorely limited and often focused on peripheral things, but God sees the whole picture at once.  This aspect of God is portrayed wonderfully in John 11 when Jesus raised His friend Lazarus from the dead.

Jesus received word that Lazarus was sick, yet He waited for two days before going to visit him.  Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus, hoped Jesus would quickly visit them at their request to heal their dying brother.  What seemed like an unnecessary delay set in motion a pivotal moment with eternal consequences.  Lazarus died, and many Jewish mourners gathered to comfort Martha and Mary (John 11:19).  Jesus knew of the death of Lazarus before they began their journey to Bethany, and said in John 11:14-15:  "Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him."

After meeting with Martha and Mary, both deeply grieved for their brother who had been dead four days by that time, Jesus asked to be shown where Lazarus had been laid.  John 11:31 again spoke of the Jewish comforters:  "Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there."  Jesus wept, and His response showed His love and compassion.  Then, to the surprise of everyone, Jesus commanded the stone to be rolled away from the mouth of the tomb.  In verse 39 Martha protested:  "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."  And that was the point.  Yes, Lazarus was dead, and the decomposition process was already advanced.  John 11:40 says, "Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"

When the stone was rolled away, a foul stench wafted from the tomb.  I imagine eyes watered and noses were quickly covered in disgust.  The four days Lazarus laid in the tomb is reminiscent of the four barrels Elijah commanded be filled with water three times and poured on the sacrifice and altar on Mount Carmel when he battled the prophets of Ba'al in 1 Kings 18.  Elijah did this to prove beyond any shadow of doubt there was no trickery.  To consume the waterlogged sacrifice with fire was only possible through the power of the one true God worthy of worship, the One who answered with fire from heaven at his request.  Jesus lifted His eyes to heaven in the midst of the smell of rotting flesh with the same desire, that the people would believe He indeed had been sent from God.  Jesus called out, "Lazarus, come forth!"  As quickly as the fire fell from heaven on the mount, the figure of Lazarus bound with grave clothes appeared at the door of the tomb.  He had been miraculously resurrected, a clear sign Jesus was sent from God and is the Son of God, the promised Messiah.

Something I never noticed before was what Jesus Christ accomplished through the miracle of the physical resurrection of Lazarus:  He provided eternal salvation to the comforters who saw and believed.  They came to comfort, but it was they who were comforted with eternal life and rejoiced in the consolation of seeing Lazarus alive and well.  Their souls had passed from death to life, even as the physical body of Lazarus.  The body of Lazarus was raised to life and would someday physically die again, but all who trusted in Christ would never taste death spiritually, for Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.  John 11:45 says, "Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him."  The miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus goes far beyond Lazarus, but the salvation of souls who recognised the glory of God by faith.  Isn't God amazing?  When all hope was lost, Jesus brought life and eternal hope to people who needed comfort only He could provide.  He still does this today!

13 September 2015

Doing the Word

Many people sought Christ and heard Him gladly, but that was no guarantee they practiced what He preached.  Jesus was not the first who endured this treatment, and men continue in this pattern even in our day.  The books we read and recommend to others are not necessarily as life changing as they could be.  The views we cheer or espouse are not always reflected in our own lives.  The pastors we enjoy listening to often go unheeded by us.  Agreement or knowledge of right and wrong is not sufficient to transform our lives.

When God put words in the mouth of the prophet Ezekiel, people were interested to hear what he had to say.  It was not because they necessarily agreed with or believed him, but they enjoyed discussing and dissecting his remarks.  God told the prophet the truth in Ezekiel 33:32, "Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them."  If you go to a symphony to hear skilled musicians in an orchestra play Bach or Mozart, it is not because you necessarily agree with the political or moral views of the lead violinist or cellist:  you have gone to listen to music you enjoy.  Indeed, the personal views of those in the orchestra may be completely contrary to your own!  But the music they make can still bring a smile to your face and a tear to your eye.

The children of Israel were keen to listen to the "Word of the LORD" from prophets.  After hearing it, they would decide for themselves if it was worth heeding or not.  In Ezekiel's case, he spoke the truth but it was not believed.  He was like a famous musician people came from all over to listen to attentively.  They heard his voice, but they did not heed his words.  It would be like going to a concert with sound-cancelling headphones on.  Many people enjoyed the spectacle, the lights and atmosphere, but they did not heed God's word through the prophet.

Because this tendency is in all people, I realise the hearer who does not do God's Word could be me - and it also can be you.  James 1:21-25 provides a timely exhortation for all:  "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."  Most Christians have a preferred translation of the Bible:  are you being transformed by it?  We can have our favourite preachers or messages:  are you taking intentional steps to put into practice the changes they encourage?  Those books which you see fit to keep and read:  are they directly impacting your walk with Christ for good?

Let's not be like the children of Israel, prophet connoisseurs who enjoyed the show, were intrigued by new concepts and prophetic fulfillment, but weren't in any way changed by what they heard.  Let us put into practice the words we hear from God, for then we will be blessed in what we do.

10 September 2015

Afraid of Heights?

The earliest version of the nursery rhyme "Humpty Dumpty" was written in 1797 by Samuel Arnold.  The first lines read, "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.  Humpty Dumpty had a great fall."  The higher the wall, the greater chance of significant injury from a fall.  Humpty Dumpty is commonly portrayed as an egg, and considering his fragile condition he may have been better suited for a downy nest.  Once Humpty fell, irreversible damage was done.  There was no putting him back together again.

The well-known nursery rhyme has been around for centuries, but catastrophic falls for people and nations is nothing new.  This morning I read from Ezekiel 31, a passage where God spoke of how He had elevated Assyria as a towering cedar of Lebanon, the envy of the trees of Eden.  God had provided a tall, strong trunk and an ample water source to nourish the tree and cause it to grow.  Ezekiel 31:10-11 reads, "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Because you have increased in height, and it set its top among the thick boughs, and its heart was lifted up in its height, 11 therefore I will deliver it into the hand of the mighty one of the nations, and he shall surely deal with it; I have driven it out for its wickedness." God would make the nations shake at the sound of Assyria's fall - not because they had become mighty and were envied by others - but because the heart of the nation had been lifted up with pride.

When God lifts up a nation or elevates your status, a constant test is presented:  will our hearts be lifted up with pride or will we choose humility?  Humpty Dumpty it seems wasn't afraid of heights, and the Assyrians delighted in being the envy of nations.  They were lifted up with pride, and God brought the nation crashing down for their wickedness of pride.  God is not threatened or envious by the height of nations, for it is He who lifts them up.  Jeremiah 18:5-10 says, "Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the LORD. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel! 7 The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, 8 if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. 9 And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, 10 if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it."

God's power extends over all nations and over every soul which comprises them.  Though He was the Son of God, Jesus humbled Himself and took the role of a slave.  For this reason God exalted Jesus above all others (Phil. 2:5-11).  Pride for any reason leads to ruin, and the soul which vaunts itself God is able to abase.  The man who hears Christ's words and does them will be established and endure, but those who hear Christ's words and pay them no mind will have a great fall.  Pride always comes before a fall, but God will exalt the humble.

08 September 2015

The Freedom of Chastity

"Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly--and indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."
2 Corinthians 11:1-2

When a couple was betrothed in ancient Jewish society, the man and woman after a legal ceremony were viewed as a married couple - though they did not live together or consummate the marriage until their wedding.  This betrothal period could last a year or more, until the father of the groom gave the command.  The husband had been preparing a place for them to reside in, typically a room attached to his father's home.  The bride also prepared during that time, ensuring she had a dress for her wedding, as well as gathering clothing and items to take with her on the day of her wedding.  As the wedding drew near, her close female friends kept a watchful eye on her.  Both husband and wife were to remain sexually chaste, having entered into the covenant of marriage.

Paul laboured to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all who would listen.  Those Jews or Gentiles who believed the Gospel, repented, and trusted in Christ were born again and became part of the Body of Christ - the Church.  Jesus had ascended to heaven, but the church remained on the earth.  Like the betrothal period of an ancient marriage covenant, the New Covenant in Christ's blood involved a period of physical separation.  Jesus is in heaven, awaiting the day and the hour the Father bids Him to return for the church who is pictured as a bride.  Jesus has not left us alone, for the Holy Spirit has been sent to fill every believer.  Paul emphasised the necessity of purity and chastity of believers for Christ's sake, so when Jesus is united with His Church she would be as a chaste virgin presented to her husband.  He kept a watchful eye on his fellow Christians, ensuring they were not wooed away by illicit lovers, and bid them reserve their hearts for Christ alone.

The commitment of betrothal and marriage had a massive impact on how people lived.  The Jews traditionally were restrictive concerning interactions and physical contact between members of the opposite sex.  Being betrothed took this up a notch.  Instead of being a restriction, betrothal and marriage was an invitation to express love and desire in a way which would have been sin outside the confines of the marriage relationship.  Our modern western society in many ways sees marriage as being restrictive and confined, and in a worldly sense this is true to a point.  From a spiritual vantage point, however, those who give their bodies sexually outside of marriage place themselves in bondage to sin.  An exclusive relationship need not be restrictive, but is a safe place for love to flourish.  Only in the marriage relationship can sex be pure and the bed undefiled (Hebrews 13:4).

Our relationship with Christ is not a sexual one, but the intimate relationship between as husband and wife is a picture of the close relationship God desires to cultivate with us.  Instead of loving the world or the things of the world, we are to place our affections on Christ first and foremost.  We are to trust Him rather than lean on our own understanding.  We are to love what God loves and hate what He hates.   We must guard our hearts, put off the old man, be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and put on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:20-27)  In Christ we discover the freedom and divine power to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus.  By His grace we can make a positive impact on others and remain unspotted from the world (James 1:27).  Our eyes must be fixed on Jesus alone, for it is He who gives rest to our souls.  Sin brings bondage and death, but Jesus gives life and freedom forevermore.  When we reserve ourselves for Jesus, He reveals more of Himself to us.

Do you suffer from a wandering heart which leads to wandering thoughts and eyes?  If you are a Christian, you have been spoken for; you have already been taken.  In fact, we have been purchased with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, having entered into Christ's Covenant by grace through faith.  God has washed and purified us, and He will someday present us before the Father with exceeding joy.  Let us be circumspect and wise, knowing we have a responsibility to refuse all potential suitors who beg us to run off with them.  May we say with the Shulamite in Song of Songs 7:10, "I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me."  In light of Christ's eternal, infinite love, all other worldly loves fade away.  Jesus is coming soon, and may we be found chaste and loyal to Him when He calls us home.

07 September 2015

The Answer Who Comforts

Nothing is too hard for God.  What is impossible with men is possible with God.  Psalm 135:6 says, "Whatever the LORD pleases He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places."  God has absolute power, and His power is always governed by justice, righteousness, mercy, grace, and love.  Such power would corrupt any mere man, but God is more than a man.  He is altogether not like us - finite beings conceived in sin - yet He created man is His own image.

God's ways are past finding out, and His decisions and motives are righteous without question.  Daniel 4:35 records the observations of Nebuchadnezzar, a man whose eyes were opened to God and His glorious ways:  "All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have You done?"  We have as much right to question God as our ability to stop Him!  We cannot rightly ask, but we still do!  Familiarity and ignorance can breed contempt.  Romans 9:20-24 says, "But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?"

Today I was asked by a child, "How could God allow that three-year-old on the beach to die?"  I do not know.  I do know sin has come into the world and death by sin, but I do not have a sure answer to the specific question - especially to those who are grieving a terrible loss.  Even if I knew all things and could explain God's plan in full, it would be unsatisfactory to those blinded by pain or unbelief.  I can only turn my eyes to the revealed character of God who allowed His own Son Jesus Christ to die as a revelation of His divine love.  As Jesus placed Himself willingly in His Father's hands to lay down His life for sinners, I know I can do the same.  Answers in themselves do not bring comfort:  only God comforts.  Time does not heal all wounds.  But the God of the impossible is a healer, a restorer of souls, a giver of life.

We do not need to defend God, nor did He make man responsible to explain why He does what He does.  But as His child I am called to trust Him, draw near to Him in faith, and thank Him.  I ought to testify of the good, gracious, and just character of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.  We should not be cavalier with the pain of others, and we should walk softly around wounded hearts.  I am convinced God is able to heal my hurts as I cast my cares upon Him.  I have tasted, I have seen, I have experienced God's comfort.  No matter the struggle or pain, I want to echo the immortal words of Job in Job 1:21, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

06 September 2015

Satanic Suggestion

For a discipleship course at Calvary Chapel Sydney, we have been reading through an out-of-print edition of Spiritual Leadership.  It is lamentable how the more recent versions have been stripped of original force and power, but thankfully there are plenty of copies for purchase available online.

I was struck with the perceptive wisdom of Sanders concerning the tactics the devil uses to stunt the growth, sap the power, and reduce the fruitfulness of Christians.  Paul was not ignorant of Satan's devices, and neither should any follower of Jesus Christ be.  Satan shamelessly appeals to the opinions of others and our flesh, and works tirelessly to distract and confuse.  Causing us to yield in our pursuit of Christ for even a moment lends him our ears and access to our hearts.  Sanders wrote this in his Christian classic:
The epic contest of Moses with Pharaoh affords a classic example of the progressive temptation to compromise.  When Pharaoh discerned Moses' inflexible purpose to take Israel out of Egypt to worship the Lord, he used all his wiles to frustrate him.  "Worship God if you will," was the first suggestion, "but there is no need to leave Egypt to do it.  Worship God where you are."  The modern counterpart would be "Don't neglect religion. But there is no need to be narrow and make a complete break with the world."
When that approach failed, Pharaoh's suggestion was:  "If you must go out of Egypt to worship, there is no need to go very far away.  Just go outside the borders."  "Religion is good and necessary, but you are not called on to be fanatical about it.  Stay as near to the world as you can."
His next proposal played upon natural affection.  "Let the men go and worship, but there is no need for the woman and children to accompany them."  "Break with the world yourself, if you must, but don't be so extreme as to interfere with the worldly advancement of your family by making them conform to your Victorian standards."
His final attempt was an appeal to their covetousness and love of material things:  "Go if you must, but let your flocks and herds remain in Egypt while you go to worship."  "Don't allow your legitimate religious convictions to conflict with your business interests and activities." (Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership. Rev. ed. Chicago: Moody, 1980. 159-160. Print.)
These all seem like reasonable requests from the world's perspective, but for a follower of Jesus none of them are acceptable.  Satan suggests, but God commands!  Moses was resolved not to leave a hoof behind in obeying God, and we should follow his resolute example!

03 September 2015

Ten Fingers, Ten Commandments

Our lives have the potential to make a huge positive influence on others.  For those in church ministry, it may feel like you aren't making much of a difference.  As I think about those who invested time in me as a kid, I remember and appreciate their sacrifice of time and faithfulness to God and His Word.  God is able to use straight-laced folks and complete characters to impact others for His glory.

Ricardo Medina was a man I will not forget.  He was called by his friends the "crazy Cuban," and would wear a cowboy hat, boots and trench coat to church every week.  I heard stories about him going to local churches and being asked to leave because of his wardrobe.  All I know is the man loved the LORD, and he had the heart of a servant.  What I remember the most was the time he stood in as youth leader on a Sunday evening at church.  I was in grade 7 or 8, and though decades have passed I have always remembered the lesson: Ricardo taught us the 10 Commandments using our fingers.  His lesson I have taught to my own children, and many others besides.

I do not know if Ricardo still walks the earth today - seeing as that was about 30 years ago - but if he does I would thank him and tell him I appreciate the lesson he shared in that cramped, panelled trailer  of a classroom.  A man other churches refused entry God used to administer the practical truth of God's perfect Law.  Psalm 19:7-11 reads, "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; 8 the statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward."  God's Law reveals our sinfulness and desperate need for a Saviour and forgiveness.  We must see our filth before we seek cleansing, and we must recognise our grave illness before we desire a cure.

The 10 Commandments are listed in Exodus 20:1-17.  If you are interested in how to learn the 10 Commandments in order in less than 5 minutes and remember for a lifetime, here you go - compliments of Ricardo Medina!  Place your hands in front of you, palms facing up.  Starting from right thumb to left thumb:
  1.  Picture a red "no smoking" type sign on your right thumb.  "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me."
  2. See how your pointer finger has three segments like a totem pole?  That is an idol.  "Thou shalt not make for yourself any graven image."
  3. Keeping your pointer extended, hold out your middle finger to make a "V."  This reminds us, "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD your God in vain."
  4. Imagine your finger is full of holes, like Swiss cheese.  "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
  5. Your right pinky is a small finger, and a locket is very small.  In your locket is a tiny picture of your dad and mum.  "Honour your father and your mother."
  6. Make a fist and extend the pinky on your left hand.  It could stab like a knife!  "Thou shalt not murder."
  7. The next finger is your "ring" finger, which reminds us of God's covenant of marriage.  "Thou shalt not commit adultery."
  8. The middle finger is your longest finger, like a "steel" pipe.  "Thou shalt not steal."
  9. This second finger is called the pointing finger, and we sin by false accusation.  "Thou shalt not bear false witness (lie)."
  10. When you rub your forefinger and thumb together, it is a sign for money.  To lust after wealth is to covet!  "Thou shalt not covet."
There it is!  Now you too can remember and share the truth of God with others, a legacy which - like God's Word - will endure forever!

02 September 2015

The Value of Suffering

Suffering is an intrinsic part of life on earth.  Paul wrote all of creation is currently in the bondage of corruption brought by man's sin.  Romans 8:22 explains the scope and the effects of this corruption that brings death:  "For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now."  It is not all bad news, for as certain as suffering and pain is present on earth, so redemption and freedom for eternity is assured for those who repent and trust in Jesus Christ.  Birth pangs are unbelievably painful, but necessary for the living miracle to be born.

Jesus suffered pain on the cross and drank of the bitter cup of judgment man deserved so those who trust in Him could be delivered from sin and death.  Though Jesus has taken our punishment, pain and suffering is a necessary part of life for we all who are alive and remain - especially for those who take a stand for Jesus Christ and godliness.  Jesus promised tribulation for those who willingly followed Him.  It is also written in 2 Timothy 3:12, "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."  Even the desire to live for Christ comes at a cost.  If following Jesus brings an increase of persecution or suffering in this life, why bother?  Because it has been revealed life on earth is not all there is.  Like Abraham, with eyes of faith we look to an everlasting city in the heavens where Christ is.  We do not live for ourselves anymore, having been redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, but for the God who loves us and gave Himself for us.

There are more reasons held forth in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5:  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ."  Because our God is the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, we receive abundant consolation in our sufferings.  No matter what trouble we experience, God's comfort and grace is super abundant.  God's comfort does not eliminate our pain and anguish, but these intense feelings and drive us closer to God in desperation for relief.  Once we have received and choose to walk in God's comfort, we are granted the ability to help others to experience God's comfort as well.  Wouldn't you love to be able to comfort those who are in any trouble?  We do not need to have suffered the exact thing someone else has to lead them to the God who can comfort them too (though it sometimes helps).  The more we suffer, the more comfort is available to us by God, and the better we are able to help others.

If the lives of Christians were always easy and prosperous in a worldly sense, people would not be struck with the supernatural peace, joy, and contentment which is a stark contrast to others in the world in the midst of trials.  Even worse, people would see Christ as a means of financial gain and selfishly seek Him.  Paul had learned in whatever state he was to be content, and he rejoiced more in prison suffering for Christ than wealthy rulers who lived in palaces without Christ.  Suffering for a Christian has a redemptive aspect the world cannot know or experience.  Praise God for His abundant consolation in our sufferings, for we ourselves are comforted by the God of all comfort.  God can use suffering in our lives to receive His comfort and to lead others to take refuge in Him.  We all desire to be fruitful and used by God, and suffering refines and equips us through the Holy Spirit to accomplish His will.  Everyone suffers, but God wants all to be comforted.  And He wants to use you to do just that.

01 September 2015

Praise God's Word

"In God (I will praise His word), in the LORD (I will praise His word), 11 in God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
Psalm 56:10-11

Jesus is the name of above all names, having been exalted over all others by His heavenly Father.  Jesus is the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us, and revealed God's love through sacrificial death and mighty power through the resurrection.  It is the scripture, the Word of God, by which we learn of the true nature of God in trinity:  one God revealed in the persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  We ought to place a high value on the Bible in study and practice, and Jesus displayed total mastery of the holy scriptures.  The Pharisees thought the study of the scriptures would give life, but the scriptures spoke of Christ who alone has the words of life.  The life is in Jesus, and by faith we can know Jesus through the written Word.

One thing consistent in the book of Acts is the teaching of the Word - the Old Testament with a view to Christ as the fulfillment (Acts 8:4, 25; Acts 13:5; Acts 14:25, just a few examples).  Since then there has been many diversions in preaching emphasis, and some frown on those who cling to the scriptures in literal belief as a guide for practical living.  In a sermon titled "The Word a Sword" preached on 17 May, 1887, C.H. Spurgeon said, "Holy Scripture is full of power and energy. Oh, the majesty of the Word of God! They charge us with Bibliolatry. It is a crime of their own inventing, of which few are guilty. If there are such things as venial sins, surely an undue reverence of Holy Scripture is one of them. To me the Bible is not God, but it is God’s voice—and I do not hear it without awe. What an honor to have as one’s calling to study, to expound and to publish this sacred Word! I cannot help feeling that the man who preaches the Word of God is standing, not upon a mere platform, but upon a throne."

It is not idolatrous to honour the Word God has placed above His name, as David inspired by the Holy Spirit wrote in Psalm 138:2, "I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name."  David praised God and His Word, for the accepted canon of scripture has been God-breathed and inspired with divine unction.  God is truth, and every word of God is pure (Proverbs 30:5).  The Bible is not the Godhead, but it will endure as long as God Himself.  1 Peter 1:22-25 reads, "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, 25 but the word of the LORD endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you."

God does not change, and His Word also changes not.  It is sure foundation to build our lives upon, and wise are those who hear and obey it.  Jesus said in Luke 21:33:  "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  For all of eternity the Word of God will remain true, and the assurance of the promises contained therein is complete for those who heed them.  The fear of God and a love of His Word are indispensable requirements for all who will live righteously and spend eternity in the presence of the Father with exceeding joy.  May our lives praise His Word, for in God we have placed our trust.