Showing posts with label What I'm reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label What I'm reading. Show all posts

27 March 2024

Leadership and Authority

I have been starting to read through J. Oswald Sander's book, Spiritual Leadership.  He observed, "The overriding need of the church, if it is to discharge its obligation to the rising generation, is for a leadership that is authoritative, spiritual, and sacrificial."  (Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership. Moody Press, 1989. pg. 25) The only way this need for spiritual leadership is met is when a person submits to Jesus Christ as LORD and is filled with the Holy Spirit.  The way leadership looks and works in the world is completely different than the leadership Jesus Christ modelled.  The great need of the church is to seek, obey and depend on Jesus Christ, and individuals who embrace this call will be equipped to lead regardless of their role in the church.

One observation hearers made of Jesus was how He taught with authority--not like the scribes who quoted their rabbis.  When officers tasked with arresting Jesus refused to do so, John 7:46 gives their reason:  "The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!"  Jesus was not a pompous orator whose authority was in proportion to the volume of His voice, for He did not speak on His own authority.  Jesus said in John 12:48-50:  "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."  Jesus did not speak with authority as a Jew, a preacher, rabbi, as a man knowledgeable of the Law and prophets, but as the Son of God who obeyed His Father in heaven.  There would be no church without Jesus.

As followers of Jesus Christ, godly leaders ought to follow His example and not speak on our own authority but speak as He guides us by the Holy Spirit.  Rather than vain attempts to inspire confidence in ourselves, we ought to aim to lead people to greater confidence and reliance upon Christ.   Jesus told His disciples in John 16:12-14:  "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you."  The worldly concept of authority is one who is in charge, makes decisions and is the boss, but the biblical framework for leaders to follow is to always humble ourselves under God's authority inside and out, serving others like Jesus did.  There is no need to threaten, boast, tout or promote ourselves with any authority we have received, for godly leaders are those who continue to grow in humility and submission under God's authority.  We are to be proactive in seeking the LORD due to our constant need for Him, and passivity in this regard leads to spiritual pride that is all for show.

I confess that at an earlier stage when seeking Jesus in earnest, I desired the opportunity to prove to people I was the "real deal," to gain some credibility or even notoriety as a leader.  The LORD knows what a rough work in progress I was and continue to be!  I have learned that desire was terribly misguided, for I am called to lead people to know Jesus as the "real deal."  Like John the Baptist realised Jesus must increase, it is good for all believers to realise we have been born again to follow Jesus, to listen to and obey Jesus, and to lead others to place their faith in Jesus.  Matthew 28:18-20 says, "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen."  Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth, and His disciples who submit to His authority can speak with His authority.  By His grace we can speak the words of everlasting life and be led by Him to experience abundant life through the Gospel.

26 February 2024

The Wonder of God

One thing I love and appreciate about God is He is immutable and consistent.  Being eternal and above all God is not susceptible to influences of modern society, and His wisdom does not shift with the times.  In God and His word there is an objective clarity and permanence that is not found in anyone or things of this world.  A person's opinions can shift like the breeze, and their conduct can resemble a chameleon that adjusts to their environment.  I respect people who take a stand on God's truth, and I find their insights by God's grace endure the test of time.  It is encouraging to know there are many great thinkers whose intelligence far exceeds my own who were not ashamed to make the living God and His word central to their thoughts and perspective.

I have been reading G.K. Chesterton's In Defense of Sanity lately, and he is exceptionally brilliant.  I am glad that some of the time I understand what he means and enjoy his sense of humour that crops up often.  Though most of his writings in the book hail from the early to mid-20th century, I like that he applies the timeless wisdom of God to the consistent nature of fallen humanity.  As God is always holy, righteous, just, loving and good, in contrast man remains predictably sinful, conceited, arrogant and proud.  Rather than talking down to anyone as being "holier than thou," Chesterton thinks thoughts through with a copious use of paradox and sound reason.  Though the current events and hot-button topics of his day are quite different than ours, his philosophical approach and clever logic has not aged a day.

I was particularly intrigued concerning a few observations he made about sceptics, and despite our modern education and the information available at our fingertips it seems sceptics have only multiplied.  I found this quote very useful to consider:  "The best that can be said for the sceptic is that he cannot say what he means, and therefore, whatever else he means, he cannot mean what he says." (Chesterton, Gilbert Keith. In Defense of Sanity: The Best Essays of G.K. Chesterton. Ignatius Press, 2011. page 337)  With the abundance of information today, there is the real risk of misinformation, whether it be malicious or accidental.  In this world full of deceptions, half-truths and agendas, the Bible remains a bastion of truth we can count on to reveal God and His wisdom for us.  It is truly a joy to look upon God with wonder.

On the topic of pride and sceptics Chesterton mused:
"It is a weakness; for it is simply settling down permanently to believe what even the vain and foolish can only believe by fits and starts, but what all men wish to believe and are often found weak enough to believe; that they themselves constitute the supreme standard of things.  Pride consists in a man making his personality the only test, instead of making the truth the test...It is pride to think that a thing looks ill, because it does not look like something characteristic of oneself...But the self as a self is a very small thing and something very like an accident.  Hence arises a new kind of narrowness; which exists especially in those who boast of breadth.  The sceptic feels himself too large to measure life by the largest things; and ends by measuring it by the smallest thing of all.  There is produced also a sort of subconscious ossification, which hardens the mind not only against the traditions of the past, but even against the surprises of the future.  Nil admirari becomes the motto of all nihilists; and it ends, in the most complete and exact sense, in nothing." (Ibid, pages 348-349)

It is good when we measure things by ourselves to discover we are frighteningly small, for this is God's grand design in revealing Himself as almighty and over all.  It is in knowing we are nothing in light of a city, nation, this planet or the universe--a temporary blip of life here one day and gone the next--that God's loving pursuit and sacrifice for our salvation and eternal relationship with Him is magnified.  The best of men see themselves in the worst light, and we are all granted the capacity by the warm light of God's grace to humble ourselves before Him and others.  God did not put forth the challenge for people to prove their worth by ascending to heaven and to knock on His door:  He implores us to bow the knee right where we are before Him in faith, worship and adoration.  The love of Christ constrains us to remain consistent in our awe and gratitude towards Him.

22 February 2024

Communication With God

While doing premarital counselling, I read a portion of a book that provides insight into our relationship with God.  One of the things we discussed is the different levels of communication, and five levels of communication are shared from John Powell's book, Why Am I Afraid to Tell You Who I Am?  These levels provoked self-examination for me as I considered my personal communication style with God in prayer.  The excerpt from Before You Say "I Do" reads:
"Level Five:  Cliche Conversation.  This type of talk is very safe.  We use phrases such as "How are you?"  How's the dog?  "Where have you been?"  "I like your dress."  In this type of conversation there is not personal sharing.  Each person remains safely behind his defences.

Level Four:  Reporting the Facts About Others.  In this kind of conversation we are content to tell others what someone else has said, but we offer no personal information on these facts.  We report the facts like the six o'clock news.  We share gossip and little narrations, but we do not commit ourselves as to how we feel about them.

Level Three:  Ideas and Judgments.  Real communication begins to unfold here.  The person is willing to step out of his solitary confinement and risk telling some of his ideas and decisions.  He is still cautious.  If he senses that what he is saying is not being accepted, he will retreat.

Level Two:  Feelings or Emotions.  At this level the person shares how he feels about facts, ideas, and judgments.  His feelings underneath these areas are revealed.  For a person to really share himself with another individual he must move to the level of sharing his feelings.

Level One:  Complete Emotional and Personal Communication.  All deep relationships must be based on absolute openness and honesty.  This may be difficult to achieve because it involves risk--the risk of being rejected.  But it is vital if relationships are to grow.  There will be times when this type of communication is not as complete as it could be." (Roberts, Wes, and H. Norman Wright. Before You Say “I Do”®. Harvest House Publishers, 2019. Pages 62-63)

It is useful to consider the level of communication we typically use in our relationships with others, especially in preparation for a marriage relationship.  People who are outgoing and view themselves like an open book may realise how reserved they are in expressing their feelings or emotions.  If this is a useful consideration in our relationships with people, how vital it is for each of us to consider as we seek to cultivate a healthy relationship with God!  An honest assessment may prove that we actually spend most of our time in prayer on surface level reporting and never move into real communication.  Our prayers to God may be the equivalent of talking about news that concerns other people and the action we would like God to take--but never honestly share how we are feeling.

When Jesus came to earth, He revealed Himself as the promised Messiah through whom we can know God.  The tender and intimate relationship Jesus had with His heavenly Father is the relationship God desires to have with us by faith in Jesus where nothing is hidden and the desires of our hearts are freely expressed in the safety and security of His love, grace and mercy.  As we desire to grow in our relationship with God, may we be those who humble ourselves before God to share our thoughts and feelings in personal, prayerful communication, choosing to listen and respond to God's word with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  The LORD already knows our thoughts and hearts, but He will not force His way into them and make us share ourselves with Him.  God's desire is for us by faith in Jesus to be enraptured in His love without fear of rejection or being ridiculed.

As we have this fellowship with God marked by open lines of personal communication, we will also benefit richly from fellowship with Christians.  Jesus shared His heart for us when He prayed for His disciples in John 17:20-23:  "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."  This is God's will for His people, that all Christ's disciples would be united by faith in God's love so His glory will shine bright in this world.  Since God has freely given Himself to us through Christ, let us give ourselves freely to Him and one another in fellowship.

17 February 2024

Mr. Hugh Kennedy

During my study of the book of Romans, I came across an anecdote in Matthew Henry's Commentary that warmed my heart.  He wrote:
Mr. Hugh Kennedy, an eminent Christian of Ayr, in Scotland, when he was dying, called for a Bible, but, finding his sight gone, he said, “Turn me to the eighty of the Romans, and set my finger at these words, I am persuaded that neither death nor life.”  “Now, said he, “is my finger upon them?”  And, when they told him it was, without speaking any more, he said, “Now God be with you, my children; I have breakfasted with you, and shall sup with my LORD Jesus Christ this night;” and so departed.” (Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible. Vol. 6, Hendrickson Publishers, 1991. page 345)

From this anecdote, it is likely Mr. Kennedy was a man who had placed his faith in God and also was a reader of the Bible during his life.  On what proved to be his deathbed he requested a Bible be brought to him, and almost to his surprise he found his sight gone and was unable to find Romans 8:38 himself.  With keen eyes of faith on God and His promise, Mr. Kennedy was persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities or powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth nor any other created thing would be able to separate him from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  We too, having placed our faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, can retain such confidence even when our bodies fail and we go the way of the earth to our fathers.

The God Who was with Mr. Hugh Kennedy all his days would also be with his children after him, and all believers can have this same confidence and unshakable assurance.  Mr. Kennedy was persuaded because of Christ's love for him that he could eat breakfast with his family, and after his passing would be eating dinner with Jesus in heaven.  The end of life on earth would not be his end.  The anecdote concluded, "And so departed."  His spirit left behind his mortal frame and went to be clothed with a new body in the heavens with his LORD Jesus, united and glorified in the presence of God forever.  His departure from his body meant his arrival in the presence of the LORD, free of pain, blindness and all sorrows of this world--because for him the former things had passed away.

That we would have such confidence in God and His promises to us in Scripture!  The love of God demonstrated for us on the cross and ever since is a sound foundation to build our lives upon, for Jesus gives eternal life to all who repent and trust in Him.  A day came when Mr. Kennedy was unable to see or speak, yet God continues to speak to this day and will continue to speak long after we enter into the LORD's presence.  God remains faithful, and His active love never fails to pursue, bless and cause everything to work together for good to us who love God.  The death of Jesus accomplished God's good purposes and plans, and when God calls us home to be with him we can have this confidence:  nothing shall be able to separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus.  He truly gives rest for the weary soul.

07 February 2024

Seeing Yourself in Christ

We have been studying through the book of Romans at church, and it has been wonderful to have a better grasp of what Jesus Christ has accomplished for believers.  Knowing the spiritual reality of receiving the Gospel, our minds are renewed to live for God with more clarity and focus.  A married person does not need to wear a wedding ring to remain married, but wearing the ring can be an intentional acknowledgment of marital status everyone can see.  When our minds are renewed by what Jesus has done and our privileged position in Him, it impacts the way we see Him and desire to serve Him.  He has not saved or blessed us anonymously, and the indwelling Holy Spirit guides us to live to please and glorify our Saviour in particular.  My relationship with my wife is special because we uniquely belong to one another, and through the Gospel we have a marvellous relationship with God because He loves us, saves us and lives in us--and we in Him.

The Bible opens our eyes to see what Jesus has done and is doing for us, and it also reveals the truth about ourselves.  In McGee's commentary, he shared several quotes from Dr. Newell that illustrate the practical, personal changes of perspective the Gospel brings:
"'To hope to do better is to fail to see yourself in Christ only.'  You say, 'I hope to do better.'  You know you're not.  You need to see yourself in Christ today and realise that only the Spirit of God moving through you can accomplish this.  And then Newell says again, 'To be disappointed with yourself means you believed in yourself.'  Somebody says, 'Oh, I'm so disappointed in myself.'  Well, you had better be disappointed in yourself.  You know no good thing is going to come out of the flesh, friend.  Stop believing in yourself, and believe that the Spirit of God today can enable you through the new nature to live for God.  Also Newell says, 'To be discouraged is unbelief.'  My friend, that means you don't believe God.  God has a purpose and a plan, a blessing for you.  And you need to lay hold of it.  Here is another statement: 'To be proud is to be blind.'  We have no standing before God in ourselves.  Oh, my friend, see yourself as God sees you.  Here is the final gem:  'The lack of divine blessing comes from unbelief, not a failure of devotion.'...My friend, the lack of divine blessing comes because we do not believe God  it is not because of a lack of devotion.  Oh, to believe God today!" (McGee J Vernon. Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, Volume 4. Thomas Nelson, Inc, 1981. pages 698-699)

Why should a believer in Jesus Christ be beating themselves up with self-condemnation when there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ?  So you have failed!  The Bible tells us all have sinned, and that includes me and you.  Our call as failures and sinners is to humble ourselves, repent of our sin, and do what pleases God.  Feelings of disappointment and discouragement are indications our expectations have not been met, our will has not been done, that we have put our trust in ourselves or something that is not God.  As long as we rely upon ourselves and hold our belief we are able to do what only God can do, the cycle of disappointment will be perpetual.  Believing our old man has died with Christ and we have been raised to new life in Jesus Who lives forever, the shield of faith extinguishes the fiery darts Satan or people throw at us.  When we see ourselves in Christ because it is Gospel truth, through God's eyes it changes the way we see everything.

06 February 2024

Trusting the Life of Christ

Christians are saved eternally by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and we are also called to walk by faith in Jesus today.  Since we are willing to trust Jesus forever, it follows we ought to seek, trust and obey Him today.  The work God has begun in us He is faithful to complete, and we can take God at His word regarding our lives and other believers as well as it is written in Philippians 1:6:  "...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..."  Though Jesus has not yet returned in glory, His glorious life is in us and lives through us today.

In the book Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness, Cook and Baldwin make a good point of our need to trust the power of the Gospel as well as the life of Jesus in other Christians.  From the perspective of one in church leadership, Cook wrote:  "Besides lacking faith in the gospel, there is among us a tragic distrust of the life of Christ in other believers.  We are scared to death they are going to goof things up, whether through incompetence or moral or spiritual failure.  So we don't release them to minister." (Cook, Jerry, and Stanley C. Baldwin. Love, Acceptance & Forgiveness. GL Regal Books, 1984. page 70)  Later in the same chapter, the authors went into greater detail about trusting the life of Jesus in others:
"Besides a basic mistrust of people's competence, I think I also see among many Christians a tragic mistrust of the life of Christ in His people so far as their moral and spiritual commitment is involved.  Some seem to think we must put all kinds of hedges around Christians to keep them on the "straight and narrow."

I don't understand that.  My people don't want to sin.  They love Jesus and they are trying to follow Him, just as I love Him and try to follow Him.  My people don't need a warden to guard them; they need a shepherd to guide them.  And when they do sin, they need love, acceptance and forgiveness, not suspicion and rejection...

The life of Christ is incredibly tenacious in a believer, and we need to trust it more. I'm sure someone could tell stories on the other side--how believers were drawn away by evil surroundings.  That's where the fellowship of the believers comes in.  That's what the collective gathering of the Body is for--to restore and strengthen one another.  But that restoration and strengthening is so that we can then go back out as lights into the world, not so that we can stay insulated and isolated." (Ibid, pages 72-73)

Reading this passage reminded me we are saved by faith and to live by faith--and this means trusting God is doing a good work in the lives of other people in the church right now.  It is entirely possible to be saved by faith and then lean on my own understanding, to follow my own thoughts or rely on what I see rather than seeking God and yielding to Him in trust and obedience.  Cook pointed out the error of insulation and isolation within church ministry or a church building.  While this can happen, the more common occurrence is insulation and isolation from meeting with other believers as the church, the Body of Christ, and when they fall there is no one around to help them back up.  Online teaching keeps a person spiritually fed, but a lack of Christian fellowship leads to spiritual weakness, dullness and drifting coupled with self-confidence.

When we gather together as Christians, it is a wonderful opportunity God has provided to seek and worship Him together, to examine our hearts, to love and listen to others.  There is opportunity to learn, grow, exhort, rebuke, correct and stand corrected, and all this is edifying for us.  Just being in the same room or speaking in a conversation with other Christians does not mean we have experienced fellowship, for this happens when both or all parties before the LORD are willing to humbly receive from one another and to share with one another from the heart.  This requires humility by the Holy Spirit, transparency about personal difficulties, willingness to share what the LORD is teaching us, and to love one another.  Praise the LORD because Jesus is alive and at work in each one of us, He empowers us to do His will to love others as He loves us.

17 January 2024

The Reforming Paradox

Because God is the sole source of wisdom and does not change, wisdom from God remains timeless for every person and season of life.  God's wisdom is never outdated but relevant for everyone.  While our lack of faith in God can prevent us from heeding or observing God's wise ways, God's wisdom will endure beyond us and subsequent generations.  Knowing God is our Creator and Sovereign, this impacts our perspective of relationships God has instituted.

G.K. Chesterton touched on this in an essay titled "The Drift from Domesticity" he wrote and our need to consider the reasons why laws, roles and boundaries in society exist before we think we do well to destroy them.  Though these words were written almost 100 years ago, Chesterton touched on the timelessness of God's wisdom for us to heed today in this excerpt:
"In the matter of reforming things, as distinct from deforming them, there is one plain and simple principle; a principle which will probably be called a paradox.  There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity; a fence or gate erected across a road.  The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, "I don't see the use of this; let us clear it away."  To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer:  "If you don't see the use of it, I certainly won't let you clear it away.  Go away and think.  Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it."

This paradox rests on the most elementary common sense.  The gate or fence did not grow there.  It was not set up by somnambulists who built it in their sleep.  It is highly improbable that it was put there by escaped lunatics who were for some reason loose in the street.  Some person had some reason for thinking it would be a good thing for somebody.  And until we know what the reasons was, we really cannot judge whether the reason was reasonable.  It is extremely probable that we have overlooked some whole aspect of the question, if something set up by human beings like ourselves seems to be entirely meaningless and mysterious.  There are reformers who get over this difficulty by assuming that all their fathers were fools; but if that be so, we can only say that folly appears to be a hereditary disease.  But the truth is that nobody has any business to destroy a social institution until he has really seen it as an historical institution.  If he knows how it arose, and what purposes it was supposed to serve, he may really be able to say that they were bad purposes, or that they have since become bad purposes, or that they are purposes which are no longer served.  But if he simply stares at the thing as a senseless monstrosity that has somehow sprung up in his path, it is he and not the traditionalist who is suffering from an illusion.  We might even say that he is seeing things in a nightmare."  (Chesterton, G. K., and Dale Ahlquist. In Defense of Sanity: The Best Essays of G.K. Chesterton. Ignatius Press, 2011. pages 173-174)

The principle illustrated here shows the impact faith in God has on our perspective and worldview.  If we believe God created man and woman and instituted marriage between a man and a woman, we cannot reform these institutions without risk of deforming them.  While it is true people do change over their lives, our basic need for God and His wisdom does not change.  Having been illuminated by the word of God and born again by the Holy Spirit, we have learned that without God we are hopelessly adrift in the dark.  To follow our hearts may be to disregard God and the wisdom He has passed down through generations.  How blessed we are to have such a sure foundation in our God Who provides wisdom for abundant life and to be transformed by faith in Jesus into the people He intended us to be from the beginning.  Staying the course requires constant reformation--not of God's institutions but of ourselves--being sanctified by God's grace.

12 January 2024

Peace Of Mind

Only God has the power to save us from ourselves.  It is likely we ourselves pose a greater risk of ruin and fruitlessness than Satan and all his demonic minions could impose upon us by force.  As long as our hearts are selfish, self-confident, self-reliant and esteems self over others, we will stumble in our aim to walk in the Spirit.  While we can be focused on our tendency to do wrong, it can be what we neglect to do in obedience to God that hinders our spiritual growth and vitality.  Unbelief and lack of love towards God and others in our hearts causes more trouble for us than the symptoms of sin everyone can see.  I thought J. Sidlow Baxter made good points about the importance of examining our hearts:

"In the ultimate analysis there are just two things which prevent peace of mind--pride, and lack of love.  Pride always carries the haunting fear of humiliating fall; and where love is lacking there can never be that rest of heart which comes only with perfect motive.  I learned something about that years ago when I used to do a good deal of open-air preaching.  At times, when Communists and other hostile persons in the crowd seemed likely to react violently, I would feel fear.  Then I would say to myself, "If you were utterly down at the feet of Christ you could not possibly fear humiliation; and if you loved them as utterly as Jesus loves them you could not know fear, for 'perfect love casteth out fear' (1John 4:18)".  It is a high point in the spiritual life when, cost what it will, we submit to the divine will; but the highest point of all is when the mind has become so renewed by the Holy Spirit that every desire is altogether one with that divine will.  Oh, that is the way of "life and peace"!" (Baxter, J. Sidlow. His Deeper Work in Us: A Further Enquiry into New Testament Teaching on the Subject of Christian Holiness. Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1967. page 158)

In the classic rock song, "Peace of Mind" by Boston, the lyrics say the way to find peace of mind is to "take a look ahead."  While the song makes no allusion to the eternal state in the presence of God, considering our eternal future in the presence of Jesus does bring peace of mind.  But all those who are assured a glorious future can experience peace of mind now by humbling ourselves before Jesus Christ in faith, choosing to obey and rely upon Him to help us whether in our jobs or speaking to people who are hostile towards God.  The perfect love of God casts out fear and guides us to sacrificial living for the glory of God and the good of others.  There is no peace for the wicked, but those who submit self to the LORD to do His will find rest the world cannot know, for Jesus is our peace.

10 January 2024

Intentional Grace

Every time I read the classic Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness by Jerry Cook with Stanley Baldwin, I am reminded how much I like it.  The book resonates with me because it is written with grace and practical examples we can apply in our own lives and ministry.  He holds forth a simple philosophy founded on scripture that the church is people, equipped by the Holy Spirit, to meet needs everywhere in the name of Jesus.  Rather than seeking to wield or maintain control over others, the approach to ministry held forth in this little book embraces releasing people to serve by faith in God.

One point Cook makes is to consider what messages we send, that fruitful Christian ministry is reserved for the trained professionals, the gifted or experienced.  Rather than implying real ministry takes place primarily in a church building, Cook encourages people to use their spiritual gifts in the situation God places them in the real world.  While there is a valid place for teaching, training and preparation, our methods can convey what king Saul did when he was willing to let David fight Goliath:  he was permitted to fight as long as David wore his armour.  Saul wanted David to resemble him externally when David was filled with the Holy Spirit and prompted by faith in God within to do what Saul was afraid to do himself.  Cook writes:
"What I'm saying is this:  people who are filled with the Holy Spirit are already basically equipped for ministry.  What the church needs to do is help people to understand this truth, not mislead them into thinking they are somehow unqualified to serve.  
Christianity is not difficult to communicate.  It's simple.  We make it hard by our extreme efforts.  We give soul-winning courses that take eight weeks or eight months.  This communicates to our people how difficult it is to win anyone to Christ.

As a result, Christians are scared to death to tell anybody about Jesus.  They memorize every possible question any non-Christian could ask as well as the correct answers--they want to have all the bases covered.  When they have done that we say they are equipped.  They aren't equipped, they are incapacitated.  We have them so intent on nailing people with the Bible, giving answers to them, that they forget there is a person there--hurting.

Maybe the correct answer does not help.  Maybe what a friend or neighbor needs is a cup of coffee to drink and an arm around his shoulder.  Someone to listen and care.  Someone to exercise the greatest spiritual gift of all--love.  It doesn't take a professional to love."  (Cook, Jerry, and Stanley C. Baldwin. Love, Acceptance & Forgiveness. GL Regal Books, 1984. pg. 58-59)

I encourage people to sign up for courses and take classes offered by a church for the spiritual health and instruction of congregants.  Rather than seeing these as a hindrance to ministry, they can enhance our understanding and ability.  What is refreshing about Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness is not the institution of a pattern, but it is a timeless exhortation to be yielded to the Holy Spirit, know God rules over all, and a gentle reminder to examine what patterns have been established in our church or ministry and the unintended messages they might send.  If the ministry and usefulness of the church is limited to what I can do, nothing will come of it.  Yet if we walk together by faith in Jesus Christ, rely on His guidance and serve one another in love, God will never cease to do amazing things by His grace.

23 October 2023

Standing in God's Might

When people are born again by faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit regenerates us spiritually and indwells us.  One aspect of His powerful influence and impact on our lives is described by Paul in Ephesians 6 through the analogy of amour that protects us in the spiritual battle we find ourselves.  Believers are called to understand how the Holy Spirit works in our lives and gives us victory over Satan's attacks so we can stand strong in the LORD and in the power of His might.

A passage I read in Gurnall's book, The Christian in Complete Armour, affirms something I long have believed:  rather than habitually "putting on the armour of God" daily, we are never to take it off, walking in the Holy Spirit to do what pleases God.  Should one of Satan's flaming arrows find its mark or we fall into sin, there can be a correlation with our negligence to appropriate all God has provided for our successful sanctification.  The exhortation to "put on" the armour of God is to utilise it, to exercise ourselves by faith in Christ by reliance on the Holy Spirit.  William Gurnall wrote:
It is not enough to have grace, but this grace must be kept in exercise.  The Christian's armour is made to be worn; no laying down, or putting off our armour, till we have done our warfare, and finished our course.  Our armour and our garment of flesh go off together; then, indeed, will be no need of watch and ward, shieled or helmet.  Those military duties and field-graces--as I may call faith, hope, and the rest--shall be honourably discharged.  In heaven we shall appear, not in armour, but in robes of glory.  But here these are to be worn night and day; we must walk, work, and sleep in them, or else we are not true soldiers of Christ.  This Paul professeth to endeavour.  'Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience voice of offence toward God and toward men,' (Ac 24:16).  Here we have this holy man at his arms, training and exercising himself in his postures, like some soldier by himself handling his pike, and inuring himself before the battle. (Gurnall, William, and J. C. Ryle. The Christian in Complete Armour. Banner of Truth Trust, 2002. pages 63-64)

Paul told believers to put on the whole armour of God because it is likely we have failed to appropriate the power of the Holy Spirit given to us to protect our minds and hearts.  Many times we have walked around without traction and support of the Gospel of peace which is like combat boots or God's truth which is like a belt.  We have wandered unwittingly into a conflict without the shield of faith or left the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God) in the sheath or at home.  We are able to "be" strong because this rests completely on Who Jesus is and the new creations He has made us to be.  Our identity in Christ does not mean we always or are currently using the full range of protection afforded us by God's grace, and thus we are called to put on the whole armour.

While soldiers sharpen their swords, knives and bayonets for hand-to-hand combat, we are told the manner which is to mark our preparing for and engaging in battle in Ephesians 6:18:  "...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints..."  If we are not praying, it is likely victory will be an ideal instead of the continuous reality in practice.  We are told to pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks because this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us.  Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 26:41, "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."  When it comes to the spiritual conflicts, the Holy Spirit is able and willing to protect us from all harmful defeats.  If we are unwilling to pray, refuse to look to the LORD Jesus or yield to the Holy Spirit in obedience, we cannot stand in the power of God's might.

05 July 2023

Insight Into Reality

When communicating with others it is possible to send an unintended message.  I used to think if someone was telling me about their problem it was because they actually wanted suggestions on possible solutions, but I have learned this is rarely the case.  Years of studying and being taught the Bible sent the message it was my responsibility, not only to learn and follow the scripture, but to engage with people with the intent to share the Gospel and lead them to Christ.  Somehow I imagined changing people's minds was now my responsibility, having been endowed with wisdom from above.  Coming to realise changing people's hearts and minds is what only God can do provided welcome relief from self-condemnation after my countless failures.

In his book Renovation of the Heart, Dallas Willard said on the subject:
"Our beliefs and feelings cannot be changed by choice.  We cannot just choose to have different beliefs and feelings.  But we do have some liberty to take in different ideas and information and to think about things in different ways.  We can choose to take in the Word of God, and when we do that, beliefs and feelings will be steadily pulled in a godly direction.  One of the worst mistakes that can be made in practical ministry is to think that people can choose to believe and feel differently.  Following that, we will mistakenly try to generate faith by going through the will--possibly trying to move the will by playing on emotion.  Rather, the will must be moved by insight into truth and reality.  Such insight will evoke emotion appropriate to a new set of the will.  That is the order of real inward change...Belief is when your whole being is set to act as if something is so.  And that is how the commands of Jesus finally come to us as we grow.  We see them to be reality." (Willard, Dallas, et al. Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ. Form, 2021. Pages 261-262)

Just this morning I read Paul's concluding remarks after establishing the proper order of the use of spiritual gifts in a church assembly in 1 Corinthians 14:37-38:  "If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant."  Paul conveyed the divinely inspired Word of God, and if people refused to humbly receive it and apply it personally it was not his responsibility to make them change.  Paul would not have them be ignorant of spiritual gifts and thus he held forth the truth.  There was no reason to remain ignorant of God and His commands, yet if someone was intent to carry on in ignorance that was their choice.  If they were blind leaders of the blind they would all fall into the ditch, and perhaps the experience would bring them to their senses of their need for God.

God does not hold us responsible to change other people, but He does require us to embrace personal change as we follow Jesus as disciples.  He has compassion on the ignorant, but our good God and Teacher does not keep the children of light in the dark about His will and ways.  Ignorance does not work in our favour but ultimately leads to destruction.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, and is the revelation of God that directs us to seek and know Him, to ask for forgiveness and salvation, to obey His commands and do what pleases Him.  It is by exposure to God's Word, the Holy Spirit within us and the fellowship of the saints that prompts positive change of our beliefs to think more like Him, the humbling of our will by faith in Jesus with intent to do God's will and find rest in Him.

29 June 2023

Faith and Feelings

When searching D.L. Moody's book Arrows and Anecdotes for a quote, I came across this interaction recorded by the evangelist:
"One night, when preaching in Philadelphia, right down by the side of the pulpit there was a young lady, whose eyes were riveted on me, as if she were drinking in every word.  It is precious to preach to people like that; they generally get good, even if the sermon be poor.  I got interested in her, and after I had done talking I went and spoke to her.  "Are you a Christian?"  "No; I wish I was; I have been seeking Jesus for three years."  I said, "There must be some mistake."  She looked strangely at me, and said, "Don't you believe me?"  "Well, no doubt you thought you were seeking Jesus; but it don't take an anxious sinner three years to meet a willing Saviour."  "What am I to do then?"  "The matter is, you are trying to do something; you must just believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."  "Oh, I am sick and tired of the word, 'Believe, believe, believe!  I don't know what it is."  "Well," I said, "we'll change the word; take 'trust.'"  "If I say, "I'll trust him,' will he save me"  "No; I don't say that; you may say a thousand things, but he will if you do trust him."  "Well," she said, "I do trust him; but," she added in the same breath, "I don't feel any better."  "Ah, I've got it now!  You've been looking for feelings for three years, instead of Jesus.  Faith is up above, not down here."  People are always looking for feelings.  They are getting up a new translation of the Bible here, and if the men who are translating it would only put in feelings, instead of faith, what a rush there would be for that Bible.  But if you look from Genesis to Revelation you cannot find feelings attached to salvation.  We must rise above feelings.  So I said to this lady, "You cannot control your feelings; if you could, what a time you'd have!  I know I would never have the toothache or the headache." (MOODY, Dwight Lyman, and John LOBB. Arrows and Anecdotes of D.L. Moody. Henry Gurley, 1877. Pages 149-150)

Moody is spot on in saying our salvation is by faith in Jesus:  it is not by our works or seeking we are saved but by trusting in Him who has done all for our salvation and redemption.  It is also true that many people seek an arbitrary feeling (or one that matches the experience of someone else they have heard about) for conversion, forgiveness or baptism with the Holy Spirit.  It is faith in God and His word that enables us to consciously lay aside sinful or improper feelings and to choose to believe God despite how we currently feel.  We can choose to love and forgive others because God has commanded us to, not because we feel like doing it.  As Corrie Ten Boom said in an anecdote about her own struggle to forgive others, feelings of love can follow obedience by faith.

It seems to me the feelings the seeking woman experienced were quite different from the feeling of a toothache or headache.  She had been feeling spiritually lost and emotionally frustrated by not experiencing a physical feeling that proved elusive.  It is true we cannot control whether we feel the pain of a toothache or headache, but there can be things we can practically do to prevent and relieve them.  The same is true concerning all manner of feelings that we have--even those that seem stubbornly part of who we are.  When God asked Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry?" it reveals the way we feel can be right or indicate a fleshly and sinful perspective that requires correction.  The psalmist asked when overwhelmed, "Why are you cast down, O my soul?  Hope in God."  The main reason for even asking this questions is because such a one has already been made aware of God's goodness and power to save.  Anyone else would have justified feelings of hopelessness and despair because of circumstances.

Praise the LORD He has given us feelings, for our feelings have been the impetus from the LORD to  prompt us to desperately seek Him, to repent, to cease from doing wickedly and do what is right.  How many times has gratitude and thanksgiving been accompanied by feelings of happiness and a profound sense of joy.  Instead of rejecting feelings, we ought to embrace them and keep them in their proper place.  Seeking feelings rather than the LORD Jesus is a snare, but a walk of faith with our Saviour involves processing many feelings and experiences He allows us to have.  He that redeems our souls from destruction is able to redeem even bad feelings or lack of feelings for good, like in the case of this young seeker in Moody's day.  Praise the LORD we serve a willing Saviour who makes us new creations by His grace.

27 June 2023

The Sanctification Struggle

People are complex creatures, and we only see a fraction of what is really going on with anyone.  We cannot know someone's past by observing them today, nor can we fully appreciate what challenges people are facing in the present.  They may not even realise what they are going through.  When we encounter people who are troubled or struggling, we can find ourselves facing struggles we never knew existed that the situation suddenly brought to light inside of us.  Being married, having children, working with others, being a deeply flawed person and seeking to follow Jesus combines to profoundly impact our daily lives.

The word of God and personal experiences have exposed the ugliness of my own self-righteousness, pride and hypocrisy, and praise the LORD for this.  By His grace He convicts us of sin that works to ruin us and destroys fellowship with Him and others.  He has revealed the folly of a self-centred worldview that viewed the behaviour of my children as a good or bad reflection of me.  I have also been part of a church culture where it was not particularly "safe" to admit you were struggling in some area.  It was easier to pretend the struggle did not exist than to be vulnerable and show weakness.  It reminds me a bit of the king of Israel who, when he tore his clothes at the report of infanticide and cannibalism in Samaria, it exposed sackcloth underneath.  He had been grieving and mourning during the siege of the capital city, but covered his sackcloth with royal robes lest he show weakness before the people--and perhaps lose their respect.  His emotional outburst revealed his hypocrisy.

I'm reading a useful book by Preston Sprinkle titled Embodied.  There was a paragraph that resonated with me on this subject of fostering a culture in the church that allows people to struggle and continuing to love them--whether they are struggling with gender or otherwise.  Sprinkle writes:
"Christians should want trans people--whether non-transitioned or transitioned--to flood our churches.  The more the merrier, I say.  It'll create loads of beautifully complex pastoral opportunities, and some Christians will get uncomfortable and leave.  So be it.  I don't think church should be limited to squeaky-clean Christians who (think they) have all their stuff together or keep their porn, their greed, their pride, and their lack of concern for the poor hidden behind dusty hymnals.  I want churches filled with those who know their brokenness, who don't hide their pain, who ask very hard questions.  If a trans person who has transitioned is coming to your church, praise God.  I hope they are treated with the utmost kindness and respect.  All the difficult questions about what to do now are secondary to creating communities that embody God's kindness which draws people to himself (Romans 2:4)--especially those who've been marginalized by the church." (Sprinkle, Preston M. Embodied: Transgender Identities, The Church & What the Bible Has to Say. David C Cook, 2021. Page 194)

As someone involved in pastoral ministry, I am not personally on a quest for "beautifully complex pastoral opportunities."  My preference would be people wouldn't struggle with anything, and in this and countless ways God proves Himself wiser than me.  When an earthquake or disaster occurs, emergency workers go looking for signs of struggle--for people who are crying out, banging on a pipe or clawing through debris.  The struggles are there in every person who is being sanctified by God's grace, and these will persist over the course of our lives.  Seasons come and go, but people stay the same:  always needing help from God and support from one another to walk wisely in love, grace and goodness towards all.  It will not do to be callous over people who are struggling with sin in the church, nor be cavalier over people who leave the church.  The Pharisees worked to maintain a squeaky-clean image but were dead inside.  The proverb goes a living dog is better than a dead lion (Ecclesiastes 9:4):  better to wrestle with sin and cry, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" and go home justified than to pray to ourselves, proud we don't sin like others and have our sin remain--and stay blind to it.

It can be trendy to almost rejoice in our brokenness--not in the sense of humility or contrition--but to bask in the glow of our sinful struggles together.  It used to be people sharing their Christian testimony would go into great detail about their sinful lives before Christ, and the more extreme the better.  Very little if any time was spent sharing what God had done in them since their conversion, what they were experiencing presently on their journey of sanctification, and how He was leading them.  Our current sinfulness or the devastation it has wreaked in our lives ought not to be the common ground we share with other believers but our Saviour who has found, forgiven and redeemed us.  The truth of God's word, the fellowship of believers and being Christlike is to mark our lives as we deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Jesus as His disciples.  Embracing our sanctification can be a struggle to endure with joy, but what is impossible with man is possible with God.  By faith in Him we can praise God despite the toil, and thank God He is our Life who strengthens us.

01 May 2023

For Christ's Sake

The command of Jesus to His disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross daily and follow Him is vital to this day.  By faith in Christ we can deny our fleshly feelings, desires and identity, and in doing so we embrace being the new creation God has designed us to be.  No longer is our primary loyalty to our own family, friends or feelings but to Jesus Christ our LORD we seek to follow, glorify and please.  For much of our lives we were slaves to sin and ourselves, and coming to Jesus for salvation, forgiveness and righteousness ought to shift our allegiance and identity to Him.

Sam Allberry expressed this necessary shift in the lives of those who are born again.  As someone who has experienced same-sex attraction, Allberry realised he was more than his sexuality and Christ's command was for him and all other believers.  He wrote:
"And as someone in this situation, what Jesus calls me to do is exactly what he calls anyone to do.  Take another well-known saying of Jesus:  "Then He called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said:  "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Mark 8:34)

It is the same for us all--"whoever."  I am to deny myself, take up my cross and follow him.  Every Christian is called to costly sacrifice.  Denying yourself does not mean tweaking your behavior here and there.  It is saying "no" to your deepest sense of who you are, for the sake of Christ.  To take up a cross is to declare your life (as you have known it) forfeit.  It is laying down your life for the very reason that your life, it turns out, is not yours at all.  It belongs to Jesus.  He made it and through his death he has bought it.

Ever since I have been open about my own experiences of homosexuality, a number of Christians have said something like this:  "The gospel must be harder for you than it is for me," as though I have more to give up than they do.  But the fact is that the gospel demands everything of all of us.  If someone thinks the gospel has somehow slotting into their life quite easily, without causing any major adjustments to their lifestyle or aspirations, it is likely that they have not really started following Jesus at all." (Allberry, Sam. Is God Anti-Gay?: And Other Questions about Homosexuality, the Bible and Same-Sex Attraction. The Good Book Company, 2015. Pages 11-12)

Christians are called to love one another, to forgive, serve and speak the truth for the sake of Christ.  Instead of rallying around political, social or even moral issues, we are to identify ourselves as the followers and servants of Jesus.  All careers, hobbies, relationships and pursuits are to bow before our LORD, and He leads us to navigate all the situations of life with grace, mercy and righteousness.  It is impossible to earn or live up to the standard of the Gospel by the efforts of our flesh, but being born again by faith in Jesus changes us from within by the Holy Spirit.  Knowing Jesus is our life, we are enabled to deny ourselves and experience the abundant life He promises.

06 April 2023

Feelings and Self-Control

In his book Renovation of the Heart, Dallas Willard made astute observations of humans concerning our reliance upon feelings to direct and govern our actions:

"Often they cannot distinguish between their feelings and their will, and in their confusion they also quite commonly take feelings to be reasons.  And they will in general lack any significant degree of self-control.  This will turn their lives into a mere drift through the days and years, which addictive behavior promises to allow them to endure.

Self-control is the steady capacity to direct yourself to accomplish what you have chosen or decided to do and be, even though you "don't feel like it."  Self-control means that you, with steady hand, do what you don't want to do (or what you want not to) when that is needed and do not do what you want to do (what you "feel like" doing) when that is needed.  In people without rock-solid character, feeling is a deadly enemy of self-control and will always subvert it.  The mongoose of a disciplined will under God and good is the only match for the cobra of feeling." (Willard, Dallas. Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ. Form, 2021. page 130)

During His lifetime and in the days as His crucifixion approached, Jesus remains the perfect example of self-control, yielded entirely in submission to the will of His Father in heaven.  No human being ever voluntarily looked forward to being cruelly tortured and crucified, but Jesus for the joy set before Him embraced and endured the cross.  In Gethsemane Jesus prayed in Luke 22:42 "...saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."  If Jesus had been led by His feelings, He would have run from the cross.  He did not "feel" like being crucified on that particular day.  By knowledge of God, His rock-solid character and total obedience, Jesus was able to overcome the draw of doing what He felt like doing--avoiding crucifixion.

Consider the impact of Jesus not confusing feelings to be reasons to do what He wanted:  in becoming a sacrifice for sin Jesus provided eternal life to all who trust in Him, having provided through crucifixion necessary atonement.  In was in laying down His life in obedience to the Father we have pardon and eternal life.  For those born again by faith in Jesus, we are given the Holy Spirit who provides knowledge of God's will and produces spiritual fruit--which includes self-control.  It is the power of our risen Saviour Who provides the strength and ability to remain in submission to God rather than being mired as a slave to feelings that prompt us to go our own foolish, disobedient way.

18 March 2023

Having Peace With God

I read a book recently that contained a lot of valuable points.  It is important when reading books that are not the Bible, to view them through the lens of scripture and the Gospel.  There may be many things in this world that are accepted and even seem beneficial but are not biblical.  Even as we are discerning about the ingredients of dishes or take note of calories for our physical health, we ought to be wise concerning our spiritual nutrition.  Nothing is as vital for our spiritual and practical consumption as the milk and meat of God's word.

This book about apology languages and forgiveness would have had my stamp of approval until the penultimate chapter which camped on the benefits of "apologising to ourselves."  Chapman and Thomas wrote:
"When you apologize to someone else, you hope the apology will remove the barrier between the two of you so that your relationship can continue to grow.  When you apologize to yourself, you are seeking to remove the emotional disequilibrium between the person you want to be (the ideal self) and the person you are (the real self).  The greater the distance between the ideal self and the real self, the greater the intensity of the inner emotional turmoil.  Being "at peace with oneself" occurs when we remove the distance between the ideal self and the real self."  (Chapman, Gary D., and Jennifer Thomas. The 5 Apology Languages: The Secret to Healthy Relationships. Northfield Publishing, 2022. page 158)

While some may find this helpful or insightful, this perspective is not presented or sustained anywhere in the Bible.  There is no division between an "ideal self" and the "real self," for our real self (which is inherently fleshly and sinful) cannot ascertain what our ideal self even is or how to become that person.  It is not in us to be anyone other than we are.  The only Person who can measure up to God's level of perfection worth emulating is Jesus Christ, and being God it is we who have transgressed and wronged him by our sinful thoughts, attitudes, words and conduct.  Our problem with sin is not merely an emotional one but a spiritual one, for our sin separates us from God.

Never in scripture is it put forth as our aim to "be at peace with oneself," but the Gospel has been provided so we lost and doomed sinners can have peace with God.  It is Jesus who is our Peace.  Romans 5:1-2 says, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."  Being "at peace" suggests a transitory condition that can change based upon our circumstances or how we feel, but having peace with God through our LORD Jesus Christ is a constant.  It is not about us spanning the gap by our own apologies or forgiveness that provides perfect peace, but by faith in Jesus Christ.  We confess our sins to Him, repent, receive forgiveness and access grace in which we stand.

God rejoices over one soul that repents, and we can also rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  How blessed we are who were once far from God because of our sins, yet have been brought near to God by His grace.  Inner peace is a fleeting mirage, and peace with God is what matters most to our spiritual growth and well-being.

16 March 2023

Christ Is All Good

As often as our predictions come to pass, there are countless times our expectations are unmet or even exceeded.  We expected prompt service and were disappointed to wait in a long queue, or we were pleased the traffic at peak-hour was surprisingly light.  There has been the person of high social rank who was very pleasant and friendly when we imagined they would be unapproachable.  Depending on the church you grew up in there might be an expectation the pastor's kid would be well-versed in scripture or a wayward prodigal.  I love the fact God's ways are higher than ours, and surprises that seem good or bad ought to remind us we are not Him and lay our preconceived expectations aside.

One such unexpected circumstance is found in 1 Kings 14 when the wife of idolatrous king Jeroboam wore a disguise as she sought to inquire of the prophet of God, Ahijah.  It is ironic Jeroboam worshipped idols yet sought counsel from the LORD when his son was ill.  Though Ahijah the prophet was physically blind, God prepared him before her arrival and provided insight so he could see through her disguise and give a word concerning the child's certain demise.  The reason might surprise you.  Ahijah said concerning the king's son Abijah in 1 Kings 14:12-13:  "Arise therefore, go to your own house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die. 13 And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he is the only one of Jeroboam who shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something good toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam."  Out of the wicked house of Jeroboam the child Abijah had genuine faith in the God of Israel.

Spurgeon preached a wonderful sermon on the subject, and this portion touched my heart:
"I want you first to consider the very singular fact which you cannot understand, that holy children should be often placed in ungodly families. God's providence has arranged it so, yet the consequences are painful to the young believer. You would think that if God loved a child he would not suffer it to be born unto Jeroboam's court, and that he would not send his own chosen down to be surrounded by everything that will grieve its tender heart; and yet God does send his dear children into such places. Why is this?

Well, first they are God's protest against sin where no other protest would be heard—a tender touching message from God to let the ungodly know that there is something better than the sin in which they wallow. Holy children are as angels and demons, by their innocence rebuking sin. Does not God send children there also to make a display of his divine grace, that we may see that he chooses whom he wills and takes one of a family according to his good pleasure? Does he not also show us that he can keep grace alive in the most unlikely places where all things war against the soul? The grace of God can live where you and I would die. The life of grace can continue under conditions, which threaten death. Some of the brightest and most gracious people have been found where there was nothing to keep them, but everything to hinder them. Does not the Lord permit this to show what his grace can do? and is it not intended to be an encouragement to each of us to be faithful? for if this dear child could be faithful to God with such a father and mother, and in such a court, ought you and I to be afraid? Oh, you big man, let a child shame you—you were afraid to speak out before your work-mates the other day! What a coward you must be, when this child displayed his love to the Lord God of Israel where all opposed!

Is it not remarkable how God distributes his people, as we scatter salt? He sets one of them down in each den of evil. Saul the king is a great rebel against God; but close at his side is Jonathan: thus the sweetest flower that ever bloomed is found growing near the roughest bramble that could be found. What a sty of filthiness was the court or Ahab! and yet he had for his chamberlain Obadiah, who hid the servants of God by fifties in a cave, and fed them from Jezebel's table; Nebuchadnezzar must not be left without three holy champions who can go into the fire for God. Look at Belshazzar drinking wine out of the cups of the sanctuary, and yet a Daniel is employed in his court. Even in the court of Ahasuerus, Esther is placed to confront that wicked Haman. Oh, I think there is never an Uz without a Job, nor a Chaldea without an Abraham, nor a Sodom without a Lot, nor an Egypt without a Moses, nor a house of Eli that has gone astray without some little Samuel sent of God to bear his protest. Think over the ways of God to man and admire what you cannot understand."

Amen!  Think over the ways of God and admire Him, for He does what we cannot predict or imagine.  When we were sinners deserving of death He sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, to pierce the darkness and bring life and liberty to all who believe.  He was pierced and wounded for our transgressions, and by His stripes we are healed.  We all went out of the way, yet Jesus has been sent as the Way, the Truth and the Life so we might know God, receive the Gospel and eternal life.  By God's grace He has ordained His people to be scattered throughout the world so His grace and goodness would be known by all.  Believers are compared to salt that keeps its savour, light that shines in darkness and the fragrance of Christ.  In Christ we can be exactly who God in His wisdom created us to be and flourish in His presence wherever He leads.

09 March 2023

The Will and Unbelief

A key element required to place faith in God is the submission of our will.  After being told by a parent what to do, a little boy might say, "I can't!" when the reality is he is unwilling to obey.  He could do simple tasks like putting a toy away, washing his hands, brushing teeth and going to bed, but his will remains in opposition to the command and will of his parents.  It is in this position many a grown, educated and intelligent person finds themselves.  It is not that there is not sufficient evidence of God's existence, but they have their own excuses why what can be plainly seen and known is irrelevant.  They do not agree with the concept of a sovereign, almighty God they will be held accountable to, and such prefer to sit in His seat of judgment to condemn Him as unjust, unloving and unfair.

Paul wrote in Romans 1:18-21:  "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened."  Whilst there is an abundance of scientific evidence that supports God's creation of the world, pitting facts against a heart hardened to God avails little.  There are certainly genuine seekers in the world who desire to know the truth, and there are others who obstinately refuse the truth because they do not agree with it or submit to it.  Dallas Willard puts the mentality of who Jesus called "lost" very well:
"They will find their place in the "outer darkness" of what Jesus spoke (Matthew 8:12).  but the fundamental fact about them will not be that they are there, but that they have become people so locked into their own self-worship and denial of God that they cannot want God...The ultimately lost person is the person who cannot want God.  Who cannot want God to be God.  Multitudes of such people pass by every day, and pass into eternity.  The reason they do not find God is that they do not want him or, at least, do not want him to be God.  Wanting God to be God is very different from wanting God to help me..."

We should be very sure that the ruined soul is not one who has missed a few more or less important theological points and will flunk a theological examination at the end of life.  Hell is not an "Oops!" or a slip.  One does not miss heaven by a hair, but by constant effort to avoid and escape God.  "Outer darkness" is for one who, everything said, wants it, whose entire orientation has slowly and firmly set itself against God and therefore against how the universe actually is.  It is for those who are disastrously in error about their own lives and their place before God and humanity." (Willard, Dallas. Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ. Form, 2021. Pages 55-56)

As we seek to lead others to saving faith in Jesus, we cannot overlook the power of the Holy Spirit to soften hearts, open eyes and the willingness of people to submit to Him.  Paul dealt with this issue of hardened hearts when he spent an entire day sharing scriptures concerning the kingdom of God and provided evidence Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah to Jews who willingly gathered for that purpose.  Some were convinced but others would not believe:  it was a matter of the will.  The NIV rendering of Paul's response is very insightful concerning their responsibility to choose to listen and receive the truth in Acts 28:25-27:  "They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet: 26 "'Go to this people and say, "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." 27 For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'"

Without faith in God as revealed in scripture, facts are regarded by the unbelieving as foolishness.  We, like Jesus and Paul, are called to speak the truth as led by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus came as the Light of the World into a world of darkness to seek and save the lost, and He has given His own life's blood so people might be redeemed.  Faith in Jesus is the only way to heaven and eternal life, and God does not prevent anyone from entering in His Way.  Only God can raise the spiritually dead to life eternal and bring those who are willing to submit to Him in faith out of darkness and into His marvelous light.  From Adam and Eve onward humanity is chronically bent into blaming God rather than accepting we are in the wrong and He is always right.  It isn't that God has obscured the truth, but people are unwilling and thus unable to receive it.

22 February 2023

Conflict Creates Opportunity

Conflict is a part of life and especially in our closest relationships.  Instead of seeing conflict as a bad thing to avoid at all costs. Myron Rush wrote this:  "One of the key ingredients to maintaining a cooperative relationship is the attitude that conflict is healthy and not something to be avoided.  Conflict creates an opportunity for us to know each other better and to serve each other more." (Rush, Myron, and Stanley C. Baldwin. Richer Relationships: Leader's Guide. Victor Books, 1983. page 121)  One of the reasons why we might want to avoid facing conflict head on is to avoid offending people we love and care about.  However, if we truly do love others and care for their needs, dealing with conflict directly in a loving manner demonstrates that fact.  My avoidance of conflict can be self-centered rather than loving others at all.

Jesus did not shy away from conflict when He spoke the truth in love.  He did not pander to His listeners by telling them what they wanted or expected to hear.  Even the disciples of Jesus did not understand or agree with what He said, like when Peter responded to Jesus with, "Not so, LORD!"  When Jesus conversed with the self-righteous Pharisees He exposed their hypocrisy--not to humiliate or embarrass them or make Himself look good--but to lovingly rebuke them so they might consider their sinful ways, repent and be forgiven.  As it was they blindly were headed to destruction and compelled others to follow them.  The conflict arose when they did not believe the claims of Jesus He was the Christ and were envious of His attraction to the people they desperately wanted to influence themselves.  Jesus came to save them from sin and death, yet they were determined to kill Him.  Conflict between them was inevitable.

After Jesus identified the Pharisees as those who drew near to God with their lips, whose hearts were far from God and thus worshipped Him in vain, they were incensed.  Matthew 15:12-14 states, "Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" 13 But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."  It is likely the disciples came to Jesus to inform Him of the Pharisee's offence because He did not give any impression it concerned Him.  The Pharisees avoided confronting Jesus publicly out of fear of losing face before the people.  Jesus, being God in the flesh, knew perfectly why the Pharisees were angry and offended over His remarks.  In His response to Peter Jesus was not apologetic or sorry, having spoken the truth of God's word with a heart of love and sincere care for others.

The reason for the offence of the Pharisees was because they were not planted by His Father, even as the tares were sown among the good seed by an enemy in the parable.  They were not to be preoccupied with trying to make peace with people with whom their could be no peace or unity, for they were of a different kind.  The Pharisee's offence of Jesus was not to be the concern of His disciples, for unbelief in Jesus had blinded them.  As blind leaders of the blind they would fall into a ditch shrouded in darkness, for they refused to acknowledge the Light of the World Who shone upon them.  The response of Jesus was not a callous, "Sorry, not sorry!" but pointed out the reason behind their offence and how their vain worship of God would lead to ruin.  Their offence and anger at Jesus made plain the hidden reality of hearts distant from God.

Because Christians are not Jesus, it is easy for us when facing conflict to fall into the snares of pride, selfishness, fear of man and frustration He expertly avoided at every turn.  Nothing Jesus ever said or did was regrettable or should He have apologised for, but there are countless times we should have repented when we justified ourselves.  We have been offensive and rude, not because we spoke the truth, but because we said it in a haughty, mocking manner or to make others look foolish.  We have avoided saying the truth because we knew it would be offensive and did not love others enough to meet their hypocrisy head-on, calling it what it is.  Thus we played the hypocrite despite knowing better!  The love of God and commitment to loving others means we can view conflict as an good opportunity to explore rather than something to selfishly avoid.  Because our eyes have been opened to see Jesus and receive His word, let us follow His leading to deal with conflict directly rather than sweeping it aside.  If others will stumble at Christ or fall into a ditch of offence, let it not be due to our lack of love or our sin.

07 February 2023

Obedience For Our Good

There is nothing more practical to living an abundant life than faith in Jesus Christ.  A problem arises when we reduce the reality of relationship with the living God to a selfish utilitarian exercise, that God exists primarily for our benefit than we do for His good pleasure.  Since our flesh is steeped in a humanistic and self-focused world, it is easy for worldly thoughts and feelings to have sway within us.  It is important to examine our motives in what we choose to do or avoid because there is a massive difference between action to earn blessing from God or actions because we are already blessed by God.

Some people put great emphasis on trying to explain why God's command "actually makes sense" according to modern science or medical discoveries.  I reject the premise that God's commands in Law of Moses were reasonable because they unwittingly benefited the Hebrews--for instance how their restrictive diet helped them avoid dangerous foods.  God is the God of reason and created man to do so, and thus every command of God is reasonable whether we understand how it benefits us or not.  God explicitly stated His commands were for the good of His people in Deuteronomy 10:12-13:  "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?"  Whether or not we can measure the benefit of obedience to God with scientific or medical data, it is always good for us to obey God.  Does God need a man to justify Him?

This draw to use a humanistic gauge concerning reasons for avoiding sin is also prevalent.  J. Vernon McGee observed in his commentary Thru the Bible:
"We sometimes get a wrong perspective of sin and our actions.  We think only of the effect that it is going to have.  There are many men and women in our churches who will not take a stand on certain issues.  Why?  Well, the little crowd they run with may not accept them.  They are with a little clique, and they don't dare stand for anything that the little clique wouldn't stand for.  It is never a question of whether it is right or wrong; it's a question of whether it ingratiates them to the crowd.  God have mercy on Christians who shape their lives by those who are around them and who are constantly looking for the effect their conduct is going to have on others.  They do not look on whether this is the right thing or the Christian thing or whether as a child of God this is something they should or should not do...It is a wonderful thing to stand for the truth, and when you stand for it, then you don't have to compromise." (McGee, J. Vernon. Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee. T. Nelson, 1983. page 140)

How sin negatively impacts our own lives can be a deterrent to sin, but it is not enough of a reason to change us; as Christians it ought not be our primary reason.  We miss the point if the main thing that restrains us from hitting a co-worker in a rage is because we want to avoid jail, or we cut down excessive alcohol drinking every night because we don't want to lose our job or have a spouse leave us.  It is true sinful behaviour has negative consequences, and on the flip side God's commands are for our good.  The child of God ought to obey God our Father in light of His goodness, righteousness, sovereignty, justice and wisdom rather than motivated by fear of personal, negative repercussions for our sinful violence or the embarrassment someone will find out we're an alcoholic.  God goes beyond the surface evidence of words and actions and hones in on the condition of our hearts we ought to submit in faith by obedience to Him.

By God's grace we can go beyond justifying why God's commands are sensible and beneficial to childlike faith--even when we suffer for it and obedience is costly.  In the fear and love of God we have the privilege to know Him and walk in His ways, to serve Him with our heart and all our being.  As we obey the word of God we are kept in the right way, and all God's commands are for our good.