The Wonder of God's Word

I am constantly amazed by the wisdom of God in His Word.  It is deeply profound, yet very simple.  The Bible is not so much something to be explained by men, but to be read, believed, and obeyed as the Holy Spirit teaches us.  How much of Christ's teachings oppose what man naturally thinks!  Take this teaching of Jesus found in Luke 16:10-13, for example:

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. ¹¹ Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?¹² And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?" ¹³ No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

In our natural state, we are convinced that we can be slack in the small things but faithful when it comes to what is most important.  Jesus says otherwise!  I have heard people say (and at time have even thought myself) something to the point of, "If I was in ministry as a job, I would pray a lot more and spend more time studying the Bible."  It doesn't work like that.  Unless one is praying, reading the Bible, and studying before he enters into ministry, his personal habits of devotion will not magically improve one day.  A pastor recently told me that the first thing he asks people who believe they are called to leadership is about their personal time with God.  A man's quiet time in communion is an indicator of spiritual health.  Plenty of people can prepare sermons and studies, but is the man who bends his knees daily before the Father whom God will use.

Jesus points out that our responsibility with financial resources is a little thing compared to the heavenly wisdom and knowledge He entrusts to man.  If I am not obedient to God in tithing, offerings, and faithfully spending within my means, what makes me think I can handle the riches of God obediently?  Verse 12 is a wonderful challenge.  How many times have I lent books never to receive them again, or when I do they are returned unread?  Borrowing a book and reading it promptly is a little thing.  But if we will not even read a borrowed book and or return it in damaged condition, what makes us think God will give unto us the treasures contained in His Word?  By not being responsible in the little areas, we have proved ourselves unworthy to handle greater things.

Finally, Jesus drops a bomb of heavenly wisdom to shatter our foolish perceptions in verse 13:  we cannot serve two masters.  How much of our lives have we spent trying to do just that?  We run back and forth between serving self and God, between trusting God or money.  Politicians and business executives know it is imperative in the world to serve many masters.  Jesus says otherwise!  He says that no man can serve two masters.  If a man is not actively serving the One True God, then he serves a lesser god - and that god is usually self.  Satan blinds men and takes them captive to do his will.  Many professing Christians think they are able to do what Jesus says no man can do:  a life of trying to serve two masters.  This is certainly not the life God intended man to live, and it leaves us with a bitter taste and gravel in our gums.

So I must examine myself:  am I being faithful in the areas some would say are insignificant?  Am I deceived to think I can serve two masters?  Am I truly surrendered to Jesus Christ in my life or am I living to please myself?  Praise God for His wisdom which He has revealed through Christ and His Word.  God wants to do more than challenge or confront us:  He wants us to be transformed through the renewing of our minds.  God, I invite this change:  transform me into your likeness, so I might live in the way which fully pleases you!

Fear the Holy God

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire."

Hebrews 12:28-29

Last night when driving home from church, I was reminded that God is a holy God.  He is flawless in character, beautiful in perfection, fierce, infinite in power, and a consuming fire.  Every example I can give in comparing God to man is woefully lacking.  He is like molten gold in comparison to dung, flowing lava that consumes chaff in an instant.  We are made of corruptible elements of earth, while God is unchanging, timeless, and a supernatural Spirit.  No man dare stand before Him, and only fools believe they can fool Him.  If a man should think twice about attacking the Leviathan mentioned in the book of Job, who can fight against God?

In a day when personal rights are embraced and protected more than ever, the pride and arrogance of man is ever increasing.  We stand up for our rights, freedoms of speech, and freedom of expression.  People carry signs, chant slogans, camp out in public, cover their mouths in duct tape, burn their bras, live in trees, and set themselves on fire to make their point.  Authority of any kind is met with fierce resistance because "We have rights!"  Courts are filled with cases where people have locked horns over the compensation they feel they rightfully deserve.  From children to corporate executives, greed is a chronic malady.  People are naturally selfish, stubborn, vengeful, and proud.

While man runs around fighting for his rights, standing up for himself while being steeped in sin, God is holy.  God does not operate like a democratic government that allows people to collect signatures to place an issue on the ballot.  God is absolute, and is absolutely holy.  He allows man to have his own will and do as he pleases.  Because He loves man and desires that none should perish, God gave man His unalterable laws.  Man is only condemned by God's law and proven a gross sinner.  Then God sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ revealed in the form of a man without reputation, and He laid down His life on Calvary so all who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  He rose from the dead, proving His power both over sin and death.  But God is still holy.  He still cannot abide with sin.  His holy nature is a consuming fire.  All who think they can approach a holy and righteous God in their sin are gravely mistaken.

After Joshua accompanied the children of Israel into the Promised Land, he said some interesting things.  Even though the Israelites were to serve only God, they still carried with them idols from the land of Egypt (Josh. 24:14).  Joshua rebuked the people, telling them they needed to choose whom they would serve.  Then he said something every person on the planet would do well to hear in Joshua 24:19-20:  "But Joshua said to the people, "You cannot serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. ²⁰ If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good."  We cannot serve God, nor be forgiven if we are living in sin.  He is a righteous, holy God.  If any man think he has something to offer God, hear again the word of the LORD:  "You cannot serve the LORD, for He is a holy God...He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins."

God cannot ignore sin.  His righteous character is a consuming fire which instantly ignites any chaff in His presence.  No Christian has the right to be in sin.  Moses wrote 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?"  God has requirements of His people and those He will save by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  Being washed with the blood of Jesus does not free us to pursue sin, but it condemns us because we knowingly trampled the blood of Jesus underfoot and have counted His sacrifice as rubbish (Heb. 10:26-31).

So what is to be done? 1 John 1:7-9 reads, "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Everyone has sinned, and the wages of sin is death.  Jesus reaches out to all men today with great love - not because it is our right - but out of His grace.  Here is the true picture of how God views humanity according to holiness and righteousness:  Romans 3:9-18 (NKJV) "What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. ¹⁰ As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; ¹¹ there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. ¹² They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one." ¹³ "Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips";¹⁴ "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." ¹⁵ "Their feet are swift to shed blood; ¹⁶ destruction and misery are in their ways; ¹⁷ and the way of peace they have not known." ¹⁸ "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

That is only half the picture.  Mankind is absolutely sinful, but God is absolutely good.  As fierce as His wrath burns towards sin, His gracious love towards man glows bright.  Jeremiah 31:3 says, "The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."  It is also written in 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17:  "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, ¹⁷ comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work."  We are sinners, and there is grace in God.  The way to receive of this grace is to repent and receive forgiveness for sins (Luke 24:47).  God promised in 2 Chronicles 7:14, "...if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."  As Christians we must repent, believe on the LORD Jesus, and then we can obey and serve Him.

If we want to go to heaven, then Christ is the only way (John 14:6).  Only His blood can wash away the stain of sin, and only He can provide the robe of righteousness needed to gain heavenly entry.  Even after receiving Christ, we have no rights as slaves - only God's grace as adopted sons.  Heed therefore the words of Romans 13:11-14:  "And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. ¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."  God has said "Be holy, for I am holy."  He's talking to me, and He's talking to you.

Wise Comparisons

In many cases, making comparisons is a path which leads to sin.  Comparing ourselves against others will move us to be self-righteous because we see ourselves as better.  We can also become envious and jealous because we don't measure up.  It is a product of our fallen nature:  humans delight in gossip, lies, back-stabbing, or cutting each other down with words.  When I am compared with another person in a positive light, I instantly feel uncomfortable.  I know it is only a matter of time before the same person compares me with another person negatively.  I find comparing is a hair's breadth from judging, something God tells us not to do.  Matthew 7:1-2 says, "Judge not, that you be not judged. ² For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."

Paul was clear in his words to the Corinthian church concerning the danger of unwise comparisons.  2 Corinthians 10:12 reads, "For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise."  When a man measures himself by himself, he begins and ends with diverse measures and weights.  What he perceives is not always the truth.  I might look back on aspects of my life where God has changed me greatly and I might be tempted to be self-assured.  There are also areas where I have not changed at all for the better, and areas of immaturity I am not even yet aware of.  Because I have seen improvements in some areas, I am not motivated to hold myself to a higher standard than my own - a scriptural standard.  I always ought to compare my life against the Word of God, not according to my perceived maturation.

The same thing is true when I measure myself against others.  My flesh can always find room for self-justification by the wrongs others do:  "At least I have never killed anyone!"  Comparisons lead to dissatisfaction with what God has done or provided, and can also give way to complacency.  On a practical level, what wife would be pleased if her husband was always bringing up how she compares with other women?  She would be continually worried that someone better than her might come along and thus she would become expendable.  If a woman's value is only a comparative value, where is the basis for love in the relationship?  Love keeps no record of wrongs but delights in the truth.  The truth is found in Proverbs 18:22:  "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD."  If we would look at our relationships through a scriptural lens, comparisons and judgments melt away.

The best and wisest comparisons are those which bring glory to God.  After Jesus healed a man who had been blind from birth, the religious leaders sought to accuse Jesus.  They brought before them the man who could now see to interview him concerning the miraculous change which had taken place.  John 9:24-25 reads, "So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner." ²⁵ He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see."  The religious leaders compared Christ according to the traditions of the elders and deemed Christ a lawbreaker.  They stood in judgment of Him even though Jesus had only done a good deed.  The blind man refused to take sides.  Instead, he simply held forth his condition before and after Christ.  "I don't know if He is a sinner or not.  One thing I know:  I was blind, but now I see."  That was a comparison which gave God the glory.

We have opportunities every day to remember the wonderful things God has done for us.  The children of Israel were once slaves in Egypt, but God delivered them and later brought them into the Promised Land.  I was once a judgmental Pharisee, but God changed my heart through the truth of His Word.  He brought me out of Valley of the Shadow of Death and has brought me safely into green pastures near still waters.  I used to be filled with wrath and vengeance, but God has restored my soul by His grace.  Instead of comparing ourselves with ourselves or against others, may we align our lives according to the truth of scripture.  Let us make wise comparisons which give glory to God!

The Sin of Accommodation

"Now Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh up from the City of David to the house he had built for her, for he said, "My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places to which the ark of the LORD has come are holy."

2 Chronicles 8:11

Solomon was a man endowed with great wisdom from God.  Unlike most men, his wisdom lessened with age.  After God granted his request for wisdom to govern God's people, the report of his great wisdom reached far and wide.  But as he grew in affluence and power in a land without war, he let his guard down.  Moral lapses gave way to abominable idolatry.  He multiplied wives and horses to himself, and ended being a great fool because he ceased to seek after God with all his heart, soul, and mind.

Most of us have heard about sins of commission (sin willfully committed) and omission (good left undone).  One of the ways we justify sin is when we grant sin accommodation.  Marrying the daughter of Pharaoh was good politics, but a transgression of God's laws.  Solomon knew this in his heart.  He justified his marriage to a foreign woman contrary to the Law by building a special house for her.  He knew his marriage with the daughter of Pharaoh was an unholy one, but he accommodated his sinful relationship by keeping that part of his life carefully compartmentalised - or so he thought!

Keeping up appearances was more important to Solomon than simple obedience to God.  He continued to multiply wives and concubines to himself while he pursued greater building projects of great beauty.  Enormous tax revenue, tribute, and unfathomable riches poured year by year into his treasury.  Nations all around sent gifts and accolades as Jerusalem entered into a time of unprecedented peace and wealth.  In the beginning of Solomon's reign he was as David, but at the end of his reign he looked more like King Saul.  1 Kings 11:4 & 6 reads, "For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David...⁶ Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not fully follow the LORD, as did his father David."  Accommodation of sin led to disloyalty and evil deeds in the sight of God.  Because of this, God stirred up adversaries against Solomon and ripped away 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel to be ruled by his servant, Jeroboam.  Instead of repenting, Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam - just like King Saul had done to his father David.

This tragic tale is repeated over and over to this day.  The scenery is different, but the hearts of men are still as deceitful and desperately wicked as ever.  Solomon did not reject God's ways in a day, but it was a slow slide during his reign of 40 years, deliberately departing from the wise truth which he received from the mouth of God.  If Solomon, the wisest of men was not able to abide in the wisdom which he knew, what hope is there for us?  The only hope man has is found in the person of Jesus Christ.  He has become wisdom and righteousness for us (1 Cor. 1:30-31).  We must be cautious that we never grant accommodation for sin.  It is imperative that we check our lives continually against God's righteous standard as revealed in scripture and heed the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  This is why Paul exhorted in 2 Corinthians 13:5:  "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are disqualified."  No one would expect that a physical exam undergone 20 years ago is adequate for today.  Daily we are called to examine ourselves so we might walk in the way which fully pleases God.

Beware of the slippery slope of sin accommodation.  It has cast down many wounded, and all were strong men.  Some of the most wise who ever lived are numbered among the willing victims.  Paul prays according to God's will for your life when he relates his desire in Colossians 1:10-14:  "...that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; ¹¹ strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; ¹² giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. ¹³ He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."  Let us abide in Christ, making no provision for the flesh.  In Jesus is abundant life!

Baseball Story continued...

A few months back I shared how God had blessed me with an opportunity to play baseball.  After suffering a shoulder injury and not making the school team at 15 years old, I walked away from the game for good - so I thought.  21 years later, I had no idea that I would be called by God to be a pastor, move to Australia, or take up the game of baseball.  My first season back in the game playing for the Rouse Hill Wildcats came to a wonderful conclusion Saturday as we beat the Castle Hill Knights in the Grand Final 15-5.  We are the "premiers" of the Sydney Metro Baseball league, H-Grade.  Much of our team had never played baseball before, much less play in a Grand Final.  Here's a team picture, each of us with our engraved trophy mugs - complete with a handle!

Left to right: Randall, myself, Gav, Liam, Cam, Keith, Trav, Paul, Donna (scorer), Kyle, Pete, Pat, and Stacy

 I thank my teammates for a great season, and most of all I thank God for enabling me to be a part of a team in a sport I never thought I'd play again.  Less than two years ago my throwing shoulder hurt so bad I could not even perform a single push-up, and to think I pitched for a complete-game win in a Grand Final is nothing short of miraculous!  Thanks be to God for His healing touch and all glory, honour, and praise goes to Him.  I would say it has been a magical season, but magic had nothing to do with it:  it is all of God's grace.

A Life Without Repentance

Repentance is a theme which has been running through my mind for the last month or so.  This morning in prayer the LORD showed me PVC fittings and pipes for irrigation in my mind.  I found this most bizarre.  Why would I suddenly be thinking of irrigation?  As I prayed for wisdom and understanding I thought back to when I laid the pipes to irrigate my front yard.  After I dug trenches according to my set of drawings to the prescribed depth, I began to fit the pipes together without glue.  When every length of pipe had been cut, after every coupling, elbow, riser, and sprinkler head was in place, I began to glue the pieces together.

The glue was a dark blue colour, suitable for wet or dry applications.  In a very short time the glue set strong enough to handle the water pressure.  But the way the glue is applied is key.  Glue must be liberally applied to the inside of the coupling as well to the clean-cut end of the pipe.  Quickly the pieces must be pressed fully into each other and turned a quarter turn.  The glue will ooze from the new joint, fusing the plastic pieces together as one.  If glue is applied incorrectly, or if the water is turned on before the connection is set, the pipe will leak.  The leaking connection must be cut out and then the whole process starts over.

God showed me that a lack of repentance in a believer's life is similar to the pipes being laid without the glue.  The job may look complete when no water is pressurising the system, but as soon as the water is turned on the system will be revealed as full of leaks and rendered useless.  What is Christianity without complete, continual repentance?  Since Christ is our strength, what strength could we possible have if we willfully pursue the desires of our flesh without repentance?  Another way to cut corners is to dry-fit the pipes and glue the point of connection from the outside.  This gives the appearance of being properly glued, but any amount of pressure and the connection will fail.  We can appear repentant from the outside, but God knows the heart.  Only a little bit of pressure from the world or the flesh will reveal to us how weak and sinful we really are.  The only way for the system to work is to completely and properly glue every single joint.

Repentance is a funny thing.  We can be fooled into thinking that once we have repented, we need not repent any more.  But how many times did I have to repair leaks in sprinkler heads, valves, and unions!  How many times did areas need to be dug up and re-addressed because the turf had built up around the heads or the pressure reducer shut off entirely!  Just because the pipes were covered with dirt didn't mean that the system did not need to be carefully maintained.  Our lives, in the same way, need to be maintained daily with repentance for our sins.  Galatians 5:19-21 reads, "Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."  Is there anything on this list that is a current issue for you?  If we practice such things without repentance - a change of mind, a change of heart, and a change of direction/lifestyle - we will not inherit the kingdom of God.

So what is to be done?  Only God by His grace can enable a man to repent in truth (Acts 11:18).  Jesus says in Revelation 3:19, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent."  We must be born again through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  Then we must choose to put off the deeds of our old flesh nature, be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and put on the new man according to God's Word.  I close with Paul's exhortation in Ephesians 4:20-32:  "But you have not so learned Christ, ²¹ if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: ²² that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, ²³ and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. ²⁵ Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. ²⁶ "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷ nor give place to the devil. ²⁸ Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. ²⁹ Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you."

Hearing God

As I was reading through the book of Numbers last night, I came to the portion where Moses commanded the people to keep the Passover at the appointed time:  the 14th day of the first month.  Men approached Moses with an important question.  Certain men had been deemed unclean by the Law because they had come in contact with a dead body.  However, they desired to keep the feast and offer the appropriate sacrifice to the LORD - but were unclean.  Numbers 9:8 reads, "And Moses said unto them, "Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you."  God spoke to Moses and told him that those deemed unclean under ceremonial Law could keep the Passover on the 14th day of the second month, as long as it was carried out in precisely the same way as it should have been done a month earlier.

What struck me about the passage were the words of Moses when faced with this dilemma.  If I was in a situation like Moses, I would have said something like:  "I'll ask God about that in prayer and see what He says."  But Moses said, "Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you."  Moses recognized that God already knew the situation.  He didn't need to explain the whole background concerning these men before God.  God was fully aware of their need for wisdom and guidance even before asking.  Jesus says in Matthew 6:8, "...For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him."  Sometimes we fall into the trap of thinking we need to inform God of what is going on in our world, even as the disciples rushed to Jesus in the midst of the storm saying, "Don't you care that we are perishing?"  Jesus knew.  It was only in desperation they would cry out for His aid and then He could work miracles.

The second thing which captured my attention is the Hebrew word translated "hear" in this instance.  It is "shama," which in the Strong's Concordance is described as:  "to hear intelligently, often with implication of attention and obedience."  This word is also translated in the KJV as:  "hear," "hearken," "obey," "publish," and "understand."  It carries the idea of carefully hearing with the purpose and intent to obey fully the directive given.  Throughout our days we hear a lot of things.  We don't believe, trust, or obey everything we hear because that would be foolish.  We immediately sort out what directives we will heed and what we will ignore.  It is a very dangerous place to be when we do the same with what God says.  Only disaster will follow those who read God's Word and pick and choose what they will "hear."

How often do we not hear God speaking because we are not listening!  We do not stand still to hear what God says, but rush about and walk according to the way which seems right to us at the time.  The scripture says that there is a way which seems right to a man, but the end of it is death.  We also read that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God.  How critical it is to stand still and hear God's voice with intent to fully obey.  Let us say someone has asked you for advice.  You offer them wise counsel which they decide to ignore completely.  After this cycle is repeated over and over, at some point you will withhold your wisdom from such a fool who has no intention to act according to your word.

We have all been that fool with God.  God does not offer advice:  He offers divine wisdom and knowledge from His infinite stores.  God holds forth righteous judgments and commands according to His character.  He plainly says what is the right and wrong way for a man to live in relation to God and others.  Jesus has become wisdom for all who believe, as it says in 1 Corinthians 1:30.  Jesus says of the Holy Spirit whom has now been sent in John 16:13:  "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."  We should not take the written Word of God nor the promptings of the Holy Spirit "with a grain of salt," but see them in truth as the words of life:  words which must be obeyed.

Romans 11:33 says, "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!"  He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.  It is time for us to seek the LORD, stand still, and hear what He says with intent to obey.  It is in this place where we discover His perfect will.

Who's Your Master?

When people think about slavery, a variety of thoughts and feelings are invoked.  In the United States, the fight over slavery is one that affected the whole nation.  Quoting history.com, "In 1865, the U.S. House of Representatives passes the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery in America. The amendment read, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude...shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." It is not uncommon to meet people to this day whose ancestors were either slaves or slave owners.  Some people are shocked that slavery still exists in many forms in the world today.  The truth is, slavery is as prevalent, oppressive, and destructive as it has ever been in the world's history.

Consider these excerpts from Webster's Dictionary (1828 edition) concerning the the noun "slave:"  1) A person who is wholly subject to the will of another; one who has no will of his own, but whose person and services are wholly under the control of another; 2) One who has lost the power of resistance; or one who surrenders himself to any power whatever; as a slave to passion, to lust, to ambition."  We often think of slavery as when a person is either sold, acquired, or forced to work against their will for nothing to show for it but their life.  Slaves are not paid and are denied rights and freedoms others enjoy.  There is a slavery more sinister than being sold like an ox at an auction and working for a cruel master:  the slavery of sin.  Satan and sin are cruel masters which lead to eternal death.

In our natural state every man is sinful, "sold under sin."  Even as wicked Haman had condemned the Jews to die, so sin has doomed every person who draws breath.  All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  We are either slaves of God or Satan.  You might say, "Wait a second!  I don't even believe in Satan!  How can I be serving him?"  "Warlock" Jack Malebranche, a member of the Church of Satan in an interview shown during "Way of the Master" episode 19 explained, "On a certain level, Satan is a part of ourselves that we tap into. When we say, "Hail Satan!" to a certain extent, I'm saying, "Hail me!"  Jesus says in John 8:34, "...Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin."  If you have sinned, than you are therefore a slave to sin.  If I live for myself, I sow to the flesh and will of the flesh reap corruption.  The wages of sin is death, eternal separation from God in the torments of hell.

But God in His mercy, made a way for slaves to be set free - even under the Old Covenant!  In Leviticus 25, we read how a kinsman could redeem a slave from slavery.  Leviticus 25:48-49 reads, "...After he is sold he may be redeemed again. One of his brothers may redeem him; ⁴⁹ or his uncle or his uncle's son may redeem him; or anyone who is near of kin to him in his family may redeem him; or if he is able he may redeem himself."  No one is able to redeem himself from the power of sin and death.  In His love, the Father sent the Son as a Redeemer, not only for His Jewish countrymen, but to be the sacrifice for sin for all who believe throughout the world!  John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  Jesus instituted the New Covenant in His blood so all who repent, place their faith in Him, and become His disciples shall be given eternal life through Him.

Everyone in this world is a slave.  We may not have been bought or sold with money, but we are either slaves of sin or righteousness.  Romans 6:16 states, "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?"  Who is your master?  This question cannot be answered with words:  only your thoughts, actions, and life will provide an adequate answer.  Jesus says in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."  Today is the day of decision.  Choose to serve God, for He is a worthy LORD and Master who rules with love.

Ready for the Storm?

No matter how much warning is given, inevitably people are not ready for when disaster strikes.  There are times without number I have seen interviews of people talking about their near brush with death because they did not evacuate in time to ensure their safety.  Whether speaking of a tsunami, flood, fire, hurricane, there is a common phrase said by those interviewed:  "It just happened so fast.  We didn't have any time."  Please don't misunderstand my point:  many times tornadoes, earthquakes, or fires can be so fierce and unexpected that there was not even enough time to jump into the bathtub.  I don't want to trivialize or appear to blame victims in any way for being swept up in a disaster.

But the brutal irony is that in some disasters which require rescue or some lose their lives, time was actually on the side of the victims.  Their death was preventable, had they heeded warnings in a timely manner.  In some cases, warnings of severe weather patterns were broadcasted many days before the storm hit land.  There was plenty of time for filling sandbags, boarding up windows and doors, and loading up the car.  The government sends messages telling people they must evacuate.  Patrol cars drive up and down streets blaring the warning of the imminent disaster from patrol cars.  In extreme cases, officers walk up to every door to ensure the message is heard loud and clear:  the storm is coming, it is bad, and time is running out.

There always seems to be some people who disregard the warnings and decide to "ride out the storm."  When the fire is roaring towards a home, some choose to stay to fight back the flames from their doorstep with a garden hose.  Others delay because they are unsure if the warning is valid.  Perhaps they had evacuated once before only to have the hurricane miss their area completely.  Just like people question the warnings of the government and weather service, people question the warnings in the Word of God.  Hebrews 9:27 says, "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment..."  Every person of the seed of Adam will certainly face death because of the consequence of sin.  For this reason king Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. ¹⁴ For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil."  Every man will be judged not according to his own relative standard, but according to God's standard of perfect righteousness.  Romans 6:23 teaches us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  One sin damns a man to hell for eternity, because it is a grave act of rebellion and wickedness before a holy God.

I am convinced that there are professing believers and proud heathens alike who will be snatched into an eternity in hell quite unexpectedly.  The warnings had been broadcast, the message had been played over and over to the point where people weren't affected any more.  In their heart they say, "Time is on my side" and do nothing concerning their eternal salvation.  But who can know when their soul will be required of them?  What does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul?  There are plenty of people who call themselves Christians who will experience the fires of hell because they have been tricked by the deceitfulness of sin.  They sow to the flesh, reap of the flesh corruption, yet think because they said a prayer, believe in God, and read a Bible they are saved.

When Jesus wrote the letter to the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22, He revealed their true condition.  They were convinced they were living righteously, honouring God, and glorifying Him.  Their wealth and health was a testimony of God's favour because He approved of them.  They were deceived, being far from God.  Revelation 3:17-20 reads, "Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. ¹⁹ As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. ²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."  God has given us His Word, prophets, teachers, each person his own conscience, and sent Jesus to be the Saviour of the world and shine bright in the darkness.

Think of it!  A storm of judgment is coming for those who practice sin in the church, for such shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21)!  The patrol cars have blared the warning, and see the blackened clouds building off the coast!  Last of all, Jesus Himself knocks at the door, calling out, seeking to save those who are lost.  He offers Himself as a sacrifice for sin so all might repent, believe on Him, and live for Him.  If you will not respond to the warnings of scripture or Jesus Christ Himself, how can you be saved - you who are like those in Laodicea?  Will you even now lay hold of the promise in Hebrews 9:27-28:  "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation."

Are you eagerly waiting for Jesus Christ?  Or drunk with sin do you say, "Not yet, O LORD."  Praise God that He is patient and faithful.  Time rushes away at the speed of a cyclone.  Will you listen to the words of Jesus Christ and build your life upon Him as your Rock of Salvation and follow Him to the end?  Or will you build upon the sinking sand of worldly desires and aspirations?  Jesus says it best in Matthew 7:21-27:  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' ²³ And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' ²⁴ "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: ²⁵ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: ²⁷ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

A Broken Vessel

In Gene Edward's book A Tale of Three Kings, he shows how God breaks a man before He uses Him.  David is cited as a chief example of a broken man and the means God uses to break men:  circumstances, people, being misunderstood and wrongly judged.  On Wednesday night I heard a message on brokenness.  A man who is self-assured, self-confident, and self-reliant is unfit for use in the hands of the Master Potter.  There is no salvation in self, only destruction.  God is wise, loving, and good to break us from what kills us.

As pastor Drew preached from the Word concerning Moses and Peter, he used a clay pot smashed by a hammer to illustrate the breaking process.  Moses was raised as a prince in Pharaoh's house and had all the benefits of royalty, while his countrymen toiled under harsh oppression in Egypt.  God used being misunderstood by the Israelites, fleeing for his life from Pharaoh after killing an Egyptian, and 40 years of tending the sheep of his father-in-law to break him.  Peter was a confident, brave man whom Jesus called to follow Him.  Peter was humiliated by denying Jesus Christ after bragging that he would face prison and even die for Jesus.  Moses and Peter are numbered among those men and women of faith whom God shattered before He could use for His glory.

A point of emphasis which I appreciated in the message is that breaking is not a one time thing.  The milestones along the path of Christian experience for me are the points of breaking, not the points when I stood in church, came forward for prayer, or raised my hand in response to an invitation in a service.  I have been broken by my own sin and grave offense before God, broken by death of loved ones, broken by being deceived and lied to, broken by hurtful words and betrayal, broken through the power of God's Word and Holy Spirit, and broken through witnessing the pain of others.  The ways that God breaks a person are all ordained by God to accomplish His purposes for our good and His glory.  If we believe that God is supreme over all, we cannot fault His means or methods.  When God breaks a man, that is an Ebeneezer stone along our path towards eternity in Christ:  that is where God most helped us.  Brokenness is the only way to completion and sanctification in Christ.

God says in Jeremiah 23:29:  "Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?"  Whether the hammer that breaks us is a devastating illness, people, betrayal, being misunderstood, slander, bigotry, or Satan himself, we need to recognize that it is simply a tool in God's hands.  When we are broken, a temptation is the resent or hate the tool God uses.  Instead of hating God or the implement He chooses to use, we must determine to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength.  What did Paul say?  Romans 8:28 reads, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."  Faith in God and recognition of His guiding hand brings comfort even in the midst of trials.  When our broken bones are being set back in place, God holds us closely and whispers sweet comforts to our hearts.  Our pain is overshadowed by the healing in His wings, the love from which nothing or no one can separate us from.

Romans 8:35-39 reads, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." ³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  There is only one person who can separate you from the love of God:  you!  You can choose to reject this love, this healing balm which God freely has given to us through Jesus Christ.  We can wallow in our pain, lash out in anger, and flee from the hand of God because we do not trust Him.  We resent Him for allowing suffering.  We can become bitter, cynical, jaded, hateful, and filled with self-pity.  But God's love remains.  It is an active love which pursues all wandering, fleeing, failed men to their graves.  It is a sacrificial love revealed in Jesus Christ as He died for our sins on the cross.

God didn't leave His love for man in the heavens, but sent Jesus so His love could be revealed and received by all who are willing.  Broken bones grow back stronger, and faith in God and our love for Him is strengthened when God breaks us.  Instead of hating the instrument He chooses or the means He uses, may we receive His love and love Him with all our heart, soul, and strength.  Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy!

Back from New Zealand

This morning Drew and I returned from a four-day jaunt to New Zealand to speak at the Calvary Chapel Bible Institute.  It was a blessing as we enjoyed the fellowship of Jesus Christ with staff and students alike.  It is a wonderful privilege to catch a small glimpse of what God is doing in another part of the globe.

My first impression when flying into New Zealand was lush, green beauty.  Ironically, the Bible Institute is located directly across the street from a thermal pool and spa resort called, "Hell's Gate."  On one side of the road people are spreading their beliefs concerning Ruaukoto, the Maori god of earthquakes and volcanic activity, while on the other side people are teaching the Good News of Jesus Christ, the One True God.  The demons worshiped by the Maori people have great power and influence over man, but the Almighty God is both Creator and Supreme Ruler.  Demons can copy God to a fixed point He ordains and deserve no worship.  2 Samuel 22:7-9 reads, "In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry entered His ears. ⁸ "Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, because He was angry. ⁹ Smoke went up from His nostrils, and devouring fire from His mouth; coals were kindled by it."

Not only did we enjoy several wonderful days at the Bible Institute, but we were treated to an afternoon of walking through the city of Rotorua.  One of the things I wanted to do was drink an "L & P," which is "world-famous in New Zealand."  In May of 2009 in Brisbane was the last and only time I had previously enjoyed the drink.  After Drew and I had ice cream (I chose "dark chocolate raspberry and chili" which I highly recommend) we walked around, handed out some Gospel tracts, and spoke with folks from Calvary Chapel Rotorua.  The anointing of the Holy Spirit permeated our evening, and we rejoiced in the grace and greatness of our God.

Our prayers for a safe return to Australia were answered, and I am happy to be back in the land of OZ.  As I shared with both students and staff of my testimony concerning God's call and faithfulness to me and my family in Australia, it reaffirmed how good and gracious God has been.  How blessed and privileged we are to be broken by Him so He can heal and use us for His glory.  Over and over He bids us trust in Him, for He shall bring His perfect will to pass.  Rejoice in the LORD, believer, wherever God has you now.  Give no room for impatience!  Instead, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.  Be faithful, even as God is faithful.  He will establish His Word!

When the Devil says no...but God says yes!

Every Christian knows we are pitched in a spiritual battle.  Our flesh, Satan, and the world under his sway resist and rage against obedience to Jesus Christ and the Word of God.  It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit and faith in Christ that we can overcome.  Though our awareness or sensitivity to this battle against satanic wickedness and obedience to God might at times be muted, other times we become acutely aware of how much the devil hates God and all those who trust in Him.

Jesus was condemned and crucified an innocent man, though He had only always done what had pleased the Father.  After He rose from the dead and ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit was sent to fill and come upon Christ's faithful followers to instruct and empower them to live for God's glory.  Men who once cowered behind closed doors for fear of reprisal from the religious leaders boldly preached Christ crucified and risen.  On one occasion Peter and John were arrested because they preached publicly after performing a notable miracle in the name of Jesus.  The religious leaders severely threatened them if they decided to ever preach in the name of Jesus Christ again.  In their presence Peter and John said, "Whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather than God, you judge.  We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."

Later Peter, John, and other believers gathered for prayer.  This portion of their prayer is written in Acts 4:29-31:  "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." ³¹ And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness."  God doesn't just rattle the gates of hell:  He crushes them to powder so the captives might be set free.  Instead of making concessions to the enemy of their souls, through God Satan was cast under their feet as they boldly proclaimed the Word of God.

A day will come for every Christian when the devil says "No!" because you are close to encroaching upon his territory.  We can choose to be afraid of Satan and run and hide.  We can be like the Israelites when confronted with the giant Goliath, who cowered in fear in the false hope he would just be quiet and go away.  Or we can respond with the boldness of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah because His perfect love casts out all fear.  It is in this moment that God is testing us:  will we respect the "No!" of the prince of this world or obey the "Yes!" of the Almighty God, Creator of All?  Let us make a stand in obedience for righteousness.  Jesus says in Luke 12:4-5:  "And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. ⁵ But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!"

Unveiled Face

Last night I was reading in Exodus 34 about how Moses communed with God on Mt. Sinai as God wrote the 10 Commandments for a second time upon tablets of stone.  After 40 days, Moses descended from the mount, carrying the two tablets inscribed with the finger of God.  Unbeknown to Moses, his face literally shone from the time he spent in the presence of God.  This frightened the people, even Aaron his brother, to the point that he needed to cover his face with a veil when addressing the people.  Otherwise no one would come near him!  Exodus 34:33-35 explains, "And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. ³⁴ But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. ³⁵ And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him."  Moses veiled his face to speak with the people, and removed the veil when speaking with God.

When Moses veiled his face, it was practical.  As we look at this veiling in light of scripture, we see it is also symbolic and highly significant.  In the tabernacle, there was a thick veil which separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies, the most holy place where the Spirit of God dwelt above the mercy seat.  No man but the high priest on the Day of Atonement could enter the most holy place without dooming himself to certain death.  When Jesus atoned for the sins of the world through His shed blood, crying out "It is finished!", this same veil was torn top to bottom, exposing the most holy place to all.  From God to man, an invitation to divine communion through the shed blood of Jesus Christ by grace to faith had been offered to all.

Paul relates in 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, "Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech-- ¹³ unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴ But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. ¹⁵ But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. ¹⁶ Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

Isn't this a wonderful truth?  Because of Christ, we no longer need to read scripture with hearts obscured, even as Moses covered his face when he spoke to the people.  Because the Holy Spirit has indwelt and filled Christians, we can approach God with unveiled face in prayer, read the scriptures with understanding and clarity as the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth, and speak with unveiled face to our fellow men, sinners who are heading to their eternal destruction - even as we once were.  When we turn to the LORD, the veil is taken away!  If we turn to religion, the opinions of men, legalism, or walk in disobedience without repentance, our veil remains.

Sometimes we can drift far from God, though we have long been Christians.  We try to retrace our steps to where we went off the track, even like Pilgrim in Bunyan's allegory.  The trouble is Satan's lies, our limited understanding, and our own sins blind us to the right path.  When we try to retrace our steps, we sink deeper in the slough of sin, strangled by our own theology, and lose all hope we will ever find our way back to Jesus Christ.  Forget retracing your steps:  turn to the LORD!  Come to Jesus today as you came to him in simplicity in faith at the beginning.  Come to Jesus as if you have never known Him truly until now.  Confess your sins, repent, and trust Jesus Christ and God's Word.  Allow Him to remove the veil from your face and heart and set your feet once again on the narrow path which leads to victory and eternal glory.

Jeremiah 6:16 says, "Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' "  Jesus revealed Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  The way to eternal life is not through failed attempts to keep the Law of Moses or beating yourself up for your faults, but to repent and trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour.  Victory does not come from theological wranglings, but atonement and redemption spring only through the shed blood of the Messiah.  Jesus affirmed this truth in Matthew 11:29 when He said, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."  A groom does not kiss his bride through the veil, but lifts it to reveal her face.  He does this to demonstrate affection through a kiss without any obstruction.  Allow Christ to remove the veil so you might commune with Him with unveiled face and realize, like never before, how much He loves you.

Digging Deep?

In recent decades much emphasis has been placed on the ease and simplicity of receiving eternal salvation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The downside of this is a neglect of preaching repentance and the necessity of living wholly for God.  People used to agonize in repentance for months with many tears before receiving salvation, and today people quickly raise a hand while all heads are bowed.  The devil would much rather us make church attenders than disciples of Jesus.  He would be happy for people to have their heads crammed with theology and doctrines rather than simple obedience to love God, love others, and make disciples of all nations.

Servants serve.  Service involves sacrifice and work.  Jesus is the One who said, "If any man come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23).  That sounds like a huge life adjustment for most people.  No man should come to Christ so he might have a better life:  we come to Jesus to obtain eternal life.  I did not come to Jesus so I could be happy:  I have come to Christ to receive forgiveness and righteousness through faith in Him.  And I have never been so happy! 

This morning I read Luke 6:46-48:  "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? ⁴⁷ Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: ⁴⁸ He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock."  Jesus has shown His love for the world by coming to earth and putting on human flesh.  He proved it through His dying on the cross while we were all yet sinners.  If a man come to Christ, hears His words, and walks in obedience, Jesus compares such a one to a man who digs deep and lays a foundation upon the rock.

Digging is very hard work.  After a few minutes of vigorous digging with pick and shovel, my keyboarding hands blister and bleed.  Notice that the rock upon which the house is founded is not on the surface of the ground.  This man must dig deep to find the rock.  If we tell people "Only believe!  Jesus has done it all for you!" this is both true and false.  It is true that Jesus once and for all died on the cross for the sins of the world and rose from the dead, defeating death.  In my sinful condition, neither me nor my "good works" can forgive my debt or free me from the condemnation of my sin.  The falsehood lies in that I am still responsible for repenting and receiving of Christ's atoning sacrifice.  I must choose to confess my sin, repent, and place my faith in Jesus Christ, trusting that His shed blood cleanses me from all sin according to scripture.

It is a rare thing indeed to find precious stones and gems lying on the ground without mining.  It is rarer still to find a disciple of Jesus Christ who has "only believed" and walks in complete victory - without digging deep in the Word of God, having allowed the Holy Spirit to pare away besetting sins.  Unless expansive soil and clay is properly amended, even a foundation of concrete and steel will heave and crack.  Contractors have learned it is critical to dig deep and amend the soil with sand before a concrete foundation is poured.  But in this ever shifting world we live, spiritually speaking amending the soil is not enough:  we must dig until we reach the Rock of Salvation, Jesus Christ.  We must toss aside the river rocks of religion, and dig through the stubborn clay of our flesh.  A change in behaviour does not mean that real spiritual transformation has taken place.  That is why Paul exhorts in Philippians 2:12-13:  "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."

Do you desire true wisdom?  Jesus is for us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30-31).  The spiritual principle Paul holds forth in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 is this:  "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat."  Unless a man is willing to gather up his own manna, he should not expect to receive the nutritional benefits.  Show me a professing Christian who does not labour in the Word, and I will show you a defeated, unfounded, confounded man.  Owning a shovel does not mean a man has used it, and owning a Bible does not mean you have studied it.  Reading and studying are not the same thing.  If we do not labour to dig into in the Word we are not drawing near to Jesus, we are not hearing His words, and therefore we cannot know to do them.  Ignorance is a poor covering for this sin of negligence, a sin I too have been guilty of committing.

Hear again the words of Jesus:  "Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: ⁴⁸ He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock."  Security and strength is conditional both upon the character of God and my obedience.  No one can snatch me out of God's hand nor separate me from the love of God.  But it is up to me to dig deep and build my life upon the Rock.  I must draw near, hear the Word, obey, and abide in Christ.  Keep digging until you hit the Rock!

A Cake Unturned

People acquainted with me know that I enjoy cooking, especially baking.  From when I was relatively young, my mom taught me how to make pancakes and waffles from scratch.  Since then my love for baking and sharing with others (not to mention eating!) has continued to grow.  Some days I will simply open my Betty Crocker cookbook for inspiration and make something I've never made before.  The house favorites these days are pancakes, Wacky chocolate cake, pineapple upside-down cake, sour cream coffee cake, and lava cake.  It's shocking with all those cakes I can still fit into my pants!  To tweak a quote my Grandpa says affectionately about "Ol' Uncle August, a Lutheran minister who only lived to be 96, he preached moderation:  one cake at a time."

Last night I was reading to our family from Hosea and was intrigued by Hosea 7:8:  "Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake unturned."  God had commanded his people not to adopt the abominable and idolatrous practices of the nations around them.  They were not to intermarry with people who did not fear the LORD or keep His Word.  Because Israel had been disobedient to this command and had been integrated among the heathen nations, God compared them to a "cake unturned."  What they called cakes we would likely call flatbread.  This might seem like a silly or even ridiculous analogy.  But when I took a moment to meditate upon the passage, how true it is!

Unlike today where most baking is done in electric or gas ovens, in Bible times people commonly cooked over a fire.  Those who bake know temperature control in an oven is very important.  I purchased a special thermometer for inside my oven because scorched baked goods revealed the temperature on the dial did not match the internal temperature!  Too low a temperature leads to rubbery cakes that do not rise properly, and too hot scorches the top which conceals a raw center.  Can you imagine trying to cook a cake over a fire without turning it over?  The bottom would burn black and stick to the pan, while the top would be raw and runny.  If you chipped out this cake and threw it to the dogs they would likely just sniff at it and walk away!  A cake unturned is a useless waste of good ingredients.  All the potential for a wholesome, delicious cake was there.  Neglect in baking properly led to a total culinary disaster.

The tribe of Ephraim were part of God's chosen people, the children of Israel.  Ephraim and Manasseh were a unique couple of "half-tribes," because they were descendants of Joseph, son of Israel.  After Joseph was raised as a ruler in Egypt, he had Ephraim and Manasseh.  Before his death, Israel (originally known as Jacob) adopted Joseph's two sons as his own and gave them an inheritance in place of Joseph among his other eleven sons.  In a similar way, Gentiles (non-Jews) have been grafted into the family of God through the New Covenant in Christ's blood.  If we confess our sins, repent, and trust in Jesus Christ as LORD and Saviour who was sent by God to seek and save the lost, we are accepted into the beloved (Eph. 1:6).  By grace through faith, we are regenerated by the Holy Spirit (born again), and He takes up residence within us.  The power which raised Christ from the dead now lives in every believer, guiding, empowering, and teaching us in all things according to God's will.

By grace, God has given every Christian all that pertains to life and godliness.  Instead of the filth of sin, we have been cleansed and filled with the goodness and glory of God.  Every Christian has the potential to be fruitful and profitable for God's glory.  We are like a cake mixed of the finest ingredients by a Master Chef, and God has appointed us to be responsible for how we are baked.  If we choose to adopt the wisdom of the world, become unequally yoked with unbelievers, love the world, and make fleshly lusts our pursuit, we are like a cake unturned.  Our usefulness becomes stunted.  Instead of a sweet, spongy cake with a delicate scent, a cake unturned begins to smoke and causes God to wrinkle His nose in disgust.  Our lives can be an invitation to know Jesus Christ which is attractive.  But no one wants an unturned cake burned over a fire.

I am not my own because I have been bought with the blood of Jesus Christ.  In my flesh dwells no good thing, but all the good "ingredients" of my life I have been freely given by God for God's glory.  Let us be careful that we do not adopt the practices and philosophy of the world.  We must be careful that we do not integrate sinful practices into our households and lives.  We are not just to avoid evil, but to live righteously.  Titus 2:11-14 reminds us:  "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."  Instead of mixing with the world, let us remain pure and set apart for God!

The Light of Life

"Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt." ²² So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. ²³ They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings."

Exodus 10:21-23

God performed signs and wonders in Egypt to reveal Himself in power and glory.  Led by God, Moses demanded that Pharaoh let the Israelites go, who for 430 years lived in Egypt.  Towards the end of their time in Egypt the children of Israel suffered severe oppression and bondage as slaves.  Again and again the might of God was manifested through miraculous plagues.  The same pattern was repeated over and over:  Moses demanded Pharaoh let the people go, God would send another plague upon Pharaoh and the people of Egypt, Pharaoh would plead for respite, and once the plague was withdrawn then refuse to let the people go.  It took 10 grievous plagues and the death of all the firstborn of both man and cattle in Egypt for Pharaoh to let God's people go.

The ninth plague was oppressive darkness which could even be felt.  While the Egyptians experienced frogs, lice, flies, pestilence, boils, hail mingled with fire, locusts, and tangible darkness, the Israelites in Goshen were kept from these plagues.  David wrote in Psalm 27:1, "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"  While the Egyptians huddled in the dark for three whole days without sight, "...all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings."  I have never heard of a child being afraid of the light, only of the dark.  As the Egyptians experienced this supernatural darkness, I'm sure the children were not the only ones who were terrified!  The feelings of impending doom, hopelessness, hate, and raw fear permeated the nation.  It was a little taste of how the Bible describes Hell, a place of outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

Contrasted with this fearful darkness, how wonderful it is to have light!  God said, "Let there be light!" and there was light.  Light allows a man to see, work, read, write, study, prepare food, distinguish friend from foe, and safely walk without falling.  Before the days of mobiles, televisions, computers, battery-powered flashlights, and electric power, man was at the mercy of fire to illuminate.  Candles, lamps, and a cooking fire were the means of providing light for a dwelling.  After the Israelites left Egypt, the presence of God appeared before them by day as a pillar of cloud, and at night was a pillar of fire.  1 John 1:5 reads, "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all."  No matter how dark the world becomes, God will still provide light and guidance through the Bible and the Holy Spirit.  Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."  He who follows Christ need not stumble.

A life without God is devoid of light and life.  The sun, moon, and stars are heavenly bodies which provide light for the earth.  A man may walk in the light of the sun and switch on lights powered by electricity, but may be in complete darkness spiritually.  He is like the Egyptians who cowered in the embrace of darkness.  Jesus says in John 8:12, "...I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."  Jesus also spoke in John 12:46:  "I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness."  If I have received the light of life through faith in Jesus Christ, then I am called to walk in the light so God might use me to illuminate the way for others to receive of the Light of the World.  The light shines in the darkness like a beacon, leading to safe passage to eternal life.

Do you find yourself in darkness?  Find life and light through faith in Jesus!

The Forgotten Fundamental

Sometimes the most simple, basic fundamentals of a life in Christ are the easiest to forget.  Yet God, according to His unchanging, faithful character, does not forget anything.  He fully knows what He has said, and He remembers perfectly what we have said.  It is not uncommon for me to wake up in the middle of the night with perfect clarity.  Perhaps I have just experienced a vivid dream, or perhaps I remember something that I need to do.  Yet with the dawn of the day clouds drift through my memory and I find myself in a thick fog, unable to remember one detail of my thoughts which seemed at the time so clear and unforgettable.  God does not share my forgetfulness.

Being a Christian is much more than words affirming the reality of our faith.  Following Christ is more than a desire to remain in God's will.  So much of our struggles and troubles come not from temptations or trials, but through our lack of obedience.  We all know we ought to obey.  In the last century we have seen a departure from the emphasis on obedience to God and His Word in churches.  There are many factors which have contributed to this neglect.  Perhaps this is due to emphasis on God's grace, desiring to cast aside the scourge of legalism.  Maybe it is to avoid the appearance of "rules and regulations" of a Puritanical era.  It could be that we believe obedience is frankly unnecessary because Jesus has forgiven our sins and has imputed to us His righteousness.  Or even more sinister:  perhaps we feel that since perfect obedience is impossible, we might as well not strive to that end.  Why confront ourselves with our own pathetic attempts to obey?

I find great comfort in this promise found in 1 John 5:14-15:  "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."  What marvelous assurance this is, that if we pray according to God's will He hears us, and we know with certainty we have the petitions we have asked.  But like all scripture, you cannot take these verses by themselves.  There is a critical aspect we must address before we can claim this promise.  Two chapters previous to this wonderful promise, we read in 1 John 3:21-23:  "Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. ²² And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. ²³ And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment."  So we see that we receive whatever we ask of God when we ask according to His will AND because we keep Christ's commands and do what is pleasing in His sight.  His command is that we believe on Him and love one another as He has loved us.

Though Christians are no longer under the requirements and justice of the Law, through being born again we have agreed to submit under the law of liberty.  We have been freed from sin and death to the end that we might glorify God with our words and deeds.  We are empowered to love God and one another as Christ loves us because of the indwelling Holy Spirit who has taken up residence within us, as we are now the temple of the Holy Spirit.  Whatever He says we must do, otherwise we cannot claim to follow Christ.  Romans 6:12-17 says, "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. ¹³ And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. ¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! ¹⁶ Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? ¹⁷ But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered."

Let us not only put off the old man but be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and put on the new man which is created after God in righteousness and true holiness.  Jesus always does what pleases the Father, and if we are in Him we must choose to abide in Him.  It is God who works in us both to will and do of His good pleasure.  We must present ourselves unto God as living sacrifices because that is our reasonable service.  It is good to pray according to the will of God, but it is just as important to live in obedience to the will of God.  To obey is better than a sacrifice of prayer.