When I was a kid, I saw the Disney movie "The Ugly Dachshund" starring Dean Jones. It was a modern adaptation of "The Ugly Duckling," the classic fable written by Hans Christian Anderson. The Disney tale is about a Great Dane raised among Dachshunds who believed he was a Dachshund, despite the obvious differences! It isn't until "Brutus" saw another Great Dane at a dog show that it made sense: he had been a Great Dane among Dachshunds, but living and thinking as a Dachshund. Instead of crawling along the ground, he stood tall and impressed the judges - and hopefully that female Great Dane too!
My dad told me a similar story about my sister and brother-in-law who keep egg-laying hens. After my family and I left for Australia, they acquired a duck. The duck was kept in the chicken's hutch. Because I have two young nieces and a nephew, the chickens and the duck are pets that receive much love and attention - as only determined young children can provide! It was always sweet to see them carrying around their chickens after catching them again and again. My dad told me that they filled a plastic tote with water and that is when the duck discovered its element! My mom later sent me a video and boy was the duck having fun! The chickens couldn't be bothered, because they are chickens. They are content to hunt and scratch. But ducks are made for water! They have webbed feet, oiled-feathers and down, and are designed to spend much of their lives in water. "So there's no danger of the duck flying away?" I asked. "Eventually it might happen," my dad replied. "But that duck thinks it's a chicken."
Ducks and chickens are both birds, but how diverse they are! Their beaks, feet, behaviours, calls, and places they typically live are very different. Ducks can fly and swim almost effortlessly. Chickens, on the other hand, do not fly and typically do not swim well. Their wings and bodies are not designed for flight, their feet are not webbed for swimming, and their feathers become quickly saturated with water. Being a Christian in this world is like being a duck raised among chickens. People in the world seek after the things of the world. People scratch out a living, acquire possessions, have children, maybe have a "nest egg," but their inevitable end always looms before them. No chicken lives forever.
Ducks can scratch around in the dust like a chicken, but that is not what they were designed to do. They are designed by God to fly, soaring high into the heavens. They are meant to swim in the water, diving deep into rivers and streams to eat small fish. Instead of one rooster for many hens, ducks for a year or sometimes more remain monogamous. God meant for all people to be ducks, to live on a higher plane in continual fellowship with Him. But when Adam sinned, sin passed to all men and death through sin. Men throughout all the ages have sought after what cannot satisfy. Man has sought to find significance in physical relationships, earning a comfortable salary, pursuing pleasure, traveling, even through religious exercises. But this will leave a person feeling out of place, just like a duck among chickens. A man hopefully at some point of his life looks at the chickens busy all around him, knowing the axe is being sharpened, and says, "Is this it? Is this all there is to life - clucking, scratching, laying, and pecking each other? I want more than this rat-race! I was made for greater things than this!"
To that man or woman I say: yes, you have been designed for greater things than scratching out a living on earth. Your life is much more than eating, seeking a career, having sex, raising children, retiring, traveling, and eventually dying. You are designed to fly and swim! You have been designed by God to have intimate, eternal relationship with Him. As I grow closer to Jesus Christ, the more the things of this world lose their lustre. I'm no longer interested in scratching around and hen-pecking others. I want to soar in worship of God in the beauty of His holiness. I want to dive deep and swim around in that stream of Living Water issuing forth from Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. There is much more than the little kiddie pool filled with water we have been swimming in: there is abundant life and joy unspeakable for all who trust God and obey His Word. Once you have lived the life of a duck - freely flying, swimming, and diving - only a fool would go back to live with the chickens confined in a small pen. Once we have tasted and seen a life with Christ is the only life worth having, we cannot with joy return to the beggarly elements.
The pleasure we experience from earthly things will pass away. It is not until we are adopted into the family of God as children by faith in Christ that we will finally fit in. It is only in a relationship with God when we discover why all that time we remained empty and dissatisfied with life. It's because we had not yet laid hold of eternal life through Jesus. Once we see God for who He is, we discover who we are in Him. Let us spread our wings and leave the life of a chicken behind. "The cross before me, the world behind me. No turning back, no turning back."
30 April 2012
29 April 2012
Giving as a King
Few things make as large an impact as simple generosity. Being generous makes others feel welcome and loved. It is both personal and practical. The beautiful thing about giving is you need not be a king to have the generous heart of one. God was more pleased with the two mites of the poor widow than the surplus gold of the wealthy. All the money and precious resources of the earth are already Gods: He loves to see a heart lay hold of His giving heart. 2 Corinthians 9:7 reminds us of God's perspective: He loves a cheerful giver. Givers consider the needs of others more important than bolstering their own reserves. Because Christians find their provision and security in God and not in things of this world, our giving ought to emulate the giving of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Last night I read a great example of giving in 2 Samuel which describes the aftermath of David numbering the children of Israel. A grievous plague broke out among the people, and King David approached Araunah with an offer to buy his threshing floor for the purpose of offering a sacrifice to God. 2 Samuel 24:22-24 reads, "And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood. 23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee. 24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver."
Araunah was not a king, but verse 23 says he had the generosity of a king. He offered his threshing floor, oxen, and even his tools and equipment for kindling wood! David had asked to pay for the threshing floor, but Araunah offered the threshing floor, oxen, and tools at no cost! He gave unto his king as he would unto God. Though David was a king, he refused even such kingly benefits. He knew something about giving to God as well. David refused to give to God which cost him nothing. Araunah's generosity revealed his heart.
David's philosophy of giving is one we ought to observe. If he would not give to God what cost him nothing, then all David gave to God cost him something. In fact, it is clear through scripture that because Jesus has purchased believers with His own blood, we owe Him everything! Everything God requires us to do will come at a cost. Yet it is an amazing thing: giving unto the LORD is not without great benefits! When we give in faith, we recognise that God knows our needs, has led and enabled us to give, and will not forget to supply our needs - even as He faithfully supplies food and water for birds every day. Once our eyes are opened to how God freely has given to us, we then follow His example to give as He leads.
Let's give God our first and best. Let us not be content to give our leftovers, but tithes and offerings which He richly deserves. God's willing to receive your tithes and offerings, but not your donations. It's a funny thing - I've never known anyone who gave themselves into bankruptcy. People become bankrupt when they overextend their finances on themselves. A man who goes bankrupt giving unto God can never be bankrupt, because such a man is rich in God. He is a wise man who gives as a king on earth and stores up heavenly rewards which do not make wings and fly away. Let us give of our time in God's service, even if it is at great cost to us. Jesus is coming quickly, and His reward is with Him!
Last night I read a great example of giving in 2 Samuel which describes the aftermath of David numbering the children of Israel. A grievous plague broke out among the people, and King David approached Araunah with an offer to buy his threshing floor for the purpose of offering a sacrifice to God. 2 Samuel 24:22-24 reads, "And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood. 23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee. 24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver."
Araunah was not a king, but verse 23 says he had the generosity of a king. He offered his threshing floor, oxen, and even his tools and equipment for kindling wood! David had asked to pay for the threshing floor, but Araunah offered the threshing floor, oxen, and tools at no cost! He gave unto his king as he would unto God. Though David was a king, he refused even such kingly benefits. He knew something about giving to God as well. David refused to give to God which cost him nothing. Araunah's generosity revealed his heart.
David's philosophy of giving is one we ought to observe. If he would not give to God what cost him nothing, then all David gave to God cost him something. In fact, it is clear through scripture that because Jesus has purchased believers with His own blood, we owe Him everything! Everything God requires us to do will come at a cost. Yet it is an amazing thing: giving unto the LORD is not without great benefits! When we give in faith, we recognise that God knows our needs, has led and enabled us to give, and will not forget to supply our needs - even as He faithfully supplies food and water for birds every day. Once our eyes are opened to how God freely has given to us, we then follow His example to give as He leads.
Let's give God our first and best. Let us not be content to give our leftovers, but tithes and offerings which He richly deserves. God's willing to receive your tithes and offerings, but not your donations. It's a funny thing - I've never known anyone who gave themselves into bankruptcy. People become bankrupt when they overextend their finances on themselves. A man who goes bankrupt giving unto God can never be bankrupt, because such a man is rich in God. He is a wise man who gives as a king on earth and stores up heavenly rewards which do not make wings and fly away. Let us give of our time in God's service, even if it is at great cost to us. Jesus is coming quickly, and His reward is with Him!
26 April 2012
None of Self, All of Thee
In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis, one of the antagonists was a churlish boy named Eustace. He was cynical, spoiled, and a thankless snob. After finding himself with his cousins in Narnia aboard the Dawn Treader, Eustace was introduced to a world of adventure, talking animals, and Aslan. When they came to a certain island, Eustace left the others and slipped an enchanted bracelet onto his arm. While he slept, he magically turned into a great dragon. The novelty of being a hulking beast was short-lived. He felt very sorry for himself: he was unable to communicate and the bracelet bit painfully deep into his foreleg. As a beast, however, Eustace began to change. He became an asset and friend rather than a self-absorbed loner.
The final turning point for Eustace is when he was met by the great lion, Aslan. The lion led dragon-Eustace to an inviting bubbling pool and told him before he could enter he must first undress. So Eustace dug a claw into his hide and stepped out of his skin painlessly, only to see a fresh skin in its place. After three failed attempts, Aslan told Eustace that only he could undress him. Eustace was desperate for a change from being a dragon. He lay still and Aslan pierced him to his very heart, painfully tearing away the dragon flesh. Aslan placed Eustace in the pool and he was changed back to being a human. But Eustace was no longer the same Eustace: he was a new boy, born again.
This story is an allegory concerning the fact that no man can change his own heart. Eustace was filled with wickedness, and no effort of his own - even repeated, sincere attempts - was enough to change him from being a dragon to a boy. The change had to come from outside Eustace. The only one who has the power to transform a man is the one who raised Himself from the dead: Jesus Christ. The point God keeps hammering home to my heart is complete surrender to Him. Eustace could not have only have his legs or arms cleaned of dragon flesh: it all had to come off. When we first make a commitment to follow Jesus Christ, we are hardly aware of all the areas God desires to change within us. God desires our first and best, seeing this is His just due. He wants our spiritual appetites, dreams, desires, and future to be completely placed in His hands. While Satan and the world are only too happy to control and oppress us, God waits for us to voluntarily give ourselves to Him. Too often we are like Eustace at the beginning, thinking that we can change ourselves with the spiritual power and authority Jesus grants by grace. No, God must change us. He will only do it when we are desperate to be done with the dragon.
The danger of the deception of partial commitment to God is revealed in the lives of Ananias and Sapphira. Changed hearts in the early church was evidenced by transformed lives. People generously gave all they had in the service of God for His use and glory. Ananias and Sapphira, like other people, sold a possession and brought the proceeds to the apostles. However, under the pretense of giving all, they had agreed to secretly keep back a portion of the sale. They lied to the Holy Spirit and therefore had lied to God. Their deceit and hypocrisy cost them their lives, for they were struck dead by God. Their sin of holding back proved costly. What was a secret before men was laid bare before God.
Should God always act in this fashion, I confess I would have been dead many years ago. How many times did I say "I surrender all!" when I had no intention to take steps to do so! Perhaps He spared my life so I could die to self for His glory every day until He takes me home. I am grateful for God's patience and faithfulness to die for me when I was a sinner and enemy, and thank Him not destroying me even after I sinned against His grace by continuing to live for self. In William MacDonald's book My Heart, My Life, My All, a poem by Theodore Monod on page 154 strikes at the heart of the matter:
The final turning point for Eustace is when he was met by the great lion, Aslan. The lion led dragon-Eustace to an inviting bubbling pool and told him before he could enter he must first undress. So Eustace dug a claw into his hide and stepped out of his skin painlessly, only to see a fresh skin in its place. After three failed attempts, Aslan told Eustace that only he could undress him. Eustace was desperate for a change from being a dragon. He lay still and Aslan pierced him to his very heart, painfully tearing away the dragon flesh. Aslan placed Eustace in the pool and he was changed back to being a human. But Eustace was no longer the same Eustace: he was a new boy, born again.
This story is an allegory concerning the fact that no man can change his own heart. Eustace was filled with wickedness, and no effort of his own - even repeated, sincere attempts - was enough to change him from being a dragon to a boy. The change had to come from outside Eustace. The only one who has the power to transform a man is the one who raised Himself from the dead: Jesus Christ. The point God keeps hammering home to my heart is complete surrender to Him. Eustace could not have only have his legs or arms cleaned of dragon flesh: it all had to come off. When we first make a commitment to follow Jesus Christ, we are hardly aware of all the areas God desires to change within us. God desires our first and best, seeing this is His just due. He wants our spiritual appetites, dreams, desires, and future to be completely placed in His hands. While Satan and the world are only too happy to control and oppress us, God waits for us to voluntarily give ourselves to Him. Too often we are like Eustace at the beginning, thinking that we can change ourselves with the spiritual power and authority Jesus grants by grace. No, God must change us. He will only do it when we are desperate to be done with the dragon.
The danger of the deception of partial commitment to God is revealed in the lives of Ananias and Sapphira. Changed hearts in the early church was evidenced by transformed lives. People generously gave all they had in the service of God for His use and glory. Ananias and Sapphira, like other people, sold a possession and brought the proceeds to the apostles. However, under the pretense of giving all, they had agreed to secretly keep back a portion of the sale. They lied to the Holy Spirit and therefore had lied to God. Their deceit and hypocrisy cost them their lives, for they were struck dead by God. Their sin of holding back proved costly. What was a secret before men was laid bare before God.
Should God always act in this fashion, I confess I would have been dead many years ago. How many times did I say "I surrender all!" when I had no intention to take steps to do so! Perhaps He spared my life so I could die to self for His glory every day until He takes me home. I am grateful for God's patience and faithfulness to die for me when I was a sinner and enemy, and thank Him not destroying me even after I sinned against His grace by continuing to live for self. In William MacDonald's book My Heart, My Life, My All, a poem by Theodore Monod on page 154 strikes at the heart of the matter:
Oh, the bitter shame and sorrow
That a time could ever be,
When I let the Saviour's pity
Plead in vain, and proudly answered,
All of self, and none of Thee.
Yet He found me; I beheld Him
bleeding on the cursed tree;
Heard Him pray, Forgive them, Father,
And my wistful heart said faintly,
Some of self, and some of Thee.
Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong and ah! so patient,
Brought me lower while I whispered,
Less of self, and more of Thee.
Higher than the highest heavens,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last hat conquered:
Grant me now my soul's petition,
None of self, and all of Thee.
The sooner we are fed up with ourselves and the passing pursuits of this world the better. It is time to submit all we are and all we have to the God who has purchased us with His own blood. Forgive me Father for all the times I have only offered some when I needed to give all. No price is too great to pay. Strip me of self! None of self, and all of Thee.
25 April 2012
The Minister As Shepherd Musings
A pastor recently recommended I read The Minister As Shepherd by Charles Jefferson. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, a collection of lectures delivered in 1912. Jefferson lamented the fact that pastors were falling short of their calling as shepherds. He defines the shepherd's work in chapter 2 as consisting of seven parts: acting as a watchman, guard, guide, physician, rescuer, feeding and loving the sheep. Instead of a distant, unapproachable master, the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ was a humble, gracious, loving leader. As a pastor, I am glad to be reminded that in all things, even the pursuit of my calling, I am to emulate Jesus Christ.
Although many things have changed since 1912, much remains the same. What people perceive as pastoral work has been reduced to teaching Bible studies and supplying leadership of a body of believers. Charles Jefferson rightly deduces that many pastors and the laity alike see pastoral visitation and direct involvement with each member of the family as an antiquated practice held by those who had nothing better to do. There is a grave deception that people do not need a pastor but only need to be taught. Again, we see this belief perpetuated throughout the world today. The laity is uncomfortable with giving a pastor access to their struggles, and there are so many struggles the pastor feels his calling is best pursued among only the willing leaders of his fellowship. I am of Jefferson's mind. I am of Richard Baxter's mind, who visited every family in his parish every year (many hundreds). I am of Ichabod Spencer's heart, who intimately involved himself with people continually. I heartily recommend his book A Pastor's Sketches (two volumes). I believe these men emulated Christ with the way they served as under-shepherds in the flock of God. Call me outdated and impractical, but Christ's example will never be outdated. Impractical though it may seem, given the dynamics of a westernised modern-culture, the needs of people remain the same.
There is a difference between teaching and leading. People are fine with being taught: they resist being led. They are content to sit under teaching on a Sunday, but are generally disinterested with giving up or sharing their independent lives. This is not to say that a pastor has all the answers. Hopefully a pastor is someone who absolutely believes God has all the answers and reveals them through His Word and the Holy Spirit. Feeding sheep is fine and good, but there is more to tending the flock than feeding. Our day is marked by abundance and lack. Those who have abundance eat too much, and others are wasting away from spiritual starvation. The same can be true spiritually. Some churches make the preaching and teaching of God's Word the ultimate end, while other churches have substituted experience and emotion for substance. The end result is sedentary Christians who know much but do little, or a life devoid of the foundational doctrines of Christianity that barely survives from one emotional high to another.
After reading the book I had to ask myself: am I willing to be shepherded by Christ? Do I also see my need to be tended by under-shepherds called by God to watch, guard, guide, aid in healing, rescue, feed, and love me? I say yes! To think that mere teaching alone is enough to sustain and guide me in everyday life is foolish. Every person needs the closeness of a relationship with Jesus Christ and people they can shake hands with or hug, laugh or cry with, support one another through the storms of this life, and share their hearts without fear of negative reprisal. As a Christian I am called to weep with those who weep and mourn with those who mourn. As a Christian I am called to love one another as Jesus loves me. As a pastor, the scope grows in depth and intimacy. Even as Jesus opened up His arms to Jerusalem with love for all, so I am to open my arms and heart in offering love and acceptance to all people. And like in the case of Jesus we can open our arms, reaching out with fervent desire, and people will run away. Only Jesus Christ is sufficient for these things.
How about you? Is Jesus Christ your Good Shepherd? Have you personally realised the benefit of pastoral ministry? I know I have. Being a pastor is not a job or a career, but a calling. It is a calling God wants me to embrace fully and grow in. It is a life devoted to God and His people: loving God, loving people, and making disciples of Jesus Christ. It is a hard life, but not without great reward on both sides of heaven. I thank God for the people who God has used to pastor, encourage, and strengthen me in faith. May you too have a testimony of the people God has brought into your life to aid you as you follow Jesus faithfully. To God be the glory, both now and forever!
Although many things have changed since 1912, much remains the same. What people perceive as pastoral work has been reduced to teaching Bible studies and supplying leadership of a body of believers. Charles Jefferson rightly deduces that many pastors and the laity alike see pastoral visitation and direct involvement with each member of the family as an antiquated practice held by those who had nothing better to do. There is a grave deception that people do not need a pastor but only need to be taught. Again, we see this belief perpetuated throughout the world today. The laity is uncomfortable with giving a pastor access to their struggles, and there are so many struggles the pastor feels his calling is best pursued among only the willing leaders of his fellowship. I am of Jefferson's mind. I am of Richard Baxter's mind, who visited every family in his parish every year (many hundreds). I am of Ichabod Spencer's heart, who intimately involved himself with people continually. I heartily recommend his book A Pastor's Sketches (two volumes). I believe these men emulated Christ with the way they served as under-shepherds in the flock of God. Call me outdated and impractical, but Christ's example will never be outdated. Impractical though it may seem, given the dynamics of a westernised modern-culture, the needs of people remain the same.
There is a difference between teaching and leading. People are fine with being taught: they resist being led. They are content to sit under teaching on a Sunday, but are generally disinterested with giving up or sharing their independent lives. This is not to say that a pastor has all the answers. Hopefully a pastor is someone who absolutely believes God has all the answers and reveals them through His Word and the Holy Spirit. Feeding sheep is fine and good, but there is more to tending the flock than feeding. Our day is marked by abundance and lack. Those who have abundance eat too much, and others are wasting away from spiritual starvation. The same can be true spiritually. Some churches make the preaching and teaching of God's Word the ultimate end, while other churches have substituted experience and emotion for substance. The end result is sedentary Christians who know much but do little, or a life devoid of the foundational doctrines of Christianity that barely survives from one emotional high to another.
After reading the book I had to ask myself: am I willing to be shepherded by Christ? Do I also see my need to be tended by under-shepherds called by God to watch, guard, guide, aid in healing, rescue, feed, and love me? I say yes! To think that mere teaching alone is enough to sustain and guide me in everyday life is foolish. Every person needs the closeness of a relationship with Jesus Christ and people they can shake hands with or hug, laugh or cry with, support one another through the storms of this life, and share their hearts without fear of negative reprisal. As a Christian I am called to weep with those who weep and mourn with those who mourn. As a Christian I am called to love one another as Jesus loves me. As a pastor, the scope grows in depth and intimacy. Even as Jesus opened up His arms to Jerusalem with love for all, so I am to open my arms and heart in offering love and acceptance to all people. And like in the case of Jesus we can open our arms, reaching out with fervent desire, and people will run away. Only Jesus Christ is sufficient for these things.
How about you? Is Jesus Christ your Good Shepherd? Have you personally realised the benefit of pastoral ministry? I know I have. Being a pastor is not a job or a career, but a calling. It is a calling God wants me to embrace fully and grow in. It is a life devoted to God and His people: loving God, loving people, and making disciples of Jesus Christ. It is a hard life, but not without great reward on both sides of heaven. I thank God for the people who God has used to pastor, encourage, and strengthen me in faith. May you too have a testimony of the people God has brought into your life to aid you as you follow Jesus faithfully. To God be the glory, both now and forever!
24 April 2012
I Shall Not Want
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."
Psalm 23:1
How profound is this simple truth! This immortal psalm was penned by King David, a man who knew God as a sheep knows his shepherd. A good shepherd is faithful to meet all the needs of the sheep in his flock. Because God was David's shepherd, he lacked no good thing. That is not to say David's life was easy. For many years David was homeless and in hiding, fleeing from the wrath of King Saul. Yet whether David found himself in a cave or a palace, the Word of God remained true.
It is common for us to use the word "want" in relation to our desire. That is not the meaning of the Hebrew word used here. The Strong's Talking Greek and Hebrew Dictionary defines "haser" as "to lack; by implication to fail, want, lessen; be abated, bereave, decrease." David is saying, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not lack. I shall not fail. I shall not be abated or bereaved." This sentiment is confirmed many times in scripture. He would later write in Psalm 34:10, "The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing." How ironic is this! Even young lions, with their sharp claws, teeth, and skills for hunting, still end up going hungry. But those sheep of God's fold will lack nothing. All our needs are met in our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
We see this lived out even in our day. The prominent politicians, the powerful businessmen, the wealthy men and women of this age die empty and dissatisfied with all the world can offer. No amount of fame, riches, or possessions enables a man to enter into rest. The things a man pursues to fulfill himself end up being a mirage. Like smoke, it ends up being without substance. How people impale themselves upon their passions and pursuits! What a price people pay to obtain what will only destroy them. If a rock star lives to be 60, he has outlived most of his peers. It is no secret that many lottery millionaires cite their winning the lottery as the worst day of their life - in retrospect. Most people will not give up what strangles them.
One of the things people long for is love. The Bible says the love of God "never fails." David had experienced this love. God was his shepherd, so he did not lack. He goes on to write how God provides contentment, peace, and rest in Psalm 23:2: "He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters." He spoke of the healing, restorative work of God's grace and how God always directed him in the right way to live in Psalm 23:3: "He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake." David's Good Shepherd had removed all fear from him, because he remained continually in God's presence as evidenced in Psalm 23:4. Those whom God loves He corrects. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." Even his daily bread was supplied abundantly by God. Psalm 23:5 reads, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over." God even provided a future that no one could separate David from! He was so convinced of this David concludes in Psalm 23:6: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
Can you say, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want?" Is your current life lacking? If this is the case, then we can know we have not been looking to our Good Shepherd Jesus Christ to supply our needs. Jesus says in John 10:10-11, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep." It is very easy for even Christians to fall into the rut of dissatisfaction and covetousness. Our wants increase while our needs for fellowship and guidance from God are neglected. It is for this reason Paul writes in Colossians 3:1-4, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."
Because Christ is our life, we shall not want! His love never fails.
23 April 2012
Love and Hope for All
No one can receive God's love without being dynamically changed by it. Instead of focusing upon self, love turns its gaze towards God and others. There is compassion and grace where there was once only selfish preoccupation. Love makes our hearts grow in breadth and depth. Knowledge paves the way to feelings of incredible persistence. God's love is so profound, tangible, and real. A person who tastes of this love sees it is good, and nothing in or of this world can compare.
God's love seek release through acts of service and salvation. No one filled with the Holy Spirit and His divine love can read shocking statistics of how many children and adults are trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation and remain unmoved. The world has sown to the flesh through sexual sin and is reaping a bumper crop of deception, oppression, pain, ruin, disease, horror, addictions, and death people don't even want to think about. But love won't look away. Love cannot avert its eyes from suffering and pain. Love wants to do something: love must do anything possible to deliver bodies and souls from the pain of physical or sexual abuse. Love does not falter in the face of sin's ugliness.
Awareness of the issue of sexual slavery is growing. But awareness of a problem does not mean we have the capacity to fix it ourselves. So what is to be done? The Bible tells us that our fight is not against flesh and blood - the pimps, Johns, drug pushers, or people who knowingly sell their children for sex - but against principalities and powers, the demonic rulers of wickedness who increase the sway of Satan in this world. These are spiritual beings of great power who seek to destroy the bodies and souls of people by their lies and lusts, people young and old created in the image of God. It is only through God we can do valiantly and bring down the strongholds which daily grow stronger.
If you are someone who has been wounded and damaged through sexual abuse and/or slavery, you are of great value to God and to me. I love you. Only in Jesus can you find rest for your soul. Jesus demonstrated His love for you on the cross and rose again, defeating death. His love for you is everlasting and there is no stain of sin His precious blood cannot cleanse. Only God knows how greatly you have suffered: the tears you have cried, pain you have endured, humiliation words cannot begin describe. Even when you cannot bring yourself to cry, God knows. That is why Jesus laid His life down on the cross: to free you from guilt, to heal your mind and heart, and so you can live with Him forever when you repent and trust in Him. Perfect love casts out all fear. Cast your cares upon Christ, for He cares for you. I am praying that God would set you free physically and spiritually from your bondage!
Let us be faithful to pray for the deliverance and eternal salvation of those who suffer the slow death of sex slavery and abuse. May the deeds shrouded in secrecy and darkness be overwhelmed with the light of life found only in Christ. Let us pray that those taken captive by the devil to do his will to be freed, and for the fear and shame of the victims to be swallowed up in victory through Jesus. May God forgive us for our apathy and for not walking in love as He has demonstrated by dying on the cross for us while we were yet sinners. Thank you Jesus, for the tangible love you have granted us by your grace. I am no Saviour, but Jesus is! Here I am, LORD. Use me to set the captives free.
God's love seek release through acts of service and salvation. No one filled with the Holy Spirit and His divine love can read shocking statistics of how many children and adults are trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation and remain unmoved. The world has sown to the flesh through sexual sin and is reaping a bumper crop of deception, oppression, pain, ruin, disease, horror, addictions, and death people don't even want to think about. But love won't look away. Love cannot avert its eyes from suffering and pain. Love wants to do something: love must do anything possible to deliver bodies and souls from the pain of physical or sexual abuse. Love does not falter in the face of sin's ugliness.
Awareness of the issue of sexual slavery is growing. But awareness of a problem does not mean we have the capacity to fix it ourselves. So what is to be done? The Bible tells us that our fight is not against flesh and blood - the pimps, Johns, drug pushers, or people who knowingly sell their children for sex - but against principalities and powers, the demonic rulers of wickedness who increase the sway of Satan in this world. These are spiritual beings of great power who seek to destroy the bodies and souls of people by their lies and lusts, people young and old created in the image of God. It is only through God we can do valiantly and bring down the strongholds which daily grow stronger.
If you are someone who has been wounded and damaged through sexual abuse and/or slavery, you are of great value to God and to me. I love you. Only in Jesus can you find rest for your soul. Jesus demonstrated His love for you on the cross and rose again, defeating death. His love for you is everlasting and there is no stain of sin His precious blood cannot cleanse. Only God knows how greatly you have suffered: the tears you have cried, pain you have endured, humiliation words cannot begin describe. Even when you cannot bring yourself to cry, God knows. That is why Jesus laid His life down on the cross: to free you from guilt, to heal your mind and heart, and so you can live with Him forever when you repent and trust in Him. Perfect love casts out all fear. Cast your cares upon Christ, for He cares for you. I am praying that God would set you free physically and spiritually from your bondage!
Let us be faithful to pray for the deliverance and eternal salvation of those who suffer the slow death of sex slavery and abuse. May the deeds shrouded in secrecy and darkness be overwhelmed with the light of life found only in Christ. Let us pray that those taken captive by the devil to do his will to be freed, and for the fear and shame of the victims to be swallowed up in victory through Jesus. May God forgive us for our apathy and for not walking in love as He has demonstrated by dying on the cross for us while we were yet sinners. Thank you Jesus, for the tangible love you have granted us by your grace. I am no Saviour, but Jesus is! Here I am, LORD. Use me to set the captives free.
20 April 2012
Camp Kedron
Last night I came home from a week at Camp Kedron, a wonderful Christian camp on the edge of a national reserve. I was part of a team hosting a holiday camp for years 7 through 10. Even with the rain it was a massive success: kids had an awesome time, the Gospel was shared and discussed, and Jesus Christ received the glory. As I drove up Mona Vale road, the sunset was breathtaking: rays of light peered through plumes of clouds, lining the edge with a glistening ribbon of white. Two vertical pillars were illuminated with a swath of orange and blue as fog swirled like a fragile membrane between them. "God, how could something be so beautiful?" I asked. "I have done greater than this in the hearts of many this week," was His response. And God's right - nothing is a beautiful as the transforming, redeeming work He does within the soul of a person by His grace.
As the camp speaker for six days at an Australian holiday camp, it was a fresh experience for me. Distinct from a church camp or retreat, it was my role to hold forth the word of God to a largely unbelieving group. I felt as Jesus was lifted up and glorified there was a holy hush upon those who heard, for together we ventured upon holy ground. A ten-minute talk gave way to lively cabin groups which discussed and questioned the things we were learning about the great God who made all things. Hard hearts softened as young minds wondered aloud. Decisions were made to follow Jesus Christ for the rest of their lives. Kids whose parents don't believe God exists soberly admitted they were not far from the kingdom of God. Leaders where challenged and encouraged to go deeper in faith. Life for the hundred or so in attendance, me included, will never be the same.
One of the greatest snapshots of the fun we had at camp came into focus when I walked by a boys cabin. The leader was serenely reading through the Bible as five or six kids covered in sleeping bags with their feet sticking out thrashed all over each other, wrestling around. Muffled grunts and groans came from the bags as they traded positions. As I stopped and watched the match, wondering how stuffy and uncomfortable it must be inside those sleeping bags, a boy walked up and threw his sock two meters above the leader's head. The sock stuck beautifully to the wall and was followed by the second. Ingenious, sweaty, and stinky kids. Gotta love 'em!
Throughout the week I was blessed to meet and speak with many of the leaders and campers. In my prayers last night I was able to recall about 50 of them! I am comforted that God will not forget a single one. When they grow up, He will always recognize them too. I was greatly encouraged by what a leader said: "Even if speaking at Camp Kedron was all you did during the next two years in Australia, it would be an eternal success." I feel the same, by God's grace. I have thrown my hat into the ring to be a leader in the future. Should God open the door and give opportunity, I'll be paying my dues as a youth leader all over again. It's funny how the dues are never fully paid! Praise God for the fact He has paid my debt, and for that I will be forever grateful.
As the camp speaker for six days at an Australian holiday camp, it was a fresh experience for me. Distinct from a church camp or retreat, it was my role to hold forth the word of God to a largely unbelieving group. I felt as Jesus was lifted up and glorified there was a holy hush upon those who heard, for together we ventured upon holy ground. A ten-minute talk gave way to lively cabin groups which discussed and questioned the things we were learning about the great God who made all things. Hard hearts softened as young minds wondered aloud. Decisions were made to follow Jesus Christ for the rest of their lives. Kids whose parents don't believe God exists soberly admitted they were not far from the kingdom of God. Leaders where challenged and encouraged to go deeper in faith. Life for the hundred or so in attendance, me included, will never be the same.
One of the greatest snapshots of the fun we had at camp came into focus when I walked by a boys cabin. The leader was serenely reading through the Bible as five or six kids covered in sleeping bags with their feet sticking out thrashed all over each other, wrestling around. Muffled grunts and groans came from the bags as they traded positions. As I stopped and watched the match, wondering how stuffy and uncomfortable it must be inside those sleeping bags, a boy walked up and threw his sock two meters above the leader's head. The sock stuck beautifully to the wall and was followed by the second. Ingenious, sweaty, and stinky kids. Gotta love 'em!
Throughout the week I was blessed to meet and speak with many of the leaders and campers. In my prayers last night I was able to recall about 50 of them! I am comforted that God will not forget a single one. When they grow up, He will always recognize them too. I was greatly encouraged by what a leader said: "Even if speaking at Camp Kedron was all you did during the next two years in Australia, it would be an eternal success." I feel the same, by God's grace. I have thrown my hat into the ring to be a leader in the future. Should God open the door and give opportunity, I'll be paying my dues as a youth leader all over again. It's funny how the dues are never fully paid! Praise God for the fact He has paid my debt, and for that I will be forever grateful.
13 April 2012
Remembering Ross
This week I said a final goodbye to a good friend, Trevor "Ross" Tooke. As I looked at him as he lay peacefully in a casket before his funeral, I didn't need words. I smiled through teary eyes. After battling brain cancer for many years, he was finally a man who embraced eternal rest with His Saviour Jesus Christ. Ross will always be an amazing man.
I had the great privilege of getting to know Ross when I accepted he and Joan's offer of hospitality. I had accepted the offer of pastoring Calvary Chapel Sydney and needed a place to stay for two months. During that time I was afforded a special view into the life of a man I love, respect, and admire. Ross took me on as a project of sorts, happily teaching me the intricacies of Australian pronunciation, lingo, and culture. While under the wing of Ross you learn a lot of things: how to clean a pool, how to make a proper cup of tea, handle a BBQ, and to show love through service. Every time I have a cup of English Breakfast I remember my mate Ross.
If I could use three words to sum up the heart of Ross, it would be "love through service." When I arrived in Australia in October 2010, the prognosis for Ross was not good. His second brain operation had been an initial success, but that stubborn tumour was back again - and growing fast. Between going in for scans and treatments, Ross toiled away on my immigration paperwork. We spent hours driving from open house to open house, submitting applications, looking for a place for my family and I to rent. He would sit at his computer for hours, looking at property listings while Poncho soaked up the rays by his side. Let me tell you, no one wants to do those things even when perfectly healthy! But that was Ross. He could have done anything but paperwork. No one would have blamed him. But even after his third operation, Ross kept plugging away. Love through service, even when life was brutal.
I always loved to hear the stories Ross would tell. One of my favorites was when he had come home very late from work and the house was dark. Joan would always wrap up a plate for Ross to eat when he came home. As he felt around he found a plate of biscuits (cookies). "These biscuits are rather ordinary," Ross said to himself as he choked it down. (In Australia, the term "ordinary" is used to describe something which is poor or lousy.) It was only after finishing the biscuit that Ross realised he had just eaten one of Poncho's dog treats! Ross had a very dry, quick wit. I once asked him to describe his sense of humour in a word. Without hesitation Ross said, "Australian!"
1 Corinthians 4:2 says, "Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful." Ross was one of those faithful stewards. The love of Jesus Christ came out of his life in such practical ways. Because he set his love and faith upon Christ, Ross is one of the jewels spoken of in Malachi 3:17: "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him." I love you, Ross. You ran well. Until we meet again in the presence of our Saviour, may I follow your example to be about the LORD's business.
I had the great privilege of getting to know Ross when I accepted he and Joan's offer of hospitality. I had accepted the offer of pastoring Calvary Chapel Sydney and needed a place to stay for two months. During that time I was afforded a special view into the life of a man I love, respect, and admire. Ross took me on as a project of sorts, happily teaching me the intricacies of Australian pronunciation, lingo, and culture. While under the wing of Ross you learn a lot of things: how to clean a pool, how to make a proper cup of tea, handle a BBQ, and to show love through service. Every time I have a cup of English Breakfast I remember my mate Ross.
If I could use three words to sum up the heart of Ross, it would be "love through service." When I arrived in Australia in October 2010, the prognosis for Ross was not good. His second brain operation had been an initial success, but that stubborn tumour was back again - and growing fast. Between going in for scans and treatments, Ross toiled away on my immigration paperwork. We spent hours driving from open house to open house, submitting applications, looking for a place for my family and I to rent. He would sit at his computer for hours, looking at property listings while Poncho soaked up the rays by his side. Let me tell you, no one wants to do those things even when perfectly healthy! But that was Ross. He could have done anything but paperwork. No one would have blamed him. But even after his third operation, Ross kept plugging away. Love through service, even when life was brutal.
I always loved to hear the stories Ross would tell. One of my favorites was when he had come home very late from work and the house was dark. Joan would always wrap up a plate for Ross to eat when he came home. As he felt around he found a plate of biscuits (cookies). "These biscuits are rather ordinary," Ross said to himself as he choked it down. (In Australia, the term "ordinary" is used to describe something which is poor or lousy.) It was only after finishing the biscuit that Ross realised he had just eaten one of Poncho's dog treats! Ross had a very dry, quick wit. I once asked him to describe his sense of humour in a word. Without hesitation Ross said, "Australian!"
1 Corinthians 4:2 says, "Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful." Ross was one of those faithful stewards. The love of Jesus Christ came out of his life in such practical ways. Because he set his love and faith upon Christ, Ross is one of the jewels spoken of in Malachi 3:17: "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him." I love you, Ross. You ran well. Until we meet again in the presence of our Saviour, may I follow your example to be about the LORD's business.
11 April 2012
The Planting of the LORD
"So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. 4 Then they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey."
Judges 6:3-4
In the book of Judges, we are told that there was no king in Israel: everyone did what was right in his own eyes. God promised to reign over His people, but they rebelled from under His rule. They sacrificed to idols and forsook God. Then God delivered them to oppression by the hands of their enemies. The Israelites toiled in their fields rising early and staying late, but their crops were destroyed by the Midianites. The people of Midian and Amalek waited until the children of Israel had sown their crops before they would destroy everything. They left them nothing to eat, even killing their animals. It was a desperate time. But it always took utter devastation and hopelessness before the people cried out to God. He was always faithful to raise up a deliverer to save His people.
When I read this passage I considered the spiritual battle Christians, as God's adopted children, face on a continual basis. The enemy is constantly on the lookout, seeking to hinder fruitfulness from the planted seed. In the Parable of the Sower, the seed is the Word of God. The devil seeks to attack a man after the good seed is sown. Man's heart is naturally wicked and deceitful, and his flesh only propagates wickedness exponentially and cannot please God. Satan turns his efforts on those who may slip from his grasp through belief in God's Word. Jesus says in Luke 8:5 and 11-12 "A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it...11 "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved." The Midianites and Amalekites swooped down upon the fields of the Israelites to impoverish them. If they could not drive out the Israelites, they would starve them.
This is the same tactic Satan uses in the lives of believers. He can kill the body, but he cannot touch the soul. The devil rages against God and His people with vicious hate and tenacity. Whom he cannot kill he will impoverish. He will lure followers of Christ to seek after the passing pleasures and amusements of this world. This same desire is seen in the Philistine leaders when they approached Delilah because they sought to destroy Samson, a man empowered with the Spirit of God. Judges 16:5 reads, "And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, "Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and every one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver." Don't you smell the sulfur on their breath? Entice Samson so we might overpower him: then we can bind him to afflict him! How many people in this world are overpowered by circumstances, bound by sin, and afflicted with guilt and shame!
Whether you are teaching the Word of God or reading it, that will mobilise the enemy of your soul to rob you of the fruitfulness God desires. Praise God that no weapon fashioned against us shall prosper, for we have a Redeemer and Deliverer in Jesus Christ! He is the Living Bread from heaven, even as the Midinianite spoke of the vision with the loaf of bread which rolled down into camp, struck a tent, and threw it down (Judges 7:13). Through Jesus we can cast down arguments, strongholds, and everything which exalts itself against Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 10:3-6). Let us not be caught off guard by Satan's attacks which are designed to impoverish us. You may feel fatigued when the alarm goes off early so you can spend time in God's Word. Get up immediately trusting God to supply your strength, even as He did for Moses during his two 40-day fasts from food or water. Believe He can gird up your mind even as Elijah girded his loins and outran a chariot pulled by horses!
If you find yourself in a situation where the Israelites, having departed from the Living God, being afflicted and oppressed without victory or hope, follow their example in crying out to God for salvation and deliverance. Put away your idols (not in a closet but in the rubbish bin!) and seek the LORD with all your heart, mind, and strength. The promise God has given to His people Israel has a valuable application to Christians in Jeremiah 24:6-7: "For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. 7 Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart." God plants His Word in our hearts to be fruitful for His glory, and we also are the planting of the LORD (Is. 61:3). Even Satan cannot pluck us from God's hand, nor separate us from the love of God. In Psalm 1:3 those who delight in God and His law are compared to a tree planted by the rivers of water, bringing forth fruit in season, with leaves which do not whither, and prosperous in all things for God's glory. Thank God for this everlasting truth!
06 April 2012
Giants in the Woods?
A misunderstanding which has led to much disillusionment among Christians is the concept of easy victory. When we look at the example of the Israelites, it is clear that God gave them victory over their enemies when the Promised Land was divided among them. But it was not a victory without fighting or obedience. The land was divided by God, but it was the responsibility of the people to obtain the land. It was hard. And it was a job they never fully completed, despite the power of God. It was not the weakness of God which prevented them, but the people themselves. We can be our greatest hindrance to a deeper walk with Jesus.
God gave His people a rich land, a land flowing with milk and honey. But there were also established strongholds, giants, and fighters with better weapons than the Israelites. The tribe of Joseph approached Joshua with a question: "Why don't we have more land allotted to us?" Joshua's answer was basically, "If you need more land, go ahead and take it!" If we are dissatisfied with the lack of depth of our relationship with Jesus, He would say to us, "Dive deeper! I have given My Word, the Holy Spirit. Don't think you can serve both idols and Me!" Though we are to look to Him to supply our needs, it does not free us from our responsibility to live a consecrated life of obedience for God's glory.
In Joshua 17:15 we read the words of Joshua to the tribe of Joseph: "If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you." Clearing forests is tough work, especially without the benefit of modern equipment. If the tribe of Joseph wanted to expand, they would need to put their logging sandals on, beat their plows into axes, and begin the slow process of cutting down a forest. By the way, in case you missed it, the forest was inhabited by giants! The tribe of Joseph, just like most people, weren't too keen on clearing away a whole forest or fighting the giants who lurked there. They would have preferred an easier way.
Their response is found in Joshua 17:16. "But the children of Joseph said, "The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are of Beth Shean and its towns and those who are of the Valley of Jezreel." Unlike Caleb, who based his ability to drive out the giants based upon the infallible word of God, the tribe of Joseph focused on the difficulties before them. "Even if we cleared the mountain, it wouldn't be sufficient. And in the valleys all the Canaanites have chariots of iron! We're stuck between a mountain and a valley!" Isn't this typical to the way we feel when we are challenged with our need to "dive deeper" and "climb higher?" Taking the mountain or the valley would be hard work. They would both require effort, dedication, and determination. It would require faith! That's exactly where we can find ourselves. We lose sight of God and His promises because of the giants in the forest and the chariots of iron in the valleys.
Let us look at their excuses more carefully. "The mountain country is not enough for us." They claimed God had not given them enough, even before they would lift a finger to lay hold of it. That is like a poor beggar refusing a $50 because it is not a $100! What an insult, to say that God's provision is lacking! Forgive me God when I have done the same! It was not God's provision that was lacking: it was the faith of the people and their willingness to labour and fight that was deficient. Their second complaint was no doubt hyperbole: "All the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron!" I am sure that not "all" the Canaanites had chariots of iron. Even if they did, what is a chariot compared to the power of the Living God who is on your side? Had not God taken the wheels off the Egyptian chariots in the midst of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:25)? The Egyptians recognized God was fighting for Israel and sought to flee, but in their current situation the children of Joseph forgot about that. I bet Satan has more of a clue how powerfully God fights for us than we do.
I love the response of Joshua. Though the children of Joseph were ungrateful, walking by sight, forgetting about the promises and power of God, making one excuse after another, Joshua 17:17-18 reveals the great grace of God: "And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph--to Ephraim and Manasseh--saying, "You are a great people and have great power; you shall not have only one lot, 18 but the mountain country shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and are strong." Whether they liked it or not, the mountain country had been given to the children of Joseph. The strength of their enemies and the abundance of their resources and fighting power was of no consequence. "Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours..." That God would find among His people those who are willing to cut down the dark forests in their hearts and minds so His light may shine brightly again!
As David met the giant Goliath armed with only stone and sling (and the power of the Almighty God), he shouted in 1 Samuel 17:46-47: "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S, and He will give you into our hands." The battle is the LORD's, but we must be willing to run at that giant and sling that stone for God's glory. Do we have numbered among us those who are willing to fight the good fight and finish the course with joy? The call is an upward call, and there are many obstacles and enemies. Let us recall the promise of Isaiah 54:17 to mind: "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me," says the LORD."
If that is my heritage in Christ, I gladly take it. All God has given me I fight to lay hold of, whether it is the strongholds of giants in the wooded hills or chariots of iron in the valleys. Many might be cut down as we take the hill, but we will be victorious through our God. If God is for us, who can be against us?
God gave His people a rich land, a land flowing with milk and honey. But there were also established strongholds, giants, and fighters with better weapons than the Israelites. The tribe of Joseph approached Joshua with a question: "Why don't we have more land allotted to us?" Joshua's answer was basically, "If you need more land, go ahead and take it!" If we are dissatisfied with the lack of depth of our relationship with Jesus, He would say to us, "Dive deeper! I have given My Word, the Holy Spirit. Don't think you can serve both idols and Me!" Though we are to look to Him to supply our needs, it does not free us from our responsibility to live a consecrated life of obedience for God's glory.
In Joshua 17:15 we read the words of Joshua to the tribe of Joseph: "If you are a great people, then go up to the forest country and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of Ephraim are too confined for you." Clearing forests is tough work, especially without the benefit of modern equipment. If the tribe of Joseph wanted to expand, they would need to put their logging sandals on, beat their plows into axes, and begin the slow process of cutting down a forest. By the way, in case you missed it, the forest was inhabited by giants! The tribe of Joseph, just like most people, weren't too keen on clearing away a whole forest or fighting the giants who lurked there. They would have preferred an easier way.
Their response is found in Joshua 17:16. "But the children of Joseph said, "The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are of Beth Shean and its towns and those who are of the Valley of Jezreel." Unlike Caleb, who based his ability to drive out the giants based upon the infallible word of God, the tribe of Joseph focused on the difficulties before them. "Even if we cleared the mountain, it wouldn't be sufficient. And in the valleys all the Canaanites have chariots of iron! We're stuck between a mountain and a valley!" Isn't this typical to the way we feel when we are challenged with our need to "dive deeper" and "climb higher?" Taking the mountain or the valley would be hard work. They would both require effort, dedication, and determination. It would require faith! That's exactly where we can find ourselves. We lose sight of God and His promises because of the giants in the forest and the chariots of iron in the valleys.
Let us look at their excuses more carefully. "The mountain country is not enough for us." They claimed God had not given them enough, even before they would lift a finger to lay hold of it. That is like a poor beggar refusing a $50 because it is not a $100! What an insult, to say that God's provision is lacking! Forgive me God when I have done the same! It was not God's provision that was lacking: it was the faith of the people and their willingness to labour and fight that was deficient. Their second complaint was no doubt hyperbole: "All the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron!" I am sure that not "all" the Canaanites had chariots of iron. Even if they did, what is a chariot compared to the power of the Living God who is on your side? Had not God taken the wheels off the Egyptian chariots in the midst of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:25)? The Egyptians recognized God was fighting for Israel and sought to flee, but in their current situation the children of Joseph forgot about that. I bet Satan has more of a clue how powerfully God fights for us than we do.
I love the response of Joshua. Though the children of Joseph were ungrateful, walking by sight, forgetting about the promises and power of God, making one excuse after another, Joshua 17:17-18 reveals the great grace of God: "And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph--to Ephraim and Manasseh--saying, "You are a great people and have great power; you shall not have only one lot, 18 but the mountain country shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and are strong." Whether they liked it or not, the mountain country had been given to the children of Joseph. The strength of their enemies and the abundance of their resources and fighting power was of no consequence. "Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours..." That God would find among His people those who are willing to cut down the dark forests in their hearts and minds so His light may shine brightly again!
As David met the giant Goliath armed with only stone and sling (and the power of the Almighty God), he shouted in 1 Samuel 17:46-47: "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S, and He will give you into our hands." The battle is the LORD's, but we must be willing to run at that giant and sling that stone for God's glory. Do we have numbered among us those who are willing to fight the good fight and finish the course with joy? The call is an upward call, and there are many obstacles and enemies. Let us recall the promise of Isaiah 54:17 to mind: "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me," says the LORD."
If that is my heritage in Christ, I gladly take it. All God has given me I fight to lay hold of, whether it is the strongholds of giants in the wooded hills or chariots of iron in the valleys. Many might be cut down as we take the hill, but we will be victorious through our God. If God is for us, who can be against us?
03 April 2012
The Wart War
Over the course of my life, I have had different skin-related issues. By God's grace I have successfully battled athlete's foot, dandruff, dry patches of skin, and an occasional wart. Warts can be particularly annoying because they are so durable! Caused by a virus, warts have the amazing ability to regenerate even after being burned, cut off, or persistently treated. I have had about five warts over the course of my lifetime, and they have never been cured without an all-out fight. This is certainly not a glamorous post, but I trust it will do some good.
At the moment I am well on my way to ridding myself of a wart on the pad of one of my toes. Since it wasn't giving me any pain, I ignored it for some time. It was never that large, but it amazes me how fast skins grew around it for protection. After many months, I decided the wart was part of my body I no longer wanted and committed myself to dealing with it. So every other day I cut a small pad coated with an acid designed to break down the wart. Then I carefully cut away any dead skin and apply another fitted pad. The wart had feeling, a blood supply, and seemed to constantly regenerate. It was like a parasite, a sensitive, painful area that draws strength from the body. It is a two steps forward, one step back fight - a fight I was devoted to winning. The reason why I still have the wart after a couple of years is because there were times that I thought the fight was over and stopped monitoring my toe. Hello! A month later the wart would be back, like it had never left.
It's a weird thing, to be fighting against your own body. But this fight with the wart is just like our fight with sin. Sin is a part of us because of our fallen nature. If we are in Christ, God opens our eyes to parts of ourselves that should not be. We must decide to deal with our sin and then diligently fight the battle. It is true that those who repented and placed their faith in Jesus Christ have been forgiven from sin. However, sin can grow in the life of a believer like a wart. Unchecked and ignored, it can grow large and spread. But sin is much more than unsightly: it is deadly and destructive.
Just like there are steps I must take to rid myself of a wart, so we must take steps to eliminate sin from our lives. We must recognize the sin that we have cultivated and allowed to remain. We should not try to hide it from sight or deny its existence: sin must be brought out in the open. One man deals with the wart on his foot by going to a doctor for treatment; another man constantly wears socks, ashamed to show his toes. When it comes to sin, hiding it only increases the power Satan has over our lives. Unforgiveness is a foothold which can turn into a stronghold. It cannot be seen with the naked eye, but is evident when seen through the lens of scripture. 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 reads, "Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices."
If you are aware of an area of sin in your life, do not rest until you confess it to God and those you have wronged (James 5:16), repent, and forsake it. The weaknesses in your flesh you will have for the rest of your days. But weakness does not mean defeat if we are in Christ. We must be vigilant and aware that we can fall back into old sins, ways of coping, addictions, and unscriptural thought patterns which will lead to our destruction. We should not shrug off sin because we are confident in our salvation. If Jesus died for my sins, I have no right to persist in them. Let us fight the good fight without losing heart or hope. Our God is able to keep us from stumbling. When we do trip and fall, we have a God who is able to lift us up to our feet and lift our head so we might gaze into His eyes of everlasting love and take heart.
Declare war on those warts, and don't give up! God has given us the victory, healing, and cleansing through Jesus Christ our LORD!
At the moment I am well on my way to ridding myself of a wart on the pad of one of my toes. Since it wasn't giving me any pain, I ignored it for some time. It was never that large, but it amazes me how fast skins grew around it for protection. After many months, I decided the wart was part of my body I no longer wanted and committed myself to dealing with it. So every other day I cut a small pad coated with an acid designed to break down the wart. Then I carefully cut away any dead skin and apply another fitted pad. The wart had feeling, a blood supply, and seemed to constantly regenerate. It was like a parasite, a sensitive, painful area that draws strength from the body. It is a two steps forward, one step back fight - a fight I was devoted to winning. The reason why I still have the wart after a couple of years is because there were times that I thought the fight was over and stopped monitoring my toe. Hello! A month later the wart would be back, like it had never left.
It's a weird thing, to be fighting against your own body. But this fight with the wart is just like our fight with sin. Sin is a part of us because of our fallen nature. If we are in Christ, God opens our eyes to parts of ourselves that should not be. We must decide to deal with our sin and then diligently fight the battle. It is true that those who repented and placed their faith in Jesus Christ have been forgiven from sin. However, sin can grow in the life of a believer like a wart. Unchecked and ignored, it can grow large and spread. But sin is much more than unsightly: it is deadly and destructive.
Just like there are steps I must take to rid myself of a wart, so we must take steps to eliminate sin from our lives. We must recognize the sin that we have cultivated and allowed to remain. We should not try to hide it from sight or deny its existence: sin must be brought out in the open. One man deals with the wart on his foot by going to a doctor for treatment; another man constantly wears socks, ashamed to show his toes. When it comes to sin, hiding it only increases the power Satan has over our lives. Unforgiveness is a foothold which can turn into a stronghold. It cannot be seen with the naked eye, but is evident when seen through the lens of scripture. 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 reads, "Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices."
If you are aware of an area of sin in your life, do not rest until you confess it to God and those you have wronged (James 5:16), repent, and forsake it. The weaknesses in your flesh you will have for the rest of your days. But weakness does not mean defeat if we are in Christ. We must be vigilant and aware that we can fall back into old sins, ways of coping, addictions, and unscriptural thought patterns which will lead to our destruction. We should not shrug off sin because we are confident in our salvation. If Jesus died for my sins, I have no right to persist in them. Let us fight the good fight without losing heart or hope. Our God is able to keep us from stumbling. When we do trip and fall, we have a God who is able to lift us up to our feet and lift our head so we might gaze into His eyes of everlasting love and take heart.
Declare war on those warts, and don't give up! God has given us the victory, healing, and cleansing through Jesus Christ our LORD!
01 April 2012
Jesus Must Be LORD
Reading is a critical part of the life of every Christian. I am always concerned when a Christian tells me they are not fond of reading, seeing as God has provided His Word to us in written form! As followers of Jesus Christ, we ought to be people "of the Book." That being said, there are many profitable books written that give glory to God. Books challenge the way we think and are an impetus to growth. It is important that we read wisely, seeking to find material which lines up with the truth of scripture. In my experience with Christian bookstores today, only a fraction of the books written fit this criteria. From the Puritan era probably 90% of books are worth reading, and in the modern era 10% are worth reading. In the last century there has been a rapid departure from the authority of God's Word.
Ever so often I am introduced to a book which makes me wonder, "Where has this book been all my life?" I am in the middle of Alan Redpath's book, The Making of a Man of God. Written in 1962 and reprinted in 1990, it has easily been catapulted into the top-five category at the moment. The author masterfully crafts object lessons from the life of David into challenging applications concerning the life of discipleship in Christ. Straightforward, powerful, and loving, this book is a great addition to the library of any disciple of Christ. When you buy it, you might as well procure two so you will have one to perpetually lend! Here is an especially potent excerpt from chapter 15 as Redpath explains the necessity to make Jesus Christ your King and Ruler of your life in truth (The Making of a Man of God, Redpath, pg. 176):
Ever so often I am introduced to a book which makes me wonder, "Where has this book been all my life?" I am in the middle of Alan Redpath's book, The Making of a Man of God. Written in 1962 and reprinted in 1990, it has easily been catapulted into the top-five category at the moment. The author masterfully crafts object lessons from the life of David into challenging applications concerning the life of discipleship in Christ. Straightforward, powerful, and loving, this book is a great addition to the library of any disciple of Christ. When you buy it, you might as well procure two so you will have one to perpetually lend! Here is an especially potent excerpt from chapter 15 as Redpath explains the necessity to make Jesus Christ your King and Ruler of your life in truth (The Making of a Man of God, Redpath, pg. 176):
"Now then do it!" Don't go on just wishing and resolving - may the Holy Spirit push you into decision. There have been times in my life when quite frankly I have felt the Lord pushing me back to the wall. It is as if He had got me in a corner, and I had to face the issue squarely. I hope that now you are feeling the pressure of God's Spirit pushing you back in your seat so that you must face this issue of the kingship of Jesus Christ.
"Now then do it," for unless you do (and I don't say this to frighten you), your heart has only to miss about a half a dozen beats, and you will be in hell - with all your good intentions, with all your resolves, with all your professions of faith, with all your sound theology. You who sought in times past to make Jesus King, you the child of Christian parents, the frequent attender at the house of God, the listener to the Word of God, the hearer of the gospel - all these privileges and benefits will be merely millstones around your neck in a lost eternity unless you make Him your King.Couldn't have said it better myself, Mr. Redpath. My desire is not only to agree with what has been written, but that Jesus would be in reality my LORD so He might be my Saviour. I have never met someone who thought they would be the ones who say, "Lord! Lord!" to whom Jesus responds, "Depart from me! I never knew you - you who practice iniquity!" But I know that it could easily be me as well as any nominal believer - one who honours Christ in word but not in deed. I know I have unknowingly met such people through my Christian walk. Instead of judging one another, let us judge ourselves and follow Jesus faithfully!
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