Accept Rejection

Today I recalled to mind a season when my wife struggled with rejection.  We had arrived in Australia on a visa which prohibited me from working but allowed her to seek employment.  She industriously submitted resumes and applications only to be disappointed by "rejection letters."  The letters of rejection did not work to encourage her to increase her efforts but instead did the opposite:  discouragement made her not even want to try.  We all know how that feels and it is not fun.  Ironically, a time came when she had submitted so many applications without a response that she began to appreciate the rejection letters because at least they responded!

I thought about how this relates to the rejection of the message of the Gospel.  When we open our mouths to share the Gospel, it is likely many of the people we encounter will not respond positively.  It is not a rejection to be taken personally but a rejection of Christ and the message of the Gospel.  Yet we have a way of taking things personally.  After the message is rejected a number of times it is possible we might feel discouraged and like all our effort is for naught.  We might even become disillusioned, wondering how everyone could be so opposed to the wonderful message of salvation.  Are we doing or saying something wrong?  Are we not truly filled with the Holy Spirit?  Maybe we should just lock ourselves in our rooms and pray that God would send someone truly useful into the field.  Cynical thoughts can fill our minds:  fields white with harvest, eh?  I've been out there and it seemed more like a barren wasteland.  I've tried but I'm a failure.  Paralysed by disappointment and our own insufficiency we begin to avoid sharing the Gospel even when opportunities arise, forgetting that it is God who brings the increase.

If I was out of a job and my family and I were starving from hunger, I would approach job hunting very differently from someone who is looking for a convenient part-time job for extra pocket money.  Rejection letters would not deter me when I know my kids are dying of hunger.  I would fill out applications, go to every stall in the mall, and no job would seem below me.  What could I do?  There would be a desperation for work that a piece of paper notifying me I did not land the job would not stop me from looking.  It is not often in our culture that we are fighting for survival.  Most of the time we are angling for convenience and better conditions.  But survival?  We hardly give survival a thought.  I honestly say for most of my Christian life my evangelistic efforts have had more in common with the man looking for a convenient second job than a man desperate for a job to feed his starving family.  It's not hard to say which man we should emulate!

That is the kind of desperation I pray God gives me for seeking and saving the lost.  If people do not hear the Gospel, they will not repent, will not be forgiven for their sins, will never trust in Christ, and will spend eternity in hell.  They will miss much more than the feast of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!  Because I am to love God and others, I must view them as more important than myself.  I am in Christ and my eternity is secure in Him.  But their eternal survival hangs in the balance!  I should view them all as my own weeping children, dying for lack of nourishment.  Should I allow rejection or even violence deter me from seeking their salvation?  Jesus gave His life so I could live.  He is the Living Bread which came down from heaven.  All who partake of Him through faith will never face death.  Though we die, yet shall we live.

Be encouraged!  Don't allow the rejection of your Saviour deter you from doing His work.  All who comes to Him in faith He will accept and embrace.  He has given us life:  let us freely share His life with others!

Certain Salvation

Have you ever read something that seems to encapsulate your thoughts and express them in a way far superior to your best effort?  I came across such a passage today in G. Campbell Morgan's sermon titled, "Christ's Knowledge of Men."  My thoughts were, "Well said!  Now I don't have to write that - not that I could have anyway!"  Allow me to share his concluding thoughts with you:

You come not merely for perfect understanding, faithful dealing, but for certain salvation.  Demonstrate to me that He cannot save you and I quit preaching.  Prove to me that your case is beyond the power of Christ and the evangel breaks down.  But you cannot prove it.  Oh that there may come to us sooner or later a great baptism of passionate honesty.  Witnesses are everywhere here, men and women who know His power; who could not, but can; who were fast bound in sin and nature's night, but who awoke as a ray of light came into the dungeon from his presence, whose chains fell off and went forth to live, serve, and follow Him.  If you will but come to Him because He knows you and let Him deal with you in all His faithfulness, you will find Him able to save you.  May God in His grace bring you to this Christ Who knows you, that He may save you.   - G. Campbell Morgan  (The Westminster Pulpit, Vol. 2, pg. 331)

I freely confess I am one of those witnesses.  I was in a prison held captive by my own sins when Jesus revealed Himself through the Word of God.  Some nuts are harder to crack than others, but when I fell upon the Chief Cornerstone Jesus Christ I was broken.  It was Jesus who forgave, cleansed, healed, and saved me.  On whomever this Cornerstone falls will be ground to power.  The knowledge that God would certainly judge me and this world according to righteousness showed me I was in serious trouble!  I am a sinner and unless I found forgiveness I was doomed.  After repenting and trusting in Christ, I was baptised with the Holy Spirit and discovered power for service.  By His grace my eyes were opened to my purpose and a new life appeared where there was once only death.  God has become the ultimate end of my life.

God knows you and every circumstance of your life.  Are you willing to trust Him?  It is only in Christ we can find certain salvation. John 6:35-37 reads, "And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. ³⁶ But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. ³⁷ All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out."  In Christ is abundant life for all who trust Him!

What's Changed?

Here's a question for those who read and study your Bibles, listen to sermons, or even preach on Sundays:   what effect has your recent study had on your life? Instead of asking “What have I learned?” it is a far more profitable question to ask, “How has my life changed?” We have the tendency as we study to think we do so for the primary purpose of gleaning information and facts. While the truth and the facts of scripture are important, trivia mastery is not the primary end for which God has established for His Word. The purpose of revealing Himself through His Word is so our lives – the way we think, what we believe, and how we live – will be transformed according to God’s will. Calling to mind facts might seem useful, but unless your life is governed and dictated by God’s Word the facts are impotent knowledge. God’s Word must be practiced and practical in my life or is practically worthless.

If God's Word isn't changing us, we need to change the way we approach the Bible.  We all need to change.  That is why after we are justified by grace through faith the rest of our lives on earth are used by God for our sanctification.  The Bible rightly divided changes the way we think, believe, and live.  If we cannot testify that God's Word is changing us, then we need to repent and ask God to soften our hearts and receive the truth and apply it our lives.  I thank God for this reminder He gave me today.  I needed it.  Praise God for His grace, that He speaks clearly to us whether we think we need it or not!

The Terror of the LORD

One of the things I have been musing about for a while is the fact God nor His Word has changed from the beginning.  But from books I have read, sermons I have heard, and conversations I have shared I have observed it seems the view of God by His people has changed greatly even in the last hundred years.  Perhaps the depiction of God from the pulpit has changed.  Maybe the truth of God's Word has been watered down like gulag gruel.  The fearsome aspects of God's character have been carefully glossed over:  His terror, ferocity, and infinite power.  It was in 1741 when Jonathan Edwards delivered the masterful and incredibly fruitful sermon titled, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."  The views of many in the church today struggle futilely to reconcile an angry God with one of love.  Yet this is exactly how the Bible describes Him.  If I cannot see God the way scripture reveals Him, then I must admit I do not know God as I ought.

The thought has crossed my mind recently that the modern view of God is more a caricature than according to His true character.  Years ago I remember going to an amusement park and walking past the booth where caricatures are drawn.  Pictures of well-known celebrities were plastered across the walls, recognisable yet drawn intentionally with ridiculous facial disproportion.  Jay Leno's chin was way too large and Michael Jackson's ever-transforming angular nose was far too small.  Madonna was sporting her classic microphone and coned bra while Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler looked like he could eat his entire miniature body with a single chomp.  Maybe because of the "fire and brimstone" and guilt-mongering styles of preaching in the past the modern church has gone too far in the opposite direction.  The caricature of Jesus emphasises his regal grin, long hair, white robe with blue sash, and nail-scarred hands.  He hugs lambs and cavorts with children, hardly the picture of the conquering ruler we read of in Revelation riding on a horse with His robe dipped in blood.  Jesus held children in His arms and blessed them.  He also is depicted as a valiant warrior, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.  By some Jesus has been emasculated to a point where it is impossible to imagine Him conquering nations.

Man is a master of making a god out of his own image.  It should be expected people therefore tend to cling to a perception of God they see as comforting and non-threatening.  The truth is this:  even professing believers might be more comfortable with idolatry than the reality of God as revealed through the totality of scripture.  That should make us very uncomfortable!  That is one reason why the misconception of an "Old Testament God" and "New Testament God" is prevalent.  There is one God and He is the same throughout scripture.  The Old and New Testament hold forth varying degrees of aspects of God's character.  Because the Old Testament contains the Law, one sees an added emphasis on the righteousness of God and the penalty for sin.  But God was as much a God of love, grace, and mercy in the Old Testament as the New.  His grace is a constant throughout.  The New Testament ushers in the New Covenant through the Gospel and shed blood of Jesus Christ.  We are taught that God loved the sinners of this world so much that He sent His only Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.  We are also told that the Day is coming when Jesus will also judge this world according to righteousness in the fierceness of God's wrath.  Unless He was gracious, none would survive.

Psalm 7:11 reads, "God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day."  Only gross wickedness allows wickedness to continue unpunished.  Justice demands satisfaction.  God's love is revealed through making a way for all men to be purified and delivered from the power of sin at work in them.  1 John 1:9 affirms, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  God paved a way to eternal life for all sinners with the blood of His own Son.  When Jesus died on the cross, the sins of the world laid upon Him, He once for all satisfied the righteous requirements of the law.  Those who reject the Gospel will face the just wrath of God for every sin they have committed.  The greatest sin of all is trampling the pure blood of Christ as an unclean thing, the sacrificial Lamb of God lovingly provided so all might be saved.

Does the thought of God being angry make you uncomfortable?  It should.  I think if God would pull back the veil so our eyes might behold His majesty and glory, the very cells of our body would scatter in all directions out of fright!  We would do more than merely kneel and tremble!  Writing to Christians in 2 Corinthians 5:9-11 Paul says, "Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. ¹¹ Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences."  Let me ask you:  when is the last time you heard a sermon on "Knowing the Terror of the Lord?"  There is something about terror that makes a man persuadable.  Tyrannosaurus Rex is known as the "Terrible Lizard," and the God who designed and knit him together is far more terrible.  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, but fools hate instruction - especially from the Word of God.

What do you know of the terror of God?  Paul said in Romans 8:28, "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."  Paul also knew firsthand the terror of the LORD.  "Phobos" is the word used in 2 Corinthians, the root of the English word "phobia."  Unlike the word "phobia" which suggests an "irrational fear," the fear of God is most rudimentary and sensible.  Those who do not know or believe in God cannot fear Him any more than a fictitious mythological figure.  But as Christians who are convinced of God's reality and infinite power, we should fear and reverence Him.  For those who believe the fear of God is an antiquated, Old Testament and ignorant view, I beg you reconsider.  Jesus says in Matthew 10:28:  "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."  Hear Him!

If we do not know the terror of the LORD, how can we persuade men to repent and be saved from the wrath to come?

When the Wait is Long

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life."

 Proverbs 13:12

Waiting is a facet of life few people enjoy.  The western culture of today is under-girded with the idea that quicker is better.  We don't feel like waiting and we don't believe we should have to.  Yet in the Christian life we find that God is not in a hurry.  I would like to take short-cuts concerning my sanctification, but God is pleased with what appears to us to be the long, often very long way.  Waiting provides opportunity to trust.  How many times in scripture do we see God reveal something divinely to His people and then wait years to bring it to fulfillment?

Moses believed while he lived in Pharaoh's house that God would use him to deliver the Israelites from slavery.  It was not until he fled Egypt and tended his father-in-law's flocks for 40 years that God gave him directives from the burning bush.  Even after he obeyed God and went to Egypt it seemed everyone was against him:  Pharaoh would not let the people go, the Israelites were angry that their labours were increased, and it seemed at times like it would never happen!  But God was faithful to His promise.  Moses had to learn to wait.  God told Noah that He would cause rain to fall from heaven and flood the earth.  It was 120 years later when the raindrops turned to a torrent when the heavens opened and the depths were broken up for 40 days and nights.  One of the longest waits fulfilled according to scripture was for the promised Messiah.  Throughout the Old Testament, God said He would send an anointed One to save His people from their sins.  That prophecy was fulfilled thousands of years later when the Father sent Jesus Christ born of a virgin and the Holy Spirit to be the Saviour of the world.

How God rejoices to use the crucible of waiting to refine us!  He puts a desire in our hearts, over time we learn to embrace this desire as His plan for us, only for Him to draw it out seemingly for an eternity.  We become heartsick as our hopes remain unrealised.  We wonder when God's Word will be fulfilled and toy with how He might fulfill it.  Satan delights to shoot arrows of doubt and unbelief at us.  God is good to make us wait.  Sometimes the desire God puts in our hearts can even overshadow our view of Him because of our feeble, shortsighted flesh.  I find that when I am burdened with disappointment or impatience it is because I have allowed my gaze to wander from Christ and onto the unfulfilled promise.  It is only when my eyes, heart, and renewed mind are fixed upon Jesus that I see the promise is still valid and unshakable.  Even after this realisation the waiting goes on and on.  God has many more lessons for those who are patient to heed them.

When I allow my hope in anything other than God to rise up, the fall is inevitable.  This world will let us down.  People will fail us, but God never fails.  Jesus is like the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden.  Even as those who ate from it would live forever, those who partake of Christ through repentance and faith will never die.  Our bodies will someday perish, along with fleshly hopes and pursuits, but our relationship with God will last forever.  If we look for life in anything other than Christ, it will become old, dull, and empty.  Only in Christ do we find life refreshed day by day.  Show me a man who is perfect in patience and I will show you one who has learned to wait upon the LORD.  There's nothing wrong with a long wait.  It makes the fulfillment that much sweeter and precious.

A Done Deal?

Have you ever watched the show "Deal or No Deal?"  At the beginning of the show, a contestant picks a case without knowing the contents.  Hidden within the case is an undisclosed amount of money.  To play the game, other cases must one by one be opened.  The "bank" will make offers to buy the case the person has chosen.  If revealed cases contain large amounts of money, the offer will be very small.  Conversely, if the large amounts remain the offers from the bank become more and more lucrative.  The whole game hinges on the fact the contestant does not know the amount contained within his case.  If he knew that little bit of information it would completely dictate his every decision.  There would be no stress or hard decisions to make.  If you knew your case contained $200,000, you would never entertain an offer for less.  It would be relaxing to play the game because you know how it will end!

There is no shortage of people in this world whose lives resemble a game of "Deal or No Deal."  Even as the person playing the game does not know exactly what is in their case, most people live a life of uncertainty.  They are not sure what happens after life on earth.  They are not certain there is a God, heaven, hell, or absolute truth.  They do not even know if they have a soul!  It is sad when people are content to remain agnostic when God has provided absolute truth in the Bible.  People can be deceived to think, "Since I'm not sure about these thing I don't believe anyone could be sure."

Life is not a game because there is much more than money at stake.  What we believe and how we live in this life determines where we will spend eternity.  All men will either spend eternity in the joyous, glorious presence of God in heaven or in everlasting torment in hell.  What if I was to tell you that we can know what case we're holding?  There are even professing believers who are not entirely certain they are ready for death.  The Bible informs us we do not need remain in suspense concerning the certainty of our salvation, nor should we!  1 John 5:11-14 reads, "And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. ¹³ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."  One of the reasons the scriptures were written was so we might know that we have eternal life, and that eternal life is only found through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  Heaven cannot be earned but is a gift received by the grace of God.  On the flip side, we know that the wages of sin is death.  The soul that sins shall surely die (Ezekiel 18:20) and be separated from God for eternity.  Praise God that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD!

Are you worried that you might not be headed for heaven if you died tonight?  Why continue to live with uncertainty, fear, and worries when God has provided assurance through the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?  Lay the words of Jesus Christ to heart as He speaks in John 3:16-18:  "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. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. ¹⁸ He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Hasn't the LORD Been Good?

Do you ever sit back in awe of the things God has done in your life?  I remember going to a youth camp and pastor Chuck Smith led us all in a song that I learned over the course of the days we spent there:  "Hasn't the LORD been good to us?  Hasn't the LORD been good?  He's done all the things that He said He would.  Hasn't the LORD been good?  So love God, hate sin, reckon the old man dead.  Love God, hate sin, and by His Spirit be led."  I want to testify that God is good and has been so good towards me.  He has been true to His Word and has never left or forsaken me.  As I think back through the long road we have traveled together, I am absolutely amazed and struck with how awesome God is.

God has done things in my life that I never imagined.  Even ten years ago I would never have imagined God would have called me to be a pastor, took me out of my trade, brought me into the ministry, led me and my family to sell our home, and moved us to Australia for the purpose of pastoring a church.  All these steps in my life were unknown to me even as I moved towards them.  But God knew.  Along the way He opened my eyes to the fact that His hand was upon my life, guiding and leading me to undertake things I never thought possible.

I remember working in the back yard of my new house and praying.  God said clear as anything:  "You will preach, and you will be sent."  At the time I had no aspiration to be a pastor or preacher.  I honestly did not want to be a pastor, and I didn't want to go anywhere!  I was happy; I was comfortable.  I was active in a church leading a home fellowship and serving in various ministries.  It began with willingness, and God caused willingness to give birth to desire.  I finally embrace the idea that God had called me to be a pastor and to teach His Word.  But how would this happen?  When?  Then the waiting began.  Had God not divinely revealed His plan concerning the call to pastoral work, I would not have needed to wait on God.  It seems the more He reveals to us, the more we are called to wait in expectant anticipation of His answer.  Instead of fretting or worrying about the details, God equips us to place our situation in His hands, content and at rest.

Last night I read chapters of the Luke account which highlighted events of the life of Jesus Christ.  After Jesus was baptised by John to fulfill all righteousness, Luke 2:23 tells us that Christ was about 30 years old when He began His public ministry in Israel.  I remember well conversations Laura and I had about me quitting my trade of 10 years and entering into full-time ministry at our church.  We knew that if I were to quit my job and be supported by the church, my wages would be diminished to the point we might have to sell our home.  It was one thing to give up foreman status, benefits, and wages:  it was a more difficult choice to part with the house we had renovated.  But God brought us to a point we were able to give our home into His control.  We were willing to step through the door if and when our church invited us into the ministry.  The day finally came!  Though my wages were nearly halved, God enabled us to keep our house by supplying students who rented a room.  God was gracious and good to supply all our needs.

Consider the grace of God!  I put in a written notice and left the trade for the ministry.  I remember my last day at work, carting all my tools out of Nassco and handing in my identification badge.  It was a surreal moment.  But the most surreal moment of all occurred when I walked up to the church building for the start of my second career.  Would you believe that my first day of work at church, a Monday, just happened to be my 30th birthday?  When I read that passage last night about Jesus entering public ministry at the age of 30, it sent a thrill through my heart as I thought back.  God had plans for Jesus long before He entered the public eye, and He has plans for you and me.  We cannot see the big picture with our limited sight and little faith, but we can know God is working to accomplish the plans that concern each one of us.  God has not forgotten you.  He certainly remembers His promises and will be faithful to fulfill His Word.  1 Corinthians 15:58 says, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

Instead of lamenting what God has yet to do, consider the wonderful things God has already done.  It will lift the clouds of doubt as the Son shines through.  Hasn't the LORD been good to us?

Guest Author: Paul Zastoupil

I came across a great post from a friend of mine, Paul Zastoupil.  We've known each other since high school and I have been blessed by his friendship and faithful service unto the LORD.  I thought, why not post this to my blog so other people can read it too?  If you would like to read more of Paul's work, check out his blog!  Enjoy!

Who Is Qualified to Rule?

By Paul Zastoupil

It has been almost 7 years since my first post on politics.  My views have not changed much.  It is still generally the same shape, maybe a slightly different shade.  Time does that.  I have heard my father on more than one occasion lament that he had never voted for anyone, only against someone else.  There is always disappointment in his voice when he says it.

I have not written it in a post here before, but I believe that a requirement for someone to hold high office is that they do not want to do it.  If they want the office, it is an indication they are unqualified to rule.  Two of the United States’ greatest presidents were that way.  Both Washington and Lincoln did not want the office but rather accepted it as something they must do, knowing that it would be better for them personally to seek other activities.

Why is that important?  For any man to rule over another, rights must be surrendered from one to the other.  This is an exchange that should be entered into reluctantly.  A good man will not seek to rule another.  And the other ought not to seek to be under the yoke of a man.  It is a requirement for the functioning of society, but it should be seen as a necessary evil, a civic duty not to be celebrated.  A true leader should humbly and reluctantly accept his duty, just as those who are led should reluctantly follow.

It is not human nature to consider what is best for society, but only what is best for oneself.  There are many exceptions to that rule, but I still hold that it is a rule.  That means from time to time someone will arise that truly is a good leader.  However, there will never be a mob of self disinterested people pushing forward that good leader.  In fact, more and more often, the good leaders are marginalized because of those same factors.  There is not enough selfish interest to amass behind a good leader, there is nothing to please the masses.  Whenever we see people overly excited about a politician, we should be worried.  There are many historical analogies to draw from to illustrate this point, choose your favorite.

I think my father has it just right.  We should never vote for anyone, we should always except to vote for the lesser of evils and vote against the greater.  But where does that leave us?  If I follow this logic to its conclusion, I will always be on the losing side.  Who is going to be excited about someone who does not want the job?  It is the losing side, but it is merely temporary.

Ancient Athens had something close to a direct democracy.  They called it δημοκρατία – demokratia – democracy.  The franchised people, those who could vote, directly voted on issues relating to their government.  The Romans further developed the idea of a republic.  They used the ideas from Greek philosophers like Plato and his πολιτεία – politeia – republic (loosely).  People were elected to represent others in the government.

Neither of those words appear in the bible.  We do find another ancient Greek word when it comes to government, it is βασιλεία - Basileia – Kingdom, or βασιλεύς - Basileus – King.

"From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom (βασιλεία) of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 NKJV

"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:  KING (βασιλεύς) OF KINGS (βασιλεύς) AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:11-16 NKJV.

There will be no question about Christ’s fitness to rule, nor will there be a vote taken.  Heaven is not a democracy, nor will we be forced to submit ourselves to the will of men.  But we must wait for the right time.

"Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king (βασιλεύς), He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone." John 6:15 NKJV

It was not the right time then, it is not the right time now.  For now we suffer, something I have written a lot about. (See the Heart Know series, and Romans 8:18-25).

Gleaning Gold

I had the opportunity to go on Abel's class trip to Bathurst, the site of the first gold-rush in New South Wales, Australia.  We visited Hill End, the place where Holtermann's Nugget was found.  That huge slab of gold mixed with slate weighed about 235 kilograms!  It was a busy few days and a great blessing.  We also toured through the Jenolan caves.  It was a great introduction to some of the history and sights I have yet to see during my time in Australia.  To share that experience with my son and his classmates, teachers, and fellow volunteers was a wonderful privilege.

During the trip we had two opportunities to pan for gold, something I once did on a similar trip with Zed.  One of the times we panned each camper received a pan full of sand which had been "salted" with a small amount of gold.  The other opportunity was in a riverbed without any planted gold.  Needless to say, the gold salted in the pans was far easier to find than the miniscule dust showed us by master miners in the riverbed!  The kids found panning for gold very difficult.  Since they were not immediately rewarded by large obvious pieces of gold, many of the kids were immediately disinterested.  They enjoyed swinging the mattock or throwing things at each other while they were trampling over potential treasure.  I found three tiny specks of gold in five pans of sand - not too bad!  Gold was there to be found but it took a lot of labour to find it.

Miners are like fishermen, in that they will never on their lives divulge the best spots.  Why?  Because they reserve the best spots only for themselves!  Reading God's Word is like entering a mine rich with wisdom and knowledge.  Instead of hiding His truth from the humble, diligent seeker, God's response resembles that of Boaz with Ruth.  He looked upon Ruth with favour and love as she faithfully gleaned in his field.  He commanded his reapers to intentionally leave a good amount of grain on the ground so it would be easy for her to leave with plenty.  God does the same with those who treasure Him enough to study His Word.  He gladly leaves some nuggets even laying right on the surface just waiting to be picked up by those who prize and heed them.  Have you been faithful to glean the truth God has left for you to find?  Keep on looking and remember to thank Him for such treasure!  Where else can we find the Word of Life?

Golden Bowls Full

"Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." 

Revelation 5:8

God's love is so remarkable!  He extends His love and grace to all people, despite our flaws and weaknesses.  When we were disloyal, untrustworthy, wretched, lost, hateful, and His enemies, God demonstrated His love for us by sending Jesus to die upon the cross and rise again.  We can see therefore that God's value for mankind is not dependent upon our performance or perceived "goodness."  He values us because He is good, gracious, kind, merciful, and loving.  God prizes men to such an extent that He chose to purchase us with the blood of His only Son.  When we repent and are born again through the Holy Spirit, He adopts us as sons.  Because God values us, He values our prayers as well.  Every child of God through faith is a saint in His view.

We see this fact displayed in this Revelation 5:8 passage.  The prayers of the saints are sweet-smelling incense held in golden bowls.  When I read this last week, I was struck with the idea of these golden bowls.  The only gold I own is a small, bottomless hole to put flesh and blood in - my wedding ring!  To own even one bowl made entirely of gold would speak of great wealth.  If I owned such a bowl, I assure you I would not leave it on the bench or coffee table!  I would not use it as a candy bowl or for something to throw my keys in.  Because the bowl was made of gold it would be very valuable indeed.  I would hire a safety deposit box to keep the bowl protected from theft or damage.  Many people buy insurance to protect their jewelery and a large bowl made of solid gold would be worth insuring.

To God, the bowls of gold described are of little value.  What God values is the contents of the gold bowls:  the prayers of the saints.  If we understood how much God values our prayers, how sweet and precious they are to Him as gifts given by His beloved children, how much more would we appreciate this gift of access God has given to us!  God has given us all we have and by His grace we are who we are.  Prayer is a gift man can freely give back to God.  Do you wonder what you can give the King of Kings?  After giving Him your heart, give Him the gift of your prayers.  That is a fitting gift for the Lover and Saviour of your soul!  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 reads, "Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  God is not like King Ahasuerus of the Medes and Persians who one night had trouble sleeping (Esther 6:1).  To help him drift off to sleep, the king had the book of the chronicles read to him - reading so dry he would certainly be asleep before long!  Our God does not slumber or sleep.  He is not so inundated with prayers that He cannot respond, nor is He so busy He does not care.  Even now God delights to hear prayers raise from your heart to His.

Man values gold, but God values the prayers of His people far more.  May our prayers indeed be a sweet-smelling savour unto Him!  Let us rejoice to fill those golden bowls to the brim!

Calvary Chapel Melbourne Trip

Late last night I returned from a trip to Melbourne.  I was invited by pastor Andrew Russell to preach at Calvary Chapel Melbourne and had the opportunity to share at both morning and evening services.  It was a tremendous blessing to meet faithful followers of Jesus Christ and I enjoyed many profitable conversations.  Oh how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!  There is brotherhood through fellowship in Jesus Christ that is sweeter and closer than mere blood relations.  Although we may be separated for seasons, we know we will one day dwell together in the presence of God forever!

As I prepared for the messages, I sensed the leading of the Holy Spirit to include some illustrations I have never used before or even considered.  I am thankful that those particular illustrations were among the most thought-provoking and profitable.  It is encouraging to know that when God leads us to say something it will be used for His purposes, whether we receive positive feedback or not.  Spirit-led preaching requires faith.  There is always the potential for offense.  Many were offended at the words of Christ:  how much more by a flawed man as myself?  Sometimes God leads me to say things which can make me feel uncomfortable.  I find when I must trust God to merely speak those are the portions God uses most mightily.

I suppose it would be wise to ask ourselves:  when is the last time God gave us a message to hold forth which required faith to deliver?  I'm sure we have all been guilty to a degree of ignoring or tweaking parts of a message that seemed distasteful, politically incorrect, or potentially offensive.  As messengers, we have no right or authority to alter the message.  Or perhaps we have delivered the message God has given us but without a heart of love and compassion.  In our preaching and speaking with people it is imperative we hear from God, deliver the message faithfully, and do so with His heart of love and grace.  Truth is critical, but love is the ultimate imperative.  Love is tough and willing to take blows.  A man can be technically "right," but without love a Christian is all wrong.

How grateful I am for the love, grace, and truth of God's Word.  It is awesome to meet people from all over the world who have been transformed by the power of God through the Gospel.  I have returned to Sydney rejoicing in the fellowship and love of brothers and sisters in Melbourne.  A day will come when we will always be in the presence of God together, never again to be apart!  Stay strong!

An Everlasting Feast

After preparing messages for the weekend, I was absolutely overcome by the goodness and grace of God.  The more I study the Word of God, the more I realise how living and powerful it is.  Like the widow's supply of oil and meal in 1 Kings 17, it is an inexhaustible source of life-saving goodness.  God's Word is so vivid and exciting.  Unlike novels which are quickly consumed and forgotten, the words of scripture have a mind-transforming, life-rejuvenating effect.  One would think that after 670 posts to this blog I would have little new to write about, but I feel like there is more fresh material available than ever.  That's a wonderful thing about God:  He makes all things new.  The Word itself is unalterable, but He gives us fresh manna and perspective through it.  Even the most well-traveled passages never lose their rich lustre.

The great irony is that when I consider what to post or how to preach from a text I feel I have nothing to offer.  I cannot tell you how many times I have read a passage and had absolutely no clue what it meant or how it could apply to my life or others.  Yet God is faithful.  I rejoice to have a first-hand view of coming to the scripture with empty hands and an open heart and walking away full and satisfied, almost with a dazed euphoria from the spiritual meal graciously provided by God.  When I approach scripture content with my current understanding I do not learn much.  It is when I confess my lack then God richly supplies my needs and allows me to share with others.

The role of a pastor is not to stand before the people and simply share information he has gathered over years of study, or to share his own opinions concerning the meaning.  Preaching is more far reaching than that:  it is a child of God in faith holding forth what God declares for His people today.  By His grace God uses the foolishness of preaching (and sometimes even the particular vessel He chooses to use!) to reveal His truth with power.  When I printed out my message notes for this weekend, I must attribute all the good to the grace of God.  I simply shake my head when I consider how empty I was and how richly God supplied me with His fullness.  People who only read posts or listen to sermons don't see the whole picture.  God uses even the process to accomplish His ends in and through His people.

Do not lean on your own understanding, nor rush to your notes or commentaries when it is the Holy Spirit who has been sent to teach you and lead you into all wisdom and understanding.  Helps have their place, but they are no substitute for the Helper.  Day by day gather up the fresh Manna as you commune with the Living Bread who has come down from heaven, died, and has been raised victorious and glorified.  Let us not be content with the scraps that fall from the plates of others when God has a seat for you at His table!

God Redeems Evil for Good

"Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? ²⁰ But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. ²¹ Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them."

Genesis 50:19-21

Joseph is one of many awesome biblical examples of one who chose to place his faith in God.  No one could say he had it easy.  The preferential treatment he received from his father ostracised him from his ten older brothers.  Their envy gave birth to fierce hatred.  When Joseph went to check on his brothers at his father's command, they stripped him of his coat and sold him into a life of slavery.  After catching the eye of his master's wife, Joseph ran from her sexual advances.  He was then thrown into prison for attempted rape and assault!  Life for Joseph was rough.  But God was with him even in prison.  Two years later not only was he released, but promoted by Pharaoh to second in command of all Egypt.

Many books and movies today revel and glory in "sweet revenge."  "The Princess Bride," "Gladiator," "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "Law Abiding Citizen" come to mind.  I have myself relished the moments when the good guy slowly plots his revenge on the one who has hurt him so deeply, robbing him of all he loved.  The lives of the protagonists are utterly consumed in trying to pay people back who have done them wrong.  Joseph had a perfect opportunity to do just that.  He had gone from being a favoured son to being slave and a prisoner.  Then the big day came when he was made a powerful prince with the authority of a king in his realm.  When his brothers came before him begging to buy bread, he could have made them to suffer.  Joseph had them completely under his control.  He could have made them squirm and beg for mercy.  The movies would have had Joseph gloating secretly as he plotted an intricate trap to painfully, slowly, kill each person who hurt him.  But that couldn't be further from the truth!

The brothers of Joseph were afraid that he would snap his fingers and make them pay for their great sins with their lives.  Under the guise of speaking for their late father they said, "Please forgive your brothers for the hurtful things they did to you."  Joseph said in so many words, "God forbid!  You did great evil to me but God meant it for good.  You hated me and sought to hurt me, but God used it to save countless people."  Verse 21 says, "Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them."  Instead of using his position and authority for revenge, Joseph used it to bless, comfort, and provide for his brothers and even their children!  This Christ-like love only comes from God.  It is not of this world.  What faith in God Joseph had, knowing that even in brutal circumstances God had plans to use them for good.

Many people cannot accept this word.  There are also some who refuse to receive God's love and grace.  It is only those who have placed their trust in God who can affirm the words of Romans 8:28 as unshakable truth:  "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."  Our God is a redeeming God.  Notice that there is a condition attached to all things working together for good:  it is for those who are God's.  Christians need not flippantly throw around the phrase "Everything happens for a reason" when we can say "I KNOW God makes all things work together for good" even in the midst of a trial.  We can see this proved true in both the life of Joseph and Jesus Christ among others.  Evil men falsely accused Jesus and sent Him to the death of the cross out of envy.  Being beaten, whipped, mocked, humiliated, and crucified was a very bad thing.  Yet what they meant for evil God meant for God.  Through the death of the perfect Lamb of God and His resurrection after three days God made a way for every sinner to be saved from death and given eternal life.

Jesus is our risen King.  He speaks kind words of comfort to us, even to those who have sinned against Him:  "Do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones."  It is His perfect love that casts out all fear.  What an example these men of faith provide for us!  Our so-called heroes and heroines in movies are often cast in the place of God, dishing out vengeance and judgment.  It should not be so for us.  Vengeance is the LORD's:  He will repay.  Let us thank our Saviour through freely forgiving even as we have been forgiven, offering comfort and kindness even in the face of evil.  What Satan means for evil God means for good.  We can comprehend this only through faith with our eyes focused upon our Redeemer!

Prayers God Answers

I went to a prayer meeting this morning at church and it was most profitable.  The more I pray, the more I realise that prayer might be one of the things I have often misunderstood about the Christian walk.  As I read prayers recorded in scripture, I recognise there can be a great divide between what I read and how I actually pray.  This goads me to break out of the prayer culture which promotes the eloquence of speaking over the simple elegance of listening, heart and mind tuned to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.  It is far easier to pray according to the suggestions of man than the promptings of our heavenly Father.  It should not be pity for others that drives us to pray, but a fervent desire for God to be glorified and praised.

Measure your prayers against Paul's prayer recorded in Colossians 1:9-12:  "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; ¹⁰ 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."  Instead of focusing on transient circumstances in the lives of people (which Paul no doubt prayed!), his focus was more on the condition of the heart and mind.  I cannot stress this enough.  I suggest a massive majority of our intercessions to God on behalf of others or ourselves goes no deeper than a plea for God to change or alleviate circumstances He has seen fit to allow.  Our prayers would be better suited, therefore, to pray more upon the lines of Paul:  that in our circumstances we would be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom, walking worthy of the LORD, being fruitful in every good work, being strengthened with all might with joy and patience, giving thanks to the Father.

If we can lay hold of this truth and put it into practice in our prayers, we should not be surprised that God will answer!  We are called to be watchful in prayer, not talkative.  Instead of being distracted with the circumstances, let us seek God circumspectly.  Let us commune with God and intercede on behalf of others even as Paul prayed for the church in Colosse:  not that God would necessarily change the circumstances faced by others, but that they would be transformed for His glory in the midst of them.  It is through this we are proved overcomers through Christ!  When we pray according to God's will He hears us and will answer.  God's Word clearly outlines His will for every person, and Colossians 1:9-12 is one prayer among many that lays out God's will for all of us we should pray confidently!

1 John 5:14-15 reads, "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."  Praise God that in Christ through the Holy Spirit we have access to the Father to find help in time of need!

Spiritual Salvation for All!

I had an epiphany last night when I read the account of Jesus eating the Lord's Supper with his disciples in Matthew 26:26:  "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."  I immediately hearkened back to the similarity when Jesus fed the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish.  Matthew 14:19 reads, "Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes."  In both instances, Jesus took the bread, blessed, broke, and gave it to the disciples.  The main difference was when they were feeding the people the disciples were instructed to distribute it to others.  The leftovers were more than enough to satisfy even the greatest hunger among them:  12 baskets full.  In the upper room, however, Christ's disciples were told to eat the food given them by Christ themselves.

The main reason for this command reaches beyond the satisfaction of physical hunger. It becomes even more clear in the following verse that the bread and wine were representatives of Christ's own body which would be broken and blood that would be shed.  Matthew 26:27-28 says, "Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."  After Judas left to betray Jesus, the remaining disciples were loyal to Jesus Christ.  They believed that He was the Christ, the Son of the Living God sent to seek and save the lost.  Their faith allowed them to enter into a new covenant with Jesus Christ through His blood which would be shed for all sinners.  This teaches us that we must receive of Christ personally before we can effectively share Him with others.  Later that night Jesus would be arrested, and the following day He would be crucified.  At that point, the Holy Spirit had not yet been given without measure to Christ's followers.

After Jesus was risen from the dead, He appeared to them in John 20:21-22:  "So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." ²² And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."  Jesus is the Living Bread come down from heaven, so all who repent and partake of Him through faith will live forever!  Much more important than the feeding of the body is the saving of the soul.  Jesus then sent His disciples to deliver this message of salvation to all people, even as He commanded them to distribute the five loaves and two fish to the multitudes from His hand.  But Jesus told them to tarry in Jerusalem until they were baptised with the Holy Spirit.  Acts 1:7-8 states, "And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."  They were to spread the Gospel not only to those seated in groups of fifties, but to all people in all places of the earth where He would send them.

What wisdom of God, that Jesus would give thanks as His body was broken and offered as a sacrifice for all sinners.  More wonderful still is this message of salvation has been committed to those saved by Him, that we might distribute the Gospel and fragrance of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit throughout the world.  No longer should we tarry, for the Holy Spirit has been given without measure.  Who is sufficient for these things?  2 Corinthians 3:5-6 reads, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, ⁶ who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."  Have you received?  Have you tasted and seen that the LORD is good?  He who has redeemed you has also made you sufficient to perform His will, for it is God who works in us both to will and do of His good pleasure.  Share your life with others so they might receive and live!