God's Mercy Endures Forever

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."

 Psalm 136:1

If you have read Psalm 136, you likely realised that all 26 verses repeat the same phrase:  "For His mercy endures forever."  What I find compelling about this song is how the Psalmist emphasised the endless endurance of God's mercy through what God did in the past.  We could never use this technique with people for as we all have witnessed, people change.  One of God's eternal attributes is He does not change (Mal. 3:6).  Believers can therefore say with complete assurance God's merciful character revealed in the past will extend to us, following generations, and continue unabated forever.

This Psalm serves to stir up remembrance, to direct our thoughts to the marvelous workings of God to deliver His people of their oppressors.  The Psalmist carefully chronicled the mighty works of God in the past so that whatever a reader might be facing, in looking back they could advance forward in faith.  Even with the constant repetition of this Psalm, we humans have a propensity to forget.  We often interpret our current circumstances from the perspective of our pain, disappointment, and confusion and therefore forget God's mercy extended to those who rely upon Him.  We tend to keep records of wrongs and wonder if God has forgotten to be merciful or gracious.

It is a wonder how thanksgiving to God changes our view from self-centered depression to God-praising joy.  Remembering the great things God has done for us causes our struggles and own plans to melt away into assurance of God's goodness and mercy towards us.  God has been merciful to us, and His mercy endures forever.  Let us praise the LORD and give thanks unto Him, for He is good.  His goodness is revealed in His mercy which endures forever.  Take some time today to consider God's tender mercy towards you in the past.  Hasn't He been good?  He is being merciful towards you right now, whether you recognise it or not.  He will continue to be good, for He is worthy to be trusted and obeyed.

When Tragedy Strikes

Yesterday the shock death of cricket batsman Phil Hughes rocked Australia and the cricketing world.  Hit on the pitch by a bouncer whilst batting on the pitch at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Hughes passed out and never regained consciousness.  He was only 25 years old.  He will be remembered as a rising star whose massive potential was never fully realised, his life tragically cut short playing a game he loved.  My thoughts and prayers have been with his family, friends, and folks in his hometown of Macksville.

Tragedies strike every day which are not reported in detail on the news or websites.  Countless, nameless people across the world die on a day and perhaps in a way they could not possibly have expected.  Such a shock occurrence rightly causes a young person to be introspective and consider his own mortality.  In our world, the bowlers keep bowling, the batsman keep swinging, and the international test matches keep coming.  Some people won't be able to shrug off the tragic passing of Phil, but many will.  They too will have their days come to an unexpected halt.  My hope is that Phil's passing would be redemptive for all people, that they would daily live life to the full, and find their hope in Jesus Christ.

I understand that most people in the world were likely fine with what I have written until the last phrase.  But without apology I simply must write it, for I have found no other hope in the world concerning death than through faith in Christ.  There is no peace, no joy, no hope for a glorious future apart from Him.  People have been playing sport at a professional level for years, but their accomplishments fade and are forgotten.  Great warriors and athletic legends of the ancient world are virtually unknown.  In a mere century - in a world some believe to be billions of years old - grand final winners are all who celebrated them are gone and forgotten. Yet the name of Jesus Christ is still on my lips as the Champion of eternal life.  He is the only One who rose from the dead, and He gives forgiveness, life, and freedom to all who trust in Him.

In this world there is not a shred of hope or comfort for those who face the grim spectre of death.  Time does not heal, and lives are like flowers which bloom one day and wilt the next.  It gives me no joy to think of a man becoming a star, or looking down at me from some heavenly perch.  How does that touch my grief?  When a cousin of mine died suddenly from a bee sting, I cried and cried.  I visited him in hospital, but what could I do?  My tears couldn't change anything for him.  After he passed, the outpouring of support at the viewing and memorial couldn't undo what had been done.  The gracious words and heartwarming memories could not raise him from the tomb.  His tragedy remains a tragedy.  Yet the kind words spoken, the tears, hugs, gatherings, and quiet moments alone thinking have the power to forever alter a man's thinking by a desperate search for life, comfort, and redemption found only in Jesus.  Tragedy can be the path to self-examination, re-evaluation of priorities, and to consider our longing for love, life, and a joyful future which extends beyond our graves.

All this, my friends, is what a relationship Jesus Christ does for a person.  Jesus gives hope to the hopeless, life to the lifeless, and a future for the doomed.  He will give us beauty for our ashes, and those who repent and trust in Him are assured of His presence forever.  You need never be alone in grief, sorrow, fear, and loss.  When women faced the shock death of their brother, Jesus assured Mary and Martha that their brother would rise again. John 11:25-26 says, "Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶ And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"  All who do believe this experience peace, joy, and hope the world cannot provide nor know.  Do you know the peace of God, even though the tears may fall?  No matter how deep our suffering or how great our loss, we can cry out to God for comfort and help in time of need.  Psalm 130:1-2 reads, "Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD; ² Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications."  Shall not the God who created ears hear?  Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning (Ps. 30:5)

Be Somebody!

Have you ever left a dish in the sink thinking, "Somebody will wash that?"  Sometimes we notice a chore hasn't been done for a while and say out loud, "When is somebody going to...?"  When those thoughts are running through our minds, it's easy for us to overlook the most qualified candidate:  ourselves!  Doesn't God clean up your messes sometimes even without you asking?  We are aware of the need, are convinced it should be done, and our observation reveals desire to see the task completed.  So what stops us from being "somebody?"

Years ago, I was taught a great life lesson by my pastor.  Along with a group of people from church, my pastor and I helped a family in need move house.  I found it exciting to help meet a person's need in a practical way.  After completing the move I said, "You know, what a great opportunity for ministry.  Somebody should start a helps ministry to aid people in practical ways."  With a twinkle in his eye, my pastor turned to me and said something basically like, "If you think someone should do it, why don't you do it yourself?"  I did think somebody should do it, and in that moment a "Helps Ministry" was birthed at our church which continued for many years.  I began coordinating a group of us from church who helped countless people move, we roofed houses, did basic handyman repairs, and even odd jobs like removing dead opossums from under a trailer!  It wasn't glamorous work, but we used our gifts and even our trucks to help others for the glory of God.

So when you think somebody ought to be doing something, why can't that somebody be you?  Every day you have the opportunity to be somebody who goes the extra mile, does a little extra to bless others, and is governed by God's grace and love - without even keeping track.  If we are serving others as unto the LORD, affirmation from others is never the fuel we require.  The strength, peace, and comfort from the Holy Spirit is the only "Well done!" we need!  That's the wonderful thing about being that special somebody:  in seeking to bless others we are the ones who are blessed most.  How about it?  If you are willing, today and every day you can be somebody!

God is Consistent

The God revealed in both the Old and New Testaments are one and the same God.  To claim otherwise is to ignore the ample evidence of God's holiness, righteousness, goodness, grace, justice, love, and vengeance portrayed consistently throughout scripture.  One aspect of God's character is He does not change.  He says plainly to His people in Malachi 3:5-6, "And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien -- because they do not fear Me," says the LORD of hosts. ⁶ "For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob."  Men change, but God does not change.

God had made a covenant with His people to which He remained true, despite their departure from Him.  They were disobedient, unholy, and filled with unbelief.  God's people demanded to have a king established over them in his place, and He granted their request.  The majority of these kings were wicked, idolatrous, and did not fear the LORD.  God chastened His people to test them, to move them repentance, so they might return and be restored.  In both the Old and New Testament, people are very much the same.  God reached out to them with open arms, inviting them to trust in Him alone, but they were not willing!  Though they rebelled and broke their promise made with God, He still looked upon them favourably.  Even when wicked Johoahaz sat on the throne, God remembered and kept His promise to them - though not entirely for their sakes.  2 Kings 13:22-23 reads, "And Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. ²³ But the LORD was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and regarded them, because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not yet destroy them or cast them from His presence."

What would you give to receive God's grace, compassion, that He would regard you, neither destroy you or cast you from His presence?  These are blessings and benefits we could never earn.  Yet Jesus has freely offered all who will repent and trust in Him a new covenant sealed with His own shed blood on the cross:  He will be our God and Saviour if we will repent, trust Him, deny ourselves, and follow Him.  Even as God ministered grace to the children of Israel who had forsaken Him for the sake of His covenant, so God expresses love and favour to us because of the new covenant He has established through Jesus Christ.  If you believe God is a make-believe entity contrived by man, this promise means nothing to you.  But realise Jesus was not a mere man.  He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin in fulfillment of scripture, lived a sinless life according to the Law, performed signs and wonders confirmed in the sight of multitudes, died on a cross, and rose from the dead in glory three days later.  The facts have not been changed, and there has been no revision of history.  None of these things were done in a shadowy corner.  The vast historical and biblical evidence is staggering.  If Jesus indeed came to earth with His claim of divinity, said the things He said, did the things He did, rose from the grave, and ascended to the Father, then Jesus is truly the Son of God.  And if Jesus is the Son of God, He has a Father who has made Him the judge of all living and the dead.

This was Paul's conclusion as he held forth the reality of the one true God in Acts 17:24-31.  God has appointed as Judge the same one through whom we receive eternal life.  "God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. ²⁵ Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. ²⁶ And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, ²⁷ so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; ²⁸ for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' ²⁹ Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. ³⁰ Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, ³¹ because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."

God has not changed.  He still holds out an invitation to forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ.  He is gracious towards you, has compassion on you, and regards you - even if you have suffered oppression from your foolish wanderings and unbelief.  Turn your eyes and heart to Christ, for it is through Him alone we receive of God's everlasting covenant.

The Static Quo

When I was in high school, I ran cross country.  For hours a week, our small team gathered and trained for upcoming races.  I remember my first junior-varsity race, an invitational hosted by El Capitan which weaved around Lindo Lake in Lakeside, California.  My memories of that race are not good because it is the only race I didn't finish.  About halfway through I turned my ankle, and after failing to keep pace I gave up and quit.  The ankle was no doubt sore, but my pride was hurt even more.  I would love to say that day I was an admirable picture of perseverance, finishing despite pain and the resulting poor time.  I suppose my mind set was not on finishing at all costs, but doing well.  If I couldn't do well in my mind, it was better to quit than press on.  Ouch.

One lesson I learned that day is despite making the team, training daily, intense preparation, wearing the right gear, warming up, and doing my best didn't guarantee a finish in the race.  Starting the race with absolute commitment to finishing the race in spite of any difficulty was something I needed to determine for me to have any chance of finishing.  Jesus was wise to tell people to count the cost before they followed Him.  All who follow Christ will face tribulation and trials.  But even counting the cost beforehand does not guarantee a finish.  As Jesus walked, some after hearing His words departed and never followed Jesus again.  Jesus taught that endurance to the end is key in Matthew 10:22:  "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved."

Human beings grow comfortable with the familiar.  The irony of this is no human being is static but in a constant state of growth, development, or atrophy.  "Static" is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as, "showing little or no change, action, or progress."  The world is changing, society is changing, and we are changing, but somehow we assume people stay the same.  We can be quite thrown when it is revealed someone is not who we thought they were.  But this is nothing new.  When Saul became the first king of Israel, he was a perfect picture of humility.  It only took a few years before power, wealth, fame, and pride corrupted Saul and God rejected him from being king.  How many Christian musicians are not as "Christian" as when they began?  How many politicians, pastors, and Christians change their tune concerning social issues or biblical truth because of pressure to conform?  It is our nature to forget the pit God brought us from and start judging others critically.  Paraphrasing Gene Edwards in his masterpiece A Tale of Three Kings, "The ability to see problems is a cheap gift indeed." (pg. 88)

We are either advancing in holiness or becoming increasingly weak, spiritually senseless, and blinded by sin.  We are shocked when we hear of Christians falling into sin or leaving the faith, whether it is a well-known pastor, mentor, family member, or a person out of the public eye.  God is certainly able to reconcile even such to Himself, for His love, acceptance, and grace is not only granted to the unregenerate but to all who repent.  Don't assume you will make it to the end of your race as a faithful follower of Jesus because you have made it this far.  You still need Jesus.  You need to seek and hear His voice.  You still need to be led by the Holy Spirit.  His Word must still be applied to your life and decisions daily.  Your works, gifts, or reputation among men will offer no benefit as you stand before God at the end of your days.  Are you growing in knowledge of God?  Hebrews 12:1-2 says, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

God forbid our lives lack the sheer desperation we once had to know, follow, and obey Jesus to the end!   Refuse to be pleased with the status quo of your walk with God, for nothing about man is static.  If we are not taking intentional steps to grow closer to Jesus change is still happening, but not for the better.  God gives us complete assurance He will do His part to save all who come to Him by faith, yet that is not a guarantee we will agree to meet His conditions!  Praise the LORD it is He who works in us both to will and do of His good pleasure.  Our salvation obtained by grace through faith should not give us confidence in our works or increase reliance upon self, but upon God alone.  May all who call Christ Saviour and LORD find contentment in the relentless, intentional pursuit of Him!

The Gates of Righteousness

"Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the LORD. ²⁰ This is the gate of the LORD, through which the righteous shall enter. ²¹ I will praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation."

Psalm 118:19-21

Only those with clean hands and a pure heart will see God (Ps. 24:4).  The Law of God proves beyond any shadow of doubt that there is none good, no not one.  Solomon stated rhetorically in Proverbs 20:9, "Who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?"  If man's only hope for righteousness was through his own effort, he would have no hope whatsoever.  But by the grace of God, the righteousness of Christ has been imputed through faith to all those who believe.  Paul stated his fervent desire in Philippians 3:9-11 to "...be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; ¹⁰ that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, ¹¹ if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."

Jesus Christ has been revealed as the Gate of Righteousness, the Way, the Door through whom man is invited to enter and receive eternal life.  The Psalmist wrote, "Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the LORD."  God has opened the gates.  God has made a way of salvation, and our response should be eternal praise for God's glory.  As important as it is to receive Christ's righteousness imputed through faith, it is imperative we walk in it.  God did not make us righteous only so we could be granted entrance to heaven.  When we decide to walk through the Gate of Righteousness, the implication is we will also are choosing to continually walk in the path of righteousness.

Every day we remain on this earth we face the choice of walking in righteousness or seeking to satisfy self.  Peter wrote of Christ being our righteous example in 1 Peter 2:22-25:  "...who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth"; ²³ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴ who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed. ²⁵ For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."  Those lives of those who have received of Christ's righteousness should be marked by the practice of it.  In choosing holiness and righteousness, we walk in true worship and praise of the God who loves us and gave His life for us.  One person's deliberate act of choosing righteous obedience to God is worth more than all the songs and raised hands of those who walk unrighteously.

Have you chosen the Way of Righteousness to receive salvation?  That is good!  Be mindful and intentional to take the necessary step of choosing to live righteously every day.  Through God it is possible!

The Healthy Perspective

This morning I asked God to provide something for me to post on the blog, and today He saw fit to provide in a way I did not expect!  God speaks through times of prayer and scripture reading, but He also reveals Himself in the mundane.  When a man knows God, it changes his perspective of everything.  Even in accidents God's grace and goodness is revealed.  In a little booklet I read the other day written by Ken Ham, he stated all students of science use the same facts but their worldviews dictate how the facts are interpreted.  It is God in a person who opens our eyes to His gracious benefits even when things "go wrong."

In between studies this morning, I went to the kitchen to prepare a coffee for myself.  After tamping the grounds in the portafiller, I pulled the stainless steel milk frothing jug from the strainer.  Unknown to me (at first!), the blade attachment for our blender was stealthily tucked inside!  Before I even looked down or felt the sting, I knew what had happened:  the blender attachment had fallen - face down - into my toe.  It didn't bleed right away, but I kept my eye on it.  It wouldn't be long...yep, oozing blood began to slowly outline the small incision.  I grabbed a paper towel and spent the next few minutes looking through the house for Band-Aids!

As I cleaned the wound, I marveled how close the point of the blade came to hitting the leather strap on my Rainbow thongs.  A couple of millimetres to the left and all the discomfort could have been avoided!  But my mind did not settle on that point, because had the tip of the blade entered a couple millimetres to the right, I would have likely damaged the tendon on my big toe and also sliced through a vein!  Given the situation, instead of lamenting the injury I praised God it was not more severe.  As it was I would relegate the cut to a mild inconvenience and hardly worth mentioning.  But it is worth mentioning that God is worthy of praise whether we manage to avoid injury or if a flying cleaver chops off an entire toe!  Even should the body of a child of God be ruined or destroyed, we have been promised by God a new, resurrected, and glorified body we will use to dwell with God and praise and serve Him forever!

Keeping our eyes on God is a healthy perspective that leads to the grateful praise of God with all thankfulness.  Psalm 118:28-29 concludes with, "You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. ²⁹ Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."  God's goodness and mercy does not hinge on the condition of my toe, but what grace He showed me today in protecting me and opening my eyes to see His providential hand for my God and His glory.  Turn your eyes to God and praise the One worthy of all glory and praise for He is good, and His mercy endures forever!

Authority and Control

A follower of Jesus Christ has the assurance of scripture that God has authority over all and is in control.  Matthew 28:18 records words Jesus said to His disciples:  "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."  Under Christ's authority, we can therefore go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptising, and teaching them to follow God's ways.

A funny thing happens when people are given positions of authority.  It changes the way people think and relate to others - and often for the worse.  Many become overbearing and harsh.  In the words of Agur in Proverbs 30:21-23:  "For three things the earth is perturbed, yes, for four it cannot bear up: ²² for a servant when he reigns, a fool when he is filled with food, ²³ a hateful woman when she is married, and a maidservant who succeeds her mistress."  A common worker without training would likely be unprepared for the responsibility of managing the business affairs of a global corporation, and probably struggle to efficiently manage employees at a local business.  How much more difficult would it be to suddenly have free reign over a country!   We have all witnessed people given authority without adequate preparation, and their newly acquired power is easily abused.

Regardless of the scope of your authority in a family, relationships, business, or ministry, the persuasive temptation is this:  you have authority, so therefore you should be in control.  The question is, can a man truly be "in control" when God sits on the throne?  Self- control is a fruit of the Spirit, and therefore our flesh is simply incapable of the standard of self-control which only comes from God.  If man cannot even control himself, how much less control does he wield over others!  What great lengths people in authority take to seize control or maintain control!  Much effort can be given to worry, schemes, fears, or labour to influence or manipulate to keep our grasp on even the illusion of control.  Authority is inevitably abused when removed from God's guiding control.

Can we change the hearts of other people?  Can we transform our own hearts?  Can we through effort change our sinful, selfish ways?  No!  God has complete authority, but He gives us freedom to choose whether we will submit to Him or not.  Isn't that amazing?  God is indeed "in control" - as far as His plans will be brought to pass, even redeeming circumstances outside of His perfect will for good - yet He does not "control" us.  There is a humility in His governance which requires faith in God for us to imitate.  We must be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking because we have authority given by God, our efforts are wisely used in a vain attempt to control others.  Jesus demonstrated love, gave abundant mercy and grace, and humbled himself.  That was how Jesus utilised and revealed all the authority in heaven and earth given Him by the Father.  For His glory may we exercise any authority we have in the same way:  not through attempts to control others, but in submission and obedience to God!

King Eglon Must Die!

One of my favourite Bible passages growing up is found in Judges 3, when Ehud assassinated King Eglon of Moab.  For 18 years the children of Israel had been oppressed by the corpulent Eglon, who rallied the people of Ammon and Amalek against them.  God heard the cries of His people and raised up Ehud as a deliverer, a left-handed man.  He fashioned a two-edged dagger - too short to be considered a sword - and smuggled it under his clothes.  After giving a payment of tribute, Ehud sought an audience with King Eglon, saying he had a secret message for him.  Judges 3:20-23 contains the gruesome details:  "And Ehud came to him (now he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). Then Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." So he arose from his seat. ²¹ Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. ²² Even the hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the dagger out of his belly; and his entrails came out. ²³ Then Ehud went out through the porch and shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them."  Ehud escaped, gathered the people together, and subdued the Moabites.  God saved His people from their enemies, and they enjoyed peace for 80 years.

As a kid, I confess I wasn't looking for a spiritual application to this passage.  Maybe I led a sheltered life (which I did, no doubt!), but it was exciting reading.  There are many spiritual truths in this passage to glean and profit from.  As the passage came to mind yesterday, it occurred to me Ehud knew who his enemy was and how to defeat him.  This is huge.  He wasn't content with attacks on a Moabite garrison, or to hurl insults from a distance.  He would not be pleased to sabotage equipment or boast a large body count from his assaults:  he had his sight set on the king!  Ehud devised an effective strategy to defeat his enemy, and knew his weak spot.  King Eglon was powerless to attack or resist after the sword was plunged home.

The Word of God (the Bible) is called the sword of the Spirit in Ephesians 6:17.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 also says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."  Ehud was a man who carefully picked his shots.  He was not going to attack lackeys, village elders, or servants when he could end oppression once and for all by killing the king!  Eglon is a good representation of the flesh and its excesses.  Too often we can wage war on symptoms and neglect to deal with the heart of the matter.  Eglon had many servants, and to attempt a fight against them would have been fruitless and incited greater oppression.  Making our personal battles focused on mere behaviour will lead to eventual and certain defeat.  The enemy is enthroned within the stronghold and well-fortified!  The sword of the Spirit is effective at revealing our motives, and the Holy Spirit is able to wield it masterfully to expose hidden sin in us.  The razor-sharp cutting edge of the Word must be applied to our hearts and only when we repent will Eglon fall.

At this very moment, the Eglon in all of us is plotting his revenge.  Silently and subtlety he rallies his forces so he once again can rule. Thankfully we have the wisdom of God and the sword of the Spirit to finish him off.  The only way to defeat the flesh is to kill it, and Jesus was crucified so we might experience life abundant and everlasting.  Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."  When the sword of the Spirit is applied faithfully to our hearts, we experience the peace of God and fulness of joy.  How good it is to be free!

The Refinery of God's Word

God's ways are truly higher than man's ways, and His thoughts are beyond our wildest expectation, imagination, or explanation.  The life of Joseph is a good example of this.  As a young man, God revealed the future to Joseph through a couple of dreams.  God showed him the end, but did not reveal the time frame or the process.  His brothers hated Joseph because of the special treatment he received from his father Jacob.  Fueled by bitterness and envy, they sold Joseph to traders heading to Egypt.  If you think Joseph was at peace to be sold because "it was all in God's plan," you are incorrect.  Tormented by guilt years later his brothers said to one another in Genesis 42:21, "We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us."

In anguish of soul, Joseph was brought to Egypt and sold as a slave.  After being promoted in Potiphar's house, he was falsely accused of rape and imprisoned.  As the years passed, I am sure at times Joseph questioned the reality of God's word given to him in his youth.  He found favour with the warden in prison, and was placed in charge of the inmates.  But was this role the fulfillment of those dreams?  I am sure he wondered.  Being an imprisoned slave in a foreign country because his brothers hated and sold him was no doubt a grievous trial.  Yet Joseph continued to trust God and sought to be used by Him.  A butler and baker were troubled by dreams they had on the same night, and with God's guidance gave them a true interpretation.  When the butler was restored to serving Pharaoh, he forgot all about Joseph.  Not only was Joseph imprisoned, but also forgotten!

Two years after interpreting the butler's dream, Pharaoh had a series of dreams which troubled him.  There was none in Egypt who was able to interpret them.  The butler was reminded of Joseph and recommended him to come before Pharaoh.  After crediting God for any ability to interpret dreams, Joseph proceeded to give a correct interpretation and offer counsel concerning the future.  That same day Joseph was permanently released from prison and made second in command to Pharaoh.  The life of Joseph was far more than a fortuitous series of events, but a life God ordained from the beginning.  Joseph was instrumental in saving the nation of Egypt from starvation, and also providing food for his family who later came to stay in Egypt during the famine. 

Hundreds of years later, it was written in Psalm 105:17-19 from God's perspective:  "He sent a man before them-- Joseph--who was sold as a slave. ¹⁸ They hurt his feet with fetters, he was laid in irons. ¹⁹ Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him."  What Joseph's brothers intended for evil, God intended for good and to save many people from death.  Joseph being sold was God's way of sending.  His time in prison was not pleasant, nor should we think it was not a time of suffering and affliction.  His feet hurt from the iron leggings he wore as a prisoner.  But God's Word - spoken to him through a dream and no doubt confirmed through solitary talks with God - tested and tried the faith of Joseph.  In the dungeon a man was prepared for the palace, and God's Word was ultimately fulfilled.

Do you know that it is the same for all who trust in God?  Perhaps God has revealed something of your future to you, yet at the moment it seems impossible!  We can be easily tempted to doubt that we heard God in the first place and it was wishful thinking.  During the trials and difficulties, in spite of unexpected turns and apparent setbacks, God's word is being fulfilled.  Do you believe that?  Are you willing to trust God no matter your situation?  Many faithful followers of God were proved by God's Word long before they were promoted.  God uses the difficult situations of this life to refine us for future use according to His divine plans.  What man intends for evil, God redeems for our good and the good of others.  Give glory to God for His marvelous works!

Regarding the Presence

Tonight our family read the account in 2 Kings 3, a testimony of God's grace in providing victory for His people.  The chapter begins by explaining how Jehoram was a wicked king over Israel, and after the death of Ahab the nation of Moab rebelled against Israel's rule.  Jehoram sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, a righteous man who feared God.  Jehoshaphat agreed to help reign in the rebellious Moabites, and they traveled together for seven days through the land of Edom.  The text says the king of Edom came along in support.  Despite their planning and collaboration, they faced defeat before even meeting Moab in battle because of a severe water shortage.

Jehoram blamed the lack of water as a sinister plan of God to destroy them.  Refusing to accept such a suggestion, the faithful king of Judah said in 2 Kings 3:11, "Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD by him?" So one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, "Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah."  Jehoram remained unconvinced, but in the end they decided to seek the assistance of Elisha.  2 Kings 3:13-14 says, "Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother." But the king of Israel said to him, "No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab." ¹⁴ And Elisha said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you."  Isn't that amazing?  Jehoram and the king of Edom served idols, but Jehoshaphat feared the true God.  God regarded the presence of Jehoshaphat because he feared Him.  Not only that, but God provided water abundantly and allowed all three kings to be victorious over Moab for the sake of Jehoshaphat.

God does not regard the presence of those who hate him, but to those who trust Him God will look.  He seeks to show Himself strong on behalf of those who fear Him.  Laban realised God had blessed him as a direct result of Jacob working for him.  Pharaoh promoted the incarcerated foreign slave Joseph to second in command because the Spirit of God was with him and gave great wisdom.  Daniel and his companions were tested and found ten times wiser than the other wise men in Babylon because God was with them.  God dwells in unapproachable holiness, yet He sent Jesus Christ His Son to be the Saviour of the world.  Isaiah 66:1-2 says, "Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? ² For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist," says the LORD. "But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word."  Those who highly regard the presence of God will be regarded by Him.  Through the Gospel Christians are made the temple of the Holy Spirit, and He dwells within us.  At all times we can commune with the Father through the prompting of the Spirit, and Jesus stands at the Father's right hand interceding on our behalf.

This world for millennia has reaped the rewards of God's answers to the prayerful intercessions of Christians.  A day will come when the church will be taken, and the kings of the world will suffer.  In Jesus we find rest for our souls, and in our hearts His Spirit finds rest too.  Do we meet God's conditions so we might be recognised when we come before Him in prayer?  Are we contrite, broken, and tremble at His Word?  Our God is the God who sees, indwells, empowers, and glorifies.  He is worthy to be sought and praised.

Go Through Open Doors

When your church plans trips, activities, or courses, how do you view them?  For a lot of my life I used to see all church-related activities or service as optional.  Unless I felt specifically prompted to go or be involved, I would usually pass.  But as I have continued to mature in the LORD, my views have changed.  I see opportunities to preach or go on mission trips as open doors that I should aim to go through unless God closes the door.  Do you see the difference?  Many people have a consumer approach to offered church activities rather than seeing it as an opportunity to serve.

How would your perspective change if you saw an upcoming mission trip as an open door, swung wide by Jesus Christ Himself for you to enter?  Jesus said in Revelation 3:7, "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens..."  It is of great importance to realise what your call is as a Christian, and specifically what Jesus has called you to in the Body of Christ.  We are exhorted to be diligent to make our calling sure (2 Peter 1:10) - not only concerning justification, but sanctification.  Once you are convinced of God's call upon your life, it is an indispensable tool of the Holy Spirit to guide us through open doors we may have never noticed before.

In my own life, it was revealed to me in prayer, the Bible, and confirmed without solicitation by a praying friend that God had called me to be a pastor.  It was not my plan, but God convinced me that I would preach, and I would be sent.  Believing this indeed to be a call upon my life, whenever an opportunity to preach or teach was offered, I viewed it as an open door.  I figured if God had opened a door which lined up with my calling, it was not for me to decide if I liked the look of the door or what potentials laid behind it.  My role was to go through every door He opened, and not to concern myself with doors He shut.  Do you realise that God does not open doors before you unless He intended you to enter them?  Should it be evident to you He has closed a door, there is no need to strain at the handle or wonder if God knows what He is doing.  It is wise to see every opportunity as an open door for you to walk through.  When we seek Christ and examine our motives, we will know the way because Jesus IS the Way.

I encourage you to open your heart and consider the many open doors God has opened to you.  Instead of asking, "Why should I go?" or "Do I feel like going?" or "Can I afford it?" ask, "Has God specifically told me not to walk through this open door?"  Money is never an issue for God, and neither is time.  It very well may be there have been thousands of open doors God has set before us which were veiled because our vision was clouded by self.  We often already have plans, and the open door Jesus bids us enter was not part of that plan.  Are you willing to walk through doors Jesus opens?  Be open to open doors, and boldly walk through them in obedience!

The Path of Restoration

Three months have passed since I underwent ACL replacement surgery on my knee.  When I first talked to my specialist concerning the procedure, it was not without warning.  "The surgery has a high success rate," the doctor said.  "But the highest probability of re-rupture occurs at the three month mark.  You're getting stronger, you're feeling good, and you overdo it.  You need to do the things I tell you to do, and not do anything I tell you not to do."  No problem, I said.  With a clear conscience, I can say for the most part I have kept my word.  I may be out of the woods, but a long road to full recovery stretches before me.

Recovery from knee surgery is similar to what happens when God heals broken parts of our lives.  Maybe we think that because we have been forgiven, reconciled, and restored, we can pretty much do whatever we want!  But that is far from reality.  Suppose I hadn't been warned to take precautions concerning activities to do or to avoid, and all my specialist did was give me a new ligament?  I certainly wouldn't want or even think to do painful exercises.  Restoration can hurt!  If I avoided important exercises, flexibility and strength would be poor, and no doubt I would engage in potentially dangerous activities for the healing ligament.  My ligament was fixed in a matter of minutes, but I still need to daily take intentional, practical steps to benefit the healing process which can take a year!

God forgives sin and says, "Go and sin no more!"  After Jesus healed a lame man John 5:14 tells us, "Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."  Healing of the body matters little if the heart has not been transformed.  When God has delivered our souls from sin and death, it matters how we choose to live.  Are we avoiding sin and living righteously?  If I use my leg however I want or feel at the moment, I run the risk of severely damaging the ligament.  But if I use it in accordance with the recommendations of my specialist, strength will be restored and healing promoted.  The Holy Spirit guides those who are born again and reconciled to God.  God's Word is not a series of recommendations, but the words of life we do well to heed!  As we live out our days, may we take the steps necessary for restoration! 

In the Cool of the Day

On Thursday I volunteer for the Pyjama Foundation, a organisation that seeks to provide friendly mentoring and boost literacy for kids in foster care.  Today was a bit strange, in that we did not read at all!  It was a learning and growing time for me as a living parable played out before my eyes.

As I turned right at the roundabout, I saw two kids playing down by a creek.  I suspected one of them was Nate (name changed), and upon entry to the home my thoughts were confirmed.  We enjoy spending some of our time outdoors and I was early anyway, and after greeting everyone I headed outside.  Yesterday it had rained heavily and the creek was higher than usual.  The boys had noticed!  Nate was skipping stones with a friend and for a while we threw rocks into the water.  That didn't last for long.  All that water and mud was simply too interesting, so the boys headed down for a closer look.

Nate and his mate hopped down into the waterway, only to bury their school shoes to their ankles in mud.  This was very exciting, I mean, who could have expected that?  Since they were muddy already, what was the harm in trying to wash off their shoes?  For these boys, "cleaning" those shoes and socks was more of a novelty than a necessity.  Besides, their shoes cleaned up so well (as long as you don't mind brown socks which once were white!), there was little motivation to stay out of the mud.

As they waded through the murky stream they were engrossed with their new environment.  Pieces of broken glass were like discovered treasure, and discarded bits of wood became bridges.  Then there was a vain attempt to build a dam to stop the flow of water.  It was amusing seeing those two muddle around, trying to hold back the flow of water with a couple rocks and handfuls of sand.  As time passed their clothes grew increasingly wet and muddy.  "Do you think I should wear this shirt to school tomorrow?  I can wear a jumper over it!"  It wasn't long before they were trying to find the softest mud to sink into, and Nate sunk almost halfway to his knees.  He slurped out of the mud with a laugh, amazed at the qualities of mud.  My, who could have thought this could be so fun?

After about a half hour I told Nate it was time to head to the house and clean up so we could read and do some activities together.  Nate started moving in my direction when suddenly his friend found a lizard, and they were on the hunt.  It was a particularly aggressive lizard, the kind that runs away and hides in rocks when you walk closer to it.  I was having a good time watching Nate have fun, and I wasn't going to make him do anything he didn't want to do.  "Ben, Ben!" he would shout, and I walked closer to appreciate his latest discovery.  Once it was a large drain pipe; another time it was a deep pool with slippery mud around the edges.  Further upstream they travelled, finding more treasures and lizards among the sandstone rocks.  It was lovely to hear the boys laughing and feel the cool afternoon breeze as it rustled through the gum trees.

I was suddenly reminded of when Adam walked with God in the cool of the day.  There I was, pacing slowly back and forth, waiting for Nate.  I was not in the least bit impatient.  If Nate would rather play in the creek, I was fine with that.  My time with him is a gift I rejoice to give because I am his friend.  I was struck with an idea:  how many times has God come to visit me with His presence and I was busy doing other things?  To think that I could be like that little boy, running around trying to stop a flowing river with a rock and handfuls of sand!  It was a sacred moment as I stood by a gum tree, watching those kids.  There I was, and God was walking with me.  He was talking with me.  In the stillness of my heart I was blessed with the knowledge God visits His children who are precious in His eyes, even when they don't expect or call Him.  He wants to spend time with us in mornings and evenings, and even if you happen to stand for an hour watching kids play in mud.  Men's best efforts are about as useful as those distracted boy's attempts at building a dam out of sand, and they were beyond hopeless!  I confessed sin and asked Him to cleanse me.  The LORD knows I am no more clean or pure than those muddy, water-logged children in my flesh.  This filth of this world sticks easily to us.  I quietly sang a few songs of praise as I watched from a distance, drinking in my Saviour's love.

We never made it inside the house to read today, but it was a sweet time of fellowship with the LORD and good time spent with a couple of delightful boys.  After I told Nate my time was up and I was heading off he said, "Boy am I going to be in trouble for this.  I already have an early bedtime as it is!"  He was a frightful sight.  His face was streaked with mud, his once white shirt was half brown, his socks permanently stained, and his shoes were a disaster.  "Well, what did you think would happen when you jumped in the mud?"  "That's just the problem," he said with intensity, running over to jump in a dirty puddle.  "I never think about what's going to happen later because I just think about having fun now!"  Well said, Nate.  Those are words even adults who try to stay out of the mud can learn from if taken to heart!

Hearing God's Voice

God speaks to us in ways we may not expect.  When we think of God speaking, perhaps we think of dreams, visions, or perhaps an audible voice from heaven.  While God can certainly use any means to speak, a primary way which He speaks to us is through His Word, the Bible.  Closely connected with the scripture is the presence of the Holy Spirit who dwells inside every Christian.  Jesus says His sheep hear His voice, He knows His sheep, and we follow Him.  The Holy Spirit enables us to understand what Jesus says and apply it personally to our lives.  Instead of a booming, amplified voice from the sky, most often God speaks in His still, small voice.

God did not place the Holy Spirit in every believer for the sake of convenience.  Instead of spelling out the future to us or speaking with an audible voice to satisfy our fleshly curiosity, God has wisely linked faith with the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Through Christ we have a firmer foundation than the fact we heard audible words or saw a heavenly vision.  God is speaking:  the question is, are we seeking Him and listening?  God speaks to us way more than we credit Him for.  Often we can know when God is speaking when it is something we do not expect.  While we value directives, much of what He says is corrective.  We ought to rejoice that God speaks to us, whether it is to call us, speak of future events, or correct us.  What joy is ours even when God speaks to correct us!

The other day I enjoyed a conversation while driving with a mate.  We both enjoyed the short, delightful discussion as we caught up with current events in our lives.  After we parted ways, immediately a thought popped into my mind - and it was completely unrelated to my current line of thinking.  "Your words in a part of that conversation were rude and unkind.  Pull this car over, apologise, and ask for forgiveness."  Thinking it over, I had to agree.  There had been no offense, but I knew I had offended God by my words.  I was trying to be funny, but God has shown me many times how humour can a masking agent which disguises sin's bitterness.  Because this impression placed upon my heart was fully in line with God's Word, pointed out my sin, bid me repent, confess my faults, and ask for forgiveness, I knew it was God speaking directly to my heart.  Through the Holy Spirit, the still, small voice of God speared my heart.  After I pulled over and sent a text message admitting my sin and asking for forgiveness, what joy filled my soul!  I rejoiced, for God had clearly spoken to me!

When God speaks to you, rejoice!  Whether His words are predictive, instructive, comforting, corrective, a rebuke, or thought provoking question, choose to delight in heeding and obeying His voice in faith.  Thank God that He is the God who sees and speaks!

A Dignified Death

Lately it seems there has been an uptick in talk over assisted suicide, deemed by some as "death with dignity."  To me, there is nothing "dignified" about death, nor is there dignity in the foreknowledge of it.  Whether someone dies of old age, in an accident, by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, or through drugs ingested or injected, the spectre of death remains hideous.  The Bible teaches death entered the world through sin.  The fact our bodies die shows we are indeed infected with sin in a fallen world.  The soul that sins shall surely die and face eternal torment and separation from the God who loves all.  God will someday kill Death forever by casting it into a lake of fire (Revelation 20:14).

"Dignity" is defined in The American Heritage Dictionary as, "1) The quality or state of being worthy of esteem or respect; 2) to raise the status of something unworthy or lowly, make honourable."  Planning your death secretly or publicly does nothing to make death itself more worthy, nor does a lack of physical pain afford person honour.  Many honourable men and women have died, and in many cases the circumstances of their deaths are noteworthy as they provided proof of their character, love, and sacrifice for others.  Years ago I learned the story of Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean.  His extraordinary valour, bravery, and sacrifice deserves remembrance.  At the cost of his own life, he fought to his end to save his fellow soldiers.  When our lives are used to the end for the glory of God and the good of others, it is a dignified expense.  Yet our greatest sacrifices are a mere shadow of what Jesus Christ did on the cross for us sinners. 

Romans 5:6-8 says, "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Jesus died on the cross in a dignified manner because He sacrificed Himself for the salvation of others.  His entire life was and continues to be a testimony of everlasting love, compassion, mercy, and grace.  Jesus died the most humiliating, excruciating, and horrific death imaginable for the sake of sinners - most of whom have mocked and slandered Him to this day.  He did not avoid pain or suffering, but embraced it so He might redeem us, become one with us, and hold us in His arms in heaven.  He paid a price no one could ever pay for themselves, and He rejoiced to do it.

No one dies on their own terms.  They die because they must, even if they willingly choose to expedite the process.  The immortal, righteous God laid down His life so all who repent and trust in Him can live.  He defeated death, rose from the grave, and bids all to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.  Apart from Christ all face the second death, far more sinister than our minds can fathom - unspeakable pain, suffering, and torment forever without intermission.  But Jesus has made a way to overcome the power of sin and death through faith in Him.  John 11:25-26 says, "Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶ And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"  Our answer to this question will be revealed not by words alone, but by our lives.

I do not know the day, means, or circumstances of my future death (I am a sinner and deserving of death) - but I know the One who kills and makes alive.  He has given all the opportunity to live a worthy, honourable, dignified life every day for His glory and in service to others.  The death of my body will be a fleeting moment in eternity, and it is not my focal point to "die well."  In Christ we are called to die daily as a sacrifice for others, and in this God is glorified.  There is nothing more honourable than honouring the worthy God and bowing our hearts before our exalted Saviour.  That is a truly diginfied death.