God Accepts Those Who Receive

Something I have been thinking about lately is a common term used among Christians:  "accepting Christ."  It is biblical to believe and receive the Gospel, and to place our trust in Christ.  But "accepting" Him?  The vast majority of times in the KJV this term is used is not man accepting God, but God accepting man and his sacrifices.  The term almost puts man in the place of God, in the role of a judge or ruler.  We trust Christ and receive the Gospel by faith, and then God rejoices to accept us.  It is only through Christ's righteousness we are made acceptable! 

There is a massive difference between accepting a truth in your mind and placing your faith or reliance in the thing.  The Gospel of Jesus is not simply to be accepted (to generally deem as valid or correct), but we are to put our complete reliance in Christ in how we live every day.  Paul wrote in Colossians 2:6-7, "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ⁷ rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."  Acknowledging the Gospel is not enough:  we must be born again.

I believe Satan accepts God is real, and that Jesus is the Son of God.  The demons tremble in fear before Christ, but this will not save them from eternal punishment.  It is important therefore people not only acknowledge or accept God's existence, rule, or promises, but receive the Gospel and the indwelling Holy Spirit through faith.  All who repent, believe in the LORD Jesus Christ and His resurrection, and place their trust in Him will be saved.  It is not we who accept God, but He who has graciously accepted us.  As it is written in Ephesians 1:3-6, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, ⁵ having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved."

Empty Vessels Made Full

As 2014 draws to a close, this blog has passed a significant milestone:  50,000 views from all over the world.  It is a great blessing to be able to freely share the love of Jesus Christ and the truth of scripture with all who are interested.  My schedule 2015 looks to be busier than ever, and as God leads and provides I shall continue to regularly contribute to the blog.

In the last month, the top visitors to the blog came from the United States, France, Australia, Ukraine, and Germany.  Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and South Korea are also listed on the all time most viewed list.  I thank the LORD for the internet and the translation tools which allow people from all over the world to read with understanding.  Much to my surprise, the blog has been the means to connect me face to face in fellowship with Christians I never knew before.  My prayer is through these words God would be glorified and praised for His goodness and truth.

Dear Christian, I encourage you to follow Jesus Christ closer this year than ever before.  Joyfully spend and be spent for His glory, God's grace working in you to labour abundantly for Him.  He will supply all your needs, even as He did for the indebted woman through Elisha written of in 2 Kings.  She was desperate because her husband died and left her with a large debt she could not pay.  Her sons were at risk to become slaves and she cried out to Elisha for help.  He asked her what she had on hand.  All she had in the house was a jar of oil.  Things looked bleak and desperate.

2 Kings 4:3-7 reveals what followed:  "Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors--empty vessels; do not gather just a few. ⁴ And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones." ⁵ So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. ⁶ Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another vessel." So the oil ceased. ⁷ Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest."  The woman and her sons were obedient to gather up all the empty vessels.  According to the command of the man of God they shut the door, and poured and poured.  The oil from the original vessel failed only when there was not another empty vessel to fill.  After all the vessels were filled, they went back to Elisha who bid them sell the oil, pay the debt, and live on the rest.

Are you willing to be an empty vessel God can fill with the Holy Spirit?  You may look inside and see your complete poverty of soul.  You may look at your life and wonder what you could possibly contribute of value for the kingdom of God.  The truth is, we are nothing and have nothing.  But when we are empty of self and obey God's Word in faith, He will supply all we need.  Our meager efforts can produce life-saving, transformational changes in the church and the world.  Will you lay down your will before the LORD this year?  How about today?  Will today be the day when you finally surrender in joyful obedience?

God asked Moses, "What is in your hand?"  He answered, "A rod." (Ex. 4:2)  It was that rod God used to do mighty wonders in Egypt and even prove Aaron was His chosen high priest.  Instead of lamenting what you do not have and why you cannot do as you wish, what is in your hand?  What is in your house?  Ask God how He would have you invest yourself in His work.  Even if it is only a little pot of oil or a stick, God will do miraculous wonders if we will trust and obey!

Growing in Grace

"You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; ¹⁸ but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen."

2 Peter 3:17-18

Peter concluded his epistle with this exhortation to remain faithful to Christ.  Instead of being led astray with the error of the wicked, they were to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."  For much of my early Christian walk, "grace" was an ambiguous term without any depth of meaning or personal significance.  The concept of "growing in grace" was equally as meaningless.  If I didn't understand what grace was, how could I possibly grow in it?

For me, understanding of God's grace awakened when I began to recognise how sinful I am according to God's righteous standard.  From my youth I understood and sang with gusto, "Yes, Jesus loves me!"  yet I did not comprehend that there was nothing in me deserving or worthy of this love.  He loved me with a divine love I could not earn.  The Law of God laid out in the Old Testament laid a death blow to my pride which was convinced I could merit God's favour through obedience.  Romans 3:19-20 reads, "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. ²⁰ Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."  God gave the Law to Moses to establish His perfect standard and to prove to the proudest soul there is none worthy before God.  Break His Law in one tiny aspect and that man is guilty of all.

The Law of God opened my eyes to the grace of God.  I am a guilty sinner deserving of wrath and eternal judgment.  But God in His great love had compassion on me and offered me grace, salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.  Christ does love me, but not because I love Him.  He loved me first and always, and I love Him back.  I can only respond to His love already lavished upon me, an unchanging love not based upon my performance or perceived worthiness.  It is this knowledge of our poverty of soul which causes us to grow in grace.  Our growth is not one to measure against others, but only against the perfect standard established by Jesus Christ.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:9-10, "For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."  Paul embraced the grace of God from a position of complete unworthiness.  Everything praiseworthy in Paul's life was a product of God's grace at work in Him.  I believe there is a misunderstanding of grace today which justifies sloth concerning our sanctification.  We see our unworthiness or lack and shrug our shoulders and say glibly, "By the grace of God I am what I am."  Paul did not use God's grace as a cloak for carelessness, but to glorify God for the goodness at work in and through His live.  God's grace did not justify Paul being served, but compelled him to greater labours for God.  He was an unworthy minister, yet Paul laboured more abundantly than all others.  He did not just see himself as unworthy.  Oh no, my friends.  He was unworthy, and I am too.  We all are!  Unless we admit we are unworthy, we will never know God's grace nor grow in it.

It is knowledge and acceptance of our unworthiness before God which opens our understanding to receive God's grace.  Growing in grace is not that we are doing more now for God than we used to, but to confess He is doing more in and through our lives according to His grace.  How great is our God, and how wondrous His grace!  James said his faith in Christ was revealed by works, and Paul's growth in grace was accompanied by abundant labour.  It's not so much "What are you doing for God?" but "What has God done and is doing for you?"  May all God's people see their unworthiness and joyfully grow in grace as God's Spirit labours in and through us.

God the Deliverer

I have heard people describe David as a "giant killer."  Some have made the point that many of David's mighty men who hailed from lowly backgrounds were also giant killers.  One fact which should not be ignored is David killed Goliath and delivered Israel solely by the grace and power of God.  Like Joseph who admitted the ability to understand and interpret dreams was not in him yet through God was able to do just that, so was David's ability to fight.  God had delivered him from lions and bears, and He would certainly deliver David from the hand of the blasphemous Philistine Goliath.  With God on David's side it was Goliath who was the underdog.

Perhaps so we don't place David on a giant-killing pedestal, there was recorded another and lesser known account of David with a giant.  David was unable to kill the giant, and barely escaped with his life.  2 Samuel 21:15-17 tells us, "When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint. ¹⁶ Then Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred shekels, who was bearing a new sword, thought he could kill David. ¹⁷ But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, "You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel."  Though David defeated Goliath as a youth, he was not perpetually a strong warrior.  Likely due to advancing age, in the heat of a battle with the Philistines David became faint.  David still trusted God, and God remained faithful to deliver him.  God used a different means to deliver David from the second giant:  a brother in arms who rushed to his aid.

We like to think if we are strong today, we will be strong tomorrow.  Perhaps we assume like Moses we will go through life without our eyes becoming dim or our natural strength being reduced.  But alas, this is rarely the case.  This situation with David becoming faint in the battle demonstrates that no matter the great victory he experienced in the past, he needed help from others.  This teaches us regardless of how God may have used us to deliver others, it is good to acknowledge we need faithful brothers and sisters today in the fight by our side.  We need help from God and from men.  God at times allows His faithful warriors to "lose a step," so to speak, so others can step up and be used by God as well.  I don't know what was more humbling for David:  to defeat Goliath with a sling and stone or to be helped by his cousin Abishai to escape the fury of the giant.  It was God who delivered David on both occasions, and it is good to recognise all victories we enjoy are by the power of His gracious deliverance.

David wrote of God in Psalm 18:29-34, "For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall. ³⁰ As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. ³¹ For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? ³² It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect. ³³ He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places. ³⁴ He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze."  God's strength is often revealed in weakness.  God had made David strong and skilled for battle, but over time God allowed David's physical prowess to wane.  Yet even in David's weakness God remained his shield.  God's ways were still perfect.  When David fainted, God brought along a brother to help David and lift him up.

David lost his physical strength, but he only grew stronger in faith.  On his deathbed, David described God as the one who delivered him from all distress (1 Kings 1:29).  It was not his faith or bravery, his trusty sling and stone, and it was not Abishai who received the credit.  David gave all glory to God for delivering Him, and He will deliver all who trust in Him - regardless of age, physical ability, or social standing.  Both young shepherds and aged kings are invited to trust the LORD, whose ways are perfect.  Trust the LORD, and He will deliver and guide you into rest for your soul.

Little Things, Big Difference

Little things can make a big difference.  Whether the context is baking, building a house, or the composition of the human body, small things can be the difference between life and death, good quality or a disaster.  There many parts of the body which are necessary for life, and therefore it is impossible to say what is more important.  It would be useless to debate over whether the brain or blood is more important to the body.  Without either one you could not survive!  They are both necessary and therefore both critical for the healthy operation of the body.

Paul wrote to Christians concerning their church meetings in 1 Corinthians 14:26:  "How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification."  In verses following, Paul set limits as two or three people at the most speaking in turn with tongues (with interpretation) and prescribed the same limits on prophesy.  Paul did not set any limits on psalms, teachings, or revelations.  The Holy Spirit, love for God and others, and the benefit of the whole church was to govern all their interactions for the edification of the whole Body.  God's infinite, everlasting love supplies the motive to minister and speak.

A baker understands the need for quality ingredients to be carefully measure and mixed at the proper time to ensure correct consistency.  Just because there is much more flour than baking powder in a cake recipe does not mean the baking power could or should be omitted.  When believers of a church gather in fellowship and worship, all things are to be done decently and according to God's prescribed order.  All gifts and power of the Holy Spirit are necessary to produce the correct consistency and resulting fellowship God desires.  While we may have different tastes in cooking or baking, our feelings or opinions should not dictate the overemphasis of some gifts to the neglect or refusal of others.  If God has seen fit to give gifts, He will provide the guidance, discernment, leading, and opportunity to use them.

God does not give unnecessary gifts.  We are to be faithful to glorify God and edify others with the gifts God has given us, yet we must also be willing and expectant to receive edification from the gifts God has given others.  This is hard for our flesh.  It is hard for us to receive edification from a gift we do not possess, understand, and in some cases approve of!  We can be so focused on using our gift we do not think we need anything from others.  But we have been made of a Body, a group of followers of Jesus Christ unified in His love and service.  We are edified as we are obedient, yet it is for the edification of others we should seek to excel.

Whatever your role or gift in the church, realise obedience in using your gift according to the Spirit and the parameters set in God's Word is necessary for the edification of the Body of Christ.  As important as it is to use your gift, it is vital to see your need for edification through the gifts of others.  God has graciously supplied them for that purpose.  What you see as a very little thing God can use to make a big difference!

Window Shoppers

As Christmas draws near, there is no shortage of people bustling through the shops.  I suspect a vast majority of people are only at the shops because they have an express purpose to buys food or gifts they need before Christmas.  For some the shops is a time to socialise, eat, window shop, and enjoy the air conditioning, but that has no appeal for me at all.  Perhaps I show my age in that I am glad to wake up early and sacrifice a little sleep to do my shopping away from the crowds.  It is hard for me to imagine there are some people who will go to the shops during the busiest times of day and days of the year to enjoy a coffee, people watch, or window shop.

I remember talking to a woman at church years ago who freely admitted without apology that she brought her family to church because they didn't have air conditioning at home.  I found this admission startling.  It opened my eyes to understand there is a variety of reasons people come to church, even as there are different purposes for people spending hours at the shops.  At church this Sunday I asked the question:  "Why do you come to church?"  Do you go to church primarily to receive or to give?  Unless we attend church with the express purpose of giving to others balanced with receiving from God and others in the Body as well, it's likely we will accomplish neither.

If people go to the church and the shops for the air conditioning, perhaps people window shop at church too.  A window shopper is active to go to the shops, find a parking space, and walk around.  But the window shopper is not there to buy anything.  Perhaps short on money and without any commitment to spend, the window shopper is content with merely seeing new items on display or what is on special.  They want to taste free samples, but they have no intent to buy the products.  Their knowledge grows of new devices and products, as does their fantastic wish-lists.  The truth is, the window shopper displays a poverty of new possessions or gifts, exhibiting a fruitless use of time.  The window shopper, because he observes but does not buy, does not leave the shops with a item for personal use or a gift for others.

There is nothing wrong with window shopping, but there is a serious issue when a Christian takes this approach to their church fellowship.  There is a potential many who attend church are more curious about gaining knowledge or seeing what is on offer than committing to follow Jesus Christ at any cost.  They are very interested in learning about spiritual gifts or hearing someone speak in tongues with an interpretation or a experiencing healing.  But interest or curiosity does not mean that there is any desire or warmth of heart towards being baptised with the Holy Spirit or using spiritual gifts for the edification of the church and the benefit of others.  They merely attend for new knowledge or experiences, social interaction, a coffee, maybe even some air conditioning.  Friends, shops do not exist to supply you with knowledge leading to covetousness, and God did not establish the church to appease your curiosity.  The church exists to glorify Jesus Christ, make disciples, and edify the Body of Christ.  It is all about complete commitment to inner transformation, not merely the transfer of information.

Following Jesus results in being changed - not a fantasy that we might change.  Even as you must be willing to pay the price listed on an item to legally take it home with you, so we must be willing to meet God's conditions supplied according to His grace.  It is the servant who shows himself faithful and obedient to whom God gives greater responsibility, not the one who only turns up when the master is around.  Those who approach Bible study, spiritual gifts, or their role in the Body of Christ like browsing window shoppers who need no assistance - "No need for help, I'm only looking" - deny the power of the Holy Spirit and the edification of others God has supplied in the local church to supply strength, encourage, and accountability.

Commit to spend and be spent for God, dear Christian.  A window shopper is at best a half-hearted shopper, one who is content with longing when he ought to commit to buying and start saving.  Even when we have wandered from the LORD and feared full commitment of our life to Him, He will gladly receive us when we return to Him with our whole hearts.  Deuteronomy 4:29-31 says, "But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. ³⁰ When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice ³¹ (for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them."  Don't be content to know God is a merciful God, but receive of His mercies which endure forever.  Obedience is often God's requirement before we can receive His mercy and goodness.  Make a full commitment today to obtain God's will at any price, and you will receive the blessing from the LORD.

Seeing Sin As It Is

"And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death."

Exodus 21:17

I live in Australia, a nation where the death penalty has been abolished.  1967 marked the last time anyone was executed for a crime.  There is no shortage of opinions or rationale concerning pros or cons of the death penalty.  But whatever your opinion, I would be willing to wager the preceding verse seems a bit excessive to you.  "C'mon," you might protest.  "That is the most ridiculous thing ever, to face execution for any crime - much less for cursing your father or mother."  In my culture, the suggestion mere words are a capital offense is beyond bizarre.  This view only proves our need for God's Law.  Otherwise we would never even imagine the scope of our sin, how heinous it is before a holy, righteous God, and our desperate need for grace.

Don't allow the subject matter to trip you up.  My point in writing this is not to say we must implement the death penalty for the foul mouthed, but to show how our standards of righteousness and judgment is light years away from reality.  The fact is, deep down we don't see sin as that bad.  Proverbs 20:6 says, "Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?"  Understand that the God who created the heavens and earth out of nothing with His voice is righteous, holy, and just.  Every punishment according to His judgment is absolutely just.  Being an imperfect man or woman, you likely don't agree.  If God is righteous, holy, and just, if God's punishments always "fit the crime" (which they do), it is not God who has His wires crossed on this one:  it is us.  Man likes to play god on the basis of feelings or his own opinion, but man is no god at all.  Either we are right and God is wrong, or God is right and we must bow the knee to His truth.

Since God is absolutely perfect in every way, this verse should be a stark warning of the grave danger of sin which appears innocuous.  It is we who are unjust.  It is not that God has a distorted view of justice, but we have a twisted view of sin.  Sin is more evil, wretched, and terrible than any man ever imagined.  This punishment is merely a foreshadowing of what the unrepentant sinner will face in the eternal flames of hell.  To curse your father and mother was a verbal demonstration of an ungrateful heart which rejected God's established authority.  Leviticus 20:9 affirms, "For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother. His blood shall be upon him."  Hopefully these verses drive home the point of the horrible, destructive consequences of sin.  These verses should shock and shake us to our core, how sin is worse than we ever imagined.

Praise the LORD that He is just.  Yet He is also merciful and gracious, not willing that any should perish.  He sent His son Jesus Christ to provide atonement for lost sinners with His own blood on the cross.  Should God judge you against such a strong standard of holiness, how would you fare?  No man could endure this judgment, for there is none good, no not one.  If cursing the imperfect parents who helped bring you into the world is a capital offense, how severe will the penalty be for cursing and rejecting the God who breathed into you a living soul and sent His own Son to save you?  To trample the precious blood of Jesus underfoot through unbelief is more than reckless.  Rejecting and denying Christ has eternal consequences.  May God open all the eyes of men to see their own wretchedness that we might seek refuge, forgiveness, and salvation in Jesus Christ!  There is hope for you, even if you have cursed your parents or done worse still!  Jesus said in John 5:24, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."

The Brightest Light

"For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; reproofs of instruction are the way of life..."

 Proverbs 6:23

I believe the Law of Moses today largely has a bad rap.  The Old Covenant of the Law is seen by some as bad or unnecessary because the New Covenant given by grace is better and built on better promises (Heb. 8:6).  The pendulum has swung so far in opposition to "Law" that the purpose and righteousness of the Law has largely been forgotten, ignored, or lost.  I also believe one of the reasons for this is an emphasis on the New Testament resulting in a neglect of reading and study of the Old Testament.  They are both the inspired Word of God and should be read, studied, believed, and personally applied.

There is a unbiblical concept in the church that because we are "no longer under the Law" the Law has served its purpose and has no real significance for believers or unbelievers today.  The Bible says the Law is important and valuable for both groups.  A fundamental truth is every human born in whom God has breathed a living soul is under the Law.  The lives of all men will be measured according to the righteous, unalterable standard of the Law on the Day of Judgment.  Romans 3:19 says, "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."  I wish to God that every soul in the church knew this as Paul did!  The commandment is a lamp, and the law a light.  It reproves, corrects, and displays the brilliant perfection of God.  When measured against such a immaculate standard, the thoughts, deeds, and hearts of men look foul indeed.

If you were asked to say what you would compare the Law of Moses to, what would you say?  I would be willing to bet many of the comparisons would be drawn from the New Testament.  You might say it is like a schoolmaster to lead us to Christ (Gal. 3:24-25).  But I suggest you would tend to call it a grievous burden.  Perhaps you associate the Law with legalism or a return to bondage.  If you fed entirely on the New Testament, I can see why you would say this.  However, the Bible says the commandment is a lamp and the law a light.  When Paul railed on the Galatians for their foolishness in returning to the Law, it was more their departure from grace and the true Gospel which was the central issue.  They forsook the living water of the Spirit and chose water dipped from their own cisterns dug with their own hands.  To forsake the saving grace of the Gospel for the Law which can only condemn was folly indeed.  But this fact does not mean the Law is a restrictive fetter, useless, burdensome, or bad in any way.  Read the whole Bible and see what it says about the Law!

The Law is good, compared to a lamp and a light.  Light came when God spoke.  The unformed world was formless and void when Christ's voice boomed:  "Let there be light!" and there was light.  In a dark room, a lamp that illuminates is a good thing.  We are all born into a world of darkness, and our hearts are black as the void of an empty universe.  It is the Law and the light of the conscience which causes a person to realise he is a sinner, having transgressed the righteous commands of a Holy God.  Falling on his knees in repentance and hope in Christ, it is as if the sun rises on such a soul.  It is Jesus who breaks our chains and brings us out of the dungeon in which we were condemned, awaiting eternal wrath and punishment according to God's Law.  Christians are brought into the light of the Son of God.  In the light of the sun, a small oil lamp would be of little significance indeed.  The lamp of the commandment and light of the Law was most necessary and remains good - albeit overwhelmed by the power of the sun in the sky.  Should we find ourselves in a dark place, Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."  Jesus is the Light of the World, the One who has fulfilled the Law and shines ever brighter!

Jesus said in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."  Jesus had many negative things to say of legalists who taught as the Law of God the traditions of men.  There are no shortage of people who forsake the light of the sun to tend their lamps in darkened rooms, choosing like the foolish Galatians to forsake the grace and true Gospel in their return to the Law.  The Law was like a lamp, in that the flickering flame could be manipulated to exalt men rather than glorify God.  The Law was incapable of changing the hearts of men.  To seek transformation through behaviour modification is futile.  We need the Holy Spirit to regenerate us and come upon us so we might be led by Christ in all things.  If we are in Christ, we have all the light we need.  Yet we also need the Word of God, don't we?  That's the primary way God speaks to His children.  We also can benefit from the light of the Law.  For those with eyes to see, God has demonstrated His righteousness, love, grace, goodness, and mercy in His commands.

Since we have such great a Light in Jesus Christ, let us never forsake Him and return to the lamp of the Law for salvation.  At the same time may we value, study, and allow God to shine His light into our hearts through the light of His commands and Law.  Those who follow Jesus shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.  Let us not leave or forsake this Light!

God Corrects

The behaviour and choices of children are not always clear indicators of their parent's efforts or quality.  Because no one is perfect, there is not one perfect parent.  Despite our experience and apparent successes, we all have room to grow.  God is a perfect Father, yet the wanderings and rebellious nature of His children should not be attributed to His neglect or character flaws.  The fact I am not perfect and my children are not perfect do not provide license for apathy, but should encourage me to further imitate my Father's perfect example - despite my flaws and folly.

One consistent aspect of God's character is He chastens and disciplines those whom He loves, even as a father corrects a son in whom he delights.  God has given everyone a conscience, and a troubled conscience is a good indicator of something in our life which is not at peace with God.  I remembered recently how David's heart on multiple occasions "smote him" for something he did wrong.  He didn't feel conflicted or bad before he did something, but it was after the event that strong conviction came.  His heart smote him after he cut Saul's robe, and also after he numbered the people.  One instance was before his reign, and the second was towards the end.  Correction and an obedient response to conviction is something Christians need throughout our walks with Jesus.  A heart made sensitive through the Holy Spirit will experience this conviction.  It is not the feeling of remorse that matters, but our obedient response to God's correction which is key.

David was a man after God's own heart, but this was no guarantee David always followed God's example. Our conscience prompts us to consider our thoughts or actions, admit we have been wrong, and align ourselves in obedience with God in the future.  1 Kings 1:5-6 reveals the tragic consequence of the lack of correction on those we love:  "Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. ⁶ (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, "Why have you done so?" He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.)"  Adonijah was David's son, and he loved him very much.  The same self-exaltation seen in the usurping Absalom was evident in his younger brother, Adonijah.  The passage explained David never questioned or rebuked Adonijah in his whole life!  It was the proud heart of Adonijah which would lead to his destruction, for David's inaction did not force Adonijah to do such wickedness.  Would rebuke as a child have saved Adonijah as an adult?  Only God knows.

What we can know is God corrects His children.  His Word probes and searches our hearts and minds.  The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment.  Jesus calls out to us, and bids all to love one another as He loves us.  We are more like Adonijah than we would like to think.  We justify ourselves with worldly opinions and selfish rationale, even as Adonijah gathered up an entourage to run before Him.  Unlike David, God makes it His business to ask us:  "Where are you?  What have you done?'  When Adam sinned by eating from the forbidden tree, after Cain killed his brother Abel, God spoke in this fashion.  He asked questions which zeroed in on motive.  Honestly answering the question "Why have you done so?" is one of the best practical ways to avoid future sin.  This way we do not make our focus with a particular behaviour itself, but the sinful motives of the heart which prompted the behaviour.  Sin hidden in our heart reveals itself in an infinite amount of ways, heads of a wicked hydra which will grow again.  For this reason we must examine our motives, repent, and lay our will down humbly before our God.

Proverbs 3:11-12 says, "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; ¹² for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights."  Have you heard God ask you lately, "Why have you done so?"  Don't ignore the question.  God does not correct us because He hates us, but out of His love, grace, and mercy.  Respond to His correction obediently.  Let us not be as Adonijah, who exalted himself.  Humble yourself before the LORD and He will lift you up!

Muscle, Not Machine

I am grateful to be part of the Body of Christ, the church.  1 Corinthians 12:12-14 says, "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. ¹³ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. ¹⁴ For in fact the body is not one member but many."  The world beckons all to celebrate diversity in the vacuum of individualism.  The contrasting beauty of God's design of the church is our celebration of the unity of diverse individuals in Christ.  It is not our differences or unique talents which make us useful, but Jesus Christ who unites us.  It is the Holy Spirit who leads and empowers us as one.

I have found free weights to be the most useful and thus my favourite type of training.  Over the years I have experienced a few injuries, and the vast majority of injuries were the direct result of weight machines.  Interestingly enough, the machines which led to injuries were designed to target specific muscles - like a curling machine, for instance.  Instead of needing to pick up the weights from the ground and involve the whole body in lifting, all I needed to do was adjust the amount of weight with the placement of a small pin.  Convenient, yes.  But it was only a matter of time before I tried to lift more weight than I could physically handle and hurt myself.  Without strengthening connective tissues and all those little important ligaments and tendons, the convenience of machines led to injury and a decrease of fitness for the whole body as I recovered.

In His wisdom, God did not make the church a machine.  He designed it to be a living expression of His love, a united body comprised of many members with Jesus Christ as the Head.  Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:15-16:  "...speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."  People are not machines.  We need much more than an occasional adjustment or oiling.  We need to be fed, washed, trained, taught, encouraged, convicted, corrected, and strengthened by our Saviour.  God uses other people in the church to accomplish this daily task.  We need rest, guidance, forgiveness, love, and intimacy with our Saviour.  Muscles require protein and strenuous activity to grow, and we need the milk and meat of the Word of God to be strengthened.  People are not cogs in a wheel that can be replaced with a bolt and a little elbow grease.  When we approach ministry like a machine, it can lead to severe injury.  Labouring in isolation from God or apart from true fellowship with others is always destructive.

How important it is to understand God created the church to be a community, a interdependent group of people who are individually fully dependent upon Him!  Do you see your constant need for Jesus just like at the first?  Or has knowledge or responsibility in ministry weaned you away from complete reliance upon Him?  That is a most dangerous place to be.  Proverbs 18:1 says, "A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment."  Jesus is for us wisdom, yet isolation is a sure path to injury of self and potentially others.  Praise the LORD for the accountability, strength, encouragement, and gifts He has given others so the church can be edified and Jesus glorified!  We need to be like the power lifter whose whole body is involved in the lift, not just using a machine trying to grow bigger arms.  I am not the Body, but a part made viable through the Holy Spirit.  How I need Jesus and my brothers and sisters in Christ!

The Good Person

"Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?"

Proverbs 20:6

This Proverb of Solomon is proved true to this day.  Most people measure themselves selectively against others.  It is easy to find faults in others (perhaps since the sins of others appear more heinous than our own) and therefore most people claim to basically be a "good" person.  Unfortunately the world has dumbed-down the biblical definition of "good" to a ridiculously low level.  Jesus brought this to light when He was addressed as, "good teacher" in Mark 10:17-18:  "Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" ¹⁸ So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God."  Jesus in essence said to the man and the world:  I am either good and God or I am not good at all, for there is none good.  Not one person save Jesus Christ could ever be rightly called good in God's estimation.

Goodness is synonymous with absolute perfection according to God's righteous standard.  Psalm 14:2-3 gives us God's perspective on the matter, the holy Judge of all the earth.  "The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. ³ They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one."  It is God's judgment from a perspective of absolute righteousness - not our personal assessment from deeply distorted and perverse character - which carries any weight at all.  There is no one good but God.  Because I am not God, I am not good.  It is not my job to convince you that you are not good according to God's standard.  The commandments of God were given for this purpose.  None of us measure up.

Have you ever said words you wish you could take back?  I would suspect we all have.  I remember vividly one day talking with someone and she said, "You're a good person.  Admit it!"  I protested at first, but finally gave in and acknowledged I was a good person.  I spoke those words privately, but now I say publicly as I have many times since:  I am not a "good" person.  As Paul said, in my flesh no good things dwells (Romans 7:18).  I am fully convinced there is not a single good bone in my body.  I am an ungrateful, selfish, proud wretch who deserves to burn eternally in hell, despite any "good" other men may perceive in me.  The Bible compares the life of man to a vapour, a wisp of smoke, green grass that flourishes one day and is gone and forgotten the next.  In the end, my brief life and futile deeds are without significance.

But the wonderful truth is Jesus Christ is good for He is God!  He came to earth for the express purpose of seeking and saving sinners like me.  He lay down His own life on a cross so sinners could be saved from sin and be reconciled to God.  Jesus loves me in spite of my wickedness, and through the Gospel God has offered me forgiveness and His righteousness.  Because I remain in this corruptible body I am a sinner, yet through faith in Jesus I have been born again by the Holy Spirit.  I am not good, but now I know the God who is good because He lives within me.  Because of God's grace His goodness is now evident through my life and other born again Christians.  It is written in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."  Connected to Christ through faith in Him, His life can be lived out through mine.  Any goodness visible in me is only from Him, and in this I rejoice.

I cannot right the wrongs of that day over 20 years ago when I claimed to be a good person.  That was a grave sin, for according to God's terms I claimed deity.  No amount of doing "right" can undo wrong.  Thankfully God has washed me clean and placed His righteousness upon me.  I am free from all guilt!  I can from this day forward choose to glorify Jesus Christ as His humble servant.  He is the only good man who ever lived, for He is God.  Who can find a faithful man?  I couldn't, for there is no good, no not one.  Praise God that Jesus opened my eyes, found me, cleansed me of all sin, is faithful, and will always remain good.

A Daily Portion

The Bible is beyond profound, packed with eternal significance.  Even historical events are means God utilises to give us a picture of the Christ's power and reality for all who trust in Him today.  Those who approach God in faith find food for their souls in the scriptures.  Last night as a family this truth was confirmed in a passage from 2 Kings 25:27-30:  "Now it came to pass in the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, that Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. ²⁸ He spoke kindly to him, and gave him a more prominent seat than those of the kings who were with him in Babylon. ²⁹ So Jehoiachin changed from his prison garments, and he ate bread regularly before the king all the days of his life. ³⁰ And as for his provisions, there was a regular ration given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life."

Jehoiachin was a king of Judah who was taken captive and incarcerated in Babylon.  In the year Evil-Merodach became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin from prison.  Evil-Merodach's reign precipitated Jehoiachin's release, promotion, and provision.  Jehoiachin's prison garments were removed.  He was given new clothes, a place at the king's table, and was given a regular ration of food by the king, "a portion for each day, all the days of his life."  This is a beautiful picture of what happens when Jesus Christ becomes our King set on the throne of our hearts, our LORD and Saviour by faith in Him.

Jehoiachin's release from prison was a direct consequence of Evil-Merodach becoming king.  When the KING of KINGS Jesus Christ becomes our Saviour through the Gospel, we are freed from the oppressive prison of sin and death.  Our filthy garments are removed and we are given white raiment (Rev. 3:5), a robe of righteousness.  No longer need we remain hungry or eat the water or bread of affliction in a dungeon of darkness, for a place at the King's table has been provided us.  In God's presence every Christian can freely dwell and feast on the daily provision supplied by the Bible, God's Word.  Jesus is the Living Bread that came down from heaven, and all who partake of Him by faith will live forever.

Believer, do you realise God has supplied a regular ration of spiritual sustenance from the Bible every single day?  The king of Babylon provided a daily supply of food for Jehoiachin, but the responsibility fell upon Jehoiachin to partake of what his king provided.  He could choose if he wanted to eat the king's food, decide to sulk in his quarters because it wasn't his favourite, or go on a hunger strike to prove a point.  But Jehoiachin was not a fool.  The passage tells us Jehoiachin wisely ate regularly before the king all the days of his life.  The implication is it was good food because the king had compassion on Jehoiachin.  It was food fit for and approved by the king, and his gracious hospitality was an invitation Jehoiachin was blessed to accept.  This is what the Bible provides for all those who trust in God and believe Him.

Psalm 81:10 says, "I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it."  When we open our mouths wide, God will fill our mouths with wholesome truth which promotes health and life.  But even as God's people grew weary of gathering and eating manna every day in the wilderness, so God's people can grow weary of the discipline of reading and studying God's Word daily.  Let us not grow weary in doing good, for we shall reap if we faint not.  Remember how helpless you were in bondage, and how God lovingly drew you from that pit of sin, fear, and hopelessness.  He has taken away your rags, given you a place at His own table, and supplied a daily provision for you.  Will you accept His hospitality with rejoicing today and every day?  Tomorrow and for all eternity there will be plenty of the King's food on offer to joyfully receive, for His Word endures forever!

Lying Down in Green Pastures

Near my house there many acres of pasture where cows, horses, and sheep continually graze.  The recent summer rains have made the grass grow green and lush.  Large catchments of water are filled to capacity, and God has supplied enough rain in the last days to ensure well-watered grazing for a month!  As I drove by the property yesterday, it struck me:  I have sped by the sheep in those fields hundreds of times, yet to my knowledge not once have I ever seen them laying down.  Mixed in with the cows and horses, the sheep seem to perpetually stand.  It reminded me of a passage in Phillip Keller's classic, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.  Keller writes:

The strange things about sheep is that because of their very make-up it is almost impossible for them to be made to lie down unless four requirements are met.  Owing to their timidity they refuse to lie down unless they are free of all fear.  Because of the social behavior within a flock sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with others of their kind.  If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down.  Only when free of these pests can they relax.  Lastly, sheep will not lie down as long as they feel in need of finding food.  They must be free from hunger.  It is significant that to be at rest there must be a definite sense of freedom from fear, tension, aggravations and hunger.  The unique aspect of the picture is that it is only the sheepman himself who can provide release from these anxieties.  It all depends upon the diligence of the owner whether or not his flock is free of disturbing influences.  Phillip Keller from A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (Zondervon, 1970), 35-36.

From what I have witnessed of those roaming sheep, they have never been under the guidance and protection of a shepherd.  Without the care of a shepherd, it is not surprising the four requirements for sheep to lie down are not met.  The lifestyle of those sheep is similar to the lives of many people who do not have Jesus Christ as their Good Shepherd.  Even Christians can wander from reliance upon Christ and are troubled by fears, tormented by worry, and aggravations.  Jesus is a Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep.  He is the one who David spoke of in Psalm 23, the one who "maketh me to lie down in green pastures" (Psalm 23:2).  It is not His negligence which causes us to be troubled and fret to exhaustion, but our self-reliance and unbelief which causes us great anxiety.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."  Jesus is the only one in whom we can find rest for our souls.  We think if only the pesky flies would leave us alone, we would have rest.  We try to create conditions where we feel safe and secure, only to have our problems and difficulties mount.  We feed on all the world can offer us, but remain hungry.  We wish our personal disagreements would be resolved and imagine true rest to be satisfied by a holiday or relaxation.  But it never comes.  True rest, the Bible tells us and experience confirms, is found only through faith in Jesus Christ.  He is the One who makes us to lie down in green pastures, for in Him all our needs are completely satisfied.

You may know Jesus as LORD as Saviour, but are you experiencing His rest today?  You can if you are willing to draw near to your Good Shepherd and seek Him with your whole heart!

Willing Dependence

I have concluded that human independence is merely a mirage.  Yesterday we experienced a storm which sent rain and hail hammering down as lightning flashed and thunder boomed.  During one of the lighting strikes, all the devices drawing electrical current dimmed.  The boys were both playing video games at the time and they simultaneously groaned, because they realised a power outage would end their gaming session.  It occurred to me they were completely reliant upon a stable electrical current to play their games.  To do anything we want to do, we have to rely upon something our someone to accomplish it.

It is always a sad day when an person can no longer drive because of health reasons or physical limitations.  I have heard this referred to as "losing your independence."  This is an ironic statement, seeing those who have a car are dependent upon their car to drive anywhere!  To use a different example, this morning I mowed the lawn.  I was completely dependent upon an operational lawn mower to perform the task.  When I bake a cake by myself I still need to have the ingredients, a bowl to mix them, a pan to pour the mix in, and an oven which needs electricity.  I am also dependent upon the proper function of my body to stand upright, maintain consciousness, and pay attention to what I am doing.  Our bodies are dependent upon a multitude of things:  oxygen, water, food, sleep, proper nutrition, and various systems of the body work together in harmony.

If I want to go to the shops, I rely upon something to transport me - whether it be a car, pushbike, my legs, public transport, or a ride from someone else.  I am dependent on money to purchase the item I desire.  I also depend on the shop to presently stock the item I seek to buy.  Even in our most independent and "self-sufficient" stages in life, we are not independent nor are we self-sufficient.  There is no one living who can claim true independence.  There is a level of dependence inherent in life, and I believe God designed it in such a fashion.  Our bodies are dependent on themselves as well as outside resources to do anything, and our survival depends on it.

Dependence is more than a mind set:  for a Christian it is to be our way of life.  All the resources and things of this world lure us to find our peace and security in them, when it is God in whom we are to depend.  If we cannot accomplish a single physical task without depending on something, how could we possibly do anything for God's glory without relying upon His strength and wisdom?  It is an interesting dynamic that everything concerning our lives is dependent upon God - whether we rely upon Him or not.  We live, move, and breathe only by God's grace.  Yet what a blessing it is when we willfully depend upon God, relying upon Him to guide, provide, protect, and save us!  No one is truly independent, yet we can choose a life independent from God.  Are you willing to admit your dependence on others or self?  If "losing our independence" causes us to become more dependent upon God, have we lost anything?  Sometimes what we perceive as loss God transforms into gain.

No "Plan B"

God responds with answers to those who rely upon Him.  As long as we have a backup plan, the very existence of such a plan shows our faith is not in God.  To paraphrase a quote from Transformational Discipleship (by Geiger, Kelley, Nation), our "Plan B" is an offense to God.  God should not be at the top of our personal pecking order, but the One in whom we seek refuge.  There is to be no other retreat for a believer.  God is not to be our last resort, nor should we line up options should He not respond according to our demands or impatience.

There is a telling contrast in the Bible between two kings:  King Saul and King Hezekiah.  With impending war looming on the horizon, each of these kings responded quite differently.  Despite their differences, both these kings share something in common:  they both sought the LORD first.  The condition of their hearts and the reality of their faith would be revealed to us, even as it was known by God before they approached Him!  Let us begin with the example of Saul found in 1 Samuel 28:4-8:  "Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at Gilboa. ⁵ When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. ⁶ And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets. ⁷ Then Saul said to his servants, "Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her." And his servants said to him, "In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor." ⁸ So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him; and they came to the woman by night. And he said, "Please conduct a seance for me, and bring up for me the one I shall name to you."  Saul was a man with a "Plan-B."  He had forsaken God for decades, yet in a moment of desperation he did all in his power to seek God.  He sought an answer from prophets, and even waited for God to speak to him in a dream!  No answer came.

Since God did not respond to proud and unrepentant King Saul, he implemented his backup plan.  He told his servants to find a medium so he could inquire of her.  God didn't provide Saul an answer, so Saul sought the counsel of devils.  Saul decided to resort to seeking advice of those he had been tasked to remove from the land because of their abominations.  In his mind, he had no choice.  He easily justified going to a medium when God did not answer, even as he "forced himself" to sacrifice unto the LORD when Samuel did not arrive as quickly as he hoped (1 Samuel 13:8-14).  Saul's eyes were ever upon himself and others - and did not look to God in faith.  He feared when the people began to scatter from him, and feared when enemies encamped against him.  Saul's fears of defeat were fully realised the very next day when he was wounded on Mt. Gilboa and decided to end his life by falling on his own sword in battle.

Over the course of time, Hezekiah became king in Jerusalem.  The King of Assyria sent a vast army on multiple occasions to intimidate and threaten Hezekiah and the people.  2 Kings 19:1-7 tells us what happened:  "And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. ² Then he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz. ³ And they said to him, "Thus says Hezekiah: 'This day is a day of trouble, and rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children have come to birth, but there is no strength to bring them forth. ⁴ It may be that the LORD your God will hear all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.' " ⁵ So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. ⁶ And Isaiah said to them, "Thus you shall say to your master, 'Thus says the LORD: "Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. ⁷ Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land."  Hezekiah tore his clothes in grief, and immediately went into the house of the LORD.  He sent word to Isaiah the prophet to pray for the people, for they were in great strife.  Immediately an answer from God was sent.  Hezekiah was commanded not to fear, for the LORD would send their enemies away.  He would fight for them through a rumour to draw the army away from the doorstep of Jerusalem.

But the fight wasn't over.  The Assyrians sent a letter to Hezekiah, telling him it was pointless to trust in God.  Hezekiah followed the same pattern as previously.  2 Kings 19:14-19 reads, "And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. ¹⁵ Then Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said: "O LORD God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. ¹⁶ Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. ¹⁷ Truly, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, ¹⁸ and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands--wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. ¹⁹ Now therefore, O LORD our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the LORD God, You alone."  Amazingly, the prophet Isaiah sent an answer of peace and promises (without Hezekiah even sending messengers this time) in 2 Kings 19:20:  "Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard.'"

The King of Assyria had spoken high things against God, and Hezekiah sought refuge in God.  He was not looking to Egypt, his weapons, army, or the Temple of the LORD:  he looked to the LORD of the Temple!  Without a backup plan Hezekiah spread out the letter before the LORD, and God answered.  2 Kings 19:32-37 says, "Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: 'He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor build a siege mound against it. ³³ By the way that he came, by the same shall he return; and he shall not come into this city,' says the LORD. ³⁴ 'For I will defend this city, to save it for My own sake and for My servant David's sake.' ³⁵ And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses--all dead. ³⁶ So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh. ³⁷ Now it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the temple of Nisroch his god, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Then Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place."

When we face conflict, we are given the choice to line up our options.  These examples reveal the folly of trusting in self or resorting to a "Plan B" when God sits on the throne.  If we have a "Plan B," God will not be our "Plan A!"  God regards, defends, and fights for those who trust wholly in Him.  Is He not able to supply all our needs?  The God who created the ear, shall He not hear?  The God who formed the eye, shall He not see?  The God who created all things remains in total, complete control.  Fear Him, seek Him, and your eyes will see the salvation of the LORD!

Gutter Maintenance

At the end of a sweltering summer day, Sydney was doused with a welcome shower.  Wind whipped the trees and the cool rain bucketed down.  During the cloudburst, I noticed a few areas where rain was spilling over the edge of the gutters.  This morning after seeing the boys off to school, I pulled out a ladder and confirmed my suspicion.  The large tree which provides lovely shade in our front yard also drops leaves in abundance, and the gutters needed to be cleaned.  It only took a short time to remove the leaves, and hopefully the next rain will prove my effort of maintenance successful.

Since the gutters are elevated, it took a rainstorm for me to notice the flow of water was impeded by leaves and debris.  Buckets of leaves had slowly accumulated out of my sight.  Many had turned black due to the decomposition process.  Because I do occasionally clean the gutters, it was not a big chore to clear them this morning.  It made me think about the spiritual maintenance required for our lives to remain pure, so the Living Water of the Holy Spirit may flow unabated through our lives.  Often the temptation must come in a deluge, a storm kicks up that unsettles us, or we experience a power outage and subsequent darkness which brings us to our senses that something is quite wrong.  We may think we are doing very well spiritually until we have a great fall.  It is only afterwards we realise the warning signs were there for quite a while.  Sinful thoughts and selfish attitudes in our hearts had slowly been accumulating like leaves in the gutter.  Clear skies and light breezes didn't alert us to our wayward hearts.  But when the storm hit in the form of a fight when we used unkind words, exhibited uncontrolled anger, or sinful choices made clear our wretched condition.  Slowly resolve against temptations eroded as our desire or curiosity intensified which resulted in additional sin.  We can praise God for His grace to allow the gutter to overflow so we might see our desperate need for Him. 

The gutter on our house was powerless to clear itself of the leaves.  The massive volume of water packed leaves under stabilising brackets which cut off the flow, and strong winds added more leaves still.  Even as Christians, we are absolutely powerless to cleanse ourselves from sin and restore ourselves to a close relationship with God when we choose sin.  It is good when our sin brings us to a place of desperation for God's intervention in our lives.  If our need for cleansing and deliverance from sin does not overwhelm us, it may be we have not looked into the recesses in our hearts.  If our mind and heart is like a gutter packed with refuse, God supplies the only salvation and deliverance through repentance and faith in Christ.  When our eyes are opened to our powerlessness and Christ's sufficiency, we can make the contemplation of David in Psalm 142 our prayer:  "I cry out to the LORD with my voice; with my voice to the LORD I make my supplication. ² I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. ³ When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk they have secretly set a snare for me. ⁴ Look on my right hand and see, for there is no one who acknowledges me; refuge has failed me; no one cares for my soul. ⁵ I cried out to You, O LORD: I said, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. ⁶ Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. ⁷ Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name; the righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me."

The gutters on our house could not clear themselves, but it was easy for me to do.  No matter what your struggle, no matter how long those leaves have been accumulating, cleansing you of sin is no problem for Jesus.  How would you like to have a new start?  How would you like to be delivered from the prison of sin you find yourself stuck in?  Seek refuge in the LORD, trusting only in Him.  Repent, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another that you may be healed.  Keep an eye on the condition of your heart and mind, performing regular checks and soul maintenance.  Then when the stormy temptation hits, the cleansing, refreshing power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit will flow freely through you.

Waiting for Mangoes to Fall

Today I heard an interesting story from a man who recently visited an island located in the South Pacific Ocean.  As he was driving to a meeting in the morning, he noticed a woman sitting with a small child under a mango tree.  Several hours later, he passed by the same woman - who was still sitting under the same tree.  He asked his guide, "So what is that woman doing under that tree?  Is she waiting for a bus?"  "Oh no," the guide responded.  "She is waiting for a mango to fall.  When a mango falls, she will eat it."  The guide went on to explain when children are older, they become skilled at climbing trees and develop the skill of accurately throwing rocks to cause targeted mangos to fall.  Though her child was not yet able to speed up the process, the woman was content to wait for a mango to fall.

There is a lesson in the waiting woman for those who are in a hurry for fruitfulness.  Mangos fall when they are ripe and ready to eat, and the woman knew this well.  Impatiently throwing rocks could also damage the tree and unripe fruit, not to mention the possibility of inflicting injuries on others. The development of ripe fruit, like the growth and fruitfulness of a tree itself, is not to be rushed.  In a society saturated with self and entitlement concerning immediate results, this is a lesson difficult to learn.  The value of such a lesson may even be questioned because it seems unnecessary.  Patiently waiting hours for a mango to fall would just about kill some people!  Whilst there is something to be said for industry and labour, the lesson of the mango-woman is usefully applied to our walk with Jesus Christ.

The woman may seem lazy to you, but actually she was intentional in rising early and staking her claim under a tree.  Perhaps the day before she had passed by the tree and recognised it would not be long before sweet mangoes began to drop.  She could work with her hands weaving and feeding her youngster under the tree as easily as at home.  So she patiently waited in the right spot.  Why?  Because there was delicious fruit in the tree she desired and valued.  She was willing to wait to obtain her desire.  Let me ask you, dear believer:  do you value the work of the Holy Spirit in your life?  Do you place yourself in a position to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit to others?  Are you willing to share with others what you have waited on the LORD for?  Are you willing to slowly work your way through the scriptures, seeking God's direction for your life?  When you are confused or without understanding are you willing to stop, sit down, and drop everything else to seek God's wisdom and guidance?  Are you willing to pray and continue to pray according to the leading of the Holy Spirit, even if you do not see immediate results from your efforts?  Or do your prayers resemble the efforts of a little child who throws a wayward rock or two at the mangoes dangling far overhead, and then run off distracted by the lure of beckoning waves?

The hard texture and sour flavour in unripe fruit slowly changes over time.  The rays of sunlight, the moisture from water, and the nutrients from the earth combine to cause fruit to grow and ripen in season.  Ripe fruit is ready for eating.  After fruit is matured it has an appealing fragrance, sweetness and softness of flesh. Sometimes we can be impatient with Christians who do not seem to be maturing.  We can be frustrated over our own lack of progress.  Bitterness can grow in our hearts over a church that seems not to be fruitful as it could or should be.  The one thing we should not do is throw stones!  Instead, let us take heed to ourselves, that we are resting in the shadow of the Almighty.  Let us be patient and nurture one another, recalling how Jesus has been faithful and longsuffering for our sakes.  Jesus said in John 15:1-5, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. ⁵ I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."  Without Jesus, no one can be fruitful.  Abiding in Christ is not passive, but intentionally done through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus alone makes your life fruitful, and He is the only one capable of causing fruitfulness in others.

Since Jesus has provided us the Bible which is compared to good seed, it is clear God has designed His Word to grow.  This process does not happen overnight.  Are you willing to be faithful and patient for God to bring growth and ripeness in your own life and others?  Jesus said in John 15:16-17, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, that you love one another."  Love is the primary fruit of the Spirit we ought to seek to cultivate.  If we will abide in Christ, all the fruit of the Spirit will be produced.  Take time to ask God to produce His fruit in your life, and cause it to ripen and fall so others can be nourished and sustained.  He will do it if we will expectantly wait on Him!

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!