Pay What You Owe

"Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law."

 Romans 13:8

This verse came to mind this morning during prayer.  Typically we think of being "in debt" relating only to money, but as receivers of God's love every Christian owes God's love to everyone.  In a sense, we have the power to choose to whom we will be in debt.  If I desire a loan of money, there are many banks and lending institutions to choose from.  After securing a loan, I also am faced with the priority and timeliness of payment.  Should money be tight, I could choose to put off payment of the loan because of other expenses I deem more pressing.  Two people can be equally in debt, but the priority of paying off the loan can vary significantly.  Some will make personal sacrifices to pay what is owed quickly, and others put off payment as long as possible until there are serious consequences.  Others secure a high-interest loan to pay off the first and dig themselves a deeper hole still.  Being in debt can become more an exercise of keeping those owed at bay with token payments rather than paying off the amount in full.

As children of the Living God through faith in Christ, it is not a question of resources or ability to render to others what we owe when it concerns love.  God's love is infinite, and the Holy Spirit empowers us to love one another as Jesus has loved us.  We cannot rightly say, "I do not have the capacity or ability to love."  Paul affirmed in 1 Thessalonians 4:9, "But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another..."  Because God teaches us how to love one another, it is not a question of ability but of willingness and priority.  God's Word proclaims we owe love to brothers and sisters in Christ, we owe a debt of love to that stranger on the street.  We owe love even to our enemies!  In case you think I am making this up, here it is from the mouth of Jesus in Matthew 5:43-45:  "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."

What priority does paying your debt of love to all others have in your life?  If you learned today you owed the government a sum of money for taxes owed, how quickly would you seek to put it right?  We ought to place the greatest priority on the commands of our Saviour, the LORD and Judge of all.  He said in John 13:34, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."  Again in John 15:12, "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."  May God's Word arrest our attention like a subpoena placed in our hands by a officer of the law.  Even as we place great priority on appearing before a court of law when summoned to avoid prosecution and imprisonment, may we respond swiftly and intentionally to the command of Jesus Christ - not out of selfish fear of punishment, but out of a desire to please the God we love.  Let us recognise and affirm today the debt of love we owe to all men.  Galatians 5:13 reminds us, "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."  Every day may we make it our priority to pay our debt of love to God and others in full!

The Impressionable Heart

With several ministries in hiatus during the summer holidays, I have enjoyed supplementing my time by reading books by eminent Christian authors.  C.H. Spurgeons "The Sword and the Trowel" is packed with valuable gems easily gathered up by those who seek the wisdom of the ancients.  One printed tract aimed at believers was most useful and thought provoking, an exhortation to seize the opportunity to share Christ when hearts are soft and most receptive to spiritual truth.  Here is a small sampling from the "prince of preachers:"

Quick must be the hand if an impression is to be made upon the wax.  Once let the wax cool and you will press the seal in vain.  Cold and hard it will be in a few moments, therefore let the work be quickly done.  When men's hearts are melted under the preaching of the Word, or by sickness, or the loss of friends, believers should be very eager to stamp the truth upon the prepared mind.  Such opportunities are to be seized with holy eagerness.  Reader, do you know of such?  If you be a lover of the Lord Jesus hasten with the seal before the wax is cold.  Perhaps, dear reader, you are yourself unsaved; then look at the woodcut, and remember that such is your life.  It is like the flame upon the stick of wax, and your soul is like the wax which drops upon the envelope, capable of receiving an impression while you are alive, but soon hardened and made unalterable by the cold breath of death.  If the stamp of eternal life is to be set upon your soul it must be now, for when once this life is over change is impossible. (Spurgeon, C. H. C.H. Spurgeon's Works as Published in His Monthly Magazine The Sword and the Trowel. Vol. 1. Pasadena, Tex.: Pilgrim Publications, 1975. 204. Print)

How important it is to take Spurgeon's exhortation to heart for ourselves.  How often have our hearts been warmed with holy zeal but quickly cooled in the face of opposition or doubts?  How many times have we opened the scriptures and no impression was made upon us by God's Word, though written with iron pen and a tip of diamond?  Our cold hearts can be as frozen earth, impregnable by the good seed.  There is great need in all God's people to be baptised with the Holy Spirit and with fire through faith in Christ, otherwise our hearts will be hard and unyielding to Gospel truth.  When God opens our eyes to softness and receptivity in others let us seize the opportunity.  But let us not despair and withhold God's truth even from those we imagine carry in their bosoms a dead hearts of stone, for God is able to raise up children of Abraham from stones if need be.  May we long for soft hearts melted by God's grace and love, having been sealed with the Holy Spirit.

The heat of the flame melts wax only in close proximity.  A flame even inches away from the candle will have no effect upon it.  Once the wick is lit, however, the direct heat from the flame begins to melt the candle.  We may look upon Christ with awe at a distance, even delighting in the Light of the world.  Our great need is to cultivate the presence of God, communing with the Almighty God in worship through faithfully following Him, seeking Him, and obeying His counsel.  Only then will we enjoy the unbroken fellowship with God's presence He intends and have cultivated within us soft hearts which perceive His still small voice and are empowered to walk accordingly.  Let us not remain at a distance when Jesus has drawn near to each one of us.

Burden Removed, Yoke Broken

This morning I preached on Isaiah 10, a passage of warning and consolation for God's people.  I was particularly struck with God's promise to His people in Isaiah 10:27:  "It shall come to pass in that day that his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil."  The king of Judah and his people looked to Assyria and not to God to deliver them, and in doing so dictated their own means of correction.  God would use the Assyrian nation as a rod in His hand to discipline His children, for those whom God loves He corrects.  Though chastening would involve pain and difficulty, ultimately God would redeem and deliver His people from those who oppressed them.

God had set His people free, yet they chose a life of bondage through rebellion from God.  They made for themselves a yoke of iron (Deut. 28:48), yet the Almighty God of grace promised to remove and break their yoke.  The passage explains the burden and yoke would be taken away and destroyed "because of the anointing oil."  The Law commanded the Jews to anoint the tabernacle, vessels, and the priests with oil to sanctify, to consecrate all for God's ordained purposes.  It signified cleansing, a separation from the ordinary world and unto God for His service.  Because God had sanctified the nation of Israel unto Himself, in due time He would remove and destroy their yoke.  For those who are born again and anointed with the Holy Spirit, this scripture provides great comfort for us.  He have been justified and sanctified through faith in Christ.  There is no burden too heavy to be cast upon Christ, and no yoke too great for God to remove and break forever.

Like the children of Israel, sometimes we choose burdens and yokes for ourselves through rebellion and idolatry.  It can take a season of suffering before we realise the folly of our sinful choices.  In reaping the bitter fruit of fleshly living we grow weary and long for a reprieve.  Our motive can be one more of escape than seeking refuge in God!  We can come to the point of giving our cares, addiction, depression, and worries to God - only to find they have a grip on us we cannot shake no matter what we do.  Perhaps we also carry a sense of entitlement, thinking we have done all that is necessary to remove the cursed yoke which holds us fast.  We have repented, refused to harbour any affection for the rebellion we once longed for, and frankly hate the thing.  But the powerful grip holds us fast and we wonder:  what must we still do?  The truth is, we cannot lift or break yokes.  Only Jesus Christ can do that!  Our call is to repent, trust God and His promises, and humbly rely upon God to remove and break the yoke once and for all.  It is not a call to passivity, but to recognise our desperate need to seek God, praise Him despite the pain, and trust He is working all for His good, redemptive purposes.  As Corrie Ten Boom said, "It is not try but trust; it is not do but done."

Take heart burdened soul!  As in Bunyan's Pilgrim, when we bow our knees and hearts before the cross of Christ our burden falls from our shoulders.  The knots are too tight for our fingers to loose, and the cords too strong for the knife of the efforts of the flesh to slice through.  Repentance, praise, worship, and simple trust in God turns our eyes towards Jesus as Saviour and Deliverer.  When our hearts are brought to a place of willingness to happily bear a yoke as long as God wants for His purposes, we find a freedom and joy the natural man through effort cannot know.  It is willingness to take Christ's yoke upon us which shatters all other yokes.  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."  Come to Jesus and choose to find rest in Him alone.  Simple trust causes a man to receive of God's grace no amount of struggle can earn.

Why Me?

Last night the boys and I sat down to watch Marvel's "Captain America" starring Chris Evans.  In the film, Steven Rogers is a scrawny, sickly man with a courageous heart of gold.  He was chosen from a field of more physically eligible specimens by scientist Dr. Abraham Erskine to be the first subject for an experiment which could change the course of World War 2.  On the eve of the experiment, Dr. Erskine met with Steven for a drink.  Steven humbly asked one question of the doctor:  "Why me?"  He had been deemed unworthy so many times before he wondered what he possibly could have done to deserve such an opportunity, never dreaming he would become "Captain America."  His perspective throughout the film consistently placed others before himself.

"Why me?" isn't a question reserved for Hollywood productions.  It's likely a question we have felt more often then we vocalised.  When I worked in the shipyard, my work mates told me about a guy they nicknamed "Why Me?" because that was his response whenever tasked to do a job.  It seems to me this question was not motivated by humility, but self focus.  "Why Me?" always felt like he had drawn the short straw, and based upon his self-proclaimed skills and seniority surely he deserved better treatment!  There are therefore at least two ways to ask, "Why me?"  As I watched Captain America throw his shield around and beat up bad guys, my mind kept going back to the question he asked when he was scrawny Steve.  He was utterly unworthy, and he freely recognised this fact.  He was therefore able to appreciate the gift of strength and ability like few others.

Steve's question echoed that of David concerning his God.  David wrote in Psalm 8:4, "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?"  In a sense David mused, "God you are so mighty and powerful - why us?  Why would you even care?"  Gideon also had this same perspective of God and his unworthiness.  After the LORD revealed Gideon was the one He had chosen to deliver the Hebrews from the Midianites, Gideon said in Judges 6:15, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."  Gideon wondered, "Why me?  How could I save Israel?"  On the other side of the coin, we have Cain, the selfish, unrepentant murderer of his brother Abel.  When God confronted Cain, he denied knowledge of where his brother was!  Upon hearing of his punishment for his crimes, he said in Genesis 4:13, "My punishment is greater than I can bear!"  Another "me" centred person in scripture is Esau.  After Esau's birthright and blessing went to his younger twin Jacob, he wept with tears:  "Bless me also!"  All the while the desire to murder his brother festered in his heart.

The heart with which we ask the question to God "Why me?" says something about our spiritual condition before Him.  Those with humility place their emphasis on "WHY" and those who remain unrepentant in pride emphasise "ME!"  God is not averse to answering "why" questioned grounded in faith in Him, but He also knows those focused on "me" will not receive His answer.  He cast pearls of wisdom before those who will only trample it underfoot.  How do you ask the question?  We are all unworthy of God's love and blessings.  The answer to that question cannot be based in me or anything men have done, but solely due to God's greatness and goodness.  Every blessing is of grace, and praise Him for being so mindful of us!

Who Is The Sacrifice?

The scripture is packed with priceless gems, relevant and true to this day.  The Law gives us insightful glimpses of realities enjoyed under the New Covenant through Jesus Christ.  One instance is seen in Leviticus 6:12-13:  "And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be put out. And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order on it; and he shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. ¹³ A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out."  One role of the high priest and his sons was to stoke the fire of the altar so it burned perpetually, a fire sparked by the divine presence of God Himself.  In addition to the morning and evening offerings, the people brought free-will offerings, tithes, and sacrifices for atonement.

Here is the point:  God provided the fire, the priests stoked the flames with fuel, and the people brought the animals for sacrifice.  When a person repents and chooses to place their faith in Jesus Christ for atonement and eternal salvation, God sends the Holy Spirit to indwell us even as pure oil was placed within the candlesticks in the Holy Place.  Jesus is our High Priest, and we have been made kings and priests unto God (Rev. 1:6).  God supplies the fire, Jesus stokes the flames, and we are called to bring the sacrifice.  Written to Christians Romans 12:1 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."  Jesus is the Lamb of God supplied to atone for the sins of the world, and we are to present ourselves humbly to receive His life, light, and sustaining power.  This is an intentional act prompted by love and sincere desire.

No one ends up on top of a burning altar accidentally.  Isaac submitted to being bound by Abraham and laid atop an altar, and his will was laid down before his father.  He noticed there was fire and wood, but questioned where the offering would be found?  Even as Isaac's life was spared by the God who searches the hearts and minds of all men and a substitute ram supplied, Jesus was sent as the Lamb of God.  As He lived we are to follow His example of self-sacrifice.  There is no one more "on fire" for the glory of God than Jesus, and the same Spirit who empowered Him dwells within us!  No one need suffer burnout when it is God who supplies both fire and fuel.  We are burned out when we are no longer willing to climb up on that altar in faith and obedience, at every opportunity presenting ourselves as living sacrifices unto God as we ought.

Allow me to conclude with a passage I was challenged with this morning written by William Law in his book A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life:  "Here, therefore, let us judge ourselves sincerely; let us not vainly content ourselves with the common folly of our diversions, the pride of our habits, the idleness of our lives, and the wasting of our time, fancying that these are such imperfections as we fall into through the unavoidable weakness and frailty of our natures; but let us be assured, that these disorders of our common life are owing to this, that we have not so much Christianity as to intend to please God in all the actions of our life, as the best and happiest thing in the world.  So that we must not look upon ourselves in a state of common and pardonable imperfection, but in such a state as wants the first and most fundamental principle of Christianity, viz., an intention to please God in all our actions...the reason why you see no real mortification of self-denial, no eminent charity, no profound humility, no heavenly affection, no true contempt of the world, no Christian meekness, no sincere zeal, no eminent piety in the common lives of Christians, is this, because they do not so much as intend to exact and exemplary in these virtues." (Law, William. A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life. [3rd ed.] London: J.M. Dent, 1902. 18-19. Print.)

The Pure Source

James 3:11-12 puts forth rhetorical questions:  "Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh."  God is holy, pure, and righteous, yet that does not mean all those who believe in Him will always reflect His perfect attributes.  Springs of water gush pure from their subterranean sources and grow increasingly muddy and fouled as they flow.  The point James was making is a spring is either salty or fresh, not both.  A fig tree cannot bear olives because by nature it is a fig tree.

In a similar way, the outward behaviour and speech of a person indicates their inner nature.  A person whose speech is salted with cursing ought not imagine themselves to be pure in heart.  From a biblical perspective, none are pure or perfect before God because of sin.  We are all corrupted and are also corruptors.  The selfish nature and tendencies of men are as base and depraved as they have ever been.  But even as a caterpillar through metamorphosis transforms into a moth or butterfly capable of flight, so God is able to transform men - not through the outer keeping of a Law, but through an inner change by being born again through faith in Christ.  For all those who have been born again, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit for our thoughts, words, and deeds to display in greater degree the purity and goodness of God who now lives in us.

During my recent trip to Tasmania, I had many silent walks along beautiful paths and streams.  There were plenty of opportunities to consider explanations given by our guides and zoologists.  "Evolution" was often credited for the unique "adaptations" seen among many native Australian animals.  What I find very interesting is Darwinian Evolution is not held in high regard by many of the great scientific minds of today.  His musings and theories seemed bizarre to people in his day and in many cases have been disproved without question.  But in the case of evolution, people have been fine to throw out the details and keep the basic structure, the concept that slowly over time natural processes led to slight, successive changes which explains the diversity of animal life we see today - without the need for a Creator.  Darwin's theory has led to countless other theories, and new discoveries prove without a doubt it is not a foundation worthy to build upon.

That is one thing I love about God:  He does not change.  He is an everlasting, worthy foundation who is more solid than the planet underfoot.  His truth endures for all time and before Him every knee will bow.  Water can be filthy and polluted, but God is always absolutely pure and righteous.  Men have their reasons to deny the truth, yet God has revealed Himself for all who have eyes to see and ears to hear.  The unchanging I AM is my God - yes, I worship a God - THE God, the Creator of heaven and earth.  He is the pure, inexhaustible source of true wisdom.  I love Him because He first loved me.  May His love be revealed through me for His glory with increasingly purity.

Holiday in Tasmania

As my lack of recent posting may suggest, I have been away from my desk for a week.  My family and I enjoyed a holiday in Tasmania.  We were blessed with uncharacteristically warm and dry weather during our stay.  As I walked through the beautiful country, I found it impossible to fathom how a person could give glory to dead men who cut a path through a living forest, yet not glorify the God who created the forest and all the animals therein!  Hope you enjoy a sampling of photos!

The oldest bridge in Australia is still in use in Richmond.

The old church at Port Arthur

Scenic view at Donaghys lookout

Dove lake with Cradle Mountain

 

Binalong Bay

The memorial carvings at Legerwood

Montezuma Falls

St. Clair lake

 You know I had to include one of these little devils from Nature World...

Merciful and Mighty

During a night of prayer and praise we enjoyed recently at Calvary Chapel Sydney, we sang the famous hymn "Holy Holy Holy" by Heber and Dykes.  A line in the song stood out to me powerfully in a fresh way, affirming God is merciful and mighty.  These characteristics are in no way contradictory, but from a worldly perspective the two rarely coincide.  To be merciful is not viewed as mighty, and the mighty do not need to be merciful.  Yet the mercy and might of the Almighty God is praiseworthy, and I relish this constant reality of God's eternal nature.

Psalm 103:8 says, "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy."  God does not only show mercy, but He is merciful.  To be merciful is to be compassionate and kind, especially when there is ample justification to be otherwise.  The Webster's 1828 edition Dictionary defines "merciful" as, "having or exercising mercy; compassionate; tender; disposed to pity offenders and to forgive their offenses; unwilling to punish for injuries; applied appropriately to the Supreme being."  Though God is absolutely just, the psalmist affirmed concerning God in Psalm 103:9-11, "He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. ¹⁰ He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. ¹¹ For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him."  God's mercy should not be incorrectly interpreted as weakness or indifference.  He is full of mercy, but He is also mighty.

Because God is Almighty He is also merciful.  There is great power demonstrated in restraint and self-control as well as by the righteous execution of justice.  Concerning their enemies, Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 7:21, "Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible." The psalmist Asaph also sang in Psalm 50:1-4: "The Mighty One, God the LORD, has spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun to its going down. ² Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth. ³ Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. ⁴ He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people."  To be "mighty" has the connotation of strength, power, vastness and greatness.  God is mighty and nothing He has created has the right even to question Him, even as a clay vessel cannot rightly question the potter who formed it.

God is merciful and mighty, and I love these attributes of God like the countless others revealed through scripture and His wondrous works.  One who loves God cannot accept His mercy without affirming His might.  His might magnifies His mercy towards sinful men.  He has not dealt with us according to our transgressions, though ultimately He will.  All who die in their sins without atonement will be judged according to to perfect law, and the wages of sin is death.  His might is seen both in restraint and judgment, and is to be greatly feared.  His mercy should not overshadow His might, and His might will never trample His mercy.  Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty!

Examine Your Beliefs by God's Standard

"Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding."

Proverbs 23:23

My eldest son Zed returned yesterday from a school service trip to Cambodia.  They helped with a building project, ministered to children in slums and orphanages, and provided food to people in need.  They also gained valuable life experiences - like how to bargain in the markets.  A good thing to know before buying in places like the Russian Markets in Phnom Penh is things are rarely what they seem.  Fakes, knock-off products, and carefully repackaged used items sold as new abound.  Tourists, willing to risk a few bucks for a potential bargain, support an industry which survives largely on deceit and fraud.  There are many legitimate sellers, but those able to pass off fake as genuine are encouraged to continue plying their illicit trade with each sale.

Case in point:  Zed and some of his mates came back from Cambodia with some "real" fake coins from the United States.  And they didn't come particularly cheap.  While the boys were pleased with their ability to haggle with the sellers, they paid far more than the coins are actually worth.  Because they are copies of supposed sterling silver coins, a single United States penny is of greater monetary value as legal tender.  But I am grateful for these coins, for with them comes priceless life lessons purchased for cheap.

These coins illustrates the value of familiarity with the genuine in avoiding the fake.  Those boys had never heard the "ping" of a silver coin, did not think of the magnet or bleach test, and did not even know the weight of a genuine coin!  Because the sellers refused to drop below a certain price, the boys assumed they must be at least that valuable.  It is funny to me how greed fueled the whole affair:  fake coins were minted and sold at inflated rates by greedy sellers to greedy people who are only thinking of resale value!  Zed, like his mates, were willing to take the chance that what they were buying was fake in the wistful hope they were indeed genuine.  When it comes to a few coins, the risk is relatively low.  But how great is cost for buying falsehood which poses a spiritual truth!

There are people all over the world who hold their beliefs tightly, having purchased them at great personal cost.  They have invested their hearts, minds, and lives in what they believe.  For every true thing God has said there are countless counterfeits.  Satan and his mob churn out counterfeit religions and beliefs continually, and people queue up for them.  Because they do not know the truth, they buy into all manner of error.  But the things many people deem precious are not legal tender before God.  How guilty before God is a man who passes on the counterfeit as truth!  There are a series of tests even a layman can do to determine if coins are genuine or not, and the same is true concerning the Bible.  One does not need to be an expert to put the Bible to the test.  The archaeological, historical, geographical, and prophetic evidence and fulfillment is clear for all to see.  The consistency between books, the abundance of manuscript evidence, the authorship of eye-witnesses, and the unparalleled wisdom of the Bible is unique.  Because the Bible is the authentic and genuine Word of God, it sets forth the standard by which all belief and practice must be judged.  Textbooks change, "spiritual" books are revised, but the Word of the LORD will endure unchanged forever.  Once you have bought the truth, don't sell it at any price.

Truth can bear examination.  How silly would it be to suspect your coins are fake, but because of shame or embarrassment never have them examined by an expert?  Are you willing to put your personal beliefs under the scrutiny of God's Word?  Is it is worthy risk to invest in coins without knowing what a real Silver Eagle looks like?  Too many people buy into satanic lies, thinking they are a sound future investment, and on the day of judgment their entire collection will be deemed worthless before the God before whom all must answer.  Truth is objective and narrow, even as there is very specific criteria to deem Silver Eagles genuine.  One belief is not as good as another.  So how do you know if your beliefs are legitimate or not?  The Bible (preferably a translation) will reveal this to you.  Ask born-again Christians or a pastor.  In a world filled with darkness and deception, God's Word provides light to direct our lives.  As it is written in Psalm 119:105, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Put Those Mistakes to Work!

Yesterday morning I was listening to Calvary Chapel Radio New Zealand, a broadcast streamed online to the world.  Packed with great scriptural content and music, I highly recommend!  During yesterday's broadcast, Jon Courson provided a practical example.

He talked about how Joshua made a mistake by unwittingly making a treaty with the Gibeonites, a neighbouring group who pretended to be from a distant land.  Seeing their mouldy crusts of bread and ragged clothes, Joshua believed them to be truthful.  Because Joshua didn't seek the LORD, he struck a deal with enemies God had commanded Israel to drive out of the land.  Not long after the rulers of Israel became aware of the plot, Joshua 9:19-21 tells us their response:  "Then all the rulers said to all the congregation, "We have sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel; now therefore, we may not touch them.²⁰ This we will do to them: We will let them live, lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore to them."²¹ And the rulers said to them, "Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, as the rulers had promised them."

This was the point Jon made in his sermon:  when you make a mistake, choose to make that mistake work for you.  That is what the Israelites literally did with this people who deceived them.  They made them water carriers and wood cutters, people who supplied necessities for the worship of God.  Joshua 9:27 says, "And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, in the place which He would choose, even to this day."  What an amazing concept, that our mistakes can work for us to aid us and others in the worship of God.  God is able to redeem even our foolish mistakes for His glory.  Let's seek God how to make our mistakes work for us so He might be glorified and the congregation strengthened and encouraged.

When God Fights

As I have been studying through the book of Isaiah, there are some remarkable insights all would do well to heed.  King Ahaz of the southern kingdom of Judah faced the threat of advancing armies, and he considered what he would do.  Instead of relying upon God alone and walking in obedience to His Word, Ahaz worshiped idols and made an alliance with Assyria.  The prophet provided a sobering example of the northern kingdom of Israel in Isaiah 9:8-13:  "The LORD sent a word against Jacob, and it has fallen on Israel. ⁹ All the people will know-- Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria-- who say in pride and arrogance of heart: ¹⁰ "The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars." ¹¹ Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and spur his enemies on, ¹² The Syrians before and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with an open mouth. For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still. ¹³ For the people do not turn to Him who strikes them, nor do they seek the LORD of hosts."  In pride Israel did not turn to God in their trouble, and God stirred up enemies against them.

Countless nations and men have ignored God and His righteous counsel in dark days.  While the world is facing a threat of jihadists and terrorism, governments are mobilising and strategising to deal with this threat.  Guns, "radicalised" Muslims, and terror cell groups are seen as a massive problem.  In my view, these amount to nothing.  My chief concern is leaders and people of nations are not looking to God or His Word, nor is there repentance for our great sins before God.  We can plan and strategise all we want, invest in state-of-the-art equipment, amass supplies of weapons, armour, and ammunition, but unless God fights for us we fight in vain.  All I hear from politicians is what we are going to do about this growing threat.  What can we do?  Could it be that God is spurning on the enemies of nations who have turned their backs on Him?

In the wake of the shooting in San Bernardino, President Obama gave an address from the Oval Office.  He said, "The threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it. We will destroy ISIL and any other organization that tries to harm us. Our success won't depend on tough talk, or abandoning our values, or giving into fear...Instead, we will prevail by being strong and smart, resilient and relentless, and by drawing upon every aspect of American power."  Yikes.  This is far from the wisdom King Hezekiah spoke in 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 concerning their enemies, "Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. ⁸ With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles." There is no rest or comfort for me in the President's words which is found only through faith in God.  Where is God in the President's plans?  These great and swelling words lack any power whatsoever to eliminate threats of violence.  Whenever a man says without an acknowledgement of God, "I will..." or "We will..." it smacks of the tone we hear of Lucifer in Isaiah 14:12-15:  "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! ¹³ For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; ¹⁴ I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' ¹⁵ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit."  Lucifer's heart was lifted up, but God would bring Him low.  Those who walk in pride God is able to abase.

President Obama then laid out a plan to snuff out the threat of terrorism by utilising the military and air strikes, providing training and equipment, working with friends and allies, to dialogue for ceasefires in Syria, and establishing stricter laws and background checks.  What will these profit if we do not look to God first?  He said in his concluding remarks, "My fellow Americans, I am confident we will succeed in this mission because we are on the right side of history. We were founded upon a belief in human dignity -- that no matter who you are, or where you come from, or what you look like, or what religion you practice, you are equal in the eyes of God and equal in the eyes of the law."  From my view, the United States and all who look to them for help or hope are on the wrong side of history.  Our resolve means nothing if we refuse the path of humility and repentance.  When the men of Ai defeated Joshua, it was because there was sin in the camp which needed to be dealt with.  They did not seek God's guidance and were afraid and overcome.  God used the nations of Assyria and Babylon to defeat and take captive His own people as a result of their sin and rebellion before God, and the United States or Australia is in no way different.  If we look to an arm of flesh to save us, how can that turn away the judgment of a Holy God?

The Midianites were a numerous and well-equipped people who oppressed and terrorised the Israelites for years.  When God's people cried out to Him in their affliction, He raised up Gideon to deliver His people with a mighty hand.  Aided by God in whom they trusted, 300 men armed with torches, clay pitchers, and shofars defeated the great host of Midianites - whose swords God turned upon one another.  Could it be ISIS is being divinely aided - not by Allah but the Almighty I AM - to turn the weapons of nations against each other?  History says God is able to use conflicts between people and nations to chasten His people to repentance so they might live.  All are equal in God's sight, and He will not give the United States preferential treatment when it comes to sin.  There is a divine reckoning coming for all who persist in their sin, and also for every nation that in pride lifts itself up to oppose God.  God is patient and longsuffering, but the day of judgment will ultimately come.

Those who know God and are familiar with scripture know how it ends when a people forsake God and refuse the path of humility and repentance:  they lose.  How many loyal servicemen and women will die, how much more blood must be shed on city streets around the world until we come to our senses and repent before a just God?  We cannot blame anyone but ourselves if we do not seek God in our times of affliction.  President Obama concluded with, "God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America."  God has blessed the United States, and a wake-up call is a blessing when your house is burning down around you.  This post is not about blaming God or people, but an exhortation for each person to own his sins, repent, and return to the LORD.  Daniel confessed and prayed for the sins of his people, and Christians ought to do the same when we recognise them.  Hosea 6:1 urges us, "Come, and let us return to the LORD; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up."  Let us return to the LORD!  Sackcloth ought to be our strategy, and humble repentance before God must be our plan.  Brandishing his spear did Goliath no good, for God enabled a shepherd to bring him down with a single stone.  What man or nation can fight against God - and win?

The Spirit of Law

God has been opening my eyes to the importance of His Law as I have been studying through Romans.  God and His people made a covenant, and they affirmed all God had said they would do.  No matter how hard people tried to keep the 613 commands - to do the 248 positive commands and avoid the 365 negative ones - no one was perfect.  Knowing this full well, God provided a means of atonement through the offering of sacrifices.  By the deeds of the Law no flesh can be justified, for the Law can only condemn.  The Law cannot wash you, but is like a clean mirror which reveals your sin before God in truth.

What was intended to humble men became a source of pride.  Allow me to illustrate with the history of the I.Q. (Intelligence Quotient) test.  There is no sense in going into great detail here (if you are reading this you have the internet!), but in the early 1900's a test was developed by a French psychologist to determine if children had learning issues so their educational needs could be better met.  A smart idea, right?  Discovering and quantifying intellectual disabilities early would afford the best future care for young people.  But over time, research and study led to different theories and tests.  Instead of intelligence testing being exclusively used to see how severe a disability was, tests were developed to quantify how intelligent "smart" people were - measuring the capacity of intellectual brilliance.

I am not an expert in the field of intelligence testing, but I do appreciate the irony that what began as a test to quantify disabilities has been turned into a point of boasting for some of their intelligence.  Chapters of exclusive, internationally recognised high-intelligence groups exist worldwide today.  I have not heard of people belonging to a low I.Q. society, and I can't imagine many people would proudly boast of their membership on their resume!  The point is this:  the point of the Law was to show how sinful people are - not how righteous or holy they are.  The Law was given to show that all men were sinners and unacceptable before God.  Over time, the keeping of the Law became a quantifiable, measurable standard through which people began to gauge how devout they were - and condemn others as wrong.  If people kept the Law better than others, they mistakenly considered themselves righteous.  The Law never shows how righteous a man is, but that he is corrupt, sinful, and condemned.

Jesus told a parable to illustrate the folly of thinking righteousness could be found by adherence to the Law rather than by faith alone.  Luke 18:8-14 reads, "Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: ¹⁰ "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' ¹³ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  A mark of self-righteousness is revealed in verse 8 through how people view others.  The Pharisee in the parable "kept" the Law even where it concerned his herbs, but his efforts did not grant him an audience in heaven:  he only prayed "with himself."  While the Pharisee stood in a prominent place the tax collector stood afar off - not daring to lift his eyes to heaven.  He simply cried out, "God, be merciful to me a sinner."  Through faith and humility before God, he went home justified, cleansed from his sins - without sacrifice, tithes, or any boast of obedience to God.

The Pharisee was proud because he kept the Law far better than the tax collector, but he failed to confess a single sin in repentance.  His sin remained.  The tax collector's prayer was heard and answered by a gracious God who rewards faith in Him.  God looks at the heart.  Our conduct matters because it is an expression of the reality within, but attempts to gain favour from God through keeping a Law which only condemns is futile.  All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory, but we are justified freely by grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:22-24).  Ephesians 2:8-10 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

Jesus has fulfilled the Law and instituted a New Covenant through His shed blood.  Allow me to close with a passage which explains our legal responsibility before God as it concerns His commands in 1 John 3:18-24:  "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. ¹⁹ And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. ²⁰ For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. ²¹ Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. ²² And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. ²³ And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. ²⁴ Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us."

Don't Be A Sorry Christian

"I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. ⁴⁷ And I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love. ⁴⁸ My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on Your statutes."

Psalm 119:46-48

Our day is in dire need of unapologetic Christians, brave souls who love the word of God and live accordingly.  Standing on the firm foundation of God's everlasting truth, we need not wince and apologise when we hold forth a scriptural perspective.  People will not agree, and many will not understand.  This does not mean we have a license to be tactless or inconsiderate, but we should not be "sorry" Christians - apologising to those who cannot comprehend the truth, nor care to.  God is not like a politically incorrect family member we are a bit embarrassed of because we know he's stepping on toes.  God is God, and He has done whatever pleased Him.  And since He is righteous, just, merciful, and loving, I can know what He does is always works for the good of believers - even if I don't understand Him fully.

The Psalmist was unashamed to admit his love of God's Law and commands.  The world - much less many Christians these days - cannot understand what there is to love about the Law.  It would be a mistake for us to change specific references in the Bible of God's Law, commandments, or statutes to "God's Word."  The Jews even to this day love God's commands.  They are the everlasting words of God spoken to His people so they might know Him and do what is pleasing in His sight.  The Law is filled with the awesome revelations of God, provides His divine principles, warnings, and sure promises of blessing to those who walk in His ways.  To know God, to have His words, and to be called by God according to His purposes is a great honour and privilege.

How precious is God's Law!  The Psalmist knew it, and the Jews of Paul's day knew it as well.  Their identity as God's people was tied up in the keeping of God's Laws, offering sacrifices, and keeping the feast days.  They loved the Law so much they had a hard time letting it go.  In a similar way how people derive much of their personal identity from their career, so the Jews gained their identity from the Law.  Speaking from the perspective of a Gentile, attempts to keep the Law appears a spiked yoke of weighty lead - keeping the Law seems an arduous, painful, impossible exercise in futility.  The is no appeal for me to keep the Law, knowing the scriptures which say by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified.  But though the Law cannot save me, it is still of infinite value because by the Law is the knowledge of sin.  We should love this aged Tutor who to this day faithfully leads people to faith and salvation in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:22-26).  Just because you can't keep the Law perfectly doesn't mean it isn't useful and necessary.

I encourage you to consider well the question:  do you love God's Law?  You should.  Without the Law we could not have known sin, and without a clear revelation of sin there would be no recognition of our need or the grace of God.  To the degree I recognise my guilt, the greater God's grace and mercy appears to me.  God's Law is right and will never change.  "But wait," you may protest.  "We are not under the Law but under grace."  True.  But Jesus did not come to destroy the Law and the prophets, but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17).  The Law is good because it is of God, and it will remain good forever like the God who wrote with His finger on tablets of stone.  The Law cannot save, but when used lawfully it leads people to salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

There is no greater tool than the Law in leading sinners to the Saviour.  Romans 3:19 plainly tells us this legitimate, relevant use of God's Law:  "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."  As long as a man justifies himself in his sin, he cannot be justified by God because of his sin.  But when a man's mouth is stopped and he acknowledges fully his guilt before a holy God whose righteous wrath demands justice, he will consider God's offer of forgiveness and salvation through Christ.  Unless a man is convicted he will not repent, and unless he repents he cannot be forgiven and thus remains dead in sins.  Kings and servants together stand on the level ground of God's Laws and are equally justly condemned.  The whole world is guilty before God, and thankfully He has provided the Way of salvation through Christ.  The Law is a useful Tutor indeed!

Jonah Didn't Jump

This morning I began reading the book of Jonah.  God commanded Jonah the prophet to go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it.  Jonah was loath to obey God's command and booked a cruise to Tarshish to escape the presence of God.  God was not ignorant of Jonah's schemes and caused the ship to be tossed by a fierce storm.  The pagan sailors did everything in their power to keep their ship afloat, cried out to their idols and even threw the tackle overboard.  The storm raged on while Jonah slept below the deck.

Jonah was roused by the desperate captain who urged him to call upon his God.  The men determined a man on board must be responsible for the storm, and by drawing straws Jonah was revealed to be the culprit.  He openly confessed he was trying to flee from the presence of God.  Jonah 1:11-12 says, "Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?"--for the sea was growing more tempestuous. ¹² And he said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me."  Jonah's words surprised me today, though quite familiar with the historical event.  In Jonah's shoes I imagine I would have said something like this:  "Sorry boys for the trouble I've put you through.  I've brought this mess upon you, and it falls to me to get you out.  I will jump into the sea, and may God have mercy on us all."

But Jonah didn't say that.  He told the men they needed to pick him up and throw him into the sea.  An act of faith in God was required for their salvation.  The prospect of throwing a man overboard whom God cared enough about to send a storm upon to correct his course was unacceptable to the men.  They tried rowing hard, but it was no use.  Maybe they could see the edge of the storm and they figured by a concerted effort they could escape it.  But it proved impossible.  Desperate to save themselves and their vessel, they cried out to the God of Jonah.  Jonah 1:14-15 reads, "Therefore they cried out to the LORD and said, "We pray, O LORD, please do not let us perish for this man's life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O LORD, have done as it pleased You."¹⁵ So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging."  Falling upon the mercy of God in their distress, the sailors acknowledged God's power and threw Jonah overboard in faith and obedience.  The sea immediately was calm.

Had Jonah jumped overboard, the sea might have become calm.  But I daresay the results described in verse 16 would either not exist or be very different.  They might have glorified the bravery of the man to commit himself to the deep.  Jonah 1:16 says, "Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD and took vows."  These men feared God, convinced He was responsible for the storm and therefore was able to cause it to cease.  They offered sacrifices to God and made promises to Him, the Creator of heaven and earth, the One who made the sea and the dry land.  The conditions of their salvation and preservation were conditional, and the conditions set forth by Jonah required faith.  Even during his wanderings, God used Jonah to bring salvation to lost souls.  I love that Jonah didn't jump.  He knew the way of salvation and urged others to agree to God's conditions of faith.  We do well to decide we won't do for others what God bids them do for themselves.  Let's not remove steps of faith in God from those who seek God's help, for in seeing Him respond to obedience they will fear and worship Him.

The Real "Special"

Recently my family and I watched "The Lego Movie," a zany adventure about a normal construction worker named Emmet who fulfills a prophecy made up to help him believe he was "the special."  Dumbo had his "magic feather," and Emmet had the secret weapon glued to his back.  It is a witty, entertaining film which chronicles the path of an ordinary toy without original thoughts to be a "master builder" through self-belief.  I enjoy the movie.  But I also am aware that under the plastic interlocking bricks there are echoes of the old humanistic mantra:  if you will believe, anyone can become the hero.  You can do anything you want, if you will only believe.

Belief is a funny thing, because it is only as effective as what you place your faith in.  As a young teen my uncle truly believed he could fly like Superman, and was so convinced of his powers he leaped off a roof!  Needless to say, his descent was immediate and continuous until he hit the ground!  Emmet had always followed the Lego instructions, and was frankly lost without them.  He had little to no creativity, ability, or skill.  He was simply urged to "Believe."  Like Neo in the Matrix, when Emmet began to believe in himself he began to understand how to build.  His mind which was once vacuous was suddenly filled with information about Lego bricks.  Everywhere he looked building ideas jumped out at him.  Through his and all others who were brave enough to believe, their Lego world was saved.  Anyone can be special, if they believe they are.

The online Merriam-Webster definition of "special" is, "distinguished by some unusual quality; especially :  being in some way superior; 2) held in particular esteem; 3) readily distinguishable from others of the same category; 4)being other than the usual; 5) designed for a particular purpose or occasion."  From a Biblical perspective, God is special in many ways.  He is in all ways superior to men and is readily distinguished from what He has created.  Since God has created man in His own image, every person is special too - in different ways.  It is God who has made man special, unique and distinct from plants and animals.  God breathed within man a living soul, gave Him dominion over all creation, and designed man for the purpose of enjoying fellowship with God.  But instead of glorifying God for who He is and all He has made, the human tendency is to look to self - to abilities, talents, experiences, wealth, possessions, accomplishments, likes, and dislikes - to define ourselves.

Jesus said, "Without me, you can do nothing." (John 15:5)  Just like a branch apart the the vine cannot grow, flower, or produce fruit, we can accomplish nothing of eternal value without the power of God.  If I can do nothing without Christ, self-belief accomplishes nothing.  It is a false hope, a false belief which cannot help or save.  When desperate people sought Jesus to heal their sick children, Jesus instructed them to believe.  One boy suffered demonic attacks, and the girl was near death.  Who or what were the people supposed to believe in?  Themselves?  Why then did they come to Jesus for help?  Self-belief didn't hack it in the difficult time or impossible situations, and it is just as useless today.  Jesus told people to believe in Him.  He said in John 14:1, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me."  When we place our belief and trust in God, a whole new world opens to us.  We begin to understand how special we are - not because of us, but because of the God who created us as His image bearers.

Emmet's mind went from being "prodigiously empty" to being filled with knowledge he suddenly had skill to use.  A similar thing happens when we choose to believe in Jesus Christ.  Our spiritual senses were like Emmet's, a great big void where nothing was happening.  Reading the Bible without belief or intent to obey is an empty exercise.  But when we respond to the Gospel in faith, reading the Bible becomes an incredible journey and experience in understanding more fully the God who has demonstrated His love for us.  God sends the Holy Spirit to indwell those who trust in Him and provide understanding of the Bible's meaning.  Words leap off the page and our hearts are filled with great joy through God speaking to us.  Self-belief is an empty promise which sends a soul spiraling to hell, but belief in God begins a new life, a fresh perspective, and a corrected view concerning God and our purpose in this world.  Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11-13, "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: ¹² I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Condemning Yourself

Are there things other people do which you find troubling?  I am not speaking about something annoying or illegal, but actions, attitudes, tone, or behaviour you judge as wrong?  There are things we see easily in others they do not seem to notice.  All people have a tendency to size up others according to our own personal convictions or opinions.  There are few things easier than finding fault with others, seeing as there is no one who is faultless!

God is an amazing redeemer of lost sinners.  Repenting and trusting in Christ does not mean we are suddenly perfect in thought, word, or deed.  The trouble is, having our eyes opened to the truth of God's Word suddenly shines light into all areas of darkness in our lives.  This can lead to people saved by grace through faith condemning others for their faults, real or imagined.  It is good for Christians to remember we will each answer for ourselves before God.  We will have to account for verses like Romans 2:1:  "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things."

This explains a wondrous principle which can aid us greatly in walking uprightly ourselves.  When our hackles are raised over the behaviour or attitudes of someone else, Paul revealed in condemning the other person we condemn ourselves.  The fact we are sensitised to their sin shows that I practice the exact same things myself.  If I become angry because of a "tone" taken with me, isn't it true I take that "tone" with others?  Paul was once a Pharisee of Pharisees, a self-righteous hypocrite whose life was bound up in obedience to the Law and following traditions of men.  It is no surprise then that Paul was highly sensitised to legalism and bondage from the Law.  That was his natural bent, but God had transformed him through the Gospel.

When I am irritated by someone else, it is a signal I need to change.  My perspective needs to be re-calibrated upon God and the grace He has given. me.  There is a place to judge righteously according to scripture, but that is God's judgment - not mine.  We have a duty and responsibility to hold others accountable to living righteously, but we also must be accountable to others in humility.  I love how God is able to redeem even the hypocrisy of our flesh to open our eyes to faults we did not recognise in ourselves.  Instead of condemning others, let us judge ourselves and live right before God.  Leverage negative impressions of others to search your own heart, not holding any grudge against others.  There is no condemnation for those who walk after the Spirit (Romans 8:1).

Lessons in Contentment

Contentment in all circumstances is possible through faith in Christ (Philippians 4:11).  To be content is to enjoy a state of peaceful happiness and satisfaction.  We are given the capacity for contentment through being born again and filled with the Holy Spirit.  Paul learned in all situations to be content, and therefore we too can and should embrace this learning as well.  Being content begins with knowledge of God's perfect character and confidence in His goodness towards us as His children.  We are to lay aside all fleshly ambition and any worldly sense of entitlement, and refuse to compare ourselves with others.  Recognising all we have is a gracious gift from God and thanking Him for all things is also key.

There are many instructive examples from the scriptures which provide insights into the pitfalls which keep us from contentment, and here are a few concerning the Israelites and their water supply - and for our purpose can represent the necessities of life.  The first which came to mind is from a text in Isaiah I preached from on Sunday at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  Isaiah 8:5-7 reads, "The LORD also spoke to me again, saying: ⁶ "Inasmuch as these people refused the waters of Shiloah that flow softly, and rejoice in Rezin and in Remaliah's son; ⁷ now therefore, behold, the Lord brings up over them the waters of the River, strong and mighty-- the king of Assyria and all his glory; he will go up over all his channels and go over all his banks."  God had promised to protect His people, yet they wanted something more tangible.  Seeking aid, King Ahaz made a treaty with the Assyrians, a nation mighty and strong.  God used the water source of Jerusalem as symbolism by Isaiah.  God provided His people the gentle waters of Shiloah which filled a reservoir, sufficient for all their needs.  Nevertheless, they refused the gentle waters and sought to increase their might by harnessing the Euphrates.  They refused the God's provision and sought to enrich and protect themselves without faith in God, and this lead to devastating destruction - like when villages were inundated with floodwaters from the Euphrates when it overflowed their banks.

Another water illustration is seen in Jeremiah 2:12-13:  "Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid; be very desolate," says the LORD. ¹³ "For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns--broken cisterns that can hold no water."  God was the source of life for His people.  He protected, provided for, and sustained His people, even as a natural spring supplies clean water for a village in a desert.  Though God did everything for His people, they wickedly forsook God and dug for themselves cisterns in the rock.  This was a significant downgrade.  Instead of drinking from the pure water supply God provided, they chipped away wells in the rock which had cracks.  All the muddy water which flowed into them would slowly drain dry and the people would be left empty.  Their spiritual dry season, having forsaken God, moved them to seek to slake their thirst through efforts of the flesh.

Exodus 15:22-24 tells of a highly significant event.  After God delivered the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt with a mighty hand the passage reads, "So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. ²³ Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. ²⁴ And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?"  For three days the children of Israel were unable to find water.  When they did find water, they were devastated to find it bitter and undrinkable.  There was water enough, but none could drink it!  They despaired of their circumstances and complained against Moses.  Isn't it true when we find ourselves in bitter, difficult situations we naturally complain?  But God had a plan all along, to test His people and make sure promises to them.  He wanted the people to learn to trust His ability to redeem even seemingly hopeless situations into life-sustaining good.

Exodus 15:25-27 says, "So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there He tested them, ²⁶ and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you." ²⁷ Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters."  God took bitter, undrinkable water and supernaturally made it sweet so His people, their wives and little ones, flocks and herds could drink and be satisfied.  Even as He healed the waters, He desired to heal His people.  Their pain, griefs, and sorrows He would wash away as their pure source of life.  Marah led to Elim, and there the people found shade, comfort, and rest for their weary feet and souls.

We find contentment when we choose the gentle streams of Shiloah God graciously provides. Seeking larger income streams or help apart from faith in God leads to grave trouble.  Contentment is not found in efforts of the flesh, digging out cisterns from the rock when God has already provided living streams of water.  Even the most bitter disappointments of life can be made sweet and refreshing when we cry out to God and obey Him, choosing to trust and heed God's commands.  When Jesus was confronted by a man who demanded His help to secure part of an inheritance, Jesus refused.  Luke 12:15 reads, "And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."  If we covet or compare our lives with others it is impossible for us to be content.  But those who trust God will supply all our needs and even make bitter circumstances sweet in the end, the same discover lasting contentment through Him.

Jesus With Us Always

Christians recognise eternity is of paramount significance, seeing it is forever.  We also recognise our call by Jesus Christ to go into the world and make disciples of all nations, teaching people to observe all Jesus has commanded us.  Jesus finished Matthew 28:20 by saying, "And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  The big picture of eternal salvation is very important, but the scope of Christ's sacrifice was greater than providing life after the death of our physical body:  Jesus desires to be with us always, and we should want this for everyone today.  Jesus has a new life for us to enter into daily by faith as we heed and obey Him.

A choice to repent and trust in Christ should not be decided upon simply to avoid hell and secure a place in heaven - at least that alone should not be our motivation.  Hopefully our eyes have been opened to how great God is, how He has demonstrated His love for us, and that He graciously invites us to commune with Him.  When we share the Gospel with others, I trust it is with the aim others would come to faith in Jesus - not just for eternal life - but so they can enjoy unbroken fellowship with Jesus Christ their Saviour from now on through eternity.

People need Jesus today, not just after they die.  Jesus has promised to be with us always if we will follow Him, for He will never leave or forsake us.  Why should we be content a person in pain, grief, sorrow, fears, or trouble is "saved" when it is evident they have a desperate need for the forgiveness, peace, and victory today?  That struggling person, believer or unbeliever, needs Jesus right now.  Christianity is much more than eternal security, though we have it in Christ.  It is a life lived with Jesus for Jesus today.  It is a life reconciled to God.  It is a life led by the Holy Spirit, marked by holiness, and a desire for all others to know Jesus so they too can be born again and start living with Him in relationship right now.

It is a fine thing to desire that others would experience eternal life with Jesus forever, but how about today?  How might a relationship with a risen and glorious Saviour change everything?

Jesus Is the Only Way

Today I was reminded of an object lesson given to primary school children.  Two long strips of masking tape were placed about seven feet apart from one another, and all the children were made to stand on one side of the tape.  I was asked by the teacher to help with the lesson.  My role was to keep anyone from successfully jumping over the seven foot gap, and to gently pull people close to the edge inside.  After the players in the "game" were ready, he addressed the group.

The object of the game was to cross from one side of the tape to the other side without touching the ground in between.  If any part of your clothes or body touched the floor in the middle, you were out of the game.  He explained that people could use whatever means they wanted to cross, and he offered to lay down so people could walk across his body to reach the other side safely.  Right away some of the athletic boys began to back up, preparing to attempt a jump to the other side.  Others seemed bored with the whole idea, but others were cautions and inquisitive.  How could the expanse be crossed?

Even though our speaker laid down on the ground as a living bridge, very few people crossed successfully because few people were willing to try that route.  Half of the people (mostly energetic boys!) tried to jump over and failed, other bored people walked intentionally into the void and were out, and I gently gripped the hands of children who stood by the edge and drew them into the gap, effectively ending the game for them.  Everyone who trusted the speaker and submitted to slowly walking over his body made it safely to the other side, and everyone who tried to do it on their own or didn't seem to care failed to cross.  Jesus spoke in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴ Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  Jesus is that exclusive, open gate for sinners to access salvation (John 10:7-9).

Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."  Jesus laid His life down so we might cross from death to life through Him.  What was an object lesson to the children about Christ was revealing to me about people.  Many people in this life think they are good enough to make it to heaven by their own efforts.  Others couldn't be bothered to think about the claims of Christ or eternity, and slip into hell as surely as people who believe they will be saved by their own virtue.  But there is a small minority who scramble away from the lure of Satan and this world and submit to faith in Jesus Christ.  Only those who confess their sins and repent, trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation, will make it to heaven on account of His sacrifice and righteousness.  Salvation and eternal life cannot be earned, but is a gift freely received through repentance and faith in Jesus.

So which of the three groups are you?  Do you think your efforts are good enough to gain you access into heaven?  Don't be deceived!  Unbelief and boredom with the truth of the Bible and the person of Jesus Christ does not free you from guilt or make you righteous before the Judge before whom every man must appear.  Hebrews 9:27-28 says, "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation."  No man can leap to the moon through effort, and no amount of good works can free us from the penalty of sin.  Even as the human body cannot endure the deadly conditions of space without special equipment, so no sinner can appear in the presence of a holy God without being consumed as tinder by flame.  It is only by faith in Christ we can be forgiven and clothed with His righteousness and be acceptable in God's sight.

The Blessing of Irritation

Have you ever had something stuck in your eye?  As a kid I would always rub my eyes and they would grow red and irritated.  Over the years I learned how to remove eyelashes and other foreign bodies by flushing them out with water.  A stray eyelash is just one of many irritants life throws our way, like swarms of pesky flies or a pen which works intermittently.  Not only can we find physical problems irritating, but other people have a knack of doing just the thing we despise.  Have you ever wondered why things irritate us which don't bother others - and the fact they don't realise the awful things they do irritates us even more?

The Bible reveals amazing things about us we would never realise on our own, and perhaps don't even want to know.  One of them is found in Romans 2:1.  After writing a long list of sins common to all men, Paul wrote, "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things."  The things we condemn in other people actually condemns ourselves, for it is genuine evidence we have made a practice of the same thing ourselves.  When we are irritated by the tone of someone's voice, that they sneakily cheat on their exams, or how they are such a hypocrite, we can condemn their behaviour and judge them as wrong.  But if we stop there, what will it profit us?  When others irritate us by behaviour we condemn as wrong, it should be a trigger for us to examine ourselves.  Condemnation in our heart towards others is evidence of our personal need to change.  Believing God's Word ask, "LORD, you have placed your finger on something in my own heart.  How do I do the exact same thing before you so I might confess my sin, repent, and be restored?"

Irritation in my life is one of God's surprise blessings.  God made our eyes to be irritated when there is a foreign body present which needs to be removed so clear, painless vision can be restored.  He also made our emotions to be easily stirred up and our attitudes bristle so we could address the sin which lies unseen in our hearts and minds.  In 2 Samuel 12:1-7, the prophet Nathan came to David and told him a story about a rich man who stole and ate the poor man's only lamb, David was furious:  "That man should die and restore the lamb fourfold because he showed no pity!"  Nathan said, "You are the man!"  David's anger was aroused by a man's petty sin in the story when he had just committed adultery, coveted, fornicated, conspired against Uriah, and murdered that honourable, innocent man in real life.  David's sin caused him to harshly judge others, and it is the same with us.  The speck we see in the eye of others is clear evidence of a stake in our own (Matthew 7:1-5).  If we will judge ourselves faithfully according to God's Word and humbly remove the stake from our own eye in repentance, then we will see clearly to help others with their own problems with a heart filled with meekness and love.  Irritation in us can lead to restoration to God and others if we will trust and obey Him!

Neptune Still Shines

In every person is a desire for significance:  to be appreciated, needed, wanted, understood, listened to, and loved.  We have many ways of trying to quench this inner thirst, and one way we attempt this is through seeking recognition from others.  We have been working and slaving away, but no one seems to notice!  A simple "Thank you!" would be nice, right?  But the truth is, recognition and appreciation by others for a job well-done is a superficial fix which leaves our souls thirsty for more.  Even as our bodies can be dehydrated by activity without replenishing fluids, Christians can find themselves feeling empty even after Jesus promised us satisfying springs of living water by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ is the only One who can quench our thirst for love, recognition, and forgiveness.  Only Christians therefore are able to tap into this eternal source of living water and find rest for our souls.  Not only that, but through faith in Christ we discover motivation and sustenance to continue labouring joyfully without recognition or applause from people.  We must realise our lives have significance, not because of what we do, but in who God is and our relation to Him.  The Almighty God created man in His own image - think of that!  David wrote in Psalm 139:13-17, "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. ¹⁴ I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. ¹⁶ Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. ¹⁷ How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!"

Not only does God know us, but He has ordained good works for us to enter into (Ephesians 2:8-10).  The personal testimony of Jeremiah the prophet is relevant to us concerning our relationship to God as revealed in Jeremiah 1:4-5, "Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: ⁵ "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."  To be known by God!  God knew Jeremiah before He fashioned him and set him apart for His divine purposes.  If we knew God had called us as a prophet, there likely would be a temptation to pride and to broadcast our privilege.  I mean, how would people recognise us as a prophet and appreciate our words unless we tell them?  Well, the call of God does not mean people will recognise, appreciate, respect or accept you.  Consider the life of Jeremiah!

C.H. Spurgeon is called "the prince of preachers," and became the most famous preacher in London and became known world-wide.  He is widely quoted to this day.  Yet this was never his ambition, to be known or recognised by men as someone great.  He wrote of the planet Neptune, "Neptune had long been shining before he was discovered and named; and you and I brethren, may remain unknown for years, and possibly the world may never discover us; but I trust that our influence, like that of Neptune, will be felt and recognised, whether we are seen of men, or only shine in solitary splendour to the glory of God." (Spurgeon, C. H. Lectures to My Students: Complete & Unabridged. New ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Pub. House, 1954. 438. Print.)  God created Neptune to shine, and it had been shining a good while before anyone "discovered" it.  Seeking recognition from men is a thirst which cannot be satiated by recognition from men.  Strange, isn't it?  Solomon wrote a man who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver (Ecc. 5:10), and desiring recognition from men is the same.  Haman loved the praises of men, and when only one man in the entire kingdom did not bow to him he was filled with rage and sought to kill him.

Are you content to shine bright for God and serve Him faithfully even if you are never recognised by men?  If your relationship to God as His beloved creation and redeemed children through faith in Christ is not enough for you, the world is better off not recognising you because you are like the world - without transformation, joy, peace or contentment.  What does the scripture say concerning how we should live?  Philippians 2:3-8 reads, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ⁴ Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. ⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."  Jesus was lifted up - not in the minds of those respected in the world - as a man despised and rejected and nailed to a cross to die.  Jesus did not count his "followers" every day on social media and was happy if the numbers were up or depressed because He had been "unfriended."  He did not care to receive recognition from men, nor did He commit Himself to men because He knew what deceit, hypocrisy, and fickleness is in man.  Our courage need not rise and fall with man's approval, for we have been accepted by God.

The people who recognise the Almighty God in Spirit and in truth are satisfied with His recognition alone.  I still need an occasional reminder!  Should I find myself disillusioned it is not because God has changed or deceived me, but at some point my focus shifted from praising my Saviour and remembering His sacrifice for me and started feeling sorry for myself.  People of faith in Christ, take to heart Hebrews 12:1-3 to avoid the pitfall of discouragement:  "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. ³ For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls."  Having your labours or service recognised by others is no cure for discouragement, but considering the sacrifice and humility of Jesus is.  Neptune still shines, and most people don't notice and don't care.  So what?  God does, and any and all rewards which count for eternity come from Him!