The Sin of Moses

A subject which has come up several times lately is the claim Moses was prevented by God from entering the Land of Promise because he "misrepresented" God.  Let us allow God Himself to speak on the subject directly before we misrepresent scripture!   The sins of Moses were unbelief, rebellion, and that he did not sanctify God among the people.  The following passages make it clear Moses was disciplined for these reasons, not because he ruined God's typology concerning Christ or according to many other theories I have heard.  Numbers 20:10-12 says, "And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?" ¹¹  Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. ¹²  Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them."  Moses struck the rock the first time (Exodus 17:6) and it seems he did not believe God to obey Him in only speaking to the rock.  God gave Moses authority, but he transgressed in acting as if the power of God was his to command, thus not hallowing God before the people.

The other main passage is found in Numbers 27:12-14:  "Now the LORD said to Moses: "Go up into this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel. ¹³  And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered. ¹⁴  For in the Wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against My command to hallow Me at the waters before their eyes." (These are the waters of Meribah, at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.)"  Moses rebelled against God's command and disobeyed by striking the rock.  If this does not convince you of the explicit reasons why Moses was strongly disciplined by God, it may be you are placing greater weight on the words of men than God.

The common claim of "misrepresentation" brings another pertinent question forward:  was Moses at any time supposed to "represent" God to the people?  That is how Roman Catholics view the Pope, yet I do not find any biblical evidence to support this approach.  Are pastors supposed to be elevated to godlike status who speak with the unquestioned authority of God?  God forbid!  Christians are called ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), messengers (2 Corinthians 8:23) and thus representatives in a sense, but we do not represent Him to the world.  There is a difference from a representative and a representation.  We are called to direct the gaze of people to admire, worship, and praise God alone.  It is not my job to represent God to my wife, children, or friends, but to be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, believing and obeying  Him, hallowing God above all.  To "sanctify" or "hallow" means to consecrate God as supremely unique and distinct, to set Him apart as infinitely superior to me and all others.

By His grace God has made us holy and sanctified Christians unto Him, but we are not Him.  The Holy Spirit dwells inside us and empowers us, but we are not God and will never be.  Oh that we might live as He does righteously in this world, free from the stain of sin!  Moses made the mistake of rebelling against God in unbelief, not sanctifying God in the sight of the people.  God was angry with Moses for the sake of the people, for Moses was never to be their ruler:  God was.  The death of Moses is a stern reminder to all who God has called to minister unto Him that we must continue to believe, obey, and hallow God all our days.  Our steps may be made to stop just short of the full inheritance God has ordained for us on the planet.  We may see the promise afar off with our undimmed eyes, but we won't experience all the victories God has prepared for us.

Live In the Light

Today I went on a walk around the Old City of Jerusalem - literally.  It took me about an hour and 15 minutes from stepping out the door of my hotel to follow the rampart walk path, walk up the Mount of Olives for a few pictures of the Temple Mount, and then complete the circuit around the ancient walls.  When I have the proper cable connection, I will share a couple pictures!

One of the themes which has been on my mind of late is the importance of walking in the light.  Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:1-2, "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. ²  But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God."  Christians freely confess their belief that God sees all, yet this knowledge does not mean we naturally walk uprightly.  We tend to hide sinful and shameful things rather than confessing and renouncing them publicly.  Our hearts can be littered with sins and we can be like an overwhelmed housewife who feels compelled to apologise for the mess to her guests.  The laundry on the floor, dirty dishes on the table from two days ago, and the overflowing rubbish bins may very well be a normal sight in the home, but the apologies keep coming because it would be embarrassing to admit the mess is normal life.

Every human heart is messy, and using the analogy of our heart as Christ's home it is good for us to open up the windows so light can stream in.  He should have unrestricted access to all parts of our lives.  It is good for us to see the dust, grime, and sticky residue so we can take steps to clean the place up.  This sounds great in theory, but "spring cleaning" is actually a thing because it is not long before stuff starts to accumulate.  Rooms can be so piled up with stuff it is hardly a functional space any longer.  In a spiritual sense we must be willing to bring our entire life into the light for examination by our Saviour, not hiding our sins in cluttered junk drawers and darkened closets.  We are very good at keeping our living room presentable when we know guests will be arriving soon, but we ought to live as if we expect a surprise inspection by an eagle-eyed associate from the rental agency with a penchant for copious notes.  We live in borrowed bodies, for we aren't our own.

God doesn't want to expose our faults for all to see to humiliate us but to forgive.  Should we continue to conceal our sin it opens us up for deadly sinful infestations.  Rodents and vermin which carry disease and spread filth begin to multiply in the darkness.  Some hoarders come to a point where their homes become dangerous, and simple tasks critical to a functioning home like washing and cooking are impossible.  Woe to the man who hoards and hides sin!  Spiritual power correlates directly with purity, even as a clean and organised kitchen is a useful one.  If Jesus is the Light of the World, how can we be in Christ if we prefer to remain in darkness?  This is the condemnation, that Light has come into the world and men preferred darkness!  It follows, therefore, those who are in Christ must live their lives in the light.  God's Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.

It is written in 1 John 1:5-9:  "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. ⁶  If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Instead of apologising because we are embarrassed for sins we'd rather not anyone know about, let us confess and renounce them.  Bringing them into the light breaks the power of secrecy they once held over us.  Then we can actually have fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ and walk in the joy of redemption, forgiveness, and salvation.  That is way better than trying to hide our problems from men and the God who can forgive and deliver us from all sin!

The Safe Place

Last night we met at Christ Church in the Old City, the oldest protestant church in the Middle East.  It was a refreshing time of worship through song and the study of God's Word.  It was wonderful to "come away" into the LORD's presence for a sweet time of fellowship.

While expounding on the first dozen verses of Hebrews 11, the speaker talked of the ark Noah built as a picture of the safe place we have in Jesus.  The rain fell and the waves billowed, yet those who sought refuge in the ark were saved from destruction.  He also mentioned the house of Rehab the harlot in Jericho as a safe place.  It was a city doomed for a great fall, but after she obediently hung a scarlet cord in the window all who took refuge in her home would be saved.  Cities of refuge were also spread throughout Israel, places where those who were guilty of manslaughter could face a fair trial before the priests and the congregation.

There is one safe place (albeit quite ironic!) which came to mind which wasn't directly spoken of during the sermon.  When the ship transporting Paul and other prisoners was driven by a great storm, God divinely revealed to Paul all the people who remained on the ship would be saved - though it would run aground on a certain island.  This is exactly what the sailors feared.  No one wanted to run aground and be at the mercy of strong winds and battering waves.  A moment came when some of the sailors secretly planned to escape the ship using a lifeboat.  Acts 27:31-32 says, "Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved." ³²  Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off."

Now a sinking ship is a very unlikely location to be deemed a "safe place."  But because God had promised He would save alive all the people who remained on the ship, it was the safest place to be!  The way to eternal glory for Jesus was through being crucified on a cross, and Jesus says those who lose their lives for His sake with find Him.  He is the safe place where we find eternal life and rest for our souls.  He is able to uphold and help us every step of this earthly pilgrimage.  1 Peter 1:3-5 reads, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴  to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵  who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

Whether you find yourself in green pastures beside still waters or tempest tossed by contrary winds, in Jesus you are in the safe place.  We can rest in Him, abiding in the shadow of His wings.  The first part of Deuteronomy 33:27 says, "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms..."  We are called to trust and He will keep us by His power.

Death to Life

Yesterday I walked with a friend through the Arab Market in Jerusalem to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for the first time.  Believed by many to be a church built over the place of Christ's crucifixion and where He was entombed, it is a tourist attraction frequented by Catholic pilgrims from all over the world.  A crowd of people filled the courtyard, and it was even more crowded inside.

The first thing which struck me as I entered the building was how crowded and dimly lit it was.  Though I had seen pictures of the interior of the church before, they didn't capture how big and sprawling the place was inside.  Ambiance aside, it was the activities of the visitors which surprised me most.  People were kissing stones, prostrating themselves on the ground in prayer, and crawling under the foot of a cross to kiss and touch a picture.  In a word, I felt it was bizarre.  People queued up before stones and relics like people at Disneyland for rides, venerating the stones which some believed had witnessed Christ's final hours and resting place for days.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a place perpetually focused on the death and burial of Jesus.  Painting and mosaics in the dim atmosphere portray Christ being crucified, mourned, and prepared for burial.  I had the feeling people were paying homage to dead stones in memory of Jesus.  It was a somber veneration of death without remembrance of Christ's resurrection!  It seemed an incongruent assembly, to remember and mourn the Light of the World Jesus Christ among tombs when He is risen and living.  It is good for a man to remember His death, but not to the neglect of the celebration of new life through Him.

There is a massive contrast between the two areas many believe to be where Christ was crucified and buried:  the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Garden Tomb.  The Sepulchre is dark, musty, and filled with relics whilst the Garden tomb is filled with living plants with the bright sky overhead.  Birds can be seen and heard in the trees.  On the door of the tomb it says, "He is risen!"  In the Church of the Holy Sepulchre there was no such light or life, the trappings of religion rather than joyous relationship, veneration of stones rather than praise of the Cornerstone who lives.

I believe everyone should visit both sights to compare and contrast them.  They are both versions of the same story, yet one is focused on death and the other a proclamation of life.  Jesus died and was buried, but He is risen in glorious power and life.  We should proclaim the LORD's death until He comes, the One who has delivered us from idols to serve the living and true God.  Stones are not holy because a dead body laid on them, but we have been made holy living stones by God's grace through faith in our risen Saviour.  Let us walk in newness of life and rejoice in His light!

Clear Vision

Jerusalem is filled with people these days because of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles.  It is wonderful to see many families with happy children thronging the streets.  My hotel is located just inside the Jaffa gate which is a major thoroughfare for foot traffic.  At the gate you will see armed policemen, monks, tour groups, vendors selling bread and pomegranate juice, orthodox Jews, and pilgrims from all over the world.  There was a group of people whose matching bright-green shirts caught my eye.  On the back of the shirts was printed, "Vision for Israel."

As a person who has immigrated to a different country from where I was born, this shirt sent a message I imagine Jew or Gentile living in Israel finds offensive.  Their intentions may be noble, but the only One with a relevant "vision for Israel," Australia, or any other nation is God!  Scripture makes it clear God has a clear vision and plan for people, cities, and nations.  On one level it seems a bit presumptuous to claim you have a vision for others when your own life is a vapour!  "Vision" is a loaded word that means different things to different people.  But since our God does more than we could ever ask or think, it is clear my greatest visions leave much to be desired.

I am convinced the best ministers are not those who have a vision for a nation, but those who have a clear vision of the risen LORD and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Isaiah was a man greatly used by God - not to accomplish fruitfulness or revival we often envision - because in seeing a vision of God his own need was revealed.  His life was lived in the glorious illumination of the God who called and sent Him for His own purposes.  Isaiah 6:1-3 says, "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. ²  Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³  And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!"  In light of this revelation Isaiah saw his inadequacy and discovered the sufficiency of the Almighty God.

Visions and plans for the future by themselves do not compare to the God who knows the future and will ultimately accomplish His perfect will.  Since God has revealed Himself to us in Jesus Christ, we are to look to Him for wisdom and strength, being guided by the Holy Spirit.  God is the One who brings visions to pass.  Should God give you a vision, like the Macedonian man who appeared to Paul or the sheet which was dropped from heaven before Peter, the vision is never to be our guide.  That is God's territory, for we need Him to help us every step of the way.  Whether or not we see our vision fulfilled, we can have all confidence Jesus is worthy of our admiring gaze for eternity.  This much is clear!

Foundation for Life

It's often hard times which cause people to evaluate their lives and help to re-align perspective.  Jesus told a parable about two men who both built houses which were exposed to a fierce storm.  One built his house upon the rock, and the other built his home upon the sand.  They chief difference between the two was the foundation they chose to build on.  The aftermath of the storm provided evidence who built wisely:  the house on the sand was completely destroyed, and the house on the rock endured.

Jesus told this parable to illustrate the difference between those who hear His words and those who actually put them into practice.  The one who heeded the words of Christ and obeyed them was compared to the man who built his house on the rock, a solid foundation.  Today it dawned on me that it required a storm to reveal which foundation was worthy.  When weather was fair all seemed well, even when the foundation was not trustworthy.  God allows Christians to face strong storms as a testimony to the world of His sufficiency, not only for this life but for eternity.  Those who are observant will recognise a circumstance which overwhelmed one person with fear and worry was unable to rattle the one who placed their faith in Jesus.

As important as mementos and pictures are, they pale in comparison to the value of life.  If the flood waters were rising, no sane parent would choose to save photos over their only child.  The living child is infinitely more important then pictures printed on paper.  God created man and breathed into Him a living soul, and saving souls from destruction was the primary purpose Jesus has come to earth.  He alone has the words of life, and only through Him can we come to God in faith and receive salvation.  Peter spoke concerning a man miraculously healed in Acts 4:10-12, "...let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. ¹¹  This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' ¹²  Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Are you facing a storm, believer?  If your life is founded on Christ through faith demonstrated by obedience, you will be divinely helped to stand firm as a testimony to others of the saving power of God.  In the aftermath you can know your foundation is one founded in wisdom which will endure.  It's amazing how God can use something like a storm to prove He is worthy of trust for eternity.  And if the trial sweeps you off your feet, thank God He has revealed the insufficiency of your foundation while there is still hope of change.  Instead of lamenting the loss of false security, in Christ we only gain.

Worthy of Worship

It's not every day I am excited about a scientific discovery, but the most recent revelation from NASA has kept me happy for days.  In the 1990's - not the 1890's - it was estimated there were about 200 billion galaxies in the known universe.  Well, according to most recent data, those facts were only 10% correct:  it turns out there is in excess of 10 times more galaxies than previously estimated.  This is mind boggling, right?  If there are estimated to be 2 trillion galaxies now, imagine what a more accurate count might be in twenty years' time!

Now I am not saying the original estimate was "wrong," because the estimate was simply that - an estimate.  But when I hear a highly-touted "landmark" study being 90% off from what we now know is a more accurate estimate based on factual evidence, it only increases my faith in God and the Bible.  I would never consider myself among the "best and brightest" and I certainly have no scientific credentials, yet I am an avid observer of scientific discoveries and have a long memory.  I have seen the estimated age of our universe grow almost three-fold since my childhood.  Now I have seen this new study improve on twenty-five-year data by 90%!  Based on the evidence, would it be wiser to trust the best estimates of men or the unchanging truth of God?

God created man to reason, with creativity and curiosity.  Curious minds want to know and study everything they can.  We love puzzles, games, thought-provoking stories, and exploration.  We all want to know more about the world we live in:  are there any out there who want to know more about the God who made it?  God hasn't told us how old the universe is, and I suspect in the light of eternity it really doesn't matter.  Even if it did matter, God is under no obligation to tell us!  But praise God He does speak, He does not change, and His Word will endure forever.  The scientific community seems to worship facts, but when the facts change are they still worthy of worship?

I don't presume to know when God created the heavens and the earth, but I am convinced He did.  If I knew the tune I would sing along with the elders in Revelation 4:11, "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."

Hope for Everyone

There is hope in Jesus Christ for all who repent.  A person whom you consider the worst of the worst - even the "chief of sinners" - can be forgiven, born again, and be chosen to be a vital part of the Body of Christ.  Paul was one such man.  In 1 Timothy 1:13 he expressed thanks to Jesus for enabling him to be God's minister though he was once a blasphemer, persecutor, and an insolent man.  The man guilty of murdering Christians became a Christian himself, one mighty through faith in Jesus.  God accepted Paul before his wary fellow Christians did, and we really can't blame them.  We too have been suspicious when we should have trusted God.

Paul wrote later in the chapter in 1 Timothy 1:18-20, "This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, ¹⁹ having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, ²⁰ of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme."  It appears Hymenaeus and Alexander were men of genuine faith who had "suffered shipwreck" and were guilty of blasphemy.  After Paul became a Christian blasphemy was no longer a pattern of behaviour in his life.  It seems a strong wind of false doctrine had blown these men off course.  Perhaps their lives resembled a vessel where the captain had become drunk, fell asleep, and ran his ship aground on rocks.  They were men who should have known better than to remain stubbornly in sin, so Paul had been forced to excommunicate them from the safe haven of the church before they pulled any other Christians down with them.  Hopefully a few cold nights adrift in the deep with sharks circling would bring them to their senses.

I love that there was hope for Hymenaeus and Alexander if they repented and returned to Jesus Christ in faith, even as there was hope for Paul when he was a blasphemer who had never known God in truth.  Being "delivered to Satan" in itself did not provide any hope, but falling into the hands of the enemy of their souls would provide strong motivation to return to their Saviour who was their joy, wisdom, and peace.  Even as the loving father in the Parable of the Prodigal was willing to let his son leave home with his inheritance in hand even though he would waste it all, God loves us enough to let us suffer shipwreck concerning the faith so we might come to our senses, think better of Him, and return to His fold.  He values us as His only Son and desires all would come to repentance.  What grace, that there is hope in Jesus for sinners and saints!

Running For Jesus

What a treasure we hold in our hands when we open our Bibles!  Today a friend sent me an email which included some of my favourite verses, Hebrews 12:1-3:  "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."  It was a great reminder for a weary soul tempted to lose heart through discouragement.  Our focus is often on our problems, opposition, or failures rather than laying aside every weight and looking to Jesus.

How easily weariness comes to the human soul!  We can be weary in mind and body, weary of routine, tired of toil and seemingly fruitless labour.  And if we only look to immediate, physical proof of fruitfulness it may be we see nothing to show for our efforts.  This is most depressing!  Sometimes it feels like efforts to make disciples are hopeless, even as Ephraim was cursed in Hosea 9:14 with a "miscarrying womb and dry breasts."  Reading through Hebrews 11 reminds all who have ears to hear and hearts to understand God is leading us on a road embraced through faith demonstrated by obedience.  It is trusting God and obeying His Word even when it seems to be pointless.  It is willingly choosing to suffer affliction as a child of God rather than seeking satisfaction for the flesh.  The Christian walk is not always about great victories and feats of strength but the everyday grind of following Jesus in humility and repentance, being thrown off your feet, but choosing to rely on God's strength to stand up again with sword at the ready.

Everyone who chooses the path of faith in God will face opposition and persecution.  Yet all who rely upon God will be given the strength, fortitude, and endurance to see their race through to the end with joy.  The great prophets of God were often despised and ridiculed.  They spoke God's truth but were ignored and shunned.  Through the ages men and women have been killed for their refusal to cave to ungodly demands.  As the disciples of Jesus Christ He is our example we admire, adore, and follow.  He was rejected by those He loved, betrayed by one He had chosen, and forsaken by His friends.  He willingly faced the brutality of the cross and separation from the Father for the sins of the world with joy.  When Jesus breathed His last on the cross no one except God could have known what had been accomplished, for in His death He conquered sin and death for eternity.  Jesus endured to the end of His course with joy, and it is fitting for His disciples to do the same knowing we are victorious forever by His grace.

Look unto Jesus today, believer.  Lay aside every weight and sins which easily ensnare us.  Let us run the race God has set before us as we fix our eyes on our worthy Saviour.  He knows what you are facing better than you do, and He smiles upon you today.  Won't you hold His gaze and run for Him?  We're called to look to Jesus and run.  He will see we make it to our destination.

Treasure Not of Us

"For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us."

2 Corinthians 4:6-7

One of the first gold medals picked up by an Australian athlete in the Rio 2016 games was from an unlikely source, considering the strict gun restrictions in Australia.  Catherine Skinner edged her New Zealand opponent for a gold medal in the women's trap, a competition where clay pigeons are released from a spring trap and blasted with a shotgun out of the air.  In a series of victory interviews, I never once heard Catherine speak of the quality of her gun, the brand of shot or pigeon she prefers, or the skill of those who released the pigeons at the correct time.  Catherine needed her gun, shot, and clay pigeons to win, but she received all the accolades - and rightly so.  A quality firearm in the hands of a novice could never accomplish what she did.

Paul compared Christians to earthen vessels which God has placed His glorious Spirit within.  Humans are capable of many amazing feats and can possess amazing skills, but in comparison to the Almighty, Living God we are dirt moistened with blood.  How can we compare to the infinite God in our weak, fallen frame?  God has filled Christians with His Spirit so His light might shine in the darkness from these earthen vessels so He might receive all the glory and praise.  And rightly so!  It would be a grave miscarriage of grace and gifts to promote ourselves instead of glorifying our Saviour Jesus Christ who loves us, has saved us, and has given us eternal life.

If clay pigeons could talk, wouldn't it be utterly ridiculous for one to interrupt Catherine Skinner during her interview after winning the competition to ask, "But what about me?  Why aren't you praising my balanced weight or consistent flight?  Where's my recognition?"  Catherine was the one who demonstrated mastery marksmanship.  It would not be legitimate for the firearm or the pigeon to claim any right to her victory.  In the same way, we Christians as clay vessels whose hearts have been given the treasure of "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" are not worthy of any recognition.  Any perceived good in or through our lives exists only by God's grace.  We are as incapable of profitable service to God as a clay pot buried completely in the ground, for we were once dead in trespasses and sins.  Our fading, failing bodies are constant reminders our flesh remains under the curse of death, and how gracious is our God to shine into our hearts the Light of Life.

You Are Greatly Beloved

Daniel was a man of prayer.  Not many people have faced death by lions for their praying, but Daniel did!  Under the rule of Darius King of Persia, Daniel was promoted to be the first of three presidents over 120 princes.  The other leaders were not keen to have this foreign man ruling among them, so they tried to "dig up dirt" on Daniel.  But try as they might, they could not find anything of which to accuse him before the king.  There was nothing Daniel said or did to reproach his God or king.  Daniel was a man of such outstanding integrity of character the only way they could find fault with him at all was to create legislation which prohibited prayer to his God.

After God delivered Daniel from the teeth of lions and the schemes of murderous men, he continued to pray.  Chapter 9 of the book of Daniel contains one of Daniel's prayers offered to his God, and what a prayer it is!  He explained the divine power connected with a prayer of faith in Daniel 9:20-23:  "Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God, ²¹ yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. ²² And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, "O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. ²³ At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision..."

The first thing to mention is men could not find fault with Daniel, but Daniel was quick to confess his sin before the God who knows all.  The prayer which God responds to is one of a humble soul who trusts in Him.  This shows me I too ought to confess my sin before the LORD, even if people are unaware of it.  This is the sort of prayer which brings divine revelation.  The angel Gabriel was caused to fly swiftly in response to Daniel's confession and supplication.  And the motive?  It was not because of Daniel's faithfulness, though he was faithful; it was not his great wisdom, for he still lacked understanding:  God responded to Daniel's prayer because he was loved by God.  "I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved," said the angelic messenger.

That is why God will answer your prayer, believer.  It is not because you are perfect, say the right words, cover yourself in sackcloth and ashes, and fast for days:  God answers your prayers because God loves you.  There are other reasons God answers prayers, but this single fact undergirds all God does because it is who He is.  Before our brains were formed to think, God supplied salvation and His divine answer, the revelation of eternal love through the person of Jesus Christ.  1 John 4:7-10 reads, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. ⁹ In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."  If you ever doubt you are greatly beloved, you need not look beyond the cross to see the practical demonstration of God's love for you.

In light of God's love, what an encouragement it is for us to pray without ceasing!  When we pray because we love God, God will answer prayers because He loves us.  Prayer is intimacy with the Father through the Mediator Jesus Christ led by the Holy Spirit, the triune God moving in and through my life without hindrance.  How glorious is the love of God which has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, the One who gives understanding, wisdom, and discernment.  God loves all people, but He will reveal Himself in truth to those who prepare their hearts to seek Him in prayer.

Pray for Good

"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, ² for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence."

1 Timothy 1:18-2:2

Paul charged Timothy to fight the good fight, "having faith and a good conscience" (1 Tim. 1:19).  To this end Paul exhorted Timothy to offer requests to God, intercede on behalf of, and give thanks for all men, especially for those who were in authority.  What may surprise you about this exhortation is how positive it is in light of the depraved spiritual and moral condition of those he was to pray for.  One might assume it would be more in line with God's will to pray against Caesar, wicked Herod, and dishonest tax collectors.  But God's will is that we would pray for the good of others - even of wicked and foolish tyrants.

Timothy was to pray for kings and those in authority so people might "lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence."  This may seem like a self-serving motive, but reading the next verses makes it clear this peace is only experienced - not through political policy or government reform - when a person is transformed by God.  Paul continued in 1 Timothy 2:3-4, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."  Instead of praying against godless rulers, Christians are called to pray they might come to Jesus Christ and be born again.  Only Jesus can bring a peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

Nowadays there are a lot of other ways Christians try to "fight the good fight."  In a hopeless world it seems Christians can even lose hope in God's ability and power to answer prayers and try worldly methods to accomplish our will.  What does it profit to pray "against" leaders when God said to pray for their good and salvation?  Jesus said 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."  This goes for Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull, leader Kim-Jong-un of North Korea, Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, President Rodrigo Duterte of the Phillipines, or United States presidential hopefuls Clinton and Trump.  No matter what you think of these men or women and the job they are doing, we are first called to pray they might be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

Have you fulfilled this heavenly mandate from your LORD, Christian?  Let us learn to give thanks for all those who are in authority, whether it be a spouse, church leader, boss, or local council.  All who are in authority remain under God's authority, and all will answer to Him.  Let us offer loving prayers before God's throne for all and in recognition of God's authority "lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence."

A Christian Perspective

Being a Christian goes far beyond biblical morality or a belief system:  it is a spiritual transformation brought about by the living God inhabiting a person who trusts in Him.  Exposure to the Word of God, partnership with other believers in the church, and walking in obedience to God lead to spiritual maturity and growth.  This relationship with God ought to have an impact on every aspect of our lives, how we view the world, and influence our interactions with others.  After being born again through faith in Jesus we continue living in a corruptible and mortal body of flesh, yet we can become more like Jesus in how we think and live.  Our new King, future heavenly country, and growing relationship with God forever alters our perspective for good.

As God opens our eyes to the truth of His Word and we grow in faith with obedience, the reality of our identity in Christ begins to slowly take hold in our lives.  Daily interactions, physical pain, conflict, failure, and apparent success - everything really - is filtered through this new consciousness.  There are more ways than I can count how a relationship with God has forever changed my life for the better.  Here are just a handful of truths which have encouraged me as a Christian:

• This life is not all there is.  I am a dual citizen on earth, but as a Christian I am a citizen of heaven where I will live forever with my Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Death for me is not so much my end as a new beginning of eternal glory.  Even as an infant grows in his mother's womb, this life is preparing me for a glorious future in the presence of God.
• God is in control.  As Creator of this world, God has the power to accomplish everything He has promised.  I don't need to be afraid even when circumstances are difficult, because I know God works all things for good in my life.  God can do the impossible!
• God's work doesn't depend upon me.  God doesn't need me, but He invites me to serve Him.  In my flesh I am only a hindrance to God, but as I am led by the Spirit God graciously works in and through my life.  The God who created the complex systems within my body to work together has assembled the church with Christ as the Head.  He will see His work done!
• Life is more than stuff.  Jesus said life does not consist in the amount of things I possess.  Jesus Himself is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Since I have Jesus I have all things and abound, for everything I have accumulated on this earth will be left for another.
• God hears and answers prayers.  If we respond to the requests of our children, won't God respond to the prayers of His beloved children?  The One who created ears can hear, and the One who created mouths can surely speak.  The God who confounded languages at Babel can understand the desires of our hearts and can supply our needs.  He bids us come boldly into His throne room at all times to seek mercy and help in time of need.
• Here today, gone tomorrow.  Life is short, so let us be about God's business.  During the day we ought to work, for night is coming when no one can work.  Make the most of the time you have with other people, for they might be leaving your fellowship or departing this world sooner than you thought.  Our life is like the grass which flourishes one day and is dry the next.
• Rest is found in Jesus alone.  Relaxation doesn't remove our responsibilities, and even long holidays come to an end.  In Christ we find rest for our souls and our weary minds.  Jesus can remove our burdens of sin, preoccupation, procrastination, and self-focus.  Jesus gives us peace nothing in this world can take away.
• My King is rich.  It is God's pleasure to give His children His kingdom, and what a bountiful kingdom it is!  It is rich in beauty and grace which is beyond price, love which will last for eternity, and great in mercy and power.  God has all things, and in Him all things consist.
• God is worthy to be praised.  Nothing on this planet is worthy of worship, but the God who created all things is worthy to be praised.  I do not praise Him only because of all He has done but who He is.  He is to be admired and I am in awe of His wisdom and ways.
• The Bible is truly God's Word.  The Bible is true and is food for the soul.  It is a guide which leads us to God and provides a godly perspective on people and all God has made.  It illuminates the ways of living and thinking which please God, explains the way of salvation through the Gospel, corrects, instructs, and encourages with great promises.
• God loves me.  Amazing, that such a God and Saviour would love me!  God has shown compassion and been gracious to me despite my faults and failings.  He has called out to me kindly when I was His enemy, and has adopted me as His own child.  How great is God's love for me, for God demonstrated His love by dying for my sins on a cross.

For the sake of time I did not include biblical references for all these points, but they are saturated with scripture!  Praise the LORD for His goodness and His grace unto men!

The Word Be Glorified

"Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: ²  And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith."

2 Thessalonians 3:1-2

The Word of God is critical in the salvation and growth of Christians.  The Bible helps us to place our faith in the God Who can actually save us:  faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  People perish for a lack of knowledge of the WORD who became flesh and dwelt among us.  Jesus warned against false prophets who posed as genuine, and Paul warned against ravenous wolves which would not spare the flock.  The idea is one of infiltration, not of attack from outsiders.  Paul desired prayer so the "word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified."  There were people outside the church who resisted and flatly denied the truth of scripture.  Lack of faith in professing Christians hinders the free course of God's Word even in the church, and this is more concerning than satanic forces outside.  A single wolf in sheep's clothing with a carefully refined bleat poses a far greater threat within the confines of a fenced flock than a baying pack outside.

I think it was Alan Redpath I heard say, "You go through your Bible, but how long has it been since it went through you?  How long has it been since it burned like a fire in you?"  Agreement is not belief.  I can agree parachutes can safely convey skydivers from a plane at high altitude to the ground safely, but evidence of belief comes through testing.  Suffice it to say there are a lot of people on the ground who would agree parachutes are reliable and even safe when correctly deployed, but would never jump out of a plane with only a parachute strapped to their back between them and death.  Christianity and God's Word is life and death; it is all or nothing.  We are called as believers to allow God's Word to have free course in our personal lives and then it will be glorified according to the perfect will of God.

It is an unreasonable and wicked man who would hinder, distort, add to or make omissions of God's Word.  It is folly for a messenger to alter the words of his king to better suit the masses.  The Bible is quite plain and objective, yet because the desires and tendencies of our flesh run absolutely contrary to it things become quite complicated.  We quickly realise there is a difference between our thinking and practices and what the Bible says.  The Bible is complex and deeper than a man's understanding can plumb, yet plain meaning is provided which transcends all time, ethnicity, nationality, and languages.  It appeals to and correlates with the human conscience as noble and admirable.  Without faith in God, however, the truth of the scripture cannot be received.  Hebrews 4:2 says, "For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it."  Isn't that awful?  A person can hear the words of God but not profit from them when they are not mixed with faith.

I pray the word of God may have free course within me and you and be glorified for Christ's sake.  Since faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God, how important it is for people to be exposed to the Bible being lived out by Christians who walk righteously.  People who will never open a Bible read your life like a book.  They listen to your words.  They note the subtlety of your facial expressions and try to discern your motives.  They will constantly see to balance your words and claims of scripture against your life.  The good thing is even though we fail, God's Word will endure and remain true, capable of piercing, instructing, correcting, and saving.  All men have not faith, but those will faith ought to live like men of God in whom the Word is glorified.

Look and Live

God does not always answer prayers in the way we expect.  He often does exceedingly above what we could ask or think!  Solomon asked God for wisdom, and in addition to wisdom beyond all others God granted Solomon long life, wealth, and peace from his enemies.  Paul prayed God would remove a messenger of Satan from his life, and God answered no:  it was in weakness Paul would realise God's strength exponentially.  God's ways are higher than ours, and His thoughts are greater too.

Recently I came across another example when God answered prayer in an unexpected, miraculous way.  Numbers 21 speaks of an instance when God's people were discouraged because of the way God led them.  They spoke angrily against God, Moses, and even against the manna God graciously provided them for their survival.  To chasten them, God sent venomous snakes among them which bit the people and many died.  Numbers 21:7 reads, "Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people."  Seems like a sensible request, right?  If God took away the snakes no one would be bitten.  Problem solved!  This is what God did for Pharaoh in response to his request when was plagued:  ask the God who sent frogs, flies, and lice to remove the problem and all would be well.  But God had something else entirely in mind.

Numbers 21:8-9 says, "Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live." ⁹ So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived."  God did for the people what they did not ask.  The text does not tell us God removed all the snakes, but He desired to save all who had a death sentence upon them.  His aim was not to keep people from being bitten in the first place but to provide deliverance and hope for all who had.  This is earth-shattering truth.  When we are in "damage control" mode, God works to redeem and save.  All who exercised faith to simply look upon the bronze serpent would be saved.  God extended love, grace, and compassion to all those who faced the fangs of death.

I have heard people charge God with wrong for allowing sin to remain on the earth.  But hasn't God done more than we could have asked by sending Jesus to be the Saviour of the world, the One who can set captives free?  Everyone in the human race is born under the curse of sin, but God has provided a way through faith to be saved.  Jesus said in John 3:14-16, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."  The fangs of sin have sunk into our souls, yet being born again through faith in Jesus not only removes the curse but imputes God's righteousness unto us.  We were beyond all hope, and God made a way of salvation by grace through faith.  What a wonderful God, who supplied a way of eternal salvation from the fires of hell before we ever realised it!