The Prosperous Word

This is a picture I took in 2005 during my first trip to Israel of the theatre in Caesarea.  Though there are various accounts, this location may be the spot where Herod Agrippa was struck by God according to the historian Josephus (Josephus, Antiquities 19.8.2 343-361)  The biblical account is found in Acts 12:21-24:  "So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. ²² And the people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" ²³ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. ²⁴ But the word of God grew and multiplied."  There is debate over the exact malady which killed the proud ruler, but the Bible is clear Herod's grave, worm infested condition was God's judgment upon a man who denied God rightful glory.

The people flattered Herod for his fine oration as a god who walked among them, and Josephus recorded his silver clothing shone brilliantly in the sun.  Herod's voice would be swiftly silenced, and verse 24 holds forth a contrast:  "But the word of God grew and multiplied."  There are many voices in this world, and often it seems voices which contradict God's word are plentiful and amplified.  Many are unwilling to glorify God, much less acknowledge His existence.  But we can rest assured man's word will not endure as God's word, nor can the effectiveness of it be compared.  Notice the passage does not bother to tell us what Herod said, for the power of his words - polished as they may have been - perished with him.  God's Word, on the other hand, will endure forever (1 Peter 1:25).

Today at Calvary Chapel Sydney we considered Isaiah 55 and the divine authority and power of God's Word.  Isaiah 55:10-11 says, "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, ¹¹ So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."  Into the darkness God said, "Let there be light!" and there was light.  With the power of His words God spoke into existence the earth, plants which bear fruit and seeds, the atmosphere of the earth, the sun, and all living things.  From nothing God brought life!  A seed sown in the ground may not impress you immediately, but it will sprout in due season according to God's design.  In the same way, the scriptures of the Bible are effectual and will accomplish what God pleases with power.  Caesarea is a reminder how man's words will fail and ultimately be forgotten, but God's Word will prosper, grow, and multiply.

Dare To Joyfully Receive (what you didn't ask for)

One of the first things which happened after followers of Jesus were filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost was the healing of a lame man at the gate of the Temple.  Peter and John were going to the Temple at the hour of prayer when a beggar asked for money.  Acts 3:4-5 reads, "And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." ⁵ So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them."  I imagine some people walked by the beggar as if he did not exist, and others dropped a coin into his lap without a word.  But Peter and John stopped and spoke to the man, and he gave them his full attention because he expected to receive something from them.

The man had asked for money, but what Peter said next must have amazed him and all who stood by.  Acts 3:6-7 says, "Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." ⁷ And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength."  This is a bit out of the square, isn't it?  The man sought a charitable donation, but Peter offered healing and strength by the power of Jesus Christ.  Immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength from God, and the man stood to his feet.  Has it ever occurred to you that there are content beggars in the world?  They are quite comfortable shaking coins in a cup at passersby, and some who claim they make more begging than working!  The expectancy of this man was rewarded with healing, and the passage tells us he rejoiced to receive this gift he didn't ask for from God.  Acts 3:8 tells us, "So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God."

It is common in some households to know what a Christmas gift is because it was asked for!  I have seen people disappointed after opening a gift to discover it is not what they asked for or "what they really wanted."  We Christians rightly ask God for many things, but you might have noticed He doesn't always give us what we want.  The question is, will you receive what God has for you joyfully - even it is isn't what you asked for?  The lame man dreamed of receiving silver or gold from a generous soul, but a man who had neither silver or gold provided something through Jesus he perhaps stopped dreaming of:  healing and strength for his weak and lame feet.  How tragic it would have been for the man to stand to his feet healed, then sit back down and place his garment in his lap, sighing and disappointed silver or gold wasn't on offer.

The man who entered the temple walking, leaping, and praising God is a great illustration of how we should respond to all gifts from God - even when we didn't receive what we hoped for.  God allows us to experience injuries, pain, and limitations in our lives for the purpose of drawing us closer to Him.  A gift from God might be a loss He can transform into practical and eternal gain.  God is good and He is able to cause to work for good all things in the life of a Christian.  Even when you haven't received what we wanted or asked for, in looking to God expectantly we will receive good things beyond price.  Let us give God our full attention, expecting to receive all we need from Him.  Ephesians 3:20-21 provides a fitting conclusion:  "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

Windows Of Heaven

The Bible speaks of opening the "windows of heaven," and this is used in a literal and a metaphorical sense.  When God judged the earth in the days of Noah, the windows of heaven were opened to send a deluge of water which covered the planet (Gen. 7:11).  This term is also stated figuratively in a promise to those who give their completed tithe in Malachi 3:10:  "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it."  The windows of heaven are figurative, but when opened can provide quantifiable increase and fruitfulness from God.

It appears the windows of heaven are able to pour out judgment upon the unbelieving wicked and blessing upon those who fear God and are obedient to Him.  There is only one other occasion in scripture when this phrase is used, and it contains a useful application.  The city of Samaria had been besieged by the Syrians and the situation was dire.  The famine had grown so severe people had resorted to eating their own children to survive.  Though the seige had been long and the outlook hopeless, God promised a complete and almost immediate reversal of the situation in 2 Kings 7:1-2:  "Then Elisha said, "Hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the LORD: 'Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.' " ²  So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, "Look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?" And he said, "In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it."

The adviser to the king could not believe the word of the LORD spoken through Elisha.  With the horrors he had seen perhaps he wondered if God existed at all, and if He existed was He able to make windows in heaven to supply their needs?  It seemed beyond improbable; it was impossible and unthinkable!  Through miraculous circumstances, the two-fold prophesy of Elisha did come to pass:  God provided abundant provision and salvation for the people in Samaria, and the man who did not believe saw with his eyes but did not eat of it because he was trampled by starving people in the gate.  The lesson for us is there are windows of heaven, and God is able to open them.  He is able to bless and curse, to destroy and save.  He is the God of the impossible.  Those who believe God are those who will see and receive the good things God has prepared!

"Set For Life"

When someone strikes it rich with money and fame, it is commonly said they are "set for life."  This is spoken of inventors, musicians famous for a "one hit wonder," actors, athletes with multi-million dollar contracts, corporate executives, and people born into great wealth.  I understand what is meant by the phrase, but I believe it masks an obvious lie because it does not take eternity into account.  Money and fame in this world provide privilege and opportunities coveted by many, but they have a downside as well.  Fame opens doors as well as closes them.  Money is useful but has its limits, and its personal benefits perish when a man does.

This morning I heard the beloved actress Carrie Fisher, famous for her portrayal of Princess Leia in Star Wars movies, suffered a massive heart attack and is in critical condition.  I pray for her recovery.  She is a world-famous actress whose net worth is counted in the millions, and some might say acting in the original Stars Wars trilogy had her "set for life."  The words of Jesus contradict this idea.  He said life does not consist in the abundance of possessions (Luke 12:15).  Our life is compared in scripture to transient things like a vapour, grass, or a flower in a field which is here today and gone tomorrow.  Money cannot supply life.  There is more to life than money or toil on this planet, for the souls of men were created to endure forever.

Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 16:24-26, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"  The only man who is truly set for life is the one who loses their own life for Christ's sake, the one born again through faith in Jesus.  There is infinitely more to life than what we call "the good life" on earth.  There is more to life than food, clothing, a career, fame, sex, music, and acquiring stuff.  We all like the idea of being "set for life," not having to worry about money in an uncertain world.  But God would have us without worry even when we do not have money, knowing our future is secure through Jesus Christ.  When we do have money the hearts of Christians should not be set upon it, but look to God who bountifully supplies our needs (Psalm 62:10).

Only the followers of Jesus are "set for life."  Life does not consist in good health, fame or recognition from others, money, in holidays, travel, or earthly security.  Life is found in losing our lives for Christ's sake, for in Him is eternal life we will enjoy forever.  Are you "set for life?"  What does it profit to gain the whole world but lose your own soul?

Heed Your Shepherd's Voice

Jesus often taught in parables, sharing profound spiritual truths through simple stories and illustrations.  These parables were much more than metaphors or a literary device designed to cleverly disguise the truth:  for those who believed Jesus, it would reveal truth from God impossible for unbelievers to comprehend.  God is the author and sole source of all divine wisdom, and He is the One who reveals Himself and provides guidance to those who trust in Him.

Jesus said in John 10:1-6:  "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.   2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.   3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.   4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.   5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."   6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them."  Jesus is the exclusive Way; He is the Truth and the Life.  The only authorised way to be accepted in the flock of God and become a citizen of heaven is to come through the Door, entering through faith in Jesus Christ.  Because the people did not understand what Jesus meant (a very common occurrence - people often understood what Jesus said but had no concept of what He meant!), He went on to say in John 10:7-9, "Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. ⁹ I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."

Jesus made an effort and took time to patiently teach people, and He offered explanations to those who didn't understand.  Often Jesus was approached by His disciples after the crowd dispersed and inquired into the meaning of His sayings and parables.  The Gospels all show Jesus was glad to answer these queries.  The passage above shows two major distinctions of the sheep in God's fold and those who have come another way:  they have entered it the correct way through Christ, and they follow Jesus because they know (or recognise) His voice.  These are good questions for self examination:  have I repented and trusted in Jesus as Saviour?  In my daily life do I obey the words of Jesus, fleeing from and rejecting all other voices I recognise are not Him?

As followers of Jesus and sheep of His pasture, we ought not be fooled by voices other than Christ which softly beckon for our attention.  They appeal to our good sense, sound reasonable and intelligent enough, and are attractive.  Yet if we will examine these various voices through the clear lens of scripture and the things Jesus Christ has already spoken, the messages of deceit are unmasked.  Comedy is all about good delivery, and good words are all about sound biblical content.  If the original message is lost, the messenger has failed in his task despite his polished speech and courtesy.  As followers of Jesus Christ, we must heed His voice and will almost instinctively flee from all others.  But as human beings we do not share the instincts of sheep.  We are allowed the freedom to weigh words and choose what we will believe and obey.  We can be led astray, and this world is filled with potential suitors.

If we will be saved, then we should listen to our Saviour.  This is only reasonable, and looking no further than myself I can say at times my feelings and ideas are completely unreasonable!  For this reason I must ensure I am listening for the voice of Christ and choosing to follow Him, not giving ear to imposters.  The most clever sheep are those who realise they are not so clever after all and choose to stay close to the Good Shepherd who loves them and leads them in an abundant life.

Value God's Gifts

Christmas is a wonderful celebration of the best gift ever given:  Jesus Christ.  He has brought forgiveness, eternal life, and liberty to all who believe.  All in this life we love and appreciate is a gift from God who graciously loves us.  The things God gives are beyond price.  Family, relationships, and a joyous future cannot be earned or be bought with money.  We can trade these things for money and stuff, but that is another post.  The question is, do we appreciate the value of what God has given us?

Placing value on gifts is very subjective.  There are gifts we appreciate more than others, perhaps because of the monetary resale value.  We can value gifts which were not expensive at all but show care and thoughtfulness of others toward us.  I have kept many gifts which have no monetary value at all but treasure them because they were given to me by a loved family member who has passed away.  Our memories of people can be perpetuated in little reminders like birthday or Christmas cards.  Other times we appreciate a gift because it is better quality than we would buy for ourselves.  And then we value gifts which are so useful or practical we wonder how we lived without it!

When it comes to gifts from God, some of these reasons for thanksgiving and appreciation are relevant.  The gifts God gives are beyond price and therefore are not for resale or trading in.  I would also say if we view spiritual gifts or priceless promises of God with a sentimental lens, this is indicative of a break of relationship with God.  Since we are to be in a presently growing, vibrant relationship with God, sentimental feelings likely suggest we are mourning current distance between us and God.  The gifts God gives are intensely practical, for there is no life apart from Him.  God gives us little reminders all the time of His presence and care for us.  We should treasure these.  How often God has given gifts better than we could have ever imagined!  Let us repent when we have treated gifts from God as common things.

Cards and heartfelt notes are commonly displayed for a season and then filed away or recycled.  Christmas and birthday gifts are used for a while and then can collect dust.  They were appreciated for a while, but for whatever reason lose their lustre.  Is it possible the gifts God gives us are treated in similar fashion?  Or is there found in us a heart of appreciation and gratefulness, remembering God's grace and thanking Him for the good gifts He has given?  It is good for us to maintain good works using the talents and gifts God has provided.  How healthy it is for us to do personal inventory, acknowledging what God has already given us.  We don't need to be afraid of being left out, for it is God's good pleasure to give the sheep of His flock the kingdom (Luke 12:32).  God gives us many things we can only use rightly when we give them back to Him.  I think of the twenty-four elders throwing their crowns at the feet of the Lamb.  That's the perfect response for Christians when we receive authority, wealth, and gifts from God

What is more practical than love, acceptance, and eternal life?  That's what God has given to us, and may our lives be a revelation of all this and more to others for the glory of God.

The Successful Soul

One thing I love after worshiping God with song is how a particular tune or lyric later will reverberate through my mind.  I often find myself unwittingly singing the song long after the service has ended.  Hailing from Southern California, it seems fitting to call this effect a "worship aftershock."  Experiencing communion and fellowship in the presence of God is a blessing beyond words.

I have found when I am impacted by something it tends to be rehearsed in my mind.  For example, these memories could be a scene from a movie, a statement a person makes during a conversation, or a quote from a book I am reading.  If I can watch a movie without later reflecting on it or after reading a book no specifics high points come to mind, it obviously had little impact on me.

There was a quote of J.C. Ryle in Zeal Without Burnout by Christopher Ash which did stick with me.  Ryle said concerning "successful" Christian ministry as it appears in Zeal Without Burnout:

"Success is what all faithful labourers in the gospel field desire...All long to see Satan's kingdom pulled down, and souls converted to God...The desire is right and good...Let it...never be forgotten that the time of success is a time of danger to the Christian's soul.  The very hearts that are depressed when all things seem against them, are often unduly exalted in the day of prosperity.  Few men are like Samson, and can kill a lion without telling others of it (Judges 14:6)...Most of Christ's labourers probably have as much success as their souls can bear." (Ash, Christopher. Zeal without Burnout. Good Book, 2016. 104-05. Print.)

It is the last line which hits home.  God is gracious and blesses us with great successes, but few of them are known or easily quantifiable.  God does miraculous wonders behind the scenes and in the hearts and minds of people continually, and because they escape notice our pride is not stirred which lurks within each one of us.  How good God is to allow success to open our eyes to our tendency to boast and pride, and yet restrains us in His grace to keep us from grave harm.  Our souls can handle only so much success, and the hard times are often the forging, strengthening times so we will be able to endure success without shipwreck upon a deadly reef of pride.

It is God who brings success.  This "success" is not the quantifiable increase or profitability others will appreciate or applaud, but denotes sure success in all God has ordained us to do in due time.  It is obedience to God's Word which brings this success, as God said to Joshua in Joshua 1:8:  "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."  When we meditate on God's Word and obey Him, we will be successful.  Many successful men and women of God were deemed utter wastes and complete failures by their contemporaries, yet they had good success and were prosperous in God's view.  God's definition of success is the one which counts for eternity!

Goodwill To Men

In my high school days, many perfect Saturday mornings were spent searching for lost treasures in thrift stores.  My mate Evan and I would troll El Cajon op shops looking for quality vinyl records and sweet polyester shirts.  It was the early 90's but we loved the music and clothes of the 70's!  We would always hit the Salvation Army, then head over to AMVETS, and finally Goodwill.  Goodwill Thrift Stores have an interesting history, dating back to 1902.  Founded by Reverend Edgar J. Helms, the organisation helped people through donations and provided opportunities for people to work.

With the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ rapidly approaching, I was reminded today of what the heavenly host proclaimed to shepherds who tended their flocks that night long ago in Luke 2:14:  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"  It is one thing for a man to have "goodwill" to his fellow man, but how wondrous and lovely it is for the Almighty God to proclaim peace and goodwill toward men.  How utterly undeserving we are of such favour from God, that He will send His own Son to be the Saviour of the world.  God is holy, and for Him to show mercy and kindness to us really is phenomenal.  There is no good thing in man, but Jesus came to change that forever.  When people have offended us we don't want to visit or have anything to do with them, but God demonstrated love in the profound act by becoming a man and walking among us sinners.  God has His messengers, but He would deliver this message of love, grace, and salvation Himself.

How can we respond to so great a love, to such "peace, goodwill toward men?"  It is reasonable for us each to acknowledge and receive it.  Unless we acknowledge a gift is intended for us, we will not open or appropriate it.  Having goodwill towards God and towards others is another fitting response.  We can show gratitude to God with generosity towards others, being gracious and longsuffering to all.  Jesus came with goodwill toward all people, not just a select few.  The motto for the Goodwill Thrift Stores became, "Not a Charity - But a Chance."  God's charity (love) is the only chance we sinners have for salvation, for it is impossible for us to earn the righteous standing before God required.  Jesus came to this earth with His future death in mind, for it is written in Romans 5:8:  "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  In dying for sin Jesus gave sinners a chance to obtain eternal life.  There is no chance of salvation apart from Christ, for He is "The Way, the Truth, and the Life."

Glory to God in the highest for bringing peace and goodwill toward men!

Matter Of Faith

Do you ever imagine ideal conditions required for others to believe in God and the truth of the Bible?  Some have gone to great lengths to find ancient artifacts, thinking that if they presented hard evidence - Noah's ark, the gilded Ark of the Covenant, the tablets of stone upon which the 10 Commandments were written, or the original menorah - people would have to believe in light of the overwhelming evidence.  It sounds novel, but I do not believe miracles or relics make believers.  When Jesus told the story of the rich man in Sheol, he begged Abraham to send Lazarus to speak to his 5 brothers of the torment which awaited them so they might repent.  Luke 16:29-31 says, "Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' ³⁰ And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' ³¹ But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"

Jesus has risen from the dead, and still people do not believe He is the Messiah sent to be the Saviour of the world.  We have fulfilled prophesy and eye-witness accounts in the Bible and do not need the actual nails or cross upon which Jesus Christ hung to know the truth.  God could have preserved the site of Christ's death and burial without question as well as the manger in which He was laid, the broken alabaster flask which held the precious ointment poured upon him, the shackles which bound Jesus in prison when He awaited crucifixion, and the seamless tunic Roman guards cast lots for.  God was wise to allow these relics to be destroyed lest men worship them instead of Christ!  Having visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem this year, I have witnessed this folly firsthand:  people paying homage to rocks rather than the Rock of our salvation.  It is ironic the children of Israel worshiped the bronze serpent made by Moses, yet many refuse to worship the Lamb of God who was lifted up to draw all men unto Himself.

What do you suppose is a better witness of the reality of God's existence and power:  stone tablets upon which are written the 10 Commandments by the finger of God, or a living, breathing person who has been born again whose heart of stone has been exchanged for a heart of flesh upon which God has written His law?  Isn't the testimony of an eye witness who has personally been born again better than all the inanimate, silent relics of the past?  We think, "If by the power of the Holy Spirit I was able to heal that person physically, what an opportunity it would be for them to see God's power firsthand."  I agree!  And there were many people who experienced healing firsthand by the hand of Christ, and still they did not believe Him.  People saw Jesus after He rose from the dead and still doubted (Matthew 28:7)!  Man's problems with faith do not have to do with the lack of physical evidence or facts, but pride and folly in his own heart.

We who believe, let us be those who boldly testify of what we have seen, heard, and experienced.  We have the Law, the prophets, and all the scriptures which testify of Jesus.  We have the Holy Spirit who has filled us and empowered us to do God's will.  Let us believe in the power of God's Word and the Gospel to bring sinners out of darkness and into the light.  In faith bring the light of scripture into the darkest places, to hearts hardened and resistant to the truth, and see the dynamic saving power of Jesus in action.

Receive God's Comfort

God calls Himself "...the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation" in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.  There is no question for God's faithful followers He is able and willing to supply comfort and abundant consolation.  The amazing and perplexing truth is Christians can refuse to be comforted.  Job inferred it would be foolish to receive good from God and not evil, and it is also foolish to do the opposite.  Why punish ourselves by denying comfort God graciously offers?

There are instances in scripture when people suffered loss and received comfort by God.  There are others who experienced such a depth of grief they were inconsolable.  When Jacob saw Joseph's blood-stained coat of many colours, he imagined his son had been killed by wild beasts.  Genesis 37:35 says, "And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, "For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning." Thus his father wept for him."  Jacob's grief over the loss of one son for a while overwhelmed the comfort of others he loved in his family.  Strong negative emotions can overwhelm us and hinder us from receiving comfort intends for us.  When the male babies were slaughtered in Bethlehem by Herod comfort seemed beyond belief (Jer. 31:15).

It does not take immense personal tragedy to feel cut off from the comfort of God.  We are not told the circumstances, but the psalmist Asaph candidly wrote in Psalm 77:1-3, "I cried out to God with my voice-- to God with my voice; and He gave ear to me. ² In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; my hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; my soul refused to be comforted. ³ I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah."  In his trouble Asaph remembered and sought the LORD, and knew he had been heard by God.  But like hard-packed soil which water cannot penetrate, Asaph's soul repelled consolation from God and "refused to be comforted."  Asaph looked to the God of comfort for comfort, but found himself able to receive the comfort he was desperate to receive.

The cure for Asaph's condition was not through his circumstances changing but from a change of perspective.  When Asaph looked for comfort he found none, yet when he considered God comfort came.  He admitted his weakness before God and meditated on God rather than his trouble or current feelings.  Psalm 77:10-13 says, "And I said, "This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High." ¹¹ I will remember the works of the LORD; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. ¹² I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds. ¹³ Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; who is so great a God as our God?"  Remembering what God said and did in the past was a key to walk in God's comfort moving forward.

In light of your current difficulties, do you find yourself to be like Jacob or Asaph?  We can stubbornly refuse comfort, and other times we are unable to receive it despite seeking God.  Admit your anguish before the LORD, remember the works of the LORD, and talk of God's deeds.  This is not a formula to be followed but a biblical pattern established for our help and comfort.  Only God can pull us from the pit of depression and despair, and the scripture reveals us what we can do to cooperate with God's will in receiving His comfort.  We are greatly aided to receive God's comfort when we cease demanding or suggesting a course of divine action for God to take, humble ourselves before Him, and praise Him because we trust and love Him - in spite of trouble.  This worship prepares our hearts to experience joy, peace, and receive comfort from the "God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation."

Zeal and Burnout

I've been reading a little book given to pastors at the last conference I attended.  It is titled Zeal Without Burnout by Christopher Ash.  He uses a term I think is very wise to apply to our lives:  sustainable.  We recognise the wisdom of sustainability in energy production and use, in forestry, fishing, and farming.  If we over-fish or cut down trees without replenishment, it will only be a matter of time until alavailable resources are consumed.  These same sensible considerations ought to be applied to our approach to family, work, Christian ministry, and our lives in general.

When I first became a mechanical insulator, I was given a physically taxing job in Los Angeles - when I was living in San Diego!  The foreman told me, "If you can handle this job, you can do anything."  My hours at the Chevron refinery began at 6am (all had to be at the gate by 5:45am for a ride into the refinery) and concluded at 6pm 7 days a week.  I had to rise at 3:30am to pick up my brother and so began a long day.  For a majority of the day we worked in hot, uncomfortable conditions removing asbestos in containment wearing full-face respirators.  I would arrive home after 8pm, eat dinner, visit with my sweet wife for an hour, and go to bed exhausted.

Thankfully, this job lasted only six or seven weeks.  It felt like it lasted a year!  I was grateful when the refinery restricted our hours to 6 days and 10 hours a day.  After almost two months of that job it was clear to my brother and I it was simply not sustainable.  We were wearing out and when an opportunity came to work locally we jumped at the chance.  The human body has physical limits, and it is sometimes easier for me to tell when I am physically exhausted than mentally and emotionally spent.  It doesn't mean it is easy for me to admit it! :)  Yesterday I worked in the yard a bit too long and my body reminded me all evening I am not 25 years old anymore.  Burnout is a bit more tricky to discern than sore muscles and a sunburn.  Christopher Ash wrote concerning avoiding burnout,

"It is good to develop a healthy self-knowledge about what energizes us - what the Holy Spirit uses to bring us that inward renewal.  But these activities will never be enough on their own to bring us true spiritual renewal.  Each of us needs our personal devotional times with God:  times of Bible reading and prayer, times to be glad to be in Christ, times of thoughtful reflection before the Lord:  times to be refreshed.  It is not selfish to guard those times, any more than it is selfish for a firefighter to take a break before heading back into the fire.  Indeed, if we do not give space for renewal, there will soon be nothing left of us to give." (Ash, Christopher. Zeal without Burnout. Good Book, 2016. 77. Print.)

How important it is to know what God has called us to do and respect our limitations.  We should do all we do heartily as unto the LORD, but not to the point where our lives and ministry cannot be sustained healthily.  God is the One who sustains us, for without Him we can do nothing.  We can do all things through Jesus Christ, but it is not for us to do everything.  Let us be about the LORD's business and walk circumspectly, knowing He is the One who will accomplish all.  There is a way we can have so much responsibility we cease to be responsible concerning our bodies, family, and ministry.  Cessation of activity alone does not cancel burnout, but resting in Christ and waiting on the LORD brings renewal.  A break from the grind may be what God has for you, and may obedience to take a break as an act of faith in God be bountifully rewarded with increased fruitfulness.

The Greatest Of All

Yesterday I preached on God's righteous Servant, Jesus Christ.  Unless God explicitly revealed the truth to us in His Word, it is unfathomable how the God who created all things would humble Himself and become a servant (Philippians 2:5-8), even facing the cross for the sake of sinners.  Jesus Christ has given us an example so we might follow in His footsteps, but has also provided the indwelling Holy Spirit to empower and enable us to walk in righteousness.

In Luke 17:7-10, Jesus appealed to the good sense of His disciples concerning a typical relationship between a master and his servants.  Jesus said, "And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'? ⁸ But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'? ⁹ Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. ¹⁰ So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'"  It was customary for servants to prepare for their master, and after serving the master the servants would eat.  It was no badge of honour for a servant to serve his master, for it was his duty to do so!  Servants of God ought not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought because we are responsible to obey God, to love and serve others.  It is what we have been saved by grace to do!  If God is our King, as His loyal subject we should serve Him.

God is in the business of blowing minds, and I love it when God shocks me with a verse I didn't notice before.  The verse which shocked me was one that reversed this natural order of things.  Jesus told His disciples to be free of worldly entanglements and to be ready for Him and in Luke 12:35-37 said, "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; ³⁶ and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. ³⁷ Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them."  Isn't verse 37 astounding?  For the servants who are faithful and ready, the master will gird himself, have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them!  The servants will be served by the master!  This reminded me of the amazing thing Jesus did after the Last Supper before going to the cross.  He directed His disciples to prepare for the Passover meal, and after the meal was over stripped down, put a towel around his waist, and washed all the disciples' feet.  It made me think at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb Jesus will not remain seated on His rightful throne, but will serve His servants, and such grace is impossible for me to grasp fully.

God is a glorious King, and He gives us grace upon grace.  The Saviour who insisted John baptise Him to "fulfill all righteousness" and washes feet is the God we are to worship and emulate.  He delights to humble Himself and serve, and what a joy it is to follow in His footsteps as led by the Spirit.  Greatness in God's kingdom is not earned but marked by humility, submission, and obedience to God and others.  When the disciples were arguing over who was the greatest Jesus set them straight in Matthew 20:25-28:  "But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 
²⁷ And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave-- ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Hills and Valleys

"Then Job answered the LORD and said: ² "I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You."

Job 42:1-2

When I injured my knee, I was referred to have scans of various kinds:  an x-ray, ultrasound, and ultimately an MRI.  All of these scans have their purpose and all of them have limitations.  It does no good to have a scan performed unless you have an expert to analyse and interpret it!  After the results were provided to my doctor, she referred me to a knee specialist.  This specialist scheduled me for surgery he later performed, yet he did not do this alone.  A nurse prepared the area for the incision, an anesthetist with an assistant, plus many more people in the operating theatre.  This is an example of how many medical specialists worked together to reconstruct a knee, each having a particular area of expertise.

Similar to this, ancient gods all had particular areas of control.  Some gods were believed to control the sun, caused the rain to fall, brought good luck or fertility, protected the home, healed, and caused lightning to strike.  Different cultures had their own idols and deities they were loyal to through worship and sacrifice.  Among the Greeks and Romans their god resembled our modern-day superheroes, each with "superpowers," strengths, and weakness.  Some can fly, use telepathy, shape-shift, create illusions, and become invisible.  Each has their own area of expertise they use for good or evil.  The Jews were unique among the nations because they worshiped only one God.  This seemed strange to other cultures:  why not have many gods to cover all the bases?  What if the sun didn't rise or crops didn't grow? They didn't realise the God of Israel is the Almighty God who created all things.  There is nothing beyond His view or removed from His awesome power.  He is the eternal, self-existent, and all-powerful God before whom all other spirits and gods are nothing.

The northern kingdom of Israel fought against Syrians who were struck down before them.  The Syrians explained why they lost the previous battle in 1 Kings 20:23, "Then the servants of the king of Syria said to him, "Their gods are gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them in the plain, surely we will be stronger than they."  What they didn't realise was the God of the Jews is the God who created all things - the hills, plains, seas, mountains, the sun, moon, and stars.  He is the God of everything and everyone!  1 Kings 20:28 gives us the response of God:  "Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, "Thus says the LORD: 'Because the Syrians have said, "The LORD is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys," therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.'"  The God who knows all things, speaks, and reveals Himself with a mighty hand gave the Jews the victory.  The Jews, Syrians, and all nations of the earth shall know God is LORD of all!

God is nothing like an idol that has areas of strength or weaknesses but is God over all.  After Job received a revelation of God's power he said humbly, "I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You."  God is able to heal, comfort, and strengthen us in  mind, body, and soul.  He supplies guidance, counsel, and provides for our physical needs.  He is God of heavens, earth, sea, and all that is in them.  He gives wisdom and knowledge, and in Him all things consist (Col. 1:17).  Praise the LORD for revealing Himself to us as the God of the hills and the valleys.  In both good and bad times He is still God, and is able to save and deliver us.

Jesus Paid Your Fee

Today in my travels I came across a sign which made some blasphemous boasts, claiming to do what only my God - the Creator of the world and King of the Jews Jesus Christ - can do.

This "Holy Spiritualist" claims to be able to "Handle Any Problem."  The Bible says the approach of seeking spiritists to solve problems only creates more significant ones!  People can be so desperate for knowledge or to affect the outcome of a situation they will go into financial debt, selling even their souls for guidance and power.  King Saul sought the advice of a medium when there seemed no other option, and he was a fool to do so.  The sign I saw welcomed all religions, but my relationship with the Almighty God prohibits such activity because of the abominable nature of it.  Impostors of the true God have legitimate power, but seeking the aid of unclean spirits always brings a curse with it.

What grabbed my attention was the numerous stickers fixed around the sign, informing potential patrons that Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and electronic funds transfer were all acceptable forms of payment.  I have heard people say things like, "All churches care about is money" and it would be a shame if it was true.  Interestingly I have not heard the same criticism of fortune tellers or astrologers who charge fees for their services.  This advertising offers the false promise any problems can be handled for a fee.  Everything in this world which seems too good to be true often is, but God is not of this world.  He sent Jesus Christ to be the Saviour of the world so we could be saved from the devil, sin, death, and hell.  The world offers a grab-bag of solutions, but nothing in this world has the power to save.

The prophet spoke in Isaiah 55:1-3:  "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. ² Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. ³ Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you-- the sure mercies of David."  God offers salvation at His own expense.  There is no cover charge to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Only the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ received by faith is able to redeem men from death.  Being "spiritual" cannot satisfy you.  All the power of this world will leave you thirsty for more.  Eat what is good, the Bread of Life Jesus Christ.  Allow Him to satisfy you with the Living Water of the Holy Spirit.  Everyone has problems, and only God is able to save us from ourselves and He has paid this fee at His expense.

The Generous God

I was thinking today of how generous God is.  There are so many generous people God has brought into my life who have blessed me beyond belief.  Out of all we have been freely given by God we should freely give, and what great blessing we receive when we do so.  During this time of the year every time I say "Christmas" it reminds me how God gave His only Son so all could be saved and receive everlasting life through faith in Him, and how thankful I am.

Giving cheerfully and freely is a practical way of giving thanks to God for all we have received.  All we have is a gift from God (James 1:17).  This life and all the facets of it we enjoy are gracious gifts freely given by a God who created and loves us.  Our food, homes, money, and daily necessities are met masterfully by the God who knows our needs and how to best supply them.  I am continuously in awe of the many people God has continued to prompt and provide money on a monthly basis and gifts for my family according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  How I can testify of God's generosity through fellow followers of Jesus Christ of time, effort, service, and love!  There is bountiful wealth God gives which transcends possessions, money, or any earthly security.

In this season when we remember Jesus Christ, the greatest gift ever provided for men, may we be like those wise men who sought Him and bestowed kingly gifts for His use.  Most of us do not have gold, frankincense, or myrrh on hand, but we can offer Jesus our entire selves - our hands, feet, resources, time, our very breath - to the end others will know His love and generosity through us.  God does not desire a "pay back," for how could we possibly give according to His infinite measure of generosity to us?  He is pleased when we respond through giving to others as He has done for us, "paying it forward" in a sense.  Our primary motive is not to be arbitrary social justice but to give freely to others for the LORD's sake, meeting needs and seeking to bless in Jesus' name.  All benefit from this outworking of God's love.  God has purposefully and intentionally caused amazing, miraculous blessing to rain down upon us in our undeserving state.  In light of this reality as we have received, so let us give ourselves.

It is an appalling contradiction for one who has received love, forgiveness, salvation, and new life from Jesus to be miserly.  Again, I am not speaking primarily about money, though our handling of finances can provide an indication of a heart condition.  We are to be bountiful and free concerning the proclmation and living out of the Gospel.  That is the context of the often quoted words of Jesus when He said, "Freely you have received, freely give."  Matthew 10:7-8 told the twelve as He sent them out, "And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' ⁸ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."  As God has placed upon our hearts let us freely give, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7).  Our resources have an end, but God supplies of love, grace, and goods are endless.  God looks favourably upon generosity, and every signpost along that path was well-set by Him.  This is a path without end, and as we walk along this way we can enjoy have sweet fellowship with our loving and generous Saviour.

A Vessel of Honour

"Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." ²⁰ But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. ²¹ Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work."

2 Timothy 2:19-21

It is faith in Jesus Christ which brings forgiveness of sins and cleansing through His shed blood on Calvary.  On their own no one can cleanse their hands or heart from sin.  Yet all who have been born again through the Gospel of Jesus Christ have been washed, justified, sanctified, and have been made righteous.  God knows all people in whom this divine transaction has taken place.  Though this cleansing is initiated by God, Christians are responsible and able to keep their "vessel in sanctification and honour." (1 Thessalonians 4:1-7)  As led by the Spirit according to God's Word, we are to take intentional steps in putting off sinful habits and corrupting influences from our lives.  Then we can be a vessel of honour and useful for the Master.

In the passage above, Paul explained to Timothy that in a great house or palace there were many kinds of vessels.  There were vessels for cooking, water storage, drinking vessels, and buckets to collect waste.  These vessels were made of materials like gold, silver, wood, and clay.  The wealth of the owner and the intended practical use of the vessel likely impacted the chosen material.  One point Paul made is all believers have the potential to be a vessel of honour, prepared for the use of the master.  A large clay vessel to hold drinking water and a golden goblet both have their practical use, but they are only useful when clean.  It would be silly for the clay pot to declare that if it was a golden goblet it would take its role more seriously.  A clay pot with a dead rat befouling the water is not fit for the master's use.  Even as a rat carcass must be removed before the clay pot could be sanitised for future use, so there can be sins, possessions, and pastimes which we must choose to put away from us permanently before we can realise our purpose.

The prophet exhorted God's people returning from captivity in Babylon in Isaiah 52:11-12, "Depart! Depart! Go out from there, touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her, be clean, you who bear the vessels of the LORD. ¹² For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight; for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard."  There was a temptation for the Jews to bring idols or unclean things out of Babylon and carry them back to Jerusalem, even as they had brought idols of Egypt into Canaan.  Idols were often crafted of gold and silver and had great monetary value.  But God's people were to value personal holiness over money, and even be willing to suffer financial loss to remain pure before God as those called to bear His vessels.  Because God was going with them they could entrust their finances and future to Him.  If they defiled themselves with unclean things they would not be fit for the Master's use.  Why should we Christians continue to carry with us memoirs of our captivity because we value them?  Don't we value God's presence more than things which marked our old life of bondage?

Christians today do not bear silver bowls or golden candlesticks in the worship of God in a temple, for we are the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells among us!  Our heart has been made the "Holy of Holies" where the Spirit of God has taken up residence.  Since God is with us and inside us, we are to keep our vessels - our physical bodies and minds - clean from sins and free of worldly defilement.  God has cleansed us, and we also need to cleanse ourselves from fornication, lusts, pride, greed, idolatry, and all things which war against our souls (1 Peter 2:11).  Then we can be a vessel of honour.  Vessels of dishonour are put aside until they are willing to be washed and cleaned so they can be used.  It is a sad thing that a perfectly good pot or goblet could sit unused and not fulfill its intended purpose because it refuses to be clean.  Depart from the unclean thing, O Christian!  Put all that is wicked far from you so you can be the vessel of honour God created you to be.

A Full Reward

"Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward."

2 John 1:8

The apostle John wrote the epistle of 2 John to a Christian woman and her children.  Some have suggested it was actually written to a particular church because a specific name was not recorded.  Regardless to whom exactly it was originally penned, as part of the divinely inspired Word of God it is profitable for all Christian believers who have ears to hear.

After exhorting the recipients of the letter to walk in Christ's love by keeping His commands, John issued a warning concerning many deceivers who had gone into the world.  He did not warn them of shady people by name, but he explained in 2 John 1:7:  "For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."  Many deceivers were in the world when the church was still young, and I imagine the number of deceivers have multiplied exponentially.  Instead of focusing on deceptions, John told them to look to themselves and ensure they were continuing in the love of Christ.

There is something in us which cares deeply about what other people believe and do.  After Peter has been restored by Jesus and had been commissioned to feed Christ's sheep and follow Him, Peter immediately asked about what John was supposed to do.  Jesus said, "What's that to you?  You follow me."  We naturally saddle ourselves with cares and worries about others.  We may worry over the spiritual condition of an alcoholic and the potential destruction of relationships and family, but our anxiety can't fix the problem.  Rather than obsess over the faults of others, wouldn't it be better for us to repent of our worrying which is a destructive sin as well?  I can't make an alcoholic see his need to stop drinking, but I can choose to repent and obey God myself through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

John's statement instructs us we need to examine ourselves, obey the commands of Christ, and refuse to give ground to deception in our lives.  It is possible, based on this scripture, for people to not obtain a full eternal reward.  Our salvation is secure based upon the atoning sacrifice of Christ on Calvary, but we can deny ourselves a full reward when we are not circumspect and cease examining our lives according to scripture.  God provided a great inheritance of land in Canaan for the tribes of Israel, but not every tribe cared to drive out the enemies and secure their borders.  They were cramped but comfortable enough, and their negligence allowed squatters to mar their inheritance.

God has an inheritance for every Christian in this life, and He has promised eternal rewards He delights to generously bestow upon all His faithful servants.  Let us not lose the things we have worked for and lose ground because we have been deceived what we do or say doesn't really matter.  Let us look to ourselves and live in the way which pleases God so we may receive a full reward.  If God has a reward for me, by His grace I want to receive it in full.  How about you?