Management or Ministry?

Something my mum said about children's ministry provoked good thought, that there is a difference between management and ministry.  Sitting the kids in front of a TV or allowing them to play on their devices in class may manage their behaviour, but it won't minister to their souls.  A manager conjures up images for me of a hireling, but a minister is a servant of all.  In a Sunday School lesson, the end does not justify the means--especially when our ends do not line up with God's.  Do we tolerate people or do we love them?  To love others requires an investment of time and effort which benefits others.

Jehosheba and the high priest Jehoiada provide a good illustration of the conduct fitting of God's faithful ministers.  2 Kings 11:1-3 reads, "When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs. ² But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's sons who were being murdered; and they hid him and his nurse in the bedroom, from Athaliah, so that he was not killed. ³ So he was hidden with her in the house of the LORD for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land."  Joash was a vulnerable infant facing death when Jehosheba bravely stole him away from his murderous grandmother and hid him in the Temple.  For six years he lived in the house of God.

Whilst kept in the house of God, the high priest Jehoiada made preparations for the day Joash would ascend to the throne and be made king.  Not only did Jehoiada speak with rulers and captains of the guard to prepare for the coronation, but Jehoiada taught Joash about God, His laws, and his responsibilities as king.  Without a godly father to teach him of God and his ways, priest Jehoiada prepared the child to rule righteously.  Now most of the kids who attend church are not facing an immediate threat to their lives, but they all have a desperate need to know God and to learn to trust Him.  Joash was threatened by Athalia, and this world will stop at nothing to steal their formative years, deceive, kill and destroy.  Joash was the rightful king Jehoiada took under his wing, and we have an incredible opportunity to teach kids about our good God who desires for all people believe on Him and be saved.

Jehoiada wasn't just interested in feeding, clothing, and keeping Joash quiet and well-behaved, but to prepare him to answer the call God had placed upon His life.  God had a calling upon Jehosheba, Jehoiada and Joash, and He also has a call upon our lives and the souls of those precious little ones God brings to church.  We have the opportunity to minister to these children, not just manage them.  A manager is more concerned about kids being low-maintenance and well-behaved in class, whilst a minister seeks to communicate God's love, how to walk with Him, and to inspire a child to enter into the bright future God has for those who trust Jesus Christ.  Raising infants, toddlers, and kids filled with energy will be messy business, yet God enables us by His grace to be their ministers as unto the LORD.  When we feel like we can't manage, God ministers to and through us.

Brought Through

God's word is profound and enduring, and even portions of scripture which seem mundane or repetitive can be treasures hidden in plain sight for those who seek God by reading them.  Instead of looking at reading the Bible as a task to be endured it is better to view it as an intentional opportunity to hear God speak into our lives today.  I discovered such a passage today in the book of Ezekiel as the prophet described a vision he saw.

Ezekiel 47:2-4 reads, "He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. ³ And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. ⁴ Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist."  Ezekiel accompanied a man who measured the depth of living water which flowed from the temple.  After 500 yards the water reached up to his ankles, and 500 yards later the water came to his knees.  It must have taken a good while to wade through the water which grew in volume as it flowed towards the east and revived the Dead Sea.

During this passage Ezekiel often repeated the man he followed "brought me through."  How well this statement relates to the life of a child of God!  We have come to Jesus Christ through faith and He is the one who leads us through all seasons of life by the Holy Spirit.  It didn't matter if the waters were to his ankles or knees:  Ezekiel was brought through them--even when walking became more difficult as the water grew deeper.  Looking back, we can affirm it is God who brought us through trials which seemed to go on forever, through seasons of depression and weariness.  Many times we have lost all sense of direction and a Christ-centered perspective, but Jesus brought us through.

How many times does scripture illustrate the faithfulness of God to bring His people through difficulties to a place of deeper and greater blessing by His grace.  God did not only bring His people to the edge of the Red Sea or Promised land but caused them to enter and He brought them through even in the midst of their enemies and idols.  Moses was brought to the boundary of Canaan, and though he was not permitted to physically enter God brought him through to eternal life in paradise.  Jesus did not leave His disciples perpetually toiling at the oars on the Sea of Galilee but brought them through to arrive at His intended destination.  God brought them through, and He will bring you through too.

Isn't it strange Ezekiel would walk in the stream which became a great river when he could have walked on the bank?  Most of us would have tried to avoid being wet, but Ezekiel was brought through in the midst of the stream.  We often attempt to skirt or avoid any difficulties--even ones God has determined to bring us through for the glory of His name and the strengthening of our faith.  This testimony of how Ezekiel was brought through teaches me I can trust God's leading in the present difficulty which feels like it will sweep me off my feet.  Trials and pressures of life that even look like are heading for disaster are carefully measured in depth and duration by the One who leads us.  Remember we can always trust Jesus Christ who will surely bring us through, and in the process we will grow in love and adoration for Him.

Surrender to God's Will

People struggle with the unknown.  We like to plan, prepare, and strategise.  We all have expectations we hope are met.  Fluid situations, changed conditions, and chaos cause us to feel unsettled and can produce stress.  Fundamentally we prefer to be in control or at least have a sense of control of our lives.  There are aspects of life we do have a degree of control over, but even the most controlling realise there are things beyond us, things which are “out of our hands.”

Knowing God is sovereign and reigns over all is quite comforting when it seems the world has gone mad.  We rest in God’s hands as His beloved people, yet He is not in any way controlled by or dependent on people.  Our prayers might be hindered but His arms are not shortened that He cannot save.  He will accomplish His will regardless of the schemes of Satan or perceived ineptitude of His people.  Knowing God’s will is different than my will helps in trusting Him, for even Jesus said to His Father, “Not My will, but yours be done.”  The Father was intent on saving the lost, and Jesus shared this exact desire.  It was the way the Father determined which caused Jesus to pray fervently and sweat blood in anticipation.

D.L. Moody wrote this concerning the will of God in his book Men of the Bible:  “A great many people are afraid of the will of God, and yet I believe that one of the sweetest lessons that we can learn in the school of Christ is the surrender of our wills to God, letting Him plan for us and rule our lives.  If I know my own mind, if an angel should come from the throne of God and tell me that I could have my will done the rest of my days on earth, and that everything I wished should be carried out, or that I might refer it back to God, and let God’s will be done in me and through me, I think in an instant I would say:  “Let the will of God be done.”  I cannot look into the future.  I do not know what is going to happen tomorrow; in fact, I do not know what may happen before night; so I cannot choose for myself as well as God can choose for me, and it is better to surrender my will to God’s will.”  [Moody, Men of the Bible, The Bible Institute Colportage Association, 1898, pg. 7]

God’s ways are higher than ours and His thoughts are not ours.  It follows that God’s will is far better than ours because He knows all, will accomplish all, and He is faithful.  There is much we know and more we do not know, and our knowledge, experience, and troubling unknowns can move us to make excuses for not surrendering to God today.  God’s will shall be performed according to His Word, not according to our preferences or expectations.  If we kick at the goads worry and bitterness will be our companions; if we attempt to leverage words to goad God to do our will frustration and disillusionment will follow.  Knowing God is good and makes infinitely better choices for us, we can confidently choose His way.

Choosing God is to embrace His will, knowing He does all things well—even when life seems futile and a hopeless disaster. Surrender to God and to His will, for having done the first it only follows.  The One who has saved and redeemed us is also able to guide, protect, and provide for us all by grace.

Marvelous Transformation

Today at Calvary Chapel Santee a message was preached on Acts 4 and focused on the transforming effect of a relationship with Jesus.  Through the name of Jesus Christ spoken by Peter a lame man was miraculously healed before many witnesses.  The only explanation for the man previously lame suddenly walking, leaping, and praising God was the power of God through Jesus' name.  The physical healing of the lame man provided an opportunity for Peter to preach the Word to an intrigued and engaged audience.

Religious leaders who did not believe Jesus was the Son of God or in the resurrection from the dead took offense to the preaching of Peter and other Christians and brought them before the Sanhedrin, rulers of the Jews.  Acts 4:8-10 says, "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: ⁹ If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, ¹⁰ 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."  A marked change was seen in the lame man who stood before the elders, but a more profound and enduring transformation was demonstrated in Peter (who previously denied Jesus three times) because he was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Peter had been transformed through faith in Jesus and his relationship with Him--something the religious leaders themselves concluded.  Acts 4:13 says, "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus."  Pastor James made a great observation:  these rulers were correct in their assessment, but not entirely.  It was true they had been with Jesus while He remained on earth, but they continued to walk with Him.  They were filled with the Holy Spirit in their time of need and guided to answer wisely because of their current relationship with Jesus.

This passage provides hope for healing and transformation for people physically but also for those who lack boldness, have denied Christ with their words or deeds, and played the fool.  The hope, healing, and deliverance Jesus provides is not just for people new to the faith but to those who have walked with Jesus a long time.  This truth is a blessing to my heart and to all those who are burdened with their own failures and sin.  Jesus Christ is a Saviour of Jew and Gentile, to believers new and old.  He brings the refreshment of Living Water to all who seek and abide in Him by His grace.

Downs and Ups

In the Disney cartoon Robin Hood, the minstrel rooster sang of the depressed state of Nottingham and the overtaxed inhabitants under the rule of Prince John:  "Sometimes ups outnumber the downs, but not in Nottingham."  In life there will always be ups and downs which can ebb and flow as the tide.  Calm and serenity can be suddenly overwhelmed with a tsunami of negative emotions.  Unexpected trials and tragedies can knock us off our feet like little children happily playing on the shore as we are having the time of our lives.  Praise the LORD we are not at the mercy of the wind and the waves because God is with us, for us, and helps us.

Life brings with it pains and struggles all people must face, and God provides much more than positive thinking or a means of coping.  He provides comfort, hope, and salvation far beyond our ability to claim or grasp because He is good and with us.  God takes a continual interest in us due to His gracious love for us--not because we have somehow earned it.  Psalm 37:23-24 says, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. ²⁴ Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand."  Those who walk with Jesus are not impervious to falling because we are walking.  It is the upright man who can fall, yet God upholds us.  We may be cast down, and God allows this so we might realise afresh our desperate need for Him and choose to seek Him fervently again.

Even when the "downs" seem to outnumber the "ups" when we look up to Jesus we find hope and rest beyond our strength and circumstances.  The goodness of our glorious God alone makes all darkness flee and lifts us from the pit like an eagle in full flight.  David mused in Psalm 42:5, "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance."  In the light of God's goodness, love, and grace there is no cause for worry or fear.  We sometimes are downcast and even fall, but we shall not be utterly cast down.  God does not cast us off for our weakness or failures, but our need ought to move us to admit them and look to Jesus.  Consider all He endured and the glory revealed in Him as He persevered in faith and love:  such is the future for all those who trust in Him.

"What goes up must come down," the saying goes, and this is true in the natural realm where gravity wins.  We walk during the day and lay down at night to rest; we live our lives and when we breath our last we descend to the grave.  Yet God in His mercy miraculously empowers us to never be at the mercy of gravity or death.  As Christians we have answered an upward call with eyes lifted up and fixed upon Christ.  Our future is not to descend to hell but to ascend to heaven where Jesus and righteousness dwell forever.  Being cast down is a reminder of our need to look up.  Even when we have no strength in ourselves to rise it is God who lift us up because He upholds us.

The Justifier

Last night I read Psalm 143:1-2, "Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. ² And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified."  David made his appeal for God to take heed due to His faithfulness and righteousness, for David could not rightly claim these qualities for himself.  David believed in God and laboured to honour and glorify God, yet he was far from perfect.  His sins were ever before him.  There is no way justification could come by attempts to keep God's law.

Paul confirmed this in Romans 3:19-20, "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. ²⁰ Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."  The Law of God brought the knowledge of sin, a revelation of God's divine standards.  What God intended to reveal sin and move to repentance man leveraged to justify himself.  Man sidestepped the spirit of the Law to assert his own righteousness because of effort made to keep it--whilst judging others who didn't measure up.

Enter the grace of God:  what man could not do for himself through effort our righteous, faithful, and just God provided the means for justification and salvation through Jesus Christ.  Romans 3:21-26 explained, "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, ²² even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, ²⁶ to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."  We have all fallen short of God's righteousness, but we have been justified freely by His grace through faith in Jesus.  God's hearing of our prayers therefore does not depend upon our efforts to measure up but God's grace to listen to undeserving sinners.  He is faithful, and when we place our faith in Jesus He is just and our Justifier.

Sovereign and Good

Knowing a thing is from the LORD impacts our perspective.  To fight against what is from the LORD is to fight against Him.  Realising God is good and sovereign over all provides rest for our souls even when circumstances are out of our control.  By God's grace we can seek Him and the God who breaks can also make whole.

When it was revealed to King Hezekiah he would surely die, he prayed earnestly to the LORD with weeping.  He asked God to remember the good things he had done for God's glory.  In his sickness he mused, "How can I praise and honour you in the grave?  It is the living that will praise God!"  God graciously caused Hezekiah to recover and added 15 years to his life.  God even provided a miraculous sign that Hezekiah would be restored and go up again to worship in the house of the LORD by causing the sundial to reverse 10 degrees.

After Hezekiah recovered of his grave illness, a delegation from Babylon came with a gift.  King Hezekiah proudly showed off all the riches of his kingdom to friendly men from a far-off land.  Isaiah 39:5-8 reads, "Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: ⁶  'Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,' says the LORD. 'And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.' " ⁸ So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!" For he said, "At least there will be peace and truth in my days."  Upon hearing the revelation from Isaiah the prophet, Hezekiah's response is not what I would expect of any king or caring dad.

Let me say right off I cannot say exactly why Hezekiah would respond in such a manner, nor do I feel compelled to justify his remarks.  The good king recently experience a very near brush with death and was delighted to be spared by God's grace.  It may be nothing at the time could have derailed his euphoric happiness.  I think it highly unlikely his seemingly carefree response was due to him not believing the word of the LORD, for he celebrated the good news spoken by the prophet:  there would be peace in Hezekiah's days which were extended 15 years.  Hearing all he and his fathers had been accumulated would be taken along with his sons who would be made eunuchs in captivity didn't seem to phase Hezekiah.  His words have a similar ring to the words of Eli the high priest after hearing God would severely judge his house and vile sons in 1 Samuel 3:18,  "It is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him."

Acknowledging the sovereignty and goodness of God in faith could be the explanation behind Hezekiah's indifference:  God has the power to kill and make alive, to wound and to heal.  What does it profit a man to fight against what is from the LORD?  The irony in this is Hezekiah wept over his own impending death, yet he behaved quite differently concerning the future of his children and people.  The reality is Eli nor Hezekiah could change their children, nor cause them to fear God and walk in His ways.  Instead of placing himself under this unbearable burden, Hezekiah praised and rejoiced in the goodness of God towards him.  When God allowed David's infant son to become deathly ill, whilst he lived David fasted and mourned.  However after it was confirmed he had passed away, David rose from the ground, washed, went to the house of God and worshipped, then ate food.  His counsellors were confused by this behaviour.  David's response was, "While he lived there was a chance God would heal him, but since he is dead what can I do to change it?"

To those who criticise or condemn Hezekiah for his response (praising the LORD over present good instead of mourning over future evil which was out of his hands), who are we to judge another man's servant?  It is before his own master a servant stands or falls.  I am no one to judge him, for I have celebrated what I ought to have mourned and mourned when I should have rejoiced.  Again, I can't say why Hezekiah acted or spoke the way we did because I am not God who alone knows the hearts of men.  What I can say is faith in God as our sovereign LORD leads to contentment and rest in Him even as days grow darker.  There is always cause to praise and worship God even in the face of doom or death.  Should our thanksgiving and joy in the LORD be tempered because of what might or will happen in the future?  Hezekiah prayed to the LORD and God heard him and preserved his life:  couldn't Hezekiah's children petition the LORD as well for a stay of their judgment?  Wasn't it their own responsibility before God to repent?  Hezekiah could pray for his sons and people, but he could not repent for them.

Between Sheep and Sheep

God had strong words for the negligent and greedy shepherds of Israel, those God had appointed to guide, protect, and instruct God's people.  It would not be a stretch at all to compare the roles of the priests and Levites to the role of ministers in the church today which provides valuable personal application.  Instead of lording over people, the sanctified priests were to serve God and the people faithfully.  A shepherd was responsible to lead sheep to good and safe pasture, and pastors are to present the wholesome Word of God to strengthen and nourish the sheep of God's pasture.

A couple of times in the passage God told the ministers He would judge between sheep and sheep, between cattle and cattle (depending on the translation).  Instead of having many shepherds, one shepherd (the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ) would be placed over them all.  See what is written in Ezekiel 34:20-22:  "'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD to them: "Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. ²¹ Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, ²² therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep."

Christians are all sheep of God's pasture, and in Christ's fold are sheep of all kinds:  sheep which are fat and healthy, sheep which are lean, weak, and sickly.  A shepherd took extra care with unhealthy sheep, but the issue God had was with the stronger sheep pushing against and butting the weakened sheep to scatter them.  These sheep were not hopeless because God would save them, but the sheep who were doing the butting and preying on the weak He would judge.  Instead of driving away the weak and sickly from fellowship, we ought to provide patient, long-suffering, and gracious care.

To apply this to pastoral leadership, I am reminded of a verse in the Law which held owners responsible for not taking action to correct violent tendencies of their animals.  Whilst ministers are not responsible to answer for the actions of others, there is a principle held forth those prone to do damage should be marked and adequate protection provided for others.  Exodus 21:28-29 says, "If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, then the ox shall surely be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be acquitted. ²⁹ But if the ox tended to thrust with its horn in times past, and it has been made known to his owner, and he has not kept it confined, so that it has killed a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death."  God held owners of oxen accountable for what they knew:  if an owner realised his ox tended towards violence, he was responsible to keep it in a paddock to protect others.

The application is similar for Christians in leadership who have learned over time the character of their fellow believers.  Paul wrote in Romans 16:17, "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them."  We have a responsibility before God to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God, and should we notice butting and conflict amongst us we should protect the weak.  Those who expend a great deal of energy on the lookout for potential troublemakers may themselves be the fat and aggressive rams they are looking for.  I am eternally grateful Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd, and all in His fold are under His loving and righteous authority.  Having a healthy relationship with our Good Shepherd helps guide our words and conduct between sheep and sheep.

The Pursuit of the Heart

A theme often repeated throughout scripture is people who spoke the truth were ignored.  God sent many prophets to warn His people of coming judgment for their sin, yet many who heard the truth did not engage with it.  We might assume all who heard God's Word were scorners or mockers, but a passage in Ezekiel shows this is not always the case.  People flocked to hear the prophet Ezekiel share and complimented his discourse and delivery, but God's words did not actually impact their faith or practices.  They listed to Ezekiel because it pleased and profited them in some way, but not with intent to please God.

Ezekiel 33:31-33 reads, "So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. ³² Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them. ³³ And when this comes to pass--surely it will come--then they will know that a prophet has been among them."  God had remarkable insight into the hearts of people and discerned the motives behind their words and deeds.  We look on the outside, but God looks at the heart.  It is always sad for a preacher to see people drowsy during a message, nodding off whilst fighting sleep.  He is glad to see people bright and energetic, taking notes, and later even rehearsing aspects of the message for further discussion.

Ezekiel's hearers were the second kind, attentive like a music lover enjoying his favourite band live.  They were compared to a man whose foot tapped in rhythm and quietly sang along with words he memorised.  He owned every album, recognised the melodies, and even knew the backstory behind the lyrics of particular tunes.  But just like listening to music cannot fundamentally change a person, hearing the word of God made no impact without faith and obedience.  This is really challenging for me to consider:  when I read or hear God's Word do I take action to heed and obey it?  Or am I only pursuing my own gain?  Some people like rap or metal, others folk music or country:  do I enjoy being taught the scripture because it is a personal preference or because I want to honour God and be transformed?

Jesus spoke of the wise and foolish who heard His words.  Both wise and foolish heard His words, but the wise were those who ordered their lives in obedience to them.  Rather than being a pastor who wonders if his hearers obey the Word of God, I need to realise my natural tendency is to be a hearer but not a doer.  Ezekiel had no control over the kind of listeners who assembled, but he was responsible before God to be both a hearer and doer of God's Word, to not just "show much love" with words but to love God and people from the heart.  I am not responsible for the responses of other people, and ensuring my response to God's Word in humility, repentance, and obedience is key.  When an instrument is out of tune it is not pleasing to the discerning ear of the musician or audience, and if we hear God's Word yet do not change accordingly our lives resemble a clanging cymbal out of time.

James 1:19-25 says, "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; ²⁰ for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. ²¹ Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. ²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; ²⁴ for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. ²⁵ But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."  Hearing is important, but hearing without doing brings self-deception.  As we behold Christ, let us take steps to live in the way that pleases Him.  The meek will receive the implanted Word and walk in it, whilst those who only seek a blessing for themselves will find it strangely elusive.  If we will pursue Jesus in faith, may we in meekness trust and obey Him.

Prosperity and Adversity

"Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what He has made crooked? ¹⁴ In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, so that man can find out nothing that will come after him."

Ecclesiastes 7:13-14

Written by the wisest king who ever ruled, Solomon affirmed the sovereignty and goodness of God.  God allows the rain to fall upon the just and the unjust, and He allows situations we view as good and bad.  Though God's ways are higher than ours, He can be known by all as the loving, compassionate, gracious, and awesome God He is.  Knowing He is in everything and can redeem it for our good changes the way we view prosperity and adversity, for He has appointed one as well as the other.

It is erroneous to assume "bad" things which happen are of the devil, and that good things are the product of our deserving them.  God created our bodies to feel physical pain, and pain serves a useful, practical purpose.  In a similar way trials work for our good, to strengthen our faith and turn our eyes towards God in renewed hope.  When his wife urged him to curse God and die in pain and sorrow, the response of Job is recorded in Job 2:10:  "Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?"  The things men or even Satan meant for evil God can use for good.

During the reign of King Solomon the nation of Israel enjoyed prosperity and peace to a degree previously unknown.  After Solomon's death, however, the nation was suddenly divided when the northern kingdom rebelled against the rule of Rehoboam, his son.  When Rehoboam amassed an army to fight against the northern kingdom which had crowned Jeroboam king to reclaim it, God revealed through the man of God what He had previously said:  "This thing is from me."  Knowing the division was from God prompted Rehoboam to accept what he once previously fought against.  The situation was from God, and God was for him.  The wise find cause for rejoicing in God regardless of circumstances, for God is worthy to be praised and our hope, life, and peace is in Him.

The God who divided Israel into northern and southern kingdoms would purify His people through many trials and difficulties:  the northern kingdom would collapse and fall, Jerusalem's walls would be breached, the Temple broken apart and plundered, and God's people would be brought into captivity in Babylon.  But the God who kills also makes alive, and true to His promise God delivered His people from bondage and caused them to return to the land of their fathers and be restored.  No longer would they be entrenched in idolatry as before but would worship the God of their fathers.  God at times employs temporary adversity to prepare the way for enduring prosperity.  Prosperity and adversity come from the LORD, and all who trust in Him find rest for their souls.

The Heart of Jesus

I have been reading through A.W. Tozer's A Cloud by Day, a Fire by Night, a short compilation of selected sermons by James L. Snyder.  Tozer enjoyed poetry and hymns, and last night I read a poem by Oswald J. Smith titled "Deeper and Deeper" on page 107:

Into the heart of Jesus

Deeper and deeper I go,

Seeking to know the reason

Why He should love me so,

Why He should stoop to lift me

Up from the miry clay,

Saving my soul, making me whole,

Though I had wandered away.

The key to appreciating the sentiments of this poem are found in the first line:  it is Jesus we are to seek as we relish His grace and love.  It does us no good to look to ourselves to see why we are worthy of God's compassion, deliverance, and salvation because in our flesh no good thing dwells.  The world looks at Jesus through many lenses of unbelief, seeing no beauty in the One crucified on Calvary.  But those who have received His love and redemption through faith in Jesus look upon Him with wonder:  how good He must be to love the unlovable!  What humility and meekness is revealed in our LORD through His sacrifice; what generosity in His gifts and promises.  That He would pursue us when we wandered and wilfully disobeyed!

In Christ there is an endless layering of His glory with each new revelation.  His goodness is infinite and enduring forever, and of His love there is no end.  The answer to the question of why Jesus loves us so is found in Him alone and all His glorious attributes.  Every day we can be surprised and overwhelmed with the grace of God, for though He is God He picked us fallen sinners from the mire to be His chosen, His beloved.  We weren't just a "project" for Him to work on to feel good about Himself, but because He is good Jesus cares for everyone with all His heart.  He loves us because He is good, not due to our goodness.

Praise the LORD for making Himself known to us, having drawn us to Himself with cords of love!  Jesus has sought us out, called our names, stopped and stooped to lift us up, and saved us by His grace.  When the priest and Levite saw the man left for dead in the parable, they walked to the other side of the road.  The holiness and sanctification of Jesus is infinitely greater than mere man, yet He came to us when we were dead in sins and broken, healing and restoring us at His own expense.  God's love isn't content to be concealed or at a distance but draws near by grace.  Isn't it beautiful who Jesus is and all He has done?

Embracing Humility

In all seasons of life God provides opportunities to walk in humility before Him.  Today I saw a video of a young teen playing baseball who hits home runs with ease.  That was always a dream of mine in Little League:  to hit a home run over the fence.  Though a proficient player and coming close several times, it was a goal I was never able to achieve.  I bounced balls off the fence, but never hit one out.

A high degree of skill or below-average ability in sport both have ways of exposing pride and our need for repentance and humility.  The trouble about being good at something is we begin to have high expectations of ourselves we never had when first starting out.  As my bowling average rose with practice, so did my expectations of better scores.  Games I would have been pleased with years before when I was just "having fun" became a source of frustration.  But it wasn't 10-pin bowling, my team, my poor technique, or the score which was the problem:  the issue was pride in my heart.  Navigating failure in technique or execution of fundamentals is not nearly as challenging as addressing the pride prior success can bring.

In the heat of the moment it is easy to lose my composure, but the conviction of the Holy Spirit and even gentle rebuke by others has helped me regain proper perspective.  I am glad to have the insights afforded by God's grace to King Nebuchadnezzar after his seven years of madness in Daniel 4:37:  "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down."  After proud Nebuchadnezzar was humbled, God restored him to rule once again as king.  The greatest men ultimately will be humbled before our glorious God, but better to humble ourselves before Him voluntarily.  God is able to humble kings, sportsmen, intellectuals, celebrities, and the average Joe without difficulty, and we are blessed to embrace it.

Failure to perform well at sport up to our expectations is a humbling experience, and whenever we are humbled it is good.  The flesh resists and resents this treatment which can take far more than seven years, but it bears eternal fruit that is pleasing and acceptable to God.  We would be pleased with a perfect game in bowling or by hitting a grand slam to win the baseball game, but God is pleased when we humble ourselves before Him win or lose, thankful and grateful for the chance to play a game, enjoy being part of a team, and doing our best.

Training Up Children

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

Proverbs 22:6

When I was an apprentice, a big part of my training was following the example set by my foreman concerning how he wanted work done.  Over many years I spread my time between several different foremen and they all had different standards and expectations.  My conduct was a mix between standards of quality established in the classroom as well as in the field on the job among my peers.  I was required to switch gears quickly between tasks and multiple job sites, remembering how particular bosses wanted duct wrapped, chillers covered with rubber, or how exposed metalwork should be completed.  I benefited from working under and receiving training from journeyman who had different specialities.

Solomon exhorted parents to train up children in the right way applying knowledge of God's wisdom and truth.  Being a proverb, however, this is not an absolute guarantee that godly parenting always results in godly children through adulthood.  This is a general principle not a promise.  God is the perfect Father, yet His people went astray in unbelief.  There are many people who were raised by godly parents who went their own way, and children raised in homes without the knowledge of God later became His faithful servants.  Many parents have heaped guilt and condemnation upon themselves because they blamed their poor parenting for their child's rebellious choices.  Others imagine they must have done a great job of parenting because their kids are well-behaved with polite manners.  But the maxim rings true:  children trained to obey and honour obey God in their youth will be most likely to continue walking in God's ways through adulthood.

If we desire to train up children to live the right way, it is important as parents we set a godly example.  Childhood provides many teachable moments, opportunities to practically apply scripture, and hands-on experiences we can utilise to encourage, teach, and correct.  A father who loves his son will discipline him when necessary in an appropriate and loving manner as the situation and the leading of the Holy Spirit dictate.  As parents it is imperative we remain humble and teachable during the process of this training, for God uses children to instruct parents in countless ways.  How many times in teaching my children has God taught me and revealed my need to change!  Ultimately both parents and children will stand before God and give account for their actions:  parents will not be condemned for stubborn or wayward children, and children will not be given a free pass to disobey because their parents were slack.

Since I want my children to go the right way, I must be disciplined and responsible to walk in the right way myself.  It is hypocrisy for me to refuse to do myself what I expect of my kids.  Becoming angry about their disobedience or laziness could very well be self-inflicted, for it may be I have been slack to communicate, instruct, discipline, or adequately model a standard which meets my expectations.  Child rearing is a means God uses to train parents and guardians of children to look to Jesus for strength and wisdom, to step up in obedience to Him, and to press on in personal sanctification.  Should my children follow Jesus through adulthood, it is not because I have "done something right" but because God is gracious and good, worthy of being followed forever.

Stay Hungry and Thirsty

I don't think anyone prefers troubling times, feeling insecure, or realising we are in danger.  These seasons of hardship can provide a blessing and benefits ease and comfort cannot.  Recently I saw an example firsthand of how trials shift our perspective.  I observed a new social media acquaintance share a series of posts on what bothered them, pet peeves concerning politics and church.  But when there was a diagnosis of cancer in the family, the perspective shifted to seeking God in prayer with tears.  The awful, sudden illness shifted focus from self to God for the better.

The Bible has many such examples.  The book of Judges has a repeating cycle of people doing what is right in their own eyes, crying out to God, then God raising up a deliverer.  Yet as soon as the judge through whom God wrought deliverance and rule died, they ceased from following the LORD.  God revealed this predictable outcome concerning His people in Deuteronomy 32:15-18:  "But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; you grew fat, you grew thick, you are obese! Then he forsook God who made him, and scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation. ¹⁶ They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods; with abominations they provoked Him to anger. ¹⁷ They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they did not know, to new gods, new arrivals that your fathers did not fear. ¹⁸ Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, and have forgotten the God who fathered you."

When the house was built, the food abundant, and the enemies defeated, the people of God grew complacent.  With physical needs met and barns full there was little motivation to pray for God to provide.  Thankfulness and gratefulness were swallowed up with greed and covetousness.  Their success caused them to forsake the God who caused them to succeed in every endeavour.  They were not mindful of God because they were not troubled on every side and did not seek His guidance because they were self-confident.  God, in His grace, would allow His own people to fall by the hands of their enemies, to suffer lack and pains, to face famine and languish through drought so they might recognise their lack and turn their eyes to God again.

How silly it is to kick out at God, to provoke Him with pride and idolatry!  This tragic response of God's people has been a cycle common in my life too.  There is a redemptive aspect of failure, tragedy, and trials I do not always appreciate at the time:  God uses seasons of plenty and lack to show us what is in our hearts and to move us to look to Him in thanksgiving and salvation.  It is good for us to come to God hungry and thirsty, desperate for His wisdom and guidance like a little child who runs to his father when he sees a stranger, an unfamiliar cat, or upon hearing a noise at night.  In all our doing, our coming and going, let us not forget the God who fathered us, the God who loves us and has graciously provided for all our needs.  This place of faith, humility, and reliance upon God promotes spiritual fitness and increases energy for His service.

Seeking An Occasion

When God says His thoughts and ways are above ours, He isn't wrong.  How often we look at situations without knowledge necessary to understand what God's purposes are!  Samson's parents faced such a dilemma with their son's choice of a spouse.  He demanded they go to Timnath and arrange a marriage with a Philistine woman who lived there.

Initially Manoah and his wife gently rebuffed the idea, suggesting there must be a woman among their countrymen who would be a more suitable match.  But Samson would not be deterred.  Judges 14:4 reveals this particular choice was of God:  "But his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD--that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel."  It seems odd God would "seek an occasion" against the Philistines in such an...unorthodox way...as if there is an orthodox way.  Reading this emphatically demonstrates God is right to use whatever means He wants to accomplish His good purposes.  Behind Samson's request for a Philistine bride was an occasion God would use to deliver His people from their oppressors.

God's ways are higher than ours, and like Him we ought to seek opportunities to do good.  We cannot say how God will use a kind word, a compassionate smile, or prayers for the benefit of others.  Galatians 6:9-10 says, "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."  God provides us opportunities to spend and be spent for His glory, to give of our time, resources, and efforts to encourage and edify others, especially amongst fellow believers.  A farmer understands the seed he sows will bring forth a crop after its kind, and as we sow to the Spirit there will be eternal fruit we don't even realise.

It was faith in God--not in the wisdom or foresight of their son Samson--which would have provided peace in a very troubling and unexpected development, that Samson would ask for the hand of a Philistine girl in marriage!  How that must have gnawed at them, and what pains they endured when the marriage lasted only days and their son came home angry and broken.  But God knew what He was doing; God's purposes were being furthered in a way none could have predicted.  The vendetta between Samson and the Philistines escalated until the death of Samson, and in his death he defeated more Philistines than he had during his life.  Only God can bring victory in death.

Isn't it amazing God would come to earth and die for sinners on Calvary in the person of Jesus Christ?  No one could have anticipated such a thing, not even the scheming devil himself.  The death of Jesus and His resurrection was a death blow to the powers of Satan, death, and hell.  God provided for Himself a spotless Lamb to atone for the sins of all under Satan's rule, and He shed His own blood to purchase all who will trust in Him.  The ways of God are truly past finding out!  Who knows what God will do in the lives of people and nations to accomplish His purposes!  What appears or actually is foolish in the hands of our gracious God can be redeemed for good and His glory.

Faultless Faith

It is a natural tendency for us to focus on faults we perceive in ourselves or others.  Sometimes these faults are merely a matter of preference, style, or opinion.  Yet in all of us there are genuine faults, damning sins to be repented of:  selfishness, pride, deceit, greed, and covetousness.  These blemishes cannot be covered up or ignored because everyone does them.  Bad behaviour and sinful characteristics in people provides instruction for the wise coupled with the insight of the Holy Spirit:  every fault we see in someone else and condemn, we are guilty of the same.

Finding fault in others might be the easiest task ever.  Doing this also plays to our own pride, thinking we are somehow superior to others because we have not made the same mistakes.  What we fail to recognise is whilst we may not have made the precise mistake because our circumstances differ, the sinful heart and mind found in us is just as deeply flawed and calls for judgment from God.  The things which bother us the most in others tend to be things we still do or used to do.  It grates upon us because it is so us.  We must be careful even in our explanations of behaviours which irritate us lest we become those whom we reproach.

One thing I am sensitive to is the criticism of other Christians, especially those who appear in the Bible.  God has graciously provided us His uncensored Word, not covering or justifying faults of flawed people who trusted in God.  It is a grief to my soul when believers today (and I have been guilty myself in the past) of mocking, scorning, and criticising actions of people in scripture, condemning them for a fault when God commended their faith.  To scoff at the unbelief of the Hebrews in the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt is to scoff at ourselves if we will be honest.  To criticise Elijah for fleeing from Jezebel or Peter who denied Jesus is beside the point:  are we any better?  A list in the "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11:32-34 is a great example:  "And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: ³³ who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens."

Instead of trotting out a disclaimer about the notable faults of each of these people, it was their faith the writer of Hebrews emphasised and affirmed.  We all have faults to be sure, but this does not condemn us before a God who accounts faith in Him as righteousness.  This should in no way embolden us to sin, but the grace, longsuffering, and goodness of God towards sinners should humble us and urge us to righteous living pleasing to God.  As I grow older I begin to understand a bit better why David said in light of the harsh actions of his cousins, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?"  While they bayed for blood, justice, and revenge, David realised he already had enough blood on his hands.  I am grown weary of finding fault, and it seems my faults are ever before me.

Faith in God is always better than the appearance of perfection or the self-righteous criticism of others.  Praise the LORD He will not bring my faults to remembrance when I stand before Him, but by faith in Christ He will enable me to stand.  Jesus is the one who will present me faultless (despite my faults!) before the Father with exceeding joy.  The walls of the courtrooms on earth have heard a great deal of testimony concerning heinous crimes committed, but what sin will there be to recount before the judgment seat of Christ when all sins of the saved have already been expunged by Him?  God knows what He has done, and Christ's followers know it too.  If we will not remind Him of our sins on that Day, why should we mock or scorn others for their faults today?  

Don't Be Troubled!

My memory was jogged the other day during conversation to look up a passage in 2 Thessalonians.  Paul wrote in his first letter to the Thessalonians the day of the LORD would come as a thief in the night, suddenly and unexpectedly.  This commonly employed phrase "day of the LORD" throughout the scriptures means a time of judgment from God.  With the persecution and tribulation of the early church, it appears there were some who taught the day of the LORD had already come.  Perhaps they wondered if they had somehow missed the rapture of the church.  Paul refuted this in his second letter, explaining necessary events which much happen first.

Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, "Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, ² not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come."  Paul wrote intending to provide comfort for followers of Jesus, but it seems they did not understand.  He sought to alleviate their concerns by correcting their understanding.  Paul affirmed the day of Christ had not yet come; they were not experiencing the wrath of God though they suffered much.  He then laid out (in my mind) once of the most clear and concrete explanation of major eschatological milestones in the New Testament.  Since prophecy is not always linear along a timeline, this revelation of the LORD through Paul is very useful and important.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-7 reads, "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. ⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? ⁶ And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. ⁷ For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way."  The "Day" of the LORD would not occur until other prophecies were fulfilled.  Paul spoke of a "falling away," a massive departure from faith in Jesus Christ and the revelation of the "man of sin" who is commonly referred to as the anti-christ.  This son of perdition will exalt himself in the temple (there is currently no temple of God in Jerusalem, much to the dismay of pious Jews) and declare he is God and to be worshipped.

What is restraining this great apostasy?  The presence of the Holy Spirit in the church who fills each believer.  The mystery of lawlessness was already at work in Paul's day and has continued until now, but a day will come when He who restrains will be taken away with the rapture of the church when we are gathered to Jesus.  If we did not have the Holy Spirit within followers of Jesus we could not be presently born again, saved, love one another, or do any viable ministry unto the LORD.  The second coming of Jesus to judge the world in righteousness and the gathering of the church to Himself are two distinct events.  Once the church is removed there will be a great falling away from God like the world has never seen, the anti-christ will be revealed for who he is, and ultimately the Day of the LORD will follow.  Jude 1:14-15 says, "Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, ¹⁵ to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."

When I was a kid, I was sadly much more intrigued about who the anti-christ was rather than lifting my eyes to Jesus Christ and following Him.  I was more determined not to receive the "mark of the beast" rather than loving God and other people.  No one knows when the rapture of the church will occur, but we are told of specific things which must occur before the Day of the LORD comes:  the temple will be built, the restraining Holy Spirit will be removed (and Christians with Him for He will never leave or forsake us), there will be a great apostasy, and the anti-christ will demand worship as God in the temple.  Those who once celebrated the return of temple worship of God will have their eyes opened to behold the reality the one they perhaps imagined to be their hero and messiah to be unveiled as a blasphemer and devil.  Amazingly, many will come to Christ during the great tribulation period, and the return of Jesus with His saints will bring it to a close with the establishment of Christ's physical kingdom in Jerusalem.

Instead of feeling unsettled or troubled, what confidence we can have in our Saviour Jesus Christ!  Let us recall the words of Jesus to His disciples in John 14:1-4:  "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And where I go you know, and the way you know."  All who trust in Christ need not fear, for He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He is with us today, and we will be together forever.