Seek the LORD Early

"O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. ² So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory."

Psalm 63:1-2

Growing up in the church, the sanctuary was the place in the building where there were chairs, pews and a pulpit.  It was the place where the church body gathered together to sing worship songs, hear sermons and pray.  The sanctuary was a place consecrated similarly to the tabernacle a temple, a place where God dwelt.  The ironic thing is in my youth I was not aiming to look for God's power and glory.  The sanctuary was viewed as God's house, a place where we showed respect for God by refraining from running, shouting and removed our hats.  David's longing and desire to seek the presence of God early is refreshing in comparison to the legalism of consecrated spaces.

From my own experience I can say people who enter a church are not always looking for the presence of God, to see His power and His glory.  If attendees hope to see a thick cloud enveloping the preacher or angelic messengers flitting about singing forth the praises of God, they likely will be disappointed.  Pious Jews today seek the presence of God at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, yet the power and glory of God is not found in a geographic location or consecrated hall:  God's glory is seen in the sanctified people redeemed by the blood of Jesus and filled with the Spirit of God.  It is not in the ornate statues or gilded pillars carved by skillful artisans but through the lives of Christians by grace through faith His power and glory is revealed.

This does not mean we look inside ourselves to find the power and glory of God:  we continually look to Jesus Christ, risen and glorified, the source of Living Water that springs up into eternal life.  David was parched for the presence of God like weary pilgrims who had traveled through an arid region and needed water for survival.  David's soul thirsted for God and thus he went where God dwelt, in the sanctuary, the place where God dwelt.  Paul revealed under the New Covenant of the Gospel Christians are the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, holy because His presence makes us so.  We are blessed to draw near to God by faith in Jesus Christ wherever we may be, and His power is made perfect in our weakness.  His presence abides in us His workmanship, and by faith and obedience we abide in Him.

How good and fitting an exhortation today are the words written in 1 Chronicles 16:7-11:  "On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the LORD: ⁸ Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! ⁹ Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; talk of all His wondrous works! ¹⁰ Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! ¹¹ Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face evermore!"  Let us seek the LORD early in our lives, early in the morning and evermore!  Seeking the LORD and proclaiming His glory go hand in hand, exponentially multiplying our reliance on Him as we rejoice in our awesome God.

The Danger of Overcorrection

A lot of driving accidents occur due to overcorrection.  When driving is monotonous and fatigue sets in, as a driver drifts off to sleep their car can also begin to drift from their lane.  Waking with a start, the driver impulsively jerks the wheel to swerve back into the lane or slams the brakes.  This rapid movement to avoid the danger of the ditch creates a new one when control is lost of the car which can fishtail, spin, hit other cars, or plunge into the ditch the driver attempted to avoid.  Gentle directional correction while controlling speed helps a driver stay safely in their own lane and reach the intended destination.

The danger of overcorrection can be seen beyond our roadways.  There are many people who make negative judgments about groups of people because of a bad experience they had.  In Christians circles this tendency is seen in legalism as fresh zeal for God lends itself to condemnation of others who have different convictions and beliefs.  Arbitrary categories for music, movies or modesty are formed as badge of genuine spirituality.  Because a person attended a church where the gifts of the Holy Spirit were used in a disorderly fashion, the suggestion particular gifts of the Holy Spirit are valid today may be dismissed with scornful disdain.  Instead of seeking the balance provided by the word of God, man can swing to extremes.  Being offended by a person who identifies as a Christian has made many people swear off the church, the existence of God and a relationship with Jesus Christ.

I read a passage recently which likely provides a demonstration of overcorrection.  After the king of Judah Uzziah transgressed and was struck with leprosy when he entered the holy place and offered incense, 2 Chronicles 27:2 (KJV) says of Jotham his son who was made king:  "And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly."  Jotham was wise to learn from his father's mistake and not transgress by offering incense because this was the duty of a sanctified priest.  Jotham did what was right in the sight of the LORD, howbeit he did not enter the temple of the LORD.  The way this is written suggests to me he was keen to avoid the temple and even temple courts frequented by godly kings before him as they sought the LORD in prayer like King Solomon at the altar.  It is possible Jotham avoided the temple because it was the place his father was struck with leprosy, an overcorrection to avoid God's punishment instead of being an example of righteousness and humility in public worship of God--unlike his father.  Avoiding the temple did nothing to instill a fear of God in the wayward people.

Overcorrection leads to disaster on the roadways and is a real danger in the lives of Christians who lose the proper tension between the love and fear of God.  These are not contradictory but complimentary motivations that govern our attitudes, convictions, words and deeds.  The pendulum of a clock swings from one side to another, and it is wise for us to find a balance between extreme reactions to which we are prone.  Let us be extreme in our love and fear of God and obedience to walk in righteousness, but let us be careful not to swing towards condemning what and whom God has not.  Be firm in your convictions yet not hard as stone, for God has given us hearts of flesh to care and feel for others.

How God Helps

"Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless. ¹² Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies."

Psalm 60:11-12

David knew from experience the help of man is vain, and it is not comparable to the help given by God who makes His people valiant.  These verses demonstrate how the help of God is different than help from people.  When my dad asked for my help to hold a light, retrieve a tool or lift an object, it was assistance he was looking for.  He already knew what needed to be done and possessed the materials and tools to perform the work.  Having help would make doing the job more convenient and less time consuming.  If he had a third hand, likely my assistance would have been unnecessary.

It is vital we understand God's "help" is not like a kid holding a torch so we can see the nut to turn on the engine with a spanner or lifting the other side of a table.  God did not assist David by augmenting his abilities but by doing the work Himself.  By faith and reliance upon God David was involved in the process, of course, but his valiance and ability to overcome troubles was all from God.  2 Chronicles 20:15 makes it clear the battle itself is God's:  "And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's."  The help God gives is not a little extra boost to get us over the line, for without Him we can do nothing.

After Jesus ascended to the Father, the Holy Spirit was sent to fill believers, to teach, comfort and help them.  With the example of me "helping" my dad, he directed me to do something that would provide the assistance and result he wanted.  I believe many people think God should help them in like manner.  Having been told God can help them, they assume that means He will assist them by giving them what they want when they believe they need it.  That is the way man helps, not how God helps.  It would not even be appropriate to say we are like the son in the example helping his dad, for God does not need us at all.  He can do everything by just saying the word, for He created the heavens, earth and all living things by speaking them into existence.

Praise the LORD He helps us in ways beyond our capacity to fully understand and appreciate!  David was valiant because He knew God would tread down his enemies, not just to assist him with a boost of courage or skill when David felt overwhelmed.  God's strength is made perfect in our weakness, when we begin to realise we are incapable of doing God's work or will at all and start actually trusting Him to do what we cannot.  The lame man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5 lamented the lack of help of people to place him in the pool first.  He imagined a lack of people helping hindered his healing.  Jesus sought out this man and asked him, "Do you want to be made well?"  When he responded to the command of Jesus with obedience, he was immediately healed and strengthened to rise, carry his bed and walk.  Like David said, God helps like no man can.

Christ Born to You

"Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. "

Luke 2:10-11

It must have been quite a shock for the shepherds keeping their flocks by night to be accosted by angelic messengers heralding the Messiah's arrival.  Imagine how you would feel to hear "There is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour."  It would be easy to accept a baby had been born to Joseph and Mary but much more difficult to take personal responsibility for a baby that was not yours.

Jesus was born to Joseph and Mary, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit.  Because the Child Jesus was born to them, they were responsible to feed, clothe, wash and raise Him.  Parents are called to nourish, train, discipline and provide for the needs of the children God has provided by His grace.  Children are born to their parents, not for them.  This struck me afresh as I considered man's tendency to imagine the sending of God's only begotten Son Jesus is for us, not unto us.  While we do benefit from Jesus being sent as our Saviour, Him being sent to us means we have responsibility to take action by faith in Him.

The shepherds realised Jesus had been born to them and thus they responded in obedience to divine revelation.  Luke 2:15-17 says, "So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child."  If the Child was born for their salvation and redemption, they could shrug and say, "Cool."  Because Jesus was born to them, they immediately went with haste to find the Baby they were told about.  Having found Him, they believed and boldly proclaimed widely what was told them concerning Jesus:  He is a Saviour, who is Christ the LORD.

Friends, do you realise Jesus has been born to you?  On this Christmas let us realise Jesus does not exist for us but we do for Him.  Since He has been born to us, we all have personal responsibility before God to believe, seek Him and widely proclaim Him like those shepherds did long ago.  We have good tidings of great joy to all people, for unto us is born a Saviour!  Let us adore Him and glorify Him always.

Sought and Found

Unless God revealed Himself to mankind, we would never find Him.  It would be more impossible for a man to know the almighty God who dwells in unapproachable glory than for a cat to learn calculus or a dog to understand and explain Kepler's laws of planetary motion.  God is so great and beyond our comprehension it requires the gracious intervention of our Maker to open eyes of faith to see Him at work in everything.  God has promised those who seek Him will find Him, and blessed are those who believe His word and receive Jesus whom the Father has sent.

During my nightly reading I was captivated by what happened after the people of Judah united to serve only the LORD with an oath in 2 Chronicles 15:15:  "And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them, and the LORD gave them rest all around."  It was not out of the goodness of the hearts of the people, being fed up with life's troubles or even the negative consequences of their own sin that moved people to seek God:  it was an exhortation by the Holy Spirit through the prophet Azariah the son of Oded, a prophet likely you have never heard of because there are no books of the Bible titled by his name.  The Spirit of the almighty God came upon Azariah with a message for the king, and the hearts of the people turned to the LORD and found Him.

2 Chronicles 15:1-7 tells us what happened:  "Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. ² And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. ³ For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law; ⁴ but when in their trouble they turned to the LORD God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them. ⁵ And in those times there was no peace to the one who went out, nor to the one who came in, but great turmoil was on all the inhabitants of the lands. ⁶ So nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every adversity. ⁷ But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!"  The prophet related how God chastened His people when they departed from Him, but if they sought Him they would find Him.  For a long time the people were without peace and were troubled on every side.  There was great turmoil that resulted in destruction and adversity.  Seeking God required labour to obey Him and put away sin, and the exhortation came with the promise of sure reward.

King Asa and the people heeded the word of the LORD spoken by Azariah, and it required courage to put away idols and remove the queen from her position for her idolatry.  People from all around flocked to king Asa because God was with him (2 Chron. 15:10).  There were times when God revealed Himself with fire from heaven on Sinai, consumed the sacrifice on Mt. Carmel and a glorious cloud filled the temple.  You might wonder, how did people know they had found God?  Verse 15 gives us the answer:  the LORD gave them rest all around.  They were at rest inside and out, at peace with God and one another.  The trouble and adversity that plagued them dissipated and disturbance was replaced with rejoicing.  All Judah rejoiced and was at rest because they sought the LORD and He was found by them.  There is no need to complicate this, to obsess over how they knew they found God because we doubt such a thing is possible.  When a man previously blind was asked how he was miraculously made whole by Jesus he said, "One thing I know:  though I was blind now I see."

Jesus bid all come to Him and find rest for our souls, and rejoicing in the Prince of Peace is a consistent theme for all those who believed in Jesus Christ even in the midst of trials.  Jesus is our Peace, and God Himself is our reward.  People troubled by God were given strength to seek and find God, and they rejoiced to seek Him because their efforts were bountifully rewarded.  Praise the LORD Jesus is the Good Shepherd sent to find us lost sheep, and when we respond to His voice by seeking Him we are rewarded with His presence where we experience perfect peace and rest.

Souls at Peace

"As for me, I will call upon God, and the LORD shall save me. ¹⁷ Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. ¹⁸ He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many against me."

Psalm 55:16-18

David was anointed king over Israel and the Spirit of God rested upon him, yet life was not easy.  He faced many troubles, struggles and many enemies--even in his own household.  All along David had great confidence in God's ability to hear, answer his prayers and save him.  When the men of Israel cowered in fear at the threats of Goliath, David alone was courageous to meet him in battle because he was sure God would deliver him into his hand.  There were many who gathered against David, but there were also many with him.

I am reminded of the time when Elisha was holed up in Dothan and the Syrians came and surrounded the city.  2 Kings 6:15-17 reads, "And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" ¹⁶ So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." ¹⁷ And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."  The servant saw the army encompassing the city and was afraid.  He wondered what they could possibly do and was blind to the divine protection provided by God's grace of an innumerable heavenly host.  Sometimes we are like the overwhelmed servant when we ought to have the fearless perspective of Elisha who prayed.

For all the troubles God allowed David to endure, He brought help, comfort and friendship in time of need.  When David was forced to leave his home and wife because of king Saul's murderous rampage, hundreds of men gathered to him who would remain loyal all his days.  He was separated from his family and hometown and 400 men swelled to 600.  After David fled Jerusalem during the coup led by Absalom, he directed the priests to return to the city and instructed 10 concubines to remain and keep the house while many mourned beside him.  Shimei threw stones and hurled insults at David, yet Barzillai and Shobi a Moabite came to comfort and provide much needed supplies.  David's trusted advisor Ahithophel turned against him, yet his friend Hushai came to help him.  It seemed for every foe God provided David a friend who rallied to his aid, and God was faithful to deliver him.

By faith in God there is strong confidence and great gain, for God hears, saves and delivers us according to His grace and goodness.  We may not feel we have a friend in the world and all seems against us, but may we never forget Jesus called His disciples friends.  Since we have sought the LORD and fled to Him for refuge who can separate us from His love and life?  Israel once complained about all the things that were against him because of the loss of Joseph, Simeon and Benjamin (Gen. 42:36) and did not comprehend at the time how God was for him.  God had preserved all three and used Joseph to save many other people alive through a severe 7 year famine.  Our God hears, saves and is always with us, able to redeem our souls in peace.

Give Praise To God

Because we live within the confines of time marked by years, months and days that repeat, it is common for people to mark particularly meaningful days like birthdays, wedding anniversaries and holidays.  There are also days that "live in infamy" when people and nations have suffered great tragedies that will be soberly remembered for generations to come.  We look forward to days we celebrate, and Christmas is a day rapidly approaching many gladly anticipate.  Everyone has different holiday traditions and why a day is more meaningful or worthy of celebration, and for me Christmas is a reminder of something I can rejoice in every day:  that God sent Jesus Christ our Saviour to give us eternal life by faith in Him.

The giving and receiving of gifts on Christmas is a longstanding tradition among many people and cultures.  I find it interesting the different ways people discuss Christmas, like we are going to "have Christmas" at someone's home--meaning there will be a special meal or the exchange at that location rather than somewhere else.  An article reporting on an interview with an epidemiologist on The Project said, "After the interview, Wilkinson seemed sceptical that Australia’s politicians would follow the health experts’ advice: “They know that the greatest gift they could give, as politicians, is to give us Christmas,” she said.  “You don’t want to be the politician that destroyed Christmas,” quipped panellist Nazeem Hussain."  Can a politician give anyone Christmas or destroy it?  I suppose that depends on how you define Christmas.

God has given us Christ, and thus the purpose and reason Christmas exists for me does not depend on our ability to gather with family, to drink eggnog, eat special foods or the exchange of gifts.  I personally enjoy the exchange of gifts as an expression of thankgiving for the LORD's greatest gift in sending us His Son.  This morning David's words directed to God in Psalm 54:6 resonated with me:  "I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O LORD, for it is good."  David was obligated under the Law of Moses to offer sacrifices to the LORD from his flocks and herds.  As a shepherd he knew what to look for in quality sheep, goats and cattle and selected the best to give to God who gave him all things.  His obligation under Law was not an arduous and annoying duty but a joyful opportunity to freely sacrifice to God and praise God because He is good.  This is the heart we can have in giving to God and others every day, for God's goodness does not hinge on politicians or legislation.

Giving ourselves in praise to the LORD is fitting for every occasion as it is written in Hosea 14:1-2:  "O Israel, return to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity; ² take words with you, and return to the LORD. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity; receive us graciously, for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips."  See this divine exchange:  having received Jesus our LORD and Saviour by faith, God's people are received by God according to His grace.  We are sinners, and God sent us a Saviour.  God knew what mankind needed and gave us the perfect gift, the Person of Jesus Christ the LORD.  Hebrews 13:15 is the perfect response in light of all God has done for and given us through Jesus:  "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name."  Let us give thanks unto our LORD freely, for He is good.

The Father Loves You

God's grace and love is foreign to this world and we can struggle at times to receive it.  We naturally love based on who a person is in relation to us, if our experiences with someone have been favourable or out of appreciation for admirable qualities we find in others.  This offer or withdrawal of love based upon performance can filter into our relationship with God, imagining He only loves us because of Jesus.  Jesus loves us, this we know because the Bible tells us so.  Did you realise God the Father loves us too?

A friend told me of a recent conversation he had when he extended an invitation to church.  "Oh I couldn't go to church," he was told.  "I'd be burned up for sure."  This perspective was not one of confidence in the love of God that seeks to forgive and restore lost sinners to fellowship with Himself.  Some see God as a vengeful, angry judge who is ready to smite sinners in anger when suddenly meek and mild Jesus steps in and the Father's wrath abates.  Rest assured there is no divine nepotism at work, no "good cop bad cop" routine where God is primed to destroy and Jesus wants to show mercy.  Jesus and the Father are one, and God is love.

Do you see God the Father as a surly, divine bouncer who guards the gates of heaven?  Do you imagine tentatively approaching the gates of pearl and suddenly God grabs you by the scruff of the neck to dispatch you into hell and Jesus, seeing His Father a bit unhinged says, "Oh, he is with me."  At the words of Jesus the Father releases His hold, smooths out our rumpled clothing and relents from what He really wants to do, which is to throw us into the eternal flame of hell.  This is a completely false, unscriptural idea of what God is like.  God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son Jesus to save sinners, not condemn them.  We were condemned already!

Jesus said in John 16:26-27, "In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; ²⁷ for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God."  God the Father answers the prayers of those who trust in Jesus, not just for Christ's sake but because the Father Himself loves us.  This is a wonderful thing Jesus revealed.  Those who love Jesus are in a posture to receive the love of the Father and share it with others.  Anything on earth we receive and share with others means we have less of it, yet the more we share God's love the more it grows and expands within us.  God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit are in full agreement as one God, revealing the gracious love of God for undeserving people.

God loves you, you don't deserve it and you never will.  But will you receive the love of God freely offered to you?  Will you choose to love God and others as you exercise faith by obedience in the God who delivers, redeems and saves?  God is the righteous judge of all and made a way of salvation by faith in Jesus for unworthy sinners because He loves us.  God loved us and sent His Son, and the Father Himself loves those who love Jesus.  The fruit of the Holy Spirit is love.  May we be enraptured in the love of God provided by His grace and grow in it by loving Him and others.

Are You Hungry?

I have heard it said, "Beggars can't be choosers" but I assure you they can.  I have met some selective and demanding beggars over the years.  I have met many people who would regularly come into the church I attended in San Diego to receive food kept for that purpose.  They preferred to pick and choose what they wanted rather than receive what they were given.  So what we did is have bags prepared beforehand ready to give to those who requested food.  Sometimes we would find some of the food thrown on the ground or deposited in the rubbish bin outside.  Most of the time these people who were not actually hungry at the time, but they were doing their rounds like people go to the shops to buy groceries.

I remember one time I was enjoying some carne asada burritos in Point Loma with friends and we struck up a conversation with a homeless man.  He said he was hungry and we offered to buy him a burrito.  He assured us one burrito alone would not satisfy his ravenous hunger so he wanted money to buy the most expensive item on the menu, something that "would really stick to the ribs," he said.  The more we spoke with him, however, it became apparent that he wasn't really hungry for food but wanted money to use elsewhere.  If the man was truly hungry, I'm thinking he would have been grateful for the offer of quality food we enjoyed ourselves.  (By the way if you know of a quality Mexican taco shop in Sydney, I am keen to hear recommendations.:) )

One thing I find most refreshing in pastoral ministry is when people are actually hungry for the word of God.  We do not need to be prompted to speak enthusiastically about our favourite restaurant or dish because we enjoy freely sharing our discoveries with those who also may appreciate the benefits.  I have found the more physically active I am, the more ravenous my appetite.  Those who are walking in the Spirit and exercising faith in Jesus are more apt to have a spiritual appetite for the word than the sedentary, sleepy Christian.  There is a kind of Christian that resembles a food critic who is much more focused on plating and ambiance than satisfying their spiritual need by feasting on God's word.  Because they are not hungry they sample this or taste that and leave their plate basically full.  A Christian can be like picky eaters who only eat chicken nuggets or macaroni and cheese who fill up before going out.  Already full, they have little appetite for the unfamiliar and uncomfortable truths presented by the scriptures for their nourishment.  A spiritually dead person has no appetite for God's word, and thus a desire to receive God's word is a positive sign of life.

Many times my family and I have sat down to eat and we are treated to a rare thing in our household, that of silence.  This is typically an indication we are hungry and the food is great and being enjoyed.  Everyone at some point likely have sat down to eat lunch or dinner because it was the time for lunch or dinner, not because we were really hungry.  It was more of an obligation to appear at the table for the sake of the gathered family or the one who prepared the food than because we are starving and need sustenance.  Brothers and sisters, if we are not hungry for God's word there is likely is something off with our spiritual digestion.  Perhaps we have been feeding on junk and sweets; perhaps we have fasted from spiritual nutrition so long we no longer feel hunger pangs.  It ought not to be pangs of guilt that prompt us to go to church on Sunday or read the Bible but a desire to know God and to feed on His faithfulness.  We joyfully anticipate a special meal to savour every flavourful bite and appreciate the texture, and every word God has written to us is pure and good as He is.

Those who have had their spiritual hunger satisfied by the word of God will be those who tell others of the wondrous things God has revealed to them.  Tasting and eating are things we must do for ourselves, and those who find what is good become walking advertisements of quality establishments.  Having found our satisfaction in Jesus Christ and the scripture, it is ultimately Jesus we proclaim--not a particular church, doctrine or controversial subjects.  We ought to be in fellowship at a church were the word of God is preached and where the fear and love of God unifies.  No church or pastor is perfect, but the problem does not lie in the preaching or teaching when we are not hungry for God's word.  Humbly loving, serving, praying and helping one another in fellowship gives us an appetite for the scriptures the almighty God has provided.  Having received the Living Bread Jesus by faith, our Good Shepherd guides us to pastures of green where we can daily feed and find our hunger satisfied by Him.

Where No Thieves Can Steal

I read an article that detailed a recent 60% increase of theft on construction sites as reported by A Current Affair.  Jessica Nagel wrote, "Supply shortages and price hikes combined with items sitting on site for longer periods of time has created the perfect storm for an increase in theft."  Whilst this on the surface may seem true, this statement is akin to shaming victims of sexual assault for their choice of clothing.

I happen to live in a suburb that has many incomplete new home builds all around.  As I take early morning walks I see building materials piled high on job sites awaiting the break of day:  bricks, sand, steel, timber, tiles and windows are staged behind locked fences with the oversight of security cameras.  And guess what?  People walk by the stuff day after day of "supply shortages and price hikes" and there it sits secure until it is installed or a greedy, selfish thief steals it.

God commanded people in His law, "Thou shalt not steal."  The problem isn't a supply issue or price increases but the wicked hearts of men who justify their sin.  A victim of theft can feel entitled to steal from others.  Better locks, more cameras, stronger deterrents or actually putting teeth in the judicial system doesn't fix what ails us.  Solomon observed in Ecclesiastes 8:11, "Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil."  Stealing is a heart problem, not a supply issue.

Because we live in a world rife with sin, it is important for us to be wise and take necessary precautions to deter theft.  Left to his own devices man will lie, steal, make pathetic excuses and justify himself all the way into hell.  I am grateful to Jesus Christ for the way of forgiveness and salvation He has provided through the Gospel, for even the thief being executed beside Him on Calvary was provided an opportunity to believe in Jesus as LORD and Saviour.  Praise the LORD for the new hearts given us by faith in Jesus and the future in heaven where thieves cannot break in and steal.  Our treasure is in heaven since we are in Christ.

2 Peter 3:13-15 says, "Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. ¹⁴ Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; ¹⁵ and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation..."  God is longsuffering even towards thieves so they might repent, be forgiven and saved.  As long as thefts continue we can know this world is not all there is, for there are new heavens and a new earth awaiting us where righteousness dwells.  As we look forward to our inheritance provided by Jesus in His presence, we ought to "be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless."  Since we are going where righteousness dwells and no thief can enter, by faith in Christ we can be content, generous and gracious today.

God Reigns Over All

At times I admit I am baffled by the idealistic ways people describe themselves or others.  I read an article recently where an aspiring model was called "independent and strong," and have seen t-shirts emblazoned boasting "Girl Power" and car decals that espouse the "power" of a race or ethnicity.  Apparently some find inspiration in terms like "Mommy Warrior" and from a biblical worldview these titles and aspirations are puzzling, for what is the power of a man or fierceness of a woman compared to God?

It seems to me the aspirations of the world is to be and do what only God can, and this at the core is a satanic notion:  "I will be like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:14)  People may raise their children to be fiercely independent, but the scripture puts forth a completely different view of what is good and right.  God's will is we would be increasingly dependent on Him by faith.  Strength is not achieved by standing up for one's rights, by lifting weights or facing hardships, but by the recognition of our weakness and need for God to deliver us.  People have been called "fighters" for their tenacity and fearlessness, and the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.  Knowing the God who fights our battles and that the battle is the LORD's prompts a joyful countenance rather than a hateful sneer.

Towards the end of David's reign 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 says this:  "Therefore David blessed the LORD before all the assembly; and David said: "Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. ¹¹ Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and You are exalted as head over all. ¹² Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. ¹³ "Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name."  David blessed the LORD who rules and reigns over all, the One who has all greatness, power, glory, victory and majesty.  He has power, might and gives strength to all.  The glorious God who rules over all is the powerful one, and the nations are a drop in the bucket compared to Him.

A chief problem in the world is not misogyny or feminists who labour to tear down the patriarchy but  any who contemptuously oppose God's sovereignty.  While people in the world follow their own hearts, godless philosophies and idealistic agendas contrary to the God revealed in scripture, God provides wisdom and strength for living by faith in Him.  Jesus taught us to love our enemies and bless those who curse us.  He has taught us when we are weak then we are strong because His grace is sufficient for us.  It is folly to boast in our strength or power when all we have is a gift from the God who has breathed life into us.  The world may deem Christians losers, but in Christ we have obtained victory over sin and death, peace that passes understanding and fullness of joy forever.  No man or woman can hang onto a kingdom or empire on earth, yet God's kingdom will endure forever.

Contrary to the wisdom of the world, the KING OF KINGS Jesus said to His servants in Matthew 23:11-12:  "...he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. ¹² And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  Jesus Christ, the mightiest man who ever lived humbled Himself, was meek, lowly and the servant of all; His strength was exerted to love others, speak truth, show compassion and mercy.  As a willing slave of the Father God has exalted His name above all others, and we humbly bow the knee before Him in reverence, praise and worship.  How glorious is the LORD, and how good!

Be Still and Know God

One interaction in the Bible I love is what Naomi said to her daughter-in-law Ruth who had just proposed marriage to Boaz.  Ruth 3:17-18 reads, "Then she said, "Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day."  Ruth was the antithesis of a sedentary person, one who would work all day in the field to gather food her mother-in-law and herself.  She was industrious and had an impressive work ethic.  Sitting still required her to stop pacing, exerting nervous energy or bustling around the house.  There was no need for her to prepare to leave because the matter had not been settled yet, nor would her toil advance her desire to be married.  In that moment she was wise to heed the words of Naomi, having committed the matter and her future into the hands of the LORD and her future husband.

Naomi knew the quality of character possessed by Boaz and she knew he would not forget nor neglect the task set before him.  There was a potential kinsman redeemer who was a closer relative than he, yet he did not throw up his hands or procrastinate.  At the breaking of the day he went and assembled the other relative and required witnesses, and as Naomi predicted the matter was concluded that day.  Much profitable progress was made in short order even when Ruth sat still.  Whilst the biblical account does not explicitly say Ruth sat still at Naomi's request, it would be entirely consistent with her character as revealed throughout the narrative she was obedient.

There is a difference between sitting still and being still.  Psalm 46:10 brings a sudden shift of perspective to the song as God spoke in first person:  "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"  Sitting still describes a physical posture and being still goes much further and includes the mind, heart and soul.  One focuses on doing something and the other is state of being, choosing rest by faith and reliance upon God to accomplish all He has promised to do.  The only way a person can truly be still and at peace with God is by finding the rest only Jesus Christ can provide by faith in Him.  We can cast our cares upon Him because He cares for us, and we need not worry, be afraid or troubled.  There is nothing we can do to earn forgiveness and salvation from God, for He has already concluded the matter by providing salvation by grace through faith in Jesus.  Our union with our Redeemer and Saviour is according to His promise, and our knowledge of Him is a partial fulfillment of what He intended to do when Psalm 46 was penned by the sons of Korah.

Let us hear and obey the word of the LORD to us today:  "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"  Faith demonstrated by obedience is an intentional action and in no way is it lazy or careless.  We are still knowing God is God, and we are not.  He will do all He has promised and we can rejoice with assurance of salvation, righteousness and redemption through Jesus Christ.

Mere Edges of God's Ways

"Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?"

Job 26:14

Job spoke to his friends of the awesome power and might of God, how He sees all things, hangs the earth on nothing, binds water in clouds, conceals His throne, makes heaven tremble and smites the proud.  The things Job could see as God's handiwork he referred to as the "mere edges" of his ways.  The word in Hebrew translated "parts" in the KJV is connected to fringes, scrapings, off-cuts and outskirts.  When we see the power and wisdom of God at work in nature, we are seeing a very small part of what He can do.

There is a lot I find amazing about the world God has made, like the fact the earth hangs from the north on nothing.  Everything I hang must have something to hang on or it will fall to the ground.  I have hung many pictures on walls, and even a wall alone is insufficient in itself for me to hang a picture on.  Frames require hooks, nails or screws fasted to the wall to suspend it in the air, yet God hangs the entire earth upon nothing.  As the earth hurtles through space in its orbit, it does so according to God's glorious design and governance.  The power and wisdom to do this are the scrapings, the off-cuts of His ways.

When a woodcarver skillfully scrapes away shavings of wood to produce an image of a recognisable object, our eyes do not marvel over the bits of wood that pile up on the ground.  We are drawn to wonder of the skill of a carver to use sharp tools to make quality furniture or decorations.  If carving is a skill we do not possess ourselves, we are amazed by the ability of the carver.  Anyone can make sawdust, but it takes real skill to make a bear or eagle appear from a log with a chainsaw.  Job compared the majestic, precise movements of the planetary bodies as God's off-cuts, the outer fringes of God's ways that are beyond understanding or reckoning.  Knowing the science behind gravity in no way diminishes the wisdom of God Who designed and employs it to demonstrate His power, glory and creative genius.

Job pointed out the irony that despite God's amazing wisdom and ways, we don't hear much of Him.  He is not like the bells of a church that ring or a call to prayer over a loudspeaker at set ours:  His glorious creation is a continual reminder to those who know, love and fear God of His existence and goodness towards all.  May our praise and thanksgiving be like thunder so all will hear of His grace and the Gospel.  What is impossible with men is possible with God, and Jesus Christ rose from the dead so all can understand the love God has extended to us so we sinners, by faith in Jesus, can receive forgiveness and salvation offered by God.  Since the mere edges of God's ways are beyond compare, how great and glorious God is!

Prayer is Giving

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:6-7

Prayer is an action believers in God are held responsible by Him to practice ourselves.  While painting today I started thinking about the exhortation I have heard at the end of sermons, to find fellow believer and "get prayer."  The more I thought on this phrase, the less I was comfortable with it.  Prayer is not about receiving, nor should we look to others to pray for us:  we are called in everything by prayer and supplication (with thanksgiving!) to let our requests be known to God.  Corporate prayer is a wonderful blessing, to be led by the Holy Spirit in our praying together in unity.

It is a strange thing how a personal spiritual discipline that is to be embraced continually could be reduced to Christians being conditioned to seek others to pray for them.  Of course there is nothing wrong with having people pray for us, as this exhortation is seen in scripture many times.  Yet we ought to be careful not to convey prayer is something that we receive from others when it is something we ought to do ourselves.  It is good for us to humble ourselves before God and man when we make our requests to God.  We have God's full assurance of what He will do when we choose to cast our anxieties upon Him and pray with thanksgiving whether we are accompanied by others in prayer or not.

I believe it is important that people pray for themselves, not just submit to being prayed for.  Better for a person to simply say in sincere prayer to their Father in heaven, "God be merciful to me, a sinner!" than to have a brother or sister pray for 10 minutes over them.  We have the capacity by our embrace of routines and rituals to create a culture in church that veers from the main point.  Baptism in water is an example of this.  When Philip met the Ethiopian eunuch in the desert who desired to be baptised, he was not enrolled in a Sunday School class nor was there a public ceremony with family or friends invited.  We can put a large emphasis on a public display of faith before witnesses when Philip placed all the emphasis on personal belief in Jesus being the Son of God:  "If you believe with all your heart, you may." (Acts 8:37)  Baptism and prayer are personal acts of obedience as we align our hearts and lives with God.

A key to prayer is not making a public show but a heart humbled before God privately.  In the parable Jesus told the grandstanding Pharisee who prayed with himself was ignored, whilst the tax collector who would not even look to heaven due to his contrition for sin went home justified before God.  Prayer puts us in a humble posture before our God we desperately need for all things and prayer with thanksgiving aids our hearts, minds and lives align with His will.  God responds to prayer by guarding our hearts and minds with His perfect peace.  Prayer isn't something we "get" from others but what we give to God.  Praise the LORD we can pray with others as we give thanks and really give ourselves to the God who is our peace.

God at Work

After Jesus miraculously healed a sick man who was unable to walk for 38 years due to an infirmity on the Sabbath, He was a man marked by the Jewish authorities.  John 5:16-18 reads, "For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. ¹⁷ But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working." ¹⁸ Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God."  The Jews persecuted and sought to kill Jesus because He broke the Sabbath, for keeping the traditions of their fathers was the good work they aimed to do.  Jesus claimed equality with the God the Father because the works they did were the same:  miraculous, supernatural and for the good of others in love.  The people in Nazareth saw Jesus as the son of Joseph the carpenter, but the works of Jesus demonstrated God was His Father.

God created the earth, heavenly bodies and all living things in 6 days and rested from His work on the 7th day.  He spoke the world into existence by His wisdom and power, and though the act of creation was finished the work of God did not cease.  God continued to do wonders to speak to people, reveal Himself and His power, delivered the Hebrews from slavery, provided for their needs and brought them into the promised land.  The works Jesus did as Messiah and servant of all were accompanied by miraculous works only God can do.  The Jews understood certain works are strictly limited to God.  When men brought a paralytic to Jesus Luke 5:20-21 says, "When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." ²¹ And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"  Forgiveness of sins is a work only God can do, and Jesus showed He was no blasphemer when He demonstrated His power to forgive sins by healing the paralytic with a word.

We may not see or know how God is working in a given situation, but we can rest assured He is at work in ways beyond our comprehension.  John 9:1-7 reads, "Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. ² And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" ³ Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. ⁴ I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." ⁶ When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. ⁷ And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing."  While disciples wondered who was to blame for the man's blindness, Jesus went about doing God's work to open the eyes of the blind as the scriptures said.  As the Light of the World Jesus worked to shine bright to those in darkness and give sight to the blind.

The Jews asked Jesus, "How can we work the works of God?"  John 6:29 says, "Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."  God was not done working after the creation of the world, and the work of Christians to believe in Jesus is not finished at conversion.  We who have believed Jesus is the Son of God, the Living Bread God has sent from heaven to forgive, save and give eternal life to all who trust in Him ought to continue believing in Him.  Faith in Jesus prompts us to walk in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit and lay God's word to heart.  The night is coming when no man can work, but as long as we remain in the world we ought to work the works of God who saved and redeemed us.  As it is written in Ephesians 2:10, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."  By faith in Jesus may our lives be masterpieces that reveal His glorious wisdom and works for all to see.

Cause for Stumbling

"He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him."

1 John 2:10

Anyone who stands upright and walks has the potential to stumble.  We have all stumbled at times for various reasons and exhibited degrees of athleticism as we struggled to keep our feet.  Some of us have had the unpleasant experience of catching a wall or piece of furniture with a toe or have been intentionally tripped by someone else.  Those guilty of dragging their feet or not paying attention to where they were walking because they were fixated on their phones have stumbled and fallen.

When we speak of physically stumbling nearly every time there is an external contributing factor, like a slippery surface, a raised kerb or uneven ground.  It is possible for people to be "stumbled" mentally because of something we have heard or seen that trips us up, like a pastor who was inebriated with alcohol or discovering a person we respect has been secretly living a lie.  Many Jews in Jesus' day "stumbled" at the suggestion Jesus was the Son of God and salvation was by faith in Him alone and not by attempts to keep the Law.  They expected the Messiah to be a conquering king, not a suffering servant, and they thought John the Baptist a more legitimate prophet than Jesus because of His (as was supposed) illegitimate birth.

The apostle John explains not all causes of stumbling are from external factors or can be rightly blamed on others:  there can be causes of stumbling within each one of us.  The implication is our own hearts and minds can be a minefield of offence shrouded in darkness where stumbling is inevitable.  We cannot help what others will do and say, but those who are born again and follow Jesus in loving one another have "no cause for stumbling" in us.  I have found this to be absolutely true.  Should feelings of frustration, annoyance and anger rise up within me because of offences, the prime reason is I have ceased to walk in love towards others.  Loving our brother shows we walk in the light of God's grace and the Gospel of Jesus, and the stumbling blocks of keeping records of wrongs and self-righteousness is removed from us.

It is very easy to be troubled and agitated when people try to trip us up, and it is even easier to stumble when the cause of stumbling is within us due to our sinful refusal to love others.  Let us look to the God who commands us to follow Him and love one another as our example and source of love, wisdom and strength.  Hatred, selfishness and pride are internal stumbling blocks that lead to spiritual stumbling and wounds only God has the power to heal.  Having eyes opened by faith in Jesus, as we walk in humility we are enabled to see clearly how our lack of love causes us to stumble.  Praise the LORD the Light of the World Jesus Christ shines and shows us our need to walk in love, otherwise we will stumble in the dark and remain clueless the reason is within us.  

Employed in Praise

After King David brought the ark of God into Jerusalem and placed it in the tabernacle prepared for it, 1 Chronicles 16:4-6 says:  "And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the LORD God of Israel: ⁵ Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, and Obed-Edom: Jeiel with stringed instruments and harps, but Asaph made music with cymbals; ⁶ Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests regularly blew the trumpets before the ark of the covenant of God."  David appointed Levites to commemorate (bring to remembrance), thank and praise the LORD together with stringed instruments, harps, cymbals and trumpets.

The picture of the Levites, sanctified and dedicated to remembering, thanking and praising God is fitting in light of His awesome majesty and holiness.  It makes me examine my priorities afresh when it comes to having paid staff at a church.  When there are few paid staff often they wear many hats.  It boosts efficiency when there are people to do building maintenance, office administration, financial reporting, teaching, training and pastoral care.  This wasn't the case for David and Israel, as there were many Levites serving besides these men, but imagine if a dedicated worship team was the first hire of a church body!  I wonder if those musicians in the tabernacle began to make names for themselves as they skillfully praised God.  It is a glorious feat (especially in our day with the ability to record and broadcast music) to continue to remember, thank and praise God faithfully, and God deserves no less.

I praise the LORD and thank Him for the skills He has given people to write music, play instruments and lift their voices to honour and glorify God.  All He has done, is doing and will do is praiseworthy.  Praise of God should not be reserved for a select few, for the final words of the book of Psalms exhorts all in Psalm 150:6, "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!"  Not all of us are called to lead worship; not all are called to teach or be missionaries.  However, all who have breath are called to remember, thank and praise the LORD God of Israel.  David said in Psalm 40:5, "Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered."

Since the LORD our God is good, has done wonderful works and His favourable thoughts towards us cannot be recounted, let us praise Him.  In remembering our LORD we are moved to thank and praise Him.  Recounting our past can be a source of pain at times, but remembering the God Who was, is and is to come will fill our minds and hearts with joyful praise.  What has the LORD said and what has He done?  Those who fix their eyes on Jesus are like the elders that fall before the throne of God employed in God's praise in Revelation 4:11, "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."  Let us remember, thank and praise our worthy God!

A Word of Encouragement

It is good to realise when God provides encouragement for you, it can also be for others.  By God's grace we can be His messengers to encourage, exhort and edify others by freely sharing what God has shown us.  When a person is excited about a good book, quality service or an amazing experience, their enthusiasm draws our interest.  This is also true as the LORD speaks to us through the Bible in our time of need, and we ought to be most excited and blessed to hear from God.

After being greeted with troubling news, I was delighted to open God's word and find refreshing water for my needy soul.  As the words cascaded upon my parched mind, the scripture brought unexpected joy and rest.  While God's word is true and timeless, it can also be most timely.  My eyes fell on Psalm 37:1-8 and my heart drank it in:  "Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. ² For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. ³ Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. ⁴ Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. ⁶ He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. ⁷ Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. ⁸ Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret--it only causes harm."

Several times in these verses David exhorted the reader not to fret.  To "fret" means to wear away with friction; to chafe; to trouble, agitate, disturb.  Fretting can be subtle because it occurs slowly over time.  There are no shortages of situations and people that rub us wrong, circumstances that trouble us as we worry without realising it.  The light of God's word revealed to me I had only been up a few minutes but I had been fretting in that short time, and it was doing harm rather than good.  I appreciate God does not only point out our sins and lack of faith but also directs and empowers us by the Holy Spirit to do His will instead:  to trust in the LORD, delight in Him, commit our way to the LORD, rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him.  There is nothing boring or dull about following Jesus, for there is much He desires to do in and through our lives.

Had I already faithfully put into practice the "do's" of Psalm 37, I would not have been fretting.  My perspective and countenance would have been marked by satisfaction in the LORD, delight, confidence in God, patience, attitudes free of frustration and worry.  The word "fret" is repeated three times in this passage, and "LORD" is repeated four times.  The one who remembers the LORD and honours Him with faith and obedience will endure, unlike the workers of iniquity which will be cut down--though they flourish for a season.  The righteousness of Christians is received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone who gives us salvation, redemption and eternal life.  Why should we fret when we know the LORD who reigns on high who delights in us?

Focusing on Jesus

I grew up playing baseball.  I enjoyed the game and all success I experienced was because I had great coaches--which included my dad.  For those who aren't familiar with baseball, even the fundamentals of the sport are quite complex and take years of practice to master.  One of the things I was taught from an early age after hitting the ball or stealing a base was to not waste time craning my neck to see what the fielder or catcher was doing.  I never had blazing speed and the action of turning to look towards home could have led to me being thrown out at second base.  Once committed to advance bases, the next base (while heeding the directives of the base coach!) was the priority.

With all that is going on in our lives and the world it is easy to lose focus on Jesus.  In light of the historical suffering of God's faithful people and persecuted believers Hebrews 12:1-2 states, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  When running a race it is tempting to focus on the finish line, and during our pilgrimage on earth it may be tempting to look forward to a new beginning, the end of a challenging season or the end of our days on earth instead of looking unto Jesus.  Our focus is not the finish, but that we finish well.  The only way we can finish well is to abide in Christ, to look to our Good Shepherd Jesus and follow Him in obedience and faith until the end.

Hebrews 12:3 gives us insight how we can know our gaze has drifted from Christ:  "For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls."  Should we find ourselves weary and discouraged, this is evidence we have ceased to look to Jesus and are more caught up with ourselves, fretting over the prosperity of the wicked, giving space to thinking that disregards or opposes Jesus and countless other things that distract us from our LORD.  Jesus was not weary and discouraged when He was betrayed, rejected and crucified because of the job that was set before Him, His eyes being fixed on God the Father in heaven Whom He was pleased to obey.  Jesus reminded His disciples they would face hostility and opposition even as He had because "the servant is not above his master." (John 15:20)

Jesus said to His disciples in John 16:1-4, "These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. ² They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. ³ And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. ⁴ But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you."  Instead of removing His disciples from the world to avoid persecution and trials, in His wisdom God allows His followers to remain and be helped by the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.  Our endurance and overcoming shame, hostility, weariness and discouragement with joy provides evidence to us and others of the genuine work of God in our hearts.  Having known Jesus Christ by faith in Him, we do well to look to Him and remember the things He has said, done and the example He provided.

Be looking unto Jesus, believer, and you will always be led in God's righteous ways and finish well by His grace.

The War is God's

King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3 that to everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven and even said in verse 8 "...a time of war, and a time of peace."  God's word is infinitely more than poetry but a revelation of God's everlasting truth.  In all seasons we are assured of rest in the God who fiercely protects His people from harm, even as He did for the Hebrews who faced the blockade of the Red Sea.  Exodus 14:13-14 reads, "And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. ¹⁴ The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."

During the conquest of Canaan and on other occasions the Bible reveals there were times God's people were directed to do more than walk around Jericho, set an ambush around Ai, to wield a sling and stone or wait for the sound of marching in the trees.  After folly was wrought in Israel by men of Benjamin, Judah and other tribes went up to battle against them.  When the people of Jabesh-Gildead were threatened with violence by Nahash, King Saul mustered the whole army to deliver them from their hateful oppressor.  The Philistine champion of Gath defied the armies of the living God, and David was given the victory when he charged Goliath with the blessing of God and the king.

I was reminded how the battle is the LORD's when I was wading through a genealogy in 1 Chronicles 5:17-22 concerning the sons of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh:  "They made war with the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. ²⁰ And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him. ²¹ Then they took away their livestock--fifty thousand of their camels, two hundred and fifty thousand of their sheep, and two thousand of their donkeys--also one hundred thousand of their men; ²² for many fell dead, because the war was God's. And they dwelt in their place until the captivity."  Many were slain "because the war was God's."  There is great comfort here for the child of God, for we know He is faithful to deliver those who trust Him.

Moses affirmed God's power to protect and save His people in his song following the destruction of the Egyptian army that pursued the Hebrews in Exodus 15:1-3:  "Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying: "I will sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! ² The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father's God, and I will exalt Him. ³ The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is His name."  The manner of our warfare with our glorious God under the new covenant is not one of conquest of cities and nations but one of casting down arguments in our own minds and hearts that exalt themselves against Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 10:3-6).  Our weapons are not carnal but mighty through God who enables us by the power of the Holy Spirit to obey Him.

The children of Israel were terrified when they saw the Egyptian army bearing down upon them in chariots; the men of Jabesh-Gilead were distressed, hopeless and helpless to resist their enemy.  Yet God fought for His people and gave them success in the battle because they trusted in Him.  Will He not also fight for us when it comes to conflict in the inner man, in the battle with doubt and condemnation that rages in our hearts, with lust of the eyes and pride of life?  Believer, we can be sure without a doubt He is our strength and salvation.  In us there is no wisdom or strength for the battle to find contentment in lack or abundance, but we can do all things God asks of us by Jesus Christ who strengthens us.

We will stand up, rejoice and praise God because the war is God's who gives deliverance, salvation and eternal life for all who trust in Him.

Delighting in the LORD

Though God has graciously revealed Himself to people, there is infinitely more to God than we know.  The almighty God who is unapproachable in glory has spoken to us in His word, by voice booming from the heavens, in person by Jesus Christ and to our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  God's personal revelation to those who trust Him is as uniquely tailored by God as each person He has created.

Have you noticed when people have an amazing experience they not only desire others to share that experience but to enjoy it as much as they did?  While this can sometimes happen, other times these desires are unfulfilled by both parties.  I had a friend who loved roller coasters, and I wasn't so sure.  As a young teen I would be fine to go on less "extreme" rides on offer, by my friend wasn't having it.  "You're going on every single ride in this park," my friend said.  And I did.  I don't know if I enjoyed them as much as he did from the start, but by the end I was the one saying to the uninitiated, "You have to try this one.  You'll love it."  We do the same with quality restaurants, books and travel destinations.  If we enjoy exceptional customer service, value and results, we are the ones urging others to experience it too.  When our expectations are built up by others, later comparing our experiences with them can lead to feeling let down.

I have observed a similar thing among followers of Jesus Christ.  We have had personal experiences with God Who has changed our lives and perspective, and we want others to also know and receive as we have.  The one who is miraculously healed desires others would miraculously be healed too.  If we have been given a clear directive from God in response to prayer and fasting, we share our testimony of God's faithfulness to exhort others to do the same.  When we have been gifted to teach, speak in tongues and interpret after we asked God, we desire the same for others.  Moses and Paul both said they wished all would prophesy (Num. 11:29; 1 Cor. 13:5), and I can identify with their desire God's people would desire all gifts He has for them.  At the same time, I have come to realise God is not limited or governed by our desires for others, for His plans are greater than my plans and dreams.  He chooses to reveal Himself and gift believers according to His will, and His ways indeed are past finding out.

This fervent desire for others to experience God, His presence and guidance can ironically lead to divisions apart from love and maturity.  The one who heard God speak in an audible voice can be puffed up with pride, and the one who has never heard God speak with an audible voice can feel slighted and left out.  This one might even question the validity of the claim and become suspicious or bitter.  Paul asked rhetorically in 1 Corinthians 12:29-30:  "Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?"  The answer is clearly no.  The context is the church, the body of Christ, is comprised of different members with various roles with unique gifts and experiences.  Christians are united with Christ as one yet this does not mean we will share the same gifts or personal revelations of our glorious God.

How many have shipwrecked on the rock of differing personal experiences, questioning their own salvation or the experiences of others because they were not identical!  How many believers have sought particular gifts or manifestations of the Holy Spirit as the badge of their own spiritual authenticity rather than the edification of the church and the glory of the God Who gifts people according to His will!  How often spiritual exercises and ceremony become more about the honour of men than to honour God who has redeemed and reconciled us unto Himself.  Paul wrote we ought to covet the best spiritual gifts and showed how walking in faith, hope and love trumps all these temporal manifestations that will one day fade away.  All God gives is good, and we ought to value the Giver over all gifts.  Seek the LORD instead of an experience; make your requests known to God and rejoice in Him rather than lamenting what is not.

God is most gracious to reveal Himself to us and also reveal our growing need for God to be spiritually fruitful and faithful.  Delight in the experience of knowing God and consider how He has revealed Himself to you in a unique, meaningful way.  Comparing your experiences with others can take the focus off God who we ought to delight in and leads to arrogance and disappointment.  Praise the LORD He is faithful and generous with Himself with all people, and what more can God give than all?

Guided With God's Eye

The Bible is an awesome revelation of the living God so man might know and worship Him.  I was blessed beyond measure to read this passage today where David, in the midst of expressing faith in God, received first-person guidance from God he trusted in Psalm 32:7-10:  "You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah ⁸ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. ⁹ Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you. ¹⁰ Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him."

David found God to be a refuge and help in time of trouble, the God who surrounded him with songs of deliverance.  The Psalms are packed with songs that begin in the midst of conflict and trouble resolved with deliverance and thanksgiving to the God who faithfully preserves His people.  God promised to instruct and teach David (and by extension those who seek the LORD) in the way He should go.  God employed the illustration of a horse and mule that must be fitted with bit and bridle so the rider could direct the animal in battle, for use in transport or as a beast of burden.  In contrast to a rider tugging on reins God promised, "I will guide you with My eye."  This is an amazing promise indeed.  We would be happy with an audible voice from heaven, even with physical restraints to remind and direct us to seek God and walk in His ways.

A rider guides a horse knowing the destination and the way to go; a mule is guided  to labour profitably.  God is able to see what horse, mule and rider cannot see, for He wears no blinders, knows the secret thoughts and motives of man, and has infinitely greater plans and purposes beyond what we can imagine.  The New Testament fleshes out by the Gospel how the child of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, is empowered and led by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.  How wondrous, that the pure Holy Spirit who knows and sees all would take up residence within us and help us be spiritually fruitful, to guide us according to God's love!  Jesus promised His disciples the Holy Spirit in their hour of need would lead them in what to say, for the Holy Spirit would speak through them (Mark 13:11).  It is an interesting thing to be guided by God's eye, for He is able to provide clear signals even without an audible voice to those who look to Him in faith.

In verse 7 David said the one who seeks refuge in God will be surrounded with songs of deliverance, and in verse 10 wrote mercy surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.  When we come to God He does not saddle us with keeping the Law of Moses, nor is the bit and bridle of religious tradition forced between our teeth pulled by the fear of man:  God guides us with His eye.  Like a sheep that responds obediently to come to the shepherd at his call, so we are to heed and obey Jesus Christ who is the Way.  We are called to love one another as Jesus loves us, and the God who knows all guides us with His eye.  Those whom come to Christ in faith will be instructed and taught in the way of righteousness, for Jesus is righteousness for us.