Lifting Praise Together

"Lift up His name, with sound of singing; lift up His name in all the earth.  Lift up Your voice and give Him glory, for He is worthy to be praised."

Lyrics from "Holy, Holy" by Tim Hughes

I woke this morning to the lyrics of a song we sung as a congregation last Sunday in my mind.  It is lovely when God wakes us with a song in our hearts as we consider His goodness and faithfulness to us.  God enables us to praise and worship Him as we walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit, and this worship is manifested in many ways:  praying according to His will, personal choices, giving ourselves to Him and gathering as the Body of Christ.

When COVID restrictions ramped up last year and we were unable to meet in person, the sound team at our church worked to organise a live-stream of the sermon and recorded praise songs.  After churches were allowed to gather in person, we mused over whether it was wise to continue the live stream because it might serve as a poor substitute for meeting together with other believers.  A healthy Christian walk requires more than sound doctrine, for we cannot have true fellowship with God and one another should we remain isolated.  We decided to continue the live-stream because it was meeting a need for those who were unable to attend, and the rest we would leave it in the LORD's hands and the conscience of each one.

Recently I was thinking back on the church I attended in my youth and how people treated the time of worship as a sort of buffer before the sermon.  Because there were few in attendance the team would start a little later, and as people noticed the team starting later they would arrive later still.  Now I do not believe it is a sin to arrive late to church, but it is fitting to consider what your lifestyle says about your priorities.  There are things we are never late for:  your wedding, a job interview for our dream role, the HSC exam, when you are playing in the grand final, when you have tickets to your favourite live show, responding to a summons for court or an appointment.  The reality is none of these things are as important as the appointed hour to draw near to God in faith on a Sunday or whenever the Body of Christ gathers.  This gathering together is elevated far beyond any social duty, a spiritual discipline and exercise of grace.

Now these views may seem extreme, but there is no biblical support to overrule them.  Church attendance ought not to be used as a primary gauge for spiritual health.  Those who arrive early every week are not more righteous than one who sleeps in or must work and misses church entirely because both are born again by faith in Jesus.  Meeting together in obedience to God for fellowship with the saints is a great opportunity to serve, praise and glorify God together as one, to lift up His name with the sound of singing and open His word to hear what the almighty God says to us.  Those who miss church really miss out on the blessing of serving, ministering His truth to others and affording more opportunities for others to serve.  It is more blessed to give than to receive, yet how can one give unless one is there to receive it?  It is a blessing to receive from God all He supplies by His grace, for He is worthy to be praised.  Gathering in one accord is more important for a healthy Christian than for a deathly sick person to go to hospital.

As long as the church is comprised of human beings on this earth, some things will remain true:  people  will miss church, at times be late, and will avoid the front row like the plague.  But until our LORD Jesus gathers His church to Himself, let us continue to consider one another--those who have prepared lessons for the children, the worship team, those who greet, serve and pray.  Let us consider the lonely, the hurting and troubled souls among us as it is written in Hebrews 10:23-25:  "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, ²⁵ not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."  We are a peculiar bunch to be sure, but we are Christ's, He is ours and we are one in Him.

The Grace Perspective

My wife and I have been working to compile hard copies of documentation as evidence at an upcoming meeting with the New South Wales Tribunal to resolve issues with the builder of our house.  We are blessed the Australian government has provisions in place that supports consumers and holds contractors accountable to the contracts signed by both parties.

During this process it occurred to me in the justice system the burden always falls upon the victim to take legal action to receive the benefit.  In our case it meant filling in applications online, providing all requested information, paying fees, providing access for Fair Trading to inspect the home, making inquiries with involved parties, printing copies for the Tribunal, cancelling other plans to attend the Tribunal meeting and affirm we are honestly telling the truth.  I have never heard of guilty parties commencing legal action against themselves!  It falls to the victim to take the initiative in the pursuit of justice.

Going through this legal process has further opened my eyes to the grace of God.  When man sins, He sins against the righteous God who created the universe and all mankind.  God sent Jesus to earth as the innocent party though offended and disgusted by man's sins and transgressions that never came into His mind (Jeremiah 19:5), and chose to take legal action at the expense of His own beloved Son to redeem and forgive the guilty parties!  God loves Jesus His righteous only begotten Son, and He also loved sinners enough to make Jesus an offering for sinners so we could be justified by grace through faith in Him.  A hurting victim desires the book thrown at the guilty party, yet God took action to save souls by His grace and provide eternal life, forgiveness and perfect peace.

The marvelous grace God has extended to us ought to shape our hearts and minds as it says in Hebrews 12:28:  "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."  Without faith we cannot please God, and without grace we cannot acceptably serve Him.  It is appropriate for Christians in the world to make use of the justice systems governments have put in place to protect citizens knowing we are saved by grace through faith.  Instead of bitterness, our hearts ought to be flooded with blessing.  God's grace brings gladness that will not be shaken even when the justice system on earth falls short of expectation.

In Jesus' Hands

"One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, ⁹ "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?"

John 6:8-9

Feeding 5,000 men with a lad's five barley loaves and two small fish seemed a ridiculous suggestion.  The answer to Andrew's question was obvious, for they would have insufficient for five lads, much less 5,000 grown men and their families.  However, I give credit for the lad for volunteering the use of his food and Andrew for making his offer known to Jesus.  In the hands of Jesus the bread and fish were blessed, broken and miraculously multiplied, and all in attendance were enabled to eat until satisfied.

It was a generous thing the lad did to give all his food to Jesus and entrusted all he had to Him.  It seems he was not concerned about going hungry himself, a fear which perhaps kept others from offering what food they carried.  The result of the lad's giving resulted in more than stomachs being satisfied but the opening of eyes to recognise Jesus as the prophet Moses spoke of they ought to listen to.  John 6:14 affirms, "Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."  Eating all the bread and fish they wanted satisfied the people for a day, and recognising Jesus as the Bread of Life God sent to seek and save sinners provided abundant life for eternity.

Isn't it a glorious thought that the little we have--which is totally insignificant and unable to meet the needs right before us--in the hands of Jesus can be multiplied and eyes can be opened to Jesus Christ as LORD and Saviour?  Nothing committed to the hands of Jesus is wasted either, for the disciples gathered up 12 large baskets of leftovers after all had eaten.  Those baskets were a testimony of God's grace and abundant supply.  Jesus didn't need the food of the lad to do His wonders, and He doesn't need us.  Whenever we notice a need that is bigger than our ability to meet or fathom, it is wise for us to commit our concerns, possessions and our lives into His capable hands.

When confronted with the impossibility of procuring food for the people, Philip thought in terms of money.  It wasn't money Jesus was looking for but a heart willing to generously give all to Him in faith.  The lad gave without suggestions or demands how his offering should be used.  One thing we can be certain of is Jesus knew the needs of the lad and the people, and He is able to meet them in His miraculous way.  Are you willing to trust Jesus enough to give Him all without care so others will know Him?

Pursuing Peace and Holiness

"Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. ¹² Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, ¹³ and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed."

Hebrews 12:11-13

The writer of Hebrews told readers they had forgotten the chastening of the LORD demonstrates His love as the good Father of adopted believers.  When God chastens and rebukes us it stings, but God always has a profitable purpose for all He allows us to endure.  While we do not rejoice over the pain, we ought to rejoice over God's love and how His correction and training produces the peaceable fruit of righteousness down the track.  A healthy child is born after intense labour pains, and praise the LORD He who redeems our temporary pains to produce the enduring and peaceable fruit of righteousness.

In light of God's chastening, our response is to be strengthened in faith according to the knowledge of God's goodness and care.  Hands that hang down ought to re-grip the plough Jesus spoke of, and put weight on those feeble knees as we look to Jesus to sustain us every step to progress.  The word "paths" literally means "wagon tracks."  The imagery is fitting in context of walking in Gospel truth.  Jeremiah 6:16 reads, "Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'"  Since Jesus identified Himself as the One who gives rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28-30), our righteousness is found in Him by faith.

When a wagon or car passes the same way in a field, over time a track is formed that can be followed by others.  "Follow the trail," we say to hikers unfamiliar with an area because the trail made by others provides safety and guidance to a predictable and desirable end.  Hebrews 12:14-15 continues with clear markers along this path:  "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: ¹⁵ looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled..."  As members of the Body of Christ, walking in peace with others, holiness, and in the grace of God promotes healing rather than being dislocated.  The pursuit of peace, holiness and God's grace is a routine of holiness which we ought to embrace to improve our spiritual health and grow in maturity.

Believers often view miraculous healing as something we only receive by faith without physical effort, and this passage appears to contradict that simplistic view.  While Jesus physically healed all who came to Him during His ministry on earth, their bodies went on to see corruption:  they experienced injuries, illness and ultimately the death of their bodies.  If we will be well, if we will promote the healing process having been made complete and whole in Christ, God holds us accountable to respond to His chastening with repentance and humble obedience.  We are to sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon us.  It is one thing to be disciplined by your sin and the consequences, and even more concerning to be scourged by God before whom all tremble.

When we seek to make peace our pursuit, holiness our habit and the righteousness our route by faith in Christ, this is a godly daily routine that promotes spiritual health and vitality which bears good fruit.  Praise the LORD He works in us both to will and do His good pleasure according to the riches of His grace.  We could never earn such love and care from our great God and Saviour who leads us every step of the way.

Panning for Gold

It is amazing how God can use past experiences to provide wisdom in the present and future.  I was reminded of a school trip when I accompanied my eldest son as a chaperone to a historical site of the gold rush in California.  I was tasked with overseeing six very energetic year 5 boys who had their hopes on finding their fortunes in gold like thousands before them.

As our bus drove over a bridge one of the lads shouted with excitement, "I saw a gold nugget!  I saw a massive nugget in the middle of that stream!"  After arriving at the campsite where we would spend the next couple nights, the whole group was given instructions on how to pan for gold.  Each group was stationed around wooden troughs filled with water and sand that had been "salted" with real gold.  Our guide explained the gold in the river had long ago been mined and these troughs were an opportunity to find gold ourselves.

With the attention span of squirrels, it was mere minutes before some happy campers started whinging and complaining:  "I can't find any gold!" or "I'm tired!" or "This is too hard!"  Every time I dug the pan into the sand I was finding flecks of gold and helped each of my campers to give it a go.  I even found gold for them and poured it into their small vials.  But the lure of the bigger, better gold in the river by the bridge was too sweet a siren's song to endure.  A few of them wanted to go to the river.  I explained, "Boys, there's no guarantee of gold down at the river.  In these small troughs we have the guarantee of real gold right here."  After a discussion with the boys it was decided we would spend 30 minutes panning for gold at the troughs, then head down to the river to pan for gold there.

Now I bet you can just guess how the river excursion went.  Needless to say, no gold was found.  The gold nugget so easily seen from a driving bus was strangely elusive.  By the end of the afternoon we had a bunch of kids with wet clothes, muddy shoes and jackets, misplaced gold pans, and missing hats.  Somehow some kids lost their vials or poured out the little gold they had by accident while playing with it. Panning for gold was hard enough in the troughs, and it was doubly difficult at the stream because of the flowing water, the myriad of distractions and places to explore--not to mention the lack of gold.  We lacked the necessary equipment to dig deep enough in the sand or to go through the volume of material needed to find even a little gold.

The situation illustrates to me the childish notion which can surprisingly exist among Christians, to lay aside the word of God and the Gospel because they believe the real treasure is found elsewhere.  Like Boaz instructed his workers to intentionally drop grain so Ruth would find, gather it and be sustained with her mother-in-law Naomi.  Gleaning barley is hard work, and so is faithfully digging into the word of God.  God has treasures beyond compare in all the pages of scripture He provides for our benefit, yet our interests lie on the deeper, hidden truths.  In the Bible we have the guarantee of God's wisdom and truth, and praise the LORD He has given people insight and ability to illustrate old truths in a fresh way.

Believer, are you content to feed on the word of God or do you find yourself lacking an appetite because you've developed a taste for something else or have begun to major on fringe topics?  Learn from the experience of those year 5 boys:  leaving troughs of gold for a trip to the river led by a gold nugget mirage left us empty in the end.  Chasing satisfaction and wisdom from God apart from His word and the Gospel will prove to be a fool's errand because it leads us away from the good stuff He has generously supplied by His grace.

Living in Limbo

There are all sorts of situations in life which leave us feeling helpless and hopeless of making progress.  We pin our hopes on seeing measurable improvement but our best efforts seem futile.  Disappointment leads to discouragement, and we feel like we are living in limbo.  Limbo is described as, "an uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution; an intermediate state or condition."  We desire the feeling of closure over a legal decision or a personal conflict, and we cannot see the way forward or an escape from pain until the weight of waiting for justice to be done is lifted by meaningful action.  The wheels of justice turn slowly when at all, and the movement does nothing to heal wounds opened afresh by the process.

To those whose lives feel in suspension from grief and pain, there is real hope available for you today.  The LORD is righteous, holy and does not change (Malachi 3:6);  the God who is just and merciful, mighty to save and will judge the wicked is the same God today as He will always be.  Many people who are guilty of crimes will never be judged by a human court, but all will someday answer for their wickedness before the almighty who will see justice done.  Even when "justice is served" in a court of law, nothing can be done to heal a broken heart or replace the time victims served in a prison of pain and uncertainty.  Sometimes a judge and jury gets things wrong and people have been incarcerated for crimes they did not commit.  How can one continue to live joyfully in a cell when your life has been hijacked by injustice?

The answer is found in the person of Jesus Christ and all He willingly suffered for us.  He is described by the prophet as "being despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief." (Isaiah 53:3)  The justice of God for our sins was placed upon Jesus once for all, and by His stripes we are healed.  As victims we cry out for justice to be served:  on Calvary justice for you, child of God, was secured by the grace of God that transcends time.  Those who do wrong and die in their sins will ultimately be judged and punished for their wickedness.  Should the worst evildoer trust in Christ and repent of his sins, that one will be washed forever clean because justice was meted out on Jesus on the cross.  How great His pain, and how much greater His power and victory over sin displayed in His resurrection from the dead!

By grace we are saved by faith in Jesus, and we are forgiven because God's justice was satisfied on Calvary.  1 John 1:9-10 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."  If the body of Jesus remained in the tomb, we could justify living in limbo.  Since Jesus is risen and remains faithful and just, we have an everlasting hope no trial or pain can wrench from us.  Grief and suffering from injustice is real and the pain ought not be dismissed.  The word of God and faith in Jesus teaches us to shift our focus from the injustice we have suffered to Jesus who saw justice served on the cross.  We know for certain God will one day judge the world in righteousness.  Not one who dies in their sins will evade the full responsibility of guilt, and God's eternal sentence will be just. 

The Fruit of Righteousness

"Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."

Hebrews 12:11

When I was trained to be a union insulator for years on the job and classroom, there was a lot to learn.  We were taught to understand the systems we insulated, how to read a set of drawings and lay out patterns.  Knowing how to insulate mechanical systems also required skill in fabrication:  cutting out material and applying it correctly.  Working in the field meant we also needed a degree of physical fitness to climb up and down ladders all day and make the most efficient use of our time.  Different foremen had additional techniques and approaches which apprentices practiced and adopted to improve our skills.  Being trained was hard work, but those who committed themselves to the process with a good attitude would go far.

The writer of Hebrews told the readers they had forgotten the Old Testament exhortation found in Proverbs 3:11-12:  "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; ¹² for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights."  It was a bitter pill to swallow your hard work was not up to scratch and the foreman demanded all the material applied for hours needed to be ripped off and the work performed by someone more suited for the task.  Chastening is not joyful at the time, but that tutoring and instruction is done with the future in mind.  God chastens His beloved, adopted children because it yields afterward the "peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."

The training God employs is strenuous as it nurtures and conditions us to walk in holiness as God is holy.  How blessed is the child of God, for Jesus has taken upon Himself all the punishment for our sin.  Just as seeds are planted in the ground and must grow into plants before fruit can be produced, so painful chastening is the process for the peaceable fruit of righteousness to be yielded in our lives.  Training is effective for those who in a desire to learn and please their teacher submit their mind, bodies and efforts to the guidance of their master.  Many skilled insulators were out of work because they failed to yield in one of these areas:  they argued with their foreman, refused to arrive on the site on time or work the full day, or disobeyed directives to suit their own opinions.

The pain God allows is a demonstration of His love and care for us and the glorious future He has in store for us.  What is presently painful will prove to be most practical, for the sweet peaceable fruit of righteousness is evidence we are holy and His.  All along He has consolation and comfort for us, for we are not in this alone.  It is God who supplies healing, wholeness and endurance by His grace.

Deal With Your Sin

An important part of our Christian walk and being sanctified is dealing with our sin as God deals with us.  He treats believers as His own adopted children, having freely provided us access into His presence and an eternal inheritance in heaven.  A father disciplines and corrects the son he loves, and we ought not to despise God's chastening.  Recognising our sin and wicked tendencies is a necessary start, but for us it ought not to end there.

It is a wise man who notices common pitfalls of sin and does everything possible to prevent opportunity and invitation to transgress.  A person who knows they cannot be trusted to have one alcoholic beverage because once the door is opened they will drink themselves drunk is wise not to drink at all.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, the cliche goes.  The simple act of not being alone with a boyfriend or girlfriend has prevented temptation to fornication.  I have witnessed many people in competitive gaming "rage quit" because of frustration with losing despite their best efforts.  They shout, "That's it, I'm deleting this game!"  But was the game itself the problem?

So you delete the game from your computer, you avoid "chilling" with your girlfriend alone, you avoid drinking alcohol:  have you dealt with the sin in the heart that leads to outbursts of wrath, lustful thoughts, sexual immorality and drunkenness?  This is the necessary action our sinful behaviour ought to prompt us to undertake by confession, repentance and determination to obey God in the future.  Circumspect boundaries can sink into the mire of legalism unless our hearts are transformed by putting off the old man and walking in the Holy Spirit.  We can imagine we are more righteous by avoiding temptation rather than taking our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ and put sin to death in our bodies (Colossians 3:5-11).

Paul exposed this error of believers in Colossians 2:20-23:  "Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations--²¹ "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," ²² which all concern things which perish with the using--according to the commandments and doctrines of men? ²³ These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh."  By all means avoid sin and refuse to place a stumbling block in the way of others, but our own sinfulness must be confessed and forsaken.  Not one of us can purify our hearts, minds and hearts by "temptation avoidance:"  it is by the power of Jesus Christ revealed in the Gospel by grace through faith in Him.

James wrote the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God (James 1:20), and when God allows circumstances to stir up sin and brings it to the surface through our behaviour we must deal with the source of sin in our hearts.  A man once told me of his ex-wife, "I never stopped loving her, but she made me more angry than anyone else."  Divorcing a spouse does nothing to divorce anyone from their sinful pride, anger and hardness of heart.  Praise God the LORD who opens our eyes to our sin by conviction of the Holy Spirit and God's word is able to purify us of all guilt.  By the Gospel we are made righteous in God's sight, and in Christ we joyfully abide.

Be Free of Greed

When we read the word of God, how it can strike at our heart!  Our conscience can be smitten of a thing done long ago, a regrettable mistake which we wish we could have taken back.  It is in those times, having sorrow for sin in repentance, we can remind our conscience how Jesus has washed us clean of all sin and purified us past, present and forever by His atoning sacrifice.  Oh, how sweet is the freedom God gives from guilt and shame!  Praise the LORD He allows us to make mistakes so we will learn from them and walk uprightly in the future by His grace.

After Naaman the Syrian was cleansed from his leprosy in the Jordan according to the word of the LORD through Elisha, Namaan paid a return visit to thank him.  He offered him a reward for the healing he received.  2 Kings 5:15-16 reads, "And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, "Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant." ¹⁶ But he said, "As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing." And he urged him to take it, but he refused."  Elisha was a man who walked with God and would not be swayed by a powerful, rich man to take a gift.  He offered healing from God without price, and was free of the greed which has plagued many souls and pierced countless through with many sorrows.  Exodus 23:8 says in judgment gifts blind the wise and pervert the words of the righteous, and Elisha gave no opportunity to suggest his motivation was for glory or riches:  it was so Naaman would know there was a prophet in Israel, and the LORD is God over all.

Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, was a different sort of man.  Proximity to a man of God in no way purged the greed for wealth which corrupted his heart.  He chased after Namaan and lied, for he said he had been sent on an errand by his master.  A couple of prophets had come from Samaria and he requested one talent of silver and two changes of clothes.  Now a talent of silver is about 26 kilos, a LOT of silver.  2 Kings 5:23 says, "So Namaan said, "Please, take two talents." And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and handed them to two of his servants; and they carried them on ahead of him."  Lying Gehazi agreed to take a second talent of silver, while Elisha would not receive a single shekel of gold or silver from his hand.  He did allow Namaan to haul away 2 mule's worth of dirt so he could build an altar for burnt offerings unto the LORD in his own land.

2 Kings 5:25-27 tells us what happened later:  "Now he went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, "Where did you go, Gehazi?" And he said, "Your servant did not go anywhere." ²⁶ Then he said to him, "Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants? ²⁷ Therefore the leprosy of Namaan shall cling to you and your descendants forever." And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow."  The greed of Gehazi made him more rich than he ever dreamed, yet it cost him his health, future and life.  Proverbs 1:19 puts it perfectly:  "So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of its owners."

I wonder:  was Gehazi willing to trade his health and the privilege of ministry with Elisha for silver and clothes?  It seems that way.  It is a terrible thing the leprosy of Namaan would cling to Gehazi and his house, for God that day had already proven Himself powerful to cleanse Namaan of it.  How things could have been different if Gehazi had confessed, "I have spoken lies and sinned:  pray that God would heal me of the leprosy and I will return all."  God healed the withered hand of idolatrous Jeroboam and the leprosy of the Syrian Namaan so I have no doubt there was healing for Gehazi if he wanted it.  Gehazi went out from the presence of Elisha white as snow.  This is one of those moments which should give us pause due to the gravity of what happened due to greed, lack of repentance and faith in God.

1 John 1:9-10 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."  We have sinned, and praise God there is healing and wholeness in Jesus Christ.  No sin or stigma attached to it need remain upon us because we are new creations through the Gospel by grace through faith.  May we, like Namaan, be moved to thank God and offer ourselves as living sacrifices to Him, for that is our reasonable service.

Walk in the Truth

In the days of Ezekiel the prophet, there were many false prophets in Israel.  They claimed to speak for the LORD, and God's people hearkened to their falsehoods.  Ezekiel 13:1-8 reads, "And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ² "Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, 'Hear the word of the LORD!' " ³ Thus says the Lord GOD: "Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! ⁴ O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. ⁵ You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the LORD. ⁶ They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, 'Thus says the LORD!' But the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. ⁷ Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, 'The LORD says,' but I have not spoken." ⁸ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you," says the Lord GOD."

God was against the masquerading prophets of God who prophesied out of their own hearts yet claimed to speak for Him.  They followed their own spirit in their spiritual blindness envisioned futility because the LORD did not send them.  God compared them to slinking foxes in the desert, crafty creatures that are destructive pests to wildlife.  Solitary by nature, a single fox can do great damage to poultry, flocks and spread communicable diseases.  The false prophets preyed on the people, and it is ironic the people preferred it to be so.  Ahab gathered hundreds of prophets of Ba'al to himself after Elijah executed 450 prophets during the incident on Mt. Carmel.  Ahab knew Micaiah the son of Imla was a prophet of God he could inquire of, yet sought the counsel of those who would speak good concerning him.  Jeremiah 5:31 affirms, "The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?"

No priest, prophet, pastor or parishioner is excluded from potentially speaking nonsense and following their own heart under the guise of honouring God.  Like in Israel in days of old, there are many with itching ears and wayward hearts who prefer lies over truth.  I do not want to ever be numbered among them!  It is only by the grace of God we receive the Holy Spirit, are given understanding of the scriptures and are connected to the Body of Christ the church.  John wrote to beloved Gaius in 3 John 1:2-4, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. ³ For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. ⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."  Those who walk in truth are those who realise they need correction from God, for unless He actively guides us we will lose our way.  Who among us would walk uprightly without Him?  This reveals the wondrous wisdom of God, for it is in willingness to be corrected, to humble ourselves in repentance and in love for one another, we walk in truth.

The Most Important How

How common is it for people to miss what is most important!  We get ahead of ourselves, looking to a desired end when it is only by looking to Jesus will we arrive there.  I remember when I first sensed an unexpected call from God to prepare for pastoral ministry.  The questions repeated over and over in my mind was "When and how?"  These questions remained unanswered until a door was miraculously opened.  It was similar when the LORD placed Australia on my heart:  I was more focused on how my family could immigrate to Australia rather than "how" being answered by faith in Him.  If you asked me how we arrived in Australia, we arrived by plane; the more important how was we also came by faith in Jesus.  It was Jesus and faith in Him, not the fact after many years we finally stood on Australian soil, how we found ourselves sustained ever since.

Faith in God often requires action.  Abraham's faith in God was revealed when he left his homeland to go where God showed Him.  By faith Moses climbed Sinai when the other Hebrews cowered in fear before the presence of the almighty God.  By faith Joshua and the children of Israel crossed the Jordan into Canaan, trusting through God they would be victorious.  By faith Gideon attacked the mighty Midianites and prevailed with 300 men.  By faith Saul, after he was struck blind by Jesus Christ who confronted him on the road, continued onto Damascus to wait until he received further instruction.  This was an act of faith I have often overlooked.  If we were struck blind on the road, we likely would have gone back home to Jerusalem to recover or seek medical treatment.  Saul was obedient to the command of Christ, and three days later miraculously received his sight according to the word of the LORD.

Saul went to Damascus with intent to persecute believers, arrest and bring them bound to Jerusalem for judgment.  Losing his physical sight was the path to spiritual enlightenment by God's grace.  Ananias, a follower of Jesus Christ, was prompted to seek out Saul and lay hands on him to receive his sight.  It did not matter how Ananias went to Damascus--whether by foot or beast--as long as he went by faith in Jesus.  Acts 9:17-20 reads, "And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." ¹⁸ Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. ¹⁹ So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. ²⁰ Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God."

What a trade off!  Saul experienced blindness, hunger and thirst for three days but at God's appointed time was blessed beyond measure to be accepted as "brother," received his sight, was filled with the Holy Spirit, born again, empowered and gifted to preach Christ.  Saul's cause at one time was to persecute the church, yet God graciously transformed him by faith in Jesus and gave him an infinitely better one as an afflicted, persecuted child of God.  Saul, who later was called Paul, wrote to believers in 2 Corinthians 4:13-18:  "And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. ¹⁵ For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. ¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

Temporary blindness was a small trial in the life of the apostle Paul, yet all tribulation and suffering he experienced with eyes of faith in Jesus was momentary, "light affliction" which could not be compared with the glory God would reveal in believers (Romans 8:18).  In light of eternity by faith in Christ the sufferings of this life fade away, obscured by the blessing of God's presence and fellowship with Him and an eternal home with Him in heaven.  For all those who want to enjoy our created purpose for existence as servants of God, faith in Jesus is the vehicle to bring us there by God's grace.  God does not make light of our suffering, yet all affliction is light compared to the eternal weight of glory God has in store for us.  Our outward man is perishing, and by faith our inner man is being renewed day by day.  Should God direct you to climb a mountain or travel to another city, how or when you arrive there by God's grace is of little consequence compared to the most important how:  by faith in Him.

Looking To Our Saviour

At a funeral when I was a kid, I remember hearing about the departed "looking down from heaven on us," lifting a drink in a celebratory salute.  The one who shared this perspective seemed comforted by the thought, and encouraged us that our loved one was in a much better place.  I wondered how one could arrive to such a conclusion, and if it was indeed possible.  As I have grown a bit in understanding concerning the biblical view, the idea suggested runs contrary to the revelation God has provided in His word.

I do not profess to know exactly what departed believers are doing at this moment, for God has not told us.  But it would be altogether inconsistent for anyone in the presence of the Almighty God in heaven to turn their focus from God worthy of worship and look back towards earth with longing.  We long for those who have gone to God, and it is a foreign concept for those in His presence to desire to be anywhere else.  When Jesus spoke of the rich man and Lazarus in Sheol it was the condemned rich man who desired Lazarus to be sent with a warning of the eternal torment awaiting those who die in their sins.  Lazarus, who was finally comforted, did not even address the suggestion.  Perhaps he didn't even hear the rich man begging because he was completely, totally at peace in the presence of the LORD that will never grow old.

The idea of a redeemed soul looking back to earth (if it is even possible) reminds me a bit of Lot's wife who looked longing back to Sodom.  In a vision on Patmos John caught a glimpse of the activity in the throne room of God Revelation 4:8-11:  "The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!" ⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory and honour and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 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."  These living creatures do not grow weary of offering glory, honour and thanks to God, for all things are created by God for God.  These beings understood what we can be ignorant of:  the awesome splendour and worthiness of God to be praised.

On earth people drink because they are thirsty, to meet a physical need:  in the presence of the God Who gives Living Water in a glorified, perfected state we will discover afresh how much we need Him and want to thank and praise Him.  In Him all our thirsts are satiated and our hunger satisfied.  In the presence of the awesome God it will require a summons from Jesus to return to this earth after the rapture, because we will never be content to be apart from Him.  While thinking about those who have passed looking down upon us may provide a degree of comfort for some, the greatest comfort and help in our sorrow is to do as Hebrews 12 says, to be looking unto Jesus by faith who is the Author and Finisher of our faith.  When our eyes are fixed on Him as we rest in His goodness, mercy and grace, we discover comfort, help and perfect peace not found anywhere else.  In the presence of our Saviour who is our all in all, all else is put in proper perspective.

God Remembers

About 11 years ago a video went viral of a man in Yosemite cheering and weeping over a "double-rainbow" before him in the valley.  Amid the awe and wonder (perhaps heightened by chemicals) the fellow asked, "What does it mean?"  The man recognised the beauty of colour, design and symmetry, and for the question he asked the Bible provides the answer.  It is more than a natural phenomenon explained scientifically but proof of a Creator with a distinct purpose in mind.

After God judged the world with a great flood of water, He remembered Noah and his family and made a covenant with them and the earth.  Genesis 9:12-16 reads, "And God said: "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: ¹³ I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. ¹⁴ It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; ¹⁵ and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. ¹⁶ The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."

Growing up, whenever there was a visible rainbow we brought it to the attention of the whole family.  I remember many times my mum saying something like, "Hey kids!  Come quick and look!  A rainbow!"  My brother, sister and I would run over the window or go outside to see the rainbow for ourselves.  I love how God says He looks upon the rainbow and remembers the promise He has made between Himself and every creature of the earth.  There have been many floods since that day long ago, but none that brought global destruction and death.  Rainbows are not always visible to us, but when they are they have been set there by God and He created and sustained us to see them.  The birds and beasts do not notice the rainbow, but people made in the image of God do--and cheer over the beauty without realising the divine message and promise behind it.

Whether a rainbow is seen in the cloud, over a scenic valley, from the mist of a garden hose or in the refraction of a prism, it is a reminder for me of God's promise He looks upon and is faithful to keep.  White light from the sun is a combination of the whole visible spectrum of light, and a rainbow is when the different wavelengths of light are divided so each can be seen individually.  So it is with the truth of God's word:  the more we read, listen and consider, the more we see and appreciate the beauty of our LORD and His goodness to us all.  He is the source of all that is beautiful, and He gives us the capacity to rest in awe of His glory.

Take and Give

I remember counsel I received as a new pastor, how the role requires an ability to "take it."  This was not speaking of the call to pastoral ministry but what is required at times when dealing with conflict and problems.  Ministry involves people, and every person is a sinner--including me.  When Christians were taking their personal gripes before secular courts Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:7, "Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?"  There is a point when we must humbly choose the high road when someone is giving you a piece of their mind and does not know the whole story.  People in leadership will find themselves criticised, questioned, judged and opposed.  Those who cannot accept this reality are better off doing anything else than fighting for respect or trying to justify yourself.

It was good advice to receive as a young pastor up front, and I later learned an important second part of the same:  after I had taken it, I needed to give it to God.  It is one thing to feel like a whipping boy, and it is another to remember Jesus was scourged for my sins.  Jesus was able to bear the sins of the world upon Him, and I could not bear the weight of my own iniquity!  "Tell someone who cares," people say.  Believe me, Jesus does care more than anyone I know.  1 Peter 5:5-7 says, "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." ⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."  Sometimes we hear of problems and suffering that burdens us greatly, and only Christ can sustain and uphold us.  More than merely being a confidant, all our confidence and hope is in Him. 

A wise man will take on board counsel and advice given from others, and there is always a risk we will take offence.  Sometimes we can be offended because of malicious or hateful speech towards us and others, yet offense can occur when our expectations are unmet.  The disciples were offended a woman would waste precious oil by anointing Jesus when He commended her for doing a good thing.  The townsfolk of Nazareth were offended because of the wise words Jesus said in their synagogue.  We can be confident whatever God has us take, we can give to Him because He cares for us.  I have found this to be a good practice with commendation and praise as well.  When we are complimented, it is good to humbly receive it and quickly give it to the LORD because He is the deserving one.  Holding praise close to our hearts fills us with pride and works to strip us of reliance upon God as our source of wisdom and strength.

In a world of give and take, I have found when we must "take" it is healthy (and helpful!) to give.  Praise the LORD He is longsuffering to bear with us, and continues to care for us.

Strength for Life

There is beauty in simplicity.  When we read and share the word of God we must avoid the trap of oversimplification.  Attempts to simplify can remove critical information to aid our understanding of God, ourselves and our situation.  For instance, I have heard many people criticise the prophet Elijah for despairing of life after he was threatened by Jezebel.  "After seeing the miraculous power of God provide fire from heaven and the great victory over the prophets of Baal, why did Elijah flee because of Jezebel?"  Oh, I think we could look at our own lives and find contradictions concerning faith in God and fear of man.  The trouble is, this hardly touches on what was really going on in Elijah's heart, and we can know this without a doubt because Elijah himself said so.

Whilst it is true the murderous threat of Jezebel prompted Elijah to go into the wilderness, this wasn't the half of it.  Remember what Elijah had endured to this point:  he had been pursued by king Ahab, had survived a drought with a woman and her son, and witnessed a nation in severe spiritual decline over many years.  Elijah showed symptoms of depression as he left his servant behind and 1 Kings 19:4 says, "But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!"  Elijah and others had fought tenaciously against idolatry, resisted wicked rulers who led God's people astray and yet there was no visible change.  The fickle people would go back to Baals, and new prophets of Baal would be ordained by Ahab and ruthless Jezebel.  Elijah finally reached an end of his strength and resolve.

The passage in 1 Kings 19 then follows an intriguing pattern:  and angel touched Elijah and told him to eat and drink because the journey would be too much for him.  This happened twice.  Then after Elijah traveled 40 days to Horeb God asked, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" and Elijah repeated the same answer twice.  Elijah responded in 1 Kings 19:14:  "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life."  Jezebel's threat upon Elijah was a culmination of many things which preoccupied the mind and heart of Elijah for some time.  His zeal, righteous example and godly exhortations had been ignored.  He was deeply grieved because God's people were guilty of forsaking God's covenant, destroying His altars and killing His prophets.  Notice Elijah does not say "she" (Jezebel) but "they," the children of Israel being a main subject of his complaint.  The corrupt, wicked government had many spies among the people and Elijah was exhausted, depressed and felt all alone:  "I alone am left."  I am sure many of God's faithful people can identify with feeling like Elijah did.

1 Kings 19:15-18 says, "Then the LORD said to him: "Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. ¹⁶ Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. ¹⁷ It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. ¹⁸ Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."  While Elijah focused on the problems of the nation, his own inability to do anything about it, he felt alone and like giving up, God had all in hand with a plan that included Elijah.  God would have him anoint two kings:  Hazael over Syria and Jehu over Israel.  They would be God's instruments of justice upon the wicked rulers of the nations.  Elijah was to anoint Elisha a prophet in his place, and little did he know Elisha would have a double portion of the Holy Spirit!  Elijah felt all alone, yet God reserved a great remnant of 7,000 people who were faithful to God with whom Elijah shared this common ground.  By faith in God Elijah continued on, despite the threats of Jezebel and the idolatrous condition of the people.  God knew all about everything, and in God Elijah found sufficient grace to press on in obedience.

When the angel touched Elijah and told him to rise and eat "because the journey is too great for thee," Elijah found baked flatbread and a jug of water to drink.  This fits well with the picture of Jesus being the Bread of Life who gives the Living Water of the Holy Spirit who refreshes us during our pilgrimage on earth.  Without death threats we can easily be overwhelmed by the same things which troubled Elijah, the least of which was feeling alone in doing his best to honour God.  The depressed prophet prayed to die rather than live, yet God provided Himself as the reason for choosing life in obedience to Him.  You are not alone, believer, and God has great plans.  We are safe, and the future is bright in His hands.  Though wickedness and darkness at times seem to prevail, when we look to the LORD we find strength and endurance for the road ahead wherever God leads.

The Gift of Mum

Today we observed Mother's Day in Australia.  It can be a day of remembrance and reflection, a reminder to reach out in gratitude and thankfulness, and an official opportunity to give credit where it is due.  None of us would be here today without a mother who carried and bore us, and those who have nurtured and cared for faithfully by a mother have much to be thankful for.

The love of a mother is a special one, and I was reminded today how God knows all about it.  God is our Father, yet all dads and mums are a gift to children from Him.  Jesus said in Luke 13:34, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!"  Jesus used an analogy from nature, but who created chickens with the brooding instinct, to gather and guard her little ones?  It follows then the good care, affections and bonds we observe and admire in the animal kingdom springs from the goodness of our Creator.

The scripture is filled with examples of godly mothers:  Eve was the mother of all living, Sarah spoke up to protect her son Isaac's birthright, and Rebekah worked to ensured Jacob received the blessing of his father according to God's promise.  Hannah was faithful to her word according to God's faithfulness to her when she dedicated her son Samuel to the LORD.  During his formative years she was separated from him and made a little coat for him to wear when she visited him annually in the tabernacle.  Rizpah, Saul's concubine, guarded the executed corpses of her two sons and 5 other family members from birds and beasts night and day for months.  When Mary heard she would conceive the Messiah by the Holy Spirit she said by faith in God, "Behold the handmaid of the LORD!  Let it be to me according to your word."  After the shepherds came to find Jesus at his birth Mary heard their testimony of the angels and "kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart."

In these examples we see faint outlines of gracious love and kindness God has for His children.  The treasure of a godly mother is of greater worth than gold, and her persistent and enduring care is most admirable.  All blessings we experience in life come from God alone, and in honouring our mothers we honour the LORD who graciously provided one for us.  Love you mum, and I thank God for you. :)

Stirred by Living Water

In John 5, Jesus went to the pool of Bethesda and spoke to a man who had suffered a debilitating illness for 38 years.  For a long time he had lounged by the pool and waited for the moving of the water.  John explains that occasionally an angel stirred the water and the first who entered the water was cured of any illness they had.  After Jesus asked the man directly if he wanted to be well, he did not answer the question as John 5:7 relates:  "The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."

This focus of the sick man was fixed on the moving of the water when the Son of God came to him with miraculous power to heal and save.  He was desperate for healing and was overwhelmed by his inability to do anything to help himself.  In his mind deliverance from his illness could come by only one way, and confined the manner God could work to his own limited way of thinking.  Thankfully God cannot be squeezed into a box of our expectations, and despite this man's lack of faith God's miraculous power was in no way confined.  The man complained he had no man to help him because he had no idea who Jesus was.

John 5:8-9 reads, "Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." ⁹ And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath."  The man was divinely enabled to do what he could not do, and healing did not come in the way he previously imagined.  This provides wisdom and insight for us when we are so focused on what we want and the way God must move to accomplish it.  The God who provides Living Water has come to us, and we ought to fix our eyes on Him rather than hoping for a miracle we imagine is the one way God could operate for our benefit.  We who have been redeemed and made to stand by God's grace should not be sedentary and languishing, doing the equivalent of waiting "for the moving of the water," when the Holy Spirit moves continually.

The sick man walked away well without the moving of the water because of the grace, compassion and power of Jesus Christ to do what men cannot.  The sick man looked to men, and the wise look to Jesus in expectant faith, knowing He is almighty and good.  Jesus said in Revelation 1:8, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."  Let us rejoice and praise our Saviour who took our sicknesses upon Himself on Calvary, is able to keep us from stumbling and will present us faultless before the the Father with exceeding joy.  May we be stirred by the Holy Spirit to believe, honour and obey Him faithfully.

God Left Out

No one likes the feeling of being left out when we want to be included.  There are times when a person deserves to be included in something, like the groom or bride at their wedding.  The name of father, mother and child ought to appear on a legal birth certificate.  If a person wants to offer to buy a car, the owner of the desired car for purchase ought to be involved in the process.  All would agree it would be wrong to exclude those who ought to be included, even if they aren't well liked by others.

I read a news article on President Biden's proclamation on the United States "National Day of Prayer" that the word "God" had been omitted.  Ironically when I went back to refer to the article an hour later the title of it had been changed from "'God' left out of Biden's National Day of Prayer Proclamation" to "Biden leaves out important word in National Day of Prayer Proclamation."  I imagine editors did this as clickbait, to arouse curiosity so people would want to know what important word had been left out that warrants an entire article.  Whether the differences between President Biden and other presidents is newsworthy, I cannot say.  I am not surprised when God is omitted from our thoughts, speech and decisions because this has been prevalent since the beginning.  It is not right:  the truth is men apart from God cannot always do right.

While some take issue with the word "God," my concern is more on the sentiments quoted by the press.  Quoting the article the President said, "Throughout our history, Americans of many religions and belief systems have turned to prayer for strength, hope and guidance," Biden's proclamation reads. "Prayer has nourished countless souls and powered moral movements – including essential fights against racial injustice, child labor and infringement on the rights of disabled Americans. Prayer is also a daily practice for many, whether it is to ask for help or strength, or to give thanks over blessings bestowed."  I have heard many Christians speak of the "power of prayer," yet any power connected to prayer comes by God's personal involvement.  From a biblical view there is no spiritual power in prayer in itself or as a discipline.  It is not prayer that nourishes, but God who causes the sun to shine on the just and unjust.  It is true that many pray, and it is the ability of the object of faith to receive and respond to the prayer that makes it effectual.  A stone image, deceased relatives, the sun, moon or stars have no power to answer prayers.  That is God's sovereign domain.

If we are going to ask for help or strength, it is important to realise who we are addressing.  If we are giving thanks, it is imperative we know who we are thanking.  Otherwise, prayer is an empty exercise and is a waste of time.  Prayer is not good because it is useful for us or has "worked" for others, but because it is primary way for believers to exercise faith in drawing near to God in obedience out of a recognised personal need for Him.  Whether people complain or cheer over the presidential proclamation is of little importance to me personally:  what is important is that Christians include God in their prayers, conversations and lives.  To think we could pray or read the Bible or serve one another--and God be left out!  Do I pray just to assert my will, desiring a heavenly stamp of approval, or bow in submission and reverence before my Creator?

Being left out when we deserve to be included is a travesty, and leaving out God who created and redeemed us is even more absurd.  By His grace God chooses to include sinners in His eternal plans for good, so it is most fitting and right we include Him in the present.

Human Credulity

"The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him."

Proverbs 18:17

This verse enforces the fact people can make judgments and decisions about what is true with partial information.  Hearing one side of the story is not the whole story, and even when we have heard both sides we continue to operate with partial knowledge of what has happened.  We cannot ever completely know the motivation of people for saying what they did or what they chose to conveniently forget and omit.  The most godly among us can be led astray by lies, be manipulated to believe falsehoods and disobey the truth.  A situation that occurred in 1 Kings 13 demonstrates this well.

A prophet of God was called out of Judah to speak against the idolatrous practices of king Jeroboam in Bethel.  He boldly cried out against the altar in Bethel and the word of the LORD was fulfilled when the altar was split and the ashes poured out.  At the same time the hand of king Jeroboam stretched out against the man of God was withered and he was unable to draw it back to himself.  At the king's request the prophet prayed to God Who restored the hand of Jeroboam to health.  1 Kings 13:7-10 reads, "Then the king said to the man of God, "Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward." ⁸ But the man of God said to the king, "If you were to give me half your house, I would not go in with you; nor would I eat bread nor drink water in this place. ⁹ For so it was commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'You shall not eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the same way you came.'" ¹⁰ So he went another way and did not return by the way he came to Bethel."

As the prophet returned home a different way according to the word of God, an old prophet met him as he sat under an oak on the way.  After the prophet of Judah reiterated God's command, the old prophet said in 1 Kings 13:18-19:  "I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.' " (He was lying to him.) ¹⁹ So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water."  Now this is a remarkable thing.  The prophet of Judah would not eat bread or drink water with king Jeroboam by the word of the LORD who did miraculous signs.  Yet because of lies spoken by a fellow prophet who said "an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD," the prophet of Judah disobeyed the word of God he knew was true.  I don't know what is more difficult to reconcile:  that the old prophet would lie with intent to deceive or the one who knew the word of the LORD would be tricked by an alleged angel.

How needful it is for believers to follow the word of the LORD and not be swayed from the truth of the Gospel by pastor, prophet or angel from heaven!  Paul wrote to wavering believers in Galatians 1:6-9:  "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, ⁷ which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed."  The secret things belong to God, but what He has plainly revealed is for us to believe and follow.  The Gospel has been clearly established in the scripture for us, and we ought not turn from it due to supposed angelic or prophetic revelations.  The prophet of Judah was mauled to death by a lion after he departed from eating and drinking with the old prophet, and to depart from the truth of the Gospel will be our ruin.

If the prophet from Judah can be swayed by the older prophet who lied, we too can fall prey to deception when we depart from the word of the LORD plainly revealed to us in the scripture.  Our ears test words like our taste buds do food, and it is the word of God discerned by the Holy Spirit which provides guidance if a doctrine is worthy of being swallowed or spat out.  We do not want to be deceived or a deceiver who leads people to disobey, so the Bible is vital as God's established ruler by which all other claims are measured--even those of prophets and angels.  We may never hear or understand the whole story, but the LORD is faithful to reveal enough for us to follow Him in obedience.

The Answer to Life's Questions

As we go through life we can have many questions unanswered, but all these unknowns can be overcome by faith in Jesus Christ, by trusting in Who we do know.  Many times there is no satisfaction gained by receiving an answer:  we hoped for yes, yet the answer was no.  An honest and biblically accurate answer still might make no sense to us.  Also, it is possible for one question we ask to have many correct answers, depending on the context and perspective.  Praise the LORD He is the answer for all of our uncertainties and mental and physical insufficiency, for God is able to save to the uttermost all who come to Him in faith.

Some excellent questions are asked by genuine seekers who do not hail from Christian backgrounds because they look curiously upon what we can take for granted.  I was asked a thought-provoking question recently I had never considered myself:  if God planned to send Jesus as Saviour of the world, why didn't He send Him instead of Moses?  Great caution must be taken in answering a question like this, for God's wisdom is higher than ours and His ways past finding out.  Though our understanding is limited, through the Bible God has revealed Himself to us and thus intellectually satisfying answers can be provided received by faith.  The revelation of scripture enables us to find firm ground beyond the subjectivity of self with clouded motivations.

One answer to this question lies in the fact that without clearly defined sin there was no understanding of need for a Saviour.  Moses justified the killing of the Egyptian who was beating the Hebrew slave to show he believed God had called him to deliver God's people from slavery.  Acts 7:23-25 reads, "Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. ²⁴ And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. ²⁵ For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand."  It was through Moses God gave the 8th commandment:  "Thou shalt not murder."  Without the Law and Prophets God's people would have not realised their sinfulness and need for atonement only Jesus could once for all provide.

It is ironic Jews who had been given the Law would cling to Moses and reject Jesus, and by God's wisdom this provided an opportunity of salvation to Gentiles who were aliens from the first covenant and commonwealth of Israel.  Are not the ways of God past finding out?  The grace of God revealed by the Gospel is the sort of thing that intrigues men and angels, for it is written in 1 Peter 1:10-12:  "Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, ¹¹ searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. ¹² To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things which angels desire to look into."  Supernatural beings were incapable of discovering what God graciously has revealed to sinners by grace.  What a treasure we have in the Bible and the Holy Spirit who helps us comprehend what God has said!

There is much we don't understand, but God has all in hand.  In the trillion microscopic cells of the human body unseen by the naked eye there is a command centre, vast assembly lines, means of transportation and waste plants--all operating without our knowledge to promote the health of the body.  We can only begin to explain what is happening by making comparisons to what we see, and God made it to work silently and seamlessly.  Is there anything too hard for God?  If other human beings can "talk over our heads" in their field of expertise, wouldn't God even more so when it comes to life and eternity?  Praise the LORD He has the answers and unknowns overcome through faith in Him.  We don't need to know everything because we know and trust the One who does and has revealed Himself to us by grace.