The Obedience of Christ

After protecting the child Joash in the house of God, heir to the throne of Judah in the line of David, the high priest Jehoiada set about crowning him as king.  He gathered the Levites to Jerusalem and made a covenant with them.  At the time the wicked queen Athaliah reigned in Judah, having murdered her own grandsons so she could rule in the place of the deceased king.  The high priest Jehoiada organised the Levites on the appointed Sabbath to guard the door and only allow Levites to enter the temple court.  There was another group directed to stand guard around the king with weapons to protect him from any harm.  2 Chronicles 23:9-10 then says, "And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields which had belonged to King David, that were in the temple of God. ¹⁰ Then he set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and by the temple, all around the king."

It is intriguing spears and shields which belonged to David were stowed in the temple, for David had passed away before his son Solomon built the temple.  At some point it seems Solomon or one of his sons after him took spears and shields of David and placed them there.  It would be ridiculous to suggest God needs protection from men, but the spears and shields were a useful deterrent to anyone coming against young Joash, the rightfully crowned king.  Looking at the scene unfold I believe it is insightful the Levites were not commanded to go find queen Athaliah and kill her so the coronation of the king could occur:  they crowned the king, handed him the testimony (God's Law he was to learn, follow and uphold), anointed him and praised the LORD.  By the simple act of placing the one God anointed on the throne, all the evil Athaliah could do was tear her clothes and ironically bellow, "Treason, treason!"  2 Chronicles 23:14-15 tells us what happened:  "And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, "Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her." For the priest had said, "Do not kill her in the house of the LORD." ¹⁵ So they seized her; and she went by way of the entrance of the Horse Gate into the king's house, and they killed her there."  The people of the land rejoiced to have the king on the throne, and the city was quiet after the rule of Athaliah suddenly ended.

Athaliah was a murderer and liar, and Jesus said Satan has been a liar and murderer from the beginning.  We are given the sword of the Spirit--the word of God--because He is sits enthroned as KING OF KINGS and our great High Priest.  Our call is not to go on search and destroy missions against Satan but to submit ourselves in faith and obedience to Jesus Christ who enables us to stand strong by His grace in the battle we fight.  2 Corinthians 10:4-6 shows us this battle is largely one enjoined inside our own minds and hearts:  "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ⁶ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."  Unless we submit our will in obedience by faith to our LORD Jesus, the scriptures show God Himself will oppose us like an enemy.  I wonder if those who rail against the devil as they rebuke him in prayer, imagining him to be omniscient like God or one who shrinks from the empty threats of mere men because he must.  We should consider the Jude 9 mention of Michael the archangel who acted on God's orders did not revile Satan but said, "The LORD rebuke you."  As the high priest Jehoiada gave the command for Athaliah to be seized, thrown out and executed, vengeance and judgment belong to our everlasting King and High Priest Jesus.  Vengeance is God's, and He will surely repay.

There are Christians who are convinced when things go "wrong" they must be under satanic attack, for as children of God they are entitled to better than they are experiencing.  But consider Amos 3:6 dear brethren:  "If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it?"  Are not all spirits under God's authority and command?  When king Saul was lifted up in pride and disobeyed God, God sent an evil spirit to chasten him (1 Samuel 18:10).  Job was a righteous man God allowed Satan to attack, destroy his possessions and ruin his health--not because of his sinfulness but because of his righteousness (Job 1:12; 2:6).  When Job prayed for his friends, when Job was restored to health and doubly blessed it furthered God's purposes to reveal His compassion and mercy (James 5:11).  God put a lying spirit in the mouths of Ahab's false prophets (2 Chron. 18:22).  Ahab loved lies, so God gave him a gutful of them (along with a revelation of the truth)  so he might fall in battle.  Tell me:  what good would have rebuking the devil or demons done in these cases when they were permitted and authorised to do all they did by the almighty God?  Such resemble the devil in their self-righteousness, fighting against God!  Better than raising our voices in authority against Satan, it is best to humble ourselves before our Saviour Jesus Christ who sits enthroned in our hearts and before whom we fall in adoration.

By faith in Jesus Christ we have been filled with the Holy Spirit who protects and empowers us to take a righteous stand in a world filled with the corruptions of sin.  We wield the sword of the Spirit not to put Jesus on the throne but because He has sat down at the right hand of the Father, having accomplished the victory He promised to provide.  His ways are higher than ours, and His glorious rule is eternal.  So called prayer warriors do better to praise and magnify the name of the living God and rest in His goodness than raising their voices against Satan who will be bound in chains and cast into outer darkness where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched.  Our focus is not to be on the enemy of our souls, on mockers or those who cause divisions but on our Saviour as we keep ourselves in the love of God as it is written in Jude 1:19-25:  "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. ²² And on some have compassion, making a distinction; ²³ but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. ²⁴ Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵ to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen."  Let us joyfully surrender ourselves in praise and service in the obedience of Christ who sits on the throne now and forever!

Abiding in God

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. ² I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust."

Psalm 91:1-2

These verses are a lovely picture of rest available to those who are joined to God by faith in Jesus Christ.  God is revealed in scripture as unapproachable in everlasting glory.  Moved by love for lost sinners, God has come to us in the person of Jesus to provide a way for all who trust Him to dwell in house of the LORD and rejoice in His presence forever.  The Holy Spirit inhabits those who are born again by the Gospel, and those who follow Jesus will chose to draw near to Him and abide as a branch is connected to the vine.  Jesus is the Vine, and His disciples are the branches He enables to grow and be spiritually fruitful.  Believers have been divinely joined with Christ as members of His Body, and as such we delight to seek Him and experience great delight in His presence.

It is God's will for believers to rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing and in every thing give thanks (1 Thess. 5:16-18).  This is a good description of the attitude of a heart that seeks and glorifies God daily in all activities we engage in.  We have continual opportunity to draw near to God individually, whether at a regular hour or at intervals as we lay aside the business of the day and choose to come away into the presence of the LORD.  To keep the three major feasts in Israel men needed to first leave their farms and shops to travel to Jerusalem to present themselves before the almighty God they feared and obeyed.  Three times a day Daniel in a foreign land opened his widow that faced Jerusalem and prayed to God.  These who dwelt in the shadow of the Almighty could say, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust."

This morning I recalled with fondness an annual retreat I used to bring a youth group to attend in southern California.  One of my favourite times was when a cabin was opened early in the morning for leaders to have devotions alone with the LORD.  It was a chance to read the Bible, pray, take notes and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee by a fire--away from the persistent smell of Axe body spray.  I am convinced the time of prayer by the fire and fellowship with God was not dependent on a fireplace, coffee or the picturesque sight of snow falling outside a cabin but the presence of the Holy God intentionally sought and found by grace.  There is a distinction between being a regular attendee of church services and one who abides under the shadow of the Almighty; not all those who "read their Bible" rest in the grace and mercy of their awesome God.  Every day is an invitation to seek God in secret, to draw near to Him in faith and abide with Him.

Jesus said in John 12:25-26, "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honour."  Jesus is our life, and He is the only source of eternal life.  What a promise, that where Jesus is His servant will be also!  This closeness, oneness even, promotes fellowship the closest relationships on earth cannot achieve.  Jesus calls to us to come away with Him, and those who love and trust Him delight to set aside occasions to enter His rest because we are His forever.

Worship Before the Win

A song I have been thinking of since Sunday is "God My Rock" penned by Brenton Brown and Paul Baloche.  The lyrics are as follows:

When my heart is overwhelmed

I will look to You alone

God my rock, God my rock, God my rock

You will stand when others fall

You are faithful through it all

God my rock, God my rock, God my rock

In the blessing, in the pain

through it all You've never failed me

You are the strength of my heart

You are the strength of my heart

I can rely on You, I can rely on You

You are the joy of my life

You are my song in the night

There is no one as true

Jesus I trust in You

When I've struggled to believe

You have not let go of me

God my rock, God my rock, God my rock

Carried through the darkest storms

You have held me in Your arms

God my rock God my rock God my rock

It is good when the child of God understands that "in the blessing, in the pain" are not contradictory but complimentary.  We do not often think of pain as a blessing, yet consider the blessing beyond reckoning we have received through the loving sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary.  With full knowledge of the physical pain which awaited Him, Jesus for the joy that was before Him endured the cross (Hebrews 12:1-3).  When the pain is overwhelming and chronic, even then God remains good.  A child of God by faith can endure and remain steadfast and strong when resting in the promises of God.  David wrote in Psalm 27:13-14, "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. ¹⁴ Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!"

When we are overwhelmed by pain, trials and feelings of impending doom, we forget the blessing we have in God at all times.  We imagine we are alone and no one can understand or appreciate our suffering.  A good example of what to do when overwhelmed is provided by King Jehoshaphat when mighty nations united against Judah to attack.  Jehoshaphat admitted before God and all the people, "We don't know what to do God, but our eyes are on you."  At that moment the Holy Spirit came upon Zechariah who reminded the people the battle is the LORD's and they would not have to fight at all in this battle.  Before the battle had been fought it was already won by the victory of faith because people knew God was with them.  A multitude of enemies prepared to attack them, and the people fell on their faces before God in worship and praised Him.

2 Chronicles 20:20-22 reads, "So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper." ²¹ And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the LORD, For His mercy endures forever." ²² Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated."  The people demonstrated faith in God by obedience to His word to go up against an army they could not defeat, and they praised God and worshiped God as victors before they won.  Isn't this an example we can talk to heart, that we exhibit and demonstrate faith in God by worshiping the God our Rock who we trust, who fights our battles, who carries us through the darkest storms, the One who never lets us go?

Light in the LORD

"O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the LORD."

Isaiah 2:5

In the beginning God said, "Let there be light!" and there was light.  Before the sun, moon and stars were created, God spoke light into existence.  In God is light and no darkness at all.  Jesus Christ is the Light of the World and the darkness could not comprehend it.  The apostle John wrote of Jesus in John 1:9, "That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world."  Even as the sun shines over all the earth, Jesus Christ supplies salvation and eternal life to all who will believe.

The exhortation to walk in the light of the LORD from the Old Testament is seen in the new as well.  The illuminating light of the Law of Moses was a shadow compared to the light Jesus has provided through the Gospel of grace.  Like the moon is only able to reflect the glory of the sun's brightness upon the earth, the Law reflects the righteousness and wisdom of the glorious God who put on human flesh and walked among us.  God's word is compared as a light to our feet and a light for our paths that leads us to Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  To walk in God's light is to walk in His ways, to abide in His presence and to do His will.

In another epistle John wrote in 1 John 1:5-7:  "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."  It is amazing through faith in Jesus we can have fellowship with God, and the Greek word (koinania) for fellowship is described in the Strong's Concordance as, "partnership, participation, communicate, communion and distribution."  Having fellowship with God and walking in the light go together, and this is the one who practices the truth:  the one who hears what Jesus says and does it.

Having been born again by faith in Jesus, the source of light indwells us in the person of the Holy Spirit.  Paul declared to believers in Ephesians 5:8-10, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), ¹⁰ finding out what is acceptable to the Lord."  In our unregenerate state dead in sins we were not only walking in darkness, but were once darkness.  See the transformation Jesus has wrought by grace:  "now you are light in the Lord."  We have come into the light and our sins have been exposed, repented of and forgiven.  Because of our position granted us by our loving Father in heaven, we are called to walk as children of light as we find out and do what is acceptable to the LORD.

Praise the LORD for the riches of God's goodness, forgiveness and that fellowship with God is not only possible but assured by the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.  Since now we are light in the LORD, let us walk as children of light in all goodness, righteousness and truth.  The Old Testament saints could only walk in the light of the LORD, and we are light in the LORD having been made one with Christ!  Let the light of Jesus Christ shine through you, believer, for you are now light in the LORD.

A Future of Peace

It is awesome how God is a Saviour for those who trust in Him.  God does for us what no man can do in cleansing us from sin, imputing righteousness to us by faith and delivering us according to His grace and mercies.  Unlike idols that must be removed from burning buildings to preserve them or salvaged after a disaster, God saves His people.  Like the old song says, "Heartaches, broken people, ruined lives are why you died on Calvary."  There is no medicine which are able to cure heartaches and ailments of the soul.

Psalm 37:34-40 states, "Wait on the LORD, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. ³⁵ I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a native green tree. ³⁶ Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; indeed I sought him, but he could not be found. ³⁷ Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace. ³⁸ But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; the future of the wicked shall be cut off. ³⁹ But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble. ⁴⁰ And the LORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him."  People go to fortune tellers to have guidance concerning what is to come, but God has already assured those who trust in Him of salvation, deliverance and peace.  This is an absolute guarantee no one can snatch from believers who are held safely in the hands of the Almighty.

Knowing how a sports match or movie ends relieves all suspense and anxiety.  The follower of Jesus Christ can rest peacefully in the knowledge that our salvation is from the LORD and He is our strength in time of trouble.  The one who frets and worries should not appeal to circumstances to justify themselves, for the One who justifies believers upholds us in His wisdom and strength.  Great trees that spread themselves ultimately will fall, and the wicked and their schemes will come to nothing.  Wait on the LORD believer, keep His way, and those who humble themselves before Him He will exalt in due time.  All who trust in Jesus Christ are assured of a peaceful future, for our salvation is from the LORD who helps and delivers us.  Knowing our future is peace gives us rest in the present.

Re-Commitment or Revival

Flagging discipline can hinder us from forming or maintaining healthy routines, and even the most committed can find themselves in a rut.  We can do all the right things when our hearts are not in it, and it is easy to make excuses and be slack when there seems to be little immediate benefit for toiling or negative consequences for going back on our plans.  This is often true with physical and spiritual fitness.  An exercise regime is started with good intentions but we quickly lose interest.  Regular devotions and church gathering used to be impacted by work and holidays may now be flagging due to Covid restrictions and cold weather.

Growing up I would hear people in the church speak as though they were two categories of Christians:  those walking with the LORD and those who were backsliding.  It seemed those who identified with being a "backslider" might have been better served to call themselves "in sin" and in need of repentance and to return to the LORD in obedience.  These people were particularly vulnerable to what I call the re-commitment trap.  I observed the same cycle among adults and youth of various durations:  longer cycles went from one church retreat to the next, and others had a weekly cycle of "backsliding" when away from fellowship.  Since born-again status was guaranteed by their assent to biblical doctrine, on Sunday mornings an opportunity for re-commitment was offered for the backslider along with a promised of salvation for the unsaved.  It seemed like people re-committed themselves to God again because they hoped one of those times it would "stick" and actually make a difference.  What I have learned since then is our commitment or "re-commitment" has basically nothing to do with salvation or sanctification at all, for receiving the Gospel and walking with Jesus by faith is all by God's grace.

Good works will always accompany a heart born again by faith in Jesus.  Such a soul will learn from God's word to humble themselves, repent, put off the works of the flesh and be led by the Holy Spirit.  People make "commitments" every day that are mere words and sign legally binding documents they do not always uphold.  The truth is, all those who are genuinely born again will be faced with the need of personal reforms if they will continue to walk in obedience to God.  This is illustrated several times in scripture.  For instance, after Saul was anointed king over Israel for years many of the people lived as though he was not king at all, did not give him presents and resented his rule.  After the LORD used him to coordinate a great victory over the Philistines 1 Samuel 11:14-15 says, "Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there." ¹⁵ So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they made sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly."  On that day there was a notable change in the hearts of some people toward God and king, for when the kingdom was renewed in Gilgal they all rejoiced greatly.

When idolatrous Ahab and Jezebel ruled in Samaria, the worship of Ba'al was promoted and the prophets of God were persecuted and killed.  The prophet Elijah spoke to Ahab and told him there would be no rain except at his word, and for about three years the land languished in drought.  In Deuteronomy 11:16-17 God previously warned His people this was one judgment He would bring upon them for idolatry.  Elijah organised a contest on Mt. Carmel between the prophets of Ba'al and himself, a prophet of the one true God:  the God who answered with fire from heaven would be revealed to be God and the only God people were to fear and worship.  The prophets of Ba'al went first and for many hours shouted and danced to no avail.  1 Kings 18:30 says, "Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down."  Elijah needed to repair the altar of the LORD because sacrifice, praise and thanksgiving to God had been neglected.  After Elijah repaired the altar, laid the wood and sacrifice in order which he drowned in water, at the time of the evening sacrifice God answered with fire from heaven.

After a victory only made possible by God over an immense army from Ethiopia, King Asa was met by a prophet of God in 2 Chronicles 15 who exhorted him to seek the LORD and personal reforms led to revival.  2 Chronicles 15:8 reads, "And when Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had taken in the mountains of Ephraim; and he restored the altar of the LORD that was before the vestibule of the LORD."  Asa had been following God faithfully, yet there were idols all around which required taking courage in God to take the huge step of removing them.  Asa then gathered all the people together on a set day to offer sacrifices to God of the spoils they received after their recent victory.  He even removed his own mother from being queen because she had set up an idol in a grove.  Asa and all the people entered into a covenant before the LORD of their fathers they would seek Him with all their hearts and souls.  Items his father had dedicated to the LORD Asa brought into the temple, and God was with him.

God puts no demand in His word for people to make a commitment or "re-commit" to Him for salvation or for sanctification.  Recommitting is all about returning to a previous level of commitment when God would have us go far beyond that in faith and obedience to Him like Asa did.  Our previous manner of life was not sufficient in itself to maintain our devotion or sacrifice:  what does it profit to return to the life that resulted in chronic backsliding?  Like these biblical examples, there are times we must choose to take action to renew our focus, to repair what we have neglected, to restore godly practices when we have been slack, to remove idols which have cluttered up our hearts, to rally one another to draw near to God.  The one thing Samuel, Elijah and Asa had in common was their desire to seek the LORD and give all praise and honour to Him.  Their focus was not on themselves and their need for re-commitment, but to seek the LORD because they knew, feared and loved Him.  The re-commitment trap is one driven by guilt for sin with no repentance required, whereas revival is a work God does by the power of the Holy Spirit in those who seek Him and humbly heed His word.

Commitment is all about what we have decided and what we will do, and the life of faith in God is all about what He has done and promised.  No man can revive himself, but God promises to revive His people by His grace in Isaiah 57:15:  "For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."  The ones who simply cry out, "God, be merciful to me a sinner!" have the promise of revival offered to them by the living God, while the ones who re-commit can remain in the same old rut.

Help From God

I love reading of God's people who rely upon Him and overcame impossible odds by the grace of God.  Because Jonathan knew God was awesome and mighty he said to his armour bearer as they approached a garrison of the Philistines, "It may be that the LORD will work for us.  For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few." (from 1 Samuel 14:6)  King Asa of Judah, when faced the army of Zerah from Ethiopia with a thousand thousand men and 300 chariots in battle array against Israel, looked to the LORD in 2 Chronicles 14:11:  "And Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, "LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!"  Through faith in God these and many others in scripture were given the victory by the God who gives power to the powerless and helps the helpless.

God's ability is not restrained by men, and it is nothing for Him to help.  The "help" God gives is nothing like the "help" man offers.  When we ask for help carrying bags or opening a door, we are asking for someone else to assist us, to lend a fraction of what is required to accomplish something.  When we assist or help someone, should we be acknowledged, complimented or praised for our willingness to pitch in we might say, "It is nothing."  But it was something.  We can downplay our efforts at times with false humility.  Because our intent was to give and not receive we feel awkward to receive a compliment so we deflect and minimise; we lie and magnanimously say "It was nothing" to bring the conversation into alignment our values, that we would rather identify with virtuous giving than the humility required for gracious receiving.

Because nothing at all is difficult, tiring or exhausting for God it is nothing for Him to help us.  His help is not a bit of assistance to carry us over the line but He has already done more that we could ever ask or think.  God had already provided King Asa life, a body, mind and access by prayer to God's presence.  He had given Asa the throne, a kingdom, people to govern, defined borders to defend, laws to obey and promises to believe.  God had demonstrated His powerful deliverance and provided a written account in the scriptures of His goodness and grace.  In asking for help, King Asa asked God to do all:  to defeat the enemy, to preserve his life and the lives of his people, to guard the nation and to glorify God's holy name.  At Asa's request of faith God smote the enemies of Judah and they prevailed over those who rose up against them.  On their own they were powerless and helpless, and God graciously gave them the victory.

We are nothing, and it is nothing for God to help us.  David marveled that God regards man at all in light of His greatness and glory.  Who is like our God, who freely helps those who cannot help Him at all and helps us even when we cannot help ourselves?  God is worthy of all honour and praise, and He is gracious to receive it from the helpless ones who fear Him.

Receiving the Word

If you have raised children, the situation will likely have a familiar ring:  trying to convince a skeptical, picky eater they should try unfamiliar food.  "It has everything you like," one might plead.  Others make it into a game, while others use dessert as leverage to convince a stubborn youngster they are better off eating the food presented to them.  There are times where a child's mind is so made up they will not like the food based on the strange appearance or smell, they will make themselves sick.  Or even better, people will say they enjoy food--until they are made aware of an ingredient it contains they do not prefer.  Just the thought of eating meat can make some people physically ill, while others are put off all green food.

Our habits and approaches to eating are amazingly diverse, but the key component all eaters of food share in common is willingness.  Because the muscles controlling swallowing are inside the mouth and throat, the eater has control over what they will eat or drink.  A young child who discovers this can seize an opportunity to impose a power play of control that can potentially divide and drive concerned parents crazy.  While some children play with their food, in contrast there are children who are downright ravenous.  They are happy to eat what is placed before them and are willing to try mixed concoctions that make their parents cringe.  From infancy I have always enjoyed eating food, and willingness to trust and try different things has been rewarding and promotes the health of the body.

The desire and willingness to eat healthy food can be compared with the faith and willingness needed to receive the word of God.  This quality was seen in the Jews in Berea when Paul and Silas went to the synagogue.  Acts 17:11-12 reads, "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. ¹² Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men."  People went to the synagogue hungry for spiritual nutrition, and notice how they received the word will all readiness, searched the scriptures to confirm the truth of what Paul and Silas said, and as a result believed in Jesus Christ.  Their hearts were prepared and minds open to receive the word of God even from strangers.  The claims of Paul that Jesus is the Messiah looked very different to the standard fare at the synagogue, and after receiving the doctrine went to the scriptures to confirm it.  This readiness to receive resulted in gladness to share the truth with others, for many Jews and Greeks, men and women believed.  All readiness to receive God's word led to the growth and health of the church.

The people of Berea were distinguished from those at Thessalonica because they received the word with all readiness, searched the scriptures daily and therefore believed.  Souls are starving and weak for lack of willingness to receive God's word, even among God's people.  It is easy for Christians to rely upon the fast-food of sermons or books when God would have us come to Him with hearts prepared to receive His word.  A balanced and varied diet is important for the health of our bodies, and let us not avoid certain books of the Bible because we do not find them appealing.  Like the people of Berea, may we receive the word with all readiness and open the Bible ourselves.  When we are willing and faithful to do this we will receive abundantly to joyfully share with others.  We can only eat so many fruits and vegetables before they go off so we share a bumper crop with others, and God's word is able to sustain us all body and soul.  Praise the LORD His word endures forever!

Steps Directed

I am encouraged how faith in God provides insight to look beyond what can be humanly seen and known.  Man   Proverbs 16:9 reads, "A man's heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps."  God is always at work and leads people to do His ways in situations man cannot plan for.  A great illustration of this is seen in the salvation of the harlot Rahab and her family.

Before the children of Israel crossed the Jordan river into Canaan Joshua 2:1 says, "Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there."  It turned out Rahab previously heard of the God of Israel and believed He had given the city and land into the hand of the Hebrews.  She sheltered and protected the Hebrew spies, and then she asked that her life and the lives of her family members would be spared.  The spies agreed if she kept silent concerning their agreement and if she tied the scarlet rope she let them down to escape from her window, all of her family who assembled in her home would be spared.

After Jericho fell by the miraculous power of God, the Hebrews made good on their promise to Rahab.  Joshua 6:22-25 states, "But Joshua had said to the two men who had spied out the country, "Go into the harlot's house, and from there bring out the woman and all that she has, as you swore to her." ²³ And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel. ²⁴ But they burned the city and all that was in it with fire. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. ²⁵ And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father's household, and all that she had. So she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho." 

The two men sent to spy out the country were called "messengers" in verse 25.  This is not a contradiction but a shift of perspective:  they were sent into the country by Joshua to spy out the land secretly, yet they became messengers of a promise of salvation from God to Rahab and her house who believed.  Two Hebrew spies entered a stronghold that was shut up because they feared the Hebrews, and when the city fell Rahab and her whole family were delivered safe.  When the book of Joshua was written Rahab lived in Israel at that time because she hid the spies and gladly received the message by faith in God.  The New Testament affirms the men were messengers indeed in James 2:25:  "Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?"

The spies intended to be secretive and God made them messengers of His grace and salvation.  Isn't it wonderful man's plans can be to have a walk, look around and give a report when God's design is to be a messenger that brings life others?  Praise the LORD His ways are higher than ours, and all His plans and purposes are good.

God's Glorious Grace

It is easy to take God's grace for granted.  The grace of God is given continually and infinitely it is like the oxygen we draw in with every breath without thinking to satisfy our needs.  Being deprived of oxygen for a short while makes us appreciate the ability to breathe freely again, and even in the season of difficulty God's grace still remains abundant.  How good it is to consider all we have in Jesus Christ and to bless His holy name.

As born again Christians in this marvelous season of grace, the Gospel having been revealed to all through Jesus, reading about the past can open our eyes to better appreciate and celebrate the present.  God's grace, kindness and goodness have been extended to all people from the beginning, yet to everything is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.  A season of lawlessness preceded that of the Law of Moses, and now Jesus has ushered in a new covenant by which Jew and Gentile alike are united with God as one by faith in Him.  We are most privileged to live in these exciting times where Jesus is the head of the church and each member of the Body of Christ can be comforted, guided and helped by the Holy Spirit.

Last night I was reading for the conditions which used to exist under the Law of Moses in Numbers 3.  The children of Israel were God's chosen people, and He chose the males of the tribe of Levi to serve as priests and Levites unto Him in the service of the tabernacle.  Numbers 3:10 says, "So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall attend to their priesthood; but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death."  The word "outsider" is a stranger, a foreigner.  No one but the sons of Aaron were to be appointed to the priesthood, and this excluded a lot of people.  Later in the chapter the charge and warning was repeated in Numbers 3:38:  "Moreover those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tabernacle of meeting, were Moses, Aaron, and his sons, keeping charge of the sanctuary, to meet the needs of the children of Israel; but the outsider who came near was to be put to death."  No one but the sons of Aaron could minister unto the LORD as priests, and if a curious stranger even came near they were to be executed.

When Jesus cried out "It is finished!" and laid down His life on Calvary, the veil of the temple which blocked the view into the Holy of Holies in the temple was ripped top to bottom.  To venture or even look into the Holy of Holies was reserved for the high priest alone only on the Day of Atonement.  This divine act revealed the way into the presence of God was not only made possible but all people--Jew and Gentile, male and female, free and slave--were invited to draw near to God through faith in Jesus.  After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven in the sight of hundreds of eye witnesses, the Holy Spirit was sent to fill believers and empower them to be witnesses for Christ everywhere we go.

In light of the death sentence for strangers who approached the sanctuary, consider the impact of what is written in Hebrews 4:14-16 to all Christians:  "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  Foreigners and aliens in the land of Israel could not approach the sanctuary or holy place which contained no throne:  heaven is God's throne and the earth His footstool!  By the grace of God sinners, born again by faith in Jesus, are invited to boldly come to God's throne room of grace themselves to "obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Drink in the grace, my friends, breathe it all in freely with gratitude!  That God would dwell in us and we in Him!  What better passage to emphasise this than Ephesians 2:11-22:  "Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands--¹² that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, ¹⁵ having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

¹⁷ And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

Give God His Due

I am studying the book of James at the moment and the connection is made between faith and works.  We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus and cannot be saved by working to obtain righteousness by the Law of Moses.  The reality is when people are born again and the Holy Spirit takes up residence within them, the lives of people will not be the same because God makes all things new:  a soul dead in sins has been raised to life and forgiven, the eyes of the blind have been opened, the lost has been found, a foreigner has been adopted as a son and made co-heir with Christ.

A point made by James is genuine faith will have supporting evidence of life.  A heartbeat in the womb of a mother is a sign a baby has been conceived and is developing.  There are many who make a profession of having faith without any evidence of a changed life even as there were people who pointed to their  good works as a means of obtaining favour with God.  A wondrous truth of the Gospel is it is all of grace:  it is not by works we have done but by God's mercy He has saved us.  Having been given eternal life, we are divinely enabled to repent of our sin, put off works of the flesh and produce the fruit of the Spirit.

One of the big talking points for believers is our personal responsibility in our own sanctification.  J. Vernon McGee wrote this in a commentary, “A minister once talked to a man who professed conversion, and he asked, “Have you united with the church?”  “No, I haven’t,” the man replied.  “The dying thief never united with the church, and he went to heaven.”  The minister asked, “Have you ever sat at the Lord’s table?”  “No, the dying thief never did, and he was accepted,” was the answer.  The minister asked, “Have you been baptised?”  “No, “he said, “the dying thief was never baptised, and he went to heaven.”  “Have you given to missions?”  “No, the dying thief did not give to missions, and he was not judged for it,” was the reply.  Then this disgusted minister said to the man, “Well, my friend, the difference between you two seems to be that he was a dying thief and you are a living thief.” (McGee, Thru the Bible, Vol. 5, pg. 651)

The point McGee made is a good one, how people can cherry-pick examples from the Bible to justify their own indolence and indifference which exposes their lack of love of God.  I remember talking to a man who declared he didn't need to go to church to go to heaven because his grandmother told him so as a child.  Using the thief on the cross or what grandma said should not discount the commands of our LORD Jesus and the responsibilities we have as believers, things like loving the LORD with all our hearts and loving one another as Jesus loves us.  As children of God He is faithful to guide and correct us, and He uses countless means to communicate His wisdom and truth even to faithless hearts like ours.

Solomon concluded his remarks in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 with this timeless truth:  "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:  fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. ¹⁴ For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil."  Even in our age of grace a man can rob God, and may we give Him the honour, praise, thanks and obedience He deserves as our loving Father, Saviour and Sovereign, our all in all.

God is in Command

I recall a memorable scene in a war movie when a captain lead a crew into the heart of a jungle to find a friendly camp in chaos.  Flares exploded overhead and illuminated a rickety bridge.  Flashes of light exposed men huddled in muddy foxholes.  Jeering cries from the enemy were shouted over a loudspeaker while fighters responded with gunfire as they shouted obscenities in terror.  The captain finally demanded of a soldier, "Who is the commanding officer here?"  An unhinged soldier responded, "Ain't you?"  The captain asked another, "Hey soldier, do you know who is in command here?"  The man with a thousand-yard stare answered "Yeah," and slowly walked away.  It was abundantly clear to the inquiring captain no one was in command and left as soon as possible because in that place there was nothing but death for him and his men.

In a limited sense, this is true for all people on this earth.  For the child of God, however, we have received eternal life and a glorious future in the presence of God which we can experience today.  There are times when believers may have the vantage point of those hopeless fighters in the foxholes, feeling without clear guidance and at the mercy of an elusive enemy, forsaken and lost in a trial that drags on without end.  Christians have heard the emphasis of God's love so often they struggle to connect His love with the terrible feelings trials bring:  confusion, worry, cynicism and despair can take hold in a heart created to rejoice in the goodness of God by faith in Jesus Christ.  We can "grit our teeth and bear it" when we are called to cast all our cares upon the LORD because He cares for us, having borne our sins upon Himself on Calvary and caused us to be born again by grace.

When we face troubles a lot of focus is put on 1) what we need to do so 2) God will do what we want Him to.  I have heard a lot of people quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 as a directive for what we should be do when in trouble:  did you know this is in the middle of a sentence?  It did not start with us doing something but what our good and loving God did to draw us to Himself.  2 Chronicles 7:12-15 reads, "Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: "I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. ¹³ When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, ¹⁴ if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. ¹⁵ Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place."  Difficult circumstances like drought that affected crops and livestock, locusts which stripped plants of food, and pestilence or plagues which afflicted people, were God's doing to draw people to Himself.

Those who blame the devil or even charge God with wrong by what He allows deny themselves the help God has promised to provide those who humble themselves, pray, seek His face and turn from their wickedness.  We are assured of God's love by the demonstration of Jesus on Calvary and the promises in God's word, for He loves us with an everlasting love; God's mercies are new every morning for great is His faithfulness.  He does not look to a house built with hands but those who humble themselves, fear God and tremble at His word (Isaiah 66:1-2).  The fears and concerns people justify by looking at what is happening in the world are totally unjustified in the knowledge and presence of our awesome God.  Let no one pin the blame primarily on governments, politicians, satanic conspiracies or global warming when God is in command and on the throne, for who is greater than God?  We can know with all certainty, "God is in command here, now and forever."  We don't need to freak out or have the thousand-yard stare but can stand joyful and upright because God is with us.

I urge you, child of God, to lay aside any thoughts or cares that do not fully take God's sovereignty, goodness, love and redemptive purposes into account.  Covid is a global catastrophe like we have never seen, but it is an infinitely greater tragedy when one child of God loses sight of Him and gives into despair and hopelessness when we have the presence of God with us Who will never leave or forsake us.  The trials (and blessings from them) God allows are the proving grounds of faith which strengthen us to endure.  We cannot see good in drought or pestilence, yet our remarkable God remains perpetually good in all seasons.  May our LORD open our eyes to all the good He does like in Ezekiel 17:22-24 with His establishment of Jesus Christ and the everlasting Gospel:  "Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will take also one of the highest branches of the high cedar and set it out. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant it on a high and prominent mountain. ²³ On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell. ²⁴ And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I, the LORD, have spoken and have done it."

The Triumph of Mercy

"So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. ¹³ For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment."

James 2:12-13

Freely we have received life, forgiveness and salvation by faith in Christ, and the mercy and love God has shown us ought to impact our sense of justice.  From a young age children understand the concept of fairness, and often this view is devoid of God's grace.  In the eyes of a victim who has been wronged the desire for justice is strong.  The Bible reveals the merciful character of God which affirms, "Mercy triumphs over judgment."

It is possible for a person to show mercy in judgment because they recognise their own need for mercy.  Jesus said in Matthew 7:1-2, "Judge not, that you be not judged. ² For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."  The words of Jesus and the passage from the book of James align perfectly with one another.  If our judgments of others are without a measure of mercy, God will use this standard as a basis for our judgment.  All Christians will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account for the deeds done in the body during our lives, and the wise will desire mercy to triumph on that day.

But it would be a shame to reduce our motivation to show mercy to a self-serving one:  shouldn't mercy triumph over judgment because we have already received mercy from God and value it?  If judgment triumphed over mercy when Adam sinned, humanity would have been wiped from the earth permanently in a moment.  Had justice triumphed over mercy, Cain would have been executed for the murder of his brother.  This also is true for each one of us.  As much as we desire "justice to be done," the mercies of God are new every morning towards us for great is God's faithfulness, grace and love.  His compassion fails not.

Having received such mercy from God, knowing He is merciful towards us today and will be merciful to us in the future for all eternity, this ought to prompt us to show mercy to others.  Know that no one "gets away" with anything before our just God who will not pardon the guilty, and if He did not put our sins away from us as far as the east is from the west we would be eternally condemned.  The satisfied feeling we have when we believe justice has been done should be fundamentally shifted to mercy being shown by us to those who do not deserve or fully appreciate it.  Praise God for His goodness, that His mercy triumphs over judgment.

History Come to Life

The Bible is an incredible testimony of the God who created all things Who has chosen to reveal Himself to mankind.  The holy scriptures bear no resemblance to works of fiction or mythology because they are a recording of actual history.  There are records of miraculous occurrences by the power of God and prophesies which have been confirmed as precisely accurate hundreds of years later.  Over thousands of years many traditional beliefs have been espoused by the Jews, some supported by scripture and others that are not.  One thing I learned during my travels to Israel from tour guides is it is traditionally believed the temple mount is the place Abraham went by the command of God to bind and offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering.  Because scripture does not say this, it may or may not be true.  By this test Abraham demonstrated his faith in God, the life of Isaac was spared, and God provided a ram for the offering with fire they brought to the mount with them.

However, the Bible does plainly say the reason why the temple was built in a specific place--and it may not be what you expect.  After David numbered the children of Israel and God plagued the children of Israel for three days, David saw an angel with a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.  Details of the historical event can be read in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 which was written later.  1 Chronicles 21:18 states, "Therefore, the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David that David should go and erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite."  In obedience to God's directive, David negotiated a price for the place of the threshing floor, the floor itself, threshing implements for wood, oxen and wheat for sacrifice, and he paid with silver and gold.  1 Chronicles 21:28 tells us, "At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there."

At that time the Ark of the Covenant was housed in Israel, but the tabernacle constructed by Moses was in Gibeon.  When David saw the offering was accepted by God with fire from heaven (something he did not negotiate or purchase from Ornan), from that time forward upon that altar built on the threshing floor was the place David offered sacrifices to God.  2 Chronicles 3:1 says clearly that is the reason why the temple was built in that specific place in Jerusalem:  "Now Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite."  The Bible revealed to me true historical facts several tour guides in my times in Israel did not mention.  The sign at the temple mount to this day does not mention this either, and you do not need to go to Israel to read it for yourself!

The Bible is the authority on history, and we can rest in the accuracy of God's word which reveals the truth to all who will receive it.  We owe a great debt to countless people who laboured to preserve the word of God so we can read it in a language we can understand.  Whether or not Abraham went to sacrifice his son on the exact spot of the altar is not confirmed, but God has made clear why Solomon built the temple where he did:  it was the place where the LORD appeared to David at the place he prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.  It was the place where God told the angel to put his sword back into his sheath and received the offering with fire from heaven.  It was a place where peace had been restored because God is our peace, and He chose to place His everlasting name in Jerusalem:  the city of peace.

For Christians this is a lovely illustration how Jesus is our peace and we have been joined with Him by faith.  The Bible reveals those who are born again by faith in Jesus now are the temple of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice for sinners, and offering God received on Calvary.  God showed He received Christ as an acceptable offering by raising Him from the dead, His ascension into heaven, and the Holy Spirit coming upon believers on the Day of Pentecost.  Those disciples went out into the world and preached the Gospel, the same Gospel Christians proclaim today.  We now are called to offer ourselves as living sacrifices unto God which is our reasonable service.  Aren't God's ways higher than ours and His wisdom beyond compare by bringing history to life?

Praise God for All He Is

"And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the LORD, which was at the tabernacle of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it. ⁷ On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, "Ask! What shall I give you?"

2 Chronicles 1:6-7

I find it interesting how the KJV renders God's words in the form of a command:  "Ask what I shall give thee."  God is generous and giving, and made His intent clear to King Solomon.  God was going to give Solomon something, and directed him to ask for it.  Now I must say many times in my life I considered what I would say if such a demand was placed on me.  I can also say my answers have been impacted by the way God answered Solomon's request for wisdom.  God was pleased Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge to rule God's people well when he could have asked for riches, wealth, honour, the lives of his enemies or long life for himself.  One might imagine because Solomon "gave the right answer," God chose to give him wisdom, knowledge and everything else thrown in too.

If we frame our response to God's invitation based upon what God gave Solomon as a formula to gain riches, wealth and long life for ourselves, we are blind of God's grace.  We may attempt to answer God's demand in a humble way not to appear greedy--because we naturally are greedy and want very much what we have not asked for.  Who is there among men who is not pleased with something for nothing?  We would rather not have to ask!  Asking is the rule of God's kingdom, yet He remains generous and gracious to give us far beyond what we ever asked for or dreamed.  To view Solomon's response as a guide to obtain our desire (if I do enough to please God or give the "right" answer to a question I will get what I really value) we are not valuing Who God is or what God has already promised and given to us through Jesus Christ.  God does not give blank checks for us to fill out, for that would limit the infinite stores of mercy, grace and love He could extend to us.

Consider for a moment how God has given the humble child of God by faith in Jesus more than Solomon received from God.  Sure, we might not bring in hundreds of talents of gold in taxes into our treasury per annum, but all we have received from God is beyond price or reckoning.  Jesus has become for us wisdom, and the Holy Spirit who indwells us guides us into all truth.  Those who humble themselves God is pleased to adopt as His beloved children and invite into His glorious presence to a place prepared for us.  Jesus has destroyed the Law which condemned us, cleansed us of sin that cursed and damned us, and He crushed the head of Satan under His feet.  Long life for Solomon is estimated to be about 80 years, and how does that compare with eternal life in heaven with God?  All the sacrifices Solomon offered were unable to cleanse his soul fully and perpetually, yet in Jesus Christ our souls have been born again, purified and redeemed forever by His sacrifice.

Hebrews 4:14-16 reads, "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  The Christian walk is not about us receiving what we want--or even what we need--but how we have by faith in Jesus Christ all we need for wisdom, life and godliness forever!  Praise the LORD for all He has given us according to His promises by His grace.  The incident with Solomon shows God's grace to give His beloved people far beyond what we ever asked for, and this should fill us with praise and thanksgiving to our God who loves to bless us with the true riches of His kingdom:  Himself.

God Is Exalted

This morning I rose while it was chilly and dark for exercise.  Frost glittered on cars as a thin sliver of the moon shone bright suspended in a clear sky.  I was treated to a majestic view of faint stars as the moon brightly reflected the light of the sun.  I find it fascinating how the rays of the sun are seemingly lost in space until they hit upon the lunar surface in a brilliant display of God's wisdom.  It struck me how a person could look at the moon and praise nature, another could take pride in science which can provide explanations of planetary motion and moon exploration, while others simply worship and admire God who created and upholds such wondrous things.

Seeing the moon suspended in the heavens prompted me to consider how humans are easily moved to worship things which are not God.  Probably the most common object of worship is self.  I remember an insightful interview by Ray Comfort with a professing Satanist who mused, "When we say 'Hail Satan,' to a certain extent I am saying 'Hail Me.'"  King Nebuchadnezzar did a similar thing when he looked upon the kingdom of Babylon and the glory of it, though it was God who chose Nebuchadnezzar and made him to prosper.  God warned Nebuchadnezzar through a dream interpreted by Daniel, yet he did not humble himself before God:  in light of his wealth and power he did not say "Praise God!" but "Hail me!"

Daniel 4:29-32 states, "At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. ³⁰ The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?" ³¹ While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! ³² And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."  For seven years the understanding and sanity of Nebuchadnezzar departed from him and he lived like a beast outdoors, his hair growing into dreadlocks and his untrimmed nails curved like bird claws.

At the end of the appointed time, God caused the understanding of Nebuchadnezzar to return and restored his kingdom and majesty to him.  Nebuchadnezzar was not embittered towards God for ruining his life or wasting years of his time:  the effect on the king of Babylon was strikingly different.  When Nebuchadnezzar returned to the throne, no longer did he worship the works of his hands or himself.  He said in Daniel 4:37, "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down."  Like the moon in the night sky, so the life of Nebuchadnezzar speaks forth the praise and worship of God the King of heaven whose works are truth and ways justice.  Blessed is the one who humbles themselves before God, and even the ones God puts down for their folly can look to Him by His grace with thanksgiving.

Loved and Liked

Have you ever heard the distinction between liking and loving someone else?  For a young man looking for love it was disheartening to be "friendzoned" by a woman they are taken with, to be viewed at most a friend when the heart of the love-struck fellow is set on much more.  I have also heard this distinction made among family members:  "I love my family member, but I do not like him or her at all."  It is possible to love someone with whom we are not currently pleased and thus do not "like" due to circumstances.  The seeming contradiction between loving someone we do not like is resolved when we realise our natural love is not God's love at all.

I was struck by how amazing God's grace and love is towards us today by a statement David made in 1 Chronicles 28:2-5:  "Then King David rose to his feet and said, "Hear me, my brethren and my people: I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made preparations to build it. ³ But God said to me, 'You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.' ⁴ However the LORD God of Israel chose me above all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever, for He has chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father, He was pleased with me to make me king over all Israel. ⁵ And of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons) He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel."

A man after God's own heart, David remained humble even as ruler over Israel.  By grace God chose Judah out of the 12 tribes to be one that ruled, the house of Jesse was also chosen by God and David, though the youngest son, was chosen to be king.  David had not desired to be king, yet God delighted to bring him from the sheepfold to the throne.  David did desire to build God a temple, and God instead chose David's son Solomon to sit on the throne after him and build the temple.  Verse 4 says God "was pleased with me to make me king over all Israel."  The KJV puts it, "among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king..."  Isn't it great to hear God chose David by grace because He liked him?  God made David king out of all Israel because it pleased Him.  God loved and liked David, and this was displayed in graciously promoting him and also preventing him from doing what David really wanted to do.

When human beings "like" someone else, in their eyes the one they like can do no (or little!) wrong.  Though God was pleased to make David king, it did not give him a free pass to sin without consequences.  Also it did not mean God's love or liking was restricted to David alone, for His choosing of David and finding pleasure in him was all of grace.  The God who does not and cannot change has seen fit to create all human beings with a unique, distinct soul and personality.  I am told no two different snowflakes or fingerprints are identical, and consider the creative genius of God to make everyone and their talents, perspectives, likes and loves different from one another!  The elders said before the LORD in Revelation 4:11:  "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."  God created all things--including every person--because it pleased Him to do so.

Do you realise God knit you in the womb of your mother because it pleased Him?  David was convinced he was chosen of God for his role because God liked him, and blessed is the man who has received the love of God by faith, knowing He also favours us.  God showed grace to David by choosing him to be king, and He showed grace by giving the task of building the temple to Solomon.  It pleased God to not have David build the temple, but he was not loved any less.  For God so loved the world He sent His only begotten Son Jesus that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, and those who receive His love by faith begin to realise God likes us too, undeserving though we remain of such grace.

By Grace Unshakable

For a reason probably only known for certain by the author Ian Fleming, the common cocktail of choice by James Bond included an odd request for preparation, that the martini serviced him be "Shaken, not stirred."  Apparently his palate was refined to notice a difference, and he cared enough over the distinction to include detailed instructions in his order instead of leaving it to a professional barkeep.  Whether a drink is shaken or stirred, the reason the drink is mixed is the same:  it is for drinking.

Like a drink, it is possible for people to be shaken and disturbed by what they have seen; people can be stirred by troubling circumstances.  In the end it doesn't matter if we feel shaken or stirred but how we respond to the situation and our feelings.  I used to live in southern California, a part of the world often shaken by small earthquakes.  It was not uncommon for me to hear earthquakes ratting the windows at night and once I heard the house snap like a whip.  Because earthquakes were common and we were as prepared as we could possibly be in case of an emergency, when the house shook I was not shaken in mind.  I am sure if the house had collapsed due to the force of a quake, it would have been a different story.

I was reminded of a passage of scripture where the children of Israel were shaken by an encounter with the living God when He revealed Himself in fire, lightning, thunder and an earthquake on Mt. Sinai.  The people were overwhelmed by the presence of God and shook them to the core.  Needless to say they shook more than a leaf in a hurricane and were far more impacted than rocks dislodged by God's power.  The writer of Hebrews drew the attention of Christians to the quaking Hebrews long ago and how we as believers are being given an unshakable kingdom by faith in Jesus in Hebrews 12:18-29:

"For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, ¹⁹ and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. ²⁰ (For they could not endure what was commanded: "And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow." ²¹ And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.") ²² But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, ²³ to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, ²⁴ to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. ²⁵ See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, ²⁶ whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." ²⁷ Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. 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. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire." (NKJV)

The LORD who shook the earth when He appeared to the Hebrews on Sinai has promised to surely shake the earth and also heaven.  The earth will shaken by God like a tree is shaken by those who harvest olives to gather them.  Everything that shakes will be removed and will not endure, but all people who are founded on Jesus Christ by faith in Him will not be moved.  We can remain steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the LORD knowing we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, for it will endure forever.  This result of this knowledge and steadfastness ought to result in us having grace, "by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."  Apart from Christ we are like chaff which the wind stirs up drives away.  It is by the grace of God we can stand, by His grace we will receive an unshakable kingdom, and by grace we can serve God acceptably.  Instead of being shaken when the earth and heavens are shaken, by the grace of God we stand, serve and endure.

Sin is Never Barren

One of lesser known works of C.S. Lewis is one of my favourites, titled The Pilgrim's Regress.  While Pilgrim in John Bunyan's original classic starts his quest for the Celestial City in the right direction, John in The Pilgrim's Regress begins his trek longing for and seeking what he knows not.  He looks for something to satisfy, a beautiful sight, a pleasurable feeling, anything to make life worth living.

For me a most memorable and insightful scene occurs when John went into the wood hoping to catch a glimpse of a beautiful island.  One day in the wood when he was thinking about what actual benefit the island or sweet music that came from it did him, he was surprised to hear a sweet voice speaking to him.  What is described next is nothing less than masterful genius of how sin (especially in the sexual realm) seduces and ensnares unsuspecting people without guilty victims realising the awful consequences.

"...Just as he was opening his eyes he heard a voice speaking to him.  It was quite close at hand, and very sweet, and not at all like the old voice of the wood.  When he looked round he saw what he had never expected, yet he was not surprised.  There in the grass beside him sat a laughing brown girl of about his own age, and she had no clothes on.  "It was me you wanted,' said the brown girl.  'I am better than your silly islands." And John rose and caught her, all in haste, and committed fornication with her in the wood.

After that John was always going to the wood.  He did not always have his pleasure of her in the body, though it often ended that way:  sometimes he would talk to her about himself, telling her lies about his courage and his cleverness.  All that he told her she remembered, so that on other days she could tell it over to him again.  Sometimes, even, he would go with her through the wood looking for the sea and the Island, but not often.  Meanwhile the year went on and the leaves began to fall in the wood and the skies were more often grey:  until now, as I dreamed, John had slept in the wood, and he woke up in the wood.  The sun was low and a blustering wind was stripping the leaves from the branches.  The girl was still there and the appearance of her was hateful to John:  and he saw that she knew this, and the more she knew it the more she stared at him, smiling.  He looked round and saw how small the wood was after all--a beggarly strip of trees between the road and a field that he knew well.  Nowhere in sight was there anything that he liked at all.

'I shall not come back here, ' said John.  'What I wanted is not here.  It wasn't you I wanted, you know.'

'Wasn't it?' said the brown girl.  'Then be off.  But you must take your family with you.'

With that she put up her hands to her mouth and called.  Instantly from behind every tree there slipped out a brown girl:  each of them was just like herself:  the little wood was full of them.

'What are these?'

'Our daughters,' said she.  'Did you not know you were a father?  Did you think I was barren, you fool?  And now, children,' she added, turning to the mob, 'go with your father.'

Suddenly John became very much afraid and leaped over the wall into the road.  There he ran home as fast as he could."  (The Pilgrim's Regress, by C. S. Lewis, Fount Paperbacks, 1990, pp. 40–41. )

John ran but could not hide from the little brown girls who haunted his every step; at every turn they were there.  He tried in vain to comfort himself over time because of the "rules" he had broken, but "when he crept away to bed, tired to death and raw in his soul, always he would be sure to find a brown girl waiting for him there:  and on such a night he had no spirit to resist her blandishments." (ibid. pg. 43)  Is this not an inspired description of one trapped in the futile pleasure/guilt cycle of sin with fearful, haunting consequences?  It is only by Jesus Christ and the Gospel wretched sinners are saved from the snare and condemnation of sin, and in God find the freedom, forgiveness and rest we truly long for.  Our sin is never barren but always produces death.  For those trapped in the wood, life becomes a living hell.  Oh, what joy to have fellowship with God freely offered us despite ourselves with the sure promise of heaven!