Our Miraculous Helper

Genuine faith in God is established in knowing Him and what He has done.  Those who are convinced of God's power displayed in creation and salvation are enabled to rely upon Him presently.  Psalm 121:2-3 says, "My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. ³ He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber."  God's miraculous power demonstrated by making the heaven and earth reveals His timeless wisdom, authority and strength.  He Who made us can help us, and He is our only Hope.

Psalm 121 clearly connects the miraculous deeds God has done to helping us today and for the future because He is eternal.  He made the earth long ago and helps us now; He will not allow our feet to be moved.  God in His wisdom established the earth on nothing, and nothing is hard for a God who can conceive, design and order such things.  Placing our faith in God as revealed in the Bible who created us and helps us is the most intelligent, wise thing a man can do.  It is faith in God that opens our eyes to see our need for Him and how He has ever been faithful to meet those needs even before we thought to ask.

Recently I read an amusing anecdote from G.K. Chesterton:

"It is assumed that the sceptic has no bias; whereas he has a very obvious bias in favour of scepticism.  I remember once arguing with an honest young atheist, who was very much shocked at my disputing some of the assumptions which were absolute sanctities to him (such as the quite unproved proposition of the independence of matter and the quite improbable proposition of its power to originate mind), and he at length fell back upon this question, which he delivered with an honourable heat of defiance and indignation:  "Well, can you tell me any man of intellect, great in science or philosophy, who accepted the miraculous?"  I said, "With pleasure.  Descartes, Dr. Johnson, Newton, Faraday, Newman, Gladstone, Pasteur, Browning, Brunetiere--as many more as you please."  To which that quite admirable and idealistic young man made this astonishing reply - "Oh, but of course they had to say that; they were Christians."  First he challenged me to find a black swan, and then he ruled out all my swans because they were black.  The fact that all these great intellects had come to the Christian view was somehow or other a proof either that they were not great intellects or that they had not really come to that view.  The argument thus stood in a charmingly convenient form:  "All men that count have come to my conclusion; for it they come to your conclusion they do not count." (Chesterton, G. K. All Things Considered. CreateSpace, 2018. page 103)

There are sceptics who prefer speculation over established facts, sceptics who are ignorant of something, and sceptics because they want to be.  There are many things in this world of which I am sceptical because I do not trust the source or that it is in my best interest according to what I already know.  When foreign students came to my front door selling "original" artwork I was very sceptical because I know quality paintings command a high price and are not sold door-to-door, and thus could not be bothered to browse their selections.  The thing we are sold on we are no longer sceptical of.  When I was given a shot of penicillin as a kid when I had strep throat, I did not explain medically or scientifically what was happening.  But all scepticism I had before the shot evaporated when within minutes my fever broke and I had a ravenous appetite after days of being sick.  I have come to find that God is greater than any medicine because He is our Maker who miraculously helps us today.  His word is ever true, He remains faithful and He rules over all things.

The man whose heart is established in God according to knowledge shall not be moved.  I can testify of biblical examples of those who hearts were strengthened in God in the midst of trials, and I have been an eyewitness of this as well.  I have seen people rejoice when they naturally would have collapsed in despair and others look to the LORD with hope when all hope seemed lost.  Faith in God has healed hearts, miraculously transformed lives and perspectives.  As one who has been born again the only reasonable explanation is it was God in the person of Jesus Christ who revealed Himself to us who lives, keeps us and is continuing to change us for good.  The supporting evidence of God's miraculous works and help is beyond reckoning, and I am convinced the chief reason people pay God no mind is because they would rather not.

If those who know God is their Creator and help actually live like this was so, it would certainly bring glory to God through the interest which would be fostered.  When everyone else is wringing their hands with anxiety, we can raise our empty hands in praise to God who helps, keeps and saves us.  Who do we have in heaven but Him?

Eyes on the Almighty

Some hold the view that if the opportunity presented itself in person, they would have some rather pointed things to say to God.  They relish the idea of giving God a piece of their mind over trials or troubles they pin on Him.  In the midst of his affliction, Job thought along these lines.  This righteous man of faith said in Job 13:20-22:  "Only two things do not do to me, then I will not hide myself from You: ²¹ withdraw Your hand far from me, and let not the dread of You make me afraid. ²² Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, then You respond to me."  Job desired an opportunity to present his case to God and be heard, yet when God revealed Himself and began to ask Job questions instead, his views changed dramatically.

God used imagery from the world to show His supremacy over all.  Workmen measured and laid foundations of building, but where was Job when God created and established the earth?  Midwives knew the breaking of water meant the delivery of a baby had commenced, but what did they know about the waters bursting forth upon the earth?  They closed and locked gates to their cities, but could they lock the roaring waves of the sea?  They swaddled infants in clothes yet God swaddled the earth with water and clouds.  People know their way around town and God made a path for thunderbolts in heaven above.  The combative, defensive posture of Job softened under the barrage of questions he could not answer, and he (and we!) are reminded God is almighty, powerful, wise and awesome.

The God who made ears, shall He not hear?  The God who made eyes, shall He not see?  The God who gave us understanding, shall He not know?  Our capacity to hear, see and know is limited, but God's abilities are infinite.  There is no question a man can ask that stumps God, and just because we are overwhelmed and do not know what to do does not mean He is ever in such a state.  He is God, and we are not, and it is a good thing to keep this ever in our minds.  Should our problems or pains make God's power or love seem insignificant, it is we who need to be reminded of God and all He has promised.  The God who gave us mouths and the ability to communicate has spoken and speaks to us today.

When Judah was invaded by enemies, king Jehoshaphat sought the LORD and cried out to Him in 2 Chronicles 20:12-13, "O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." ¹³ Now all Judah, with their little ones, their wives, and their children, stood before the LORD."  The king and all his people united to draw near to the LORD who was faithful to hear and deliver them from trouble.  Solomon said there is a time for every purpose under heaven, and the invading armies prompted Jehoshaphat and the people to seek God, bring their petitions before Him and look to Him for deliverance.  Fear led to great rejoicing and abundance, and this is what only God is able to accomplish by His grace.  Jehoshaphat cried out to God, stopped talking and received the answer from the mouth of the LORD by the prophet.  Praise God in Him we find rest for our souls.

Maintaining Good Works

"This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men."

Titus 3:8

I have heard people say, "That's my good deed for the day" as if it is a onerous chore.  It seems some are glad to move on from doing good to get on with what we would rather do.  But is there anything better than doing good, seeing it is one purpose God has created us?  Why limit our good deeds to one when, if done with the mindset of irritation or self-commendation, it may not even be classified as a "good" deed because of selfish motives behind it?

Ephesians 2:8-10 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."  Having been born again by faith in Jesus, we are created in Christ Jesus for good works God has prepared for us to do.  The Titus passage affirms constantly we should be "careful to maintain good works."  It is strongly implied even after we trust in Christ we are not vigilant as we should be to continually do good.

To keep things we have in prime condition maintenance is required.  Quality vehicles, houses, yards and our bodies need regular maintenance.  Toilets, the BBQ, carpets and floors need maintenance to remain clean.  We love the idea of things being "maintenance free" like many car batteries are these days, but that still doesn't mean they will last forever.  Good works are not maintenance free:  they need to be carefully maintained because they do not happen automatically.  The desire, ability and joy in doing them all come from God, and thus maintaining a close relationship with God is a key to maintaining good works we join with Him and others in doing.

In reflecting on maintenance, it is easy to start well and quickly taper off.  We can be forgetful to mow the lawn or decide we'd rather not power wash the deck because it isn't that bad.  We can be tired, prioritise doing something else, or plain choose to ignore the thing.  This is where self-control, diligence and perseverance God gives make a difference when we humble ourselves before the LORD.  Doing good is good and profitable to all men, and that includes us and others.  Jesus has given us an example of what doing good looks like, in Acts 10:38 Peter connected Jesus' doing good with being anointed by the Holy Spirit and power.  God was with Him, and Jesus has promised to be with us.

After you have done a good deed, don't stop there!  If we do good it is only because God is good, and instead of commending ourselves we ought to praise and thank Him.  Each day we are given on earth is a good gift from God, and we ought to be constantly careful to maintain good works.  We need not keep a tally of our good deeds, for every one is only possible because of our good God and Saviour who created us to do good works He has prepared beforehand for us to do.  Doing good is what we are to devote ourselves to because we are in Christ who has begun a good work in us.

The Honest Truth

Lately I've been reading through a compilation of articles written by G.K Chesterton.  I have found to follow his long and slow moving train of thought to the end, all my continued attention is required.  Today I was particularly impressed with his observations shared in a particular paragraph and felt like saying, "Hear, hear!" because Chesterton was spot on.  The distinction he made between not telling lies and telling the truth is an important one, whether in public school or not.

"Touching the morality of the public schools, I will take one point only, which is enough to prove the case.  People have got into their heads an extraordinary idea that English public-school boys and English youth generally are taught to tell the truth.  They are taught absolutely nothing of the kind.  At no English public school is it even suggested, except by accident, that it is a man's duty to tell the truth.  What is suggested is something entirely different:  that it is a man's duty not to tell lies.  So completely does this mistake soak through all civilisation that we hardly ever think even of the difference between the two things.  When we say to a child, "You must tell the truth," we do merely mean that he must refrain from verbal inaccuracies.  But the thing we never teach at all is the general duty of telling the truth, of giving a complete and fair picture of anything we are talking about, of not misrepresenting, not evading, not suppressing, not using plausible arguments that we know to be unfair, not selecting unscrupulously to prove an ex parte case (a proceeding conducted for the benefit of only one party), not telling all the nice stories about the Scotch, and all the nasty stories about the Irish, not pretending to be disinterested when you are really angry, not pretending to be angry when you are really only avaricious.  The one thing that is never taught by any chance in the atmosphere of public schools is exactly that--that there is a whole truth of things, and that in knowing it and speaking it we are happy." (Chesterton, G. K. All Things Considered. CreateSpace, 2018. page 78)

In secular societies like Australia and the United States, talk of duty is almost wholly rejected unless speaking of your duty to yourself to do and say as you please.  Duty is a dirty word because it strongly implies a subservient position of a person with an obligation to others.  When it comes to speaking the truth it is a duty before God who created mankind, gave us minds to think, consciences to consider, and mouths to speak.  There is an enormous difference between avoiding telling lies and honestly telling the truth.  Fear, insecurities, the desire to be accepted and pleasing can stand as insurmountable obstacles to the naked truth.  It is entirely possible to avoid lying and never come close to actually speaking truth.  Jesus claimed to be Truth personified, and thus His followers ought to love, speak and walk in the truth.

Jesus provided us an example of what speaking the truth in love looks like, for His bold statements and probing questions were with the glory of God and the good of others in mind.  Since Jesus knew the hearts and thoughts of men, He could have used this to His advantage to humiliate adversaries and seek favour by catering to man's skewed opinions.  Too many times I (and probably everyone else) have been careful to avoid telling lies rather than speaking the honest truth.  I have cared more about a potential adverse reaction someone might have to it rather than being motivated to speak honest truth because with this God is well pleased.  There is a necessary place for the considerations of the thoughts and feelings of others and tact, but this does not justify cloaking truth with convenient half-truths which could rightly be called lies.  Since we are of the Truth, we ought to walk in truth, love in truth and speak the truth rather than avoiding telling lies.

The Presence of the LORD

"Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, ⁸ Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters."

Psalm 114:7-8

The earth created by God has been witness to countless miracles and displays of divine power.  God caused the earth to open its mouth and swallow Korah, Dathan and Abiram and all who joined with them against Moses.  When God descended on Sinai the earth shook and a thick cloud covered the mount.  The miracle referenced here was when God, on at least two occasions, caused water to flow from the rock in the wilderness (Exodus 17 & Numbers 20).  God provided water from the rock for His people to be refreshed, sustained and He would be sanctified in the eyes of the people.

This miraculous flow of water was a foreshadowing of how God, by a new covenant entered into by faith in Jesus, would cause the Living Water of the Holy Spirit to flow through those who are born again by the Gospel.  Ezekiel 36:26-27 says, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."  The people who drank from the water God caused to flow eventually fell in the wilderness, but those who are spiritually regenerated by faith in Jesus will live forever in glory with Him.

It is a fitting thing for the earth to tremble in the presence of the LORD because the power of God to save is equaled by His ability to destroy forever.  This earth, unlike believers in the LORD Jesus Christ, will not be redeemed:  it will be replaced with new heavens and a new earth where only righteousness dwells.  This world, all the systems, wisdom and Satan the temporary ruler of it are under the coming judgment of God which is inescapable.  Jesus Christ provides the only hope of forgiveness, reconciliation and salvation from sin.  Those who know God tremble before His power, and those who do not yet know God someday will.  Because the almighty God humbled Himself to appear to the world as Jesus Christ, Paul wrote in Philippians 2:7-11:  "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

The earth trembles in the presence of the LORD because it will be no more.  People tremble out of fear, yes, but also from anger, from shock or when nervous or excited.  The earth trembles and quakes, yet by the grace of God believers are established on solid ground and can stand fast by faith in Jesus.  Praise the LORD for the spiritual rebirth He has granted us by His grace and the Living Water of the Holy Spirit which springs up into eternal life.  We tremble because we are weak, and we tremble because God is strong.  How good it is to be held secure by Him!

Glory and Grace

"Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!"

Psalm 119:11

God's word lights our path to walk uprightly.  Jesus said if the light in a man's heart is darkness, how great is that darkness.  This illustrates the importance, not only to know God's word and practice it, but as much as we can to remember it accurately.  Reading God's word for ourselves is incredibly important to illuminate our hearts and minds, for God is faithful to open our eyes to truth we previously missed.

This reminder came to me recently as I read the familiar passage in Romans 3:23 that says, "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  As I read it with my own eyes I realised my tendency to say it, "...for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."  This tense change from "fall" to "fallen" has a whole new meaning to it.  It is true we have all sinned and thus fallen short of God's glory, but the words of Paul emphasise we still do fall short even though we believe in Christ and have received the Gospel.  Our failure to live up to God's holy, perfect standard is a past and present reality.

This magnifies the grace of God spoken of in the following verse in Romans 3:24:  "...being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus..."  Because God has justified Christians by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus received by faith, we are able to begin to comprehend and walk in righteousness as God intended from the beginning.  He has washed us clean of the eternal punishment and power of sin, and God empowers us to walk uprightly.  We fall short, and God knows this.  How good it is we we also know this, praise God for His grace and extend it freely to others too!

God's grace is amazing, and amazingly we can fall short of it.  Hebrews 12:14-16 says, "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; ¹⁶ lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright."  Knowing God's love, His word and salvation extended to us by grace enables us to pursue peace and holiness.  It is by God's grace our strength is renewed and we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to put off bitterness and walk uprightly.  The grace of God, instead of enabling sin, guards steadfastly against sin and provides godly perspective and instruction.

See how grace teaches us in Titus 2:11-14:  "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."  Having received God's grace we are called to walk righteously with eyes looking to Jesus.  He has redeemed and purified us that we might reject ungodliness and do what pleases Him.  Praise the LORD for His glorious grace, even when we mistakenly misquote His word!

A Life of Thanksgiving to God

When I read through lyrics printed on the insert in cassettes or CDs years ago, I also read the tribute of thanks written by the band or individual members.  I was always pleased when I saw God or Jesus being thanked because it suggested these were Christian artists I supported and listened to.  Looking back, it was more of a legalistic tick box than anything.  Even if God or biblical truth was completely absent from the lyrics, at least they acknowledged God and thus could be justified as believers.  Hmmm.

This realisation came to me when I recently unwrapped a CD purchased online of a Christian artist I enjoy thoroughly.  For whatever reason I turned to the thanks section and was surprised not to see a mention of God anywhere.  But then I considered how every single song on the album was from a godly perspective, even at times directly quoting the words of Jesus.  Wasn't it better to include God and His truth in every song rather than a cliche "thank God" at the end?  Instead of tacking on a mention of God in closing, lumped in with acknowledging sound technicians, studios, contributing artists, guitar and amp companies, to honour God throughout every song is actually a more fitting way to approach writing an album.

It struck me we can live life similar to albums that have no mention of God in their songs or content at all except on the back page in the fine print that requires a magnifying glass and bright light to read.  We can go through our days or even our lives concluding with a brief prayer of thanks to God when He ought to have been our main focus at all times.  Since Christians have been bought with the blood of Jesus and are not our own, it is our reasonable service to present ourselves as living sacrifices unto God in giving thanks to Him.  Giving thanks or acknowledging God is more than words but can be demonstrated by how we live, what we say and the God-honouring choices we make.

Many Christians kick themselves for being slack with prayer or Bible reading for a few minutes in the morning or evening, but perhaps a better perspective is to live with God in mind all day long:  praying and thanking Him when you are not reading your Bible during devotions or before a meal.  We're like, "Oh no, I forgot to pray before eating!" when we ought to pray with gratitude during and after the meal as well.  We can seek the LORD, be content with what He has given us, put off grumbling and complaining, and proclaim how good God is to others as a holy act of service to Him.  I am not suggesting reading the Bible and praying is of no benefit, but let us not think "I'm good" because we embraced spiritual disciplines for a moment and left undone the larger part about living our lives every day to glorify Him.

Impromptu Christianity

I was blessed recently to baptise fellow believers in obedience to the command of Jesus Christ.  I was encouraged and pleased, not only by the joy of seeing Christians enthusiastic to identify with Christ, but with the response of an observer:  "Well, that was easy."  How true it is that we can complicate what God made easy and create lengthy processes, ceremonies or rituals that become more than a chore than a delightful duty as God intended.

In contrast to modern churches that have embraced scheduled meetings and events, the scripture is filled with seemingly impromptu moments orchestrated by the Holy Spirit as members of the body of Christ spread the Good News.  Many are recorded in the book of Acts, like when the Holy Spirit led Philip into the desert where he met an Ethiopian eunuch who had departed Jerusalem with a scroll of Isaiah.  Acts 8:35-38 says, "Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. ³⁶  Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" ³⁷ Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." ³⁸ So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him."  This is profoundly simple.

Now there is nothing at all wrong with having plans and scheduling events like baptisms.  But I confess I have at times wrongly avoided the impromptu immediacy demonstrated by Philip.  The believing Ethiopian eunuch asked, "Here is water:  what hinders me from being baptised?"  Faith in Jesus was the only requirement Philip cited before baptising him.  There was no need to make a public announcement to make the gathering as efficient as possible so all who might be interested could attend or be baptised as well; there was no class to attend or tests to pass.  There was no "cooling off" period to ensure his profession of faith was demonstrably genuine.  There were no formal vestments to wear, water temperature to manage or potluck to organise.  A sense of urgency of the eunuch to profess publicly his belief in Christ was before God alone, and a horn was not blown to gather witnesses.  It is easy to allow traditional practices and a desire for efficiency to hinder people from being baptised--and more requirements can be placed upon people to be baptised than God does to save them!

Baptism should be easy because the payment to provide the opportunity for the baptism of born again Christians was most difficult, impossible for any but Christ to supply.  The price Jesus paid on Calvary to atone for lost sinners is sufficient to save souls, and thus there should be no hindrance to a believer receiving communion or being baptised.  It is entirely responsible and legitimate those who submit to these ordinances have a grasp of the spiritual significance, and that is where biblical teaching and pastoral guidance is useful and helpful.  In the end God holds each person accountable, and all will answer to Him Who knows intimately the hearts of man.  If Philip did not hinder the Ethiopian enuch from being baptised, we should be mindful not to hinder others in their desire to follow Christ's example and be baptised too.

Faith in Action Together

God's word has an incredible power to impact our minds and hearts.  Even narratives are instructive to provide examples good and bad that challenge our attitudes and approaches to life and ministry.  The passage in Mark 2 when the paralytic was lowered to Jesus as He preached the word is a passage God has recently impressed upon me.

Mark 2:1-5 says of Jesus, "And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. ² Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. ³ Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. ⁴ And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."  When Jesus arrived in Capernaum, word spread quickly through the city and region.  People dropped what they were doing and headed to see and hear Jesus for themselves.  It could have been people saw a group gathering and came to see out of curiosity.

Mark tells us there were four men who heard Jesus had come and carried their paralysed friend to Jesus to be healed by Him.  The problem was, there was no way to move through the dense crowd.  Even if those on the outside of the group made way, the house itself was completely full and there was no way for them to disperse.  So these men hatched a plan:  they scrabbled up on the roof of the house, lugged their friend on his bed up there, broke through the roof material and let him down to Jesus.  One thing which struck me was the united faith and efforts of these men:  their breakthrough to Jesus came together as they got their hands dirty to bring a friend to Jesus.  There was a desperation, a spontaneity as they communicated to overcome obstacles as a united team which would have turned others away disappointed who said, "Oh well, I guess we can't bring our friend to Jesus today after all."

These men sourced ropes and perhaps tools; they made it work.  Their faith in Jesus moved them to break through the roof together and lower their paralysed friend to the LORD Jesus.  When He saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."  He said this knowing full well there were bystanders who imagined Jesus was a blasphemer to claim to have ability to forgive sins, since only God can forgive sins.  To demonstrate Jesus has the power to forgive sins--and thus is God--He healed the man physically as well as forgiving his sins.  Jesus did the healing and forgiving, yet there was also an important role fulfilled by those four men who were united in faith and ministry to bring him to Jesus.  I view this as an example of how the church can operate, many people working together as one united by faith in Christ to bring people to Him.

It occurred to me that I was brought to Jesus by others, and we can even bring a paralysed church or ministry to Jesus to set us right.  If we are not bringing people to Jesus, we need look no further than ourselves:  does my faith in Jesus prompt me to bring people to Him?  Do I allow different interpretations or doctrinal emphasis to divide me from serving with brothers and sisters?  Have I been doing my own thing without consulting and joining together with fellow believers in united effort?  Am I afraid or unwilling to embrace new roles or challenges, waiting for a path to miraculously clear when there is a way to break through the roof right now?  The fear of heights, a longstanding back problem, fatigue from a long day in the fields or the inherent danger of the work did not hinder those men with faith in Jesus from teaming up, discussing, communicating with one another, sourcing what was needed and working together to bring one person to Jesus.

Even as the bodies of those four men worked together to lower the paralysed man to Jesus, the paralysed man was willing to be lowered.  He demonstrated faith in obedience to Jesus when at His command he rose, took up his bed and walked.  This is how the body of Christ the church is to operate as led by the Holy Spirit together:  not one person doing what they have prayed about and doing what is right in their own eyes, but all the members joined together by faith in Jesus to bring people to Him.  We are all individual members of the body of Christ, yet we are also all joined together with one another and Jesus Christ who is our Head.  This passage illustrates how breakthroughs are not just for individuals but for groups of people who unite to seek Jesus together.

God the Giver

God is a better giver than we are receivers.  We can be notoriously difficult when it comes to receiving gifts.  And when we receive a gift we can appreciate the gift more than the giver!  An important part of gift-giving these days is keeping a receipt so gifts can be returned or exchanged.  Imagine that we would not appreciate, wish to exchange or refuse a gift God offers us!

One example from the Bible of someone not appreciating a gift is when king Solomon gave Hiram king of Tyre 20 cities from the land of Galilee.  One would think property on the largest body of fresh water in Israel would be pleasing, but this was not the case.  1 Kings 9:12-13 says, "Then Hiram went from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him, but they did not please him. ¹³ So he said, "What kind of cities are these which you have given me, my brother?" And he called them the land of Cabul, as they are to this day."  Cabul means "worthless" thus this was a very negative, critical assessment. 

Surely we would never be guilty of seeing a gift from God as worthless, right?  It happens more than you would think.  Because God loved the world He gave His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to all, and not everyone to whom the gift of salvation has been offered has humbled themselves to receive Him.  Jesus Christ is the source of Living Water the Holy Spirit which springs up in those who believe unto eternal life, but not all have received Him.  No one will be delivered from eternity in hell or find entrance into heaven because they were a respected person or responsible citizen:  only faith in Jesus Christ enables us to receive forgiveness and God's gift of salvation.

Let us not think this refusal of God's gifts is limited to unbelievers, for the New Testament speaks of many gifts given by the Holy Spirit in addition to salvation some have written off as irrelevant, unnecessary and even unwanted.  It may be God has given a particular spiritual gift one is not pleased to receive or use because they had their eyes an another gift, even as Sam in the Lord of the Rings had covetous eyes on shiny daggers Galadriel gave to Merry and Pippin rather than gratefully receiving the coil of Elvish rope given to him.  It turned out the rope was more practical and useful to him and Frodo in the end, and it is even more true concerning gifts God gives to His children--be it spiritual gifts, practical wisdom, guidance and correction, singleness, having a spouse, children, opportunities to serve and minister.  God gives knowing the place He has prepared for us in His kingdom.

Paul wrote to self-righteous believers in 1 Corinthians 4:7, "For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"  Know that all we possess:  all our gifts, righteous standing before God, our talents and fruitfulness are gifts from God we do not deserve.  The corollaries are therefore we ought to be grateful to God for all He has given, humbled to receive such grace from Him and be content with such things as we have because we trust Him.  It is by His grace we live, can know God and receive good things from His hand.  God is the greatest giver, and may we glory in Him rather than His gifts.

Always Good Forever

I received word this week my Grandpa Martin Henry passed into eternity.  Though I heard he had been sick and in hospital, the moment when I heard the news it was like the world momentarily stopped because part of me was no more.  My grandfather had been gathered to his fathers, for God took him home.  Though the grief is real, the comfort provided by knowing the almighty God is the God of the living is greater consolation.  One thing you could guarantee is when you greeted Grandpa and asked how he was doing he would say in a booming voice, "Always good!"  Though I will not hear him say that again during my remaining days on earth, it was never more true for him than now in the presence of the LORD.

It's hard for me to fathom going to Grandma's house and not include Grandpa because he was always there.  He would be wearing blue jeans and a white, tucked in t-shirt.  It is difficult to imagine today he cannot be found on the lounge in the den, riding his John Deere mower, winding a clock, or laying carpet.  He would shrug and say, "They pay me to crawl around all day.  Easy money."  I remember when Grandpa laid the carpet in my first house and my neighbour pulled me aside that afternoon over 20 years ago.  "I saw an older fellow pull up to your house with big rolls of carpet and linoleum.  I decided to put my shoes on to lend a hand and by the time I made it over there he already had them in the house!"  "Yep, sounds like Grandpa," I told him.  I once asked him why he didn't have an apprentice or helper.  "I'd have to fix all their mistakes," he replied.

Moving to Australia has meant I have not been able to spend much time with Grandpa, and I certainly missed our friendly game of poker every New Year's Eve.  He was an honest man, and an honest poker player too.  If he was raising you, you knew you better have a decent hand.  One of the stories I loved to hear happened during his time in the Navy with a memorable showdown.  His opponent had four queens; he never imagined Grandpa had four kings!  When I think of Grandpa, my mind is filled with fond memories of times we spent together, like staying up on Christmas Eve watching whatever was on TV so we could say "Merry Christmas!" to each other before going to bed.  His stories went like this:  "My old uncle August was a Lutheran minister (only lived to be 96), preached moderation:  one bottle at a time!"  His hearty handshake and chuckle was like no other, and I will miss him.

Sometimes loss can be a path to greater appreciation of the blessings God has already provided.  My grandparents, parents, siblings, wife, children, in-laws, extended family and family of believers have been a rich blessing in my life.  The truth is, this earth is not our forever home.  When we suffer loss of those we love it is a reminder we will never be without God who was, is and is to come.  My grief is tempered by my LORD Jesus Christ who is the Good Shepherd who will never leave or forsake me--nor any who trust in Him when He calls them home.  Psalm 23:6 says of those who trust in the LORD, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."  What assurance God gives those who love and trust Him because God is always good, now and forever.

If God's Your Father

Recent news in New South Wales has highlighted political debate around a proposed religious discrimination bill which was intended to protect people of faith.  Others have shared their concerns that by protecting believers it could legalise discrimination towards other people groups, even those who have physical disabilities.  Tennis champ and Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott revealed at the age of 16 he was singled out by a "preacher" and called "the spawn of Satan" as he sat in a queue in his wheelchair whilst on a date.  An article expressed his concern "...that some 'more traditional' religions believe people with disabilities are a spawn of Satan and view their disability as a punishment because they or their parents have done something wrong."  It is evident those hurtful, horrendous words wounded Dylan.  I have no idea of the religious beliefs of that preacher, but from a Christian vantage point it was a wicked and sinful thing to say.

Beliefs can be a tricky minefield to navigate:  one person can make a false, hurtful accusation, and the one injured then believes a whole group of people are again them.  It is possible we can make caricatures of those we do not understand or agree with.  In Dylan's case, I do not doubt for a second someone would make such an evil, callous remark because Jesus dealt with such self-righteous judgments of His disciples, and people have not changed.  John 9:1-3 tells us, "Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. ² And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" ³ Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."  Seeing a man who suffered blindness from birth, men who followed Jesus looked for someone to blame.  Someone must have sowed seeds of sin to reap the fruit of blindness.  Jesus showed this view was all wrong and missed God's redemptive plans.

Jesus, being God with all wisdom, knowledge and authority, rejected full stop this man's condition was a result of a particular sin.  All have sinned, yet God's grace was clearly apparent by giving judgmental men sight who were blind to God's redemptive purposes and power.  There is a flawed assumption held by many that God rewards the deserving with good health and prosperity, and that sickness, disability or suffering is always a result of sin--despite the examples of the Book of Job or the blind man.  And what of God's statement in Exodus 4:11:  "So the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?"  A person who has suffered from a disability, judged disabled or called God-forbid "the spawn of Satan" by fellow human beings can have their eyes opened to realise God has His purposes in creating a person who is mute, deaf, seeing or blind.  This knowledge should not prevent us from loving, showing compassion and standing up for those who are vilified for differences.

Some accuse God of cruelty or unfairness for causing a man to be born blind or to have a tumour wrapped around the spinal cord at birth.  On the authority of Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world we can know God has purposes beyond our imagination.  By faith and obedience to Jesus the man born blind was miraculously made to see.  Though rendered paralysed by an operation, Dylan Alcott went on to compete in tennis and has inspired our nation and the world, even boldly saying he loves his disability--not because it made his childhood easy or makes life more convenient--but because of the countless positives obtained through it.  He has a platform to speak as an advocate of those who have endured disabilities and have been marginalised, having been shaped in part by all he has persevered through.  From a Christian perspective, God is the central part of everyone's story as our Maker.  Since He redeemed the crucifixion of His only begotten Son by providing salvation, forgiveness and eternal life through faith in Jesus, He can also redeem our light afflictions which seem to drag on permanently.

Jesus identified those self-righteous hypocrites as children of Satan who claimed to honour and worship God but rejected Him as the Son of God.  John 8:42-45 reads, "Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. ⁴³ Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. ⁴⁴ You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. ⁴⁵ But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me."  There are many religions and preachers out there, and anyone who says a disabled person is the "spawn of Satan" had better shut their mouths and take a look in the mirror.  Those who do not listen to Jesus Christ or speak with a loving desire to see people receive salvation through Jesus, braying such vicious accusations reveals your own soul to be in grave danger.

It is most lamentable Dylan, the man born blind and Jesus Himself faced persecution and hatred for basically existing.  I cannot speak to those outside the church but I exhort followers of Jesus, those members of the body of Christ, to do and say according to the example provided us by Jesus Himself:  to love the LORD our God, love people, and make disciples of Jesus by grace through faith in Him.  It is only by being born again we can be enabled to walk in wisdom and exhibit the fruit of the Holy Spirit exemplified in love.  It is beyond our power to right past wrongs or to take back sinful and ignorant words even we have said, but we can humble ourselves before God and love one another as He loves us.  If the LORD can be glorified through a person being born blind, He can be glorified when we apologise for our foolish pride and humble ourselves to genuinely love others.  Since God is our Father, we ought to hear His word and humbly walk in His ways.

Persuaded by Love

"So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done."

Acts 21:14

Luke and the believers who spoke with Paul in Caesarea demonstrated wisdom and grace believers today ought to embrace.  A prophet named Agabus had come from Judea and Acts 21:11-12 tells us, "When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"  Understandably this revelation by the prophet was of great concern to Luke and fellow believers who loved and cared for Paul.  Why stubbornly persist in going to Jerusalem for the feast if bonds awaited you?

While it makes sense to avoid being arrested and sent to prison, remember how Jesus also set His face like a flint to go up to Jerusalem knowing what awaited Him there.  Paul was willing not only to be bound but to die for Jesus, so the threat of arrest and imprisonment was of small consequence.  Based on the protests of his fellow believers and friends Paul could have changed his mind, but he didn't.  And when they saw Paul's mind was made up, they stopped speaking to him on the subject and committed him and his future into the LORD's sovereign hands.

Whether you find yourself in the position of Luke (one trying to convince someone to change their mind) or a Paul (the one with a mind already made up) or an Agabus (one who has insight from the LORD), it is good for us to consider our motives in having robust discussions with others who are not in agreement.  When embittered Naomi decided to head back to Bethlehem, she told Ruth to return to her people.  Ruth 1:18 says, "When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her."  Luke had the freedom and well-being of Paul in mind, yet it is possible Naomi was in such a negative state she couldn't care less.  Regardless, Naomi picked up on Ruth's determination to accompany her and ended the discussion.

The ability to communicate remotely using phones, texts and emails have hindered our ability to pick up on social cues.  With the best intentions, we can be forceful in expressing our opinions to the point others do not feel the freedom to express disagreement--which may or may not be true.  This lack of honest dialogue can embolden one to keep pushing to make their points when both minds have already been made up.  Key takeaways for me from this passage is Holy Spirit-filled believers will not always agree with each other, and there is a time when it is appropriate to cease discussion over controversial subjects as we commit each other to the LORD's care.  Luke, Paul and the brethren remained brethren and friends, even though Paul went up to Jerusalem.

We would love to be conquerors of error and be proved correct when debates and discussions arise, but our victory does not come from convincing others to see things our way:  we are more than conquerors through Jesus who loves us.  Paul wrote in Romans 8:38-39, "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Disagreements about travel plans or other things cannot separate us from the love of God, and thus we ought to walk in it ourselves and offer it to others always.

Our Hope and Help

The word of God never ceases to amaze as He opens our eyes to His wonders.  It is almost like putting on glasses with a new prescription that allow our faulty eyes to see clearer than they have in a long while.  We often don't realise how blurry our vision is until God breaks through with revealing insights.

As long as I can remember, one of the primary complaints and criticisms I have heard of Christians by unbelievers or people out of church fellowship is hypocrisy among believers.  Many times this accusation is based upon an offended person's view of what a Christian ought to say or do and them not measuring up to this immaculate standard.  Sometimes these observations can be well founded, where a person makes a claim and then violates it without shame.  There is a degree of hypocrisy found in everyone, and a maxim that rings true about hypocrisy is it takes one to know one.  We notice hypocrisy and it bothers us because we too, at some level, do the same thing (Romans 2:1).

Elihu in the book of Job presented a depiction of a hypocrite which has nothing to do with common ways people claim Christians (or others) demonstrate hypocrisy:  it is to know the LORD God is sovereign and not go to Him for help in time of need.  In Job 36, Elihu laid out ways God disciplines, teaches and helps God-fearing people like Job by binding them in cords of affliction.  He then said in Job 36:11-13:  "If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. ¹² But if they do not obey, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge. ¹³ But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath; they do not cry for help when He binds them."  To say you trust God to save your soul yet do not cry for help when He binds, that is a mark of hypocrisy we do well to repent of.

It is one thing to speak or act hypocritically, yet to be a hypocrite in heart is a devastating condition only God can deliver and save us from.  If we find in trials and troubles we depart from the LORD, feeling He is pushing us away, our hearts are not righteous before Him.  God allows painful circumstances to draw us near to Himself, to open our eyes to our need for help only He can supply.  When situations are out of our control and help is needed, Christians ought to turn to the almighty God Who has saved us by grace and use our lips to praise Jesus Christ who is our hope.

May our lives proclaim the goodness of God in all seasons of life as it is written in Psalm 31:21-24:  "Blessed be the LORD, for He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city! ²² For I said in my haste, "I am cut off from before Your eyes"; nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried out to You. ²³ Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. ²⁴ Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD."  The God who is our hope is also our help.

The LORD God Our Maker

"Know that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. ⁴ Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."

Psalm 100:3-4

As human beings created in the image of God, through faith in Jesus Christ we can know our Maker.  Having a maker is very significant, for one who invents or creates something knows the purpose and reason for it.  The design we see in the symmetry and function of a leaf suggests strongly it has be designed, and it only can fulfill its purpose because it was the product of a designer.  When it comes to inventions of men, going to the maker provides an opportunity to hear why the invention was made, what is broken and how to fix it.

The world is filled with "self-made" men and women who live as if they do not have a Maker and do not seek God the source of abundant life.  We go about trying to improve or enhance our lives by enriching them with experiences, achievements, goals, acquiring new and better things, increasing our holdings or net worth, and seek the best the world can offer.  We can foolishly assume we decide what is best for us and what the pursuits of our life ought to be.  Because God is our Maker He is the One who has already determined the purpose of our existence fulfilled in knowledge of Him.  The psalmist describes the chosen people of Israel--which can be extended to God's children by adoption through faith in Him--as God's people and the sheep of His pasture.

God created sheep to bleat, grow wool and have a strong herding instinct.  As sheep of God's pasture He has made us to sing praises to God, to enter God's kingdom with thanksgiving, be spiritually fruitful by the Holy Spirit, and bless the LORD as we gather together in His name as one flock.  Through the Good Shepherd Jesus God has brought many sheep together from countless folds that we may be one with each other even as Jesus is one with the Father (John 17:20-21).  It is God, our Maker and heavenly Father who has given us the ability to enter His gates to praise Him, to think and consider His awesomeness so we might thank Him continually, to speak so we might bless His holy name.

How tragic it would be to use the access we have to the throne room of grace more as a "fire escape" on the back alley of a building only to be used in emergencies rather than the main thoroughfare we frequent into God's presence in prayer!  Our minds can be filled with proud, selfish and envious thoughts  and our mouths more apt to complain, criticise or slander than to think to bless the LORD at all times.  We learn to bless the LORD at all times when we begin to recognise the LORD is God who made us, not we ourselves.  It is strange we could ever forget this, yet the scripture exhorts us to remember God is our Maker.  The knowledge of our gracious God moves us to thank Him and thus fulfill our divine purpose with joy.

The Spirit Without Measure

Before Elijah was taken up into heaven, he did a miracle in the sight of Elisha and the sons of the prophets:  he rolled his mantle or cloak and struck the waters of the Jordan river which parted, and they passed over on dry ground.  2 Kings 2:9-10 reads, "And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." ¹⁰ So he said, You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so."  Elisha saw Elijah ascend to heaven in a whirlwind, and tore his clothes.  2 Kings 2:13-14 then says, "He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴ Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, "Where is the LORD God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over."  There was no power in the cloak in itself, but in fact God parted the waters for Elisha as He had for Elijah confirmed the Spirit of God rested upon him as prophet.

When people perceive someone to be gifted and anointed by God who is nearing the end of their lives, some desire this "power" or "authority" for themselves so they too could have sway with God.  Perhaps because of the unique situation with Elijah and Elisha they hope to receive spiritual power by succession, to inherit a portion or a double portion of believer they admire and desire to emulate.  David Ravenhill wrote in the preface to Revival God's Way concerning Leonard Ravenhill, the famed revival preacher, "Prior to his death in 1994 he told me he had received a number of requests from seminary students who wanted to come and see him for the sole purpose of having him lay his hands upon them in order to receive his "mantle."  With his typical dry British humor, but at the same time deadly serious, he said, 'Everyone wants to have my mantle but nobody wants my sackcloth and ashes.'"  His retort shows great insight into the hearts of men who look to men they admire rather than seeking Christ themselves in prayer.  They would have been better served to look to Christ who gives the Holy Spirit without measure than to be the next Leonard Ravenhill, for there cannot be another.

I am convinced if there is a mantle of spiritual power and authority today it is only Jesus Who has it, and He will not share His glory with anyone!  Oh, that we would look to Jesus Christ with such devotion, admiration and desire as we can the saints God has used as His vessels to show forth His glory!  Church history is littered with pedestals erected for "giants of faith" who were exceedingly small in their own eyes because they knew the almighty, glorious God they served.  Blessed is the man who is born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, the one who is given the privilege of access to God's throne room of grace.  We follow the LORD Jesus Christ upon Whom our eyes are firmly fixed, for He is the Head of the church and we have been made one with Him and one another by grace.  Under the new covenant revealed by Jesus Christ the concept of a mantle passing from one person to the next is an archaic notion when we know Jesus who has called, saved, gifted, and made us fruitful by the Gospel.

Seek the LORD of hosts, not His power; praise the Giver instead of exalting a spiritual gift.  Know that God rules over all and He is worthy.  I am grateful for the testimony of godly men and women who serve our LORD Jesus Christ, yet let us not desire their mantles when we have a Saviour clothed in glory who draws us to Himself.  John 3:34 says, "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure."  Why settle for a double portion when overflowing Living Water, the fullness of the Holy Spirit is provided by Christ Himself?

Better than Compensation

After I injured my knee playing baseball years ago, I was amazed how the body unconsciously adjusts to avoid further pain by compensating.  Without thinking I favoured my other leg and learned how to avoid uncomfortable positions.  By the time I was diagnosed with a torn ACL and and had surgery to replace the ligament, I suffered a significant amount of muscle wastage on the affected quadriceps.  What was once my dominant leg had become less used and weaker due to over-compensation for the injury.   Because the leg hurt I didn't use it as I should even after the surgery, and it took a long time with intentional effort to be restored.  It is natural for us to avoid pain when we can, yet doing so can prevent us from seeking help.

The example of the results of over-compensation to avoid pain are not only seen in the physical bodies of people.  A hidden wound in our hearts and minds can lead us to withdraw from social interactions or to over-compensate with gregarious carelessness.  The person who senses a lack in one area of their lives is spurned on to great achievement or acquiring much in another area.  Like a pendulum in a clock swings from one side to the other, inner hurts pushes people to pursue pleasure to mask or cover them.  Many under the conviction of sin or in the depths of grief have sought to numb the pain with drugs or alcohol.  In many cases there is a real risk of spiraling into ruin unless the source of the hurt is exposed before the LORD for healing and restoration.

Compensation means to give equal value to, and my favouring one leg over the other in walking was  revealed by shrinking muscles to be unequal.  It means I could not risk running, jumping or quick movements to stand or turn.  My knee injury affected the entire way I walked and moved.  Sometimes we might imagine a mental, emotional, or spiritual wound can be contained in one aspect of our lives or way of thinking, but this is untrue.  A broken leg or palpitating heart affects the whole body, and the lives of believers are connected as members of the Body of Christ, the church.  The effects of over-compensation are not always as easy to see in our lives as when I injured my leg, yet the reality is we must bring our hurts, pain and grief to Jesus for Him to heal and restore.

Praise the LORD He is able to identify the source of our troubles and do a restorative, healing work by His grace.  So many of our troubles come from sin and self, our pride that refuses to surrender before God in faith and obedience.  My knee injury was self-inflicted as I was simply running, and there was no one to blame for the ligament that gave way.  It wasn't because I was being malicious or self-destructive:  I was just rounding first base!  It may be satisfying on some level to blame others, our circumstances or growing old for the injuries we have picked up over the years, but this insight gives us no power to be healed or progress in joy, thanksgiving and gratitude for God's goodness and faithfulness to us.  To those who are hurting, to those with hidden pains, conviction of sin or shame, come to the LORD Jesus who loves, heals and gives rest for our souls.

When we have been wronged we may demand compensation by the guilty party, but God's mercy and grace trumps any compensation provided by man.  A financial windfall will not soothe our wounds, nor will an apology right wrongs.  Only God is righteous, just and His grace is sufficient for us.  His divine goodness according to the riches of His grace is our only hope to move forward.  Getting what you are owed or seeing justice done is not as satisfying as God's grace freely given and received by faith in Jesus.  I choose being compassed by God's grace and mercy than compensation any day.

Developing Commitment to Others

Lately I've had some meaningful discussions around the concept of biblical forgiveness.  More than "saying sorry" or "accepting an apology," forgiveness is all about releasing the offender of wrongdoing in obedience to God coupled with a desire to restore relationship with a brother or sister.  Forgiveness involves both parties, for a person must admit they have erred to receive the benefits of it.  I can forgive an offender before he admits he has done wrong, but there must be submission in love to receive that forgiveness in moving forward together.  If we are unwilling to press on in unity with a brother or sister who has admitted doing wrong and asked for forgiveness, it is a fair question to consider whether the forgiveness we are offering is genuine.

The reality is offences even among people in the body of Christ can be allowed to simmer.  Like festering wounds without antiseptic, the spiritual gangrene of unforgiveness and bitterness can begin to consume what was once a healthy limb.  Ephesians 5:15-21 says concerning our need to walk in the light of Christ: "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, ¹⁶ redeeming the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another in the fear of God."  Being filled with the Holy Spirit is the way our lives will bear fruit of the Spirit manifested in love, joy, patience and meekness.  Being "Spirit-filled" is not primarily shown by speaking in tongues or interpretation but with a joyful attitude of thanksgiving and submitting to one another in the fear of God.

In his book God in You, pastor David Jeremiah made this useful observation I agree with:

"I have bumped around the evangelical church almost all of my life, and I am ready to go on record with this observation:  most of the difficulties we have in church, if you do a postmortem on them, arise from the fact that people have not developed a real commitment to one another.  Our commitment to each other is so shallow!  We are much more committed to our own interests.  As a result, we're ready to go to war over the most trivial things.  We're ready to die for green carpet or padded pews or the type of music that gets played during communion.

Yes, you and I may disagree about certain things.  But don't we love the same LORD?  Aren't we both committed to the power of the Spirit in our lives?  Don't we have the same goal to reach the world for Christ?  We can disagree about some of the peripheral things, but we had better stay focused on the things that bind us together.  We can't have a submissive attitude if we don't do that." (Jeremiah, David. God in You. Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, 1998. page 183.)

I don't know if there has been an age that has glorified the right of the individual against what God says more than today.  We must be willing to develop commitment to one another--not an agenda or church brand--and this means laying aside differences to embrace people.  It is easier to divide over disagreements rather than submitting to one another because this requires us to humble ourselves and extend grace to others.  God's word stands supreme and says what wisely walking in the power of the Holy Spirit looks like:  redeeming the time, speaking with praise to God, making melody in our hearts to the LORD, giving thanks always for all things to God, and submitting to one another.  People are encouraged to know they are loved, accepted and forgiven even when mistakes are made, and forgiving one another as we have been forgiven by the LORD is a huge part of daily living out our personal decision to follow Christ.  This commitment to our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ is all of grace, and may we learn to humbly extend and receive forgiveness we need to walk in agreement with God.