Open, Eat and Speak

As long as the Friday night Bible studies at church have been going, I typically bake a dessert to share and enjoy.  One of the most memorable (and funny!) moments involved a picky eater years back.  It was obvious she was not impressed with the appearance of the dish, looking at it like a person who noticed they stepped in vomit in a carpark.  Undeterred by her misgivings, I urged her to give it a try.  Hesitantly she placed the smallest morsel in her mouth and froze.  With pursed lips without chewing once, her body instinctively recoiled within from the foreign specimen.  Our eyes locked as she slowly reached for a serviette (napkin in OZ) and right in front of me spat the food (she didn't want in the first place) into it.  It was the funniest, weirdest moment ever in my history of baking.

This amusing situation was brought to mind by a passage I read today of God speaking to the prophet in Ezekiel 2:7-8:  "You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. ⁸ But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you."  The order of God's command to Ezekiel entreated him to exercise faith:  to open his mouth and eat whatever God gave him.  As God created our bodies and knows the nutrients we need to survive and thrive, He knows what we need to receive His word by hearing and to live accordingly.  It was not up to Ezekiel to inspect what God offered before he would submit to "trying it."  It was not enough for him to take a bite.  Ezekiel was called to open his mouth by faith in God, receive all God said--chew it up and swallow it down--and then boldly speak forth God's word to a rebellious house.

It is no sin to be a picky eater concerning desserts, but it is sinful to rebel against God in unbelief.  The book presented to Ezekiel was filled with lamentation, mourning and woe.  Ezekiel would have been rebellious to pick and choose what he would say, ignoring God's pronouncement of judgment and camping on promises of peace and rest.  God chose Ezekiel as His prophet to say words God knew His people would not hear, but that wasn't to deter Ezekiel at all.  It was possible Ezekiel could have been rebellious like them, so God warned him from walking according to their folly.  Medicine may not taste good to our tongues, but it has properties designed to promote healing, alleviate pain or other negative symptoms and works to restore our bodies to full heath.  God urged Ezekiel to open his mouth in faith to receive all God spoke to him, and we ought to do the same.

No one can take someone else's medicine for them, yet part of God's ordained process was for Ezekiel to receive God's word by faith and for him to walk according to it.  He was doing more than simply delivering a message, for God's message was intended to correct, instruct and guide Ezekiel as much as the rest of the children of Israel.  The scriptures are not provided as ammunition to fire at others who err but are practical spiritual nutrition for us and to those with whom we speak.  We are not to urge other people to "try" what we refuse to taste ourselves.  Having tasted and seen God is good, we are thus equipped and prepared by God's grace to open our mouths and exhort others to walk by faith in God too.

Love and Restoration

The other day I contemplated refinishing a painted bookshelf.  As I took a closer look and saw the brush marks from previous applications of paint, I realised I was looking at a big job.  It would take a lot of time to strip the paint, sand all those little corners, prime and repaint.  It came down to a simple question:  did I love the furniture enough to restore it when I could easily replace it with something better?  The honest answer was no.

When it comes to restoration of people, did you know God has already answered in the affirmative?  He has done all the work required to restore lost souls to fellowship with Himself, redeeming lives from death by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  By the power of the Gospel we are not doomed to destruction (like many pieces of old furniture I have dismantled over the years) as God has extended His gracious offer of reconciliation to all sinners.  Restoration ought not be reserved only from unregenerate to saved but from falling into sin and being lifted up.

After David sinned he sang in Psalm 51:12, "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit."  It is of the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, and He delights to deliver and save.  God restored David to the throne over all Israel after being usurped by Absalom.  Following a long season of captivity in Babylon God restored His people to the land of their inheritance.  Jesus restored the sight of the blind, and He restored a man's withered hand when stretched out in obedience.  Jesus restored full health to a woman with a flow of blood, restored good posture to the woman bent double by a spirit of infirmity, and even restored the dead to life again.

Galatians 6:1 shows we too as followers of Christ are to walk in His steps:  "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted."  As the LORD demonstrated love by restoring us to Himself through the Gospel, so we ought to restore others who have been overtaken in any trespass.  Do we love people by gently restoring them, knowing we have been and are being restored by God's grace?  God restores because He loves, and seeing that old bookshelf drove this home.

Mercy For All

"When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; and my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple."

Jonah 2:7

These are words of the prophet Jonah after he was swallowed by the great fish God prepared for him.  We do not read of him seeking the LORD in prayer when he fled from the presence of God or even on the tempest-tossed ship.  It was as his life ebbed away in pitch-black darkness he remembered the LORD and prayed.  When his soul fainted Jonah finally relented and begged God to save him.  God was ready and waiting to do so, for the LORD spoke to the fish that expelled him on dry land.

God brought Jonah to a place of crying out for mercy, a place Jonah was unwilling and unable to find on his own.  What God did for His prophet He also did for the children of Israel through war.  Lamentations 5:20-22 expresses well the feelings of hopelessness Jeremiah felt after the atrocities he witness and experienced during the siege of Jerusalem:  "Why do You forget us forever, and forsake us for so long a time? ²¹ Turn us back to You, O LORD, and we will be restored; renew our days as of old, ²² unless You have utterly rejected us, and are very angry with us!"  Jeremiah wept over the suffering of his people, and his expectations shattered with the knowledge God could deliver them but did not.

Jeremiah felt forgotten and forsaken, but this was not the case.  God was actually answering Jeremiah's prayer for Him to "Turn us back to You, O LORD" by the fiery trial He allowed by sending His servant king Nebuchadnezzar to take people captive and destroy the city--including the temple.  For a long time God's people had drawn near to Him with their mouths but their hearts were far from Him.  Like a loving father disciplines the son he loves, God chose the Babylonians as His instrument to chasten His people to remember Him, to return to Him so they could be restored, for renewal and revival.  God allowed Job to suffer, not to destroy him for his guilt due to sin, but to demonstrate His mercy and compassion to all.

Jeremiah desired restoration by deliverance from the trial, but that is often the means of God's refinement.  A principle under the Law of Moses was all spoils of war that could endure fire must be purified by fire before they could be possessed, and whatever could not survive the fire was to be washed in water (Numbers 31:21-24).  By faith in God His people are of Him and thus enabled to endure fiery trials that work for our refinement and restoration.  In the midst of trials we might feel forgotten or forsaken by God, and this ought to prompt us to seek the LORD.  In departing from God and trusting in lies we forsake our own mercy, for God is faithful to hear and save all who cry out to Him.

We faint; we forget God.  God does not faint, nor does He forget.  Psalm 30:4-5 reads, "Sing praise to the LORD, You saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. ⁵ For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."  The trials and troubles we desperately want to avoid or see ended immediately God brings us through according to His mercies, faithfulness and love.  We are only sojourners in the valley of the shadow of death and need fear no evil for God is with us to protect and provide for us.  Praise the LORD all the time, the living God who has accepted us into the beloved according to the riches of His grace.

Confession, Prayer and Healing

Recently news broke that a major telecommunications company had been hacked and millions of account details had been stolen.  The company has primarily come under fire, not only for alleged "human error" that allowed the breach to occur, but for not promptly notifying their customers the theft had occurred.  News agencies reported millions of phone numbers and details up for sale on the dark web before the company alerted affected former and current customers.

When these sorts of things happen that have the potential for bad press, whether in companies or personally, one common response is to keep quiet for damage control.  Instead of voluntarily telling the truth to protect the interests of others, it withholds details to protect itself.  This approach aims to maintain the the outward appearance of professionalism while an internal investigation is underway.  This provides means to pin the blame on a person or group to avoid soiling the brand as a whole.  Should these tactics fail, another approach is that of spin.  It seeks to justify self as actually having done the right thing in response to criticism leveled:  it was not a mistake when customers were not immediately notified because it was all in the grand plan of communicating through media first.

Everyone makes mistakes, people and corporations comprised of people included, but we don't enjoy admitting when we make mistakes ourselves.  From articles I have read, there is very broad support for telecommunication companies to be required to notify their customers of known breaches as soon as possible--even though this would be potentially embarrassing and does not foster confidence in a brand.  I would feel more comfortable with a company that is willing to say there could be a possible breach as well as known breaches if every time it happened there was improved oversight and steps taken to mitigate future mistakes.  I would rather a company admit their fault and take prompt action to revamp their security rather than pretending to be perpetually perfect when no one is.  Companies comprised of people ought to be accountable to the law of the land, consumers, and care for their fellow employees.  If this is reasonable, isn't it also reasonable the church and members of it are accountable to God and one another in love?

James 5:16 affirms this:  "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."  "Confess" means to "to agree," that our words we say would be consistent with truth and in agreement with our conscience.  If we are angry and offended on the inside because we have refused to forgive someone, we should not pretend or act like we are faultless.  We aren't to spread a report of how badly we have been wronged but to confess our trespasses to one another.  Sin always breeds in bunches.  The things that have offended us have merely scratched away the self-righteous, proud varnish to reveal our hearts in truth.  It is loving when someone else points out our errors, painful to our pride as it might be, but we are called to tell on ourselves to the end we would be healed as we pray together.  Let us be quick to admit our faults without damage control, blaming others or spin, for the God who holds us responsible to obey Him desires our healing and restoration.

Shoes and Self-Idolatry

I recently viewed a segment where a professional athlete led a video crew on a tour through his house.  He showed them his epic game room, salt-water aquariums and finally showed off a closet filled with shoes.  In a room spacious as a lounge room, shelves of pristine shoes lined the walls in individual pairs under coloured lights.  These shoes were collectible and very expensive, some of his first major purchases as a pro after he began making millions of dollars annually.  He explained when he looked at the shoes it was a reminder of his accomplishments and tangible evidence his hard work paid off.  His collection of shoes existed more than just for comfortable walking or fashion, for each pair had been carefully selected and gathered to pay homage to him.

One might look at the man's closet and assume shoes are that man's idol because of the sheer amount of expensive shoes in the collection or the customised space he created to accommodate them.  While this could be the case, based upon what he said it was more likely he was the object of the worship.  This gathering of shoes in actuality was a shrine to himself.  Every time he walked into a room without a word they sang his praises in their assigned places; the assembly spoke of his wealth, achievements and refined tastes.  He was pleased to receive the worship of these bits of rubber, leather, plastic and nylon that congratulated him and carried him around to public events like people hoist a graven image in a parade.  Idolatry is a matter of the heart objects may only be symptoms of:  those exotic cars, houses, properties and collections do not exist for themselves but can be assembled because they provide what a person prizes.  They speak in dollars of accomplishment, to gain envious attention from others and boost your pride.

Whether we have or do not have, there exists in the heart of men the desire to be honoured and glorified as God, one worthy of worship and praise.  Self-seeking is a core principle of all idolatry, for it seeks to earn a desired blessing or avoid a despised curse.  Dallas Willard in Renovation of the Heart wrote about how self-idolatry can corrupt our perspective.  He wrote, "...the fundamental pride of putting himself at the center of the universe is the hinge upon which the entire world of the ruined self turns." (Willard, Dallas, et al. Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ. Form, 2021. page 54)  Man does not naturally see his need for God or have the slightest desire for God because he finds his greatest satisfaction in himself, his accomplishments and acquisitions.  We need not even have a pair of shoes to idolise them, and the shoes, clothes and jewelry we have can exist for our worship and praise.

It is important we do not fall into the legalistic trap of imagining shoes, cars and houses are idols in themselves.  These are perfectly fine gifts from God we can own without fear of corruption.  But it is important we guard our hearts and consider our motives, for even in the regenerated heart of a child of God we can lapse into self-idolatry.  The safeguard against this is to humble ourselves before God, acknowledging all we are and all we have is a gift from God, giving God His just due.  Such are not embarrassed to own what God has provided and are not envious of others who have more than us.  This one is not preoccupied with what he has or does not have, for Jesus Christ is our all in all.  To be deprived of or to lose things of  great monetary value does not wound us because they were never entangled with our affections which cling to God in faith.  Those who live as if they are God will remain empty--regardless of what they achieve or accumulate.  Blessed is the one whose God is the LORD, for He is our exceedingly great reward in Himself.

Made Free Indeed!

After years of warfare and a siege, the city of Jerusalem was finally broken up during the reign of king Zedekiah.  Instead of surrendering to Nebuchadnezzar and serving him as directed by God, he tried to flee by night by way of the plain.  Jeremiah 52:8-11 details what followed, and it is not at all pleasant:  "But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him. ⁹ So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced judgment on him. ¹⁰ Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. And he killed all the princes of Judah in Riblah. ¹¹ He also put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in bronze fetters, took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death."  Zedekiah's army was scattered and could not save him, and he was taken captive.  He was found to be guilty, was made to witness the excecution of his sons, was rendered blind, bound and remained incarcerated until his death in Babylon.

It is unimaginable to consider what king Zedekiah went through as a consequence of his rebellion against the king of Babylon.  He was taken to a foreign land shrouded in darkness, fed the bread and water of affliction by those who despised him and there was no one to take him by the hand.  Zedekiah was subjected to unspeakable horrors in a prison without hope of escape or release.  His degradation was complete as he rotted away in chains until the day of his death, hopeless and in inescapable darkness.  It occurred to me this is a spiritual image of many people today who are bound by sin, hopeless and helpless to deliver themselves.  God has already given the standards of His righteousness in the law and judgment in His word, for He says "The soul who sins shall die" (Ezekiel 18:20).  Such spend the remainder of their time on earth in bonds of iniquity awaiting eternal judgment without hope of salvation or redemption.

Unlike Zedekiah, these people are not in physical chains in an actual prison.  Their physical eyes can see the bright blue sky as they enjoy fine dining fit for a king and travel at their pleasure.  Their family increases in size as does their portfolio.  They have armies of close friends and acquaintances who view them with respect and affection.  But they do not realise spiritually they are imprisoned in darkness, without hope, blind to their need of spiritual regeneration, dead in sins.  In a parable Jesus told it was not until the younger son lost his inheritance and was finally "in want" that he came to his senses and considered returning to his father as a servant.  I do not know if Zedekiah repented in his cell and turned to the LORD, but would have been wise to do so as there is everlasting hope, comfort and peace in Him.  This is a redemptive aspect in trials allowed by God, for even blind Samson called out to God for strength and was heard.  It took being physically blinded by Jesus for Saul to call Jesus LORD who opened his eyes to see and changed him from inside out.

Praise the LORD Jesus has come and fulfilled the words written in Isaiah 61:1:  "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound..."  For those who need healing, are held captive, to those who are bound Jesus has good news!  The power of God that literally caused the bonds to fall from Peter's hands in prison and caused the gate to swing open "of its own accord" is the God who seeks to save us.  Instead of the bread and water of affliction Jesus is the Living Bread that comes down from heaven who gives eternal life and provides the Living Water of the Holy Spirit Who regenerates and refreshes our souls.  The Messiah who opened the eyes of people born blind can restore spiritual sight by His grace.  The testimony of Paul rejoicing even in chains for the sake of the Gospel confirms the word of Jesus in John 8:36:  "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."

The KING Who Saves

Today in New South Wales has been deemed a public holiday to mourn the passing of Queen Elizabeth, the longest serving monarch in British history.  During a recent drive I heard an ABC radio presenter ask a British guest and royal expert if there was a special place in heaven for those who reigned as kings and queens on earth.  After a brief explanation from a general Christian worldview, the guest replied there was not a special place for royals in heaven.  He hinted the only recognised king in heaven is the LORD Jesus Christ, the KING OF KINGS, whom Queen Elizabeth worshipped as His loyal subject.  Those who are faithful in service and honour God in their duties as Queen Elizabeth did embrace virtues intrinsic to Jesus Christ Himself.

As I viewed clips of the royals singing hymns and the national anthem "God Save the King," it struck me members of the British royal family sing these songs to God and these words are not a petition to themselves.  In the simple act of singing, whether or not a royal actually believes in the existence or anointing of God, it demonstrates the king, queen, princes and princesses are all under God whose reign is everlasting and sovereignty absolute.  On earth people make requests of their rulers, and those who rule best are those who submit themselves under the almighty God.  The history of Israel makes this plain, as the kings who feared God gained the respect and adoration of the people.  The outpouring of mourning for the passing of Queen Elizabeth into eternity is a testimony of God's favour upon her and her people.

I imagine since Queen Elizabeth had faith in Christ, her view would align with king David who said he would be content to be a doorkeeper in the house of the LORD than be anywhere else.  The apostle Paul said he preferred to be in the presence of God in heaven rather than remain on earth in his body.  By the power of the Gospel every believer is on the same footing as adopted children of God and look forward to our eternal habitation with Jesus in glory.  In the kingdom of God both royals and common folk, Jews and Gentiles are united in the body of Jesus Christ the church, having been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.  In a biblical sense those who are born again are royalty, having been accepted into the beloved.  As royalty, we are privileged to serve God in a unique capacity.  On earth kings and queens are worthy of honour, having been appointed by God, and it is our honour to serve the KING OF KINGS Jesus Christ because He is worthy in Himself.  Jesus is the God who saves, the LORD to whom British royals and commoners alike sing:

God save our gracious King!

Long live our noble King!

God save the King!

Send him victorious,

Happy and glorious,

Long to reign over us,

God save the King.

Thy choicest gifts in store

On him be pleased to pour,

Long may he reign.

May he defend our laws,

And ever give us cause,

To sing with heart and voice,

God save the King.

The Scriptures and Power of God

In a single statement speaking to the Sadducees, Jesus connected man's tendency of error with ignorance of what God has said in the the Bible and the knowledge of God's power.  The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, and thus presented Jesus a contrived question they thought was a real stumper.  The problem was, in their attempt to expose Jesus and His doctrine as false their own folly was exposed in unbelief.  Their ignorance of the scriptures led to great error as Mark 12:24 shows:  "Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?"

The word "mistaken" or "err" in the KJV has the sense in the original Greek, "to cause to wander, to lead astray."  When we say a person "made a mistake" it could be synonymous with saying someone accidentally said the wrong thing or misspoke.  Jesus said this was more than than, for the Sadducees were deceived, having wandered from the truth of God's word, and likely influenced others to do the same.  It is written in Psalm 119:105 of the scripture, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."  With the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth, a born-again believer can rightly divide God's word and thus discern good and erroneous doctrine.  Knowing the scriptures prevents us from being misled by lies and wandering from Jesus.  What we know and believe deeply impacts the way we think and how we live.

Jesus said the mistaken notions of the Sadducees also stemmed from ignorance of God's power.  The Sadducees did not believe in the miraculous, so it might be said they did believe in the God of scripture Who spoke the world into existence according to His infinite wisdom and power.  It is seen plainly in the first chapter of Genesis, not to mention throughout the whole Torah.  The Bible comprised of 66 books we hold in our hands today is filled with examples in the Old and New Testament which reveal God's power that God would be feared and worshipped.  Reading of God's power does not become truly personal until we are born again by faith in Jesus Christ, and then the power of God becomes real to us by the indwelling Holy Spirit who regenerates us.  After Jesus opens our understanding to comprehend the scriptures, our understanding of God's infinite power increases also.

How valuable is knowledge of the scriptures and the power of God to keep us from deceptions, wandering from the truth, and prevent us from leading others to ruin!  The scriptures will endure forever by the power of God, and we are saved and kept by God's power displayed by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  What God says He will do, and His mighty works reveal His power now and forever.  May we receive the truth of God's word and walk in light of it, our lives a proclamation of His power to raise the dead to new life.

God-Fearing and Withholding

God tested Abraham by directing him to offer his only and beloved son Isaac as a burnt offering, and Abraham obeyed God without question.  Three days later after the altar had been fashioned, the wood placed in order, Isaac willingly bound and laid thereon, Abraham picked up the knife to slay his son.  The Angel of the LORD cried out from heaven and said in Genesis 22:12:  "And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."  I was quite struck by what God said and how He said it.

God did not say in so many words, "Now I now you fear God since you offered your only son to Me."  One reason why this is significant is because it is common for people to point to the things they do to justify themselves as righteous or being "God-fearing."  They go to church, read the Bible, give generously to people in need.  They could be like King Saul who masked his disobedience and greed by sparing the best of the flocks and herds of the Amalekites to offer a sacrifice to the LORD when in God's estimation to obey is better than sacrifice.  A Pharisee in a parable Jesus told illustrates the one well who looks to their deeds as worthy of favour in God's eyes (and thus despise others who do not measure up to their standard) in Luke 18:9-12:  "Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: ¹⁰ "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'"  This man justified himself by what he did, and did not consider what he withheld from God.

A passage that speaks powerfully on the danger of withholding from God under the guise of giving all is seen in Acts 5 with Ananias and Sapphira.  They sold a possession, schemed to kept back part of the proceeds for themselves and gave with the clear claim they gave all.  In lying to the Holy Spirit they lied to God by withholding part of the proceeds, and Ananias and Sapphira within hours died one after the other.  It is likely many would have touted their righteous deeds and pious generosity when it masked greed, covetousness and deceit God knew about.  In connecting this passage with Genesis 22, our decision not to withhold from God what is most precious is a better indicator if we are walking in the fear of the LORD than all we give Him.  Perhaps Ananias and Sapphira lay the larger portion at the disciples' feet, but their choosing to withhold from God exposed a lack of the fear of God by their deceit.  The rich young ruler walked away from Jesus sad because he was unwilling to obey Jesus and give all.  His choice to keep his goods was not an indictment against having possessions but of the heart that withholds obedience from Christ.

As we are to honour God with our lives and possessions, we ought to honour Him with our words.  After God spoke to young Samuel about what He was going to do, the high priest Eli pressed him with an oath to tell him all God said.  1 Samuel 3:17-19 reads, "And he said, "What is the word that the Lord spoke to you? Please do not hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that He said to you." ¹⁸ Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, "It is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him." ¹⁹ So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground."  Because God was going to bring judgment upon Eli and his house, it would have been tempting to withhold from saying all.  But Samuel told him everything and hid nothing.  Notice what followed:  Samuel grew in maturity, the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.

Isn't this what we desire as followers of Jesus, to grow in spiritual maturity, to experience the LORD's presence and for our words to count?  If we are held back in our walk with our Saviour, the lack of our fear of God can have something to do with it.  Rather than justifying ourselves for all we have given, a better indicator of our hearts is to consider if we have chosen to withhold anything from God.

Satisfied in Christ

My experience with painting illustrates well that we can receive exactly what we ask for, but it isn't always what we wanted.  My wife and I have learned by experience that the colour you choose according to a paint card will look different when the whole wall is painted.  It is good to go with a lighter hue than the preferred colour on the cards and even then it may not be what you expected.  The tendency to receive what we asked for and our expectations to be dashed goes way beyond painting.  How many people thought they would be satisfied with the custom design of their house, a role at work, a career, or relationship only to find it wasn't all they imagined or hoped it would be.

As I considered this concept, it occurred to me this may happen more often than not.  It is likely unnoticed because it is exceedingly rare we actually receive exactly what we have asked for in the first place, and thus we can pin the blame for our dashed expectations on the fact we have yet to obtain our desire.  I cannot tell you how often my expectations of myself, an appliance, device or team has been frustrated.  Generally I have an optimistic view of things and thus can generate false hope, and it may be those with a proclivity for a negative perspective are disappointed less often.

But do you know these worldly trends are completely irrelevant when it comes to God?  By faith in Jesus Christ we receive infinitely more than we could have ever imagined or dreamed.  Frustration and disappointment are chronic in our humanity, yet the God-given ability to look to Jesus in all circumstances of life brings joy, peace and rest we could not have thought possible.  God's goodness blows our minds, changes our lives and transforms our perspective.  Our dreams can be ruined and our expectations frustrated, but not one word has failed of God's promises.  By the grace of God we have complete assurance of a glorious future with the LORD that will exceed our wildest expectations, and we can rest in this confidence in our LORD today and always.  This world and everything in it will pass away--painted walls, jobs, appliances and sport--yet the presence, power and hope of Jesus Christ transcends all.

Consider what David wrote in Psalm 17:15:  "As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness."  Isn't this a remarkable thing for someone to say under the covenant of Law?  Only with eyes of faith and revelation of our glorious God could such a thing be suggested.  From the perspective of the new covenant of the Gospel, we have assurance of the righteousness of Christ imputed to us.  We do not need to wait until heaven to be satisfied because Christians are born again by the power of the Holy Spirit who regenerates us.  On top of our present relationship with the everlasting God who daily loads us with benefits we have all eternity to look forward to in His presence free of sin and anything that defiles.  I came to Christ as a child because He loved me and I wanted to avoid hell, and as I have grown older I realise He has exponentially exceeded all my expectations.  What satisfaction God provides for all those who are in Christ!

Adversity Redeemed

I have heard it said one man's trash is another's treasure, and this personal subjectivity can be applied to what is considered wasteful.  One person will not eat leftover food the next day out of concern of foodborne illness, whilst others will drink milk or eat meat that clearly on the cusp of going bad.  I once moved into a house that had established citrus trees, and since I had other plans for the space I cut them down.  A neighbour was mortified I would destroy a perfectly good tree when, in my mind at the time, I had no inclination to prune or tend those neglected ant factories that stood in the way of progress.  What I define as waste in largely connected to value, usability, productivity and cost to repair or replace.  When it is cheaper to replace a product which is no longer functional, it is not generally considered wasteful to recycle, repurpose or to dispose of it.

In the days of Jeremiah, the children of Israel grieved and mourned the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem at the hand of king Nebuchadnezzar.  They looked upon the ruin of the their houses, the temple and their uprooted lives as a great and unnecessary waste entirely preventable by the almighty God.  Baruch was one such person God lovingly addressed in Jeremiah 45.  The word of the LORD came to him in Jeremiah 45:2-4:  "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: ³ 'You said, "Woe is me now! For the LORD has added grief to my sorrow. I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest."' ⁴ Thus you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land."  God described how Baruch blamed God for adding grief to his sorrow; he fainted in sighing and found no rest.  Then God said something that was only comforting to a person who is convinced in the absolute wisdom, grace and goodness of God:  the things God built He would break down, and what He had planted He would pluck up--the the whole land!

Baruch would have likely preferred the opposite of this.  What Baruch saw as broken down he desired to see God rebuild and restore.  The things that had been plucked up--even the people who fled to Egypt for safety--would be again established and planted in their own land.  But this was not happening.  Baruch's expectations of God's immediate deliverance were dashed and his ambitious desires were frustrated.  Baruch said, "Woe is me now!" because of the awful and overwhelming circumstances he could not pray himself out of or find any ray of hope of positive change in his situation.  However, there remains great hope for the believer in God's words, for God asserted His authority and power over all things.  As the One who birthed and built the nation Israel He could also break them down.  Like a farmer who plants has the right to pluck up, so God remained sovereign over all.

God put His finger on the true source of Baruch's grief and sorrow in Jeremiah 45:5:  "And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh," says the LORD. "But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go."  Baruch had sought great things for himself rather than seeking the LORD who is eternally great and glorious.  He looked for great things for himself and was disappointed when his expectations were unmet.  He looked for peace and found strife; he looked for restoration and only saw ruin.  God promised to bring adversity on all flesh, but God also promised He would preserve Baruch's life as a prize wherever He went.  There was comfort and rest found in God.  Israel had been broken down and plucked up, yet God would preserve life.  The God who kills also makes alive, and He who breaks has the power to heal (Deut. 32:39).

There was a glorious divine purpose in God laying waste to His people as we read in Hosea 5:13-15:  "When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to King Jareb; yet he cannot cure you, nor heal you of your wound. ¹⁴ For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue. ¹⁵ I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me."  When afflicted the response of Ephraim was to seek help from their enemies rather than God who remained faithful to them and the covenant He made with their fathers.  God afflicted His people and waited for them to come to their senses, acknowledge their offence, repent and seek His face earnestly.  See this redemptive aspect of pain, grief and sorrow, earnestness in seeking God Who alone can heal, restore and revive.  Ours is a God who created the world with the words of His mouth and causes the dead to be raised to life.  It is in seeking Him we find rest for our souls and enduring hope for the future no sorrow can rob us of.

Pride Won't Heed

It's no secret that pride is a serious sin in the eyes of God.  In Proverbs 6:17 the first abomination of seven listed is a "proud look" and Proverbs 21:4 includes a "proud heart" as well.  It was being lifted up with pride that led to the condemnation and downfall of Satan (1 Tim. 3:6).  Pride is the first listed of the sins of Sodom, and these only begin to scratch the surface of how abominable pride is and how devastating the far-reaching consequences of it.  Whether it announces itself with haughty boasting or is subtle through silent censure and judgment, it is a deadly vice to be renounced and repented of.

This morning I read a passage in scripture that provided insight into a symptom of pride that can go unnoticed.  In Jeremiah 42, Johanan and Jezaniah came to Jeremiah with a seemingly humble request for him to pray for them and all the people.  They begged for God to direct them in what to do and promised to obey all God said.  Jeremiah 42:5-6 reads, "So they said to Jeremiah, "Let the LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not do according to everything which the LORD your God sends us by you. ⁶ Whether it is pleasing or displeasing, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we send you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God."  Their words showed commitment to humbly submit to God and do whatever He said.  Johanan and Jezaniah asked the LORD to be a true and faithful witness, even putting themselves under an oath to keep their word.

The problem was, all their words turned out to be bold-faced lies.  After 10 days Jeremiah held forth the word of the LORD and specifically prohibited them from going to Egypt in the hope they would be safe there.  God told them to remain in their land and serve the king of Babylon.  Jeremiah 43:1-4 says, "Now it happened, when Jeremiah had stopped speaking to all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, all these words, ² that Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men spoke, saying to Jeremiah, "You speak falsely! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, 'Do not go to Egypt to dwell there.' ³ But Baruch the son of Neriah has set you against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may put us to death or carry us away captive to Babylon." ⁴ So Johanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces, and all the people would not obey the voice of the LORD, to remain in the land of Judah."  Notice verse 2 exposes the pride of those men who came to Jeremiah under the guise of humility and faith in God.  Those proud men would not heed the word of the LORD, accused Jeremiah of lying to them and thus would not obey.

Pride is revealed not only by what we say and how we say it but if we are willing to listen and obey God.  This passage shows how pride causes men to deny the truth of God's word and puts the deceptions of fearful and ungodly men in their place.  These men masked their pride at the beginning, but eventually the hypocrisy God already knew was displayed to all by their refusal to heed God's word.  It is a good question to ask ourselves:  am I willing to hear God's word and submit to Him?  This will involve taking steps of faith in obedience to Him, perhaps doing what is unthinkable and even repulsive to our flesh--like the children of Israel serving king Nebuchadnezzar!  The proud men of Israel spoke much and refused to heed the word of the LORD, and it is possible Christians can fall into this same snare.  Many talk a good game, but will we listen and submit to God faithfully?  Our response to God's word will supply the answer.

Witnesses to Jesus

"And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. ²⁹ Then Abimelech asked Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?" ³⁰ And he said, "You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well."

Genesis 21:28-30

When Abraham and Abimelech made a covenant together, Abraham set seven ewe lambs by themselves.  He directed Abimelech to receive them as witnesses they had made a binding agreement:  he would deal honestly and show kindness to Abimelech to his descendants, and Abraham would retain rights to the water of the well he dug.  These valuable female lambs were tangible evidence of their transaction and agreement simply by virtue of being lambs given and received.  These ewes would grow to be fruitful for years to come, symbolic of the prosperity and health that would flow from their enduring friendship.

As I consider these lambs set apart as a witness of the covenant Abraham and Abimelech made together, I am reminded of how Jesus has sanctified His followers as His witnesses of the covenant in His own blood.  In regards to when God would restore the kingdom to Israel, after His resurrection Jesus answered His disciples in Acts 1:7-8:  "And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."  It is amazing the everlasting God would choose lost sinners saved by the Gospel to be His witnesses.  We are fundamentally witnesses, not because of what we do, but due to what Jesus has done in purchasing and redeeming us with His own blood.

One result of the Holy Spirit regenerating and taking up residence within us is He makes us spiritually fruitful.  He gives spiritual gifts to each believer according to His will so we might glorify God and edify the church.  We are witnesses to the world of what Jesus accomplished on Calvary by transformed hearts and lives now lived for His good pleasure.  Like those sheep were witnesses Abraham dug the well, Christians are witnesses Jesus has died on the cross, rose from the dead, has ascended to the Father, and have given us eternal life by grace through faith in Him.

Today there are differences of opinion of the exact location where Jesus was buried because He is not there; He is risen!  Instead of an empty tomb being strong evidence of Christ's resurrection and redemptive work, it is the lives of Christians filled with the Holy Spirit that are His witnesses, adopted into His everlasting kingdom as beloved children.  Praise the LORD for the new covenant in His blood, and how He has separated us unto Himself to be His fruitful witnesses now and forever.

Effective Correction

"Rebuke is more effective for a wise man than a hundred blows on a fool."

Proverbs 17:10

When it comes to cleaning products and countless other items, we want to use what is effective to do the job.  I remember as a kid cleaning the same window over and over.  It seemed no matter how many paper towels or sheets of newspaper I used, a greasy film stubbornly remained visible in direct sunlight.  Then in my adulthood I picked up a few tips watching a commercial window cleaner and noticed a completely different system in use:  instead of soggy paper and spray bottles an applicator and a squeegee was used.  This new system was better in every conceivable way because it allowed access without a ladder, took far less time, was far less labour intensive or tiring, and the superior results spoke for themselves.

Everyone would agree washing windows is far more simple and predictable than how a child will respond to the discipline of a parent or how we will handle stinging rebuke.  Christians are blessed to know the God who created mankind and gives us wisdom concerning how to humbly wield authority as we submit to Him.  Proverbs 3:11-12 says, "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; ¹² for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights."  Because God loves us He chastens us to correct us, and parents ought to be faithful in correcting their children in an appropriate, God-honouring manner.  He has provided us the ability to encourage, to reason with, to warn, enact consequences, and use the rod of correction in love.

It would be a great shame to cease correcting our children or to forego a needed rebuke of a friend because we are convinced it will be ineffective.  As Proverbs 17:10 points out, a rebuke or discipline may be completely ineffective--not because it is an illegitimate or foolish means of correction--but because of the foolishness in the unwilling recipient.  Parents can make the mistake of taking things too far because previous attempts have been ineffective.  Because they do not believe the message is getting through they raise the volume, and this sadly can lead to sin and abuse.  When our correction is refused, a warning ignored or a rebuke scoffed at, our own pride and folly can often be brought to light.

A hundred blows does not make a fool wise, yet the wise are revealed when they respond to rebuke without requiring them.  A child may not realise a parent corrects or displeases them out of a heart of love, and a parent or friend may not understand the receptivity (or lack thereof!) to reproof indicates the presence of wisdom and folly in the heart.  In seeking to correct others we can stand corrected, and for our negligence to speak up the LORD reproves us out of love.  Let us not lose heart when our best efforts to walk uprightly seem fruitless, for we will reap if we faint not.  The prayers of a righteous man are effective and avail much.  Praise the LORD for His patient and gentle way with us, to extend grace and mercy with warnings and correction.

Identifying Sin

The Bible describes sin as transgression against God, the failure to measure up to His righteous standards, whether it be due to a rebellious heart or in ignorance.  While some sins are clearly defined, in practice distinguishing sin can be tricky.  Because the root of sin grows in our heart, basing our answers only on what we see can miss the point.  Pharisees who kept the letter of the Law of Moses were condemned for their pride by Jesus who knew the hearts of men.

It is a good question to ask when we are personally convicted by our conscience:  is this sin?  God's word often prompts us to consider and judge ourselves according to God's standard of righteousness rather than conform to the values of the world which justifies sin for countless reasons.  The flip side of identifying our sin is to repent and do what pleases God instead.  Avoiding sin is half the struggle:  we need to look to God in faith to be strengthened to do what He says is right.  If we only look at what we do or avoid doing we can miss the necessity to examine our own motives and intentions completely.  We will be forever chasing down symptoms of sin rather than rooting them out at the source.

Another important point is to understand there are things that are not sinful in themselves but are sin for you.  Boasting, for instance, often has a negative connotation because it is often evidence of pride.  Yet it is possible with a humble heart like David and Paul to make their boast in the LORD.  It is in this context of boasting in what we will do James wrote in James 4:17:  "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin."  It is sinful not to acknowledge our complete need for reliance upon God for our lives.  We can sin by what we do and also by leaving what we know is good undone.  There are things that are legal but not helpful, activities which are not sinful in themselves but do not edify.  We are unwise to submit ourselves to what harms us and undermines our relationship with God (1 Cor. 6:12).

Even though Christians are not under the Law of Moses and our sins have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus, this is no excuse to treat sin as without consequence.  See how James ended his epistle in James 5:19-20:  "Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, ²⁰ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins."  The implication here is brethren can wander from the truth.  This is not speaking of evangelism but the restoration of misguided believers who are going their own erroneous way.  Our salvation is assured by the Gospel, yet sin continues to retain its deadly consequences.  As we walk in the truth let us do good, repent of our sin and walk in humility before God and man.

Tripping Over Salvation

When people come to saving faith in Jesus Christ, it is common for them to be concerned about the eternal future of those they know and love.  They have made a decision to receive eternal life through the Gospel, and it isn't uncommon for them to be earnest in sharing with others.  It is fitting to put a high priority on eternity, for this life we experience now on earth is a breath by comparison.  The alternative to spending eternity in the presence of God in heaven is eternal torment in hell, so the stakes are shockingly high.

What I have observed is when the loved one does not see their need for Jesus Christ or pushes back against the Gospel, conflict can arise.  The well-meaning believer can exert pressure on others by trying to change their minds with arguments.  Others can be very preoccupied with what I will call the "salvation status" of someone else, believing they are not born again or wondering if they are going to heaven.  In many of these cases the Christian does not demonstrate the peace, joy or rest God provides at all, frustrated or afraid for their loved one who does not love Christ.  Not content with assurance of our salvation by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, some also long for assurance concerning the salvation of others.  It is strange the one made upright by God's grace and walking with Jesus can be preoccupied over one particular person is saved or not.  Perhaps it is better not to have that assurance of salvation for someone else you are hoping to find, otherwise you might stop praying for them!

Praise the LORD God is a Saviour, and we can rest assured His will is not that any should perish.  I read a great passage this morning that shows God provides opportunity for repentance and deliverance even to people He knows will not listen.  Jeremiah 36:1-3 says, "Now it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, that this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying: ² "Take a scroll of a book and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah even to this day. ³ It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the adversities which I purpose to bring upon them, that everyone may turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin."  The tenor of God's words show He looks for the opportunity to forgive.  In addition to giving human beings a conscience, God provided warnings of the dire consequences of sin.  It wasn't that God couldn't or wouldn't forgive, but people refused to listen to Him.  That wasn't God's fault, seeing He also gave them eyes, ears and the ability to think and reason.

As Paul reasoned with the Greeks concerning the true God who Created all things is not an image made of gold, silver or stone, fashioned by man, he said in Acts 17:30-31:  "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, ³¹ because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."  The resurrection of Jesus is proof He has the power to forgive sins and give eternal life, and also that He will judge the world in righteousness.  No one is righteous in themselves except Jesus, and praise God His righteousness is imputed to all who trust in Him.  Since we are assured of so great a salvation, when we are concerned for others let us first seek our Saviour and commit our loved ones into His hand.  God shed His own blood to save them (Acts 20:28), and He is able to use us or anything He desires to bring them into eternal glory by grace.  Whether we sow, water, reap or wait on the LORD, let us exhibit the fruit of the Spirit by patience with fullness of joy.

What Nebuchadnezzar Learned

God has given us the ability to learn from the mistakes of others, and God is able to redeem ignorance and sin to bring divine revelation.  We observe this in the life of king Nebuchadnezzar, God's chosen servant.  The odd thing is, for a long time Nebuchadnezzar had no knowledge of this.  From the captives taken to Babylon to teach them the language and ways of the Chaldeans, Nebuchadnezzar received a crash-course in the glorious God of Israel who is sovereign over all, the KING OF KINGS.

There are three notable incidents recorded in the book of Daniel that all end with king Nebuchadnezzar having his eyes opened to the almighty God:  after Daniel revealed his dream and interpretation, after Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego were miraculously preserved in the fiery furnace, and after king Nebuchadnezzar was rendered senseless like a beast for 7 years.  After Daniel revealed the dream and interpretation to the king no wise man or astrologer in the kingdom could, he fell on his face before Daniel in worship.  Daniel 2:47 says, "The king answered Daniel, and said, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret."  This acknowledgement of God with his mouth was far from Nebuchadnezzar surrendering his heart before the LORD of all.

In Daniel 3 Nebuchadnezzar built an enormous statue of his image and commanded all the rulers in his kingdom to worship before it at the sound of music.  The three aforementioned Jews refused to do so, and were challenged by the power-tripping king:  "Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?"  When they were not swayed by his threats, the king commanded they be thrown alive into a burning furnace.  To his amazement they were unharmed by the violent flames that slew his mighty men who threw them in, and there was a forth man who walked with them likened to the Son of God.  After he called them out and inspected them, having observed no singeing or even the smell of smoke on them Daniel 3:28-29 states, "Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! ²⁹ Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this."

Nebuchadnezzar knew God revealed secrets and delivered those who trusted him, yet he was not humbled before him.  After Daniel interpreted the dream of the king and urged him to repent, a year later the king was proudly walking through his palace when the LORD stuck Nebuchadnezzar and deprived him of a sound mind.  He was suddenly feral as an wild animal and ate grass in the field.  His unkempt hair became matted and his neglected fingernails resembled claws.  Daniel 4:34-35 reads, "And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. ³⁵ All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have You done?"

Nebuchadnezzar, through the testimony of God's people and personal experience, came to know the God of Israel is the God of Gods, the revealer of secrets, one who delivers those who trust in Him, He is eternal with an everlasting dominion, and no one can question or restrain Him from doing anything.  The final words of Nebuchadnezzar recorded in scripture are found in Daniel 4:37, a summary of the glorious God he served:  "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."  Praise the LORD who reveals Himself to mankind, whose works are truth and ways justice.  God is able to humble the proud, and how blessed and privileged people are to serve Him.

Invitation for Communion

It is traditionally common before momentous occasions like weddings to send out invitations to select people.  It would be nice to invite all family and friends who would enjoy attending an event, but due to space and budget restrictions it is not always feasible.  I am blessed God is not hindered with our limitations, for His invitation for people to come to Him to be forgiven and receive eternal life are given to all.  Like the parables Jesus told when servants were directed to seek out the blind and lame in the street to come to the feast already prepared, so the LORD seeks us out to compel us to draw near to Him in faith for salvation and continual fellowship with Him.

Paul wrote to the Corinthian church in regards to their observance of the LORD's supper, and this is an ordinance what is commonly called "communion" in Christian  circles.  He critiqued their factions, excesses and carelessness concerning one another.  Instead of the LORD's supper being a stand-alone rite or observance as it can be today, it was incorporated into meals they shared with one another--even as Jesus instituted communion during and after the Passover meal.  Paul said it was wrong some people went away hungry because they lacked bread whilst others were inebriated from wine.  Their observance of communion was a hypocritical display due to the lack of unity and love for one another Jesus modeled that is to mark the lives of every genuine believer.

Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 11:26-29:  "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. ²⁷ Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body."  Some people take this as a prohibition and warning against receiving communion to avoid judgment from God when it is actually the opposite:  it is an invitation to communion with God by repentance of sin.  It would be hypocrisy for professing believers to refuse to receive communion out of fear of judgment of sin by God when Jesus Christ has provided the means of forgiveness and true fellowship with God.  In thinking it is hypocritical to take communion when in sin, it is also hypocritical to refuse to repent when you know you are in sin.  The point is we ought to examine ourselves inside and out.  To the one partaking of the LORD's supper it was not merely bread or wine but symbols that point to the sacrifice of Christ and are partakers of the atonement by faith in Him.

No one is worthy of salvation or to partake of God's Spirit by "clean living," yet by God's grace He has sent Him to fill and regenerate people once dead in sins to new life.  We are unworthy in ourselves, but having been born again we can partake worthily by examining ourselves and seeking to walk in purity even as Jesus is pure.  God invites all people to have fellowship with Him, and receiving communion is a step of faith, obedience and identification with Jesus who was crucified for our sins and rose from the dead glorified.  Even as we eat food daily, self-examination is to be a daily exercise as our eyes are fixed on Jesus:  confession of sin, repentance, choosing to do things that please God according to the scripture, following the leading of the Holy Spirit, and heeding our conscience are disciplines that aid us to walk worthily of Jesus our Saviour who is our Life.

The 17 Shekel Promise

God instructed the prophet Jeremiah to make a head-scratching business decision for His redemptive purposes.  Before his cousin Hanameel visited him, the word of the LORD came Jeremiah to purchase the field that was in Anathoth.  Jeremiah had been saying for a long time the nation of Israel was going to fall before king Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army.  If all the land was going to be under the rule of Babylon and the inhabitants taken into captivity to Babylon, what was be the point of buying land?  God had a point to make by making a promise beyond price.

When Hanameel came to Jeremiah and asked him to buy the land in Anathoth because the right of redemption was his, it confirmed the word God had already spoke to Jeremiah.  In the presence of witnesses he weighed out 17 shekels of silver, a very small amount of money for a parcel of land, and the details of the sale were written down.  According to the current rate of exchange, 79 grams of silver is valued at about $45 USD.  Jeremiah handed the receipt to Baruch, and Jeremiah 32:13-15 explains the reason behind this odd land purchase:  "Then I charged Baruch before them, saying, ¹⁴ 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is sealed and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days." ¹⁵ For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land."'

What some saw as a financially dumb decision was actually wisdom at work as it illustrated a promise God would be faithful to keep.  Even as the title deed was preserved in an earthen vessel, God promised that "Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land."  The time of captivity in Babylon would be long, but God would keep His word.  God would cause them to return to the land He had given His people by lot according to their tribes and families as an inheritance.  The children of Israel would again settle down and be sheltered in their own land where they would work fruitful fields, tend vines and harvest grapes pressed into new wine.  A land currently marred by violence and made desolate would be possessed again by God's people He would preserve and cause to return--even as the title deed was safely stored in an earthen vessel.

People would have given all the shekels of silver they possessed and even go into debt for that promise to be presently fulfilled, yet for the price of 17 shekels God provided proof of His gracious care in the present and future.  God would bring them back in due time, for He is always faithful to keep His word without fail.  How grateful I am God provides us assurance of His care in this life and for eternity!  The resurrection of Jesus from the dead and His ascension confirms He is able to forgive sinners, deliver us from death and grant us eternal life with Him in heaven by His grace.  No matter how difficult circumstances may be now, we have assurance God will keep Christians and present us faultless before the Father with exceeding joy (Jude 24-25).  For the follower of Jesus Christ we have assurance that the best is yet to come for all eternity.