A Good Lasting Impression

Yesterday a concrete footpath was poured by contractors near our house, and I was left shaking my head when I went to inspect the work.  Someone decided they would be the first to walk on the finished concrete before it was dry and left permanent impressions of their footsteps.  I wondered if the person who walked on the concrete realised it was still wet, and intentionally marring the finish was a twisted way to have fun.  Possibly the person was clueless about the concrete underfoot because of enjoyment of a funny podcast, an engaging conversation or the shock of hearing bad news.  As long as that concrete remains, the wandering footprints will always provoke questions about what that person was thinking--or if he or she was thinking at all.

I noticed other, more predictable markings on the fresh concrete:  names scrawled in the surface with the date.  I suspect these are the names of the neighbourhood kids who were hanging around the area after the work was finished.  There is no doubt in my mind those names were etched intentionally, for no one writes letters and numbers in the corner of wet concrete accidentally.  As I surveyed the labour of pouring the footpath outside my door, there are three distinct groups that made their own distinct impressions:  the workers who finished the concrete, the aimless wanderer, and the graffiti artists.  Intentionally or not, all these people made a permanent impression on the concrete that will last the lifetime of the concrete.

This observation led me to consider the impact the lives of human beings can have on one another, whether at work, play or just walking along.  Our brains indiscriminately remember things people said or did that impacted us.  We may have had one conversation with people or we might have not ever learned their names, but they managed to impact our life in some way.  Think of the fantastic and sobering opportunity God has given everyone to make a permanent impression on others for good, to make a lasting, positive mark on others as we live to glorify Jesus Christ.  Showing kindness, being generous, and continuing to love others as we pass through this life is a great blessing God has granted to His children.  At the same time, it is confronting the damage we can do without even knowing it.  We have passed by others with a carefree spring in our step and didn't realise we wounded them, and we would regret our actions if we only knew.

I don't want to have an "Oh well!" attitude about accidently trampling the hard work of others, caring only about what I'm doing or going.  I want my words and actions to be a stamp of grace and love that guides others to know Jesus Christ as Saviour.  Jesus is the enduring legacy of every Christian, and our lives are an opportunity for Him to make a positive, lasting impact on others.  It is a small thing for me to be famous or be remembered well, but how great it is that through our brief, obscure lives that the name of Jesus should be known and proclaimed.  We have a message of love and salvation that will outlive our lives on earth, and may the LORD Jesus use us to make a good lasting impression on others for His glory as we are passing through.

Thanks and Praise

"I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king's demand."

Daniel 2:23

Daniel and his fellow wise men were in dire need of divine revelation concerning king Nebuchadnezzar's dream, for their lives were on the line.  He and his Hebrew brethren sought God on the matter, and the LORD was merciful to reveal Nebuchadnezzar's dream and the interpretation to Daniel in a vision.  It is no wonder Daniel thanked and praised God for giving Him wisdom about the king's secret and thus spared his life and others who served king Nebuchadnezzar.  God's people ought always to thank and praise Him for answered prayer, yet genuine faith shines brighter when we experience pain, suffering, loss and still praise and bless our good God.

When the children of Israel languished in a time of war and trouble, Jeremiah recognised it was only by the mercy of the good God of Israel He preserved them at all.  God had caused grief and loss, yet God had compassion on them according to the riches of His mercy.  We see this same God fearing outlook in Job after he suffered the loss of his wealth and the death of his 10 children in a day.  Job 1:21-22 tells us,  "And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." ²² In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong."  Faith in God does not mean we avoid trials and troubles in this world:  it is the means God has provided for us to endure and experience joy, peace and rest in Him.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of the Messiah as a Man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.  From the moment sin entered the world, humankind has experienced grief and sorrow beyond human comprehension:  people God created in His own image were cut off from God and drowned in grief without knowledge of Him, the remedy for their ills, forgiveness of sin, or the sure hope of heaven in His presence.  We cannot fathom such grief and pain that the all-powerful, all-knowing and all-loving God should see His creation struggle and die whilst rejecting Him.  The death of a loved one deeply impacts a relatively small circle of family and friends who heard of a tragic passing, yet God knows intimately the full depth of everyone's suffering like He personally experienced Himself.

God is so awesome and good His suffering Servant Jesus offers fullness of peace and joy, for while He is a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief He has not been overcome by them:  Jesus accomplished the ultimate victory over sin, death and sorrow by His death and resurrection He freely gives to all who trust in Him.  Born-again believers in the midst of pain can praise God from the heart, and this praise that springs from faith in Him is precious in His sight.  It is one thing to praise God when He has answered your prayer in the way you wanted, but genuine faith delights to praise our good God when He has remained silent or said "No."  In our troubles may we never charge God with wrong, for He remains good and glorious regardless how we feel.  In Him we have a living hope, and our future is bright with joy and peace.  With Daniel we can thank and praise God for giving us Jesus (Who is wisdom for us) and might made perfect in our weakness.

Called, Chosen and Faithful

"These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."

Revelation 17:14

Jesus is described as one day returning to earth with His saints in judgment over Satan, the antichrist and the world.  God's people, born again by faith in Jesus and given eternal life by Him, are "called, chosen and faithful."  It is good for us to realise this is not some sort of divine fate at work, but everyone who follows Jesus faithfully has been called and chosen by Him.  We love Him because He first loved us.

Judas Iscariot gives us great insight into this matter, for he was called by Jesus to follow Him.  Of the many disciples Jesus had, Judas was chosen to be one of His 12 apostles Jesus sent out.  We know Judas had responsibilities among the apostles to responsibly handle the money of the group, yet sadly he was a thief.  He was called and chosen but not faithful to Jesus, for he bargained with the chief priests to betray Jesus into their hand when he had opportunity for 30 pieces of silver.  His hypocrisy was shown in the Garden of Gethsemane by identifying Jesus with a kiss of greeting.

Judas teaches us that being called and chosen does not guarantee we will choose to be numbered among God's faithful servants.  He later regretted and lamented Jesus being arrested and sentenced to death, yet he did not sorrow in a godly manner that leads to repentance:  he sorrowed as the world does which leads to death (2 Cor. 7:9-11).  Judas died a violent death at his own hand, choosing to murder himself rather than humble himself in contrite repentance before God.  He was called and chosen, but he was not faithful.  Jesus said because of his sinful, unrepentant choices, it would be better for him to never have been born (Matt. 26:24, Mark 14:21).

The Strong's Concordance defines the Greek word translated "faithful" as "faithful, reliable, believing."  Genuine faith in God is practically expressed and demonstrated by obedience to God.  Jesus told His followers that if they loved Him they would do as He said.  This fits perfectly with loving God with all our heart, all our soul and all our mind.  Jesus is God made flesh, and having been called and chosen we are to be faithful.  1 John 5:11-13 says, "And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. ¹³ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."

By believing in Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, we have life because He is our life.  Christians can know we are called and chosen because we are faithful to believe in Him and continue to do so.  We have the assurance of salvation and future judgment by the resurrection of Jesus.  Our confidence is not in ourselves or efforts to obey, but because of Who Jesus is and the new life He has provided through the Gospel.  Confidence in our calling and election is misplaced when God requires us to be faithful by His grace.

Still Blaming or Broken?

"So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long time; it was there twenty years. And all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD."

1 Samuel 7:2

After the Ark of the Covenant was taken by the Philistines to their country, it remained there for seven months.  Whilst the Ark was passed from city to city, God plagued the Philistines with great destruction.  The situation became so dire the Philistines decided the only remedy was to return the Ark to Israel with a trespass offering, and the five lords of the Philistines each providing a golden image of a rat that plagued the land and their tumours that caused them to suffer greatly.

The Israelites were harvesting wheat in Beth Shemesh when they saw the Ark of God on a new wooden cart amble into their land.  The people rejoiced exceedingly the Ark had been returned to them, and they promptly used the cart for firewood and sacrificed the oxen to the LORD as a burnt offering.  However, the joyous celebration ended in sorrow, for tens of thousands of men of Beth Shemesh died before the LORD when they transgressed by looking into the Ark contrary to the Law of Moses.  They wondered, "Who can stand before this great God?" They sent a message to the people of Kirjath Jearim and asked them to retrieve the Ark--which they did.  A man named Eleazar was sanctified as a caretaker of the Ark, and it remained in the home of his father Abinadab for 20 years.

While the Ark remained in Kirjath Jearim, all Israel lamented after the LORD for decades.  The prophet Samuel provided a path to restoration before God in 1 Samuel 7:3-4:  "Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines." ⁴ So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only."  Brothers and sisters, recognise this:  grief, lamentation and sorrow over decades provided no penance for the people.  Their humiliation at the hand of their enemies or God was no substitute for humbling themselves before Him.  Regret was not repentance.  Samuel urged the people to return to the LORD by destroying their idols and preparing their hearts to seek and serve the LORD only.  The promise of deliverance from the Philistines God gave would be fulfilled in short order later in the chapter when God thundered against the Philistines who drew near to attack His people.

The Bible does not record the conversations the people of Israel had together over those 20 years of lamentation after the LORD, but I strongly suspect there was blame for their situation being thrown around without addressing their own idolatry.  There were likely people who blamed Hophni and Phinehas for bringing the Ark of the Covenant to the battle, and other blamed Eli who allowed them to continue "serving" in the priesthood.  Some blamed the Philistines for their brutality and oppression, and others blamed the men of Beth Shemesh for their own demise by looking into the Ark.  In a land and world full of sinners, there was plenty of blame to go around.  As long as they continued to blame others or even themselves without repentance, it revealed they were not yet broken for their sin.  It was after they accepted the blame for their own sin and repented of it they were restored to fellowship with God.  The Philistines remained idolatrous; the corrupt within Israel remained as corrupt as ever.  However, there was a sure hope of salvation for those who lamented after the LORD and prepared their hearts to seek and serve Him.

Today this pattern remains true as ever for God's people.  When we hear of tragedies and problems in the world, one of our first reactions can be to cast blame at the feet of a person, a political party, organisation or nation.  Lately the news has been inundated with reports of a "failed" referendum in Australia, a full-fledged war in Israel, a murder at a school in Sydney, and a mass shooting in the United States--and this only scratches the surface of the pain and suffering that overwhelms us.  Hear this:  as long as we are blaming we are not yet broken, and that is the place God desires to bring us to even if it takes decades!  In light of this, consider the value of brokenness before the LORD as it is written in Psalm 34:18:  "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit."  Psalm 51:16-17 also says:  "For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. ¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart--these, O God, You will not despise."  Rather than lashing out at others for their wrongs, let us be crushed and broken before the LORD, repent of our sin, prepare our hearts before the LORD and serve Him only.

Glorify God's Holy Name

God is a Saviour Who gives eternal life to all who trust Him, a life so powerful it overcomes death.  As our risen LORD Jesus demonstrated through His death, burial and resurrection, the process to enter eternal glory often involves the physical death of the body.  This is true concerning those who come to faith in Christ and are martyred during the Great Tribulation.  As Jesus laid down His life for lost sinners on Calvary, so they will choose to lay down their lives for His sake.  It is a privilege and honour believers embrace by following in our Saviour's footsteps and surrender our lives for Jesus Who joyfully did so for us.

Revelation 15:2-4 describes a heavenly scene that includes this group of victorious martyrs:  "And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. ³ They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! ⁴ Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested."  Revelation 12 describes believers who overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and by faith in Jesus these worshippers were also victorious over the beast (the antichrist), his image, mark and number of his name.  This is only possible by the miraculous power of God at work in His people.

These redeemed believers sang the song of Moses found in Exodus 15 and the song of the Lamb.  The context of the song of Moses was after God lead His people to pass through the Red Sea and drowned the army of Egyptians that sought to pursue them.  They sang in Exodus 15:11, "Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"  Both the deliverance from Egypt through the Red Sea and the overcoming of the antichrist during the Great Tribulation are miraculous.  As the children of Israel left Egypt in haste and were guided through the Red Sea, through tribulation many people will be ushered into God's presence in glory with exceeding joy.  Many who will be born again during the Great Tribulation will be martyred for their faith, yet the end will be unending joy and worship of our awesome God, victorious in His presence.

Praise God He will not subject His redeemed people to His wrath which will ultimately consume the heavens and earth.  All who fear the LORD, let us glorify His name because His judgments have been manifested to us through His word.  It has been revealed to us by the Gospel God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  The believers who praise God in the heavenly scene were justly in heaven because of the atonement for sin provided by Jesus.  How gracious is God Who has opened heaven to us and given us Himself, for the Holy Spirit has taken residence in our hearts by the Gospel.  The LORD God Almighty is just and true in all His ways, and let us praise our God Who is our strength and song forever.

Standing in God's Might

When people are born again by faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit regenerates us spiritually and indwells us.  One aspect of His powerful influence and impact on our lives is described by Paul in Ephesians 6 through the analogy of amour that protects us in the spiritual battle we find ourselves.  Believers are called to understand how the Holy Spirit works in our lives and gives us victory over Satan's attacks so we can stand strong in the LORD and in the power of His might.

A passage I read in Gurnall's book, The Christian in Complete Armour, affirms something I long have believed:  rather than habitually "putting on the armour of God" daily, we are never to take it off, walking in the Holy Spirit to do what pleases God.  Should one of Satan's flaming arrows find its mark or we fall into sin, there can be a correlation with our negligence to appropriate all God has provided for our successful sanctification.  The exhortation to "put on" the armour of God is to utilise it, to exercise ourselves by faith in Christ by reliance on the Holy Spirit.  William Gurnall wrote:

It is not enough to have grace, but this grace must be kept in exercise.  The Christian's armour is made to be worn; no laying down, or putting off our armour, till we have done our warfare, and finished our course.  Our armour and our garment of flesh go off together; then, indeed, will be no need of watch and ward, shieled or helmet.  Those military duties and field-graces--as I may call faith, hope, and the rest--shall be honourably discharged.  In heaven we shall appear, not in armour, but in robes of glory.  But here these are to be worn night and day; we must walk, work, and sleep in them, or else we are not true soldiers of Christ.  This Paul professeth to endeavour.  'Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience voice of offence toward God and toward men,' (Ac 24:16).  Here we have this holy man at his arms, training and exercising himself in his postures, like some soldier by himself handling his pike, and inuring himself before the battle. (Gurnall, William, and J. C. Ryle. The Christian in Complete Armour. Banner of Truth Trust, 2002. pages 63-64)

Paul told believers to put on the whole armour of God because it is likely we have failed to appropriate the power of the Holy Spirit given to us to protect our minds and hearts.  Many times we have walked around without traction and support of the Gospel of peace which is like combat boots or God's truth which is like a belt.  We have wandered unwittingly into a conflict without the shield of faith or left the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God) in the sheath or at home.  We are able to "be" strong because this rests completely on Who Jesus is and the new creations He has made us to be.  Our identity in Christ does not mean we always or are currently using the full range of protection afforded us by God's grace, and thus we are called to put on the whole armour.

While soldiers sharpen their swords, knives and bayonets for hand-to-hand combat, we are told the manner which is to mark our preparing for and engaging in battle in Ephesians 6:18:  "...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints..."  If we are not praying, it is likely victory will be an ideal instead of the continuous reality in practice.  We are told to pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks because this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us.  Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 26:41, "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."  When it comes to the spiritual conflicts, the Holy Spirit is able and willing to protect us from all harmful defeats.  If we are unwilling to pray, refuse to look to the LORD Jesus or yield to the Holy Spirit in obedience, we cannot stand in the power of God's might.

Trusting the LORD In All

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

Proverbs 3:5-6

It is one thing to trust the LORD Who rules and reigns over all to save us, and it is another to continue trusting Him in all our ways, all our days.  Should we experience anxiety, worry and troubled thoughts, it is evidence we are not trusting the LORD God with all our heart.  When we are overwhelmed with a current dilemma it is often because we cannot envision a remedy obtainable by our best efforts.  We are disturbed and restless when we lean on our own understanding which is finite, and thus we often forget about God's power and promises to us.

The children of Israel were obedient to God's command through Joshua as they approached Jericho, a massive stronghold they lacked the ability to conquer themselves.  After God miraculously gave them the victory, they turned their eyes to the next city that stood before them:  Ai.  They did not seek the LORD's guidance, consulted with one another, and sent 3,000 men to raze the city.  They were soundly beaten and fled before the men of Ai, and 36 of the Hebrews died in the skirmish.  How many times have we trusted God with the "big" things and leaned on our own understanding when comes to "little" things we are confident to do ourselves?  We are to trust in the LORD with all our heart and in all our ways acknowledge Him.  The one who does this will walk uprightly and have success in doing God's will.

The tendency to lean on our own understanding is as natural to us as sitting on a recliner designed to cushion the human frame.  The flesh is most comfortable to lean on our own understanding, our experience, or on other people rather than exercising faith in God.  This tendency to lean on our own understanding in our personal life can occur in church ministry as well.  There have been times over the years when I am aware the church is operating at a financial loss.  I have been tempted to broach the situation with the congregation to make the need known.  If this is done without seeking the LORD and receiving clear guidance from Him to do so, I can be guilty of leaning on my own understanding rather than trusting Him with all my heart and acknowledging Him in all my ways.  There is nothing inherently wrong with communicating the dire financial state of a church or business to members, but if it is not done by faith in God and obedience to Him it is sin.

How good it is when I have sought the LORD, chose not to make a public announcement, and had the opportunity to see God prompt His people to supply the needs at hand by His grace.  Seeing God's faithfulness to provide for all our needs and knowing He is LORD of all prompts us to keep trusting Him presently and in the future.  My experience echoes David's observation of God's provision in Psalm 37:25:  "I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread."  God does not forsake His people, and He is faithful to provide our daily bread--and He speaks to us through His word to guide, comfort and satisfy us.  The fact our small church fellowship continues to meet and thrive is a testimony of God's grace, provision and faithfulness Who is worthy of our continual trust.

Wisdom and Life

"Dead flies putrefy the perfumer's ointment, and cause it to give off a foul odour; so does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honour."

Ecclesiastes 10:1

Biblical illustrations and teachings are the best because they are always true.  This is one of the more memorable proverbs in the book of Ecclesiastes, and it demonstrates the foulness of folly.  A perfumer mixed rare and usually expensive ingredients to make an attractive, sweet-smelling fragrance.  If left uncovered, flies or other insects were attracted to the scent and become stuck in the balm, salve or perfume.  I imagine people sitting around and saying to one another with wrinkled noses, "What's that smell?  Something has gone off!"  It would be a bummer to discover it is your expensive perfume smelling like death.

This vivid imagery of dead flies in the ointment is an illustration of how a little folly in a respected person can corrupt their behaviour and reputation.  Walking in God's wisdom provides the opportunity to send forth a sweet scent, but foolish words and actions cause offence that taint the whole person.  Liquified bug guts mixed into perfume are inseparable from the ointment and thus ruins it.  Picking out wings and legs of flies does nothing to santise the perfume or restore the original smell.  Only a little folly in one respected for wisdom and honour is enough to disqualify them from remaining in the good standing of others.

The main way to keep flies from contaminating ointment is to keep the lid tightly secured when not in use.  We might imagine folly comes to us from outside forces beyond our control, but the truth is our folly comes from within us as human beings born with a natural tendency to sin.  Our own hearts and minds are the source of folly that reveals itself in our words, deeds, pursuits and attitudes by opposition to God or living as if there is no God.  Even if we were to take great pains to sequester ourselves from every temptation to sin we are aware of, this does not purify our hearts of sinful habits or desires.  A short season of victory over one sin leads to pride in ourselves that often precedes a fall.

Jesus Christ is Wisdom for us by faith in Him, and He does for us what we nor religious pursuits can accomplish:  He takes away our stony heart and gives us a new heart of flesh.  By the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus places in us the capacity to walk wisely, and through us God diffuses the sweet savour of eternal life found only in Jesus Christ to the world.  People can spend a lot of money on expensive fragrances that only last a short while, but faith and obedience to Christ causes our lives to send forth the good fragrance that can mark our lives forever.  Perfume can be used to mask a stench, but the wisdom and honour of our Saviour is always clean, holy and acceptable to God.  Flies die and putrefy, but God's wisdom is the source of purification and eternal life.

Prayer Requests and Praying

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

Philippians 4:6-7

The God Who created us knows our needs and guides us to solutions found in Himself alone.  Through Paul, God commands His people to cease justifying anxiety and instead to direct our prayers to God with thanksgiving.  God knows the unspoken desires of our hearts, yet when we choose to set aside our worries and make our requests to God as an act by faith and obedience, He gives the promise of peace through Christ.  This holy union with God by faith in Him protects us against fear, anxiety and worry.  These overwhelming feelings are often not a physical malady but a spiritual issue for which God provides a certain cure and preventative in the LORD Jesus.

Requesting other Christians pray for us has biblical precedent and is a good practice--though the way we observe this done in the Bible may be different from our experience.  Here are a smattering of examples from the New Testament.  Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2:  "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, ² and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith."  We read in Hebrews 13:18:  "Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably."  Again Paul said in Colossians 4:2-4:  "Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; ³ meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, ⁴ that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak."

One thing I notice about these requests for prayer is they are very specific without sharing a lot of background information.  I am also confident these requests were already being made to God by those who requested people pray.  Another thing I observe is the Bible affirms these requests were according to the LORD's will with submission to His timing and wise ways.  We can find biblical support it is God's will we would boldly speak the truth in love, would be delivered from evil, to pray with thanksgiving and live in a God-honouring manner that pleases Him.  It is good that we pray and keep praying.  Let us not confuse making prayer requests of people as praying to God, for these are two very different things.

What I do not observe here--that I have observed many times in discussing "prayer requests" with fellow believers--is a detailed discussion about other people and situations leading up to this request for prayer.  Time that could be spent uniting in prayer led by the Holy Spirit is taken up in explaining our problem, venting our troubled feelings to other people, or telling others how to pray rather than making our requests known to God.  I find it interesting all the prayer requests I found in the Bible are very brief, no longer than one sentence.  Of course there is nothing wrong with multi-sentence requests, but at some stage it becomes more a story or personal sharing than a request.  Following the pattern established in scripture, we do well to make our requests known to God with thanksgiving, seeking God's guidance, power and wisdom to live as His obedient, trusting children.

When we gather together as believers for fellowship, study of God's word and prayer, how strange would it be to talk about our struggles with one another with God looking on silently, listening, just waiting for us to pray to Him in faith so He can do a mighty work!  How ironic it would be for God to observe a prayer meeting with extended periods where people are deterred from prayer to God due to conversation and questions that amount to gossip.  Should the prayer meeting be the first place God hears us verbally admit our struggle in sharing with one another because we have neglected to make our requests known to God in private?  Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us heed the word of God and make our requests known to God with thanksgiving as recipients of the peace of God that passes understanding.  We can learn to be thankful even for trying situations, for they prompt us to draw closer to the LORD obediently in prayer.

God's Free Forgiveness

"Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" ²² Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."

Matthew 18:21-22

Peter thought his offer of forgiving a brother up to seven times was generous, but the response of Jesus revealed how feeble the goodwill, grace and patience of man is in comparison with God.  Jesus was not saying people are to limit their forgiveness to those who sin against them to 490 times.  His point was we are to forgive and keep forgiving beyond keeping track.  Our forgiveness is not to be limited to our friends or family and ought to be multiplied, extended to our enemies as well.  Since we have been forgiven by God more times than we can count, we are to remained inclined to forgive others as God has freely forgiven us.

Forgiveness of those who wrong us, believe it or not, is an often overlooked step of faith in God He commands we take as followers of Jesus.  Those who refuse to forgive a brother can justify nursing a grudge for many reasons.  They may point to the severity of the offence, the pain we suffered, the fact the sin was repeated multiple times, that the offender really wasn't sorry, or out of fear their sin will continue because they have not changed.  Unless we embrace forgiveness as an act of obedience by faith in God who has freely forgiven us, we cannot forgive as we ought.  We will continue to demand others pay an arbitrary price (one we determine) to convey to our satisfaction until they realise the pain they have caused, and even when they have done so it may not be enough to satisfy our contempt.  Without forgiveness and complete, free release from wrongdoing, there will aways be more to pay.

The refusal to forgive as God forgives us is a reason why some reconciliation attempts between people fall flat.  No amount of meeting present demands can undo the wrongs of the past, and both parties must agree to lay aside their justifications for holding a grudge.  Jesus went on to share a parable with Peter and His hearers that illustrated how someone who intensely recongises their personal need for forgiveness in light of their guilt can remain adamantly opposed to forgiving others in the most trivial matters.  The Christian who refuses to forgive is in perpetual bondage to wrongs suffered, a victim of their own bitterness, pride and disobedience.  Those who sin face eternity in hell, and those who refuse to forgive are presently trapped in a hell of their own making.  This need not be the case, for Jesus came to set such prisoners free.

God's inclination to forgive repentant sinners is seen in 1 John 1:9:  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  We are to forgive because we have been freely forgiven by God when we confessed and repented of our sins, the God Who also commands us to forgive others.  Jesus did not forgive us our sins motivated in this manner, nor was He simply following a command:  we have been forgiven by God's grace.  It is by confessing our sin and repenting we can receive forgiveness by faith.  Jesus voluntarily lay down His life on Calvary to satisfy the justice of God to provide atonement for all who have sinned against God in every possible way.  God said to His people in Isaiah 43:25:  "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins."  God does not stick our nose into our sins He has forgiven like some might a dog in his mess, for He chooses to remember our sin no more for His own sake.

Knowing we are guilty as sin and deserving of wrath, now having been forgiven of all guilt and transgression before our gracious LORD, we are guided and helped to freely forgive others--without self-righteously keeping tabs on how forgiving we are.  When it comes to forgiveness, we naturally resemble slavers who have people in their employ who are always working to pay off a debt that gains interest faster than it can be paid off.   The strings attached to our forgiveness tangle us and others with bitterness, rage and malice from which we can never be free.  The Bible teaches the free forgiveness of God did not originate in us, but it is a gift of God we receive and is to be freely shared with others.

Messages We Send

We cannot help how other people interpret the things we say, but we should think carefully about the message we can be unintentionally sending by what we do say.  During seasons of political campaigning and the recent Voice Referendum in Australia, these unintended messages can negatively influence people.  For instance, when supporters of the Voice urged voters to be "decent for once" or "show kindness" or "be on the right side of history" the message is a moral judgement that those who are leaning towards voting "no" are usually unsatisfactory, unkind and entrenched in being wrong.  On the flip side, if we say the reason for voting "no" is that people "need to get a job" it is an unfounded accusation of laziness or freeloading.  Without knowing it, things we say can be offensive and provide justification for us and our point of view to be rejected.  In trying to build a bridge to bring people together, we can erect a wall to divide.

Just this morning I was given an illustration of how close this hits to home.  It was brought to my attention that I demonstrate the characteristics of being a "food snob" by my offhand comments.  Somehow my way of sharing personal preferences of food and drink make (at least one person in my household!) feel like because their preferences are different, it is a condemnation of them personally.  Now I do not want this ever to be the case.  I believe it is wrong for me to make a moral judgment of someone who prefers drinking skim milk over full cream.  I don't want to accidently send the message that I am against people who have embraced a vegetarian diet or who eat meat with every meal.  As the LORD uses others to bring our own blind spots and messages we convey through our careless words, we ought to double our efforts to speak plain truth in a loving, edifying way--and give space for differences of opinion.

If by expressing our views concerning politics or food send messages that makes others feel negatively judged or condemned, it follows we can do the same concerning our views of Jesus Christ, the Bible and the church.  It is likely many times with religious fervour we have turned people off from the Gospel or Christians because of a judgmental or personally condemning message that (unknown to us) came through our words loud and clear.  Thus we do well to carefully examine our motivation behind the words we use and how we say them, considering the message we send and how it could be received by our hearers.  It is possible people may read into what we say, make incorrect assumptions or be influenced more by their own feelings and bias than our words, but let us not be guilty of attacking, belittling, embarrassing or hating others by the unintended messages we send.

Dead Lions and Living Dogs

The book of Ecclesiastes has great wisdom for people living life under the sun today.  One of the statements which struck me recently was, "A living dog is better than a dead lion."  The preacher (whom many identify as king Solomon) explained in Ecclesiastes 9:5-6:  "For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. ⁶ Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun."  Those who are living today have hope and knowledge those in the grave no longer share, and their memory will fade in time.

Lions have long been revered as an apex predator, and thus lions have been given the acclaimed moniker of the "King of Beasts."  The bark of a large dog can travel a couple of kilometres, but the roar of a lion can be heard some 8 kilometres away!  A lion is larger, more powerful and a more fearsome hunter than a stray dog, yet a living dog is better than a dead lion.  The dog and lion comparison was an illustration to demonstrate the value of people who live today.  There are many famous and powerful people who have gone to the grave, and while their monuments and memories remain there is nothing more they can do.  It is the living who possess the opportunity to live in light of their mortality and make the most of life today.

In the Bible and our lives there are many people we respect and admire, heroes of the faith through whom God did marvellous things.  We would like to have their mantle upon us; we would desire a double portion of their spirit and effectiveness in ministry!  There have been leaders and prophets like Moses whose shoes were impossible to fill, yet that is not what God called Joshua or any of us to do.  Joshua was not to pattern his life after Moses, but to lead the children of Israel by faith in God and obedience to Him.  Moses the servant of God who lead the Hebrews out of Egypt was dead, and Joshua was called by God to lead them into the land of promise.  Joshua could do what Moses could not do because he was alive and still had a share in life under the sun.

The same is true for believers in Jesus Christ today.  We might see ourselves as a timid toy poodle in comparison to lions of the faith in Scripture or people used mightily by God who have preceded us into eternity, but a living dog is better than a dead lion.  Because of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Jesus Christ, we have been born again and filled with the Holy Spirit Who empowers us to by Christ's witnesses and do God's will.  The world does not need another Paul or Barnabas but for us to yield to Christ and be the person He created us to be.  By God's grace, our lives can supply a personal testimony for Jesus Christ that has more influence on those around us than all the biographies, documentaries and quotes of the fathers of faith who have finished their race on this earth.  Let us make the most of this brief season of influence we have upon the earth for God's glory because of the living hope we have in Jesus Christ.

The Folly of Presumption

People can be funny sometimes, and not always "ha-ha" funny.  Of all the creatures God has designed, only man was made in His own image with the capacity for reason, understanding and with a conscience that guides our moral choices.  Despite our intelligence and our natural gifts that exceed single-celled organisms, plants and animals, at times we can be as dense as a wet post to the truth God has revealed and make foolish decisions when we know better.  God's people are no exception to this, and every Christian can testify of this ironic reality from personal experience.  The Bible also has no shortage of examples of mankind's foolish tendency to go our own way rather than trusting and obeying God.

God promised to give the children of Israel land flowing with milk and honey in Canaan, land God gave to Abraham before them.  Miraculously God brought them out of slavery in Egypt with many signs and wonders, fed them with manna from heaven and satisfied with water from a rock, yet they continued to look back with fondness upon centuries of oppression and slavery after God set them free.  After He led them to the border of the promised land and 10 of the 12 spies from each tribe brought back a evil report of the land, the people mourned and wept over their supposed predicament.  They shuddered in fear at the thought of strongholds and giants who dwelt in the land, and had they looked a bit higher they would have seen the almighty God who remains faithful and powerful to keep His promises.

Influenced by the bad report rather than the word of God and His faithful servants, the people sought to choose a new leader to take them back to Egypt rather than enter Canaan.  This decision proved disastrous.  God said the generation who would not believe Him would perish over 40 years in the wilderness, one year for every day the 12 spies had spent in the land.  From the generation 20 years old and above, only Caleb and Joshua would set foot in the promised land.  Suddenly the Hebrews changed their tune.  In light of their death sentence in the wilderness, they impulsively decided they were going to enter the land of Canaan anyway--despite the protests of Moses who warned God would not be with them in their foolish venture.

Numbers 14:44-45 tells us what happened:  "But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop; nevertheless, neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses departed from the camp. ⁴⁵ Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as Hormah."  The people presumed to go up to the mountain without the leading of God's presence or by Moses (which was the way God had led them since the exodus from Egypt), and what resulted was a terrible but predictable outcome.  Rejecting God's way and presumptuously going their own way led to disaster and death.  This incident provides an example we in the church today do well to consider and heed so we do not act presumptuously as the Hebrews did.  We ought to pray God would lead us individually and corporately and wait for His guidance before we do what we think needs doing our way.  The promises of God are true, but let us not imagine we can begin to do His work without His guidance, wisdom and help.

Unbelief prevented the children of Israel from entering into the land of promise, and unbelief was also the cause of their presumptuous foray into Canaan that rendered them helpless prey.  God is for us as born again followers of Jesus, yet let us be sure we are on His side in humility, patience and obedience.  Unbelief and presumption did not die out with those who fell in Canaan all the way to Hormah, and the just shall live by faith in God.

Holy Spirit Without Measure

God directed Moses after the exodus from Egypt to gather 70 elders, and He promised to take a portion of the Spirit that was upon Moses to equip them to do the work He called them to.  Numbers 11:24-25 relates, "So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD, and he gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tabernacle. ²⁵ Then the LORD came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again."  Even a portion of the Holy Spirit spread between 70 elders enabled them to exercise  the miraculous, spiritual gift of prophecy.  In the case of these elders, this was a one-off occurrence which demonstrated their calling and gifting to perform their God-given roles as rulers in Israel.

Elijah was another prophet upon whom God placed the Holy Spirit and enabled him to be God's faithful servant and mouthpiece.  By the power of the Spirit this regular man prayed to God, was heard and given ability to raise a dead child to life, to cause a drought for years and later bring the rain, and at his word God consumed an offering by fire from heaven.  Before he was taken up into heaven Elijah rolled up his mantle, struck the waters of the Jordan, and the waters parted so he and his protégé Elisha could pass over on dry ground.  2 Kings 2:9-10 says, "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."  God gave Elisha the desire of his heart, and the prophets affirmed the Spirit of Elijah rested upon Elisha after the departure of the prophet into heaven, for Elisha parted the Jordan as Elijah previously.

The revelation of Jesus Christ ushered in a new condition John the Baptist observed in John 3:33-35:  "He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. ³⁴ For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand."  Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit beyond measure, and to all who believe on Him Jesus will give Living Water of the Holy Spirit that springs up in us to eternal life.  Born-again Christians do not receive a portion of the Spirit Who was upon Jesus or a double-portion:  we receive the Holy Spirit Who gives power from on high without measure.  Rather than puffing us up with pride, we ought to be humbled the almighty God would fill us with His glory to accomplish His will, be spiritually fruitful, exercise spiritual gifts and be His witnesses wherever He sends us.

Because the Holy Spirit's presence and power is immeasurable, it is certain we have yet to discover the full reaches of His love and power towards us and through us Who believe.  Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  Walking in the Spirit by obedience to God's word and Christ's example, we are equipped to use spiritual gifts God gives according to His will to benefit the body of Christ and glorify God.  Even as the 70 elders needed the Holy Spirit to fulfil their function in the congregation of Israel, so believers must be guided by God's love in the operation of all spiritual gifts.  Whether we are able to operate in a spiritual gift "on demand" for the purpose of other people recognising our office or gifting is far less important than drawing near to the LORD Jesus today humbly in faith Who gives the Holy Spirit without measure.  Praise God He chooses to place His infinite glory in those redeemed by His grace so all may glorify Him.

The Promise of Life

During my time in Australia, I have been amazed by the incredible amount of native trees growing on rocky hillsides, cliffs and in fields.  The Blue Mountains are covered by a sea of gum trees that extend beyond the visible horizon.  I recently went to Camp Kedron as speaker and looked out upon the innumerable trees with leaves in the morning sunlight that flickered in the breeze like golden flame.  It was a glorious moment to behold the greatness of God in His creation, for even as the sun rose high above trees and mountains God rules and reigns over all that is and will ever be.

Trees and all living things in creation provide evidence there is a Creator, a first Cause starting the cycle of trees that produce seeds from which new trees grow.  Bushfires are a common way the the bush is cleared and rejuvenated over time, and God has designed plants, animals and people to reproduce after their own kind.  In Isaiah 55, God used the example of rain that falls to the earth for the purpose to water plants and cause them to grow, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so His word will not return to Him without accomplishing His intended purposes.  Hard ground does not prevent the rain from falling, and by God's grace hearts of stone can be splintered by His word He also likens to a hammer.

The LORD God continued to speak through the prophet in Isaiah 55:12-13:  "For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. ¹³ Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."  Even if people do not regard or heed God's word, those who fear the LORD can be joyful and glad in our God whose word never fails.  As I looked out upon shimmering leaves beyond count, I was blessed to consider the Light of the World Jesus Christ Who provides light in the darkness and raises the dead in sins to eternal life by the Gospel.  What joy is ours because of Jesus our LORD!

The ground brought forth thorns as a result of sin, yet by God's grace His people were given a prosperous, eternal future they could rejoice in.  The cypress and myrtle (gum trees too!) are all evergreen, unlike thorns and briers that flourish for a short season and then die and grow brittle.  God promised His people would go out with joy, be led by peace, and creation would rejoice before those He has transformed and made spiritually fruitful.  What was once a wilderness would be made paradise by God's saving grace, and may our lives also provide a fitting testimony of our great God Who has given us eternal life.  A tree cannot move itself, yet may the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives prompt us to voluntarily and freely praise and worship the God Who speaks.

A Good Testimony

I was encouraged this morning by 3 John, a letter written by the apostle John to Gaius.  In the body of the letter John addressed Diotrephes, a man who loved to have the pre-eminence in the church--perhaps the same church body Gaius was part of.  Diotrephes was described as one who was inhospitable and unwelcome to fellow believers, including the apostles.  He was given to slander and gossip about brothers in Christ and excommunicated those who were friendly towards them.  Diotrephes was a man in a leadership role in a church whose heart and actions revealed fundamental ignorance of God.

John assured Gaius he would personally address the situation upon his arrival.  In light of Diotrephes, John's exhortation is a comfort to all people who discover problems with church people in 3 John 1:11:  "Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God."  Gaius was reminded he was beloved of the LORD and of John.  He and the brethren were not without help or consolation in the conflict concerning Diotrephes.  John nor Gaius needed to be moved by fear of man or worry over what to do.  There was no need for retaliation or immediate intervention.  Gaius was told not to imitate evil, but to keep doing what is good.  Doing good was something, by the grace of God, Gaius and we can do.

John did not saddle Gaius with the responsibility of attempting to enforce church discipline upon Diotrephes, to gather together men intent on dethroning him, or to flee from fellowship.  Gaius was to avoid following Diotrephes' sinful ways and follow Jesus Christ in obedience, humility and submission.  Even if Gaius was the next person to be thrown out of the church, he was not to resort to the ways of Diotrephes in an attempt to set things right.  It is not uncommon for conflict or difficulties to arise between people in the church.  A bigger potential problem than the original offence is when troubled believers do not respond with grace and humility in dealing with their own sin, justifying ungodly means to expose flawed leaders with fleshly tactics like Diotrephes did.

Whether a person is in a leadership role in the church or not, the command of John is one we all ought to take to heart.  We are not to imitate evil examples but to do what is good.  Those who are of God will walk in the steps of our LORD Jesus Christ in humility, meekness, and obedience to the Father.  The church Diotrephes was a part of were blessed and benefitted greatly from having brothers like Gaius and Demetrius around as John said in 3 John 1:12, men unspoiled by the wicked influence of Diotrephes:  "Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true."  In refusing to imitate evil and doing what is good, may our lives be a good testimony to all that we know God and walk in truth.

Choose Your Judgment

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. ² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

Romans 8:1-2

There is safety in keeping the laws of the land, for such are protected as upright and responsible citizens.  The Bible says when born-again Christians confess their sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us all our sins (1 John 1:9).  It is on the basis of Christ satisfying the righteous requirements of the Law of Moses and His atoning sacrifice we are forgiven, receive a full pardon and are rendered righteous by faith in Jesus.  The law of the Spirit of life in Christ has freed us from the law of sin of death, and this is reason for rejoicing by living righteously.

Because of the Gospel freely offered to everyone, all people have the responsibility and opportunity to choose what side of God's judgment they will be on:  condemnation that leads to eternal death or pardon that leads to eternal life.  In a court of law the accuser and accused present their case before the judge.  As it stands all people are naturally guilty as sin before God and have no hope of exoneration.  Those who deny their guilt will be exposed as evildoers, and those who humble themselves with contrite hearts, admitting their wickedness and appealing to Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world, will be redeemed and saved.

I have observed a variety of reactions of people in relation to court judgments.  I have seen the prosecution celebrate the guilty verdict, and some who have been condemned have been incredulous and continued to assert their innocence and desire to appeal.  On the other hand, I have seen the decision of "Not Guilty" celebrated by the accused and their supporters, exonerated from all accusations.  In that situation the accused are the ones who feel the verdict was a miscarriage of justice and lament the court's decision.  What is amazing is God's judgment of believers is not that we are "Not Guilty" (because we are indeed guilty of all manner of sin) but righteous based upon the payment Jesus made for our sin with His own blood.

Having been made free from the condemnation of God's Law and sin's curse that brings death, we are spared the eternal judgment and wrath of God.  Instead we have the promise of the abundant life that now is found in Jesus and eternal life that is to come.  God has given everyone the choice of which side of God's justice we will experience:  His eternal pardon or condemnation.  There are no appeals possible for the one who dies in their sins.  The wise willingly humble themselves and say, "God be merciful to me, a sinner!"  The one who trusts in Christ who is righteousness for us is the one who will go home to heaven justified.

Transformation by Grace

As I prepared for this week's sermon, an illustration came to mind of how God seeks and saves the lost.  People could be compared to an abandoned, neglected car that is rusting away in a pile of debris.  Most people would look at a wreck and see it as junk and a worthless liability:  a heap of perished rubber, broken glass, and rat-infested interior.  But to the savvy car enthusiast, it is a dream to find a rare and valuable car which can be purchased to restore to peak condition.  Imagine if the one who designed a one-of-a-kind car found his own priceless design rusting away in a garage and was willing to give everything for it.  That's similar to what Jesus has done for us sinners.

When God looks at lost sinners created in the image of God, He knows what He created us to be.  In our natural condition we are dead in sins, like a car that cannot be started or driven because it lacks a battery, tyres or steering wheel.  Jesus came to seek and save the lost and died on Calvary to provide atonement for our sins.  In receiving Christ by faith, we are born again and God begins a process to restore us and make us more like Jesus.  This is a work God delights to do--not as a hobby for hours on evenings or weekends, but by fellowship continually with Him every day.

God is not interested to purchase us with His own blood for resale value or as a trophy for a showroom, but so when He steps on the accelerator we will roar to life; when He touches the brakes we will respond automatically to the leading of the Holy Spirit and conviction from His word.  He wants us to yield to His guiding hand as He directs every moment.  Our redeemed, restored lives are not stored in a garage or only utilised for road trips, but we have been adopted as children of God and fit for our Father's use and good purposes today.  He designed us, created our personality, gave us precise specifications according to His wisdom, and knows exactly what we need to fulfill our purpose to glorify Him.

How blessed we are to be called and purchased with the precious blood of Jesus!  Our lives are a testimony of God's redemption and love, for while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  God's plans for us are better than we could have ever dreamed for ourselves.  Even in our suffering God's grace is evident towards us as it is written in 1 Peter 5:10-11:  "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. ¹¹ To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."  God does more than maintain us but transforms us from glory to glory.  When God allows suffering we are better for it, and what a glorious journey we are on by His grace.

The Open Bible

Back when I was a student, as best I could I read the assigned material and learned to take notes during lectures.  This helped me to be prepared for pop-quizzes that I always found challenging.  I always appreciated when we were allowed to have "open book" quizzes or exams.  It relieved a lot of pressure knowing all the answers were already at hand:  all I had to do was read the question or problem, sift through the information in my notes, and answer the question properly.

This week at Camp Kedron Micah 6:8 was our theme verse that says, "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"  God has demonstrated and instructed all people what is good through His wisdom and the Word that became flesh, Jesus Christ.  The scripture is full of God doing justly, loving to show mercy and humility to give His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for sinners.  Everything man makes has a function and purpose, and thus it follows we have requirements based upon an accepted standard.  God holds man accountable to meet His requirements, and by faith in Jesus our LORD enables us to do His will by doing justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with Him.

Do you know our lives on earth could be compared with an open book exam?  God has given us the Bible, not just to convey information for us to memorise, but to transform us and guide us to live in the way that pleases Him.  No matter in what season of life we find ourselves, we are provided comfort, directives and correction by God we are wise to put into regular personal practice.  I doubt I would fare well on the course material I was quizzed on years ago because it was not something I used in daily life.  There are mathematic problems and historical questions I could not recall even months later because I never really learned them:  I simply regurgitated information to pass the quiz when the details were fresh in my mind.  Having open book tests all the time doesn't help us retain information because we don't have to learn or put the details to practical use--like all those phone numbers stored in our phones we cannot remember.

God's word provides guidance when we face a problem, yet it is also our daily bread.  It is something that will profit us very little if we reduce its use as a textbook to navigate doctrinal conflict or find fault with others when it is designed to feed and strengthen our souls every day.  By reading the scriptures and meditating on them every day we are guided in real time to consider God, obey Him and seek to honour Him with our attitudes, choices and outlook.  How good God is to speak the truth about Himself and ourselves that is relevant in the past, present and future!  May people called by God's name be those who open the Bible regularly, hungry and humble to receive all God speaks to us so we might walk by faith in obedience to Him.

Temptation Without Sin

"And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season."

Luke 4:13 (KJV)

Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to go into the wilderness where He was tempted by the devil.  After shattering all temptations with the word of God, Satan departed from Him for a season.  The NKJV renders this passage "...until an opportune time."  It is useful for us to know Jesus did not draw upon divine reserves or abilities born again Christians lack, for He wisely wielded the word of God to counter every temptation.  This ought to bring our hearts great comfort, that God supplies wisdom and strength to recognise and defeat all temptation to sin.

We observe the season of temptation had an end, yet opportunities for temptation would come again.  Jesus had been fasting from food for 40 days and was at a physically weak point when the devil suggested He turn stones into bread.  This shows us Satan will tempt us to sin in the area where we are currently weak.  He looks for opportunities to lead us to satisfy fleshly appetites rather than continuing to trust in God and obey His word.  Jesus understood obedience to the word of God was of greater importance than filling His stomach with food even when He was starving, for His life was in God and for God.

God had to physically become a human to experience and resist temptation, and it is not a sin to be tempted because Jesus remained without sin.  Hebrews 4:15 says, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."  Jesus experienced the same temptations we do, yet He was able to remain pure, holy and righteous.  It was required under the Law of Moses for people who had sinned to bring their sacrifice before the high priest and confess their sins, and when we believe on Jesus as Saviour He understands perfectly the lure of temptation as well has how we have chosen sin over obedience to God.

Because we have a great High Priest who understands our struggles in seasons of sins, the context of Hebrews 4:16 shines bright with loving acceptance for the humble sinner:  "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  The human body needs food, and we sinners need forgiveness and strength to resist the temptation to sin.  We are powerless in ourselves to keep resisting a single temptation, but thanks be to God who has overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit and the word of God given to us.  Jesus Christ has given Himself to us by shedding His own blood on Calvary, and now we can obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  Let our confidence not be in our ability or wits to avoid temptation but in Jesus Christ Who has overcome all temptation and sin that easily besets us.

Longsuffering Salvation

Faith in Jesus Christ ought to impact the outlook of Christians.  Though we trust in Jesus for eternal salvation, it does not follow we are trusting Him for the timing of the events of today.  We know God has created this earth and established the precise motion of the heavenly bodies and earth, yet unexpected traffic when running a couple minutes late can send us into a panic or frustration.  The seconds ticking away distract us from the God who dwells outside time and is never overwhelmed.

Since my early Christian days, I have heard many believers in moments of struggle or who look at "how bad" things in the world are, wonder along with the psalmist:  "LORD, how long?"  Those who look forward to a new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells can be troubled by what they see on earth that provides no glimmer of hope.  Allow the words of Peter to give us some clarity if we echo this fervent cry for deliverance in 2 Peter 3:14-15:  "Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; ¹⁵ and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation--as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you..."

While our LORD tarries, it is good to reminded the "longsuffering of our LORD is salvation."  Aren't you glad God is so patient and longsuffering that despite the wickedness in the world, He waited long enough for you and others to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ as Saviour?  For a long time we were apart from God, under condemnation and damnation, but in receiving the Gospel we are assured of eternal life and fellowship with God forever.  Every day that passes means many more people will hear and respond by faith to the good news of the Gospel.  Because no one can snatch us out of the hand of God who keeps us, we are safely kept and redeemed by God's grace for His glory.

There may be people who walk away from God for a season or permanently, but God ought not to blamed for apostate souls who have willfully divorced themselves from His saving grace freely offered to all.  I am and will be eternally grateful for the longsuffering nature of God, not only because I have benefitted greatly from it, but for all who will receive and know His goodness.  Let us be patient even if our suffering is long, for God has given us an example so we might follow in His steps.  As we look to Jesus we ought to be diligent to be found in peace, without spot and blameless.  Love suffers long and is kind, and may we retain the sweetness of God's grace when we could naturally be made bitter.