Concerning Convictions

"It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak."

Romans 14:21

After Paul gave a detailed theological explanation of the Gospel, he showed how the Gospel guides us in the use of our liberty in Christ.  One point of contention in the early church concerning the foods people ate, for Jews followed the Law of Moses whilst Gentiles ate many foods the Jews viewed as unclean.  Some born-again Gentiles also had strong convictions over whether it was fitting to eat meat that was offered to idols:  one person's conscience was clear because their food was sanctified by the word of God and prayer, while another felt conviction it was a not-so-subtle return to their old life of idolatry.  Paul urged believers to be aware of the convictions of others, and out of love to avoid doing what made other brethren stumble, offended or weak.

Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 4:4-5 of the freedom believers are granted by God to eat any kind of meat: "For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; ⁵ for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."  Not everyone had this knowledge, and those that had this understanding could feel convicted over eating certain foods or drink and choose to avoid them.  Since it is possible for good food to be a potential stumbling block to others, it is possible good things besides food can be offensive or a source of grief to the brethren.  I believe this can be true concerning the use of spiritual gifts--especially the gift of tongues and interpretation.  There are some who are offended by the proper, biblical expression of tongues even with interpretation as outlined in 1 Corinthians 14, and others hold to a strict view that tongue should never be audibly uttered in a group setting without an interpretation.  It is important we realise other people have convictions and things that stumble them that we never considered before.

The LORD brought this to my attention recently.  For those who have received the gift of tongues and/or interpretation, such can be increasingly comfortable with speaking in tongues in group prayer--even as people agree in their own native tongue during corporate prayer to affirm the prayers of others.  Let us be very careful in this area.  In our Christian fellowships there will be those who have come out of circles where numerous people spoke in tongues at once without interpretation, and based on their strong convictions from God's word have gone to a different church where this was not commonly practiced.  Rather than the whole church speaking in tongues at once, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:27-28:  "If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. ²⁸ But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God."  Based on the context, I do not read this as a prohibition of speaking in tongues quietly during corporate prayer, but I have encountered some who do see it this way.  In light of these dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the loving response is to restrict our speaking in tongues in a public setting if there is no opportunity for interpretation.

It is good for us to consider our convictions and if they have been formed by God's word, based on our experiences, or by simply what we are used to.  Someone coming from an openly charismatic church may find the silence of others during prayer odd, and people from a more liturgical or unchurched background may find murmurs of approval and the faint sound of tongues during corporate prayer strange--even offensive--because it is unfamiliar or viewed as unbiblical.  Our call, whether we speak or remain silent, is to love one another and glorify our Father in heaven by being led by the Holy Spirit.  People who are spiritually gifted to teach can be offensive by an arrogant and careless attitude, and may we use all spiritual gifts God gives us to edify one another and glorify our Saviour rather than to express our giftedness.  Even a good gift from God can be expressed in an offensive way that can stumble others, and so let us examine our own lives that we walk in love and grace towards all.

Remembering the Fallen and Risen

At the Anzac Day dawn service this morning in Riverstone, thousands gathered to remember those who answered the call to go to war, knowing well it could cost them their lives.  Today marks the 109th year since thousands of Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed on Gallipoli during World War 1, and we gathered to commemorate those who have served or are currently serving as members of our defence force.  We remember, lest we forget.  The sound of bagpipes, drums and bugle, the laying of wreaths, singing of hymns and anthems, the murmur of uttering prayers, the recitation of the Ode, and a military flyover made up a solemn service to honour the living as well as the dead.

At a Anzac Day dawn service it is customary to see people dressed casually like they just climbed out of bed (which very well may be true), wearing suits or donning their military uniform.  It is not uncommon to see some wearing a sprig of rosemary, a traditional sign of remembrance in Australia.  There are also people who attend the service in plain clothes who wearing medals they or family members before them earned during military service.  I recently read the medals earned yourself are to be worn on the left side of the chest, and if the medals are being worn to honour an ancestor they must be worn on the right side.  It is against the law to wear a medal you have not earned as if it is your own.

Those who serve and have made great sacrifices for others are an inspiration to all, and as we prayed to God in heaven I remembered how Jesus Christ willingly gave His life for lost sinners like me.  Both of my grandfathers served in the U.S. Navy, but it was by observing them in action at home I found their no-nonsense, embrace of hard work inspirational.  This is true about Jesus Christ as well, for He rose long before dawn in prayer and ministered to all who came to Him day by day.  While it is fitting we observe Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand on an annual basis, it is right to remember Jesus Christ with gratitude every day because we Christians live through Him.  Jesus answered the call to go to the cross, to offer His life daily with love, to die and rise again, to become sin for us Who knew no sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).

As the wreaths were placed I recognised the tune of Amazing Grace on bagpipes looped again and again:  "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!  I once was lost but now am found; was blind but now I see."  As a citizen of Australia I rejoice in God who has granted our fair nation favour, and I join with our Kiwi friends with an amen to their anthem that honours God:  "Let our love for Thee increase, may Thy blessings never cease, give us plenty, give us peace, God defend our free land."  The God who saves us is the risen God who defends us, and may our love for Him who is blessed increase.

Finishing the Race Well

During our recent church camp, one of our speakers concluded his talk with an illustration about running a cross country race.  He was amazed to see the lead runner, who finished before any other runner emerged onto the track, vomiting from pushing himself to the limit.  He wondered why anyone would put themselves yourself through that pain when no one was even threatening for the lead.  Then it struck him:  unlike others whose race strategy is based on beating the other racers, that man was focused on running his best race.  It was a race against the clock and against himself.

I have seen clips of runners who, rather than exerting themselves to their physical maximum, believed they were coasting to victory.  They were confident in victory as they jogged towards the finish line, smiling with arms raised over their heads in glorious triumph.  While they were drinking in the cheers of the spectators, victory slipped from their grasp when another runner sprinted past them to win.  Though I have never won a cross country race in my life, I expect it is a satisfying experience.  There are undoubtedly many reasons people run and race one another.  Some do it for exercise, others enjoy being part of a team or competing, and others are naturally good at it.

The Bible tells believers were are all running a spiritual race in Hebrews 12:1-2:  "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  Rather than taking our cues from others, we ought to be like the one who ran his best race.  It would be a shame for us to slack off a good pace because we are outdistancing all others we can see.  With Jesus as our guide, our race is not a competition against other Christians.  Running well and finishing strong is not for our glory but for Christ's sake.  We run, not to win, but because Jesus has already won.

Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:7-8:  "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing."  Paul finished his race and kept the faith, and praise God He strengthens us to endure.  We can keep the faith despite opposition and the weakness of our flesh because it is God who keeps us through faith unto salvation (1 Peter 1:3-5).  Rather than celebrating our progress is better than others or we have tackled the hill section of the course, it is not the time to pat ourselves on the back or accept the praise of men.  May the race of our lives be run for the glory of God as we look to Jesus continually.

An Encouraging Warning

Even though the Bible records warnings and tragic events from history, because of God the tenor of Scripture is encouraging rather than discouraging.  There is more than a silver lining for Christians but the guarantee of a glorious future with God with comfort, help and strength presently through His presence.  Faith in the living God opens a new world of abundant life to every person who submits and humbles themselves before Him.  While our eyes scan for promising signs to put our faith in, Jesus is the one we must look to because God's goodness and promises are always assured.

God is able to bring hope out of hopelessness, and the life of Samson provides a good illustration of this.  After the Holy Spirit departed from Samson for his sin and unfaithfulness to God that led to his head being shaved by Delilah, God remained gracious to him.  Samson was not forgotten or cast away by God.  Though Samson was arrested, blinded, bound and enslaved by the Philistines, at his lowest, darkest point the goodness of God shone in Judges 16:22:  "However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven."  Perhaps Samson felt like his life was over after being betrayed by the woman he loved and was shamed by his fall from being a judge for 20 years in Israel, but God wasn't through with Samson.  The regrowth of Samson's hair foreshadowed a restoration of God's Spirit upon Samson.  By the power of God, Samson would deal a massive blow to the Philistines by toppling the supporting pillars of temple of their god and kill more Philistines in death than during his entire life.

This story of Samson came to mind as I was mowing the nature strip by our house.  When the concrete footpath was being put in, damage was done to the bark of the gum tree by a careless Bobcat operator.  The gash in the bark was quite extensive, and initially I was concerned the tree would not survive.  Amazingly, it has continued to thrive and fresh, green growth continues to adorn the branches.  As I looked recently at the green leaves, I felt this was a good sign--that is, until I looked at the bark at the base of the tree.

On the other side of the tree I noticed that underneath where the bark has begun to repair itself an ugly hole developed--likely a harbinger of death.  It looks like white ants (termites) or some other pest has taken up residence under the bark, and the remaining bark at the base of the tree is splitting and rotting away.  To me, the cause for concern with the damaged bark completely overrides the positives of the green leaves that bask proudly in the sun.  Here we see the antithesis of Samson's hair regrowing, for there is superficial beauty and the appearance of strength that will not endure if things continue as they are.

This is illustrated in the life of Absalom, son of king David.  He was a very handsome man without physical blemish who wore his full head of hair long, and it was so heavy on him he would cut and weigh it annually.  Not only was Absalom an attractive fellow, but he was also personable and friendly.  As a prince he made time to speak with regular people, listen to their problems, and commiserate with them.  But like the tree on the nature strip, there were also clear signs for concern.  He had orchestrated the death of his own brother; he set fire to general Joab's field.  He worked to steal the hearts of the people away from the king and sought their loyalty to himself.  Looking at the warning signs, it was not surprising when he declared himself to be king over Israel and sought the life of his father.

There are people inside and outside the church who appear very successful in ministry and business, in their marriage and families.  Their lives are like a thriving tree with green growth and without a dead branch to be seen.  They are like Samson and Absalom in their prime, and we may even idolise them.  But from a spiritual perspective, there is grave cause for concern in their pride that shows subtly in the way they snap at their children or spouse when they are tired, how they brag or refuse to listen.  The neglect of prayer and time with the LORD feeding on His word is not visible during their highly regarded sermons, nor is it noticed in their rising net worth.  But the sin of self-sufficiency, like rotten bark at the base of the tree or cancer undiagnosed in the bones, will always be destructive in the end.  Like the green growth on the tree initially took my eye off further examination of the trunk, so we imagine spiritually fruitfulness or increase is assured by what we can see when it is also being undermined right in the open--if we are willing to take a closer look.

Psalm 1:1-3 compares the life of one who fears God to a healthy tree:  "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; ² but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. ³ He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."  Let us not imagine we can thrive spiritually when we walk in ungodly counsel, stand with sinners or sit with scorners.  We ought to delight in God and His statues that guide us continually, living lives worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Little insects can bring down the biggest trees, and a little pride, arrogance and self-righteousness works to ruin the strongest saint.  Let us be those who humble ourselves before God knowing He will exalt us in due time, and thus we live to exalt and glorify Him always.  Even in God's warnings there is great encouragement for all those who hope in the LORD.

The God of Hope

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13

The God of Israel is the God of patience, comfort and hope.  All who are born again by faith in Jesus are ushered into all joy and peace in believing, to the end we would abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  This hope is an expectation, strong confidence God will make good on His promises to us.  As partakers of the Holy Spirit by faith in Jesus, the Spirit produces good spiritual fruit in and through our lives.

When we speak of joy, peace and hope, often our experience of them is filtered by how we are feeling rather than by what Jesus has accomplished and promised.  While it is true joy, peace and confidence are connected with our feelings, it would be a mistake to make our feelings the measure of what Jesus has created us to be.  Happiness depends on what happens, yet Jesus promises fullness of joy to all His disciples regardless of our circumstances.  When I hear people say they "have a peace" about something, it seems to be more in reference to a feeling than their righteous standing with God that is not based upon works we have done or could ever do.  "Hope" from a worldly standpoint can mean more a wish or longing than a reality based upon Christ's resurrection and confidence His life is being lived out through us.

God's word works to change the way we think, and the positive knock-on effect is it begins to change the way we live, speak and feel.  This walk with Jesus is not embraced by denying or stuffing our bad feelings but to respond to those same feelings by holding fast to the truth revealed in the Scripture.  When we feel hopeless, we can be strengthened in God by the patience and comfort of the Bible.  Even as our stores of physical energy are consumed by activity, so our fill of all joy, peace and hope is impacted by the things we focus on.  Should we find ourselves lacking the fruit of the Holy Spirit, it is likely to some degree we have given place to unbelief that refuses to appropriate the joy provided for us in Jesus.  Like Peter who began to sink in the Sea of Galilee when he fearfully eyed the waves that looked to swallow him, we too can be distracted seeking help from our risen Saviour.  To his credit Peter cried out to Jesus for salvation and in doing so provided an example for us to follow.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, dear reader, not so you can avoid negative feelings or feel happy for a change, but for a far better reason:  that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  We can have total confidence and assurance of salvation by faith in Jesus, and this means God will be faithful to deliver us from all troubles and tribulations in this life.  It is silly we can entrust God to save us for all eternity, yet at the same time we can justify feeling hopeless about problems we currently face.  We have peace with God, the peace of God and peace from God in unity with Him and other Christians:  isn't that comforting to know?  Aren't you glad we have a Saviour who provides abundant life with a living hope that does not fade away?  Our beauty and strength fades, but the love and light of Jesus Christ shines ever brighter in the darkness.

The Whole Bible is Good

We live in a day of having the great privilege of being able to hold God's word in our hands and read the full revelation of God in the 66 books of the Bible.  We can read God's promises and see how they were fulfilled in due time.  This is one reason we ought to continuously make a pilgrimage of reading through the Bible, and once we have read it there remains much for us to glean and grow from by reading it again.  The Bible isn't just a book we read and "know" like a movie, book or comedy sketch, but one through which we learn of God's character, our need for Him, and His worthiness of being trusted.

As we read through the Bible and become increasingly familiar with historical events and people therein, there remain gaps in our understanding that provoke questions other parts of the Bible explain.  For instance, God promised to drive out all the inhabitants of Canaan before the Hebrews.  But as we read through the books of Joshua and Judges, we see God's people did not drive out the inhabitants of the land, nor could they.  After the Hebrews were established in the land, they provoked the LORD to anger by their idolatry.  Judges 2:20-22 says, "Then the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and He said, "Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not heeded My voice, ²¹ I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, ²² so that through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the ways of the LORD, to walk in them as their fathers kept them, or not."  On the surface this seems like God went back on His word, but if we go back to an earlier book of the Bible we see God has doing exactly as He said.

God said in Deuteronomy 11:22-23:  "For if you carefully keep all these commandments which I command you to do--to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to hold fast to Him--²³ then the LORD will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess greater and mightier nations than yourselves."  God's promise to drive out all the nations before His people was a conditional upon their obedience, on their faithfulness to keep God's commandments.  They forsook the LORD and His commands, and thus God fulfilled His word to not drive out all the inhabitants of the land.  God is not obligated to reward His people for their disobedience and unwillingness to remain faithful to Him.  God did not give His people the silent treatment, disown or cast them off, but He explained the reasons why the Hebrews were unable to drive out nations they assumed God would help them drive out.

Joshua told the children of Israel in Joshua 23:13, due to their lack of love and obedience to the LORD ,"...know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. But they shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the LORD your God has given you."  While God's people were unfaithful to Him, He remained faithful to them and the covenant He made with their fathers:  they remained His people, and He remained their God.  Their unwillingness and inability to drive out the Canaanites was redeemed by God because He made them like scourges on their sides and thorns in their eyes.  Being scourged or being blinded by a thorn in the eye leads to a person seeking medical attention, and the LORD allowed Canaanites to remain with the purpose of chastening His people to repentance, to prompt them to turn to Him as deliverer and saviour.  Those who remained in the land were thus evidence of God's love, grace and faithfulness to them in an unexpected way.

While the Bible may not answer every question we have (as our questions often miss the mark), God has provided us the entire Bible to help us better understand God's purposes.  It reveals not only historical events but our need to change the way we think and live to better align with God's wisdom and ways.  We can better recognise conditional promises God has given us, and reading leads us to examine our hearts to see if we have been faithful and obedient to all God requires of us, to love Him with our whole being.  We should not be surprised when we are unwilling to do what God has commanded we end up being unable to do what only He can do for us.  Even our failures and pains can be evidence of God's grace and faithfulness to us, for our struggles and troubles prompt us to seek the LORD with increased urgency.

United with Christ

Jesus said in His message to the church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:19-20, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. ²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."  After Jesus exposed the lukewarm condition of the Laodicean church and how they were full of themselves, He bid them to repent and open up to Him instead.  He stood knocking at the door of their fellowship, at the hearts of each individual member, and Jesus calls out to everyone:  if anyone hears and opens the door, Jesus promises to come in to him so they could enjoy fellowship together.  This is wonderful, for it shows us even in a lukewarm church there never need be distance between us and Jesus Christ.

Having received Christ and His love, we are to walk worthy of the Gospel by repenting of sin He brings to our attention.  Jesus says His sheep hear His voice, and since we have received Jesus as Saviour we ought to receive His correction as LORD and open the door to Him.  Cain provides an example of one who did not respond to God's correction, for he was enraged when Abel and his sacrifice were accepted by God and Cain was rejected.  Genesis 4:6-7 reads, "So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? ⁷ If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."  God stands at the door of our hearts in the person of Jesus, and God explained how sin also lay at the door.  Envy, anger and pride were sins conceived in Cain's heart that when full grown manifested themselves as murder--an illustration of how sin literally brings forth death and accursed separation from God.

Those who hear the word of God, respond in repentance to God's rebukes and chastening, and choose to walk in obedience to God supply evidence they are His.  Even as young children want to be with their parents they know love them, Christians desire to be in God's presence and commune with Him in prayer, to hear His voice and obey Him, and to do what is pleasing in His sight.  It would be to our shame to be influenced by sin lying at the door when we are at the table in fellowship with Jesus.  Can you imagine choosing to open the door to sin to pollute and corrupt us when Jesus has demonstrated His love to die to atone for our sins and wash us clean?  We should rule over sin as human beings created in God's image, but in our flesh (like Cain) we cannot.  When we repent of our sin and are born again, the Holy Spirit guides and helps us to walk righteously.

I am greatly encouraged by Philippians 4:5:  "Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand."  Despite our faults and failings, Jesus is never far from us:  our LORD Jesus is at hand.  Psalm 145:18 says, "The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth."  We also read in Psalm 34:18:  "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit."  The Shulamite was slow to open the door to her beloved who called out to her because it was an inconvenient hour (Song of Solomon 5:2-8).  Finally, after questioning the timing of her husband and complaining of the extra labour it caused, the wife opened the door to find her husband gone.  Praise the LORD this is never the case with Jesus when we call upon Him in truth with a broken and contrite heart.  Jesus is always at hand ready to forgive, deliver and save us.  He wants to come in to dine with us, to unite with each of His beloved as one:  so we might share His love, heart and mind.

God Does as He Pleases

There is no comparison between the living God of Israel and all other images, objects or people worshipped as God.  In contrast to idols designed, crafted and venerated by men, Psalm 115:3-8 says of the God who spoke all that is into existence:  "But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.
⁴  Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. ⁵ They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see; ⁶ they have ears, but they do not hear; noses they have, but they do not smell; ⁷ they have hands, but they do not handle; feet they have, but they do not walk; nor do they mutter through their throat. ⁸ Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them."

People mocked the Jews because their God was not presented in the form of an image--something He plainly forbade them in the Law of Moses which were written upon tablets of stone by the finger of God.  Unlike idols that were molded or carved by the hands of man, God was able to do everything by Himself by the power of His word alone.  Images resembled human beings in that they shared features of anatomy, but the men created in the image of God had more ability than the useless objects they sanded and covered with precious metals.  They had eyes that could not see, ears that could not hear, noses that could not smell, hands that could not handle, feet that could not walk, and mouths that could not speak.  The Psalmist spoke the truth concerning all who trusted in idols:  those who craft or worship idols are like those images, powerless to know or do anything.

God commanded His people in Deuteronomy 7:25-26 what to do when they encountered idols of the people they defeated in battle:  "You shall burn the carved images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination to the LORD your God. ²⁶ Nor shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be doomed to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is an accursed thing."  The Hebrews were to destroy any idols they found and to completely destroy them--without melting down the precious metals or salvaging anything of value.  Those heathen gods were accursed things that were to be utterly hated and detested as abominations to the LORD.  God warned those who brought idols into their homes would be doomed to destruction like those powerless idols before a holy, righteous God.

It is interesting that when God appeared on Mount Sinai, He did so shrouded in fire, smoke and lightning as the earth quaked under Him.  Fire was His garment and He was not consumed, for He is a consuming fire Himself.  God's word has made it clear those who make or worship idols are like them and are also accursed and doomed to destruction by the living God.  It is the fear of God that purifies us from the love of silver, gold and gain.  When God appeared on the mount in fire and the people were terrified, Exodus 20:20 says:  "And Moses said to the people, "Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin."  The fear of God was a deterrent to idolatry, greed and covetousness for the children of Israel, and the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom for us today.  Knowing God has redeemed us sinners who were doomed to destruction by His love for us compels us to demonstrate our love for Him by keeping Christ's commands.

What good does it do to cling to an image of silver and gold that is accursed and doomed to destruction?  May God's people heed the exhortation of Psalm 34:9:  "Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him."  Praise the LORD He is faithful to supply all our needs in this life and also provides the true riches that will endure forever in His presence.  Psalm 31:22-24 also says, "Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person."  The fear and love of the LORD beautifully harmonise in the lives of God's people who trust and obey Him, and He will be faithful to preserve us by His grace.  It pleased God to redeem lost sinners by grace through faith in Jesus, and may all Christ's redeemed live worthy of the Gospel.

Brought Out to Bring Us In

This morning I read Deuteronomy 6:20-23:  "When your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is the meaning of the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which the LORD our God has commanded you?' ²¹ then you shall say to your son: 'We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; ²² and the LORD showed signs and wonders before our eyes, great and severe, against Egypt, Pharaoh, and all his household. ²³ Then He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land of which He swore to our fathers."  God gave the children of Israel the responsibility to teach their children of the living God who chose them as His people out of all the nations of the earth.  The living God revealed Himself to them, gave them His laws and guided them to walk righteously.  As they recalled their miraculous deliverance from slavery in Egypt in the past, they were to be loyal to God moving forward.

Verse 23 reveals God did not bring the children of Israel out from the iron furnace of Egypt so they could go their own way with the purpose to bring them into the land He promised to give them.  Whilst the Hebrews suffered in bondage, they cried out to the LORD for deliverance.  They knew it was terrible to be oppressed and afflicted; they understood the horror when Pharaoh commanded their male infants be thrown in the Nile.  They rejoiced to be delivered from what they knew to be evil, yet they did not believe God to enter the promised land God gave them!  God's judgment against the Hebrews was the generation 20 years old and above would perish over the course of 40 years in the wilderness, and then the following generation would be brought into Canaan.

The Hebrews knew slavery was awful, but what they did not comprehend was God intended to bring them out from bondage to idolatry they believed was good.  Over the course of hundreds of years of bondage in Egypt, the children of Israel began to worship images they believed benefitted them.  God desired to bring them out of spiritual idolatry and into the worship of the one true God, the LORD who proved His supremacy over all the idols of Egypt as it says in Numbers 33:4:  "For the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had killed among them. Also on their gods the LORD had executed judgments."  It proved easier to deliver the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt (though they did at times long to return) than free them from idolatry, for even after they took possession of the land Joshua rebuked them for continuing to carry the idols of their fathers in Joshua 24.

This principle of bringing people out from slavery to bring them in rings true concerning the Gospel.  Many of us were well-aware of the evils of sin that held us bound, and we are glad to be free of wickedness that was our ruin:  yet there are also things we can believe benefit us that God also wants to deliver us from.  God's desire is to free us of bondage to sin and self so we can enter into the abundant life Jesus promises us by His grace.  It is good for us to consider what God delivered us from and the new way of living and thinking He commands us to embrace in obedience to Jesus.  There are things that are not bad in themselves that do not edify us, and it is good for us to be increasingly reliant and dependant on the LORD to supply our needs as He guides us by faith.

Cleansed by Grace

Under the Law of Moses, any who were defiled or unclean were commanded to wash in water.  Before people went to approach the presence of God to offer sacrifices at the temple were directed to wash in a mikveh.  After a woman's "customary impurity" was complete or the "seed of copulation" went forth from a man, each were required to wash in water.  This washing was more than taking a bath or a shower for hygenic reasons, but it was for ceremonial cleansing in obedience to the Law.

Ceremonial washing in a laver was important for the priests as they discharged their duties in service to the LORD as it is written in Exodus 30:20:  "When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, lest they die."  The need to be washed and purified before approaching God was entrenched in the Jewish Law, and thus the groundwork for John the Baptist was laid long before his arrival to preach repentance of sin and to prepare the way for the LORD Jesus Christ.  Jewish people flocked to the wilderness to be baptised in the Jordan by John and his disciples, and the people were expectant for a Saviour.  The Jewish rulers sent people to inquire of John why he was baptising people if he was not Christ, and he explained it was to make the Messiah manifest to Israel (John 1:19-34).

The commands of the Law of Moses to be ceremonially cleansed were a shadow of what Jesus is the substance, for according to His word sinners can be born again and filled with the living water of the Holy Spirit.  Through the power of the Gospel, Jesus provides spiritual cleansing, righteousness and salvation by faith in Him.  John 3:16 tells us, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  The Law made no provision for eternal life through washing in water, and being baptised does nothing to save a soul under the new covenant either.  Forgiveness and eternal life is offered as a free gift by grace through faith in Jesus, and all who repent and trust in Jesus have assurance of eternal life--like the robber on the cross who believed in Jesus as LORD.

One thing we do see in the New Testament is people were baptised in water after being born again by faith in Jesus, and this signified being cleansed from sin and raised from death to new life, obedience and identification with Jesus.  The Ethiopian eunuch, the Philippian jailer, the apostle Paul and many others were baptised in water after trusting in Jesus Christ as LORD.  Their forgiveness and salvation came by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit well before they were wet; they were already spiritually cleansed before they came out of the water.  Jesus commanded and ordained all His disciples to go and make disciples of Jesus of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:18-20).

The Jews under Law who washed in water to be ceremonially cleansed, they are a shadow that points to the Saviour Jesus who spiritually cleanses us from within by faith in Him as it says in Titus 3:3-7:  "For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, ⁵ not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Able to Admonish

"Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another."

Romans 15:14

Paul was confident fellow believers in Christ had godly character and lives filled with goodness and knowledge by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.  God who causes light to shine in darkness and raises dead souls to new life by faith in Jesus Christ, He alone is able to bring this wonderful transformation to the hearts and minds of sinners.  Though we are guilty of sin, we rightly identify as saints saved by grace through faith in Jesus.  It is not that we are good or worthy in ourselves, but having been redeemed by Jesus who alone is good we have peace with God and unity with other Christians.

The apostle Paul had confidence in born again Christian believers they themselves may not have possessed:  the ability to admonish one another.  The realisation of our own failures and sins can prompt us to shrink from our necessary duty at times to gently instruct, warn or correct others.  Colossians 3:16 says to all believers, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."  A common complaint of Christians is hypocrisy, and while this accusation can be unfounded we make great effort for this to always be the case concerning us and hypocrisy.  Correcting others is not a claim of being perfect, and all God's children are to remain humble and meek regardless of our role in the body of Christ.

While all Christians are called to walk in obedience to Christ and admonish others at times, this responsibility is doubly given to those in church leadership.  1 Thessalonians 5:12-14 says, "And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³ and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves. ¹⁴ Now we exhort you, brethren, warn [same word translated "admonish" in verse 12] those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all." (emphasis mine)  Both pastors and parishioners are urged and exhorted to admonish one another to the end people would be at peace, comforted and upheld with patience.  Isn't this how we observe Jesus to be with His disciples and is with us as well?  Jesus is over us all as our Good Shepherd, and thus we are to heed His gracious and gentle example as He guided the sheep of His pasture.

While there is no consensus among experts what percentage of our interpersonal communication is conveyed through words, tone of voice, nonverbal cues or body language, it is without controversy words are only one part of the complex way humans communicate.  When we are prompted by God's word or our conscience to admonish others, it is important for us to examine our own attitudes and ensure we are already heeding advice we will be giving.  A believer ought to have peace himself in Christ as he aims to be at peace among other believers.  In esteeming God and others as more important than ourselves, humility governs us to walk in love towards all.  The picture of the ones in whom the word of God dwells richly, singing with grace in their hearts to the LORD, these are the ones who add the sweetness of God's grace to being admonished--which in itself can be a bitter pill to swallow.

Anxious or 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

Jesus urged His disciples not to worry about what food to eat, what to drink and what clothes to wear because life is more than these things.  He said we are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all of these things will be added unto us.  When we prioritise seeking God who gives us all things richly to enjoy, we will find all our temporal needs met in His time and marvellous way.  Our God is the one who caused manna to appear in the wilderness, and at His command water flowed from the rock.  During their 40-year pilgrimage through the desert, the clothes and sandals of the people did not wear out because God was with them, protected and provided for them by making fabrics and leather last.

In the same vein of His Saviour Jesus, Paul exhorted believers to be anxious for nothing.  There are many situations that are naturally troubling to our minds, and fiery trials can produce anxiety in hearts that are easily confused, overwhelmed and feel helpless.  Christians need not be at the mercy of our circumstances to experience the peace of God, for we can bring everything to God by prayer with thanksgiving.  All our requests and petitions are known by God before we say a word, and we can communicate our concerns to Him knowing He loves us, hears and will answer--though He bear long with us.  People will help a person simply because they are weary of being pestered, motivated by their own selfishness and not by the goodness of their hearts.  We can have all confidence God is good and will avenge His own children speedily.

There was a situation in the Old Testament that arose due to the slackness of the people assembled in Jerusalem who had not cleansed or purified themselves in preparation for the Passover.  For a long time the service of the temple had been neglected, but Hezekiah and the people rejoiced how quickly temple worship and sacrifices to God were re-established.  It marked a period of spiritual revival in Israel, for King Hezekiah invited people from the far reaches of the northern kingdom to assemble for the Passover.  Some of the people who travelled far were not ceremonially clean and thus could not consecrate their lambs to the LORD.  2 Chronicles 30:18-20 says, "For a multitude of the people, many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the good LORD provide atonement for everyone ¹⁹ who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary." ²⁰ And the LORD listened to Hezekiah and healed the people."  How good God is to hear and answer prayers of undeserving, unprepared, unworthy people!

The chapter concluded in 2 Chronicles 30:26-27:  "So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. ²⁷ Then the priests, the Levites, arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard; and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, to heaven."  Great and awesome is the LORD, who hears the voices and prayers of His people and answers with "Amen!"  God brought great joy to His people, and the following chapter begins by describing how the people destroyed idols and high places throughout the land.  There are some who imply God will not hear people who are in sin; God will not hear our prayers until our idols are destroyed.  This is simply not true.  God hears the prayers of sinners and answers them because He is good.  While we should not presume upon the goodness of God by remaining in sin and idolatry, God's healing, forgiveness and atonement is all of grace.

Knowing God is good and hears our prayers, let us be those who repent of our sin and walk in the righteous way that pleases God.  The question is not if God loves us, hear our prayers or will avenge us, for He assures us He will on the basis of us belonging to Him.  The question Jesus posed is the one we will answer with whether we fear God and pray to Him in Luke 18:8:  "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"  Jesus is coming back, just as He said.  Will He find people who are anxious or those who in everything make their requests known to God in prayer with thanksgiving?  Before Jesus returns, now is the time to right our wrongs concerning the fear of man instead of God and justifying our anxiety rather than praying and thanking God.

God and Priorities

It is important for believers to establish and maintain godly priorities through every season of life.  Whether it is the weekday, the weekend or we are on holiday, God always ought to have first priority in our lives.  This does not mean, however, that our actions must be reserved for only spiritual disciplines.  Doing our regular chores, work and even recreation can be undertaken in thanksgiving to God and having attitudes that please Him.  In fulfilling our roles in a family, society and at work, we can do all things as unto the LORD who sanctifies us with joy and thanksgiving.

It is encouraging to know that while God does not need us, He chooses to call us and use us as His servants as spouses, parents, neighbours and friends.  The calling to be God's ministers in our own families ought not to neglected because we are a minister of a church.  I like what Sanders wrote in his book Spiritual Leadership:  "If a man has not succeeded in exercising a benevolent and happy discipline in his own family, is there reason to expect that he will do better with the family of God?...The clear implication is that, while caring for the interests of the church or other spiritual activity, the leader will not neglect the economy of God, the discharge of one God-given duty or responsibility will never involve the neglect of another.  There is time for the full discharge of every legitimate duty." (Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership. Marshall Pickering, 1986. page 35)

Two observations I make from the quote of Sanders is the joyful manner in the discharge of familial duty, one where benevolence and happiness adorns our lives rather than fear or harshness.  Strict discipline does not rule out a fun and happy household when God's love is present.  There is a time for severity and gravity, but it ought to be the exception rather than the rule.  The second point is, God has given everyone time for the "full discharge of every legitimate duty."  If we find ourselves without time to do what must be done, then it suggests not everything that fills our time is legitimately from God.  We can be quite skilled at loading ourselves with duties and tasks based on the expectations or demands of others--or our own ambitious pursuits and desires--and begin to neglect what is most important.  Work or ministry demands can begin to encroach dangerously upon our calling as a spouse or parent, and by God's wisdom we can learn how to navigate this in a godly and healthy manner.

Often failure must be experienced before we learn to succeed.  The one who find success easily does not learn what the one who struggles and persists can.  The economy of God is wonderful because He can use years of experience leading sheep in a wilderness to leading a nation.  Jesus chose men disciplined by manual labour and business to be part of church leadership.  Jesus touched and healed people who suffered illnesses, conditions and demon possession for years, and the vivid change Jesus brought to their lives was not only observed by others but felt by each individual.  God has given us all a unique personality and perspective, and He helps us learn how to prioritise our lives to acknowledge His rule, to seek Him, and to walk in His truth day by day.  When loving God and others becomes our priority, our lives are brought into a healthy balance.  Our duty never need crowd out the fun and joy it is to know God and to be known by Him.

Free Indeed!

"Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

John 8:31-32

By faith in Jesus Christ, people are born again and freed from sin and death.  Unlike what some imagine, following Jesus does not fetter us with restrictions or prohibitions, for we are set free to love God and love others with the divine empowerment of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus said His true disciples would abide in His word, receiving and heeding it.  In knowing Jesus we know the truth, and Jesus sets us free from sin, the flesh, legalism and traditions of men.  Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for worshipping God in vain by teaching traditions of men as commands of God (Matt. 15:9), and they also rejected the commands of God to keep their traditions (Mark 7:9).

It is important to understand traditions are not a bad thing in themselves; traditions are not sin.  Traditions can be good because they are being followed for a sound biblical reason.  They can also become a snare when they are placed on the level of God's word, or we judge others for having a particular tradition or not observing what we see as proper and useful.  It is likely we religiously keep many traditions we have not recognised as such, and over time we adopt a view of them being the right way.  The most untraditional church by their regular practices begin to establish traditions of how things are commonly done, and it is important we continue to make God's word the standard by which we live.

The way we receive communion, how we conduct a baptism, and the format of our worship or teaching are patterns that form traditions we become accustomed to.  It is good when we restrain ourselves from negative judgments of others who are different in their service times, methods or style of conducting gatherings.  It is also good when we can differentiate between what are key, foundational doctrines and not allow our own traditions or preferences to be cobbled together with them.  Having believed Jesus, we are to heed His word, walk in freedom from sin ourselves, and extend grace to others to walk in the freedom as they are led by the Holy Spirit.  We are all in need of continual refinement, and praise the LORD He is patient with us as we learn to do the will of God consistently.

God frees us from bondage to sin, and Jesus frees us to make obedience to Him and being led by the Holy Spirit our traditional way of life.

No Longer Slaves of Sin

At a family gathering as a kid, I witnessed an interaction between one of my uncles and his grandson.  When my uncle noticed the boy playing with his pack of cigarettes, it prompted a fairly harsh response that left the little one scurrying away crying.  I was surprised by my uncle's violent outburst, and he justified it without apology as being for the best, as the incident would serve to deter the little boy from smoking in the future.  I was not convinced his assessment was accurate even at the time, and upon reflection I am certain it was untrue.  The boy was interested and drawn to the colourful packet and lighter his grandpa always had at his side, and when his uncle sparked up another cigarette it rekindled the curiosity of the lad.

My uncle's thinly veiled hypocrisy was clear to me, that he was adamant smoking was bad for his grandson when he continued to smoke himself.  I assume his motive to protect his grandson from the fangs of addiction was genuine, but at the same time he resigned himself to a slavish relationship with smoking.  Perhaps he had tried in vain to quit smoking.  I don't know.  What I do know from observing my uncle and his grandson is there can be things people see as bad for others which they continue to do themselves.  Based on my uncle's statement, his outburst was not because the boy was not of legal smoking age, but because he thought it was a bad habit his grandson would do well to avoid altogether.

My point in sharing this story is not to decry the evils of addiction or smoking, but it is to sound the alarm over hypocrisy that can be coddled in the hearts of every one of God's people.  Having been born again by faith in Jesus, we have passed from death to life.  Paul wrote in Romans 6:1-4, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? ³ Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."  Our lives should be a testimony of new life through Jesus by freedom from sin.  As God reveals our addictions to sinful ways of thinking, talking and doing, we are to repent and put on the LORD Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh.

It is tragic when Christians have been so mentally and physically beaten by a sin they are like my uncle, resigned to addiction as if there was no point trying to quit.  This is where the problem often lies:  we have failed to walk in the victory granted by Jesus because we have tried in strength of our flesh to overcome what Jesus already has.  Content with salvation, people can give up the fight against besetting sins because God will forgive them anyway.  Conviction over their behaviour as sin has been muted because it has been justified so long.  They can see their sin as being bad for others, yet they accept the sin as a regular part of life and have settled for trying to make peace with it by indulging it.  Brothers and sisters, this ought not to be.  We are not to allow sin to rule in our bodies any longer, for we have been made alive to God.  Paul said in Romans 6:18-19:  "And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. ¹⁹ I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness."  This is a choice we can make by God's grace.

It can be easier to recognise sin in others we remain blind to in ourselves.  My uncle's irritation in seeing his grandson play with his cigarettes could have been an impetus to examining his own conduct and the example he set for the boy every time he lit a cigarette.  The same reasons he did not want his grandson to start smoking in the future were solid reasons for him to quit right then.  There are aids that exist to help people break the habit of smoking, and there are steps believers can take to avoid sinning and doing what is right instead.  When it comes to sin our aim ought to be to quit "cold turkey" because we are dead to it and it is not our master any more.  We are called to present ourselves as slaves of righteousness and living sacrifices to Jesus, and how blessed we are the Holy Spirit and our fellow Christians help us on our journey of sanctification.

Settling Short of Abundant Life

During the 40 years of being led through the wilderness, the tribes of Ruben and Gad approached Moses with a request.  They had large herds of cattle, and they saw the land on the east side of the Jordan (Jazer and Gilead) was prime land for cattle.  So they asked Moses if they could have permission to settle on the east side of the Jordan as their inheritance--even though God promised to give them land on the west side with everyone else.

Moses was disturbed by their request, as it seemed they were following in their father's footsteps of rebellion against the LORD!  They assured Moses this was not the case, for they would gladly take up arms when the time came and fight with their brethren so they too could receive their promised inheritance of land in Canaan.  Once the people of Ruben and Gad pledged to help everyone else, their request to settle on the east side of the Jordan as their inheritance was granted.  In this allowance I see the grace of God, for He is willing to be entreated by His subjects and heeds the requests of His people.

Since all the Scriptures have been provided for our learning, the decision of the tribes of Ruben and Gad to settle on the east side of the Jordan is relevant to our lives as Christians.  Canaan is not a type of heaven or symbolic of eternal life, for Canaan was full of enemies, conflicts and troubles.  Like the children of Israel, when God brings us out from slavery and saves us by His grace, He has an inheritance presently for every one of us to enter into by His grace.  By faith in Jesus we are born again, are filled with the Holy Spirit, and given spiritual gifts and fruitfulness.  As Canaan was a "land flowing with milk and honey," Christ gives us an inheritance of abundant life as part of the church, members of His body.  There was much land to be possessed by the children of Israel bit by bit, and as we continue living on earth we learn to submit more of our lives to Jesus.

This passage teaches us God will permit His own people to settle outside of His will for them.  He had plans for the nation of Israel to all settle together on the west side of the Jordan, yet the children of Ruben and Gad did not believe they could find better land for cattle than what they saw in Jazer and Gilead.  They took stock of their herds and their careers as herdsmen, and thus preferred to choose their own inheritance they felt suited them best.  These were not unbelievers or apostates; they were saved from the iron furnace of Egypt like everyone else.  At the same time they made up their minds where their future was brightest, and they believed it was on the east side of the Jordan.  Whilst God gave them permission to settle short of Canaan, it would have been best to enter in by faith in God who had provided and would continue to provide for all their needs.

In applying this to our lives, it is helpful to see our lives as a composite of all the tribes.  Because you have received or operate in a spiritual gift does not mean there is not an area of your life where you may be content to settle outside of God's will and plans.  We can take stock of our lives in regards to a career or ministry and settle where it seems an ideal location, but it may not take into account God's designs for our future.  Jesus chose fishermen, a chief tax collector and zealot to be among His disciples!  In following God by faith, He may lead us in a totally unexpected direction like Amos in Amos 7:14-15:  "Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: "I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet, but I was a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore fruit. ¹⁵ Then the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to My people Israel.'"

God can call a sheepbreeder to be a prophet, and He called Saul of Tarsus to be an apostle to the Gentiles.  He took David from the sheepfold and made him king over the nation of Israel, and who but God knows the inheritance and calling He has for the remainder of your life on earth!  The question remains:  will you settle for what looks good to you now or will you follow God's leading into what is unknown and unfamiliar?  Will you submit and continue to submit to the LORD--not just for a season to help other people enter their inheritance--but to keep climbing mountains like Caleb late in life, who believed God's promises, slew giants, destroyed strongholds, and generously gave to his children of what God had given him?  The life you choose for yourself cannot be as wonderful as the abundant life God has in store for you.

Refined by Reproach

I am encouraged today by these verses found in 1 Peter 4:12-15:  "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; ¹³ but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. ¹⁴ If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified."  The implication of Peter's initial statement is fiery trials can catch us off guard.  We wonder why we are being persecuted, experience trouble or have persistent struggles.  Peter reminded believers we are beloved by God and affirmed trials will most certainly come.  Trials are not allowed by God without good and redemptive purposes, however, for they are intended to test, refine and purify us to be more like Jesus.  While the process can be unexpected and seem unwarranted, by God's grace we can be glad the results are amazingly good.

God established a principle in Israel after God's victorious people plundered the Midianites in Numbers 1:21-23:  "Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to the battle, "This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses: ²² only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, ²³ everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water."  Items like jewellery, iron tools and weapons could be safely put through the fire, but articles made of linen or leather were not to be put through fire because they would be consumed.  The principle was any spoil plundered from enemies that could endure fire must go through the fire to be purified before it is brought into the camp.  The water of purification that contained ashes of the red heifer, the same water used on the 3rd and 7th day when a person needed purification after touching a dead body under the Mosaic Law, was used to ceremonially cleanse objects.

Under the new covenant established by the shed blood of Jesus, Christians have been purified from all sin and declared righteous by grace through faith.  We are given eternal life and the Holy Spirit resides in our hearts.  While we continue living in these human bodies as disciples, servants and ambassadors for Christ, God chooses to refine us.  We may have sound theology and in a relatively short time grow in spiritual maturity, but we are far from perfection.  Our outlook, attitudes, words, deeds, and habits require continual refinement, and fiery trials are a way God removes the residual impurities of sin He alone is able to expose in our minds and hearts.  Paul pointed out the son of the bondwoman Ishmael mocked the son of promise Isaac, and so those who remain slaves to the Law of Moses, humanist philosophy, atheism, self or anything of this world mock and criticise those who are being saved by the Gospel.  Jesus was perfect and was hated by His fellow Jews, and a servant is not above his master.  If people hated Jesus, those who follow Jesus as LORD will also be hated.

Being put through a fiery trial causes us to suffer burns that hurt, but we need to remember trials work for our refinement and greater usefulness--not our destruction.  Rather than being depressed or embittered by suffering for Christ's sake, Peter urged believers to rejoice.  If we are made partakers of Christ's sufferings, when His glory is revealed we can be glad with exceedingly joy.  If we are reproached for Jesus' sake, we are blessed because the Holy Spirit rests upon us.  Jesus said in John 15:19:  "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."  When people blaspheme Jesus it grieves us, yet by our patient and loving response Jesus is glorified.  Beloved, when we face fiery trials that are sure to come, let us rejoice and glorify God in humbling ourselves before our LORD who sanctifies and purifies us.  How truly blessed we are and will ever be!

King in Conflict

By God's grace, Christians can learn from kings and servants alike.  We don't need to be a king or even in a position of authority to observe their lives, aim to emulate their wise decisions, and avoid their foolish ones.  Many kings who began their reigns well by faith in God did not finish their lives strong, and this ought to motivate us to succeed where they failed by increasing dependence on God.  Kings of old cannot go back and change their decisions, but we can make considerable effort to order our future steps according to God's word in His service.

Jeroboam was a man described as an industrious and ambitious worker who got things done, and Solomon promoted him to a position of leadership.  It was then a prophet of God Ahijah came to Jeroboam, and he revealed by the word of the LORD God would take away 10 tribes from Solomon and give them to Jeroboam.  The prophet also explained why God would do this in 1 Kings 11:33:  "...because they have forsaken Me, and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the people of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways to do what is right in My eyes and keep My statutes and My judgments, as did his father David."  Because Solomon had been unfaithful to God and embraced idolatry, God would rend a large portion of the kingdom from the house of David.  One would think seeing this clear cause and effect would make a serious impression upon Jeroboam to avoid the pitfalls of idolatry--seeing the disaster it brought upon Israel and Solomon's house.

Through Ahijah, God also made a promise to Jeroboam in 1 Kings 11:38:  "Then it shall be, if you heed all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build for you an enduring house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you."  Over the course of time the word of God came to pass, and Jeroboam was made king over the 10 tribes of Israel referred to as the northern kingdom.  Being a receiver of God's blessings and fulfilled promises did not impart faith in God to Jeroboam.  Though he was made king by God's sovereign choice and grace, he felt the kingdom would slip from his grasp if the people continued to worship God at the temple in Jerusalem.  1 Kings 12:26-27 reads, "And Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: ²⁷ if these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah."  Lack of faith in God and His promise led to Jeroboam fearing he would lose his kingdom and his life!  This unbelief led him to do the unthinkable.

Jeroboam sought counsel--not of God but with men he trusted--and he set up idols in Bethel and Dan as more convenient places to worship the God of Israel.  He appointed whomever he desired to be priests at these shrines (including himself) and led the people into grave sin (1 Kings 14:3).  Though God sent a prophet to warn Jeroboam judgment from God was coming for his sins, he did not repent or cease his abominable practices.  There came a time when his son was sick, and what did Jeroboam do?  He directed his wife to go to Ahijah the prophet of God, the same man who accurately foretold he would be made king.  Jeroboam had all confidence the prophet would speak the truth concerning his ill son.  Unbelief blinded Jeroboam to his hypocrisy of effort to worship the God of Israel according to the dictates of his own heart rather than by obedience to God.  Fear and anxiety about his future and that of his son brought him into conflict with God only stern judgment would resolve.

Proverbs 31:3 says, "Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings."  The Bible is full of examples of ways kings destroyed themselves:  King Saul was lifted up with pride, Solomon's heart was led astray by his many wives and he was ensnared in idolatry, and Jeroboam was stricken with unbelief and worry.  Kings destroyed themselves with alcohol, disobedience to God, by foolish wars, seeking counsel of men and ignoring God's wisdom, by choosing what seemed expedient or convenient rather than reliance upon God.  Kings who enjoyed peace and prosperity for a long season were thrust into terrible conflicts with many adversaries because they departed from the LORD who chose and called them to be king.  God who gives kingdoms can also take them away, and let not our receiving of good things from God deter us from seeking, trusting and relying upon Him always.  Jesus is our peace, and a life built by faith in Him will endure and enjoy His eternal kingdom.

Preparing for Victory

"Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices."

2 Corinthians 2:10-11

In his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul spoke of the importance of recognising the tactics of Satan to prevent him from taking advantage of believers.  Unforgiveness is a snare Satan lays at our feet when we have been offended or after we heard about what others said or did.  When we allow malice and envy to abide in our hearts it leads to greater sin.  In William Gurnall's book The Christian in Complete Armour, after a detailed explanation of various satanic tactics, he counsels believers in good actions to take.  In light of God's sovereignty and goodness, there are things we can do to be prepared:

1.  Take God into thy counsel.  Heaven overlooks hell.  God at any time can tell thee what plots are hatching there against thee.  Consider Satan as he is God's creature; so God cannot but know him.  He that makes the watch, knows every pin in it. He formed this crooked serpent, though not the crookedness of this serpent; and though Satan's way in tempting is as wonderful as the way of a serpent on a rock, yet God traceth him, yea, knows all his thoughts together.  Hell itself is naked before him; and this destroyer hath no covering.  Again, consider him as God's prisoner, who hath him fast in chains, and so the Lord, who is his keeper, must needs know whither his prisoner goes, who cannot stir without his leave.  Lastly, consider him as his messenger, for so he is.  An evil spirit from the Lord vexed Saul, and he that give him his errand, is able to tell thee what it is.  Go then and plough with God's heifer; improve thy interest in Christ, who knows what his Father knows, and is ready to reveal all that concerns thee to thee (Job xv. 15).  It was he who descried the devil coming against Peter and the rest of the apostles, and faithfully revealed it to them, before they thought of any such matter (Luke xxii).  Through Christ's hands passes all that is transacted in heaven and hell.  We live in days of great actions, deep counsels, and plots on all sides, and only a few that stand on the upper end of the world know these mysteries of state; all the rest know little more than pamphlet intelligence.  Thus it is in regard of those plots which Satan in his infernal conclave is laying against the souls of men; they are but a few that know anything to the purpose of Satan's designs against them; and those are the saints, from whom God cannot hide his own counsels of love, but sends his Spirit to reveal unto them here, what he hath prepared for them in heaven (1 Cor. ii. 10), and therefore much less will he conceal any destructive plot of Satan from them.

2. Be intimately acquainted with thy own heart, and thou wilt the better know his design against thee, who takes his method of tempting from the inclination and posture of thy heart.  As a general walks about the city, and views it will, and then raiseth his batteries where he hath the greatest advantage, so doth Satan compass and consider the Christian in every part before he tempts.

 3. Be careful to read the Word of God with observation.  In it thou has the history of the most remarkable battles that have been fought by the most eminent worthies in Christ's army of saints with this great warrior Satan.  Here thou mayst see how Satan hath foiled them, and how they have recovered their lost ground.  Here you have his cabinet-counsels opened.  There is not a lust which you are in danger of, but you have it descried; not a temptation which the Word doth not arm you against.  It is reported that a certain Jew should have poisoned Luther, but was happily prevented by his picture which was sent to Luther, with a warning from a faithful friend that he should take heed of such a man when he saw him, by which he knew the murderer, and escaped his hands.  The Word shows thee, O Christian, the face of those lusts which Satan employs to butcher thy precious soul.  "By them is thy servant warned,' saith David (Ps. xix. 11).  (Gurnall, William. Christian In Complete Armour. Banner of Truth Trust, 2002. Pages 84-85)

A Familiar Flavour

We are blessed the unchanging, eternal God has made the way of salvation simple enough for a child to understand:  by faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour, God who became flesh, sinners who repent can receive forgiveness and eternal life.  A child knows what it is like to trust their parent to pick them up and carry them.  You don't need a doctorate to understand what it means to rely or depend on someone.  A baby can tell the difference between good and bad milk, and very early in our Christian walk God helps us to discern truth from deception.  You don't need 20 years of professional experience in the dairy industry to know when milk has curdled and gone off.  If a child failed to do a sight or sniff test of sour milk before drinking it, only a brief taste would be required before the whole glass of milk would be rejected.

When I observe eating and drinking habits of children, they notice when flavours are different.  They can drink too much of what makes them sick, and they can avoid eating or drinking what is healthy for them.  God has so designed children to have parents to provide food for them and guide them to "try" new foods that are healthy when children would be more pleased to eat dessert only.  This is similar to the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, for through God's word He presents new ways of thinking, speaking and living that are foreign to us.  As we submit and surrender to Him, obedience to God provides satisfaction living for ourselves cannot supply.  Jesus is the Bread of Life, and His word sustains and guides us with His wisdom.  We become familiar with God's voice, His tone and prefer the Scriptures rightly divided--to the point we notice when doctrine or teachings are off.

There are many accurate, edifying ways to teach the same Bible verses, and God is able to help us discern truth from error.  While there is freedom for a variety of interpretations at times (the Bible being infinitely complex and multi-faceted), by the authority of God's word Christians can know what they believe and why.  God's ways and thoughts are beyond our understanding, and when confronted with things we do not or cannot know we can comfortably fall back upon the God we know and knows us.  It used to bother me when my kids pointed out something in my cooking or baking was "different" this time, but I have grown to appreciate this because it demonstrates a spiritual truth:  as our palates can be refined to noticed subtle changes, so our spiritual "palate" can weigh words which are spoken and discern truth from error.

Hear the observation and exhortation of Job 34:3-4:  "For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. ⁴ Let us choose justice for ourselves; let us know among ourselves what is good."  Because the Holy Spirit is good, guides us into all truth and dwells within us, we can go beyond catering to our preferences or our personal bias and open our mouths wide, trusting God to fill us and supply all our needs with His truth.  God and His word do not change, and spiritual maturity correlates with familiarity with God's wisdom and putting it in into practice.  At the same time, it is said there are no "adults" of God--only children of God.  This reminds us of our need for God, His protection and provision, to rely upon Jesus for our physical and spiritual bread He is faithful to supply.

Zeal to Save

In my morning reading, I came across the passage in Numbers 25 where Phinehas executed judgment upon Zimri of the tribe of Simeon and Cozbi a woman of Midian.  The Hebrews were condemned by the LORD for their idolatry, and because of a plague many among the people died.  The rulers of the tribes were executed and hung according to the command of the LORD.  Phinehas was obedient to the command of God and with one stroke slew two transgressors in a tent, and God took notice.

Numbers 25:10-13 says, "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ¹¹ "Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. ¹² Therefore say, 'Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; ¹³ and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.'"  Atonement by the shedding of blood was required for the wrath of God to be turned away from His erring people.  The Law of Moses provided means of atonement with the sacrifice of animals, but otherwise the blood of the transgressors was required.  In his zeal for God, Phinehas did right to execute righteous judgment and from God received a covenant of an everlasting priesthood--which is awesome.

Today is Good Friday, a day set aside by Christians to remember the death of Jesus on the cross when He provided atonement with His own blood for sinners.  Romans 5:8-11 states, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. ¹⁰ For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. ¹¹ And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."  Because of God's love for us sinners, all who trust in Jesus the Son of God have been justified by His blood and shall be saved from wrath through Him.  The death of Jesus made possible our reconciliation to God and eternal salvation.

Phinehas was commended by God for his zeal in executing sinners, and the zeal of Jesus to obey His Father and save sinners was seen in offering Himself as a atoning sacrifice.  Paul said in Acts 20:28, "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."  As sinners saved by God's grace and purchased with His own blood, we ought to praise God continually for the new covenant in His own blood that redeems us for eternity.  Glory to God for His love for a dying world and His goodness to us!  That our great High Priest would lay down His life so we might live forever!