Our Need to Unlearn

In a sermon I heard, the preacher spoke of Simon of Samaria who came to faith in Jesus after being a practicing sorcerer.  For a long time he held the people of his city spellbound by his supernatural abilities, and he duped them into thinking he wielded the power of God.  After Simon believed in Jesus, was baptised and continued with Philip the evangelist in fellowship, he saw when visiting apostles laid hands on people they were filled with the Holy Spirit.  He foolishly offered Simon Peter money so he too could have the power to lay hands on people so they could receive the gift of God.  Acts 8:20-21 tells us Peter's fiery response:  "But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! ²¹ You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God."

It is very possible this idea of offering money for power carried over from Simon's life when he was a sorcerer, for power was always on offer--for a price.  In Acts 19 after the fear of the LORD Jesus Christ fell on the people of Ephesus, those who repented of their witchcraft and confessed Jesus as LORD brought their books of magic together and burned them, and the value of those books combined was 50,000 pieces of silver.  Satan is willing to exchange power for a price (always a wretched deal), for he offered the cities of the world to Jesus if He would bow and worship him.  Because of his background, it is likely Simon imagined it was perfectly legitimate to offer money for a supernatural ability like a magician does for a new trick.  Peter rebuked Simon for offering money when the Gospel and the baptism of the Holy Spirit is freely offered by God to all who trust in Jesus.  Simon had a lot to learn.

Simon, like all people who come to believe in Jesus, also had a lot to unlearn.  This is one of the great challenges that faces all Christians, for we naturally carry into our Christian life oversized baggage full of assumptions, hearsay, misunderstandings, the emphasis of one truth to the neglect or negation of another equally important truth, falsehoods and even heresies.  A person who spent time as a spiritist or was a member of a cult has a crooked foundation of thinking laid that does not automatically disappear by the addition of faith of Jesus Christ.  Believers who spent their childhood or their adult life attending churches that had a legalistic style can be influenced by a legalistic lens in their reading and interpretation of the Scriptures, judgments they make about scores of things, and their daily decisions.  Adding knowledge by reading God's word does not by itself remove rubbish ideas we assumed were correct because they are the only thing we have heard or known.  Having been born again by faith in Jesus, we must grow to be dependent on the word of God by the power of the Holy Spirit to observe the scripture, understand what it means, and how to apply it personally.

Praise the LORD He is the One who transforms us, and the light of the Gospel brings countless sins and our errors to light.  God also uses fellow believers to exhort and even rebuke us when bitterness or pride rises up within us, when we crave the spotlight and grab for power like Simon did.  Our journey of being sanctified day by day more into the image of Jesus means we need to keep changing for good, and this means the old ways of living and thinking must be identified and thrown out so we can be better aligned with our LORD Jesus.  People who have had genuine faith in Jesus for decades can still be influenced by assumptions, habits and ways of thinking that are unbiblical.  God forbid we should be like those Paul described in 2 Timothy 3:7, those who are "always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."  This suggests an unwillingness to lay aside old falsehoods combined with unwillingness to obey the Gospel.  Unless we put what we learn of God's word into practice by faith in Him, we will not grow spiritually.  Jesus is the Truth and has given Himself to us, and by following Him faithfully in submission to Him we embrace our sanctification.  Though progress may seem slow, we have all assurance God is faithful to complete the work in us He began by His grace.

The Wonder of God

One thing I love and appreciate about God is He is immutable and consistent.  Being eternal and above all God is not susceptible to influences of modern society, and His wisdom does not shift with the times.  In God and His word there is an objective clarity and permanence that is not found in anyone or things of this world.  A person's opinions can shift like the breeze, and their conduct can resemble a chameleon that adjusts to their environment.  I respect people who take a stand on God's truth, and I find their insights by God's grace endure the test of time.  It is encouraging to know there are many great thinkers whose intelligence far exceeds my own who were not ashamed to make the living God and His word central to their thoughts and perspective.

I have been reading G.K. Chesterton's In Defense of Sanity lately, and he is exceptionally brilliant.  I am glad that some of the time I understand what he means and enjoy his sense of humour that crops up often.  Though most of his writings in the book hail from the early to mid-20th century, I like that he applies the timeless wisdom of God to the consistent nature of fallen humanity.  As God is always holy, righteous, just, loving and good, in contrast man remains predictably sinful, conceited, arrogant and proud.  Rather than talking down to anyone as being "holier than thou," Chesterton thinks thoughts through with a copious use of paradox and sound reason.  Though the current events and hot-button topics of his day are quite different than ours, his philosophical approach and clever logic has not aged a day.

I was particularly intrigued concerning a few observations he made about sceptics, and despite our modern education and the information available at our fingertips it seems sceptics have only multiplied.  I found this quote very useful to consider:  "The best that can be said for the sceptic is that he cannot say what he means, and therefore, whatever else he means, he cannot mean what he says." (Chesterton, Gilbert Keith. In Defense of Sanity: The Best Essays of G.K. Chesterton. Ignatius Press, 2011. page 337)  With the abundance of information today, there is the real risk of misinformation, whether it be malicious or accidental.  In this world full of deceptions, half-truths and agendas, the Bible remains a bastion of truth we can count on to reveal God and His wisdom for us.  It is truly a joy to look upon God with wonder.

On the topic of pride and sceptics Chesterton mused:

"It is a weakness; for it is simply settling down permanently to believe what even the vain and foolish can only believe by fits and starts, but what all men wish to believe and are often found weak enough to believe; that they themselves constitute the supreme standard of things.  Pride consists in a man making his personality the only test, instead of making the truth the test...It is pride to think that a thing looks ill, because it does not look like something characteristic of oneself...But the self as a self is a very small thing and something very like an accident.  Hence arises a new kind of narrowness; which exists especially in those who boast of breadth.  The sceptic feels himself too large to measure life by the largest things; and ends by measuring it by the smallest thing of all.  There is produced also a sort of subconscious ossification, which hardens the mind not only against the traditions of the past, but even against the surprises of the future.  Nil admirari becomes the motto of all nihilists; and it ends, in the most complete and exact sense, in nothing." (Ibid, pages 348-349)

It is good when we measure things by ourselves to discover we are frighteningly small, for this is God's grand design in revealing Himself as almighty and over all.  It is in knowing we are nothing in light of a city, nation, this planet or the universe--a temporary blip of life here one day and gone the next--that God's loving pursuit and sacrifice for our salvation and eternal relationship with Him is magnified.  The best of men see themselves in the worst light, and we are all granted the capacity by the warm light of God's grace to humble ourselves before Him and others.  God did not put forth the challenge for people to prove their worth by ascending to heaven and to knock on His door:  He implores us to bow the knee right where we are before Him in faith, worship and adoration.  The love of Christ constrains us to remain consistent in our awe and gratitude towards Him.

God's Righteous Judgment

Queen Jezebel is a woman whose villainy is infamous in the pages of Scripture.  She stirred up her husband Ahab to do great evil, systematically tried to exterminate all the prophets of God, murdered righteous Naboth and his household for his vineyard, and promoted idolatry like few in Israel before her or ever since.  For her sin God took vengeance upon her according to His word by the hand of Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat.

The prophet who anointed Jehu king held forth the word of the LORD in 2 Kings 9:7-10:  "You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. ⁸ For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab all the males in Israel, both bond and free. ⁹ So I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. ¹⁰ The dogs shall eat Jezebel on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her.' " And he opened the door and fled."  For a long time God had been longsuffering towards Ahab and Jezebel, yet the day came when He would bring judgement about their house.  As sure as God's salvation is for all who repent of their sins and trust in Him, so is His fierce wrath and judgment upon those who hate Him--and the end of Jezebel illustrates this perfectly.

As Jehu rampaged towards Jezreel, eliminating those of Ahab's house one by one, Jezebel heard he was approaching and put on make-up, styled her hair and adorned herself with her royal crown.  Her words dripped with arrogance and hypocrisy as she greeted Jehu from the safety of her high window in 2 Kings 9:31:  "And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?"  Jezebel was guilty of mass-murder, yet she accused Jehu of doing evil who obeyed the command of God as His anointed.  Jehu did not argue with or address her at all.  He said to the eunuchs who attended her, "Who is on my side?  Throw her down."  After they threw Jezebel to her death, Jehu promptly trampled her corpse with his horses and chariot and left her where she lay.  When Jehu later sent his servants to bury Jezebel, all that remained was her skull, hands and feet because dogs had eaten her, according to the word of the LORD.  Though a king's daughter, she was like refuse upon the ground so no one could see a tomb and say, "Here lies Jezebel."  Her only memory is found within the pages of scripture:  a warning of God's judgment against those who commit wickedness in God's sight, and a foreshadowing of the plans God has for Satan.

Jezebel was thrown down from a window by eunuchs, and Satan will one day be thrown out of heaven by angels.  He will be bound and ultimately destroyed forever for His crimes against God.  The prophet Isaiah spoke of the destruction of Lucifer, the oppressor and accuser of God's people.  The devil who thought to exalt himself to assume God's throne in heaven above the stars will be justly thrown into hell for his wickedness.  It says in Isaiah 14:18-19:  "All the kings of the nations, all of them, sleep in glory, everyone in his own house; ¹⁹ but you are cast out of your grave like an abominable branch, like the garment of those who are slain, thrust through with a sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a corpse trodden underfoot."  God takes no delight in the death of the wicked, but He loves to uphold justice and righteousness in heaven and earth forever.  Like Jezebel was thrown down, so Satan will be cast down and be without memorial forever by the word of the LORD.  The destroyer of the world will be destroyed, and all who fear God ought to rejoice in His salvation and judgment.  Vengeance is the LORD's, and He will repay (Deut. 32:35, Heb. 10:30).

An Everlasting Love

The book of Malachi begins with the burden of the word of the LORD that reads, "I have loved you," says the LORD.  Yet you say, 'In what way have you loved us?'"  Isn't this a heartbreaking response from God's people, ones He always loved?  It is written in Jeremiah 31:3:  "The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."  From the beginning God only showed love to His people, for God is love.  The Hebrews were God's people because He loved and chose them out of all the nations of the world, brought them out of Egypt, and brought them into the land of promise.  Yet a day came when they did not acknowledge God loved them at all.  Their response to God's claim of loving them was, "Yeah?  Prove it!"

Malachi's style of prophecy was dialectical or disputational, and God's objective statements were followed by questions and contradictions by His people.  God through the prophet provided evidence for His initial claim, and those who feared God would be moved to repentance for sin and heed God's command.  God is good not just to tell us where we have done wrong, but He explains the right action we ought to take instead.  While God showed His love of His people by the covenant of Law and countless blessings, all people today--both Jew and Gentile--have a fuller, more complete picture of God's love through Jesus.  Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son Jesus, and by the power of the Gospel He gives the right to become children of God by believing on His name.

A well-known poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning begins, "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways."  This is a good exercise for Christians to embrace, that we would consider all the ways God has practically shown His love for us.  When we acknowledge God's continuous love toward us by revealing Himself to us, providing for all our needs, drawing us to Himself with lovingkindness, providing atonement for our sin and remaining faithful to us despite our faults, it evokes praise and thanksgiving to God.  1 John 3:1 reads, "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him."  It is because God loves us that He redeemed and reconciled us to Himself as children, and if this was the only thing He did for us it would be enough cause for us to praise and glorify Him forever.

God has done more than love us in a particular way because He is love.  Everything about Him is loving, and His undying, active love always acts for our ultimate good.  Since He is able to make all things work together for good to those who love God, we can rest assured in His sovereignty and be secure in His love.  We will never be able to count all the ways God has loved us, but the cross speaks of love that is sacrificial, constant and eternal.  In coming to Jesus Christ for salvation we discover God has loved us with an everlasting love, and therefore with lovingkindness He has drawn us to Himself through Jesus.  If we ever assume the posture of "How has God loved me lately?" it may be we have yet to understand God is love, and He is ours through faith in Christ.

Communication With God

While doing premarital counselling, I read a portion of a book that provides insight into our relationship with God.  One of the things we discussed is the different levels of communication, and five levels of communication are shared from John Powell's book, Why Am I Afraid to Tell You Who I Am?  These levels provoked self-examination for me as I considered my personal communication style with God in prayer.  The excerpt from Before You Say "I Do" reads:

"Level Five:  Cliche Conversation.  This type of talk is very safe.  We use phrases such as "How are you?"  How's the dog?  "Where have you been?"  "I like your dress."  In this type of conversation there is not personal sharing.  Each person remains safely behind his defences.

Level Four:  Reporting the Facts About Others.  In this kind of conversation we are content to tell others what someone else has said, but we offer no personal information on these facts.  We report the facts like the six o'clock news.  We share gossip and little narrations, but we do not commit ourselves as to how we feel about them.

Level Three:  Ideas and Judgments.  Real communication begins to unfold here.  The person is willing to step out of his solitary confinement and risk telling some of his ideas and decisions.  He is still cautious.  If he senses that what he is saying is not being accepted, he will retreat.

Level Two:  Feelings or Emotions.  At this level the person shares how he feels about facts, ideas, and judgments.  His feelings underneath these areas are revealed.  For a person to really share himself with another individual he must move to the level of sharing his feelings.

Level One:  Complete Emotional and Personal Communication.  All deep relationships must be based on absolute openness and honesty.  This may be difficult to achieve because it involves risk--the risk of being rejected.  But it is vital if relationships are to grow.  There will be times when this type of communication is not as complete as it could be." (Roberts, Wes, and H. Norman Wright. Before You Say “I Do”®. Harvest House Publishers, 2019. Pages 62-63)

It is useful to consider the level of communication we typically use in our relationships with others, especially in preparation for a marriage relationship.  People who are outgoing and view themselves like an open book may realise how reserved they are in expressing their feelings or emotions.  If this is a useful consideration in our relationships with people, how vital it is for each of us to consider as we seek to cultivate a healthy relationship with God!  An honest assessment may prove that we actually spend most of our time in prayer on surface level reporting and never move into real communication.  Our prayers to God may be the equivalent of talking about news that concerns other people and the action we would like God to take--but never honestly share how we are feeling.

When Jesus came to earth, He revealed Himself as the promised Messiah through whom we can know God.  The tender and intimate relationship Jesus had with His heavenly Father is the relationship God desires to have with us by faith in Jesus where nothing is hidden and the desires of our hearts are freely expressed in the safety and security of His love, grace and mercy.  As we desire to grow in our relationship with God, may we be those who humble ourselves before God to share our thoughts and feelings in personal, prayerful communication, choosing to listen and respond to God's word with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  The LORD already knows our thoughts and hearts, but He will not force His way into them and make us share ourselves with Him.  God's desire is for us by faith in Jesus to be enraptured in His love without fear of rejection or being ridiculed.

As we have this fellowship with God marked by open lines of personal communication, we will also benefit richly from fellowship with Christians.  Jesus shared His heart for us when He prayed for His disciples in John 17:20-23:  "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. ²² And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: ²³ I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."  This is God's will for His people, that all Christ's disciples would be united by faith in God's love so His glory will shine bright in this world.  Since God has freely given Himself to us through Christ, let us give ourselves freely to Him and one another in fellowship.

One God Regards

"And Elisha said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you."

2 Kings 3:14

I found this verse encouraging, that God regards His people even when they live among those who do not fear God.  King Jehoshaphat was asked by King Jeroham son of Ahab, along with the king of Edom, to attack Moab for refusing to pay tribute.  When there was no water and Jeroham imagined it was God's design to destroy them, Jehoshaphat requested they seek the counsel of a prophet of the God of Israel, and Elisha was summoned.  2 Kings 3:13 tells us, "Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother." But the king of Israel said to him, "No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab."  Elisha then revealed God regarded or respected the presence of Jehoshaphat whom He knew.  Because that God-fearing king was among them, God was attentive to their request and needs.  How gracious is God to regard or be mindful of any person!

A sobering consequence of refusing to regard God is that He will not regard such people.  God said in 1 Samuel 2:30, "...them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed."  Yet the glorious truth remains that God has respect and looks upon all those who love and trust Him.  This was demonstrated early in the book of Genesis when Cain and Abel both offered sacrifices to God.  Genesis 4:3-5 reads, "And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. ⁴ Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, ⁵ but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell."  Notice how God first respected Abel, and then his offering was accepted.  We can have this backwards:  we believe it is on the account of the gift or offering we present God chooses to accept us when the opposite is true.  It was the humble, contrite heart of the person in the eyes of God that was of greater importance than the offering itself.  Cain's rage showed his pride and lack of the fear of God.

It certainly was a blessing for Jehoram and the king of Edom to have with them a man who feared God, one who was willing to humble himself and seek the LORD God of Israel for help in time of need.  If God regarded the needs of wicked kings for the sake of his servant Jehoshaphat, how confident we can be God hears and regards every Christian for the sake of Jesus Christ who lives to make intercession for us in the presence of God in heaven.  No longer need we make our requests through a prophet who has unique access to God, but we are invited personally to enter God's presence through prayer as beloved children of God by faith in Jesus.  Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  How awesome is the opportunity and privilege of believers to be regarded by God, that we can entreat Him to intervene in the lives of others who do not fear God so they might come to know Him too.  God regarded lost sinners by sending His Son Jesus to atone for our sins, and God regards our prayers because He regards every one redeemed with the blood of Christ.

The Fight of Faith (part 2)

While some believers have been trained or conditioned to see opposition and trials as spiritual attacks from the devil, the Bible holds forth an alternative view that may surprise you:  to view all we experience as from God Himself.  Since God's ways are higher than our ways, everything He does is beyond our understanding.  This means by our own reasoning we are unable to discern or determine what God is doing or exactly why He has done something--unless He reveals it to us personally.  This may happen later, and sometimes we will never know.  But knowing God is always good, righteous and worthy of being trusted means we continue to trust Him even in the midst of pain or loss.  Rather than blaming Satan for robbing him of his wealth, family and health, Job said of the almighty God in the first part of Job 13:15, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him."  Those who imagine God is like a genie obligated to fulfill their wishes or Santa who rewards them for being good girls and boys, it is no wonder many are disillusioned by the idolatrous image of God they have created in their minds.

The Bible teaches that regardless of the instrument God chooses to employ, God ultimately takes responsibility for allowing everything that happens.  This is frankly impossible for some people to accept because they are unwilling to submit themselves to God in faith according to His revelation of Himself in the Bible.  In light of their pains and disappointments, they will not believe God is altogether good and gracious, a Saviour and redeemer.  They cannot comprehend how God could be good and still allow evil to occur.  Without faith in the truth of God's word, it is not difficult for these people to look at their lives, pains, losses, or those who suffer and imagine there are countless reasons to doubt God's goodness.  This is where the fight of faith in God is won, by continuing to trust God as revealed in Scripture is good, righteous, just, merciful, compassionate and faithful to His word in every instance--even when we cannot understand and it hurts.  God is never the source of evil or sin, but He is good and powerful enough to use what is meant by men and Satan for evil and make it work for good.  Without God, there could be nothing good in this world or in our lives.  Paul suffered the loss of all things and counted them as nothing compared with the knowledge of Christ and the righteousness of God by faith he received by God's grace.

When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we do not need to try to make excuses for what God has chosen to do or allow.  Though Satan worked to destroy Job, he said by faith in God concerning his suffering and loss in Job 12:9-10, "Who among all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this, ¹⁰ in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?"  Job credited God for causing him to suffer, not realising it was God's design to doubly bless him in the end, a man victorious by faith in God.  The prophet said in Amos 3:6, "If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it?"  God is able to use a foreign nation to chasten His erring people, a lying spirit in the mouths of false prophets, the sound of marching in the trees, a plague of leprosy He puts in a house (Leviticus 14:34), or Satan who filled Judas Iscariot to accomplish His awesome plans that are good and glorious.  Faith the size of a mustard seed in God is able to accept this without becoming bitter and resentful towards God or envious of others who have not suffered as we have.  If we will receive good from God's hand we should also receive evil, knowing God loves us and will refine us as gold.

David maintained this perspective of seeing God over all things even when he fled Jerusalem to prevent bloodshed by his usurping son, Absalom.  As David and a great company departed, a man named Shimei mercilessly cursed David, threw stones and kicked up dust.  When Abishai suggested he decapitate the Benjamite for speaking thus of the king, 2 Samuel 16:10-12 says:  "But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, 'Curse David.' Who then shall say, 'Why have you done so?'" ¹¹ And David said to Abishai and all his servants, "See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the LORD has ordered him. ¹² It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day."  Now had the LORD God literally commanded Shimei to curse David?  I cannot say, but it is plain from the Scripture that is how David viewed the situation.  David reasoned because God allowed him to be afflicted with insults from an angry and wicked man, it provided an opportunity for God to bless him in the end.  This is what winning the fight of faith looks like.

God employs tests, trials and tribulations to serve His ends, and one purpose for them is so we can know our faith in God is genuine.  There would be no fight of faith if our lives were without troubles or pain-free since our conversion.  God tested His people by allowing enemies to remain in the land of Canaan (they refused to drive out) to see if they would keep His commands or not.  God already knew His people would depart from Him, and God who gave them His Law by which is the knowledge of sin graciously provided a way for cleansing and restoration.  God also knew He would demonstrate His love by sending His only begotten Son Jesus to die on the cross for sinners to save them forever.  Faith in God does move us to malign Him for what He does or has chosen not to do, for faith knows He loves us with an everlasting love.  The Bible teaches God is far more than the giver of good and the doer of what men see as evil:  He is only good and in Him is no darkness at all.  We are often in the dark because of our ignorance and fleshly folly, but through faith we worship our glorious God and rejoice to praise Him forever.  The fight of faith isn't primarily against the world or the devil but takes place inside us:  will we choose to trust, hope in and love God or not?

The Fight of Faith

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

2 Timothy 4:7

I have observed Christians who really latch onto military language to describe their daily life with Christ.  They see themselves as "under spiritual attack" when troubles arise.  They nod in agreement when someone says something like, "Our Christian values and freedoms are under attack like never before"--when it is very difficult to make such a claim considering we are alive to make it.  Even if this general statement could be supported, it conveniently overlooks all the opposition and troubles the Body of Christ has endured and overcome for thousands of years.  When someone feels "under attack," they may become defensive or even fearful.  They also can be aggressive and brash.  Some celebrate troubles as proof they are doing something right and their every move is on Satan's radar.  "We're in a spiritual battle," they say.  It seems warfare is the only lens through which they see the world, and their focus seems to be a lot more on Satan's flaming arrows than the Holy Spirit who protects us by faith in Jesus Christ.

While there are references to Christians and spiritual warfare in the New Testament, for the amount of publicity they garner they are surprisingly few.  Indeed, some of the passages like the one referenced written by Paul shows the good fight is to keep the faith in Jesus Christ who loves us, a fight that is won by Christ inside us by our surrender to Him.  Even the well-known passage in 1 Peter 5 that refers to Satan as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, is sandwiched by exhortations to submit to one another, to be clothed with humility, to be casting our cares upon God who cares for us, to be sober and watchful, and to resist the devil while remaining steadfast in faith.  This battle is fought in our minds and hearts, for doubts can enter and work to undermine the truth of God's word and His promises.  Our fight is to bring our thoughts into obedience to Christ, to be strong in the LORD and the power of His might, and to stand by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus revealed Satan's desire was to "sift him as wheat," but Jesus prayed for him that his faith should not fail, and when Peter returned to God broken and humbled he was to strengthen his brethren in the LORD (Luke 22:32).  Rather than the conflict being viewed as us fighting off attacks of Satan, this internal fight is really to keep trusting Jesus and obeying Him no matter what.  The devil seeks whom he may devour, which implies he cannot sink his teeth into anyone without explicit permission from God.  He sought to destroy Job, yet God had a hedge of protection around Job the whole time.  The "battle" was not fought or won by Job rebuking Satan, for God graciously delivered Job who trusted in Him despite his physical suffering and personal loss.  In Paul's life, God allowed a messenger of Satan to buffet him because God's strength is made perfect in man's weakness:  when we are weak, God is strong.

God forbid we would imagine ourselves as strong and mighty spiritual warriors because of our knowledge or authority when God is the One who fights our battles and has already won!  I would not be surprised if Satan is permitted by God to take advantage of the proud Christian who imagines himself able to contend with the devil by his own strength or willpower.  Our fight is not fought by steeling ourselves against satanic attacks but by humbling ourselves before Jesus Christ in faith.  Every Christian is a member of Christ's own Body, the church.  Jesus will not allow one of His feet or hands to be severed because He is unable to protect Himself from the devil's vicious attacks, and no one can snatch us out of Christ's hand.  We are the sheep of His pasture, and He knows each one of us by name.  Satan cannot even effectively bring a charge against us (Romans 8:33), and there is no arrow that can penetrate the shield of faith God has provided us by the Holy Spirit.  It is by faith in Jesus we enter into His rest and the victory He has won, for we are more than conquerors through Jesus who loves us.

Mr. Hugh Kennedy

During my study of the book of Romans, I came across an anecdote in Matthew Henry's Commentary that warmed my heart.  He wrote:

“Mr. Hugh Kennedy, an eminent Christian of Ayr, in Scotland, when he was dying, called for a Bible, but, finding his sight gone, he said, “Turn me to the eighty of the Romans, and set my finger at these words, I am persuaded that neither death nor life.”  “Now, said he, “is my finger upon them?”  And, when they told him it was, without speaking any more, he said, “Now God be with you, my children; I have breakfasted with you, and shall sup with my LORD Jesus Christ this night;” and so departed.” (Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible. Vol. 6, Hendrickson Publishers, 1991. page 345)

From this anecdote, it is likely Mr. Kennedy was a man who had placed his faith in God and also was a reader of the Bible during his life.  On what proved to be his deathbed he requested a Bible be brought to him, and almost to his surprise he found his sight gone and was unable to find Romans 8:38 himself.  With keen eyes of faith on God and His promise, Mr. Kennedy was persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities or powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth nor any other created thing would be able to separate him from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  We too, having placed our faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, can retain such confidence even when our bodies fail and we go the way of the earth to our fathers.

The God Who was with Mr. Hugh Kennedy all his days would also be with his children after him, and all believers can have this same confidence and unshakable assurance.  Mr. Kennedy was persuaded because of Christ's love for him that he could eat breakfast with his family, and after his passing would be eating dinner with Jesus in heaven.  The end of life on earth would not be his end.  The anecdote concluded, "And so departed."  His spirit left behind his mortal frame and went to be clothed with a new body in the heavens with his LORD Jesus, united and glorified in the presence of God forever.  His departure from his body meant his arrival in the presence of the LORD, free of pain, blindness and all sorrows of this world--because for him the former things had passed away.

That we would have such confidence in God and His promises to us in Scripture!  The love of God demonstrated for us on the cross and ever since is a sound foundation to build our lives upon, for Jesus gives eternal life to all who repent and trust in Him.  A day came when Mr. Kennedy was unable to see or speak, yet God continues to speak to this day and will continue to speak long after we enter into the LORD's presence.  God remains faithful, and His active love never fails to pursue, bless and cause everything to work together for good to us who love God.  The death of Jesus accomplished God's good purposes and plans, and when God calls us home to be with him we can have this confidence:  nothing shall be able to separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus.  He truly gives rest for the weary soul.

Choose Kindness

I recently read a notification from a ministry leader who announced shortly after a family came on staff, was found not to be a good fit and were moving on to continue ministry elsewhere.  When I was looking into options to immigrate to Australia, this was something a mission support group warned me about.  There are believers who have good intentions, are called to ministry, go all in with training, raise support and sell everything--only to go to the field and discover things do not go well.  Conflict arises, expectations are dashed, and there can be disillusionment why things have not gone as planned.  As Paul said, being married and bringing a whole family makes any mission work and move more complex and challenging.

When I hear about situations like this, I feel compassion for everyone involved.  An organisation brings a family on board because they have a need, and a couple or family have left their family and culture in the service of God and not fit where they thought they would.  Children left school and friends behind, and many people rallied to support the missionary family through prayer, giving money and helping however they could.  To see things seemingly collapse or fall apart inevitably leaves people scratching their heads and even looking for something or someone to blame.  The temptation to live in regret and shame over things not working out as expected is very real, and if fallout was the result of a sinful scandal it adds another layer of grief for everyone.

It would be a shame to malign anyone in a situation like this, for even Paul and Barnabas had a sharp contention over whether John Mark should accompany them that led to them parting ways for a season.  Their contention should never be an excuse to justify strife, quarrelling and refusing to minister with one another, but it shows genuine apostles who love the LORD and have faithfully served Jesus can experience painful conflicts.  There is no point for me to take one side and condemn the other, to make critical judgments of the situation that I am frankly ignorant of.  It would be foolish to do so with the example provided of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15, for who are we to judge God's servants?  On the subject of personal convictions that differ between believers, Paul wrote in Romans 14:4:  "Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand."

I urge you brother and sisters, let us be those who seek to be peacemakers because Jesus is our peace.  Let us realise God is so awesome and glorious that in spite of us and the conflicts we create or contribute to, He is working in and through our lives--and the troubling situation--to accomplish good according to His will.  Since God was able to redeem Jesus Christ being crucified though innocent of all crimes, He is also able to redeem contentions and division to edify the church and increase our faith in Him.  How often we have been embittered by a bitter conflict that did not even directly involve us, and this is evidence we have bitterness in our hearts God has used the situation to bring to light.  As it is written in Ephesians 4:31-32:  "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you."  Rather than criticism and finding fault, our aim should be to be kind to one another.

Dead to Sin and Alive to God

One reason cancer is difficult to treat and cure is it often goes undetected or undeterred by our immune system.  These mutated versions of cells from your own body can rapidly multiply because the body supplies them with nutrition as if those abnormal cells promote good health when they work to undermine it.  When the immune system recognises and attacks viral or bacterial pathogens, symptoms like headache or fever send a message of discomfort we understand:  we are sick and perhaps need medical assistance.  Being able to differentiate the abnormal or foreign cells from the healthy cells of the body is important to maintain overall health and the effective treatment of illness.  A recent article said this:  "Because cancer cells are the body’s own cells that have gone rogue, they have inside information on which signals to send to trick immune cells."  It is crazy to think that our own cells can trick our body from the inside, and there is a spiritual parallel for Christians to consider.

Through the Gospel of Jesus, Christians are forgiven and cleansed of all sin.  The removal of the guilt and power of sin, however, does not mean we are perfect.  Our memories are not wiped at conversion nor are our habits broken because we have been filled with the Holy Spirit.  For a long time we drank sin like water as it was the only way we discovered to temporarily alleviate our sinful, fleshly thirst.  Paul discovered a law, that when he wanted to do good evil was present with him.  It was like he was a cancer patient whose tumours were removed by a surgeon, yet abnormal cells continued to circulate through his bloodstream.  Sin, who seduced him like an attractive woman, had been sent packing and was gone, but whispers of those sweet words she spoke echoed in his ears.  Paul wrote in Romans 7:16-17, "If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me."  Sin dwelling in us seeks to trick us, but God makes us wise to this tactic.

To people who understood the Law of Moses, Paul affirmed the Law was good to fulfill its divine purpose to bring the knowledge of sin.  By the power of God's word and the indwelling Holy Spirit, Paul knew he was forgiven of all sin and born again by faith in Jesus.  This impulse and draw toward doing sin was not Paul but due to indwelling sin because in his flesh--and in our flesh, though spiritually regenerated--no good thing dwells.  This is a very important point for us to realise as born-again Christians:  we need to see sin as a dangerous foreign body, something that lingers in our flesh that is not us and has no authority over us.  Sin is no longer welcome in us.  We ought to refuse to feed sin by caving to it and do not feel sympathy for it when it cries out and begs to have its desires met.  By the death of Christ we have died to sin and thus sin and death no longer have dominion or control over us.  If God spiritually removed the tumour of sin that was killing us, should we entertain or coddle abnormal cells in our bloodstream?  Pride, fear, lusts, selfishness and deceit can now be identified by the Holy Spirit and rejected by us whenever they show themselves.  We no longer are under a yoke of bondage to sin; we are not debtors to the flesh but to God Who has raised us to new life in Him.

Speaking of Christ Romans 6:10-12 says:  "For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. ¹¹ Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts."  Through His wisdom, God gives Christians the ability to identify sin we  once thought was normal as breathing and part of us--and to crucify it.  God has also provided the means of continual renewal through repentance when we do sin, for as long as we live in our corruptible bodies we can be easy prey for indwelling sin because we can be swayed, influenced, forgetful and weak.  By the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit we are given strength to know and do God's will, to put off the sinful deeds of the flesh and to walk in the Spirit.  The victory over sin for all today is in Jesus Christ, and praise God for the new life provided by Jesus our LORD.

God and Adversity

I have observed among genuine believers when experiencing troubles or difficulties, they view it as a "spiritual attack."  Problems they face serve as a reminder they are "in a spiritual battle" and focus on putting on the armour of God, claim God's promises, and even rebuke the devil for his attempts to rob them of peace and prosperity.  We can be more focused on the satanic volley of flaming arrows than the Holy Spirit who fills us, protects us and on Jesus who has defeated Satan, sin and death.  We can try to fight for victory rather than resting and rejoicing in victory Christ has already won.  Knowing we have been redeemed by God, we can also have confidence God will redeem our suffering He allows for good.

I wonder:  how many times Christians have blamed the devil for attacking them when it was God who stirred up enemies against them?  King Solomon is an example of how this is possible.  Though Solomon feared God and was given more wisdom than any man living, over time his heart departed from faith solely in God.  His many foreign wives turned his heart away from following the LORD, and he erected altars to worship idols on the hills of Jerusalem.  God's anger burned against Solomon for his rebellion, for though God appeared to him twice Solomon refused to keep the God's commands.  Because Solomon adopted the practices of God's enemies, it was God--not Satan--who stirred up adversaries against him.  If it was only Satan who stirred against us, God can and will easily protect us.  But if God becomes our adversary, how can we succeed in a fight against Him?

The Scripture reveals God was the source of Solomon's opposition.  1 Kings 11:14 says, "Now the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was a descendant of the king in Edom."  1 Kings 11:23 also reads, "And God raised up another adversary against him, Rezon the son of Eliadah, who had fled from his lord, Hadadezer king of Zobah."  While God limited the amount of damage these adversaries could do to Solomon and his kingdom, these conflicts were the fruit of Solomon's rebellion against the LORD--not Satan taking pot-shots at him because he worshipped the almighty God.  It would have been misguided for Solomon to rebuke Satan or proclaim God's promises to overcome his adversaries when God Himself raised up these adversaries to bring him to repentance.

Eli rebuked his sinning sons in the first part of 1 Samuel 2:25, "If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?"  For those who sin against God, God remains our only Saviour and deliverer.  Hebrews 10:30-31 says of God to God's people, "For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people." ³¹ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."  When we fear God, we do not need to fear or be preoccupied with thoughts that Satan is attacking us even if we suffer from many adversaries.  We also need not imagine every trial or test is God's present judgment against us to condemn us, for there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.  God will judge us and will deal with us according to His will, but He disciplines and corrects us as sons for our good and thus shows we belong to Him--which is always comforting to know.

When God stirs up adversity, the way to victory is not by fighting against it but by surrendering ourselves before God in humility, repentance and renewed faith in Jesus Christ who has overcome all adversaries.

God's Workmanship

One thing I relish is the completion of a job done well.  I have caught myself, on a number of occasions, going back to look over a project around the house that finally was finished.  I went out of my way to feast my eyes on my handiwork, drinking in the satisfaction of a completed work.  There were plenty of times I would rather not look at a finished job that was sub-standard.  "Don't look too hard," I've thought to myself or told others.  Sometimes it is better a task be finished than wait for perfection and never complete it.

I have found a similar inclination in myself when I have acquired something I considered valuable.  In preparation to propose to my future wife I bought a ring.  Occasionally I would open the box and look at the ring--as if I had forgotten what it looked like.  It was amazing to finally have the special item in my possession with a plan in mind to gift it to the woman I loved and wanted to marry.  After our marriage we had children together, and seeing our children born into the world was a delightful novelty.  We looked at one another and our children with wonder, grateful to God for making us parents.

When God created the heavens, the earth and all that is in them, God looked upon what He made and saw that it was good.  He did not bask in proud self-adulation but acknowledged everything He created was exactly as it should be.  He literally thought of everything and perfectly implemented His designs.  Man's sinful rebellion sullied God's beautiful world, yet God is a Redeemer and Saviour.  When it comes to being born again by faith in Jesus, I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 5:17:  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."  Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:10 that we are God's workmanship, and we are made new through the Gospel.  He looks upon us with delight and joy like a father does his newborn baby--because He IS our heavenly Father.  Because God makes all things new and renews us day by day, this season of newness and novelty never wears off.

Paul also wrote in Philippians 1:6 of believers:  "...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..."  Some people are able to look at a rusted-out car and see it how it will look in a restored state, and the thought compels them to tirelessly labour toward that end.  Another person sees in a dilapidated, derelict house a dream home for themselves and their family.  Because God sees our lives from an eternal perspective, He views us as who we are in Christ:  we are complete in Him.  During our lives on earth, God continues to refine His beloved children in faith, wisdom and character to be like Jesus.  It is an amazing to consider God looks upon us with delight as a father over a newborn child and the satisfaction of a master builder drinking in the sight of a job well done.  We never grow old to Him because He makes all things new.

I Am Persuaded

Times of study, reflection and discussion of God's word do not disappoint.  The LORD is faithful to speak to those who are hungry for His word and to do His will, and last night at church provided another example of such a time.  Some of the final verses we discussed have been going through mind, Paul's declaration by faith in God found in Romans 8:38-39:  "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Believers in the early church (Paul included) faced fierce persecution from Jews and Gentiles.  Paul was persuaded that despite being flogged, beaten, imprisoned, slandered, stoned and left for dead, nothing could separate him or other believers from the love of God.

A brother remarked that to be "persuaded" means that convincing was required.  Paul did not begin his Christian walk persuaded of what he later was assured of through the testimony of God's word, the revelation of Jesus Christ, and personal experience.  For a long time Paul was persuaded Jesus was not the Christ and all his followers were to be rounded up and punished to the full extent of the Law of Moses--even consenting to the death of Stephen.  When Jesus met Paul on the road to Damascus (who was called Saul at the time), his physical blindness led to spiritual insight.  For the first time he called Jesus LORD as he lay in terror before the risen KING OF KINGS, and three days later received his sight, was filled with the Holy Spirit and was baptised.  He immediately preached Christ in the synagogue in Damascus, proving from the Scriptures Jesus was indeed the Christ.

Over 20 years passed from the time Paul was born again to when he penned this letter to the church in Rome.  He had endured many trials by the Jews, Gentiles, false brethren and even a messenger of Satan that buffeted him.  He literally had been pummelled with rocks to the point his attackers believed he was dead and left his bloody, battered corpse outside Lystra, yet the LORD miraculously strengthened him to rise again and enter the city with boldness.  Webster defined "persuaded" as:  "influenced or drawn to an opinion or determination by argument, advice or reasons suggested; convinced."  Based on God's faithfulness, God's promises and his experience, there remained no doubt in Paul's mind nothing "shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our LORD."  Paul's present persuasion gave him firm confidence in the future--a persuasion we can embrace with joy.

Since the crucifixion of Jesus is a demonstration of His love for us sinners, we can rejoice to know His atoning sacrifice once for all has cleansed us from the penalty and power of sin.  In prayer last night a brother observed how it was not the nails that held Jesus Christ on the cross, but His love for us that compelled Him to submit to the Father and drink the bitter cup of death we deserve.  If we have nothing but God's love for us in this world, it is more than sufficient because God's love is infinite in power and eternal in duration.  Paul prayed for believers in Ephesians 3:16-19:  "...that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."  To know God is to begin to know love, and may we be persuaded like Paul that nothing can separate us from His love by His grace.  We can be convinced of God's love that is beyond knowledge because we are in Christ, and He is in us.

Sacrifice God Loves

The Law of Moses outlined what were acceptable offerings to the LORD and how to properly present them.  The tithes and offerings of the people were a means of God providing for the priests and Levites in addition to providing the blessing of atonement and acceptance from God.   Leviticus 3:14-16 reads, "Then he shall offer from it his offering, as an offering made by fire to the LORD. The fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, ¹⁵ the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove; ¹⁶ and the priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma; all the fat is the LORD'S."  Select portions of offerings were eaten by the priest or people who offered the sacrifice, and God claimed the fat of the offering as His portion.

We cook food to eat because we are hungry, and we can give food or money to those who lack.  Yet God lacks nothing and does not need to eat to survive.  As important as it was to bring acceptable offerings sacrificed by a sanctified priest under Law, the heart of the giver was observed by God.  Everything was already the LORD's, but God delighted more in the obedience and humility of His people who gave willingly unto Him than in the sacrifice itself.    David understood this, for he wrote in Psalm 51:16-17:  "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."  No amount of sacrifices could undo the sins committed against God, nor could atonement be obtained by offerings that amounted to bribes by an envious, greedy and begrudging giver.

It did not matter to God if the offering supplied was an ox, goat or sheep without blemish--though the value of animals varied greatly--for God looked at the motivation and attitude of the giver.  Some gave reluctantly out of duty, but others gave willingly and gladly because God had richly blessed them.  God treasured the cheerful giver far more than the sacrifice itself, for Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:7:  "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver."  God's acceptance and delight in joyful givers is all of grace, not because they earned His favour through costly sacrifice.  This was always the case, even under the Law of Moses.  The command to give sacrifices of flocks and herds was an opportunity to express gratitude, thanksgiving and to please God through cheerful giving.

The faith, prayers, obedience, generosity and joyful giving of those who fear God warm His heart with love toward us.  In giving unto the LORD His due and humbling our hearts before Him in obedience, we adopt a posture that enables us to receive His blessing He purposes to provide.  In Malachi 2 God promised to pour out blessing upon glad givers there would not be room to receive.  Their gifts were measurable, but His blessings are beyond measure:  He would rebuke the devourer, make their vines fruitful, and all nations would call them blessed.  It is true what is written in Psalm 33:12:  "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance."  God's holy nation Jesus Christ has redeemed from every tribe and tongue are to be marked by humility, their love for Him and one another, and by cheerful giving freely by his grace.  All these sacrifices are a sweet savour before the LORD through the people in whom He is well-pleased.

Seeing Yourself in Christ

We have been studying through the book of Romans at church, and it has been wonderful to have a better grasp of what Jesus Christ has accomplished for believers.  Knowing the spiritual reality of receiving the Gospel, our minds are renewed to live for God with more clarity and focus.  A married person does not need to wear a wedding ring to remain married, but wearing the ring can be an intentional acknowledgment of marital status everyone can see.  When our minds are renewed by what Jesus has done and our privileged position in Him, it impacts the way we see Him and desire to serve Him.  He has not saved or blessed us anonymously, and the indwelling Holy Spirit guides us to live to please and glorify our Saviour in particular.  My relationship with my wife is special because we uniquely belong to one another, and through the Gospel we have a marvellous relationship with God because He loves us, saves us and lives in us--and we in Him.

The Bible opens our eyes to see what Jesus has done and is doing for us, and it also reveals the truth about ourselves.  In McGee's commentary, he shared several quotes from Dr. Newell that illustrate the practical, personal changes of perspective the Gospel brings:

"'To hope to do better is to fail to see yourself in Christ only.'  You say, 'I hope to do better.'  You know you're not.  You need to see yourself in Christ today and realise that only the Spirit of God moving through you can accomplish this.  And then Newell says again, 'To be disappointed with yourself means you believed in yourself.'  Somebody says, 'Oh, I'm so disappointed in myself.'  Well, you had better be disappointed in yourself.  You know no good thing is going to come out of the flesh, friend.  Stop believing in yourself, and believe that the Spirit of God today can enable you through the new nature to live for God.  Also Newell says, 'To be discouraged is unbelief.'  My friend, that means you don't believe God.  God has a purpose and a plan, a blessing for you.  And you need to lay hold of it.  Here is another statement: 'To be proud is to be blind.'  We have no standing before God in ourselves.  Oh, my friend, see yourself as God sees you.  Here is the final gem:  'The lack of divine blessing comes from unbelief, not a failure of devotion.'...My friend, the lack of divine blessing comes because we do not believe God  it is not because of a lack of devotion.  Oh, to believe God today!" (McGee J Vernon. Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, Volume 4. Thomas Nelson, Inc, 1981. pages 698-699)

Why should a believer in Jesus Christ be beating themselves up with self-condemnation when there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ?  So you have failed!  The Bible tells us all have sinned, and that includes me and you.  Our call as failures and sinners is to humble ourselves, repent of our sin, and do what pleases God.  Feelings of disappointment and discouragement are indications our expectations have not been met, our will has not been done, that we have put our trust in ourselves or something that is not God.  As long as we rely upon ourselves and hold our belief we are able to do what only God can do, the cycle of disappointment will be perpetual.  Believing our old man has died with Christ and we have been raised to new life in Jesus Who lives forever, the shield of faith extinguishes the fiery darts Satan or people throw at us.  When we see ourselves in Christ because it is Gospel truth, through God's eyes it changes the way we see everything.

Trusting the Life of Christ

Christians are saved eternally by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and we are also called to walk by faith in Jesus today.  Since we are willing to trust Jesus forever, it follows we ought to seek, trust and obey Him today.  The work God has begun in us He is faithful to complete, and we can take God at His word regarding our lives and other believers as well as it is written in Philippians 1:6:  "...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..."  Though Jesus has not yet returned in glory, His glorious life is in us and lives through us today.

In the book Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness, Cook and Baldwin make a good point of our need to trust the power of the Gospel as well as the life of Jesus in other Christians.  From the perspective of one in church leadership, Cook wrote:  "Besides lacking faith in the gospel, there is among us a tragic distrust of the life of Christ in other believers.  We are scared to death they are going to goof things up, whether through incompetence or moral or spiritual failure.  So we don't release them to minister." (Cook, Jerry, and Stanley C. Baldwin. Love, Acceptance & Forgiveness. GL Regal Books, 1984. page 70)  Later in the same chapter, the authors went into greater detail about trusting the life of Jesus in others:

"Besides a basic mistrust of people's competence, I think I also see among many Christians a tragic mistrust of the life of Christ in His people so far as their moral and spiritual commitment is involved.  Some seem to think we must put all kinds of hedges around Christians to keep them on the "straight and narrow."

I don't understand that.  My people don't want to sin.  They love Jesus and they are trying to follow Him, just as I love Him and try to follow Him.  My people don't need a warden to guard them; they need a shepherd to guide them.  And when they do sin, they need love, acceptance and forgiveness, not suspicion and rejection...

The life of Christ is incredibly tenacious in a believer, and we need to trust it more. I'm sure someone could tell stories on the other side--how believers were drawn away by evil surroundings.  That's where the fellowship of the believers comes in.  That's what the collective gathering of the Body is for--to restore and strengthen one another.  But that restoration and strengthening is so that we can then go back out as lights into the world, not so that we can stay insulated and isolated." (Ibid, pages 72-73)

Reading this passage reminded me we are saved by faith and to live by faith--and this means trusting God is doing a good work in the lives of other people in the church right now.  It is entirely possible to be saved by faith and then lean on my own understanding, to follow my own thoughts or rely on what I see rather than seeking God and yielding to Him in trust and obedience.  Cook pointed out the error of insulation and isolation within church ministry or a church building.  While this can happen, the more common occurrence is insulation and isolation from meeting with other believers as the church, the Body of Christ, and when they fall there is no one around to help them back up.  Online teaching keeps a person spiritually fed, but a lack of Christian fellowship leads to spiritual weakness, dullness and drifting coupled with self-confidence.

When we gather together as Christians, it is a wonderful opportunity God has provided to seek and worship Him together, to examine our hearts, to love and listen to others.  There is opportunity to learn, grow, exhort, rebuke, correct and stand corrected, and all this is edifying for us.  Just being in the same room or speaking in a conversation with other Christians does not mean we have experienced fellowship, for this happens when both or all parties before the LORD are willing to humbly receive from one another and to share with one another from the heart.  This requires humility by the Holy Spirit, transparency about personal difficulties, willingness to share what the LORD is teaching us, and to love one another.  Praise the LORD because Jesus is alive and at work in each one of us, He empowers us to do His will to love others as He loves us.

Gift of Abundant Grace

After God gave His people the design of the tabernacle, the wise-hearted among them gave of their goods to provide the materials to build it.  I was intrigued by a verse that revealed the source of the brass for the laver crafted by Bezaleel in Exodus 38:8:  "He made the laver of bronze and its base of bronze, from the bronze mirrors of the serving women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting."  Peering through the door of the tabernacle, immediately one saw the altar for sacrifices that likely obscured the view of the laver--the vessel for priests to ceremonially wash their hands and feet--because it was located between the altar and door to the holy place.

It is ironic the women gave brass mirrors they used to see themselves with to construct a laver they could not touch or see.  They were not permitted to enter the inner court of the tabernacle, yet their generous gifts made the work of the ministry possible.  Every time the priests used the laver to wash, these women literally helped facilitate obedience and sanctification before the LORD by their gift.  It was to their benefit this ministry was accomplished, and it seems they understood the value of the laver and worship of God because they parted with something personally prized and precious.  It is not vain to observe your reflection, to wear makeup, style hair and attend to personal hygiene, but many women who served were willing to forgo this luxury (and some might say essential) to give unto the LORD as He had given freely to them.

The women who were no longer able to view their faces in brass gave them to the God Who saw them and loved what He saw:  people who joyfully and willingly gave in service unto Him.  Brass mirrors were of no use to clean their faces of smudges of dirt, yet when melted down together it made one laver that was filled with clean water needed by priests to minister unto the LORD and bless the people.  Mirrors of brass needed to be buffed and polished to provide an adequate reflection, and it was God who made a way for sanctified priests to offer sacrifices to cover and cleanse the sins of the people.  Water from the laver made this essential task possible, and it must have been a thrill for the women to see their combined gifts serve a necessary and wonderous purpose that benefitted everyone.

This passage hits me personally because I have been the recipient of generous giving by people near and far who have provided financially for me and my family to serve as a pastor, immigrate to Australia and preach the word of God.  Many who have gladly given have never been to Australia:  they were like the women who gave their prized mirrors without even seeing the finished product.  Those who give so another can go will receive rewards from the LORD even as those who go, and God loves such givers.  Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:7-8:  "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work."  What can we give that compares with all the grace God causes to abound towards us today that always has all sufficiency in all things?  Praise the LORD for the gift of His grace He makes abundant toward us.

Trivia Isn't Trivial

I have always enjoyed Bible trivia as a test of knowledge, yet it is good to take the next steps to grow in personal understanding and application.  Trivia or rote recitation is of little practical value when information is stored in our heads and stops short of our hearts.  Looking at pictures of food or reading about nutritional content does nothing to sustain our bodies with energy for strength and growth.  In a similar way, the word of God benefits us spiritually and practically when we receive it by faith and live according to God's revelation.  When we come to God hungry and open our mouths wide in faith, He is faithful to fill us.

For instance, Hebrews 9:4 tells us what items were placed in the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies:  a gold pot of manna, Aaron's staff that budded, and the 10 Commandments written by the finger of God on two tablets of stone.  All these items were significant in the history of Israel and also provide insight concerning the child of God today.  God told Moses to gather an omer of manna to be kept for their generations in memory of God's provision of bread in the desert (Ex. 16:33).  Aaron's staff that miraculously budded and produced almonds overnight was to be kept as a token to stop rebellion and silence murmurings before the LORD (Num. 17:10).  It showed without a doubt God had chosen Moses to lead the people and Aaron to be high priest.  Finally, the 10 Commandments were kept in the Ark, for above the mercy seat the LORD would commune with His people and give His commands (Ex. 25:21-22).

With the establishment of the new covenant by the shed blood of Jesus, God made a new and living way for everyone to have a relationship with Him.  When Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the temple that separated the Holy of Holies from the holy place tore from top to bottom, signifying the access sinners have into the presence of God by the atonement Jesus provided.  The articles contained in the Ark of the Covenant foreshadowed Jesus, Who He is and what He would accomplish.  He identified Himself as the Bread of Life, for all who eat of Him (receive Him by faith) will live forever (John 6:47-51).  We do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.  We were spiritually dead and fruitless like a dead branch, yet Jesus has raised us to new life and makes us fruitful for His glory by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus is the Vine are we are the branches He causes to bear fruit (John 15:5).  God would make a new covenant and write His laws on our hearts (Jer. 31:33), and by the Gospel we are no longer under Law but grace.  Rather than looking to the 10 Commandments to govern Christian living, we now look to our living Saviour and LORD Jesus.

The wisdom, plans and purposes of God are awesome beyond reckoning!  Not everyone who watches movies will notice or appreciate foreshadowing, but those who are wise to it gain insight into the intent of the director.  In a similar way, knowing God put those items in the Ark to point to Jesus and our relationship with Him, our faith in strengthened in our Saviour.  Jesus is faithful to provide for our physical and spiritual needs daily and guides us with His word (manna).  We can know He has chosen and called us to be His adopted children, and He will miraculously cause us to bear fruit for His glory (staff).  He also has given us new hearts, having regenerated us within by the power of the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth and empowers us to do God's will (tablets of stone).  He has taken away our heart of stone and given us a heart of flesh that lives as He does, for Jesus now lives His life through us.  Encouraging, isn't it?

More Glorious Than Gold

Yesterday while at the baggage carousel, I saw a fellow traveller who wore an assortment of chains from which dangled charms and crystals.  She even had a silver charm glued to her forehead!  I observed her begin at the lowest crystal and align them with her fingers in ascending order towards her chin.  In some spiritual circles, it is believed wearing crystals promote healing and provide protection from negative energy.  My observation is many people put their trust in crystals, amulets and charms that only the almighty God is worthy and able to receive.  Since God is powerful and mighty to protect, save and heal, all who fear God and trust Him can rest assured He will shepherd us without fail now and forever.

When David expressed willingness to fight Goliath, king Saul insisted David wear the king's armour--even though it did not fit him at all.  It was God who preserved David and gave him skill to fight, and thus David faced the giant armed with a sling and stone with no armour at all.  Filled with the Holy Spirit, David was bold to face the champion of the Philistines and prevailed like he had against lion and bear.  He wrote in Psalm 20:7-8, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. ⁸ They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright."  It was not the harnessing of metaphysical properties of stones created by God or armour fashioned by man but a relationship with the living God that caused no weapon fashioned against David to prosper (Is. 54:17).

As born again children of God by faith in Jesus Christ, our confidence is not to be placed in charms or crystals because the Strength of Israel indwells each of His people.  2 Corinthians 4:6-7 says, "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us."  Because the knowledge of the glory of God has illuminated our hearts and minds by the power of the Holy Spirit, we need not fear or be dismayed in times of trouble.  The Light of the World Jesus guides our steps in real time by His grace, and He also supplies energy and strength that benefits us, even as plants and solar powered devices utilise the rays of the sun.

The Scripture teaches Christians are now the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, and this divine presence is to powerfully influence us inside and out.  All other spiritual powers and authorities in heaven and earth--seen and unseen--all bow trembling in complete subjection to God.  The design of the Ark of the Covenant provides a wonderful illustration of how God's presence within us ought to be consistent inside and out.  Exodus 37:2 says of the Ark constructed by Bezaleel, "He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a molding of gold all around it."  The wooden box was not just to be overlaid with pure gold where it could be seen by people but on the inside that was always hidden.  We are not to be as Pharisees who projected an clean image when they were polluted within but to have integrity inside and out by the power of the Holy Spirit who indwells, guides and strengthens us.  Builders are not as careful with concealed work as finish work that everyone can see, but Jesus spared no expense to fill us with knowledge of His glory within.

We are compared in our flesh to earthen vessels God has imbued with the glorious treasure of His presence.  God's intended result of this spiritual inner strength is expressed outwardly as it is written in 2 Corinthians 4:8-11:  "We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--¹⁰ always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."  Thus God's glory that He has given us on the inside is intended to be seen on the outside as we trust the LORD because His design for us to to manifest the life of Jesus to others through us.  How glorious, that God's strength revealed in our weakness!  How much more glorious is our God than gold!