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!

Leadership and Authority

I have been starting to read through J. Oswald Sander's book, Spiritual Leadership.  He observed, "The overriding need of the church, if it is to discharge its obligation to the rising generation, is for a leadership that is authoritative, spiritual, and sacrificial."  (Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership. Moody Press, 1989. pg. 25) The only way this need for spiritual leadership is met is when a person submits to Jesus Christ as LORD and is filled with the Holy Spirit.  The way leadership looks and works in the world is completely different than the leadership Jesus Christ modelled.  The great need of the church is to seek, obey and depend on Jesus Christ, and individuals who embrace this call will be equipped to lead regardless of their role in the church.

One observation hearers made of Jesus was how He taught with authority--not like the scribes who quoted their rabbis.  When officers tasked with arresting Jesus refused to do so, John 7:46 gives their reason:  "The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!"  Jesus was not a pompous orator whose authority was in proportion to the volume of His voice, for He did not speak on His own authority.  Jesus said in John 12:48-50:  "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. ⁴⁹ For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. ⁵⁰ And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."  Jesus did not speak with authority as a Jew, a preacher, rabbi, as a man knowledgeable of the Law and prophets, but as the Son of God who obeyed His Father in heaven.  There would be no church without Jesus.

As followers of Jesus Christ, godly leaders ought to follow His example and not speak on our own authority but speak as He guides us by the Holy Spirit.  Rather than vain attempts to inspire confidence in ourselves, we ought to aim to lead people to greater confidence and reliance upon Christ.   Jesus told His disciples in John 16:12-14:  "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you."  The worldly concept of authority is one who is in charge, makes decisions and is the boss, but the biblical framework for leaders to follow is to always humble ourselves under God's authority inside and out, serving others like Jesus did.  There is no need to threaten, boast, tout or promote ourselves with any authority we have received, for godly leaders are those who continue to grow in humility and submission under God's authority.  We are to be proactive in seeking the LORD due to our constant need for Him, and passivity in this regard leads to spiritual pride that is all for show.

I confess that at an earlier stage when seeking Jesus in earnest, I desired the opportunity to prove to people I was the "real deal," to gain some credibility or even notoriety as a leader.  The LORD knows what a rough work in progress I was and continue to be!  I have learned that desire was terribly misguided, for I am called to lead people to know Jesus as the "real deal."  Like John the Baptist realised Jesus must increase, it is good for all believers to realise we have been born again to follow Jesus, to listen to and obey Jesus, and to lead others to place their faith in Jesus.  Matthew 28:18-20 says, "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen."  Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth, and His disciples who submit to His authority can speak with His authority.  By His grace we can speak the words of everlasting life and be led by Him to experience abundant life through the Gospel.

God Is More Than Man

"God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?"

Numbers 23:19

As Good Friday and Easter draws near, I remain in awe of the incarnation.  It is an amazing, miraculous demonstration of love Jesus would die on the cross to redeem sinners from death, yet it is remarkable God humbled Himself to put on human flesh at all.  Unless God was willing to become a man, He could not have died and provided atonement for us on the cross.  While God became the man Jesus Christ, God is not a man.  That's one reason the incarnation is so marvellous.

To humans with a natural mind, it is not humbling in itself to be a human being.  We can discern the difference between an honourable, respectable person and one who is treated with contempt, but we cannot know what it is like to be something other than human.  The God who created the world and all that is in it, every living plant, creature and all human beings in His own image, is completely separate and distinct from us.  He is not the "man in the sky:"  He is the almighty and eternal God, a spirit Being of infinite wisdom, knowledge and power who dwells outside the universe and apart from time.  God is not a man, and thus He does not have our limitations, weaknesses, short-sightedness, and folly--like saying something we have no intention or ability to do.  We can make the error of reducing God to our image and strip Him of His glory by our idolatry.

God chastised His people who assumed He was like them in Psalm 50:21-23:  "These things you have done, and I kept silent; you thought that I was altogether like you; but I will rebuke you, and set them in order before your eyes. ²² "Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver: ²³ whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God."  While the Bible attributes human characteristics to God as a frame of reference--like God figuratively having an outstretched arm.  In theology, this is called an anthropomorphism.  There is also zoomorphism, attributing characteristics of animals to God, like where God is described as sheltering people under His wings.  God does not have wings, nor does He have arms.  When God came in the person of Jesus Christ, however, God had physical hands and feet.  Jesus used these hands and feet to do good as He lived, and these were all pierced when He died on Calvary for lost sinners.

We may assume God is altogether like us, but He is actually nothing like us:  He is righteous, glorious and good.  While we may not keep our word and forget what we said, when God spoke He brought the heavens, earth and all creatures into being.  The apostle John said concerning Jesus Christ, the Word who became flesh in John 1:1-3:  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made."  As people observed and interacted with Jesus, they realised no one spoke like Him; Jesus did miraculous things no one else had ever or could ever do continually.  No one had humbled themselves like Jesus did as it says in Philippians 2:8:  "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."  Jesus took on the appearance of a man but He was and remains more than a man, raised from death to eternal glory.

Worship the LORD, you His saints!  Bow before Him in reverence, and sing songs to exalt His holy name!  For our LORD is good and glorious, not a man that He should lie, one who speaks and does not fulfill His word.  At times God was silent before people who imagined He was like them, but now He speaks through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ--the Man ordained by God to judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31).  Having been redeemed by His blood and forgiven of sins, how blessed we are to know and be known by our LORD Jesus.  Psalm 34:8-9 reads, "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! ⁹ Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him."  Because Jesus Christ is my shepherd, I shall not want.

Drink God's Grace

We can presumptuously imagine the work of God depends upon our best efforts.  While we ought to take responsibility before God to do His will and walk in the way that fully pleases Him, God is required for any of our service and ministry to be fruitful.  If God can redeem our lives from destruction, He can also accomplish His work through our failures.  We should guard ourselves against the error that says since God is all powerful and sovereign, He can do whatever He wants without us and seek to justify our indolence.

When the Hebrews murmured in the wilderness for lack of water, God commanded Moses and Aaron to take the rod of God and speak to the rock, and God would cause water to flow from it.  Instead, Moses and Aaron spoke harshly to the people and struck the rock.  God made water spring from the rock, and the people and all their flocks were well-watered.  Yet there was a severe consequence for the sin of Moses and Aaron:  they would not be permitted to accompany the children of Israel into Canaan.  Numbers 20:12-13 tells us, "Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." ¹³ This was the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the LORD, and He was hallowed among them."

The terrible judgment against Moses and Aaron can be a source of great encouragement for all Christians today.  God identified the sin of Moses and Aaron as unbelief that led to them not hallowing or sanctifying God in the eyes of the children of Israel.  It is possible Moses and Aaron hearkened back to the previous time water flowed from the rock in Horeb and the rock was struck (Ex. 17:6).  They also could have attributed some faith to the fact they carried Aaron's rod that budded which had been laid up in the tabernacle as a memorial of their authority from God.  Rather than crediting God as the life-giving source of their water, they spoke of this miracle as if it was their own doing:  "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?"  If the availability of pure water was dependant upon the righteousness of Moses and Aaron, the people would have died of thirst!  God gave the water freely so everyone could drink and be satisfied--Moses and Aaron included.

But a most wondrous truth is contained at the end of verse 13:  Moses and Aaron were judged for not hallowing God in the eyes of the people, yet the verse concludes plainly:  "...He was hallowed among them."  How awesome is that?  All the people drank water by God's grace even though they had flawed leadership.  Though Moses and Aaron failed to sanctify God among the people, He was sanctified among the people anyway.  This is the miracle hidden in the miracle:  water flowed from the rock despite unbelief, and God was hallowed among people who failed to hallow Him.  Let us do our part to walk uprightly as God's faithful servants, living lives above reproach, but let us never think any success has come by our uprightness:  it is all of God's grace.  Drink deep of the grace of God, for in Him all our needs will be met--even through His imperfect vessels.

Our Exceedingly Great Reward

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward."

Psalm 127:3

Rewarding means to give in return, and this occurs according to the generosity of the one offering the reward.  I have seen posters offering monetary rewards to anyone who finds a lost pet and notifies the owner.  A reward in such circumstances is compensation given to the deserving, even as wages might be given to an employee.  But there is a notable difference with God's rewards, for they are given all of God's grace to the underserving out of His goodness.  We might think on the basis of the forgoing verse that those with many children have received a greater reward from God based on their merit, yet it is by God's merit, wisdom and goodness every living soul enters this world.

While I was reading the book of Numbers, I was blessed to read the section at the end of Numbers 18.  To those under the Law of Moses, God commanded people bring a tithe of the best of their increase and dedicated things to the priests and Levites, and this was their portion.  They too were to present a tithe to God, a heave offering of all they received.  Numbers 18:30-32 says, "Therefore you shall say to them: 'When you have lifted up the best of it, then the rest shall be accounted to the Levites as the produce of the threshing floor and as the produce of the winepress. ³¹ You may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is your reward for your work in the tabernacle of meeting. ³² And you shall bear no sin because of it, when you have lifted up the best of it. But you shall not profane the holy gifts of the children of Israel, lest you die."  Giving God the first and best sanctified the remaining grain, wine and oil for consumption by the families of the Levites.  The tithe of the people resulted in food for the Levites and their families that could be eaten in every place without being a sin.  This food was their reward they could freely share with others.

The priests and Levites did not enter into the service of the LORD in the tabernacle because it provided a stable or steady career:  it was a calling by God as children of Levi.  God had said to Abraham their father in Genesis 15:1:  "After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."  When God was given His rightful due (a tenth) by the priests and Levites, He graciously gave them a reward in their service to Him. This was not because God owed them anything, for their lives, roles and service was all of His bountiful grace.  Those who were called, anointed and instructed by God were also rewarded generously so their needs were met from His own portion that became theirs.  They had done nothing worthy of receiving gifts from God's hand, but could gladly receive them as a reward from God who gives all things.

This bears a resemblance to compensation in pastoral or paid ministry, for it is a calling by God--not a career.  It is God who anoints and ordains men rather than people being appointed by men.  Our wages are not a right we ought to claim but should be seen as a gift and reward we can receive according to His grace.  Whether our rewards from God be children, food or money, these are all provided us out of God's grace and generosity.  We ought to be thankful to God and those He has prompted to give, and God loves the cheerful giver.  Praise the LORD He is our reward who gives righteousness, the opportunity for fellowship, the resources to give, and fellowship He provides daily that is greater than gold:  food from His word, comfort in His presence, wisdom for living, peace that passes understanding, and all necessities we enjoy by His grace.  As new creations in Christ, we are given the reward to live worthy of being God's reward by His grace:  for of Him, and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.  Amen!

Peace by Faith in God

Unbelief is a killer of rest and peace.  When harboured in our hearts, it prevents our healing and restoration to fellowship with God and other believers.  The writer of Hebrews explained it was due to unbelief the children of Israel would not and could not enter the land God promised to give them, and their dead carcasses in the wilderness are a warning to all who follow them in unbelief.  God was grieved by their unbelief, and they weren't pleased with the prospects of 40 years in the wilderness when they were on the cusp of entering in and receiving their inheritance (Hebrews 3:17-19).

After 10 spies gave a bad report of the land of Canaan, the people felt hopeless and wept--though God remained good, faithful and sovereign.  God would defeat the people of Canaan as surely as He delivered them from slavery in Egypt with a mighty hand, but the reports of giants put the people in fear.  Unbelief in God and His promise prevented the people from trusting Him.  The people decided their best course of action was to choose a new leader and return to Egypt where they were previously enslaved!  While they discussed stoning Moses and Aaron, the glory of God appeared in the tabernacle and God spoke.  God pronounced a judgment that all of those 20 years and older would die in the wilderness over the next 40 years, and the 10 spies who gave a bad report were struck dead by a plague.  You can read about this in Numbers 14.

One would think the people would be humbled before God after His appearance and plagues, but not so.  Early the next morning the people presumed to go into the land of Canaan to defeat the inhabitants of the land, even though God was not with them, and they were routed by their enemies.  It was not long after this debacle when Korah, Dathan and Abiram in Numbers 16 murmured against Moses and Aaron, and God executed them for their sin by causing the ground to open up and swallow them and all they possessed in the sight of Israel.  The 250 men who put incense in their censers also died when fire from the LORD consumed them for their trespass.  The following day all the people came against Moses again and accused him of killing "the people of the LORD."  God caused a plague to smite the people, and when Aaron made atonement for the sake of the people the plague ceased.

In Numbers 17 God directed Aaron and the leaders of each tribe to present a marked stick and to place them in the tabernacle overnight.  God said in Numbers 17:5, "And it shall be that the rod of the man whom I choose will blossom; thus I will rid Myself of the complaints of the children of Israel, which they make against you."  It was indeed Aaron's rod that budded and bore almonds overnight, and thus God confirmed Aaron's line of the house of Levi was God's choice to do the service of the LORD.  While God's purpose in doing this was to cause the murmuring of the people to cease so they would not die in rebellion, their complaints due to unbelief continued in Numbers 17:12-13:  "So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, "Surely we die, we perish, we all perish! ¹³ Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the LORD must die. Shall we all utterly die?"  Though they saw God's presence and He made Himself known to them, they misunderstood Him entirely.  God aimed to preserve their lives, and they accused Him of killing them for coming near the tabernacle--a falsehood steeped in self-pity and pride.

I'm not sure what is worse:  dying in battle by Canaanites in a foolish attempt to deliver oneself from living in the wilderness for years, or to live in the wilderness for years with a heart filled with unbelief in God.  How can it be that God's chosen people could imagine He was against them and unworthy of trust?  But this clearly can be the case.  God said in Isaiah 57:19-21:  "I create the fruit of the lips: peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near," says the LORD, "and I will heal him." ²⁰ But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. ²¹ "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."  The writer of Hebrews sets forth the children of Israel in the wilderness as a cautionary tale for Christians, that there is rest God has for us we can stop short of entering by unbelief.  Faith in God leads to peace with God and healing for broken hearts.  If our hearts resemble a troubled sea that kicks up filth of murmuring and complaining, there remains peace and rest for us in Jesus Christ--a rest that is only entered by faith in Him.

Maturity by Grace

The last time I read through the Bible from the beginning, I noticed something I hadn't considered before.  With the exception of the first command--for Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree in the midst of the Garden of Eden--prohibitive commands were established by God after the offence took place.  God did not plant the idea of sin in the heart and mind of mankind:  committing sin was man's own doing.

For instance, Cain was the first man guilty of murder when he struck Abel and killed him.  This was not a transgression of any law as Abel's murder occurred somewhere around 1,500 years before Noah's flood, after which God issued a prohibition and punishment for murdering people in Genesis 9:6:  "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man."  There have always been negative consequences for sin (for the soul that sins will surely die), but God graciously spelled this out so people could recognise sin and avoid doing it.  There was no prohibition for priests drinking wine while they were serving in tabernacle until Aaron's sons transgressed by offering "strange fire," burning incense when they should not have.  It was then God gave the command the priests were not to drink when they entered the Tabernacle to serve so they could tell the difference between holy and unholy (Lev. 10:8-11).

I noticed this pattern throughout the Old Testament, that it was not until man sinned that God held forth laws and statutes to guide the people to avoid wickedness they naturally drank like water.  In regard to specific sexual sins, God said in Leviticus 18:26-30:  "You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you ²⁷ (for all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled), ²⁸ lest the land vomit you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you. ²⁹ For whoever commits any of these abominations, the persons who commit them shall be cut off from among their people. ³⁰ Therefore you shall keep My ordinance, so that you do not commit any of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them: I am the LORD your God."  The reason why God forbade sinful sexual practices is because they were rife and leading people painfully to their destruction.

The fact God laid down prohibitions for sin after they were common practices is instructive for us today.  There are times we do not realise we sinned until after the fact, but God would have His people respond in repentance to His word and the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  We often learn more by failure than by our success, for by our failures we see our need for forgiveness and salvation.  Rather than being governed by laws written on tablets of stone, born-again Christians are to be guided by love--God's love demonstrated to us by Jesus when He laid down His life on Calvary, washed the disciple's feet, extended mercy, compassion, was patient and graciously restored Peter who denied Him.  Praise the LORD He holds us to higher standard than the letter of the law with the indwelling Holy Spirit so we might grow spiritually to maturity by His grace.

More Than a Lump Sum

Years ago, I had workmate who expended a lot of thought over what he would do if he ever won the lottery.  He was confused when I did not share his bizarre obsession and giddy preoccupation.  Many times he launched into a detailed explanation of the importance of receiving winnings in a lump sum and investing the money in various ways.  This guy had a serious plan for a vast sum of money (if he ever won big, of course), but I was never convinced buying the lotto religiously was the best investment plan.

In the parable Jesus told of the prodigal son, the younger of two brothers demanded his father give him his inheritance in a lump sum.  The father graciously did so, but despite the windfall the son was soon broke, destitute and homeless.  My friend imagined the lottery would simplify his life, and the prodigal son may have thought his life would be improved.  As I consider it, the idea of quick wealth in a lump sum is attractive.  Some view the Gospel this way and are glad to receive forgiveness of sins, salvation from hell and eternal life in a lump sum.  Like the prodigal left home after receiving his inheritance, some receive the Gospel and go their own way--neglecting to follow or trust Jesus Christ who died to save them.

There is also an attraction to give our lives to God in a lump sum--to go out in a blaze of glory as a martyr, a romantic notion to bravely lay down our lives for Jesus.  At the same time, we can find it hard to take up our cross daily, follow and obey Him.  James and John desired to be given the honour of sitting on each side of Jesus when He entered into His kingdom:  they requested heavenly honour in a lump sum.  Jesus asked if they were able to drink of the cup that He would drink and be baptised with His baptism.  J. Oswald Sanders writes in Spiritual Leadership, "To the Lord's probing question, they returned the glib answer "We are able"--thus betraying a tragic lack of self knowledge.  Jesus told them that they would indeed drink the cup and experience the baptism.  They must learn that for an influential ministry there would be a steep price to pay--and that it cannot be paid in a lump sum." (Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership. Moody Press, 1989. page 31)

The cost of following Jesus Christ cannot be paid in a lump sum, nor do we receive every blessing at once.  We are made new creations through the Gospel and given eternal life in a moment,  Jesus once for all paid with His shed blood to atone for the sins of the world, and in receiving Him we have all our needs met.   However, our lives are not given to us in a lump sum but are to be lived out day by day, and blessed is the one who faithfully invests in relationship and fellowship with God.  We have received this glorious salvation and acceptance into God's kingdom, we cannot wisely live our lives without constant reliance and guidance from Christ.  The one who daily seeks Jesus and serves Him will be better off than the wisest, richest king who ever lived--whose heart departed from the LORD.  For those who have already been blessed with every spiritual blessing, the best is yet to come.

Children of God

John the Baptist was quite a polarising figure in Israel.  He had a devout Jewish upbringing under the Law of Moses and was the son of a respected priest.  His lifestyle was strict and his devotion to God brought back memories of prophets of old--to the point Jews wondered if he could possibly be the Messiah!  At the same time, John spoke without respect of persons, rebuking those who came into the wilderness to be baptised by him.  His fierce upholding of God's word and his severe demeanor against wickedness gained him many followers.  Luke 3:7-9 says, "Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. ⁹ And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."  Turn or burn, one could say.

John strongly denied he was the Messiah, but he came to prepare the way for Him.  He was the voice of one crying in the wilderness and preached repentance to the people, and many souls turned to God with expectancy.  Some left all to follow him as disciples, and others hated him and did not believe him.  Many went seeking John out of curiosity, to see a local celebrity for themselves, but being baptised was not repentance.  John's words challenged and rattled people who were confident in their heritage and righteousness under the Law, that their talk or undergoing ritual baptism was cheap without a change of mind, heart and life.  He was not satisfied by the droves of people who came to see him or the number of people he and his disciples baptised:  his preaching brought the acute realisation they needed a Saviour--even though Abraham was their father.  The preaching of John worked to shatter self-righteousness and self-confidence so people would see their need for forgiveness and salvation they would discover could only be found by faith in Jesus Christ.

One thing John said that impacts me as a Gentile is the line, "For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones."  To those who could not boast in Abraham being their distant relative, those with whom God made an everlasting covenant with, this is both challenging and encouraging.  It is likely John pointed to stones that littered the ground to make his point, saying God was able to raise up children to Abraham from stones even as God miraculously caused living water to flow from the rock in the wilderness.  God is able to bring life to something that has no life.  He is able to remove a heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh that feels, is sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and is filled with love and compassion that did not exist before.  Do you believe God is able to raise up children for Abraham from stones?  What is encouraging about this is we have seen Jesus Christ fulfill this word, for Gentiles who were alienated from the kingdom of God have been born again by the power of the Gospel and accepted by grace.  As many as have received Jesus by faith, the same He has given the right to become children of God.

Take to heart this lesson from the stones that are inanimate, unfeeling, senseless, dense, hard and heavy objects.  The stones that lie on the ground and we dig up in the garden were formed long before we were born, and will likely remain unmoved long after our bodies turn to dust.  Stones seem permanent and that they can never be something they are not.  When Jesus Christ enters the scene, however, He brings hope to hopelessness and the promise of life where there was no life.  He is able to raise up children of God from stones, and those who have repented of sin and been born again by faith in Jesus are proof of His divine power and grace.  Paul explained this transformation of God's true people in Romans 2:28-29:  it is not by ethnicity but accomplished spiritually by faith in Jesus:  "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; ²⁹ but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God."  God is able to raise any person to be a true child of Abraham through faith in Christ, and we better believe it!

Be Transformed

The Gospel can do what nothing else in the world can:  it transforms us inside and out.  By faith in Jesus Christ, a sinner is saved and born again by the indwelling Holy Spirit who empowers us to do God's will.  Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  Knowing facts, philosophy or even theology cannot save a person from death and hell, but Jesus can.  To people saved by grace through faith in Jesus Paul wrote in Romans 12:2, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."  It is only through the Gospel we can pass from death to life and be transformed today and every day.

The word for "transformed" is the Greek word from which we use for "metamorphosis."  This is a change of form and structure by an amazing process that takes place inside a chrysalis where the body of the caterpillar is dissolved and a new body forms and emerges with completely different behaviour, characteristics and diet.  In its larval form a caterpillar crawls around and eats leaves, and after shedding the chrysalis a butterfly has wings, antennae, eyes, mouth and genitals.  Butterflies do not eat leaves but drink nectar, a wonder of God's handiwork and incredible design.  Each cell is "programmed" to be digested at the perfect time to make the complete transformation possible, fueling imaginal discs to form a new, far more complex creature.  This is the finger of God, for only He can bring life out of death.

A caterpillar changes to a butterfly or moth by instinct designed by God, and people are born again by a conscious choice to repent of sin and trust in Jesus as Saviour.  At the moment of conversion we are born again and given spiritual life, yet we can continue to think and live as we did previously.  Thus Paul exhorted believers to "be transformed," suggesting that as we came to Jesus by faith voluntarily, we are also to choose to live by faith marked by obedience to God, freely choosing to present ourselves as living sacrifices to God willingly.  Having been made new creations by the power of the Gospel, our lives ought to reflect that inner, spiritual change that has occurred by the renewing of our mind.  Inspired by the wisdom of God's word and fellowship with other Christians, as we feed on God's word, think about it, and make changes to put it into practice, our lives will reflect this miraculous change God does and continues through our lives.

I have heard this testimony many times, that people came to faith in Jesus Christ because their spouse or a friend totally changed for the better by finding Jesus--who was seeking to save them and calling them all along.  It is curious to people in the world when lifelong addictions are broken, pride is dissolved by humility, and raging violence in a person is quashed with genuine love by simple faith in Jesus.  People who are not readers by nature suddenly are reading the Bible, understanding it and following it.  God revealed His word sustained His people more than the manna they ate in Deuteronomy 8:3:  "So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD."  Countless hungry souls have found transformation, satisfaction and rest in Christ who is wisdom for us.

Praise the LORD for the His transforming power provided by His Gospel of grace.  Today is the day of salvation and the day for transformation as well!  Blessed is the man who seeks God and does His will, one who chooses to live like the new creation God has made us to be in Christ.

A Purposeful Reminder

We don't have to be the most intelligent human beings to tell the difference between something done on accident or on purpose.  When I was a boy, a friend of mine at school pushed down hard on a see-saw (teeter-totter or whatever those illegal schoolyard apparatuses are called nowadays) and smacked me right in the mouth.  I found myself lying on my back in a daze, blood pouring from a gash in my lip, glad I still had all my teeth.  He was mortified and very apologetic, and I thought or felt no ill towards him whatsoever:  it was an accident, and accidents happen.  There were plenty of times growing up the words and actions of others incensed me because they were mean and hurtful on purpose--even though they didn't involve stitches or result in a scar on the face.

This understanding of the difference between accidents and things done on purpose illustrates an important role reason plays in everyday life.  Because things exist that have intended purpose, by observation I am convinced life itself is filled with purpose.  Meaning and significance does not arise by accident.  What some would call coincidence or blind luck, those who believe God created the heavens and earth see His hand and wisdom at work in countless things.  I do not have the faith to say nothing created the universe, that the metamorphosis of a butterfly is a happy coincidence, or that reason and human understanding has arisen without a reason from random chemicals or cells.  Life cannot arise from non-life, otherwise I might suspect a rug or my couch could swallow me whole.

While I may be in the minority, I believe the only way anyone can experience anything good is because God is good.  Since I have a relationship with the living God who knows, sees, hears, speaks and can do everything, my eyes are at times open to His influence in my world--when I just know something was not done by accident but was on purpose.  As a child you could not have convinced me my friend intended to split my lip open, and there still remains no doubt in my mind since we talked about it later as middle-aged adults.  With childlike faith in a friend I knew truth I could not prove in a test-tube or laboratory.  

The title of this blog is "Marching Forth!" and the background is March 4th was my wife's favourite date because it was an action.  I was intentional to propose marriage to her on March 3rd so March 4th would be the first full day of our engagement.  There was a reason and purpose behind the title to this blog because it connected with the date I became acutely aware God was calling me to go to Australia after years of wondering:  yep, it was March 4th and can read about it on my post "Speaking in Symphony."  More recently God provided much needed encouragement for me in an unexpected way.  I had sent my U.S. passport in for replacement in January and I was wondering if there was a problem with my application because it was taking a long time.  Yesterday I received my passport, and guess what date it was issued?  March 4th!  It was a lovely way of God reminding of His faithfulness, His calling and His goodness.  He has continued being wonderful, awe-inspiring and glorious without fail.

To some people that would be a random coincidence or accident, but I'll take it as on purpose--a sweet reminder from the LORD He never has forgotten or forsaken me and remains faithful.  By God's grace may I remain faithful to Him, the God who creates life full of purpose and joy for those who trust Him.

Undivided Loyalty

I was impressed by the description of the men of Zebulun who came to David at Hebron because they were determined to make him king of over Israel.  1 Chronicles 12:33 in the NIV described them in this way:  "...men of Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty--50,000."  These are the sort of men a new king would want.  While their experience and preparedness for battle using every type of weapon was a plus, it was their undivided loyalty that was their greatest asset.  Divided loyalties lead to all sorts of conflict and trouble that can weaken and destroy a kingdom from within.

The NKJV puts the passage in a different light:  "...of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men who could keep ranks."  Rather than undivided loyalty, this version refers to the character of the men as "stouthearted."  The word is also translated, "undivided heart," "one or singleness of purpose," and "completely loyal."  The fact they could keep ranks shows how they all worked together to achieve one goal, for even in their marching they were ordered in where they were going as they kept in step with one another.  They were united in heart, resolve and intention, unique people who joined together in a grand venture of faith to serve and support the LORD's anointed king.

As long as Christians have an undivided loyalty to Jesus, we can unite together joyfully in service to our Saviour and KING.  God has given every believer in the church different spiritual gifts, experiences and abilities to be used for His honour and glory.  It is a shame when we assert uniformity in style, practice or perspective are requirements for unity.  The men of Zebulun had undivided loyalty coupled with preparation for battle with every type of weapon.  Among them were men skilled with swords and shield, others with bows, spears, slings--all kinds of weapons.  It was to their advantage to have masters of every discipline among them as they prepared for battle, and their singleness of purpose showed in ability to keep ranks.  The coordinated ranks of the men of Zebulun are a good example of the stouthearted unity believers can have in the church, the body of Christ.  As a body is one but has many members, we are to unite in God's work as one under Jesus our Head.

What does undivided loyalty to Jesus look like?  It is shown in our obedience to the commands of Christ, to put into practice the many "one another" commands, like loving one another as Jesus loves us.  Our loyal love to Christ is demonstrated when we confess our sins to one another, pray for one another, and forgive one another.  Galatians 6:1-2 says, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. ² Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."  It means to support one another like when Joab found himself surrounded in battle and said to Abishai in 1 Chronicles 19:12, "...If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you."  Undivided loyalty to Jesus is to give grace to all, and the early church showed this by providing for the needs of the Jewish and Hellenist widows alike.  We may not be experts in war, but we can be willing to keep ranks together with undivided loyalty to Jesus.

Sanctified to Sympathize

"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."

Hebrews 4:14-15

Long before the existence of the nebulous word empathy, "sympathize" was defined by Webster in his 1828 Dictionary as:  "To have a common feeling, as of bodily pleasure or pain; to feel in consequence of what another feels; to be affected by feelings similar to those of another, in consequence of knowing the person to be thus affected."  When Jesus put on human flesh and came to earth, our Creator personally entered into the complete human experience.  Through experience, He knew what it was to feel hungry, thirsty, sleepy and sore.  He endured without sin all the physical influences that often overpower our resolve and cheerful attitudes.  Unlike us, Jesus never became short-tempered and snapped in frustration when He felt tired, nor did He become crabby or angry when He was starving.  But He can sympathize with our weaknesses.

As Jesus continued to walk righteously and stand strong in the face of temptation to sin, we ought to hold fast our confession of faith.  Since Jesus can sympathize with us in our weakness by His grace, this is an example we are to follow in our relationships with others.  We may naturally look upon weakness with disdain, but Jesus looks upon all with compassion.  Genuine sympathy does not come as naturally for some as others, and thank God He is able to make us new creations and fill us with the Holy Spirit.  Our temptation may be to be callous or uncaring when others experience difficulties, pains and trials, but by the grace of God He supplies wisdom and strength to walk according to His will:  to love one another as He loves us.  Having been set apart by God to do His will, it is our responsibility to embrace our sanctification to intentionally follow Jesus in all aspects of life.

Since Jesus experienced human weakness yet did not sin, it follows we should seek the LORD Jesus who overcame the power of sin in the world by His death and resurrection.  He successfully navigated human frailty and fleshly tendency to sin and was righteous.  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."  For me, switching gears between thinking and feeling can be slow and clunky--and sometimes in my weakness I can go past feeling.  Our weakness and sin, evidenced by what we say, do and even feel--by things naturally out of our control--ought to lead us to desperately seek our Saviour in repentance who provides mercy and grace to help in time of need.  Because we are new creations by the power of the Gospel that raised Jesus from the dead, even an old dog can learn a new way of living by renewing our minds by the word of God.

The Haman Distortion

The Bible provides many examples we should emulate and also ones we ought to avoid.  Thus the worst characters and most repugnant personalities provide instruction we do well to observe and take to heart.  Haman, the villain of the Jews, is one such person.  He was an influential, rich and powerful man, a close friend of King Ahasuerus who ruled over the Persian and Mede empire.  One would think with the great wealth, favour and royal access Haman would have been content, but he was far from it.

After accepting an invitation to a banquet and enjoying the hospitality provided by Queen Esther for the King and Haman, he was pleased.  But on the way home there was the Jew Mordecai who did not stand or move at all as he walked by--and this lack of a show of respect filled Haman with rage.  Esther 5:10-13 says, "Nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zeresh. ¹¹ Then Haman told them of his great riches, the multitude of his children, everything in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and servants of the king. ¹² Moreover Haman said, "Besides, Queen Esther invited no one but me to come in with the king to the banquet that she prepared; and tomorrow I am again invited by her, along with the king. ¹³ Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."  Haman had much to be glad about, yet the lack of respect from one man on the street made all the good things--even the favour of the king and queen--Haman possessed as nothing.  His envy over the loss of honour stripped him of thankfulness for all his blessings.

I wonder:  can we Christians give a place in our lives to the Haman distortion?  Has not the almighty God given us better things than Haman possessed?  He had great riches, but it was not long before Haman was parted from them.  In Christ we have eternal riches, a home in the heavens with the LORD forever that no one can steal from us.  Haman bragged about his children:  how much better it is to be a child of God by faith in Jesus?  The king promoted Haman in the kingdom of the Persians and Medes, yet we have been made co-heirs of the everlasting kingdom of God with Christ by His grace!  The blessings and benefits of being a child of God infinitely exceed what Haman possessed, yet we can experience his affliction:  to allow a small slight to render our blessings as nothing.  When Jacob's faith was tested to send Benjamin to Egypt, he felt all was against him rather than finding rest and comfort in God who was for him.

It is good for us to realise when we observe the worst of people in Scripture--or see instances of people of faith in God at their worst--we are looking at a mirror of our own natural condition.  Through them, God is giving us a look into our own fleshly hearts and minds, and He helps us see pitfalls to avoid and our own tendencies to pride and unbelief.  Without the transforming power of the Holy Spirit at work in us, we would never realise our spiritual blindness and dullness.  The pride of Haman led to his discouragement and downfall, and let us avoid this snare by humility, thankfulness and gratitude before God and man.  Seeing ourselves as unworthy of God's smallest benefits fills us with joy at the grand scope of His goodness towards us continually.  Philippians 4:6-7 exhorts us, "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."

Jesus Is the Man

To the children of Israel God delivered from slavery in Egypt, Moses was the man.  He was the one chosen by God to lead them out of Egypt and through the desert to the land of promise.  By his hand God did great miracles, and Moses spoke with the LORD face to face while the rest of the people kept their distance.  Moses was the one who carried the stone tablets engraved with the finger of God down from the mountain, and he was instrumental in interceding on behalf of the people.  As Moses held aloft the rod of God the Hebrews were victorious over their enemies, and he judged the people with God's wisdom.

After the altar of God was anointed and dedicated Numbers 7:89 says, "Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus He spoke to him."  Moses was given the privilege by God's grace to hear the LORD speak from a burning bush, on Mount Sinai and in the tabernacle.  The children of Israel sinned by making a golden calf to worship as a god, and then Moses moved the tabernacle outside the camp due to their sin.  When Moses arose to go to the tabernacle to meet with God, the people stood in the doors of their tents until he went beyond their sight into the tabernacle.  They watched and worshipped in awe when the presence of God descended in the cloudy pillar at the door of the tabernacle, and He spoke with Moses.

God's presence was seen and was near His people, and at the same time God remained far off and unapproachable in glory.  An incredible, miraculous change occurred when Jesus the Son of God died on the cross to provide atonement for the sins of the world.  When Jesus breathed His last on Calvary, the veil of the Temple that separated the Holy of Holies from the holy place was torn from top to bottom.  This signified the spiritual separation man had from God due to his sin was removed by Jesus Christ for all who trust in Him.  Hebrews 10:19-22 explains, "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, ²¹ and having a High Priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."  Jesus has drawn near to us, and we are invited to draw near to Him in faith.

Under the Law of Moses only the high priest was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, and since Jesus has provided atonement once for all everyone who trusts in Him has access to the presence of God spiritually in prayer, to make requests, to be continually casting our cares upon Him.  Like Moses went into the tabernacle, Christians can boldly enter God's throne room of grace to obtain mercy and to find grace in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).  Adam walked and conversed with God in the cool of the day before the fall, and by the Gospel of Jesus we can walk and talk with Jesus all day every day even though we have fallen!  Since Jesus is risen, we can know forgiveness and new life.  Jesus is our peace, and how blessed and privileged we are to converse with the living God.  To paraphrase the words of Pilate, Jesus IS the Man--and He is also our LORD, High Priest and King.

Examining God's Love

During Bible study last night we spoke of our need as Christians to examine our love.  What is important is we realise this is not a comparison with our peers but to consider the manner and expression of our love in light of Christ's love to us.  Jesus commanded His disciples to "Love one another as I have loved you," and He demonstrated His love for sinners by dying on the cross to atone for their sins.  Jesus provided an example of loving service by washing the feet of His disciples when He had every right to demand His feet to be washed as their LORD and Master.

The apostle John, one who referred to himself as the "disciples Jesus loved," wrote in 1 John 2:10-11:  "He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. ¹¹ But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes."  The one who walks in love towards His brother will not be prone to offence, nor will he be offensive.  If we discover animosity, frustration, annoyance and anger in us towards our brother, these are indications we are not walking in love towards him.  When we are not loving the brethren as we ought, this not only negatively impacts our fellowship with one another but with God too.

Jesus made it clear His love was not reserved solely for His fellow Jews or immediate family members but to all His enemies.  Jesus practiced what He preached in Matthew 5:43-45:  "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."  Born-again disciples of Jesus do not earn the right to become children of God by loving our enemies, but loving as Jesus loves is evidence we are indeed born of God by grace through faith in Him.  We cannot love like Jesus unless we in Christ by faith.  Because we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, we are enabled by the Holy Spirit to love with the love we have received from Him.

A description of God's love that never fails is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV):  "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  How constant and consistent is the miraculous, supernatural love of God!  The love described here is a choice based on the goodness, compassion and mercy of God that can be known.  It can be recognised by what it does and does not do; God's love has boundaries yet at the same time remains infinite and is extended to all.  By considering and examining God's love to us, we are enabled and inspired to love one another.

Victory of Faith

I like how commonly and casually the Bible describes the miraculous.  The Bible begins assuming God's existence and supernatural power, but the Scripture reveals that after creation God continued to do wonderous things by His grace.  In 1 Chronicles 5:19-20, we read of the Reubenites, Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh:  "They made war with the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. ²⁰ And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him."  The children of Israel were engaged in war, and when they cried out to God He heard and helped them.  He provided strength and deliverance for them, not because they had been faithful to keep His commands or by status earned by good works, but due to their faith in Him.

As a result of God's divine intervention, the Israelites won the battle and seized livestock, camels, sheep, donkeys and many captives.  As 1 Chronicles 5:22 explains, "...many fell dead, because the war was God's. And they dwelt in their place until the captivity."  The war fought by the people was won because it was God's war.  This is a common theme in the Bible, for God fights for His people who trust in Him.  David declared the "battle is the LORD's" and thus proclaimed certain victory to Goliath's face and all those who assembled in 1 Samuel 17.  While God caused David to triumph over the giant with sling and stone, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Jahaziel to King Jehoshaphat of Judah in 2 Chronicles 20:17:  "You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you."  The following day the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab and Edom, and they ended up destroying one another as God's people sang praises of worship and joyfully advanced.

These kind of victories do not just happen; they are not convenient coincidences.  Teenage shepherds with slings do not normally triumph over giant champions who wear full armour and expertly wield sword and spear.  Since when do unarmed singers triumph over armed enemies?  These victories were not improbable:  they were impossible!  Yet in response to the prayers of faith of God's people, the battle became His and was won--and in some cases without God's people even needing to fight.  In the New Testament we do not see the children of God engaged in warfare against enemies for territory, but we are introduced to what a spiritual battle looks like and how believers are to engage.  Rather than warfare taking place in a field or in a valley between two mountains, this battle takes place in our redeemed hearts renewed minds by faith in Jesus.  Having been filled with the Holy Spirit who regenerates us, we are equipped for this battle and enabled to stand before even the accuser of our souls in victory.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6:  "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
⁵  casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ⁶ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."  The weapons of our warfare are not knives or guns, for these would be useless to accomplish what our mighty God can do in pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.  By faith in God we can bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Jesus and be ready to take corrective action upon the disobedient.  Only God is sufficient for these things and helps us overcome when we cry out to Him in faith.  We do well to remember the way the world fights battles--by force, protests, politics, compromise, propaganda, threats or fear--will never supply the arsenal required to experience genuine victory.

Our faith in Jesus Christ is the victory that overcomes the world, and there is no other Way (1 John 5:4).

Components of Spiritual Revival

It used to be traditional (and perhaps for many it still is) to wear your "Sunday best" to church for services or special occasions.  It was viewed as a special occasion and a way to honour God by washing up and wearing the best clean clothes a person owned.  I knew of churches in our area where you would be prevented entry if you did not meet the requirements of a dress code.  There are sometimes also cultural traditions and etiquette churchgoers also consider to avoid offending others or might be a distraction.

I was impressed to read of the spiritual revival that took place in the days of Nehemiah, where instead of wearing their best to appear before the LORD the people wore sackcloth and put dust on their heads.  This was actually a way they honoured God in confessing their sin with profound grief.  The people did not make general confessions of being sinners but were specific in confessing their sin and those of their fathers--for hours.  Nehemiah 9:1-3 says, "Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. ² Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. ³ And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God."

The children of Israel who fasted in Jerusalem assembled together.  Rather than wearing their Sunday best, they looked like people who were bereaved and mourning great loss.  In one sense they were mourning the loss of righteous standing before God, for by exposure to the word of God they realised how sinful they had been and the great offences they committed before the LORD.  For 3 hours they read from the Book of the Law, and for another 3 hours they confessed their sins and worshipped the LORD.  What was important was the humble, contrite condition of the heart of the people before God.  A person wearing clean, fashionable clothes can be humble before the LORD, and a person wearing rags in the midst of a 40-day fast can do so out of spiritual pride.  This open confession of sin led to genuine worship and blessing of God.  The leaders exhorted the people in the latter part of Nehemiah 9:5, "...Stand up and bless the LORD your God forever and ever! "Blessed be Your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise!"  Confession and repentance for sin led to effusive rejoicing and praise of God.

Jesus once asked His hearers if they though the 18 people upon whom the Tower of Siloam collapsed were the worst sinners in Jerusalem.  Jesus then said in Luke 13:5:  "I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."  In light of this assessment, when we observe the people who fasted, wore sackcloth, put dust on their heads, and confessed their sins for hours are not worse sinners than us:  we have all sinned.  Their problem previously and our problem presently may be we have not confessed, repented of and forsaken our sin as we ought.  There are professing Christians who do not make reading the word of God a priority, and even those who read it are not willing to submit themselves to be guided, rebuked or instructed by it.  Reading God's word, public confession of sin, and worship of God can be just going through the motions unless we humble our hearts before God and draw near to Him in faith.  May God teach us how to humble ourselves before Him so He will be exalted by us--for He is exalted and is glorious forever.

A Powerless Proverb

"Like the legs of the lame that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of fools."

Proverbs 26:7

This is a proverb that recently came to mind.  The imagery employed is of legs that are not able to fulfill their designed purpose.  The description of legs as lame and hanging limp shows they are not used or useful for walking, running, jumping or even standing.  While the person sits in a chair they look fit and able-bodied, but their appearance is an illusion.  I once knew a man who was paralysed from the waist down from a car accident in his teens and sat in a wheelchair.  Because of his healthy, fit appearance and active lifestyle, some asked him why he didn't use a cane.  They did not realise his legs were without strength, and over time because of muscle atrophy those legs became a liability.

A proverb in the mouth of fools is compared to the legs of the lame because those words of wisdom are never exercised.  A proverb or verses quoted from Scripture is powerless to guide or support the fool who spouts them.  The lame are unable to stand on their legs, and likewise a fool is unable to walk in the fear of the LORD he does not trust.  Those who speak eloquently and attempt to use the Bible to prove their points but do not know the God who inspired it, are like a paralysed person trying to walk unaided.  Their words are as powerless as those legs that hang limp, devoid of all power to do them any good.  It is hypocrisy to speak truth under the guise of possessing wisdom without belief or personal submission to it, and thus it will not profit the speaker at all.  Should this proverb come from the mouth of an accuser, God's word always supplies a wise response.

An example of this is found in the Bible when the devil tempted Jesus to sin by quoting from the Scriptures.  When Jesus had been fasting and was hungry, Satan approached Him and tempted Jesus to prove He was the Son of God by turning stones into bread.  Jesus responded by citing Deuteronomy 8:3 in Matthew 4:4:  "But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"  Satan figured two could play at that game, so in the following temptation he quoted from Psalm 91.  Matthew 4:5-7 says, "Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶ and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" ⁷ Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'"  The Scripture in the mouth of Satan was like legs of the lame that hung limp:  though he quoted from God's word, his parroting Scripture was powerless to sway Christ from the wisdom of God's word He believed and obeyed.

The Scriptural proverb observed by the wise provides strength to stand and guidance for our lives.  Jesus said those who hear and obey Him He likens to those who build a house on a rock that will endure all storms and conflict.  Since Jesus is wisdom for us, by the power of the Holy Spirit He enables us to stand in the face of verbal, spiritual, even physical assault.  Children of God by faith in Jesus are exhorted in Ephesians 6:10-11, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."  It is important we do not play the hypocrite with our words, quoting Scripture we are unwilling to put into practice ourselves.  By God's grace we are enabled to walk with Jesus, following Him as our Good Shepherd.  Even a paralysed person is able to stand with God's help as it is written in Romans 5:1-2:  "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

What Faith Is

Because God's ways are higher than ours and His thoughts not our thoughts, the natural man cannot comprehend Him.  To the human intellect, the wisdom of God can appear as foolishness (1 Cor. 1:18)!  One of the challenges Christians face is to communicate what faith in God is to those who mischaracterise it and reject Him.  The cliche that faith is, "Believing without seeing" is a misnomer, because saving faith in God is based upon drawing conclusions through various kinds of evidence:  personal observation of the world, historical and biblical accounts and eye-witness testimony.  When the data is considered together, faith is choosing to place our trust in God with intent to obey Him.  To some this will look like foolishness, to trust God no one cannot see.  But evidence for God's existence is all around us and becomes plainly evident when mixed with faith in God.

Hebrews 11:1-3 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ² For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. ³ By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."  Faith is not only exercised by people by faith in God but by all people--whether it be faith in themselves, their own intelligence, their sources of information, scholars, scientists, experts, parents or friends.  God has given to every person a measure of faith, and it is our choice where we will place our trust (Rom. 12:3).  A point being made in this passage is no one has ever seen a universe, galaxy, solar system or planet generator.  There is no mechanical means or power observed by man where we can say, "That's where the earth came from."  Because we have never seen a universe generator, people have long considered how our planet came into being.

As mankind has delved into the things that exist to observed and study them, much has been discovered:  the order in the universe, the abundance and diversity of living creatures on earth, that our solar system runs better than any clockwork we have devised on the grandest scale, the governance of natural laws, the existence of elements, the information packed into every living cell, and the vastness of the universe.  One could go on and on.  Some people observe the evidence and believe Darwinian evolution is the key to the origin of the species and also apply it to the cosmos.  Others, like the writer of Hebrews, see the same world and affirm life can only come from life.  They reason like every house has a builder, all of creation must have had a Creator.  The Bible reveals the God of Israel spoke the world into existence, and based on the data and evidence He is the most reasonable explanation for all there now is.  Mankind who never saw the invisible God observed the world, and deduced there must be a first cause Who is greater than all there is.

Psalm 19:1-3 reads, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. ² Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. ³ There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard."  Some have peered into the heavens and praised the sun or moon for their beauty, while others see the same heavenly bodies and praise God for His wondrous handiwork.  I cannot believe the sun should be 400 times farther from the earth and be 400 times greater than the moon, providing the ability for a perfect solar eclipse to be viewable from earth.  It is easier for me to believe the sun, moon and the earth's relation to them was designed than to believe this was accidental and formed over time by nothing for no reason.  Placing our faith in God according to the knowledge we possess is a conscious, personal decision.  Hebrews 11:6 goes on to say, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."  Believing God exists is the first step to understanding His goodness towards us.  Knowing He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, our faith continues to grow as we do so.

Rather than placing faith opposite to intelligence or actions, real faith in God is demonstrated by our actions--the way we choose to live.  James said faith without works is dead, and thus a man's faith is demonstrated by what he does.  A skydiver demonstrates faith in their equipment as well as themselves to safely navigate to the ground from great altitudes that would usually result in death.  The writer of Hebrews listed many people who chose to take particular actions because they placed their faith in God.  After Abraham placed his son Isaac on an altar in obedience to God, James 2:22 states:  "Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?  Therefore faith is not a feeling or a belief in the mind, but trust that takes action accordingly.  Based on his knowledge of Who God is and all He promised Abraham, he accounted God was able to raise Isaac from the dead and thus went through with his intention to sacrifice his only son.  That is real faith according to knowledge of God, and may it be demonstrated in all God's people He calls friends by His grace.