What Will You Do?

Recently I considered how we often wonder in trying circumstances, "What should I do?"  Often we can be focused on what actions we ought to take to relieve our difficult situation.  People who fear God also think about what God holds us responsible to do or what other Christians or friends counsel us to do.  With so many voices and our potentially self-seeking motives, we can experience analysis paralysis and fail to do what we should.

I have come to find out by reading the Psalms and other portions of God's word (the Bible) that what we will do is more important that what we should do--for this wise counsel applies to every situation of life.  For instance, knowing we should wash the car because we cannot see out of the windows is not as important as washing the car.  The Bible is packed with revelations and affirmations of God's will for our lives that is as relevant for household chores, business decisions and personal relationships--really everything.

When David was on the run from king Saul who sought his life, there were many decisions he needed to make concerning himself, his family and men.  What David said "I will" to is revealed to be God's will for us in every season of life, and when we do this we do well.  Psalm 18:1-3 says, "I will love You, O LORD, my strength. ² The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. ³ I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies."  While loving God did nothing to stop king Saul murderous rampage or save David's life, that is what David decided he would do by faith in God who is worthy to be trusted and praised.

David did not say, "I should love the LORD" because that suggests he had stopped short of demonstrating love to God.  David said, "I will love You, O LORD" and "in God I will trust" because God was his rock, fortress, deliverer, strength, shield, salvation and stronghold.  He said, "I will call upon the LORD."  David did not say "I will try" to do these things, but by faith in God to do and continue doing these things regardless of the circumstances of his life.  Instead of being stricken with the self-inflicted guilt and regret of "should do," Christians can have the "I will" outlook and God-honouring lifestyle of following God's will every day.

When Enough is Enough

The infamous tragedy of the Levite and his concubine recorded in Judges 19 was a wake-up call that united the nation to stamp out the abominable conduct of Benjamites in Gibeah.  The gang-rape and murder of the concubine by men of Gibeah was savage, and when the Levite posted her corpse in pieces throughout the tribes the whole nation took notice and united to take decisive action.  Such a shocking thing had not been done or even heard of before, and when the Levite sent notices with decomposing body parts of his concubine to all the tribes it illustrated the sinful rot in the nation that literally was slaughtering their citizens.

I do not believe the Benjamites or those in Gibeah were worse than any other tribe in Israel, for many times the book of Judges explains how in those days every man did what was right in his own eyes.  Because mankind is naturally sinful, what happened during that fateful night in Gibeah was just a small sample of how wickedness had corrupted the nation.  God used the incident to galvanise and unite Israel to stamp out the guilty and take a look in the mirror.  It was easy for the other tribes to find fault in the Benjamites and condemn them for their conduct, but it would take a miracle to erode the tribalism and self-righteousness that ignored the faults of their own people within the borders of their inheritance.

In the parable Jesus told of the prodigal son, the young man was corrupted by pride, selfishness and ingratitude long before he demanded his inheritance from his father and wasted it all on profligate living.  While the prodigal was boozing and carousing he was incapable of seeing his own wretchedness.  It was not until he found himself feeding pigs and coveting their slop he realised how far he had wandered from the favour of his father's house enjoyed even by servants.  It was in that moment he came to himself and decided to take action to rectify the ruin he welcomed into his life by his foolish choices.  The killing of the concubine brought the nation of Israel to a crossroads where they finally decided to take action against those who did wickedly--even at great personal cost.

The historical account of Judges 19 and the parable of the prodigal Jesus both describe occasions when people said, "Enough is enough."  It was not sufficient to grieve, become angry or speak strongly against evil but practical action needed to be taken:  the nation mustered to fight against Gibeah, and the prodigal son left the pigs and went home to humbly beg for a servant's position because he had been an unworthy son.  In both these cases God used circumstances to prompt his people to be confronted with their own sinfulness and need for repentance.  These passages show how subtlety we can slide into sin and often it requires extreme and shocking circumstances for us to be moved to challenge and overthrow the sinful status quo we have long accepted as part of life.

Praise the LORD He delights to restore the repentant soul, and His ears are open to our cries.  As it is written in Psalm 34:15-19:  "The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. ¹⁶ The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. ¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. ¹⁸ The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. ¹⁹ Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all."  With our great God the hopeless have an everlasting expectation of good that cannot be cut off.

All Our Ways

One thing I appreciate about the Bible is how true to life it is in the depiction of human character.  While every person has a unique genetic makeup and personality, there is much we naturally share in common because we are of the same kind.  There are aspects of humanity that are as predictable as the force of gravity on earth, like being focused on ourselves.  We want to do what we think is best for ourselves and benefits us the most.  "Looking out for number 1" is a maxim most people live by without ever being taught or taking a course.

This self-focused perspective was demonstrated by the men of Dan when they travelled to the house of Micah and spoke with the priest he made for himself--in the hope the LORD would do him good.  Judges 18:5 says in the KJV, "And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous."  The men did not ask counsel of God for guidance but wanted assurance their way would be prosperous.  They were not interested in being told what to do by the priest or even by God.  They were going their own way with the aim to benefit and enrich themselves, and they were pleased to have God's guarantee or stamp of approval.  Without hesitation the imposter priest told them to go in peace, for it pleased him to please men.  Working for Micah was how the priest sought to benefit himself in a self-serving household and world.

It is important to realise that after being born again by faith in Jesus we can retain this humanistic, selfish approach to life.  Instead of seeking to please the LORD, to seek to know Him and His ways that are not our ways, we may assume God is obligated to bring blessing and prosperity on our ways.  We imagine we know what success and prosperity looks like for us, and we are pleased to use God's help (if needed!) to achieve our goals.  We can desire and seek after prosperity or assurance of success when we have not sought the LORD God as our Master we are called to serve and obey.  In stark contrast to human nature, Proverbs 3:5-6 explains God's plan for our lives:  "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."  Faith in God leads in obedience and submission to God in all our ways.

Because God has given man understanding, knowledge and capacity to make judgments, we naturally tend to rely upon our own ways and thoughts.  Our flesh is pleased in a world where we live as God, a life where God bows to our desires and serves us, where we make choices autonomously and have no need to change for anyone or anything--whilst enjoying success and prosperity at every turn.  God's word reveals this personal utopia to be a foolish fantasy and hellscape in Proverbs 14:12:  "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."  Proverbs 12:15 also says, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise."  Let us not be as the men of Dan, imagining God approved of their ways and would bring success without seeking God to be guided by faith in God and His wise ways.  May we trust in the LORD with our hearts and in all our ways acknowledge Him by heeding His divine guidance to walk in His ways.

Man's Precious Possession

"The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, but diligence is man's precious possession."

Proverbs 12:27

What incredible, divine insight this verse provides!  I imagine if most people were given three chances to name a precious possession of mankind, diligence would not even be a consideration.  Health, wealth, security, love, friends, peace and prosperity would likely be chosen over plodding, dull and monotonous diligence.  God created mankind in His own image, that we would have a mind not only to start tasks but to see them to completion.

The verse begins by saying, "The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting."  We must understand the "lazy man" identified here would likely be seen by others as a go-getter and a dedicated worker.  In Solomon's day (and to this day) people hunted primarily to obtain food for themselves and their family.  Hunting required waking early and sometimes travelling great distances to scout and track prey.  It meant making or buying weapons, sharpening arrows and blades, developing skill to use them effectively, and physical exertion to chase and kill an animal.  After an animal was killed, it needed to be skinned and dressed before cooking.  Imagine being hungry and deciding to go hunting, to wake up and rise before dawn, endure the elements, to find and kill prey--and then stop short of roasting and eating!  Neglect to roast the meat sourced during a hunt undermined the primary purpose for hunting in the first place.

In contrast to the lazy man who does not roast what he took in hunting, the diligent man sees the task done from start to finish.  Diligence is man's precious possession, for such a one endures the hunt and concludes with food for himself and his family.  Proverbs 13:4 says, "The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich."  The difference between the lazy and the diligent is the diligent puts forth constructive effort that accomplishes much.  The diligent implements their plans and sees them through as it says in Proverbs 21:5:  "The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty."  The hasty and lazy may put forth strong effort, but because they do not have a plan brought to completion they end up lacking and losing.

Diligence is man's precious possession.  It is a good thing to consider personally:  what am I hunting for?  Do I have plans I began to implement but have left unfinished?  God has given us the precious possession of beginning beneficial tasks we can bring to completion through His wisdom, guidance and strength.  Day by day, step by step, faithfulness to labour in what is good will provide great rewards that eclipse the enjoyable satisfaction of a job well-done, for our souls and character are greatly enriched in the process by faith and obedience to our LORD.

Strength of Samson

Samson was a man who, by faith in God, stopped the mouth of a lion, waxed valiant in battle, and out of weakness was made strong.  As I observe the life of Samson in the book of Judges, the majority of the time it seems he took the supernatural strength provided by the Holy Spirit for granted.  Without uttering a prayer or making a request to God, the Holy Spirit came mightily upon him, his bonds put up the resistance of ash, and he defeated numerous Philistines.  After he was made weak as any other man, he cried out to God who remembered and strengthened him to fulfil God's purpose to wreak havoc on the Philistines who oppressed Israel.

God's plan and purposes for Samson were revealed when he sought a wife of the Philistines--much to the dismay of his God-fearing parents.  Judges 14:4 says, "But his father and mother did not know that it was of the LORD--that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel."  For 20 years Samson judged Israel and terrorised the Philistines with his great strength provided by God's grace.  The life of Samson is often criticised for his lack of morality because the Bible presents an unvarnished account of his going into a harlot in Gaza, living with a lover Delilah while unmarried and taking vengeance on the Philistines.  While sin is never justified, Samson's faith in the LORD God is commendable and ought to be emulated.

After much pestering, Samson revealed the secret of his strength to be his hair which had not been cut from his birth in obedience to the LORD.  Delilah betrayed him into the hands of the Philistines by having Samson shaved while he slept.  His hair, however, was not his true source of strength:  it was the Holy Spirit who had strengthened Samson during his life.  When his hair was cut, Samson did not realise the Holy Spirit departed from him.  It is God who is to be praised for the strength and marvelous exploits of Samson--despite his moral failings.  God ought to be glorified for using a crude implement to supply a miraculous deliverance for His people.  After his capture, Samson cried out to God for strength once more to be avenged on his enemies for His eyes, and God graciously did this to fulfil his designs for Samson's life.

Faith in God is what our LORD God requires of us, and our faith ought to be shown by obedience to Him.  We might assume it is God's will for us to walk in victory over evil in this world, yet victory springs from our faith God.  That is how Samson prevailed over the Philistines with foxes, the jawbone of a donkey, and by collapsing the temple of Dagon by muscling up on the supporting pillars:  faith in God.  We can make victory our aim when God desires we would exercise faith in Him.  Walking in victory is the result of faith, for without faith in God we are weak as the most pathetic.  In recognition of our chronic weakness, it is faith in God that makes us strong to endure and prevail--even if it is the last thing we do.

God's Love Up Close

"And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." ²² So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ²³ "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

Matthew 1:21-23

The almighty God revealed in the Bible is unique from all other gods and people in how personal He is.  He did not remain unseen and unknown in a place far away but chose to draw near to sinful man in the person of Jesus Christ.  People who fear God in both the Old and New Testament knew God was with them--even when He did not assume any physical form--by the amazing deliverances and salvation He wrought and fulfillment of His promises.  When the virgin Mary gave birth to a son in Bethlehem, God kept His word to visit His people in person and provide peace to all people.

Everyone who met with Jesus during His life on earth experienced God's divine love up close.  Jesus was not content to only become a human being who lived on earth, but He was pleased to do all the dirty work of rubbing shoulders with lost humanity in person.  He discussed matters of the Law with the experts who lacked knowledge of God in truth, and He touched people (even lepers!) when He healed them.  He took a dead girl by the hand and raised her to life!  There are rulers and celebrities today with bodyguards who will not allow themselves to be touched by anyone, but Jesus allowed Himself to be touched as well.  He immersed Himself in the lives of others to show God's love, and ultimately demonstrated it by dying for the sins of the world on Calvary.

The church is referred to in the New Testament as the body of Christ of which Jesus is the Head (1 Cor. 12:27).  Though Jesus ascended alive into heaven 40 days after His resurrection, the church is comprised of born again Christians who are filled with the Holy Spirit.  The church is more than Christ's fan club but many members united as a single organism that is divinely ordained and empowered to do God's will until He returns.  It is by fellowship with the church and connection with the lives of Christians where the love of God can still be seen today up close.  Jesus said in John 13:35, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

John 3:16 explains because God loved the world He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believes in Him will not perish but has eternal life.  While this is powerful and true, we may not always feel like God is personal or close.  Since Christians are united with other believers in the church by faith in Jesus, we have the incredible blessing to see God's love up close through our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We also have the opportunity to be a source of God's love and grace to others because of the Holy Spirit who indwells us.  How blessed we are to be known and loved by Jesus our Saviour, and may all who interact with us realise He lives because of His love up close in us.

Our Awesome God

One awesome quality of God is His sovereignty and immaculate plans only He could possibly conceive and accomplish.  While we try to do our best with our scraps of intelligence and limited ability, He brings into existence what could not be foreseen or predicted.  The birth of Samson is one of those moments in history when God was working to do what His people could not even dream was possible in an unlikely, improbable way.

During their marriage, Manoah and his wife had been unable to have children.  This suggests they desired children, did everything in their power to have a child, but as time wore on they were unsuccessful.  One day the wife of Manoah was met by an angel of the LORD who told her she would have a son who would begin to deliver the children of Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, a people who had oppressed them 40 years.  It is remarkable that Manoah and his wife were well aware of their present inability to even fall pregnant, much less deliver Israel from the Philistines!  Their own personal struggles likely overshadowed the plight of their nation God intended to deliver by their son who was not yet conceived.

Where there was only inability, emptiness and barrenness, God purposed to raise up a deliverer to save His people.  The second time the angel of the LORD appeared Manoah feared they would be struck dead because they had seen God, yet his wife wisely responded in Judges 13:23:  "But his wife said to him, "If the LORD had desired to kill us, He would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from our hands, nor would He have shown us all these things, nor would He have told us such things as these at this time."  Consider all God has spoken to us in the Bible concerning the future and how to presently order our lives in the way that pleases Him.  God has chosen to allow His redeemed people to remain on earth so His plans, purposes and salvation would be accomplished through us--despite our inability to do anything.

Regardless of our season of life on earth, God reveals enough for us to take the next step of faith in obedience to Him.  We are the overwhelmed and ignorant; we are the helpless and barren, yet God plans to work His wonders, deliverance and salvation through us.  God's answer to our prayers is not only for our sakes but to accomplish His purposes concerning our nation in the years to come.  Praise be to God who only does awesome things, who instructs and prepares us for what we never could have dreamed or foreseen that He will make reality by His grace and goodness.

The Legacy of Glory

"The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the legacy of fools."

Proverbs 3:35

There is a desire in the hearts of men to be well-thought of and long remembered, and this is seen even in lives of self-serving people who did not fear God.  Absalom the son of David could easily be numbered among such people, for 2 Samuel 18:18 tells us:  "Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King's Valley. For he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance." He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom's Monument."  The proverb spoken by the wisdom of God proved true, for Absalom's infamous insurrection that ended with his death and being cast into an unmarked grave only brought himself and his memory shame.

A legacy is what a person leaves behind for others, something that imparts a positive or negative impact that remains long after the person is gone.  As Absalom's case demonstrates, both the foolish and wise are considerate of how they will be remembered after their days on earth are brought to an end.  It is a good thing to consider:  will your legacy be one of shame?  What this passage shows us is better than leaving a rich legacy to others is to be one who inherits glory by faith in God.  The wise, whom Jesus identified as those who hear His words and obey them, are God's legacy and inheritance.  When we are born again He chooses to allow us to remain on earth for a season as a testimony of His love and power to save for the benefit of others, and He has also chosen us as His everlasting inheritance in glory.

Whilst Christians can have a bad rap for their imperfections (as if those who criticise are any better), followers of Jesus Christ have many admirable qualities due to our heavenly Father.  The love, grace and goodness of our LORD Jesus covers and cleanses us of our many transgressions and sins, and our God begins to refine us day by day to be more like Him.  How blessed we are by the legacy left behind of godly men and women who expended their lives in faithful service to the LORD day by day, an inspiration that encourages us to press on as they did through many trials, persecutions and troubles.

All have sinned, yet the wise who follow Jesus need not have a legacy of shame as the fools.  Many people have heard the Good News of the Gospel and given it no heed, and in the eternal state they will look back upon their calloused hearts and minds with shame.  People who can recite the Gospel as easily as lyrics from a popular song have not been saved or transformed by the Gospel, and it will not be God or "hypocritical" Christians but only themselves who are to blame.  Those who place their faith in Jesus can be assured of inheriting glory, but shame shall be the legacy of fools--regardless how much they accomplish, acquire or leave behind to others.  The world is enriched by Christ more than they know through His legacy of Christians who have died and those still living.  While the world may take Christ for granted, may we live for His glory today.

A Prepared Sacrifice

This morning at church the martyr Polycarp was mentioned in the sermon, a man who was blameless in the eyes of others and accepted death by wild beasts or flames rather than deny Jesus Christ the LORD.  God had been good to him for his 86 years of life:  how could he deny God?  Unlike convicted criminals who were terrified of dying and did everything in their power to evade the execution of justice, Polycarp wore martyrdom as a privileged crown.  Like Jesus before him who had done no wrong, Polycarp did not resist evil.  He did not protest or rail against the injustice he suffered that would cut his life short.  Rather than being nailed to the stake, he offered to stand against it willingly by the power of God who gave him strength..

After being led to the stake, Polycarp prayed before many witnesses:  "O Father of thy well-beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, by whom we have attained the knowledge of thee, the God of angels and powers, and of every creature, and of all just men which live before thee, I give thee thanks that thou hast vouchsafed to grant me this day, that I may have my part among the number of the martyrs in the cup of Christ, unto the resurrection of eternal life, both of body and soul, through the operation of thy Holy Spirit; among whom I shall this day be received into thy sight for an acceptable sacrifice: and as thou hast prepared and revealed the same before this time, so thou hast accomplished the same, O thou most true God, which canst not lie. Wherefore I in like case for all things praise thee, and bless thee, and glorify thee by our ever lasting Bishop, Jesus Christ, to whom be glory evermore. Amen."

Polycarp prayed to a God he knew was in complete control and had orchestrated the circumstances of his impending death even as Jesus had gone to the cross.  While the purpose of Jesus going to the cross was different--providing atonement for lost sinners and a demonstration of God's love for lost humanity--Polycarp's death for his faith in Jesus would bring glory to His LORD who died for Him.  Polycarp so loved God he praised Him for the opportunity to die for Christ's sake, really a gift in his eyes, to have prepared and provided him the means of blessing the LORD in a new way:  by fire.  Polycarp's embrace of death was not insanity, for he had been granted eternal life by faith in Jesus.

The testimony of Polycarp remains a curiosity for those who do not know God and an inspiration to all who do.  Praise the LORD He is sovereign over all and has prepared us and provided good works for us to do every day--not just to go out in a blaze for God's glory.  Ephesians 2:10 says of believers, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. "  To lay down your life for Jesus' sake in martyrdom is a good work, and to live for Him every day is a great privilege too, for He divinely enables to walk in the path Jesus guides and strengthens us.  As we present ourselves as living sacrifices to God, we are prepared for every good work until our lives on earth end.

The Orthodox Victory

This morning while reading a passage in Judges of Gideon's victory over the Midianites, Amalekites and people of the east, I was struck with how unorthodox (from a worldly perspective) their tactics were.  Rather than assembling a massive fighting force, Gideon dismissed fighters until only a meagre 300 men remained.  These men did not endure grueling training or drilling, and they did not don armour or helmets.  Instead of being armed with sword and shield, they carried a torch in their left hand and a trumpet in their right into the fray.  It was clearly the sword of the LORD that devastated their enemies, and it was a victory as comprehensive as the Egyptians being overthrown in the Red Sea or the walls of Jericho falling down.

A common Hollywood plot is when a ragtag team is thrown together and defies overwhelming odds by becoming champions.  This was the case individually of the "Karate Kid" and "Rocky" and many others, that by hard work and personal sacrifice the unknown underdog became the top dog.  Both of these characters employed unorthodox training habits, like painting a fence, waxing cars or punching sides of beef in a meat locker to hone their skills.  While the tactics Gideon and his men employed were likely never used before or since, their victory over the Midianites was totally orthodox for God's people who cried out to God, trusted and obeyed Him.  That is always the winning formula for the child of God--not to get what we want when we want it--but for God's will to be accomplished to save, deliver and provide.

God employed a process to lead Gideon into that marvelous moment when, after dividing his small fighting force into three companies, he and his men threw down their pitchers and shouted, "The sword of the LORD and the sword of Gideon!"  After God revealed Himself to Gideon while he threshed wheat in a winepress and called him to deliver Israel from the Midianites, Gideon was led to destroy his father's altar of Ba'al, confirmed God's guidance by laying a fleece before the LORD twice, culled a fighting force 32,300 strong to 300,  and ventured into the enemy camp to hear what they were saying with his servant.  God led Gideon step by step to victory to deliver the nation from their enemies, and we ought to be greatly encouraged that God does the same to this day for all who cry out to Him in faith.

Crying out to God in faith, waiting on the LORD and obeying Him is the common denominator of God's people who overcome regardless of the conflict we face, whether it be the lack of food or a job, dealing with a schoolyard bully or a wayward child, a physical illness, upheaval in society, government or a church, experiencing personal betrayal or the car breaking down.  Our failure to cry out to God and stubbornness to try to save ourselves are common problems we may not realise when we are busy trying to deliver ourselves the way others in the world do:  we follow the lead of others to pick up sword and shield to fight when God would have us take up a torch and trumpet in reliance upon God to deliver.  Faith in God and obedience to His guidance are keys to experiencing God's salvation, and Gideon's experience shows God is willing to wait decades to bring us to a place of surrender for His glory.

God Our Strength

"Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings."

Proverbs 31:3

In the book of Proverbs, Solomon and others hold forth timeless wisdom from God people do well to heed.  Kings are glorified for their wealth and power, yet as Solomon could attest excess leads even the mighty to destruction.  Promiscuity and drunkenness are ways that destroy kings--as the writer of Proverbs 31 went on to describe.  Drinking to excess leads to forgetfulness of God's Law and perversion of justice, and God will hold those who are given leadership roles in government, society, family and the church to account.

As I considered the mother's command to her son to refrain from giving his strength to women, I am reminded of the principle Jesus held forth during the Sermon on the Mount in the first part of Matthew 7:6:  "Give not which is holy to the dogs."  To the Jews in Jesus' day, dogs were considered an unclean animal.  For this reason they were often scavengers that were indiscriminate opportunists to steal and eat whatever they could.  I have known many pet dogs who were very food driven, and they would eat themselves sick if allowed.  I have witnessed dogs that greedily wolf down food without satisfaction and remain eager for more.

When I was a youth, "purity" conferences were not uncommon in Christian circles that emphasised the importance of remaining celibate until marriage and explained the pitfalls of promiscuity.  While valuing your virginity is virtuous, what is even more important is to exercise our hearts to be chaste in the fear of God.  Realising chastity and sex in marriage is holy before the LORD is much more constructive and useful than trying to avoid engaging in sexual activity.  The promiscuous do not value or treasure God's gift of sex to be enjoyed within marriage God has ordained and will greedily move on to the next offer without satisfaction.

I love how God's word does not lay down any prohibitions without also telling us what we ought to be doing.  God said in Deuteronomy 6:4-5:  "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one! ⁵ You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."  It is the love of God that guides us to obey the LORD and do what pleases Him more than warnings of future problems prevent us from disobeying Him.  Fear of contracting an STI or having an unplanned pregnancy has failed to discourage countless people from promiscuity, and physical celibacy does not ensure a heart is upright in God's sight.  Having been made holy by faith in Christ, we ought to see a monogamous sex life in marriage as holiness we ought to maintain.

Rather than wasting our strength on promiscuous or adulterous pursuits, we can know God is our strength as it is written in Psalm 46:1:  "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."  Psalm 118:14 also says, "The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation."  Praise the LORD He saves us from ourselves, that we need not be enslaved to our fleshly appetites because God is our strength.  God is a very present help who guides and strengthens us to do His will, and by finding satisfaction in Him we lack no good thing.

Working In Step

Through my participation in many three-legged races as group activities, I learned the importance of communicating with your race partner (before the race!) how to best coordinate movement.  If each person tries to run as fast as they can they will not be able to run at all.  The only way to move quickly when your leg is strapped to someone else's leg is to agree how to to work together to walk and jog in step.

While the analogy of walking in step in a three-legged race could be employed to mutual coordination for fruitful ministry in the church, it is very simplistic to the point it fails to account for the personal responsibility of each person to prepare their hearts before the LORD--not only when working together in ministry--but on their own time.  For this reason a marching band is a more accurate analogy of our need as Christians to freely embrace our personal role in the Body of Christ the church to work in step with others.  The human body has many organs, systems and moving parts all working together for the good of the entire body.  The role of the eye is different than the lungs, but they both function to support one another and promote the health of the whole person.

I have never been a member of a marching band that performs during a halftime show, yet I can begin to appreciate the level of practice, personal preparation, ability to take direction and accept correction required by all quality bands.  Each musician has their own instrument and music they must practice and master, and additionally everyone must work together as a team to learn how to march and where to go.  The choreographed performances require many hours of practice and training--perhaps as much or more than the football players who drill and practice every day.  A marked difference between a marching band and church ministry is Christianity is not a performance:  it is a life of faith and obedience to Jesus Christ lived in combination and mutual submission with other believers in the Body of Christ under the headship of Jesus Himself.

While each believer is to be guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do God's will, we are called to be in one accord with one another as we do the LORD's work.  God works in and through His people, and it is wonderful when people are content to exercise the gifts God has given them as they embrace the calling He has upon their lives to love God and one another with their whole being.  God guides us in the Bible how we are to embrace our sanctification, both personally and as a team as it says in verses like 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15:  "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. ¹⁵ See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all."

A marching band of quality brings honour to their school, and we as Christians are to bring honour to Jesus Christ by our lives whether in private or public.  We do not labour to glorify ourselves, a denomination or ministry but the LORD Jesus who is all in all.  This requires personal obedience and sacrifice; it also means as part of the corporate Body of Christ we willingly contribute as led by the Holy Spirit to fulfil our calling as Christians and our God-given roles by His grace.  Jesus Christ is our Saviour and King, and thus we live to please Him by walking in step with Him and one another as His blameless servants.  May it be when people observe our lives and ministry they realise we are part of the body of Christ that is far greater than we are as individuals, for the plans and purposes of God have been accomplished by His power and wisdom as we walk together in unity.

Knowing God's Will

When some Christians speak of "God's will," it is often resigned to a status that is mysterious, unknown and unknowable.  The tone of people desirous of knowing God's will is often similar to, "I hope so."  This gives little sense of the sure expectation Christians can have based upon God's word, the Bible.  We can know God's will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven even when things do not go according to our plan, for God is sovereign, almighty and rules over all.  We can be steadfast and immovable in this knowledge since God and the Scripture remain the same forever.

Even as God has not remained hidden but has revealed Himself to all mankind through creation, His word and by coming to earth Himself as Jesus Christ, God has also revealed His will for all people.  For instance 2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."  God's will is that all should come to repentance, and though some reject Jesus His will to save them remains unchanged.  Though almighty, God will not trample the will of mankind He created in His own image.  We need not wonder if it is God's will for someone be saved, for He desires all to come to repentance and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation.

We considered a well-known passage in the Bible where God's will for Christians is plainly stated in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:  "Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  What is awesome about this revelation--and countless others examples of God's revealed will--is God's will is not dependant on our feelings or circumstances.  I have observed people can be much more interested in knowing what "God's will is" in a particular situation rather than God's overarching will for every Christian.  I am convinced the will of God revealed for all Christians guides us in every circumstance we experience in life, and doing God's will is paramount.

Knowing the will of God and submitting to His will is practical, relevant and most fruitful in all seasons of life--to rejoice always, pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks--rather than knowing how a conflict will be resolved or when something may change.  We should not imagine God's will for us hinges on our situations, a fickle sort of wish that shifts with the tide.  Rather than seeking God's future plans we do not know and possibly may never be revealed to us by our sovereign God, we ought to put God's will we are assured of into more regular practice.  We can focus on knowing God's methods or His desired outcome when He employs circumstances to test and strengthen our faith and resolve to rest in His will by simply continuing to do it.

The Christian's Kryptonite

"So the LORD was with Judah. And they drove out the mountaineers, but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the lowland, because they had chariots of iron."

Judges 1:19

At face value, this is a most curious verse.  After affirming God was with the tribe of Judah and gave them success to drive out the inhabitants of the mountains, they were unable to drive out those in the valley who had chariots of iron.  Are chariots God's kryptonite?  Far from it.  This teaches us that even when God is with His people who trust Him, it is possible our neglect to seek Him and wait on His guidance can result in us falling short of His will for our lives.  God commanded His people to drive out the inhabitants of the land, yet we observe the Hebrews at times were reluctant, unwilling and unable to do so in the end.  The kryptonite of God's people has always been unbelief and neglect of seeking, trusting and obeying God.

David sang in Psalm 20:7, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD our God."  Armies and chariots posed no problem to God at all, for the battle is the LORD's.  The children of Israel had personally witnessed God's power over their enemies in Exodus 14:24-25:  "Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the LORD looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians. ²⁵ And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians."  The Egyptians realised something was wrong as they pursued the Hebrews, and they rightly assessed God caused their wheels to fall off their chariots.

A few chapters later in the book of Judges, we read of God's great victory over Sisera and his 900 chariots of iron through Deborah the prophetess and Barak.  Judges 4:3 tells us, "And the children of Israel cried out to the LORD; for Jabin had nine hundred chariots of iron, and for twenty years he harshly oppressed the children of Israel."  In response to the cries of His people and obedience of those who trusted Him, God defeated king Jabin's army--and notice the specific mention of chariots in Judges 4:15:  "And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot."  Strongholds, giants in the mountains and chariots in the Red Sea proved no problem whatsoever for God.  But those chariots of iron proved too difficult for the tribe of Judah--even though God was with them.

God's mighty power over all is demonstrated throughout the Scripture, and there is another common thread:  the neglect of God's people to humble themselves to trust, seek and obey Him.  Joshua was given the victory over the great stronghold Jericho when the children of Israel walked around the city for 7 days according to God's command, yet the Hebrews were subsequently routed when they attempted to take Ai without seeking God who revealed sin in their camp.  2 Chronicles 16:12 reads, "And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians."  Had Asa sought the LORD as Naaman the Syrian who was miraculously cured of leprosy by dipping in the Jordan 7 times according to the word of the LORD, the inference is Asa could have been healed of his severe malady by God too.  Seeking the help of physicians does not constitute a lack of faith in God, but Asa's issue was he did not seek the LORD.

The Bible is filled with testimonies of people who trusted God, sought Him in time of trouble, and God was faithful to fight for His people and gave them victory.  Judges of Israel, kings, common people--even a shepherd boy--were strengthened to defeat their enemies by faith in God and reliance upon Him.  What were a few chariots of iron before God whose heavenly hosts ride upon chariots of fire?  In response to King Hezekiah crying out to God, the angel of the LORD smote 185,000 men of Assyria (2 Kings 19:35)!  The tribe of Judah could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley who had chariots of iron, and let this be a cautionary tale for Christians who assume because God is with us we will prevail without our need to trust, seek or obey Him to do His will.

Courageous to Obey

Before the death of Joshua, he gave the people exhortations to fear God and serve Him only.  He also said in Joshua 23:5-8:  "And the LORD your God will expel them from before you and drive them out of your sight. So you shall possess their land, as the LORD your God promised you. ⁶ Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, ⁷ and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them, ⁸ but you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day."  Joshua commanded the people to be very courageous to keep and do all that was written in God's law, and this was what God commanded him when he was made leader after Moses.

God said to Joshua in Joshua 1:6-8:  "Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. ⁷ Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. ⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."  It is important for us to realise leaders and all they oversee need great courage to obey all God has said.  Courage, strength, integrity of character, and resolute commitment with diligence is granted us by faith in God.

In Webster's 1828 dictionary, "courageous" is defined as follows:  "brave; bold; daring; intrepid; hardy to encounter difficulties and dangers; adventurous; enterprising."  It takes courage to affirm our belief in the truth of God's word when others do not agree with it.  We must be bold and daring to do what God says is right when it is easy to adopt the world's ways and values, to be willing to stand out in holiness rather than blend in.  Courage makes us resilient to personal insults, being excluded, hated, persecuted and singled out as foolish.  God's people are to be brave to shoulder slanderous labels and false accusations in our pursuit of Jesus Christ, labouring to obediently serve Him and love one another--even  loving our enemies.  Our flesh may not be courageous to fight in hand-to-hand combat, but to be courageous by faith in Jesus is the call of every Christian.  This source of our courage is spiritual and real, and thus it translates into practical decisions we make every day to cling to God and obey Him.

Boldness and courage comes from faith in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.  Evidence of this is seen with the marked change in Peter, John and the disciples after they were filled with the Holy Spirit.  After Peter and John proclaimed the Gospel to the Jewish rulers they knew hated and plotted to murder Jesus, Acts 4:13 says:  "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus."  They decided the best way to silence them about Jesus was to severely threaten them, and Acts 4:18-20 tells us the response of the Christians:  "And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. ²⁰ For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."  More than speaking boldly, the remainder of Acts shows Christians lived courageously to proclaim the Gospel, spoke the truth in love and held fast to Jesus.  May we be strong and courageous by faith in Jesus to obey Him so His name will be glorified now and forever.

Reason and Unity

Because our understanding is limited, misunderstandings are a common part of life.  The more we are exposed to the way people think, what they do and the choices they make, we are exposed to potential conflicts due to misunderstanding when as a result we make judgments.  We can make incomplete or inaccurate assessments and thus poor judgments when we allow our own assumptions or suggestions of others to fill in the gaps in our understanding.  Division and discord can be the result of our reluctance and unwillingness to go to others from the start and simply discuss our observations with brothers and sisters in Christ.  While this may be uncomfortable or the other person might react defensively, when done in a loving manner it works to draw us closer to one another and the LORD.

I suspect we Christians do not always deal with our misunderstandings when we are confident in ourselves as being in the right.  Why should we talk about things with others we have already determined based upon our own observations?  The children of Israel set a good example of how to deal with misunderstandings with our Christian brethren after the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half tribe of Manasseh went to their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan.  The Hebrews on the west were disturbed to see a large altar built after the pattern of the altar at the tabernacle had been erected by the eastern tribes, as the Law of Moses forbade sacrifices to be offered to the LORD on any other altar.  The remaining tribes immediately gathered for battle (if necessary!) and sent a delegation of rulers to inquire further concerning the altar.  This was a good step, but they could have done better to allow and explanation rather than immediately accuse their brothers of sin.

They made their condemnation of building the altar plain in Joshua 22:16:  "Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD: 'What treachery is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that you have built for yourselves an altar, that you might rebel this day against the LORD?"  Sometimes we do others and ourselves the disservice of not voicing our concerns to them, to write them off or even attack them without initiating an opportunity to reason together.  The delegates launched into a long list of the Hebrew's previous sins and lumped the building of the altar in with other infamous rebellions.  It turned out, however, to be a complete misunderstanding.  The tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh understood the optics yet explained their own concern:  because the Jordan river acted as a boundary between them, future generations might not recognise the eastern tribes as belonging to the congregation of the Hebrews.  They built the replica altar not for the purpose of offering sacrifices, but as a witness to future generations they had a portion in the LORD as His people.

Joshua 22:30-31 says, "Now when Phinehas the priest and the rulers of the congregation, the heads of the divisions of Israel who were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them. ³¹ Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and the children of Manasseh, "This day we perceive that the LORD is among us, because you have not committed this treachery against the LORD. Now you have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD."  The tribes on the west assumed the worst and accused the eastern tribes of treachery against God, yet when the reason behind the altar was explained their minds changed and the animosity that was stirred up was replaced with encouragement.  The western tribes among themselves could not imagine what good purpose was possible in the building of the altar, and humble reasoning with their brethren led to renewed good will and increased unity.  This interaction teaches me the fear of the LORD ought to unite His people even if we are on the opposite side of the Jordan on an issue, so to speak.  The result of our discussions with one another may not result in us thinking the same way or doing the same things, but we can gain appreciation for why they do what they do without assuming they lack godly character.

In this case it was the the offended party that humbled themselves to accept the altar as a witness between them.  It was not like the western tribes were unwilling to discuss the situation until the eastern tribes removed the abomination they had built.  Imagine the awful damage that would have been done to send the army over before the delegation was sent!  Sometimes we can be like this with differences and misunderstandings--and actual faults--in the church.  We can be quick to contend with or bail on fellow Christians or a church because there are things we do not agree with or that displeases us, even condemning others for what is revealed to be our own misunderstanding.  I'm glad the western tribes did not do this with tribes on the east of the Jordan, and I am grateful for those who have extended grace to me and talked things through before having their mind already made up about my motives.  Let us be the ones who, in love of God and one another, are willing to be wrong about our assumptions and speak directly with others when concerning situations arise.

Forget the Universe

I am always a bit puzzled when I see people reference "the universe" with gratitude for something fortuitous or beneficial.  These references often correlate with how a Christian commonly invokes the name of God or Jesus Christ with thanks or admiration.  I wonder if those who thank the universe or their "lucky stars," consider where or how those things originated.  For those who appeal to the goodness of the universe, one might as well believe the soil or grass under their feet was worthy and able to receive their praise.

The children of Israel were distinct from all the nations of the earth in that they were guided to worship the God Who is the self-existent Creator of all things.  While the heathen nations worshipped the sun, moon and idols of man's devising, the children of Abraham made a covenant with God who revealed Himself to them on Mt. Sinai.  Not only did God create the world, but Scripture testifies along with the annals of history that God also kept His word and gave them the land He promised their fathers.  Joshua 21:43-45 affirms, "So the LORD gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. ⁴⁴ The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. ⁴⁵ Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass."

The Hebrews were led out of Egypt by God's mighty hand, passed through the Red Sea, and survived 40 years in the wilderness before the LORD brought them into the land of Canaan.  God providentially supplied food, water and fought their battles.  He was their good Shepherd as well as their refuge, and He has remained faithful to this day.  Even Gentiles such as myself have had our eyes opened to see the majesty and worthiness of God to be trusted, worshipped and praise:  He is a Saviour and there is no other.  He spoke through the prophet in Isaiah 45:22-23:  "Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. ²³  I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath."  The universe God created cannot compare with Him, for all God has created is a mere wisp of vapour that disappears in a moment.

The universe was not, than came to be, and suddenly will not be:  how does this compare to God who was, is and will always be?  The universe can make no covenant, promise or provision.  Like an image made by a craftsman that has ears but cannot hear and a mouth that cannot speak, the universe is a mindless thing that expands but cannot draw anyone close.  In stark contrast, the God who made the ear can hear everything without ears, and He who created the mouth does not need vocal cords to speak.  God is entirely other and awesome in comparison to the wondrous things He has made, which makes Him infinitely more worthy of praise than the vast array of sparks and pebbles He has scattered throughout the cosmos.  Because of Jesus Christ who loves us we can say with joy, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men." (Luke 2:14)  At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus Christ is LORD to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:9-11).

People can have the universe as their god if they want, but I choose the LORD Jesus Christ.

Waiting on God's Name

"I will praise You forever, because You have done it; and in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good."

Psalm 52:9

David compared himself to a green olive tree planted in the house of God, and that he would trust in the mercy of God forever.  David realised it was by faith in God he was thus established, having received favour from the living God of Israel.  He had an unshakable hope in the goodness of God presently and for the future because God is faithful, a deliverer and redeemer.

During the Friday night Bible study at Calvary Chapel Sydney, we discussed what it means to "wait on Your name" in relation to God.  In the Bible, God's names describe His glorious unchangeable attributes and good character.  I was led to consider the passage where God's presence was introduced by His name before Moses in Exodus 34:5-7:  "Now the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. ⁶ And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, ⁷ keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation."  God's name does not only say what He does but shows us Who He is.

God introduced Himself by calling Himself LORD, the self-existent Creator Who is sovereign over all things.  He stands alone in majesty, glory and power over all, and without Him nothing has been made that is made:  all are beneath Him in every regard.  While He is awesome in power, He has revealed Himself to be merciful, gracious, longsuffering, abundant in goodness and truth.  He does more than show mercy, for God is fundamentally merciful.  Man may show mercy in an instance here or there, yet this is only because mankind has been created in God's image.  Because of man's fall into sin we are not gracious, patient or abundant in goodness and truth.  God is all these things and infinitely more--because He is the LORD God who is good.

God is good to show mercy by forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin.  He is willing to forgive those who repent and trust in Him who are exposed of having selfish motives, who willfully disobey and those who do their best and fail to measure up to His perfect standard.  God is also good to hold sinners to account, allowing sin's unpleasant consequences to draw them to Himself or to administer justice to the unrepentant so others will avoid sin.  God has revealed His goodness to sinful humanity in Jesus coming to earth to break the power of sin over people and their families so generations who would have been lost forever can receive His mercy for thousands of generations to come.

Waiting on the name of the LORD is patient expectation for the LORD God to be and do exactly as He has declared in His word, that He will keep His promises to redeem and save us forever.  Because God is good His love never fails, and we ought to praise God now and forever for being worthy of praise in Himself as David said in Psalm 34:1-2:  "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. ² My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be glad."  Bless the LORD, you His saints, for as Psalm 34:22 says, "The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned."  Lift up your heads, for even now your redemption draws near.