12 October 2025

Clean and Righteous

Have you ever given thought to the phrase, "Clean up your act?"  From various sources online, it means to behave in a better way.  It means obeying laws and improving your behaviour in a socially acceptable manner.  There is one critical issue I take with this concept from a biblical perspective.  While improved behaviour is likely to benefit an individual and those around them, it does not address the source of our sinfulness--our hearts and minds that are intimately known by God.  Even if you are successful in adjusting your behaviour, it is like tearing off the tops of weeds and leaving the root of sin alive to grow back thicker and stronger.

This brings up another point:  the Bible establishes plainly by the 10 Commandments and countless other passages that all human beings are fundamentally corrupt and sinful.  We are unable to change ourselves on the inside, even as a leopard cannot change its spots on its fur.  Animals can be trained to modify their behaviour, but they retain their original nature.  There are marks we make that are impossible to remove; there are stains that cannot be washed away.  In a similar way, we are incapable of changing ourselves permanently for the better.  Things have happened to us that have shaped our perspectives, and habits form so easily we can spend a lifetime working to shift them.  We can put forth much effort to shift our habits from one thing to another while we remain enslaved to some manner of addiction.

Is this what God desires, that people "clean up their act?"  Is God fond of actors, of hypocrites who appear to be living a clean life but are spiritually dead inside?  Absolutely not.  I have heard some people say they need to clean up their lives and then they will seek God, but this will be an exercise of futility when man cannot overcome or cleanse himself from sin.  Cleansing from sin is what only Jesus Christ can do!  He demonstrated His power over sin when He raised a paralytic to perfect health by speaking the word, and Jesus proved His power over the results of sin (death) when He rose from the dead.  Jesus does not call us to clean up our act and follow Him, but to believe in Him which makes us born again, new creations by the Gospel.  Then we are divinely enabled and helped to follow Him!  As it is written in Galatians 6:15:  "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation."  Removing a bit of skin will not change you into a new creation, but faith in Jesus does.

By the indwelling Holy Spirit, God begins to transform us from within and refines our outlook and behaviour because He is our source of purity.  No longer do we need to "act tough" but we can "be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might" (Ephesians 6:10).  By faith in Jesus we now have a choice if we will yield to our flesh or to Jesus Christ who is holy, righteous and pure.  Because Christians are alive unto God by faith in Jesus, Paul wrote in Romans 6:12-13:  "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God."  Having been washed free from sin within, we are to present ourselves as instruments of righteousness to God.  In Christ we now have a choice and strength to refuse to submit to sin we never had ourselves before, and God help us to walk in wisdom and righteousness.

11 October 2025

Gadding About?

In Jeremiah 2, God confronted His people for "gadding about" to change their ways.  In the 1828 Webster's Dictionary, he described this as "To walk about; to rove or ramble idly or without any fixed purpose."  The nation of Israel had become fickle, both in their worship and their foreign policy.  With trouble coming from nations from the north, they sought an alliance with Egypt (where they previously had been slaves and were forbidden by God to return) and took the road to Assyria (enemies who conquered the northern kingdom).  Having forsaken the LORD and served idols, they flitted here and there in a panic, looking for anyone or anything to deliver them.

In their moment of need they called on God to arise and deliver them, yet God was not beholden to His people who justified themselves.  The prophet described their gadding ways using an unflattering illustration in Jeremiah 2:23-24:  "How can you say, 'I am not polluted, I have not gone after the Baals'? See your way in the valley; know what you have done: you are a swift dromedary breaking loose in her ways, 24 a  wild donkey used to the wilderness, that sniffs at the wind in her desire; in her time of mating, who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they will find her."  God compared the penchant of His people for spiritual adultery to female camels or donkeys in heat which are aggressive to seek out a mate.  In God's eyes, their roving and rambling was with a definite purpose, seeking lovers other than God who alone loved them through idolatry.

God is quoted in Hebrews 10:38, "Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."  Those who trust God will take steps of faith by obedience to Him, but the LORD is not pleased in those who draw back.  Galatians 2:12 (NIV) contains an illustration from the life of Peter that illustrates fickleness and hypocrisy, shrinking from agreement with God:  "Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group."  Peter changed his ways depending whether Jews were around, and having departed from God the children of Israel roved from idols to God, from nation to nation looking for deliverance found in God alone.  I include this example to show this was not an Old Testament phenomenon, for it is possible for strong saints to draw back from living by faith and live in a manner which is displeasing to God.

It is by grace through faith in Jesus Christians are deemed righteous by God, and thus we are to live by faith in God.  We have been saved for God's sake, to please Him by choosing to trust and obey Him.  It is good for us to consider how we think and live:  are we those who look to Christ for leading and guidance, or do we "gad about" and flit from person or thing to seek help, sympathy or renewed confidence in ourselves?  Psalm 46:10-11 exhorts God's people:  "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! 11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah"  We can be still and at rest in the midst of trials and difficulties, for God is with us and remains our steadfast expectation of good.  When our flesh feels we must do something, living by faith in God means our confidence rests in Him to accomplish the work we could never do in His time and way.

09 October 2025

Publicly Honour Christ

When people walk away from the LORD and no longer prioritise obedience to God and fellowship with His people, it is a cause for concern for Christians who love them.  Perhaps the most pressing concern is more in regards to people's future salvation than their present lack of fellowship with God and His people.  A passage I read last night details another perspective, one that looks at it through the lens of God's honour.  Though salvation is sure for those who trust in Christ, apostacy is a real possibility because God gives people the right and freedom to choose what they will believe and who they will follow.  He will allow people to change their minds, and He will not forcibly redeem them.

See what the writer of Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 6:4-6:  "It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace."  The point is being made that those who have had their eyes opened, received the Holy Spirit and experienced the goodness of God's word and they fall away--what could possibly prompt them to return to God?  Their departure suggests all the goodness of God weighed in their scales was not as sweet as sin and serving self, and in their pride God is lesser and expendable.  Of course what is impossible with man is possible with God, and His will is for all to be saved--even people who have departed from faith in Him.  But the point remains valid, that when some people are inoculated against God and the Gospel it is impossible to change their hardened hearts and minds.

Notice what the apostate does by departing from faith in Jesus Christ:  they crucify the Son of God all over again.  In falling away from Jesus, they are as the people who shouted "Crucify Him!" out of envy whose loyalties lay elsewhere.  Such did not lament His death and felt it was beneficial He was gone.  The second part of verse 6 also shows another consequence of apostacy, that Jesus is subjected to public disgrace.  Honouring Jesus publicly is of great importance for the Christian, and something we ought to desire to do ourselves.  God asked through the prophet in the first half of Malachi 1:6:  "A son honours his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honour? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence?..."  We call God our heavenly Father, and we ought to honour Him (at the very least!) at the level of our earthly father.  Since God is our LORD and the LORD of Hosts, He is worthy of all reverence and obedience.  We ought to be more zealous in giving Jesus honour than being concerned what people stand to lose by departing from Him.

The author of Hebrews finished the paragraph with an illustration in Hebrews 6:7-8:  "Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned."  Two fields are contrasted here that align with one who remains faithful to God and one who departs from Him:  one drinks in the rain and produces a fruitful crop, and the other produces thorns and thistles and is worthless.  The one who is faithful to abide in Christ and receive the Living Water will be blessed, and the one marked with thorny consequences of sin is in danger of being cursed.  When a field was overgrown with thorns and thistles, a farmer would use fire to clear it.  By being a fruitful field we bring honour to our Father and Master, and we are blessed for it.  Those who find this blessed arrangement unacceptable will face the consequences.  It is required in servants to be faithful, and may we be those who publicly honour Christ.

08 October 2025

Revived to Rejoice

This morning during prayer I turned to the passage in Psalm 85:6 that reads, "Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?"  The God who gave us life desires we would be delivered from death, and that is a reason Jesus was sent to seek and save the lost.  Through the Gospel, people once dead in sins are given new life as born again Christians and grated eternal life.  Even in the Old Testament, people God had granted life and land desired revival, that God would turn His people to Him again by faith.  Revival and repentance go together, for it is a change of mind and heart that involves turning from sin and looking to the LORD with renewed devotion and obedience.

When people speak of revival, they do not always take into account repentance of sin and recognision of how far people have drifted from God as a necessary part of the equation.  The sons of Korah sang, "Turn us, O God of our salvation" and illustrate our need for God to do a work in us.  "Revival" is more than a growing interest in church gatherings, attending services or prayer meetings.  It is something accomplished by the Holy Spirit within the hearts of God's people that often impacts others for God's glory.  In one sense it would be wonderful that revival would not be necessary because by God's grace we continue to seek the LORD and obey His voice, allowing the life of Jesus to be lived out through us.  Because we do live in bodies of flesh that sleep and wake up, with limited energy stores and strength that is depleted and restored by nourishment and rest, in a world marked with seasons and cycles, our physical and spiritual need for renewal and revival is ongoing.

There could be countless reasons why people long for what they call revival:  an awakening to the goodness and power of God, more people coming to church, a miraculous increase of concerned souls who are saved, that people desire to see excitement in others concerning Jesus they are lacking in themselves.  But the reason connected by the psalmist for the revival of God's people is so they would rejoice in God.  How wondrous this is!  We are more apt to rejoice in revival than in God who is gracious and powerful to revive us again!  How easily we rejoice in the gift more than in the Giver, in our hope of salvation than our Saviour who calls us to Himself.  It is good for us to consider:  how much of our rejoicing is in God alone?

The song continues in Psalm 85:7-8:  "Show us Your mercy, LORD, and grant us Your salvation. 8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly."  God has revealed His mercy and salvation through Jesus Christ to all, and in Jesus we have peace.  We can have total confidence in all God has done and He will be faithful to His word, yet will we turn back to folly?  God has spoken, speaks and will speak, and let us be those who are of good cheer because Jesus has overcome the world.  Though we remain physically in the world for a season, we are in Christ and He is in us forever.  Rejoice in the LORD, believer, for you have been revived to this end.

06 October 2025

Running Our Course

Recently I read a comment from a high-profile celebrity going through divorce that continues to come to mind.  In her words, the relationship had simply "run its course."  While it is true marriages do not always last a lifetime, her statement betrays a view of marriage that falls woefully short of God's design for it.  Those who justify divorce for marriages that have "run their course" are often more likely to default to this option in future marriage(s).  Traditional wedding vows of a bride and groom used to include, "Till death do us part" and this is the worthy course of marriage--a commitment for a lifetime.

From a biblical point of view, marriage is intended to be a covenant between one man and one woman before God who ordained this special relationship.  It is more than the promise of love, fidelity and monogamy, for it is a spiritual union where God joins a man and woman together and makes them one flesh.  When we love one another as Jesus loves us, a married couple is divinely helped in bearing one another's burdens, forgiving each other and working through conflicts.  Divorce was never part of God's original design for marriage, but Jesus said it was made legally permissible due to the hardness of people's hearts (Matthew 19:8).  A married couple may say their marriage has "run its course" yet the Bible shows God's intended course for their relationship to endure their entire lives.

Those who go into marriage believing marriage could run its course in 7 months, 12 or 28 years should not be surprised when it does not last half that long.  I suspect many people whose marriages have ended in divorce had every intention--from before they uttered their vows to years into marriage--to do everything in their power to make it last.  And perhaps they did.  The point I feel compelled to make is to affirm the covenant of marriage ought to be approached as a lifelong commitment before God and one another, and when both partners have a relationship with Jesus Christ He helps us to do what willpower, hard work, vows and the Law of Moses could never do:  to continue in marriage until death do you part.  Even if you are a Christian and your partner is not, the love of Jesus in and through you will make a huge positive difference in your marriage and family.

What Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:7-8 inspires God-fearing people to live well and this includes a marriage relationship:  "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."  Winning at marriage does not come from fighting with your spouse but surrender before the LORD whilst looking to Jesus for wisdom, strength and humility.  God who enabled Paul to prevail over great difficulties during his life and ministry helps everyone who trusts and obeys Him.  We will be richly rewarded by God, not for having the longest marriage, but for faith and obedience to God by His grace.

Plumb Line Needed!

A majority of our back yard is supported by a short retaining wall, and my project of late was to repair a portion of it that had been damaged by large trees.  Based upon the location of the wall in relation to the driveway, it seems the lower courses of the wall were set before soil and sand was brought in to ramp up to the garage.  Rather than digging way down to reset the first course--and risk undermining the driveway--I removed enough dirt to grind the lower blocks level.  As a result of allowing the first course to remain, rebuilding the wall required small modifications and adjustments.  The results are not perfect, but it is in far better condition now that it is plumb.

The repair of the retaining wall has been a great illustration of the necessity for a solid, level foundation for our lives.  Because it was only a short section of wall and I lacked necessary stakes for a line, I made the decision to level one block according to the adjacent block, filling in from the exposed corner to the buried side.  What happened was similar to when we played "telephone" as kids, a group activity when one person whispers a phrase or sentence in the ear of the person next to them and the message is repeated down the line.  The best part of the game is when the phrase derails and becomes hilarious with nonsense that is nothing like the original sentence.  While this is a fun party game when the phrase is way off, it is not good when building a wall.  Since the first course was not fully removed, every block needed adjusting.

Looking at the wall from the broad side, it looks quite even and level.  But looking down the wall lengthwise, all the irregularities and imperfections are exposed.  My best efforts on the wall using what I had on hand is an example that without the plumb line of God's word and wisdom, spiritually speaking we all fall woefully short of God's perfection.  God used a plumb line as an illustration in Amos 7:7-9:  "Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. 8 And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said: "Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. 9 The high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste. I will rise with the sword against the house of Jeroboam."   A plumb line takes guesswork out of the equation, and it is only a matter of time before a wall out of plumb will fail.  God had given the plumb line of His word and established Israel in righteousness, but judgment was coming because of how crooked God's people had become.

Notice that the LORD stood on a wall made with a plumb line, and because it was built correctly it remained strong, straight and upright.  It could support weight properly and perform the function it was designed to do.  The children of Israel were given the Law of God, yet they were not able to keep it.  God's law is like a perfect straight edge that reveals how crooked we are, and the only way to be made right with God is through repentance for our sin and placing our faith in Jesus Christ.  It does us no good to justify our errors because we were simply following the example of others or the finished results don't matter because of all the effort we put in:  plumb is plumb.  None of us started plumb, and we can't straighten ourselves out no matter how hard we try.  Praise God He is able to save us, to make us new creations built on a level, solid foundation by faith in Jesus through the Gospel.  Those who hear the words of Jesus and heed them He likens to a man who builds his house on a rock that will stand and endure every storm.

Should our lives veer off course, rather than comparing ourselves to one another we do well to look to Jesus Christ, the Chief Cornerstone.  The LORD speaks with absolute authority as one who holds the plumb line in his hand and sees clearly, and by the power of the Holy Spirit He guides us into all truth.  When we resort to copying others or doing what is right in our own eyes, we cannot straighten up.  We can can have confidence we will not be led astray or go crooked when we seek the LORD, humble ourselves before Jesus and obey Him.

03 October 2025

Built On Christ

I was inspired to tackle some yardwork when I read Proverbs 24:27 that says, "Prepare your outside work, make it fit for yourself in the field; and afterward build your house."  While the situation for me is different than the agrarian society that was predominant in Israel in ancient times, God's word still guides us into truth and blesses those who take steps of obedience by faith in God.

If I could put the sentiment of this verse in my own words, the principle held forth here is:  "First things first."  People who had land set aside for farming needed to make preparing the field their priority, for wheat and barley was not going to plant itself.  Making the field fit for planting supplied necessary food for people, seed for sowing and fodder for working animals.  For those who are not farmers or live in a community where a sufficient amount of food is grown for their survival, many people today work for money they exchange for food and daily necessities.  The principle of this proverb is to prioritise work that helps provide for your needs for survival, and having done this you can concern yourself with renovating the house.  It would be better to have any honest job than to remain unemployed because it is not your ideal career or aligns with your interests.  Paul affirmed the responsibility of people to contribute by working in 2 Thessalonians 3:10:  "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this:  if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat."

It occurred to me as I was stacking besser blocks the spiritual implications of the proverb must be addressed in the opposite order:  the rebellious inner man must be addressed before outer behaviour.  Our human inclination is to prioritise appearing to "clean up our act" by focusing on outward works rather than dealing with our inner man.  Because Jesus knows the hearts of mankind, He saw past the clean exterior of the Pharisees and perceived they were spiritually dead in sins on the inside.  Their primary need was to be born again by faith in Jesus, to be made new creations by the power of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit who indwells Christians.  Ephesians 2:8-9 shows we cannot earn good standing and righteousness by efforts of our flesh:  "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast."  No amount of good works can open the gates of God's kingdom to us, for we must first confess our sin and enter in through the Door (who is Jesus Christ) by faith in Him.

Having been born again by faith, then we are to seek to live in the manner that is pleasing to God:  loving and forgiving one another, being a servant of all according to Christ's example, trusting and obeying God and His word.  Without Jesus we can do nothing, and through faith in Christ we can do all things because He gives us strength.  Having been born again, Paul compared believers to being God's field and His building.  He wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, "According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."  First things first:  the foundation must be laid before the house can be built, and we must be born again before we build properly on the foundation of Jesus Christ.  Reversing the order means we are building a life without a foundation in Christ, and the eventual fall and destruction of those who build foolishly are assured.

02 October 2025

Holy and Happy Day

When people gathered for the annual feasts in Jerusalem, it was a time of rejoicing and celebration.  In the days of Nehemiah after the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, the people gathered together in the street before the Water Gate where Ezra the scribe read the book of the Law.  Everyone who had understanding was attentive to hear the Law and responded with contrition, and they mourning with weeping over their sins.  Ezra exhorted the people to dry their tears for it was a holy day unto the LORD.  Nehemiah 8:10-12 says, "Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." 11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved." 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them."  A holy day unto the LORD was meant to be observed with enjoying good food, giving to those in need and rejoicing together.  These people rejoiced because they understood God's word that was declared to them.

In response to God's word, shortly thereafter the children of Israel gathered branches of many kinds--including palm branches--to make booths to dwell in to observe the Feast of Tabernacles.  Their gathering of palm branches reminded me of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem before the Feast of Unleavened Bread in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9:  "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey."  Even before Jesus made the descent from Mount Olives toward the city, people placed their clothing and palm branches on the ground before Him.  Matthew 21:9 says, "Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' Hosanna in the highest!"  Jesus was revealed as King and Messiah, the Son of David in whom is salvation.  When the Pharisees urged Jesus to rebuke His disciples, He said if they were silent even the stones would cry out.  God had ordained that day to be one marked with rejoicing and worship of the holy God.  Ironically, when Jesus drew near to the city He was not gleeful or exuberant by the praise of the people but wept over Jerusalem because they did not realise the day of their visitation and judgment was coming (Luke 19:41-44).

Consider the triumphal entry of Jesus in light of the richness of Psalm 118:19-29 that points to Jesus our Righteousness, Rock and LORD who died, rose from the dead and lives:  "Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the LORD20 This is the gate of the LORD, through which the righteous shall enter. 21 I will praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation. 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. 23 This was the LORD'S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD27 God is the LORD, and He has given us light; bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. 28 You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. 29 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."

Isn't God awesome and worthy of all praise?  May His grace, goodness and salvation be marvellous in our eyes, and let us rejoice and be glad in Him.  In light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the joy of the LORD is our strength.  Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!

30 September 2025

God the Healer

"Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from My hand."
Deuteronomy 32:39

Unlike a doctor who uses medicine and other means to harness the natural healing processes of the body, God IS the healer.  He designed all the systems that protect, identify and eliminate harmful infections, and promote the health of the body.   I have found my typical response when I am not feeling my best is to downplay my symptoms.  I must be undeniably sick to admit I am sick, and I assume the healing process should act more quickly than it does.  After a couple of weeks of a cold or cough it feels like restoration to full health drags on forever!  Being ignorant of the extent or severity of my illness, I assume healing should occur quickly and easily.  As oncologists go to great lengths to destroy all cancer cells, so God is willing to take great pains to restore sinning souls to Himself.

The prophet Isaiah was chosen and sent by God to bring a message in Isaiah 6:9-10:  "And He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' 10 "Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed."  This passage always confused me because it seemed contradictory God spoke yet did not want them to hear.  It seemed God worked to undermine the whole purpose for sending Isaiah at all!  The reality was quite different, for God's people had departed from Him, were entrenched in idolatry, loved the lies of false prophets and oppressed one another.  Like I tend to downplay my own illness, we can downplay the severity of the sin of others and ourselves.  When we are sick we take a tablet, but the children of Israel needed spiritual revival, a new heart and new mind obtained only by faith in God, repentance for sin and humble obedience.  They were unwilling to take their medicine.

Modern surgery likely would seem very extreme to people who relied upon poultices and bloodletting which could never clear clogged arteries or put cancer in remission.  Having a better understanding of the complex processes of the human body with scans and testing allows medical professionals to better diagnose and treat illnesses.  God's diagnosis for the children of Israel in Isaiah's day was grim, for they refused to listen to Him.  They were heading to destruction due to their sin, and God would surely judge them for their sins with the aim to ultimately restore them to Himself.  Half-doses would not be adequate for their healing.  God's prescription was for Israel to be cut down like a tree with a stump left in the ground by their enemies, be carried away captive, and after 70 years for a remnant return to Him.  In His wisdom God determined their spiritual blindness would lead to sight, their deafness result in hearing His voice, and being taken from their land lead to them choosing to return to Him.  This may seem counterintuitive, but this was the means God would employ to sanctify and heal His people.

The teaching of Jesus in parables also fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, and Jesus affirmed this in Matthew 13:13-15.  At the same time, those who exercised faith in Christ were blessed with understanding as Jesus said in Matthew 13:16-17:  "But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."  Jesus came as the Light of the World and did not keep anyone in the dark, but those who loved darkness and refused to come into the Light would remain blind.  Amazingly, in part the blindness of the Jews served another divine purpose:  the unbelief of the Jews graciously opened a door to the Gentiles into the kingdom of God by faith in Jesus.  The refusal of the Jews to hear Jesus led Him to be proclaimed and heard by Jews and Gentiles to this day.  Paul wrote in Romans 11:30-32, "For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all."

See the wisdom, grace and goodness of God upon all!  Through God's sovereign designs there is hope, healing and restoration for all people by faith in Jesus Christ.  Our own deafness, blindness and hardness of heart can be used by God to make us hearers and doers of His word, to bless us with spiritual insight, and to have our hearts of stone replaced with soft and responsive hearts.  As we may seek medical care only to alleviate our symptoms (as long as it is convenient and not too costly!), we can be content with minor reforms or partial healing God spoke of in Jeremiah 6:14:  "They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, 'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace."  Slight healing that enables us to stay as we are falls far short of God's intent to heal, revive and restore us to Himself which requires a more involved process of repentance, faith in God, submission and obedience to Him.  Because God loves us, He is willing to oversee and orchestrate events in our lives and nations so His will for healing and salvation will be fully accomplished for us and for generations to come.

29 September 2025

Our Good Father

The other night I came across the passage in 1 Timothy 3:4-5 (NIV) concerning requirements for overseers in church leadership:  "He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?)"  When I observe the interactions of children with their parents, the behaviour of the child demonstrates clearly if they have been made to obey their parents or if they have been permitted to disobey.  I remember a somewhat amusing situation years ago when it was very apparent a child was used to doing what he wanted, and because I was a guest in the home I received quite a show of consternation from a parent when he willfully disobeyed.  The behaviour of the child when I was present provided a strong indication of a lack of discipline from his parents when I was not present.  It is the duty of all parents--and especially those in church leadership--that they teach their children to obey them.

Paul made the point that if parents are not faithful to attend to their own house and the management of the children God has given made them stewards of, they are not suitable candidates for church leadership.  This aligns with a principle Jesus taught in Luke 16:10:  "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much."  Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 4:2 what servants and masters both knew, that it is required that stewards--those who were given a charge and responsibility by their superior--be proved faithful.  A servant who wasted his master's goods would be let go, but the one who was faithful to do a small thing well would be given additional responsibilities like Joseph who served Potiphar and Pharaoh.

The strong, inescapable implication is God is able to manage His own kingdom and family well, and He sees to it His children learn to obey Him.  We can make the mistake of wholesale blaming parents of disobedient and rebellious children, yet the Scripture is full of examples of God's people rebelling from their perfect heavenly Father.  We see the great lengths God went to in love of His people, how He guided them by His word, sent prophets to teach them, and disciplined them with trials to correct and restore them to Himself.  Like all good parents, God made clear His expectations of what He desired to see in His people and consequences should they disobey Him.  When they failed to meet His expectations and shirked their God-given directives, He addressed Israel like a landowner who discovered the vineyard he planted at great expense was not bearing any fruit.  From of their own mouths and by their own deeds God judged them--with love, mercy and compassion they refused to extend to those who were unprofitable.

In a parable Jesus told, He appealed to the understood order in society between a servant and master.  It was customary for the servants to serve their master first, and after he had eaten then they could eat.  Jesus said concerning the master in Luke 17:9-10, "Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. 10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'"  The context of the parable was in relation to disciples of Jesus forgiving those who sinned against them.  We should not expect to be thanked or commended by God when we forgive others, for that is our God-given duty to do.  If we lacked a gracious Father in heaven who loves, forgives and gives grace to us, it might be understandable for us to hold grudges or slander others.  God's expectations for His redeemed people is spelled out for us in Ephesians 4:31-32:  "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you."  When we obey and do what is right it is not because we are good children, but because we have a good Father in heaven.

28 September 2025

Immoral Outrage

Have you ever experienced an indignant feeling when you saw people doing what you believe is wrong?  I remember one such occasion when I was incensed as it became apparent I was deceived and misled by someone I trusted to tell the truth.  I was later convicted because I took personal offence when it was in truth sin against God.  It was easy to justify my anger through what is called moral outrage, but since my heart was not humble and contrite before God it was actually immoral outrage.

There are passages in the Bible where the outrage people expressed was more an indicator sin within them brought to light by supposed offences.  A classic example is when Nathan the prophet came to king David and told him what turned out to be a parable about a rich man who had many sheep.  In the tale he callously stole the prized, only lamb of a poor man and killed it to provide a meal for his guests.  David was furious at this injustice, and immediately condemned the rich man to death for his theft and lack of pity, and commanded four-fold should be given to the poor man.  The prophet Nathan said, "You are the man!"  Then he laid out how David conducted himself like that rich man he condemned to death, for he had stolen Bathsheba as his own wife (when he already had many) and used the sword of the Ammonites to murder her husband Urijah.  God laid out the worst of David's crimes from which all others sprang in 2 Samuel 12:10:  "You have despised Me."  David's response was immoral outrage and hypocrisy, seeing he had not repented of his own sin against God.

When Jesus was in Bethany, the Gospel of John tells us Mary poured a pound of expensive, fragrant spikenard to anoint Jesus.  The Gospel of Matthew says the disciples were indignant at what they perceived to be a waste of the oil, for it could have been sold and the proceeds--which amounted to be around the average annual wage--could have been given to the poor.  John tells us it was Judas Iscariot who expressed this outrage, and it was not for the sake of the poor!  His greedy and sinful motives are laid bare in John 12:6:  "This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it."  Jesus rebuked His disciples and told them to leave Mary alone, for the good thing she had done in anointing Jesus for His burial would be spoken about as a memorial wherever the Gospel is preached.

It used to be when I saw people living in some sort of sin, I used to experience what I will call immoral outrage because I took personally the offence committed against God--as if I was the victim.  More and more by God's grace I am finding that feeling of indignation replaced by compassion, for in clinging to sin people close their arms to the almighty, awesome God who loves them and seeks a relationship with them.  In choosing a sinful lifestyle people reject God and His grace extended to them, for He has done everything to pay the price for their redemption, joy, peace and rest.  Jesus looked upon the multitudes with compassion and wept because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and when we are consumed by immoral outrage we are among those who have wandered from His side in self-righteousness and pride.  May the LORD continue to change us to be more like Him:  to love others and pray for those who do wrong as we are no better.

26 September 2025

Principle of Projection

Jesus taught His disciples to observe what has been called the "Golden Rule," that as we should do unto others what we would have them do unto us (Matthew 7:8; Luke 6:31).  James said concerning the "royal law" in James 2:8-9, "If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors."  From these passages a corollary can be drawn, that our tendency to show partiality to ourselves was a means to guide our conduct towards others.  Jesus calls us to a higher and better standard than that of Law, for He says we are to love one another as He loves us.

Paul explained in his letter to Roman believers that when we condemn others for doing wrong, we expose ourselves as being guilty of the same.  He wrote in Romans 2:1, "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things."  The one who is very concerned about others cheating in a game is due to being a cheater himself.  Those who are suspicious of others being gossips and talebearers reveals their inclination to do the same.  King Ahab is a perfect example of one who projected his own sinfulness upon the righteous prophet what he was guilty of himself.

The Bible objectively reveals in 1 Kings 21:25-26, "But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up. 26 And he behaved very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel."  Yet hear what this wicked king said to the godly prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 18:17:  "Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, O troubler of Israel?"  1 Kings 21:20 also reveals, "So Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" And he answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD..."  Ahab viewed Elijah as the "troubler of Israel" and "my enemy" when Ahab was the troubler of Israel and hostile towards Elijah and all God's prophets!

God told Israel of the corrupt condition of their rulers and corresponding action He would take to purge, refine and restore them in Isaiah 1:22-26:  "Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. 23 Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow come before them. 24 Therefore the Lord says, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, "Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries, and take vengeance on My enemies. 25 I will turn My hand against you, and thoroughly purge away your dross, and take away all your alloy. 26 I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city."  Praise God He is able to set things right after people go very wrong.

Based on these observations, one takeaway for me is should I feel someone is a troublemaker and my enemy, I must examine my heart to ensure I am not a troubler, combative and adversarial towards them.  The LORD calls me to examine my own heart and walk wisely in love, to avoid showing partiality to myself, justifying my sin because others are sinners.  As we consider God's word and submit to His guidance, He purges the dross and sin from our own lives as we humble ourselves before Him and one another.  There was hope for the rebellious princes, thieves and corrupt judges in Israel by repentance and obedience to God who upholds the cause of the fatherless and widow--and in Christ there is hope of restoration and renewal for us as well.

24 September 2025

Free To Do Good

"For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."
Galatians 5:13

As born again children of God by faith in Jesus, we have been called to liberty.  We have been freed from sin, the sinful demands of our flesh, fear of man, worry, death and the condemnation of the Law of Moses.  Paul compared the Law to a tutor that guided the Jews to please God until Jesus Christ came, and then the Law took them by the hand and handed them over to Jesus for Him to lead them individually and corporately who is greater than the Law.  Claiming to have "liberty" in our individualistic society is akin to saying, "I can do whatever I want."  This is not at all the posture Christians should adopt, for it vaunts self instead of submitting to God and one another in love.  Rather than using liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, through love Christians are called to serve one another.

Paul's caution against the misunderstanding and misuse of liberty shows it is possible to use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, to justify doing as we please because we feel entitled to do so.  Being raised in the United States, I cannot tell you how many times I heard people justify themselves by saying, "This is a free country."  My translation of that hackneyed phrase is, "I can say and do as I want because I can--regardless how it affects others."  As long as we live in a body of flesh in this world, we will be incorrigibly drawn to seek opportunity to please self rather than glorify God by serving one another in love.  The liberty Christ provides is not merely a liberty from law but liberty to love, forgive and serve others.  Prisoners released from prison can remain enslaved to sinful ways that landed them in prison in the first place, but our liberty is to be exercised as new creations through whom the life of Jesus is lived out daily.

Paul said in Galatians 5:14-18, "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! 16 I say then: walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."  Our natural, fleshly appetite is to bite and devour one another, to lash out with words or actions that work to destroy people, reputations and relationships.  We are called to mortify these deeds of the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit, and this is accomplished by following and obeying the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth.  Those who try to control and force their flesh to submit by power of the flesh will ultimately fail, but all who walk in the Spirit shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

The liberty we have been called to is not primarily focused on what we do or avoid doing but all God has called us to be.  By Jesus Christ the world was crucified to Paul and he was crucified unto the world: they were dead to one another by all Jesus mightily accomplished by His death and resurrection, having made Paul a new creation.  Adherence to the Law of Moses regarding whether a male was circumcised or not (which was a huge point of contention in the early church) had no power over people who were in Christ.  Jesus provided an example of serving one another in love when He took the place of a slave and washed the feet of His disciples before dying on the cross for their redemption.  Those who are born again and filled with the Holy Spirit will heed Paul's exhortation in Galatians 6:10:  "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."

22 September 2025

Let Us Reason Together

Anyone who keeps an eye on the news or has internet access has likely heard of the murder of Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who for years engaged in open public debates on university campuses.  His approach provided an opportunity for students and professors to speak with him of their own free will, and passers-by were welcome to listen in.  To the very end, Charlie spoke with people believing they were worthy to be reasoned with--even when their views or actions were unreasonable.  Based on his approach to public debate, Charlie believed it was worth his time to speak with those who were hostile to him and God.

Speaking for myself, I try to do everything as efficiently as possible.  I also prefer to see some sort of progression towards a goal.  When I faced a seized bolt I could not remove with a spanner, I pivoted to a grinder.  Should I converse with someone who is firmly set in their views and unwilling to listen to reason, then I do not press the point to avoid being heavy-handed.  Yet God is willing to call prophets to speak to people who will not listen, and He provides opportunities by His grace for unreasonable and stubborn sinners to reason with Him in Isaiah 1:18:  "Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD, "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."  God is willing to speak even with those who will not listen to Him, and His people ought to walk in His ways.  God will extend an audience to those who come to Him in faith.

I am not God, and it is ridiculous for me to imagine I can know human hearts.  Thus it would be unwise for me to write people off as unworthy of reasoning with even when our interactions have been unpleasant and unproductive.  To everyone God has given a soul also have the capacity for rational thought, and even minds hijacked by lies and self-righteousness God can overcome.  I am convinced a sound argument and reason cannot change anyone's mind or heart:  I must rely on God to do this in me and in others.  I am called to love God and love other people, and God's love is demonstrated in listening and caring about people as well as speaking truth.  As Todd Wagner is credited with saying, "Truth sounds like hate to those who hate the truth."  Jesus didn't allow the hatred of the chief priests and Pharisees to silence Him from speaking with them or others, and neither should we.

Jesus said Matthew 7:6, "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces."  As pigs trample precious pearls tossed at them, sharing priceless spiritual truths does not make unbelievers value them.  There is a time when continued discussion is of no benefit as Jesus said in Matthew 15:14:  "Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."  Yet Jesus demonstrated He was willing to continue to go among the unclean, barking, self-righteous and easily offended sinners because He loved them all.  Jesus continued to open His heart and His mouth to others after being despised and rejected continually.  By the power of the Holy Spirit who empowers born again Christians to do God's will, He leads us into truth and in our hour of need will teach us what to say.

In a world where people labour to cultivate a public image or gain followers, followers of Jesus Christ are called to prepare our hearts and minds to present ourselves approved to God, rightly dividing His word (2 Timothy 2:15).  Even if we suffer for the sake of righteousness, we are blessed and can remain fearless of anything man can do to us.  Peter wrote in 1 Peter 3:15-16, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed."  We are called to be ready to share the reason for the hope that is in us with meekness and fear of God.  Man may revile us for speaking the truth of God's word, but we can have a good conscience before God.  Since we will all stand before God, let us take a stand for His sake today and every day.

21 September 2025

The Advance of God's Kingdom

One aspect of the body of Christ the church I have grown to appreciate is the unity of believers with diversity.  As members of our physical bodies have different purposes and functions, all members are to operate with the good of the whole as led and empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Though there is one church it is comprised of many fellowships that have their own flavour, style and points of emphasis.  One church may be focused more on discipleship, whilst another can be more missionary minded or politically engaged.  God places individuals within each church who are unique from everyone else with their own individual callings, convictions and way of following Jesus.

Those who God calls to be in pastoral ministry do well to continue in what they know and have heard from God, to remain faithful to their purpose to preach the word of God.  There are pastors who make political and social issues the main thrust of their sermons, and they have this freedom to do as they are led by the LORD.  I do not share the conviction of pastor I recently saw interviewed, that "Politics is the highest form of community."  For the Christian, the highest form of community is our union with God by His Spirit and with one another in the church.  Even as God has given us leeway concerning our biblical convictions (outside the non-negotiables concerning the divinity of Jesus Christ and the Gospel), He allows freedom in our political views as well.  I believe God has Christians in politics, and it is by the hearing and studying of God's word that leads to biblically sound views--whether it be in business, a marriage, raising children or in the political sphere.

One thing I observe in the life of Jesus is how apolitical He was.  Many times He chose not to take sides when He had the opportunity to wield great political influence.  Again, there is nothing wrong with being engaged in political activism.  But we ought to keep in mind the focus of Christ and disciples like Paul were on the kingdom of God--not on the current government or political climate.  Rather than taking the fight to a corrupt Roman political system, Paul urged believers with all meekness and gentleness to go to battle against their own foolish thinking God's way 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."  Our wrestle is not against flesh and blood but principalities, powers, against rulers of darkness and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12)  In submission to God in what He calls us to do, we can trust His kingdom will be advanced by His Spirit in our personal and social interactions.

It is remarkable to me the huge impact a handful of believers made on the world as they obeyed Jesus to wait in Jerusalem until they were empowered from on high.  10 days after the ascension of Jesus, the Holy Spirit came upon about 120 of them as they gathered in one accord in prayer, and the world has never been the same after the church was birthed by God on the Day of Pentecost.  10 days of obedience to God led to great revival and transformation by faith in Jesus Christ that has continued to positively impact people, culture, society, family and politics to this day.  Activism and political causes will come and go, but those who abide in Jesus and obey His word will be fruitful and endure forever.

Peace From Sea to Sea

Psalm 72 is a song written by David and the heading in my Bible says, "A Psalm for Solomon."  When I read the lyrics of the song, what is written about David's son Solomon and fulfilled in part will be ultimately and completely fulfilled by the Son of David:  Jesus Christ.  In the song, David asked for the king to be given God's judgments and righteousness.  Though Solomon was given great wisdom from God, he did not always walk wisely.  The more I read in this passage, with a prophetic lens we see it alludes clearly to someone greater than Solomon--and Christ affirmed He was indeed that person.  Speaking of Himself and the present generation that rejected Him, Jesus said in Luke 11:31:  "The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here."

The name of Solomon pales in comparison to the name of Jesus Christ, the Messiah who is both KING OF KINGS and great High Priest.  David wrote prophetically of Jesus whose name is above all in Psalm 72:17-19:  "His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed. 18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! 19 And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen."  Paul affirmed it was at the name of Jesus every knee would bow and every tongue confess to the glory of God the Father.  Solomon will one day bow before Jesus Christ His king along with every other created being.

There is one part of the song which has been my meditation the past couple days in Psalm 72:7-8:  "In His days the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more. 8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth."  The long and prosperous reign of Solomon is a hint of Christ's future millennial reign when He returns to judge the earth in righteousness, and His reign will endure after the sun and moon no longer shine.  The righteous reign of Jesus will be a global dominion, for King Solomon's lands only reached from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.  In recent times I have heard a slogan that goes, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."  This slogan does not account for Psalm 72:7 which says the domain of the Son of David is from sea to sea, from the Jordan River to the ends of the earth.  The rule and authority of Jesus extends over the entire earth He created with words from His mouth, and the whole universe is filled with His glory.

Jesus cautioned His disciples not to be deceived or troubled in Matthew 24:5-6:  "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."  Slogans and fighting words against Israel and God's people ought not to trouble us, and even when the end comes we have nothing to fear but God as we follow Jesus.  The rise of deceptions, threats and violence will grow, but now and forever we have peace with God through our LORD Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).  Killing Jesus did not result in Him rotting in the grave, for He has risen in glory and will ultimately rule the nations with a rod of iron.  Even threats and murder can be redeemed by God to advance His kingdom.  What peace and comfort we have as Christ's disciples, for His yoke is easy and His burden light.

19 September 2025

Pray and Don't Lose Heart

Jesus spoke a parable to illustrate how people always ought to pray and not lose heart in Luke 18.  He spoke of a persistent widow who continued to urge a judge who did not fear God or man to avenge her.  Ultimately it was not a desire for justice but on account of personal annoyance he decided to take action on her case.  He was weary and troubled by the widow pestering him, so to get rid of her he avenged her.  Jesus concluded in Luke 18:6-8, "Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"  Jesus affirmed God will surely avenge His people!  We are assured God will respond to the prayers of His own people He loves who cry out day and night to Him.

The point Jesus made was it was not really a question if God could or would answer the prayers of His people, but would His people who claim to trust in Him persist in prayer?  Would they lose heart?  Paul urged believers 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."  God's will is for people to rejoice always, pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks.  While God is faithful to hear and answer prayer, He looks upon the hearts of people looking to find faith and truth in the inner man.  He is not pleased to heed the prayers of people who pray to idols or those who refuse to hear or obey His words.  Because God loves His people, He will go to great lengths to turn their hearts to Him through judgment rather than coddle them by giving them everything they ask for.

Case in point:  God's people had been guilty of idolatry and refusing to hear the prophets God sent to warn them.  Because they had forsaken God and sold themselves to do great evil, consequences for their sin was inevitable; they could not talk themselves out of trouble.  Jeremiah 11:11-14 says, "Therefore thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. 13 For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal. 14 "So do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their trouble."

When God's idolatrous people cried out to Him--as well as their idols--He chose not to respond to their prayers to show the powerlessness of their false gods.  God told Jeremiah not even to bother praying for them because His judgments against them were set in the stone of the Law of Moses they ignored and He would uphold.  For Christians today, God's will concerning our praying continually without losing heart is abundantly clear.  Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:1-2:  "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence."  It is good for us to be aware of the powerful impact a humble heart, contrition and repentance for sin has on our prayers--even more than the precise words we say or how long we pray.  God looks upon the heart, and those who humble themselves before Him in faith will always have an audience with the almighty God by His grace.

18 September 2025

Daily Spiritual Renewal

"For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day."
2 Corinthians 4:15-16

As I walked early this morning, evidence of spring renewal was everywhere.  Trees were covered in white and pink blossoms, small green leaves have begun to emerge on deciduous trees, magpies foraged for their young, and the winter chill was gone from the air.  In His wisdom, God created the earth with seasons where winter rest precedes a period of renewal, growth and fruitfulness in the spring.  This led me to consider what Paul meant when he said the "inward man" of a believer is being renewed day by day.  Unlike the four seasons we experience in nature that last for months, spiritual renewal of Christians is intended by God to be our daily experience.

People can lose heart due to disappointments, dashed expectations and physical pains.  Many can be frustrated and feel hopeless about our physical bodies which wear out and perish like everything on earth that at one time was new.  Paul did not lose heart in the tribulations he faced for Christ's sake or his aching joints because day by day he was being renewed with spiritual strength and sure expectation of receiving good from God according to the riches of God's grace.  The psalmist spoke of the renewal of animals on the earth by God's power in Psalm 104:29-30:  "You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. 30 You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the earth."  After Noah, his family and animals were preserved in the ark during the great flood, God's renewal of the earth has continued every year and every day without fail.  Observing God's renewal in the natural realm illustrates the spiritual renewal God desires to do in us day by day.

It struck me:  what if Noah, his family and animals decided to remain in the ark due to fear of future rains and flooding?  When the ship rested on Mt. Ararat and the olive leaf had been fetched by a dove from a tree to affirm the waters had dried up on the earth, it was time for a new season to emerge from the ark, explore and inhabit the new world God brought out of the previous global devastation.  All living things saved alive in the ark were to go forth, and God would make them to be fruitful and multiply.  Though exploring and settling in the land would require hard labour, it was good for Noah and his family to depart the cramped quarters of the ark and even use it for scrap in building projects--knowing God would keep His word to never again flood the earth with water to destroy it.  Spry youths grow weary and faint, but those who wait on the LORD will have their strength renewed to miraculously do spiritually what is impossible for our bodies:  to mount up with wings as eagles, to run without weariness and walk with Christ without needing to stop (Isaiah 40:28-31).

The invitation of the beloved to the Shulamite to venture outside to appreciate God's renewal of the land is fitting for Christians to consider spiritually in this new day God has made in Song of Songs 2:10-14:  "My beloved spoke, and said to me: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. 11 For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. 12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. 13 The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away! 14 "O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely."  The Shulamite needed encouragement to rise and go toward the one who loved her, and Christians need encouragement as well to rise from our winter slumber.  The winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers are blooming, birds are singing and fruit is growing.  This is the spiritual reality when Jesus Christ renews our inward man day by day.  Will we remain bundled up in the dark, afraid of being rained on when the Light of the World shines and calls us by name to rise and seek Him?

17 September 2025

Freedom and Responsibility

Growing up in the United States, there was regular talk of our rights and freedoms.  While the Beastie Boys sang raucously to fight for your right to party, the talk in school and on the playground often went to our Constitutional right to freedom of speech and to bear arms.  We felt entitled and deserving of the rights handed to us, and as we grew to adulthood many were fiercely protective of rights as well as pushing to secure additional rights.  For all I heard about rights, however, I heard very little about our responsibilities and duties as God-fearing citizens.  The rights touted by the founding fathers endowed by God who created mankind of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness in our modern day often do not include God or His purposes at all.

While the world around me seemed to dismiss the responsibilities and duties of U.S. citizens with disdain, I was raised by parents who feared God and sought to please Him.  In our household there was a very clear correlation between obedience to authority and additional freedoms earned, and at any time they could be forfeited by rebellious behaviour.  There was a strong emphasis on us kids taking personal responsibility to do what our parents required and expected of us with the understanding there would be plenty of opportunity provided for us to do as we pleased as well--within the structure established by my parents.  Work was prioritised over play, and after the work was completed there was wide latitude for going to friend's houses, playing with toys, enjoying games or watching a movie.

One marked difference in the kingdom of God from earthly systems and structures is the provision of grace that cannot be earned.  All the rights, benefits and privileges of God's children are offered freely by God for us to receive.  But a common thread found in both worlds is that of personal responsibility and duty to be wise and circumspect in the exercise of our freedom.  Paul stated there were lawful things which were not beneficial in 1 Corinthians 6:12:  "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."  Having been born again and washed from sin, Paul and all Christians are responsible before God to walk in wisdom and be circumspect, ensuring we are using the freedoms God has given us in a beneficial way that honours Him.

With the freedom we have in Christ, Paul wrote of many responsibilities of Christians that concern our hearts and conduct in Ephesians 5:1-4:  "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
2  and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving." (NIV)  For anyone who touts their freedom from the Law of Moses or freedoms provided by right of citizenship, we ought to consider the standard of holiness and righteousness God requires of every Christian in His kingdom.  Having received all freedom by God's grace, we ought heed Christ's example to walk in love, to repent of sin when God convicts us, to speak wisdom with thanksgiving to God.

15 September 2025

Keep On Moving

I was part of a generation that embraced going to university at a level that seemed unprecedented.  Part of the drive was to "work smarter, not harder," to work with our brains rather than with our hands.  The chances of embarking on a more lucrative career seemed more certain by earning a bachelor's degree, and tertiary education in university seems more widespread, expected and even required than ever before.  While there are benefits to earning degrees that prepare people for vocations and industries, having a degree is no guarantee of being industrious or having a strong work ethic.  Character and integrity are not donned as easily as a cap and gown.

In the book of Ruth, the readers can observe a young widow of godly character with an inspirational drive to work.  From morning until evening, she gleaned barley in the field of Boaz to provide food for her mother-in-law Naomi and herself.  In the Law of Moses, God bestowed dignity on the stranger, poor, widow and fatherless by granting them freedom to work and obtain food for themselves.  In our day when "hard work" seems to be two four-letter words that are more offensive to modern sensibilities than vulgar expletives, it is good for Christians to gladly embrace this dignified effort in every honest form.

Believe it or not, the ability to do profitable labour is a gift of God as Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 5:18-19:  "Here is what I have seen: it is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. 19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor--this is the gift of God."  Work is not a consequence of sin entering the world, for Adam was tasked by God to tend the Garden of Eden before the fall.  To refuse to work is a rejection of our God-given heritage and calling, and by His grace we can be personally enriched by our exertions.  Paul viewed work as a matter of the will, for anyone who would not work could also forgo eating (2 Thess. 3:10).  To view retirement from paid employment as justification to cease from labour is out of step with the heritage God has given us, for God is faithful to open new avenues of labour for His sake.

In addition to Paul's example of working with his hands to support his Gospel efforts, he provided exhortations in Ephesians 6:5-9 for God-fearing employees and business owners alike:  "Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; 6 not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. 9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him."  Our work is to be done knowing Jesus Christ is our Master who causes us and others to profit by our faithful labour.  Should a day come we cannot do physical or menial work as we did before, let us continue to be active in loving and serving others however we can.  The most general definition of work is to move, and may we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit as He does His work in and through us by His grace.