Life and Rest in Jesus

Have you ever heard someone say, "Where there is no vision the people perish?"  I have heard this repeated so often I have memorised it, yet it is only the first half of the verse!  I actually have never heard anyone say the verse in full, and when people employ partial quotes of scripture to emphasise a point I am wary of missing the main point God intended.  Typically people quote this verse to show the importance of a vision and the danger of lacking it, yet ignoring the second half of the verse and the immediate context allows "vision" (KJV) to mean a great many things that may not be scriptural.

Proverbs 29:17-19 says, "Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul. ¹⁸ Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. ¹⁹ A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer."  The verses before and after verse 18 contain the subject of correction, and this connects well with this purpose of God's Law given to Moses.  A feature of Hebrew wisdom books and poetry is parallelism, and this antithetical parallelism provides the first and second parts of verse 18 as contrasting statements.  Therefore this "vision" is not speaking of visionary leadership or a goal people make to work towards but the revelation of God through His word.  The connection between vision and divine revelation and guidance of God's word is affirmed in 1 Samuel 3:1:  "And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision."

Those under the covenant of Law were instructed, governed, guided, corrected and blessed to observe God's commandments that led them to walk uprightly.  There were benefits for parents who corrected their son, and there was blessing and rest for those who submitted to God's correction.  Like verse 19 said, often words were not sufficient to produce change in a servant, and in His wisdom God allowed individuals and all Israel to endure consequences for their sin to further refine them.  Those who looked to the Law of Moses were looking to God's word, and this is the spiritual vision spoken of in verse 18 that promotes life.  In the New Testament, Christians are exhorted to look unto Jesus and consider Him--His words, actions, teachings and endurance of trials in obedience to His Father--so we might avoid weariness and being faint in our minds (Heb. 12:1-3).  The traditional hymn "Be Thou My Vision" conveys the sense of verse 18 well:  only Jesus can prevent our perishing.

The vision being spoken of by Solomon is not a one-off vision in the night, a dream or plan we make for ourselves but spiritual insight we receive of God and understanding of His righteousness, holiness and goodness.  When people experienced literal visions in scripture it was more than conveying information but was instructive, corrective and a call to definite action.  It would be tragic for people to seek a vision when God has already revealed Himself through God's word and Jesus Christ!  Jesus said to religious Jews in John 5:39-40:  "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. ⁴⁰ But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life."  Without seeing Jesus Christ as the Son of God, people headed towards ruin.  It is Jesus who is our Life and rest, our Saviour who saves, corrects and keeps us.  Happy is the man who looks to Jesus and follows Him faithfully, for He who opens blind eyes gives the Holy Spirit and guides us into all truth.

Pigeons and the Kingdom of God

Yesterday I visited Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park with family and enjoyed seeing the native birds, mammals and reptiles of Australia.  When we arrived the carpark was filled with tour buses, and the park was as crowded as I had ever seen.  Over time the crowds dissipated, and our leisurely stroll through the enclosures of animals both familiar and exotic to me was pleasant.

One thing I like about Featherdale is how the animals in some areas have freedom to move around and interact with guests but can also remain in a "refuge" that is off-limits to the public.  This means a hands-on experience with a wallaby or kangaroo is possible if they are in the mood to venture out of the refuge.  Another interesting dynamic is the feed, water and protection provided for the native animals is a draw for local, commonly found birds in Sydney like rainbow lorikeets and pigeons.  Pelicans stay in their enclosure that is open to the sky while ibis from the community fly in.

It seemed in all the feeding and watering places in Featherdale, I noticed pigeons had made themselves at home.  Unlike kangaroos whose movements are contained to their paddock, the pigeon pictured freely availed itself to the water provided for the kangaroos.  I do not know anyone who would pay to see pigeons, yet there were many pigeons resting in the enclosures of native animals.  The pigeons at Featherdale reminded me of how Jesus has opened up the kingdom of God to the Gentiles as well as the Jews, to whosoever will come to Him by faith.  Jesus did not forbid little children from coming to Him, and He also welcomes Gentiles into the kingdom and family of God according to His grace.

Jesus Christ is the Door to the kingdom of God today swung wide open for all who are hungry and thirsty for eternal life.  He invites and welcomes all people to repent of their sin and receive Him by faith, and to all who are willing He gives the right to become children of God.  Revelation 22:16-17 says, "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." ¹⁷ And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely."  Seeing the pigeons drinking water among wallabies and kangaroos was a lovely reminder of God's divine acceptance and abundant provision of life for all who come to Him.  As pigeons and marsupials are all part of the Featherdale experience, even so heaven is for Jew and Gentile alike united by Christ.

The Good Master

"Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; so he who waits on his master will be honoured."

Proverbs 27:18

We understand the concept of one who plants, waters, and tends a tree having the privilege of eating the fruit it produces.  Harvesting and eating figs is likely the main reason a fig tree was planted in the first place!  The owner of the land fertilises and prunes his trees in the right season so he will benefit the most from fruitfulness.  In an odd way, serving a fig tree leads to being served delicious figs.

The second stanza of this proverb is intriguing, for I would have assumed the master would be the one having an expectation of benefit from his servant.  Solomon turns it the other way round, that a faithful servant who waits on his master can expect to be honoured.  We catch a glimpse of this with Mordecai the Jew who was promoted by king Ahasuerus after he foiled a murder plot by eunuchs.  Mordecai was clothed in the king's clothes, was seated on the king's horse, and a noble proclaimed before him as he was led through the streets of Shushan:  "Thus shall it be done for whom the king delights to honour!"  Later Mordecai was promoted to the high-ranking position previously held by Haman, the enemy of the Jews.

There may be a master who does not esteem or care to honour his servants, but we can know God certainly does crown His servants with honour.  Jesus Christ came to earth as the servant of all, only doing His Father's will, and God has exalted His name over all other names.  Paul affirmed God will give every man according to his deeds and said in Romans 2:10-11 also "...glory, honour, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹¹ For there is no partiality with God."  James 4:10 says, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."  It is written of Christians and servants of living God in Revelation 1:5-6 that Jesus is the ruler of the kings of the earth who has made us kings and priests to His God and Father.  What greater honour could be bestowed upon anyone?

There likely have been people who planted and tended fig trees that never produced figs, and such would have been disappointed to look for fruit and never find it.  There are no such disappointments possible for the born again Christian who waits on the LORD and serves Him faithfully, for he who waits on his Master will be honoured.  David urged in Psalm 27:14, "Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!"  Those who wait on the LORD will be strengthened, honoured and blessed now and forever.  We do not serve God to be honoured, but we can know God honours those who honour Him.

Curse Turned to Blessing

In the Judges passage we read today at church, the elders of the tribes of Israel placed a curse upon any of the tribes of Israel who gave their daughters to the remaining men of Benjamin.  Though God put a curse upon those who failed to keep His law, the Israelites made great effort to avoid the curse they had spoken.  This made me consider the impact of curses on Christians today, and I have observed a fair amount of  concern and what seems to be misguided fear on the subject.

It is not uncommon for me to speak with Christians who wonder if they are the unwitting victims of a curse.  A mix of feelings, circumstances and teachings on the subject convince people there is something they must do to rid themselves of a curse to receive blessing from God.  This is not scriptural or possible, for it is Jesus Christ alone who frees us from the curse of sin and death.  God promised to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, “...I will bless them that bless you and curse those who curse you.”  When Balak hired Balaam to curse Israel, Balaam said inspired by the Holy Spirit in Numbers 23:8:  "How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?"  It is wonderful the Nehemiah 13:2 says God turned Balak's curse into a blessing!

Having been made Christians by faith in Christ, we are no longer under the Law of Moses or the curses therein.  We have been set free from the defilement of sin by Jesus Christ, and we are also set free from the curses of the Law as well.  Paul wrote in Galatians 3:13-14, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), ¹⁴ that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."  In Christ, believers can be assured of God's blessing and are no longer cursed.  If you believe Jesus has redeemed you by His shed blood and washed you clean of sin, you are also free of the curse of the Law because He became a curse for us.  He died so we could live; He was cursed so we can be forever blessed.

As Christians we ought to consider:  should we justify living in fear of a curse Jesus has changed into blessing?  Should we sin by fearing being cursed when Jesus Christ became a curse for us that we might receive the promise of the Spirit by faith?  Since sin brought a curse, should we willfully continue in sin Jesus died to deliver us from?  It is ironic for a person to be quite concerned about a curse but quite casual concerning their sin and lack of repentance.  Brothers and sisters, let us give Jesus full credit for what He accomplished through His provision of atonement and redemption by His shed blood.  Having become a curse for us Gentiles, we can receive the blessing of Abraham:  God will bless those who bless us, and curse those who curse us.

The Castle

When I first came to Australia, one movie widely recommended for me to watch and be thrown into the deep end of Australian culture and humour was The Castle.  It was hailed as a fine representation of the relatable Aussie battler who was willing to take a stand for his principles and a house that had become his happy home beyond price.  Rather than submitting to a compulsory acquisition of his property to extend the airport, Darryl Kerrigan was able to prevail in pleading his case in the high court--with the expert aid of an unexpected ally.

An interesting aspect of the film was the misplaced faith Darryl had in a local lawyer named Dennis Denuto who struggled to make copies in his office!  Dennis was more knowledgeable in matters of Australian law and the Constitution than Darryl, but his incompetence and ignorance was laid bare by his abject failure in court.  Darryl's case would never had been heard by the High Court without the aid of a retired Queen's Counsel and barrister, Lawrence Hammill.  When all hope seemed lost and Darryl was resigned to failure, Lawrence offered to bring his case for free to the High Court and successfully argued Darryl had the right to just terms of compensation under the Australian Constitution.

What is particularly heart-warming is Lawrence did not take the case to advance his career, as penance in hope of atoning for past wrongs, or out of spite for the system.  He was a man of wealth and high-standing who showed compassion on a regular fellow--not only to help him in his area of legal expertise--but was glad to be a mate to Darryl from the moment they happened to meet the first time outside the courthouse.  When they met two worlds collided, and they both were enriched by the friendship that followed.

One could compare Darryl's victory in court to a David and Goliath mismatch, but the important thing to realise is Darryl could never have won without Lawrence, and David could never have defeated Goliath without God.  The fact Darryl and Lawrence continued in a relationship is a wonderful part of the story as it hints at God's divine stoop to our level--not just to help us in a time of need--but to join with us forever in a friendship that is closer than family on earth.  How great is the LORD who has gone out of His way to reveal Himself to us, a friend who sticks closer than a brother, our God who came to us and saved us when we were lost, hopeless and helpless.  Doesn't it warm the heart to know we can be a friend of Jesus?  He gives us something much more precious than a castle, for He gives us Himself forever.

Our Mighty Redeemer

The last two days I read chapters of Proverbs that mentioned "landmarks" which had been established previously, and how it was wise not to remove them.  Proverbs 22:28 bluntly says, "Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set."  There are people who may be almost offended at this prohibition because they have little respect for their fathers.  There are some who are inclined to question and challenge or dismiss the position of ancient landmarks because they seem outdated and irrelevant to modern life.  Even when we do not understand why a fence or boundary stands where it does, the existence of it ought to convey the simple truth to rational minds there was a reason behind such labour.

To the children of Israel, the ancient landmarks were established by the God of Israel who gave to each tribe and family an inheritance of land by lot.  Thus the primary reason to leave the ancient landmark in the original location was to honour God by submitting to His rule.  God gave the Hebrews land with clear boundaries they were to be content to dwell in and be good stewards of it all their days, and the land was to pass to the next generation.  We are given insight into why people would move a landmark in Proverbs 23:10-11:  "Do not remove the ancient landmark, nor enter the fields of the fatherless; ¹¹ for their Redeemer is mighty; He will plead their cause against you."  People would remove landmarks due to envy and covetousness, in a desire to enlarge their borders by encroaching into the inheritance of others.

It demonstrated integrity to leave the ancient landmark established by your fathers, for the opportunity and temptation to move the landmark would surely arise.  It seems people were emboldened to do this when adjacent land was vacant or was owned by those who did not have an esteemed father who could sit in the gate and legally defend their interests.  Solomon warned those tempted to steal the inheritance of their brethren that the fatherless had God as their mighty Redeemer who would plead their cause.  God would personally take on the case of the widow, fatherless and stranger--groups of people who were often alone and easily oppressed in society.  Ultimately the consequences of encroaching upon the inheritance of others would be set right by God, and all who fear Him will take note.

The principle of not removing ancient landmarks is applicable for Christians today beyond the physical boundaries of land, and it ought to be a great encouragement that God is our mighty Redeemer who will please our cause when we walk in righteousness.  When we are the ones who are oppressed, whose rights are trampled on or treated with disdain, we can rest in the comfort of God's love, grace and mercy towards us continually.  God forbid we would lack contentment when God has given us everything richly to enjoy.  Rather than viewing gain as godliness, we do well to remember 1 Timothy 6:6-7:  "Now godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out."  May our lives bring great glory to our Saviour through godliness and contentment (not of this world!) because we are in Christ our mighty Redeemer.

The LORD Always Wins

"There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD."

Proverbs 21:30

What confidence and comfort God's people can have in His sovereign rule over all!  Paul was convinced he and all believers who love God can know He makes all things work together for good.  Thus situations that we would say are bad or are intended by others for evil will not undermine or prevent God's good purposes from ultimately being accomplished.  Sometimes, like Joseph in Egypt, God can provide insight into His redemptive operation in our circumstances and ourselves.  He explained to his brethren in Genesis 50:20:  "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."  It was evil when Joseph's brothers sold him as a slave and fabricated evidence to deceive his father into believing he was dead, yet God meant it for good--that in time nations, Joseph, his father and even his brothers would be spared from starvation and death.

Paul suffered many things for the sake of Christ.  His personal introduction to Jesus on the road to Damascus rendered him blind for days and this led to great spiritual insight as God's chosen vessel to bear Christ's name to the Gentiles.  Wherever he went, Paul regularly faced opposition, death threats, beatings and was incarcerated many times.  He took courage in Jesus Christ in such moments, for there is no wisdom, understanding or counsel against the LORD.  While imprisoned he wrote in Philippians 1:12-14:  "But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, ¹³ so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; ¹⁴ and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear."  One might assume Paul would be hindered, silenced and isolated by his chains, yet new doors of fruitful ministry opened up to him because of it.  We do not read of Paul complaining or ranting about the injustice of his arrest or the need of judicial reforms, for the Gospel was being furthered and Christians were increasingly bold without fear.

In His wisdom, God sent His only begotten Son Jesus to become wisdom for us.  King Herod tried to kill Him, Satan tried to tempt Him, the religious rulers tried to trap Him in His words, and His brothers did not initially believe in Him!  Murderous schemes, deceit and unbelief failed to undermine or hinder the fruitfulness and reception of the Gospel by many followers.  When Satan influenced Judas to betray Jesus, the Jewish rulers condemned Him to death in illegal proceedings and pushed for His crucifixion, God accomplished everything He planned from the beginning by providing atonement for sinners by Christ's shed blood.  Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:6-8, "However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷ But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, ⁸ which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."  Since there is no wisdom, understanding or counsel against the LORD, everything Satan and man did to silence Jesus has glorified Him forever in His resurrection--proving His divinity, His authority, power over sin and death, and He is able to give eternal life to all who trust in Him.

Knowing there is no wisdom, understanding or counsel against the LORD, how good it is to be in Jesus Christ by faith in Him!  This means whatever is intended to be evil against us God will use for good, that injustice will lead to an outpouring of grace and salvation, and the miraculous power of God displayed in response to wicked schemes will be so great that Satan will lament having foolishly played into God's hands.  The devil is proud enough to believe he handed God an easy victory, but the credit for every redemptive victory belongs only to Jesus Christ our LORD.  How would it transform your perspective of your life and the world, seeing there is no wisdom, understanding or counsel against the LORD?

Fervent Love For One Another

It is possible to know scripture by heart that has yet to impact our hearts.  While people are always on the lookout for something new, it is the same old passages of Scripture that provide fresh, relevant guidance to walk in newness of life made possible by the Gospel.  For the spiritually hungry child of God, this never grows old.

Today I considered the passage when Jesus washed the feet of His disciples.  Though Jesus was LORD of all, He voluntarily assumed a position typically filled by a slave and washed feet.  John 13:12-15 says, "So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. ¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you."  Jesus provided an object lesson of conduct that was to mark all His disciples by how they served one another, laying aside any status without thought of themselves.

Before Jesus washed feet, He stripped Himself of His regular clothing and girded himself with a towel that was used to wipe the grime from sandal-clad feet.  When Jesus had washed all the disciples' feet, the towel around His waist would been been noticeably dirty.  This humble gesture was consistent with the considerate character of Jesus showed by laying aside His divine status in a sense to gird Himself with human flesh.  Then He drew near to people who were proud and defiled by sin so He might wash and cleanse them.  Only those willing to be cleansed had their feet washed, and only those who humble themselves to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ are born again.  After our conversion, being washed with the water of the word and the living water of the indwelling Holy Spirit continues to cleanse us of sinful habits, selfishness and pride.

Foot washing is most uncommon in western hospitality, so how can we do for one another as Jesus has said?  Peter, an apostle who allowed Jesus to wash his feet (albeit reluctantly!), quote Proverbs 10:12 in 1 Peter 4:7-8:  "But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. ⁸ And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."  When we believers see another Christian overtaken with sin, expressing themselves with pride or refusing to forgive, we are to draw near to them rather than avoiding them.  Love doesn't cover sins by denying their existence or turning a blind eye to them, but looks to see that person restored to fellowship with God and others in the church.  Jesus did not allow dirty, smelly feet to deter Him from drawing near to wash feet, and He also was willing for the sins of the world to defile Him so sinners could be cleansed and given eternal life.  It requires humility and loyal love to minister grace to Christians so they might be washed clean of offenses.  We cannot wash people of sins or convince them to change course, but Jesus can.

Fretting Against the LORD

 "The foolishness of a man twists his way, and his heart frets against the LORD."

Proverbs 19:3

The picture of the foolish heart of man fretting against the LORD is an apt one.  I have several shirts that show evidence of fretting from scraping across rough surfaces, and it is unsightly when fibers of fabric pull unevenly.  Webster describes the word "fret" as meaning, "corroding, wearing away; agitating; vexing; making rough on the surface."  Should a fabric continue to rub upon a stone or block surface, the threads will wear away completely and create a hole.  God is the immoveable, eternal God who is resolute and unchanging.  Man's folly prompts him to dash against the righteous God like a bug impulsively flies repeatedly into a light and stuns itself.  It is the bug that comes off worse for wear.

God is not worn down by the folly, crookedness or perversion of man He has created.  It is man who wears down under the weight of God's judgments, correction and guilt.  Jesus did not commit Himself to men because He knew the hearts of men and what was inside them:  flattery, deceit, lies, unbelief and willful ignorance.  This passage shows the need for every person to receive a new heart and to walk in the wisdom of God rather than fretting against Him.  Jesus said it was hard for Saul to kick against the goads, and we make it hard on ourselves when we fret against the LORD--causing self-inflicted wounds without cure.  The only remedy for our ills is divine intervention and restoration made possible by faith in Jesus Christ.

When God gives us a new heart, having been born again by the Gospel, we are more inclined to love God and walk in His ways rather than backsliding.  Hosea 11:7 speaks of God's people under Law who continued in their own ways despite His revelation of God in the Scripture and in their lives:  "My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, none at all exalt Him."  To backslide means to be faithless, to depart from God and fall away.  Years ago I would commonly hear people identify with backsliding but only partly--claiming they had relapsed into sinful habits but they still loved and believed in God.  It almost sounded acceptable to associate oneself with backsliding, for at least they were at church!  It did not seem to make a lasting difference when those bent on backsliding "rededicated" their lives to God, for they needed a new heart and Spirit within them when away from church gatherings.

Jeremiah 3:21-22 provides hope and healing for the fretting backslider:  "A voice was heard on the desolate heights, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel. For they have perverted their way; they have forgotten the LORD their God. ²² "Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings." "Indeed we do come to You, for You are the LORD our God."  God was able to heal Saul of Tarsus who kicked against the goads, and He is able to heal our backslidings when we return to the LORD.  The sheep that wanders from the fold is exposed to many illnesses, terrors and enemies without the protection of the Good Shepherd, and how good it is for us to return to God, to learn to remember God and be faithful to Him.  Praise the LORD for His mercy and grace, that He calls out to His backsliding children to heal those who return to Him in truth.

More than Satisfying Curiosity

Human beings have an insatiable appetite for knowledge, to learn facts about what has happened.  Hearing "facts" sounds dull and boring, yet learning about something of personal interest is fun and exciting.  Many times we have watched a movie, show on TV or skipped to the end of a book that wasn't very interesting or well made because we were still interested to know how it ended.  Our curiosity satisfied, we could then move on to making judgments about what would have made the movie better or the book more engaging.

We can take a similar approach when it comes to God and His word.  Our interest in reading God's word may be to glean the truth so we can discern between right and wrong.  We may open the Bible to remind ourselves of what happened in a historical narrative, to remind ourselves of the name of a person or city, or for verses of encouragement.  Some write down and memorise meaningful passages of Scripture as a spiritual discipline.  It may surprise you, but God has spoken and provided His word for more than giving us the facts or educating us about happened or what will happen--to the end we would know Him and walk according to His righteous ways.  While we are content to have our curiosity satisfied, God desires our transformed lives would proclaim His goodness to all.

Asaph wrote of God and His mighty works in Psalm 78:4-8, "We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. ⁵ For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; ⁶ that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, ⁷ that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments; ⁸ and may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God."  Everyone likes to hear a good story, and Asaph declared the history of God's people and testified of God's faithfulness.  The stories told in the Old Testament, entertaining as they may be, were intended to instruct and guide people presently  and for generations to come in honouring, praising and obeying God.

The purpose of instructing the next generation was so they could learn from the mistakes of their fathers who were stubborn, rebellious, did not prepare their hearts and were unfaithful to God.  The continuous cycle of failure of successive generations and inability to rise above their fathers shows more than education, instruction and tradition is needed:  we must be born again by faith in Jesus.  We are no better than our fathers, nor will we ever be by the efforts of our flesh.  Knowing what God's word says ought to to guide our thinking, words, attitudes, motives and how we live.  God holds His people responsible to walk in His ways and boldly testify of God's goodness and how (even at our best!) we are naturally nothing like Him.  May it be through the declaration of God's word people would come to know God, and our testimony "...in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:7)

Departing From Evil

King Solomon asked in Proverbs 20:9, "Who can say, 'I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin'?"  The answer is no one!  We are all unclean due to sin, and we cannot address our spiritual malady.  A person tasked to wash windows with oil-soaked rags could not eliminate streaks or smears, and no amount of elbow grease could remove the greasy film.  When the light shines through, the filth is clearly seen!  One would have a better chance of cleaning a oily window that purifying our hearts from sin, for we are spiritually dead and powerless to revive or redeem ourselves.  In our natural condition, we are not inclined to humble ourselves before God or man at all.

The Bible teaches us there is one who can forgive sins, and that is the righteous God revealed in Jesus Christ who remained without sin.  Jesus demonstrated His power to forgive sins and that He was God made flesh when He healed a paralytic who suddenly, at Christ's command before many witnesses, stood and walked.  Jesus Christ is good and God; He is righteous, holy and pure.  By His shed blood He provided the means of atonement for sin, satisfying the justice of God by His death so all who trust in Him can be spiritually raised to life forever by faith in Him.  The rising of Jesus from the dead showed His authority and power over sin that brings death.  Having been justified by faith in Christ and set apart as God's own children and inheritance, we are called to live lives free of sin.

Solomon wrote in Proverbs 16:6 long before the Gospel was revealed by Jesus:  "In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; and by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil."  Jesus has provided atonement for our sins, and our lives ought to follow His pattern of mercy and truth which guides us to walk uprightly.  For a long time we lived to please and satisfy ourselves, and as born again children of God living in the fear of God prompts us to depart from evil.  Before coming to Christ we were like orphaned children who lied, shoplifted, scammed and picked pockets to survive.  With winter well on the way and death inevitable due to the harsh elements, God was like a kind-hearted man who saw us starving and freezing in rags and offered to adopt us as children so we could be provided for, loved and comforted.  We liked the idea of having new clothes, a roof over our heads in winter and a place at a table for three meals a day, and we agreed to the arrangement.

Imagine the father going to tuck his adopted child into bed, and to his surprise found the bed empty and the window wide open.  It seems bringing a child in off the streets didn't purge his new son or daughter of their old habits!  After scouring the streets the father found his child in an alley behind a bakery, digging through rubbish and eating out-of-date baked goods rats had already spoiled.  Being a son or daughter at the table meant eating unfamiliar vegetables and needing to wait until after dinner for dessert, and as children of God we have many lessons to learn as we willingly submit to His pattern of life.  By the fear of the LORD one departs from evil, and recognising God as our Father and loving to please Him leads us to abandon our old ways and choose Him instead.  We cannot cleanse our hearts from sin, but we can wash our hands with soap and water.  God has provided atonement with His shed blood, and by the power of the Holy Spirit we can depart from evil.  We need God's help to have righteous standing before Him and to embrace our sanctification in submitting to Him.

Crowd Pleasers

When I was a kid in San Diego, it was a special treat to go to a professional baseball game and watch the Padres in action.  There were many years our local team was the "cellar dweller" (last place!) and did not field a competitive team.  It was rare for the Padres to keep young talent because good players were expensive, and the ownership was not nearly as financially invested in building a championship team as today.  Sometimes the most exciting thing that happened during a baseball game was when a fan jumped the barrier and ran around on the field until they were corralled by security.  It happened with such frequency that we developed a term for such trespassers:  crowd pleasers.  There were likely many times the roar of the few thousands in attendance was the loudest as unfit men ran onto the field and deftly dodged equally unfit and uncoordinated security guards.

Over the years, strict penalties were enforced to deter fans from running onto the field for the protection of the players.  All in attendance were warned anyone who ran on the field could expect to be arrested, be fined and perhaps be banned from entering the stadium.  Another step taken by the MLB television networks was to pan away and not broadcast anyone who went onto the field.  As a result only the people present in the stadium could witness the silliness and served to remove any hope of worldwide notoriety on television (even if infamy!) by breaking the rules.  These deterrents have proved effective and have greatly reduced the number of people who decided to storm the field of MLB games.

There is wisdom in the MLB network's refusal to provide air time for hooligans and trespassers whose disruptive and dangerous antics cause stoppages in play.  Fans may still enjoy watching people embarrass themselves as they scramble away from security guards like pet dogs trying to avoid capture by their owners in the street.  We Christians may not make millions of dollars through our networking, but we can choose to walk in wisdom concerning what we choose to broadcast to the world in our social media feeds, blogs, messages and comments.  God has given us His wisdom and discernment by the indwelling Holy Spirit to choose what stories are worthy of repeating and drawing attention to and those we should avoid mentioning.  There are funny jokes that should not be retold and stories left unsaid that paint others in a bad light.

Focus on "crowd pleasers" who run around on the field can tarnish the MLB brand, and as Christians we ought to consider if our broadcasts bring honour to Christ or distract from Him.  Messages that sow fear, doubts and controversial subjects should not be given the spotlight when we have God's word that speaks truth, provides wisdom and brings salvation.  Many times my family and I left the stadium after a forgettable game and it was an obscene heckler or crowd pleaser who took the field, gave security guards the slip and managed to slide into second base which provided the most memorable occurrences during the game.  Every day we have opportunities to focus on the infamous and please the crowd or to extol the glorious greatness of our God and please our Saviour Jesus Christ.  May the LORD teach us when to be silent and how we ought to speak.

Praying Together

"Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour."

Acts 3:1

When I consider Peter and John going together to the temple at the hour of prayer, I recall seeing many people praying at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem.  Men and women may go up together to pray, but everyone prays by themselves to God.  Currently there are separate areas before the Temple Mount for men and women to pray.  On a layover after a trip to Israel, several orthodox men donned prayer shawls and bound tefillin to pray, each with a prayer book in hand.  The manner of their prayer was different to Christian prayer meetings I have attended, for they each prayed alone to God.

After being born again by faith in Jesus, Peter and John (and countless Jewish disciples) continued in Jewish traditions, like going up together to the temple at the hour of prayer.  With Jesus as their mediator and filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter and John believed God would hear them wherever they were.  But they chose to go up to the temple to pray at the hour of prayer, and it was a good hour to observe.  They went to pray, not out of obligation to observe tradition, but to seek an audience with the living God they knew personally.  They knew God would hear every word muttered in their assembly spoken at once and also the heart of the person who prayed without speaking.

During times of corporate prayer, Christians often speak in turn rather than all speaking at the same time.  Whether Christians pray all at the same time or in turn, the Jewish approach teaches us we all ought to be active participants in humbly seeking God individually in prayer privately and in public.  There is guidance in the Bible we ought to observe, yet there is also great freedom to pray in every place, time and in countless ways.  One thing I observed was in the Old Testament the priest and people laid their hands on the sacrifice to be offered for sin, and Jesus who would lay His life down as the sacrifice for sin laid His hands on people to heal and bless them.  This is one of the remarkable changes Jesus ushered in by God's grace.

The book of Acts shows us His disciples continued what Jesus did together, praying individually and corporately.  At times during prayer they laid hands to heal, for people received the Holy Spirit, or as they sent out disciples as led by the Holy Spirit.  Christians prayed in one accord in the upper room and received the Holy Spirit; believers prayed together and Peter was miraculously released from prison in Acts 12.  Following Christ's example of praying a blessing and breaking bread, the disciples did this regularly as we read in Acts 2:46-47:  "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."  Jesus and the disciples show prayer is more than just for mealtimes or at church, and we can all participate in the daily privilege of praising and thanking God as we make our requests known to Him.

Troubles Lead to Jesus

In Judges 20, all the other tribes of Israel gathered to go to war against the tribe of Benjamin because of the murder of a Levite's concubine--and they refused to surrender the men responsible for capital punishment.  Though Israel sought the LORD before going up to Gibeah to attack the Benjamites, day after day they suffered huge losses.  The fighters of Israel outnumbered the Benjamites 15 to 1, and they still lost 40,000 men over two days.  Copping huge defeats in battle prompted the Israelites to desperately seek God for help and victory.

One might have assumed because Israel sought the LORD and obeyed Him they would have been assured of success, but victory did not immediately come.  They came to realise despite their manpower and righteous cause they had no chance of success without God's guidance and strength.  They would have been content to be only told what to do, yet God was working toward another aim entirely:  to draw all the children of Israel to Himself and increase their faith in Him.  Sometimes we can have the same approach when we see people who are deceived or without understanding concerning the Christian faith.  We imagine if we only responded to their skepticism or unbelief with the perfect verse (when all God's word is true) a hard heart would soften, a mind would change, and a life would be transformed.  If the outcome of our best efforts falls short of our expectations, we put the onus back on ourselves to know more and do better--when the LORD would have us seek and trust Him to do all the work we cannot.

2 Timothy 2:15 says, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  We have a responsibility and privilege as God's children to read the Bible (God's word) and to walk in light of it.  We ought to labour to dig into the word to gain knowledge and learn how to rightly divide and interpret it as led by the Holy Spirit.  At the same time we should realise much more than knowledge is needed to change people's minds and hearts.  The strongest arguments and evidence will fall on deaf ears unless the LORD does a miraculous work in others and they willingly yield to Him.  I love how God is able to reveal Himself to people through ways we never imagined possible, to communicate truth that deeply affects people for life.  One sentence, phrase or word spoken by God, a feeling people cannot shake, even a sleepless night can be used by God to orchestrate eternal transformation by His grace.

God is able to use anything and anyone--including us imperfect Christians who make mistakes, flub our words, forget scripture references and can be easily mixed up.  We are incapable of doing good ourselves and are deeply flawed, yet our God is more than sufficient and perfect in every way.  That is a reason why we came to Jesus Christ at the beginning, because we were hopeless and unable to save ourselves!  As much as we desire to see more sinners saved by the Gospel, God has already shown a full commitment to this by sending Jesus Christ to seek and save the lost.  When we face conflict we cannot overcome ourselves, should we feel disillusioned, discouraged and feel like failures, allow the full force of our failure and negative feelings lead us by the hand to Jesus who encourages, strengthens us and increases our faith.  It is not by our might, nor our power but by the Holy Spirit obstacles are overcome--even when it is our own unbelief.

Lacking Without Jesus

"And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."

Luke 12:15

There was a man who came to Jesus who had great wealth.  Despite all the goods he possessed, a sense of lack drew him to Jesus.  He inquired what good thing he needed to do to inherit eternal life.  This is a common assumption people make today, that entrance to eternal life in heaven is a divine reward for good deeds done in life.  When eternal salvation is tied to our works or worthiness, immediately we are stripped of all assurance of going to heaven.  We may have done some admirable things in the eyes of ourselves or others, but we have also done many shameful and sinful things in God's sight.  No matter how much "good" we do, only the most conceited could imagine they have done enough.  Even by man's standards, how can anyone be sure?

Matthew 19:16-20 says, "Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" ¹⁷ So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." ¹⁸ He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' ¹⁹ 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " ²⁰ The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?"  The young man called Jesus good and thought by doing good he could receive eternal life.  Jesus questioned the man's use of good to describe Him and probed the man's heart He knew well:  was he calling Jesus good because he believed Jesus was God?  If Jesus was indeed good, would the man heed Him?

Jesus said the man could enter into life by keeping the commandments and rattled off a series of commands that pertained to man's conduct towards other people.  The man asserted he had kept all those commandments from his youth, yet he still felt a great lack.  Matthew 19:21-22 reads, "Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." ²² But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."  The man was right:  he lacked treasure in heaven!  It was not by doing good but by faith in Christ marked by obedience to Him which was the path to eternal life, for Jesus Christ is the Way.  In all his religious efforts the man lacked Jesus Christ who is good and God, the Door through whom sinners enter by faith into eternal life.  The young man who was convinced he had done everything was unwilling to do the first thing the good teacher asked him to do.

It turned out the man who lacked Jesus and eternal life loved his own life and valued his possessions more than a relationship with Jesus and assurance of heaven.  When the man walked away sorrowful, I wonder what sort of sorrow he experienced:  sorrow that leads to repentance not to be sorrowed of, or sorrow that leads to death (2 Corinthians 7:10)!  Praise the LORD what is impossible with man is possible with God, that stubborn, lost sinners can be brought to repentance and salvation by faith in Jesus.  God's word and wisdom wipes away our delusions of possibly being good ourselves and explains in verses like Titus 3:5-7 it is "...not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, ⁷ that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."  There is no life to be found in abundant possessions:  eternal life consists in Christ alone.

The Simple

"The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps."

Proverbs 14:15

Solomon spoke of "the simple" many times in his proverbs, and the use of antithetical parallelism reveals the simple to be the opposite of prudent and wise.  It is a person who lacks discernment, is gullible and easily influenced.  Being simple is more indicative of a lack of godly character than intelligence.  Very learned and intelligent people can be simple from a biblical point of view, lacking firm grounding found only in the fear of God and in heeding His word.

A passage I read this morning in the KJV provoked thought concerning the simple in Proverbs 9:13-18:  "A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing. ¹⁴ For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, ¹⁵ to call passengers who go right on their ways: ¹⁶ Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, ¹⁷ Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. ¹⁸ But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell."  After personifying Wisdom as a woman who cries aloud, Solomon contrasted Wisdom with a foolish, simple and ignorant woman who sat at the door of her house and also called out to people passing by.  She stationed herself on a seat "in the high places of the city."  Generally, references to "high places" speaks of shrines and altars built for the worship of false deities, which is ironic seeing Solomon built many of them in Israel in his latter years.

What intrigued me is how those who passed by were called "passengers" in the KJV, those who went right on in their way.  The simple woman appealed to the simple to turn aside and sample her wares, and it seems many yielded at her voice.  To connect the simple with "passengers" is interesting, as the common use of the term today is the description of one who rides along in a aeroplane, ship, train, or taxi with others driving and navigating.  People these days pay money to be transported as a passenger to an agreed upon destination.  It occurred to me there are people whose lives on earth who resemble passengers, content to be carried along by their own desires, ambitions and feelings wherever they may lead.  In the case of the foolish woman seated at the high place, she called out to the simple to lead them to transgress God's righteous commands.  The simple passenger had no clue those who turned aside to her were spiritually dead and figuratively in hell.

One difference between the simple passenger in life and the wise is the realisation of where we are and where our lives are heading.  The wise make decisions with our ultimate destination in mind.  The prodigal son in the parable showed wisdom when, after being reduced to poverty and feeding pigs to survive, he realised how low he had sunk.  He considered how his father's servants had plenty to eat while he was starving.  Rather than being a passenger in a life driven by lust and the pursuit of pleasure, as God's people we are to be guided by God's word and the Holy Spirit.  We are not to be simple passengers in life easily turned aside to sin but to be faithful to walk with Jesus today.  The worldly aspire to be the captains of their own ship when without Christ the simple can only be passengers on a voyage to ruin.  Jesus does not call us to be passengers but participants, contributing to the health and vitality of the body of Christ by His love and wisdom.  Walking with Jesus and His people is eternally more sweet and pleasant than going right on in our own ways.

Validation or Transformation?

Today I watched part of a video which discussed a new trend of people using A.I. chatbots like a personal therapist.  Some had positive feedback that the bot "gets" or understands them and served to validate their thoughts and feelings.  This reminded me of some "Jesus" ads I have seen that simply say, "He gets us."  This is an attractive message to a world of people who are seeking validation and people to agree with their opinions and outlook--a far cry from the way Jesus taught Jewish people under the law:  "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."  Much more than validation, we sinners need forgiveness, salvation and transformation!

While Jesus invites everyone to come to Him in faith as they are, He does not keep Christians in our natural fleshly, sinful state.  When we are born again by faith in Jesus, we are adopted into the family of God and filled with the Holy Spirit who convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment.  God does far more than "keep us accountable" because He instructs, chastens, corrects, rebukes and tests us due to His love for us.  Unless we humble ourselves before the LORD and admit we want and need to change, accountability to fellow believers will not profit us at all.  Because God has given us new hearts and renewed minds, we are called to learn to live in the way that pleases God, doing what is right in His sight.

Matthew 21:42-44 speaks of an interaction of Jesus with the chief priests and elders of Israel who believed they were the teachers in Israel yet refused to submit to being taught or change their ways:  "Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD'S doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? ⁴³ "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. ⁴⁴ And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."  Jesus identified Himself as the chief cornerstone referred to in Psalm 118:22-24 and also the rock (who is the LORD) God's people would stumble over in Isaiah 8:13-15.  The God of Israel is a sanctuary while also being a stone of stumbling and rock of offence.  Some would fall on Him and be broken, while others would be ground to powder and destroyed by His mighty vengeance.

David Guzik wrote in the Enduring Word Commentary:  "The choice before the religious leaders is the choice before every person. We can be broken in humble surrender before God or be completely broken in judgment."  God knows our every need, and our need for salvation is met when we humble ourselves and are broken for our sin as we look to the Saviour Jesus Christ for pardon and redemption.  It is true Jesus understands us, yet His intimate knowledge of us reveals our fundamental need to be transformed:  to pass from spiritual death to eternal life, to repent of sin and do what God says is good.  He does more than sympathise with us but chastens us to further break us so greater healing, godliness and spiritual fruitfulness will be produced by our lives according to His grace.

When I look for a kiosk to validate my parking ticket, I simply want the stamp that will cause the automatic gate to open, allow me to exit, and go where I want.  Some who like the idea of heaven and fear hell come to Jesus for validation rather than personal transformation.  Jesus loves us too much to put His stamp of approval on our sinful thoughts, motives and ways that work to destroy us.   We come to Jesus knowing we are sinners and only He is able to forgive us, spiritually regenerate us and provide eternal life.  Those coming to Christ for validation will be disappointed, but those who are broken for their sin and look to Jesus for pardon will be blessed beyond measure.

A Spiritual Emergency

Our local council is currently rolling out a new bin system to collect rubbish than includes a small pail with biodegradable liners to dispose of food scraps in a green bin.  I was amused when I saw the flashing lights on the minivan that delivered the new bins, similar to what you would see on emergency vehicles.  According to many climate activists, we are in the midst of a global emergency--one that has seemed to grow worse and more dire with every passing year regardless of intentional actions we take.  I have lived long enough to go from paper to plastic bags because it was killing the trees to using paper again because it is sustainable.  We ought to do what we can to protect the environment as good stewards of the planet God has provided for us, but ultimately it is His planet we could not save or destroy even if we tried.

As I mused upon the flashing emergency lights on the climate action van that seemed a bit excessive and unnecessary, it occurred to me people can have a similar view concerning our sin.  All this talk about the dangers of sin do not hit home because it does not seem like an emergency or dangerous at all, like when Adam ate the forbidden fruit.  Life went on.  Because our sinfulness is as natural to our flesh as breathing, eating and sleeping, even Christians may not see how deadly and destructive it truly is.  People who are not comfortable in their own skin can be very comfortable in sin due to familiarity with it; it is naturally part of us and intrinsic to our character, attitude and outlook.  In a sermon I preached on Judges 19, God's word lays the grotesque ugliness of sin bare for all to see to the end we might identify with the sinners rather than painting ourselves as innocent victims.  All have sinned, and God's desire is for all to repent, receive forgiveness and new life.

In year 9, a classmate and I were tasked to contact Greenpeace, an organisation that at the time was highly publicised for their efforts to "save the whales."  In the naivete of my youth, I was a bit taken aback by the rather militant and aggressive fellow who cursed us on the phone when he sensed disrespect by a comment made by my classmate.  I assumed people who care for the planet and whales must have a gentle and kind disposition to callers, when he was a regular person like everyone else--someone who feels frustration  and anger when his time is being wasted by young punks or when his cause is not taken nearly as seriously as it should.  I imagine the man felt quite justified to give us a piece of his mind since we called him, and it is shockingly easy for all people--Christians included--to justify what God identifies as sin due to offence or how we feel.  I once thought I was free of guilt because I avoided overt sins like cursing, but when I began to understand that being unloving is a sin, I realised I was in deep trouble.

Often we must experience negative symptoms before we will go to a doctor, and then we must receive a dire diagnosis before we will take our heath, treatments, diet and exercise as seriously as we should.  In a similar way, we need the word of God and the Holy Spirit to shine a light upon our sin with conviction and be brought to a place of broken desperation for forgiveness and restoration.  We need to realise the spiritual and personal emergency sin truly is--worse than a cancer or heart attack--because it has eternal implications.  Years ago I recall an ambulance with flashing lights and siren that was transporting a patient suffering a life-threatening emergency.  The light was red, and the driver of the car blocking the ambulance wasn't sure if it was ok to run the red light to make way to allow the ambulance to pass through the intersection.  As the fellow remained still, the ambulance driver shouted through a megaphone:  "Get out of the way before my patient dies!"  This is the sort of intensity we ought to have concerning our sin, for it is a spiritual emergency that requires divine forgiveness, healing and restoration.  Praise be to God 1 John 1:9 is the truth for Christians:  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Why Do You Weep?

When unexpected or unwanted things happen, it is common for people to wonder or ask God why.  This is never a bad thing to do, to bring our requests to God because we trust and fear Him.  At the same time, we may never agree with God's reasoning, for His ways and thoughts are above ours--nor is He ever under obligation to justify or explain Himself to us.  He alone is the living God who does all things well, and He is powerful to redeem even what man intends for evil for everlasting good.

What may be more advantageous for us in our pains and struggles than asking God for His reasoning is to answer why we feel compelled to ask God why.  When Hannah struggled because of cutting provocations of a rival wife, 1 Samuel 1:8 says:  "Then Elkanah her husband said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"  Hannah did not reply, but it would have been a good question to consider and answer.  Because of Hannah's disappointment and inability to fall pregnant, coupled with snide and mean-spirited remarks intended to wound her, she wept despite her husband's love for her.  Rather than lashing out at Peninnah or dumping her emotions on her husband, Hannah wisely poured out her soul to God in prayer.

As children of God, it is good for us to consider why we feel cast down when our God is so awesome and faithful.  God does not fault us for being weak and easily overwhelmed, for we are His children who desperately need Him.  I have observed children can cry for all manner of reasons, and as adults our emotions can be similarly stirred.  A child may cry because they feel picked on or excluded, while another cries because his heart is set to touch a pot on the stove and was sternly rebuked.  I recall a boy who cried when his mum dug poisonous berries out of his mouth, and another child who wept in the aftermath of traumatic accident because her shoe was lost.  One person may be brought to tears in brokenness for their sin while another can be upset because they are unwilling to confess or forsake it.  Consideration of why we weep can provide insight into the condition of our heart which God alone can purify, exposing our motives and intent.

After Jesus was risen from the dead angels asked Mary, "Why do you weep?"  She readily answered, explaining her LORD was missing and she did not know where He was.  Mary didn't notice at the time Jesus was standing right there because she didn't recognise Him.  John 20:15-16 reads, "Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away." ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher)."  It was no coincidence the living Christ revealed Himself at the moment when Mary expressed her broken heart, for Jesus has come to heal the broken hearted.  Because of our awesome Saviour, it was for Mary and for us today as Psalm 126:5 says:  "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy."  It isn't tears in themselves that warrant God's favour, but the sacrifices of a broken and contrite heart God will not despise (Psalm 51:17).

Honour God with Increase

There were a few classes in high school that went a bit over my head, namely Chemistry and Physics.  While I understood the content and performed well in life sciences, these courses laid my weak grasp of maths bare.  Because I found the mathematic concepts difficult to grasp, looking back I can see that I reached the point of wanting to be told what the correct answer was rather than wrestle to learn how to arrive at the correct answer.  Passing the class was a higher priority to me than learning information I would likely never need.  I suspect we can do the same when it comes to our relationship with Christ--preferring to be told what the correct answer is, placing ourselves under a yoke administered by those in "the know" instead of wrestling with God concerning how to please Him in our relationship.

Recently the topic of tithing came up in conversation, and I have observed the subject of giving often produces strong responses:  some want to be told how much they should give whilst others are opposed to any input concerning the management of their finances.  Since Christians are no longer under the Mosaic Law, commands to tithe (which means "tenth") in the Old Testament are not in themselves compulsory--though they do reveal giving with intent to honour God who gives us all things to enjoy is proper and good.  Some breathe a sigh of relief, content to give when they feel like doing so or are able to afford it.  Such prefer to exercise their liberty to withhold from giving.  Instead of asking how much we are obligated to give, it is better to examine our hearts to see if we are giving in a godly way.  Why we give is more important than what we give, for God looks upon the heart.

I read a timeless principle in the Bible Christians ought to take to heart in Proverbs 3:9-10:  "Honour the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; ¹⁰ so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine."  As God's people, it is our responsibility and privilege to honour God with our possessions and with the firstfruits of all our increase.  This proverb was written in a season when the Law of Moses required the Jews to bring the best of their firstfruits and tithes to the house of the LORD where the priests and Levites served, and a portion of the offerings brought was used given to support the people who ministered unto the LORD.  The principle remains whenever there is increase, a portion of what comes in was to be set aside and given to honour God.  God's people are to give, not with the aim of gain, but as a response to what God has already given!  There can be people who give religiously tinged with greed, hoping their gifts curry favour for increased gain from Him.  This passage affirms God's people will not be impoverished by obedience to God, for He looks favourably upon those who are good stewards of His gracious gifts.

Whether our giving is on a annual, weekly, daily or case by case basis as led by the Holy Spirit, God loves a cheerful giver.  Paul shows the attitude we all ought to have in giving in 2 Corinthians 9:7:  "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver."  In all the gain God provides, we ought to prayerfully consider how we can honour God directly with a portion of it, whether it be to distribute money to a church, Christian ministry or organisation, to needy people in the name of Jesus.  If we view giving as burdensome, it is interesting we do not feel the same concerning receiving a raise or when extra money comes our way.  If we rejoice to receive more from God, where is our delight in having capacity to honour God more by giving?  I confess giving has not always felt like a privilege to me; at times it felt painful!  Over time the LORD gently showed me my affections were misplaced, as I was more focused on what I could do with money given to God rather than rejoicing in His generous gifts already received.  Giving is a spiritual discipline Christians are called to learn and grow in.  Blessed is the one who trusts God and gives freely with no strings attached, for this causes thanksgiving to abound to God.

Consider this:  subjects in old times would not consider appearing before their king empty handed, similar to Australia where it is customary to bring a gift when visiting friends for a meal.  For the sake of good manners people bring a little something to contribute and bless their host--with a little chocolate, drinks, dessert, or side dish that can be enjoyed by all.  If we feel awkward to go to the house of a friend without bringing a gift to show our appreciation for them, where is our sense of obligation to bring something to give to the LORD when we go to a church building dedicated for the honour and worship of God?  Our friendly and generous host may urge us not to bring a thing, but we delight to do so anyway!  God does not demand any gift from our hand, no percentage of our income or firstfruits:  but He does love a cheerful giver.  All we have to live on and enjoy is a gift from God's hand, and we are richly blessed to be able to honour Him with all our increase.

Complacency Kills

In the book of Proverbs, Solomon personifies Wisdom as a woman calling aloud to all who will listen.  In the opening chapter of the book, Wisdom rebukes and warns the simple and foolish people who ignore her words.  God calls out to people who are heading to destruction and stretches out His hand to draw people to safety and the path of life, but many are intent in going their own way which leads to ruin.  Those who despise knowledge and the fear of God, those who refuse the counsel of God and His rebuke, will find themselves needing help and never finding it.  In our natural, sinful state, this is an apt description of all people.

Wisdom speaks of the consequences of ignoring her in Proverbs 1:30-33:  "They would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke. ³¹ Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies. ³² For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; ³³ but whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil."  Eating the fruit of our own way reminds me of Adam and Eve eating fruit from the one tree God forbade them to eat, and they ultimately died as a consequence for their disobedience.  There are things which seem appetising and alluring to our flesh but work to poison our minds and corrupt our souls.  Those who listen to God and heed His word--Jesus who is Wisdom for us (1 Corinthians 1:30-31)--we will live and dwell in safety and security forever.  Jesus likened those who heard His words and obeyed them to a wise man who built his house on a rock that withstood all forces of nature.

The problem is not primarily the food they eat or even the appetites of the foolish:  it is in turning away from God and their proud complacency where the issue primarily lies.  There is naturally in the proud a fierce and stubborn resistance to yield our will to God's will.  Becoming complacent is a concern for the wise as well as the foolish, for it is a satisfaction in ourselves as we are and will not admit our need to humble ourselves and be changed.  One who is complacent is gratified by themselves and is uncritically satisfied with oneself, pleased with all one has achieved.  It is one who in a sense feels they have arrived at their destination and have no desire or reason to go further.  The complacent are those who are in awe of themselves.  When Wisdom speaks, the wise are willing to examine themselves and acknowledge their folly.  Proverbs 9:8 says, "Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you."  Even as the wise can make foolish choices, the wisest among us can become complacent.

People follow programs developed by personal trainers who are fitter than them; those seeking financial advice trust those who have already made their millions by successful investing.  In the world there are people who are commonly viewed as "set for life" because of their notable success in business, sport or politics.  Fame, money and possessions do nothing to refine a person's character, moral compass or faith in God.  If anyone may have been seen as having "arrived" or reached the pinnacle of spiritual success, it was the apostle Paul.  Yet he dismissed this notion in Philippians 3:12:  "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me."  Paul was not complacent when other Christians may have been.  He freely confessed he had much to learn from the LORD and others, much ground to gain for Christ's sake, and further to go in his spiritual disciplines, practical wisdom and godliness.  The complacent are content where they are and with what they have already done, but the wise will respond positively to rebuke, increasingly walk in obedience to God, and admit they have far to go--coupled with intentional labour and personal sacrifice to head in that direction.

Wisdom said turning from God is deadly, and complacency kills.  Let us be those who receive all of God's counsel and heed His rebukes lest we eat the bitter fruit of our way.  May we believers press on in sanctification increasingly yielded to Christ, for if Paul had not already attained or been perfected neither have we.

Talebearing or Faithful?

Our words can be employed to fashion a cover for ourselves to hide behind and even be a vain attempt to cloak our sin.  I remember years ago I had a friend who did not like to view his daily dependance on cigarettes as an "addiction" (thus justified because he did not buy them) but a habit because it sounded better.  If you had suggested in years past I had a problem with fear, I would have denied it.  I believed verses that say "Fear not!" had little application for me personally.  But when I connected fear with feelings of dread, suddenly I realised my problem with sinful fear due to unbelief in God was a serious problem.  People who readily admit they have told lies in the past can struggle to say the simple truth concerning themselves:  "I am a liar."

The Bible provides a multifaceted view of sin so we can better identify it in our lives, repent of it and choose to do what is right and pleasing to God in the future.  The way we define a word can be the difference between admitting we have sinned or justifying ourselves.  The Proverbs and the rest of the Bible speak regularly concerning the variety of ways we can sin with our tongues, whether it be lying, cursing or swearing.  One word that has been re-defined to avoid offence is gossip, a practice and addiction that is more common than we may think.  In fact, we have all likely been guilty of gossip more than we would like to admit!

Looking back, I would say the common view of gossip is when a person speaks badly of others who are not present.  This is a conflation of gossip and slander--with a primary emphasis on slander.  Gossip is simply repeating a story, to tattle, idle chatter.  To gossip is to speak about people to others, even at times an attempt to speak for them.  Slander is when we maliciously condemn or paint others in a bad light, to work to ruin the reputation of other people by telling of their faults.  The KJV calls gossips "talebearers," and this is a good working description.  The one who believes they "have the goss" only has part of the story, and thus it is an inaccurate one.  Proverbs 11:13 says, "A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter."  Talebearing and flattery of hearers often go together as Proverbs 20:19 says.

A person who does not view themselves as a gossip may admit to being a story teller or a busybody.  Paul shared his observations about idle people who were busy in other's business in 1 Timothy 5:13:  "And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not."  A descriptive word from the Greek for a busybody is to a meddler, one who involves themselves and interferes in the personal lives of others that do not concern them.  Jesus made it clear in Matthew 18 when one person has been offended to go to the offended party alone to seek reconciliation.  The Bible makes it clear gossip is sin, and thus we ought to be careful with our lips and consider why we say what we do.  Our words about others reveal something about us:  do they suggest we are talebearers or those of a faithful spirit?

Bold and Without Hindrance

"For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. ³¹ Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ."

Acts 28:30-31

Before coming to Jesus Christ, Saul was bold to persecute Christians.  It was like a full-time occupation for Saul to obtain authority from the Jewish rulers to travel far and wide to find, arrest and prosecute believers--and even consented to their death.  Rage against Christ and His people fuelled Saul to pursue Christians until Jesus met him on the road to Damascus, and from then on his life radically changed.  He went from Saul the Pharisee to Paul the apostle, a man chosen and sent by Jesus to be his witness to the Gentiles for the Gospel.

After coming to Christ in faith, Paul was bold to proclaim Him as it says in Acts 9:29-30:  "And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. ³⁰ When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus."  It didn't matter if Paul spoke with Jews, Gentiles, religious leaders or Roman rulers:  he was bold to speak the truth concerning Christ's death, resurrection and the salvation freely given to all who trust in Jesus.  Even after Paul was arrested, he asked people to pray he would be bold to speak as he should in Ephesians 6:19-20:  "...and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."

Reading through the book of Acts and epistles Paul wrote, there is a pattern of resistance and opposition to the message of the Gospel by Jews and Gentiles alike.  When He preached Christ in the synagogues or before rulers, there were many who laboured to hinder the message of salvation by Christ.  After healing a crippled man in Jesus' name in Lystra, Paul was stoned by Jews who travelled to persecute him.  Silversmiths sparked a riot in Ephesus because they feared the spread of the Gospel would hinder their profitable business and livelihood.  Jews in Jerusalem falsely accused Paul of defiling the temple and shouted for his execution when he stood before them and explained how Jesus who appeared to him on the road had sent him to the Gentiles.

At the close of the book of Acts, we are told Paul stayed in Rome awaiting trial in his own rented house and he preached the kingdom of God and about the LORD Jesus Christ "boldly and without hindrance."  Isn't that wonderful?  Enemies of Jesus had tried to silence Paul; they beat, flogged and even stoned him.  Paul suffered all manner of conflict and trials inside and outside the church.  Yet after he was unlawfully arrested and transferred to Rome to face trials on false charges, without hindrance he was given opportunity by God to preach boldly of Christ for two years to all who came to him.  Whilst imprisoned Paul wrote much of the New Testament as well, his words a testimony of God's faithfulness, strength in weakness, and power to preserve His people to fulfill His calling upon their lives.

Let this be an encouragement to you, believer, when you feel your witness for Christ is far from bold and without hindrance.  Boldness is not a feeling of self-confidence but reliance upon God to speak the truth in love as led by the Holy Spirit when we would rather hide or remain silent.  Even if you should be muzzled and chained for the sake of the Gospel, recall to mind Paul's words in 2 Timothy 2:8-10:  "Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, ⁹ for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. ¹⁰ Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory."  Speaking boldly of Christ is not primarily for our sake, but for Christ's sake and all who will come to Jesus in faith through our witness.