Grace in Adversity

 "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down."

Daniel 4:37

The almighty God opposes the proud whoever they may be.  King Nebuchadnezzar experienced exactly what James said, that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.  When the heart of Nebuchadnezzar was haughty and proud as the king of an empire, God was able to bring him down without a struggle.  For 7 years the king who reveled in his glory and majesty was reduced to behaving like a beast without understanding.  After God brought Nebuchadnezzar low, at the end of his time he humbled himself before God who restored him to his throne.  For him, humiliation was the path to saving faith in God, humility and wisdom.

The psalmist described the proud soul in Psalm 10:4-6:  "The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.⁵ His ways are always prospering; Your judgments are far above, out of his sight; as for all his enemies, he sneers at them. ⁶ He has said in his heart, "I shall not be moved; I shall never be in adversity."  The proud man is so full of himself there is no desire to seek God and no room for the consideration of God, His judgments or power.  The Bible is full of examples of proud people saying what will happen (that God prevents from happening) and saying what cannot happen (and God chooses to do that very thing).  One reason why God does this is to bring people to their senses, that they might acknowledge His direct involvement, seek Him and may know Him as their LORD.  God is the LORD over all things, and He is willing to go to great lengths to soften hearts and break the pride of the haughty.

In the days of the prophet Isaiah, the Rabshakeh came from Assyria and spoke proud and boastful words against king Hezekiah and the God of Israel--whom he reduced to be just one of many gods that were powerless to save those who served them.  When Hezekiah sought the LORD for help and deliverance, God promised the proud Assyrians would not shoot an arrow or build a siege mound against Jerusalem, for God would zealously fight for His people.  In one night God routed the Assyrian army in fulfillment of His promise.  In the days of Jeremiah, the situation was reversed:  false prophets claimed Jerusalem would not see war or famine when God ordained the Babylonians to be His instrument of judgment against His proud, self-righteous, idolatrous people.  God said in Jeremiah 14:15:  "Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, 'Sword and famine shall not be in this land'--'By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed!"  The things false prophets presumed could never come upon them, God brought with great force to expose their deceit and affirm His truth and power.  The children of Israel came out of 70 years of captivity a people refined and humbled, wiped clean of idolatry.

It is God's grace and mercy that ordains opposition and adversity for proud souls who boast against God.  Left without rebuke or correction, those who walk in pride would not give God a thought.  God shows His power by doing what to us is unbelievable so we might believe in Him and actively rely upon Him--rather than leaning on our own understanding.  Nebuchadnezzar believed he was the greatest and no adversity could come to him, yet God was able to put him down.  He went down on all fours and crawled around for years, but he was not out because God is compassionate and merciful, desiring all people seek Him and be saved.  God opposes the proud because pride opposes God, and He gives grace to the humble.  Not being God, we all have a problem with pride, and the LORD uses adversity to guide us to greater humility and the fear of God.

Joy That Remains

A main theme in the book of Jeremiah is the need of God's people to repent of sin and return to the LORD.  The fact the prophet addressed people of Israel who were in a covenant with God is compelling for all Christians who are partakers of the new covenant in Christ's blood.  I don't know if there is a worse feeling for Christians who know they are in unrepentant sin and harden their hearts against God and His word.  I imagine this is a reason people can be averse to going to church and hearing God's word preached--for lack of contrition for sin and refusal to repent makes them resemble uncomfortable children awaiting punishment.  I would rather be on the other side of discipline, having apologised and embraced parents who affirmed their love for me.  The sting of discipline was quickly over as I went my way walking on air, everything set right again with parents who loved me enough to correct me.

When God brings brokenness for sin and we finally yield to His correction, repentance leads to great rejoicing.  We see this in the book of Nehemiah, for upon hearing the word of God the people wept for their sin.  Nehemiah 8:10 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."  It is natural for us to want those who do wrong to realise they have done wrong and express sorrow for harm they caused, and we might continue to beat ourselves up for sins committed long ago.  God identifies our sin, not so we would hopelessly wallow in our sinfulness and failure to please God, but so we might repent, be forgiven and restored to fellowship with God and one another in the church.  Jesus has provided atonement for sin by His own blood so sinners can be cleansed of all shame, guilt and offence and be declared righteous by faith in Him.  Sin depresses us, but God is the lifter of our head and sets us on our feet on the solid Rock of Salvation.  No longer is sin a perpetual cause of sorrow, for "the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Think about when the prodigal son returned to his father:  he willingly returned and humbled himself before his father, well aware of his shameful conduct and how he wasted his father's goods.  The father did not look upon him with condemnation and gruffly rehearse his vile conduct to shame him:  his father ran, kissed and embraced him!  He rejoiced his son was now found and organised a feast to celebrate his son's return.  The repentance of his son--a change of mind that led him to change his ways and return to his father--was the cause of great rejoicing for the father, son, household and in heaven.  There wasn't any joy for the erring prodigal in the pigpen:  it was in his father's house there was only joy and gladness.  The "strength" the joy of the LORD is a word in Hebrew that means refuge, a fortress and defence.  Secure in God's love for us and joy over us, we rejoice and delight to share His love with others.

Jesus said in John 15:9-12, "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ¹² This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."  Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, and Jesus has spoken to us so His joy may remain in us.  His joy isn't fleeting or fickle, for Jesus gives fullness of joy we can experience that exceeds happiness from what happens.  Knowing we will see Jesus who will never leave or forsake us brings joy no one can take away as Jesus said in John 16:22:  "...you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you."  How wonderful is our Saviour Jesus, for He can turn our sorrow into joy that remains.

On God's Side

There is a phrase I hear occasionally, and I have never liked it.  It is a phrase often used to justify what could be called "progressive" yet is often dismissive of other valid perspectives and nothing more than thinly veiled ideology.  I read the city of Sydney has outlawed installation of gas ranges in the CBD and will only allow electric cooktops to avoid "being on the wrong side of history."  This is complete silliness to me, for the vast majority of electricity production in NSW is supplied by coal.  Since natural gas is cleaner burning than coal and produces less carbon dioxide, wouldn't it be more environmentally conscious to cook with natural gas rather than electricity generated primarily by burning coal?  Should we try to impress future generations and alienate those who cook with gas as careless for the environment or clueless today?  Do we look down upon those in previous generations who cooked their food over word or charcoal?  Those who want to avoid being "on the wrong side of history" very well might be by pushing their overweening agenda.

We live in a world where pleasing others is highly incentivised.  There isn't so much a payoff for being politically correct and progressive, but there can be a high price for sharing unpopular personal views or convictions.  Our desire to be accepted and respected, to be viewed as an ally rather than an enemy, provides selfish motivation to "go with the flow"--or to at least put on a good show for others to see.  I would put myself in the category of a natural "people pleaser," to want others to think well of me.  As followers of Jesus, we must decide if we will work to please people or choose to please God who loves and saves us.  Our motivation after coming to Christ is to change completely as Paul wrote in Colossians 3:22-24:  "Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. ²³ And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."  We ought to put forth effort to please God above all, for a "Well done!" from God forever is better than the fickle approval of man.

Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 10:34-38:  "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; ³⁶ and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' ³⁷ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me."  To side with Jesus as being the Messiah and God in human flesh and to love Him set people opposite those who castigated Jesus as a demon-possessed disturber of the peace.  To follow Christ meant choosing His way of living, to value pleasing Him over ourselves, our parents or friends; to embrace dying to self for His sake rather than counting our lives precious to us and trying to spare ourselves suffering.  Being on the "right" or "wrong side of history" does not factor into this equation, for it is what God says that matters most.

When Jehu rode into Samaria, painted Jezebel looked down upon Jehu (literally and figuratively) and chided him for doing exactly what God commanded him to do:  to bring judgment upon Ahab's wicked house.  Jehu called out to the eunuchs who attended to the queen, "Who is on my side?  Who?"  The eunuchs he addressed needed to decide who they would please:  Queen Jezebel or Jehu who had been anointed king by God.  Their choice was required to be public and immediate, for he commanded them in 2 Kings 9:33:  "Throw her down!"  By the wisdom and discernment of God's word Christians are called in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to be "...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...".  As born again followers of Jesus who is our life, our call is to live to please Him.  This means casting down all the ways and wisdom of the world God calls foolishness, and to joyfully entrust ourselves to His loving care.

There is freedom in the body of Christ to have different views about the use of an electric or gas range; there is freedom to have opinions whether a council should make sweeping laws with a desire to avoid being on the "wrong side of history."  But when it comes to living to please people, ourselves, or our LORD, Jesus made it clear where our priorities should lie:  that we ought to live worthy of Christ by following His example, sincerely obeying God from the heart in the fear of God.  We are not worthy, but by faith and obedience to Christ we can live in a worthy manner that fully pleases God, being fruitful in every work, and increasing in the knowledge of God (Col. 1:10).  Being on God's side ought to be our priority.

All Scripture Inspired by God

The old cliche goes, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."  From the perspective of someone who has never owned a horse, what I draw from this adage is sometimes we are incapable of making animals or anyone do what they are unwilling to do.  A horse is a big, strong animal, and for a horse to drink it must be willing to stoop to the level of the water and utilise muscles to swallow.  Leading a horse to water may sometimes be a bridge too far, much less forcing a horse to drink!

I recently considered something Jesus said in regards to willingness and faith.  He spoke of poor Lazarus being comforted in Abraham's bosom while a rich man was tormented in Hades.  The rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus from the grave back to his brothers to warn them they were headed to eternal damnation so they might avoid torment.  Abraham replied in Luke 16:31:  "But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"  Abraham was convinced the Law and prophets contain all the necessary facts, wisdom and power bring a person to a place of repentance for sin and faith in God, but the sticking point is one of willingness:  people are unwilling to believe.  To receive salvation and walk in wisdom people must be willing to believe, to submit to the truth of God's word and the Gospel declared to them.  Even miracles and reliable eyewitnesses are incapable of making a stubborn sinner believe who is unwilling.

This leads to another observation:  professing Christians who do not believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God.  Because they are unwilling to be confronted and submit themselves to the word of God, they adopt a faithless and blasphemous position that follows this pattern:  God's word was penned by fallible people, so the Bible has mistakes and is not wholly reliable.  This is a ludicrous position that undermines their own salvation and asserts God is incapable and unable to communicate His word through human beings when God's word expressly says otherwise.  Gone is any chance of determining the accuracy of prophecy or theology when the Bible itself is hopelessly out of plumb and crooked.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."  Ironically, these self-righteous hacks who foolishly claim the Bible is not the pure word of God assert they are the ones to rightly sift the wheat from the chaff and instruct others by the dictates of their own corrupt hearts.

It is dishonest for people to assert they cannot be convinced by the truth of scripture when it is actually a matter of the will:  they will not submit to God's word that has been carefully communicated, miraculously delivered and preserved by God.  How many times in the Bible does the "word of the LORD" come to people who speak it faithfully to people who will not receive it?  This rejection of God's pure word is nothing new.  God regards His word highly as it is written in Psalm 138:2:  "I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name."  Jesus said it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle (stroke of a letter) of God's Law to fail (Luke 16:17), and Peter affirms the accuracy of godly prophets in 2 Peter 1:21:  "...for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."  Those who dispute the accuracy of the Law, Prophets and New Testament and will not hear them, such will not believe--even if Lazarus rose from the dead to rebuke them.  Praise God He is able to do what man cannot!

Obvious As Jacarandas in Bloom

Today I had a chat with friends who planned to go and see an area famous for its jacarandas in bloom.  As I thought it over, it dawned on me I could not remember seeing any jacarandas recently, which are known for their bright purple flowers--messy but beautiful!  On my way home from church I decided to be on the lookout for jacarandas, and I was shocked by how many I had driven by and not noticed.  After hearing about jacarandas in bloom, it seemed wherever I looked they were easy to find.  They were so prevalent it was incredible I had failed to notice seeing them bloom this spring.

My attention being drawn to jacarandas reminds me of what God does when we are born again by faith in Jesus and read His word.  The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see Jesus throughout the whole Bible.  Jesus is not merely central to the Gospels but every book of the whole Bible, for His character, power and wisdom are clearly revealed.  As the Creator and Saviour of the world, all the scripture points to Jesus who is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last.  By His word the heavens, earth and all living things were created, and before God who sits on the throne the heavens and earth will flee.

Once your heart and mind is opened to Jesus in faith, He opens our eyes to behold Him throughout the Scripture.  Today I thought of Jesus the KING OF KINGS as I read Isaiah 32:1-2, for He is the only One who can truly do these words justice:  "Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule with justice. ² A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, and a cover from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land."  Paul wrote Christians are of Jesus who is unto us righteousness, the only begotten Son of God who will dash the heathen as earthen vessels with a rod of iron.  The resurrected Jesus Himself spoke of His divine authority and those to whom He grants it in Revelation 2:27-28.  Verse 2 is fulfilled perfectly by the almighty God who is our refuge, shelter from the storm, supplies a fountain of living water in a dry place, provides shade from the Rock of Salvation and gives rest for our souls.

From beginning to end, the verses of Isaiah captivated me with allusions to God's protection, provision, presence and wondrous promises.  As the presence of God guided, protected and provided for the children of Israel after their miraculous exodus from Egypt, so Jesus will do all for those who trust in Him, hearing and doing what He has said.  He likened all who do so to a wise man who built his house upon the rock in Matthew 7:25:  "...and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock."  In His wisdom God does not prevent the clouds from obscuring the light, keeps the rain from falling or floods from rising:  what He does is allow us to realise our need and prove His strength, sufficiency and faithfulness through the storm in this life, to show Himself worthy of our trust forever.  Some fault God for wind, tempests, droughts and weariness when He is able to supply our need for righteousness and all things that pertain to life so we might know, love and fear Him as our rightful King.

If people are drawn to see jacarandas in bloom, how much more ought we be drawn to open the Bible and behold the wonder and glory of Jesus Christ who created all things, the only begotten Son of God who is righteousness for us!

A Rich Welcome

One of the first commercial jobs I worked was on the Four Seasons Resort in Carlsbad, one of the few 5-star hotels and resorts in San Diego.  It was nestled in the hills of Carlsbad and overlooked the highly acclaimed Aviara golf course designed by the legendary Arnold Palmer.  After the job was completed, I returned to the site after operations were in full swing to do some final touches.  It was a totally different world:  a dirt carpark once full of work trucks and portable toilets was paved and adorned with Bentley and Rolls-Royce cars.  The delicious smell of lobster bisque simmering in the kitchen wafted across the rooftop.  In a staff room I noticed a white board that listed all the VIPs they were preparing to host that day--people who were known locally and internationally.  My name was not on the list, by the way. :)

While I was given access to the Four Seasons Resort to do my job, I did not feel welcomed there.  It was not a place where I was known or my arrival was prepared for with special considerations.  I was in no way looking for favours, nor did I feel entitled to hospitality because I did not hire a room for the night, make a tee-time or dinner reservation.  Exclusive venues are something I am usually excluded from because I will not spend a thousand dollars a night for a room or pay hundreds to play a round of golf.  Similar to what the Shunammite woman said to Elisha, I am content to dwell among my own people.  I would likely choose pub food over gourmet offerings (if seeking value for money) and feel more at home in a bowling alley than a country club.  Exclusive places like the Four Seasons Resort remind me continually with the persistent feeling I do not belong there as the price to participate is above my means.

The situation is different concerning the kingdom of heaven, for there is no place on earth more exclusive, costly or impossible to enter on one's own merit.  It is only by God's grace the Door to heaven has been opened to us unworthy sinners.  God has come to mankind in the person of Jesus Christ, opened a way of salvation and eternal life by His own sacrifice, and He invites all to repent of sin and trust in Him.  Jesus told His disciples He was going to prepare a place for them so where He is they can be also.  Peter wrote to believers in 2 Peter 1:10-11 (NIV), "Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, ¹¹ and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."  We can have full confidence in our good standing with God by receiving and obeying the Gospel, knowing by grace we are saved through faith and not of ourselves.  We are nobodies now known in heaven by God who will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ--who is our Most Important Person--the Light of the World, the Door, the Vine, the Good Shepherd, the Living Bread, the Way, the Truth and the Life.

God has better things in store for His people than luxury cars, accommodation and delicious food that perishes:  He knows us, loves us and has welcomes us into His family permanently.  Upon entering eternity, we will be welcomed into His presence where we truly belong.  Today we might feel more "at home" in a casual pub setting than an exclusive resort, but life in this corrupted world in our corruptible bodies is not home for Christians.  In the eternal kingdom of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ is where we are known and belong--not because we have earned the right or paid to be members--but because Jesus has paid for our redemption and we are in Him by faith.  As members of the church, we are part of His body of which Jesus is the Head.  How wonderful it is to be accepted, loved and known by God!  Like crippled Mephibosheth was given a place at king David's table daily, a lowly servant of God will be a household name in heaven by God's grace.  Knowing we will receive a rich welcome into God's eternal kingdom, let's be those who accept, love and welcome one another in fellowship today.

Prayer Over Protest

When I was a kid, the annual Mother Goose Parade in El Cajon was a big deal.  It brought people together from all over San Diego to participate in a parade that included High School marching bands, people riding horses, floats, clowns and even Shriners in small cars.  The sense of excitement for a main street to be shut down for a community event seems to have gone by the wayside these days, as events (planned and unplanned!) have pivoted from parades to protests.  Instead of bringing people of a community together, it seems gatherings now draw people with intent to oppose one another and are loud and proud about it.  A planned protest gives rise to a counter protest with police in the middle, trying to prevent mayhem as people wave signs, shout slogans and hurl abuse at one another.

Protests, for all the noise and spectacle, seem to have less clout than petitions, which are more for the sake of expressing solidarity than providing real change.  Petitions, parades and protests share one thing in common:  it is the act of those who desire to be heard and seen.  As I considered this, I was struck by the stark contrast between the modern mood of protests and the life and teaching of Jesus Christ.  I suppose Jesus was in a parade because it was a public affair:  He rode into Jerusalem riding a donkey, much to the delight of the Jewish people who laid their clothes and palm branches before Him.  He did not shout at all; there was no megaphone held to his lips or anti-Roman sign in His hand.  Who were the Romans, the governor in Jerusalem or all Israel compared to Him as the KING OF KINGS?  He did not ride in to promote a cause or even Himself, for He rode into Jerusalem to fulfill Scripture which cannot be broken.  Jesus wanted more than to be seen but that all people would come to know Him as Saviour.  To this end He was paraded through the streets covered in blood as He departed the city, carrying His cross after being condemned.  When He was lifted up on Calvary and crucified, He drew all people to Himself.

A mob protesting and rioting makes the news, yet I am convinced it is not nearly as effective and influential as one person who trusts God and seeks Him in private as Jesus taught.  Consider Abraham who drew near to God and pleaded on behalf of saving the righteous people in Sodom.  Think about Moses who interceded on behalf of the erring and idolatrous children of Israel, how one man stood in the gap for his people.  Even if the whole nation had gathered together in protest of God's judgment, it would not have been as effective as one person who feared, trusted God and humbled himself before Him.  Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:5-6:  "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ⁶ But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."  God hears, answers and rewards the soul who trusts and obeys Him, the one who seeks Him in secret.  Hypocrites love to be seen by others as bold and strong, yet God's people are not to play to the crowd.  God grants people public platforms to share their views and beliefs with millions, yet platforms have miniscule impact compared to those who seek their heavenly Father in secret who hears, answers prayer and does everything--their audience of One.

Dear Christian, let us not be numbered among those who are big on social or political activism while neglecting weightier matters, that we would embrace a humble heart and be obedient to God.  Paul wrote an exhortation in 1 Timothy 2:1-4 that remains relevant:  "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. ³ For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, ⁴ who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."  Are you willing to thank God and pray for leaders you would rather protest?  Will you submit to the ordinances and rulers sent by God to punish evildoers and commend those who do good (1 Peter 2:13-14)?  Have you considered how those who preach without love or protest without praying play the hypocrite like a corrupt ruler--and all will be required to appear and answer before God in judgment?  As the song goes, "Oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."

God's Word Works

How do you view the Bible?  Do you see it as God's word or do you believe it contains God's word?  There is a tremendous divide between these contrary views which on the surface seem similar.  One views the Bible as the inerrant, absolute word of God without flaw, spoken by the God who does not change.  God speaks truly of what was, is and is to come, and we are to humble ourselves to be challenged and changed by God.  The other view allows man to assume God's place and make judgments of God's word according to his own limited understanding and agenda.  This person can pick out what they feel is relevant to them, reject the relevance of other passages, and even change God's word to affirm their views.

I read an article recently about a "progressive" push in writing devotionals and story Bibles aimed at children that affirm progressive values--which is actually a clear departure from the true word of God.  It is ironic to me people would write stories from the Bible (they don't actually believe are true) to affirm and validate their theology--as if their words could do anyone good.  People desperately need to hear the truth of God's word like someone who suffers from a life-threatening bacterial infection needs antibiotics.  A sugary elixir may taste sweet and delicious, but it has no power to heal.  "Progressive" agendas cannot give eternal life, and they cannot change a person for good or grant rest to our souls.

See the benefit of God's word received as God's word in 1 Thessalonians 2:13:  "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe." Those who read the Bible as a bunch of stories that may or may not be true, written by people inspired by the Holy Spirit we accept or reject on the basis of what God spoke through them, God's word will not have the personal impact God intends.  Rather than affirming what we believe, the word of God effectively works in believers according to God's purposes in 2 Timothy 3:16-17:  "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."  If only some of the Scripture is inspired, only some of it is profitable.  Are those who reject the word of God as eternal truth ones to be teaching it?  Those who believe the Bible merely contains the word of God will remain spiritually stunted and deceived.

The whole Bible is God's word and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness.  All of these purposes work to give understanding of God, to correct our sinfulness and guide us because we naturally are lost, foolish, selfish and have a debased mind.  Left to our own thoughts and devices we were dead in sins and heading for eternal destruction in hell, deserving wrath and judgment for our wickedness.  We were thinking wrong, doing wrong and saying wrong, being ignorant of God and His holiness.  Having been born again by repentance of sin and faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit helps us to heed God's word written in the whole Bible.  God's desire is to renew and wash our minds in the water of His word, cleansing us of our own ideas so our lives will reflect the life of Christ to a progressive world that is rushing further from God to ruin.

God's word that teaches us of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the redemption by the death and resurrection of Jesus who loves us, is the word that guides us to live in the way that pleases God today.  We were empty before Christ:  now having been filled with the Holy Spirit are we so foolish to imagine we know better than God by adding or taking away from His word?  May the working of God's word within us be effective and make us complete as God intends as we submit to Him.  Hebrews 13:20-21 says, "Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, ²¹ make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."  Without the word of God teaching, reproving, correcting and guiding us, no story we can tell or book people write can profit at all.

Jesus Hears and Saves

It is good for Christians to consider:  how do your thoughts align with truth of God's word?  There can be a condemning voice that has an accusing tone we listen to, are beaten down by, and even ascribe to God--when God never said such things in Scripture.  If we would compare the content of those accusing words with God's word the Bible, we are able to recognise a foul, sulfurous stench which betrays lies Satan speaks to deceive people, aiming to turn focus away from God to themselves and bring despair to the hopeless.  Satan denigrates mankind and tells us how worthless we are, but Christ's sacrifice on the cross reveals His love and delight to save us sinners because He values us.  There is always hope in Jesus Christ for the repentant sinner, for He is loving, gracious and good.

God has proven countless times when people humble themselves, confessing and repenting of sin, He will forgive and accept the contrite of heart who trust Him.  During a season of Israel's history, God's people were guilty of grave abominations through idolatry, spiritual adultery and even human sacrifice, and they were unwilling to heed God's word or warnings through prophets He sent.  For centuries He endured their provocations and caused them to taste the bitter fruit of the sin they cultivated.  If they would only admit they had done wrong and return to Him, He would heal them.  God's loving desire for His erring people was shown in Jeremiah 3:21-22:  "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."

How different are God's ways and thoughts from ours!  God did not demand the people bring sacrifices, maim themselves, go on a long pilgrimage or prove they had "changed their ways" with good deeds:  from the high places where they had viciously sacrificed children they could weep in repentance for their sin and how they had forgotten God.  Right there God they could return to God and He would heal their backslidings and self-inflicted wounds from sin.  This is similar to Jonah who returned to the LORD in repentance after being swallowed by a great fish.  Jonah 2:1-2 says, "Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish's belly. ² And he said: "I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, and He answered me. "Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice."  In the whirring darkness of the fish's belly, God heard and answered Jonah.  He could not save or help himself, but God could and was inclined to do so.

Isn't it awesome God has sought, pursued and spoken to us?  If you have never known God or if you have walked away from Him or forgotten Him, Jesus is the Way--and the Way back to fellowship with God.  Wherever we are, whatever we've been doing, in our affliction we can cry out to God, repent of our sin and turn to the LORD who will answer us.  There are no hopeless cases as far as God is concerned, for He is able to deliver, save and redeem.  A Philippian jailor ran to Paul and Silas in prison and asked what he needed to do to be saved.  They replied, "Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ and you shall be saved." (Acts 16:31)  That very night that man and his whole household rejoiced, for God heard and answered their cries for salvation.  Today the same can be true for you because Jesus saves all who trust in Him!

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment

"Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, ¹³ because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!"

James 2:12-13 (NIV)

Jesus came to fulfill the Law, and He established a new covenant in His own blood that provides liberty from the Law of Moses, condemnation and death.  Having been born again by the Gospel we are not to be lawless but to walk in love, grace and righteousness that trumps the letter of the Law.  The one who walks in love will love God with all his being, and it is love that guides him to bless and help others rather than murdering them or stealing from them.  James referred to the "perfect law of liberty" in the previous chapter, and the Bible Knowledge Commentary explained it this way:  "The “Law that gives freedom” seems like a paradox. Law seems to imply restraint and therefore a lack of freedom. Not so with God’s Law. His perfect Law provides true freedom...One who does what God decrees will find full liberty and will be blessed in what he does."

The perfect law of liberty provides freedom to serve and honour God by eating food or by not eating food, by observing a day or choosing not to observe it unto the LORD.  Jesus demonstrated love for us by dying in our place, and we are to respond by loving God and others as we present ourselves as living sacrifices, freely giving as we have received from God.  One criticism people have made concerning "religious" people is a tendency to be judgmental--to be quick to condemn others as wrong as if they are without fault.  It is easy to make rigid judgments without caring for people; everyone can do this.  James exhorted believers to speak and act knowing we will be judged by the law that gives freedom by showing mercy.  Justice hardliners are naturally suspect of mercy, for they are concerned mercy will encroach upon or undermine justice.  Not so, for God is perfectly just and also is merciful to us sinners, providing an opportunity for salvation we never deserved.

Webster's definition of mercy is excellent:  "That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant."  Being merciful is a matter of the heart, an inclination and disposition that is for others rather than against them.  Even as all spiritual gifts, sacrifices, and good deeds are of little value without love, so judgment without mercy misses the point.  Consider what Jesus said in Matthew 23:23:  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone."  The Jewish rulers were very strict concerning weighing out their herbs which were light as feathers, but they neglected the weightier matters of the law.  Justice, mercy and faith in God were to be exercised together, and Jesus weighed the scribes and the Pharisees and found them lacking due to hypocrisy.  They were big on giving 10% of their herbs yet ignored the most important matters of the heart.

James explained those who neglect to show mercy in judgment will be judged without mercy--similar to those who refuse to forgive will not be forgiven.  This is not speaking of eternal condemnation for Christians, but a loss of fellowship with God and eternal reward should we refuse to heed God's word.  Do you love God's judgment and mercy?  It is important for Christians to embrace both in the things we say and do.  Mercy is more than a matter of tone, for it is a weighty matter of the heart.  Having been made new creations by the Gospel, justified by grace through faith, forgiven and set free, illustrates perfectly that mercy indeed triumphs over judgment.

Lasting Peace

People all over the world have seen and celebrated the historic peace deal struck in Israel that ended a war that had spanned two years.  When President Trump signed the document, he said it was peace that would last.  Based on my knowledge of the human heart, I do not share his optimism until Jesus Himself sits on the throne in Israel.  The problem with peace deals is they depend on fickle people who will not be responsible to keep the terms.  Peace on paper, difficult as it has been to accomplish, is far more easier that peace between people and nations.  From a biblical view, peace with others is impossible without first having peace with God.  Even those who have received peace from God are not always inclined to live peaceably, and that is why Paul urged Christians in Romans 12:18:  "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men."

See what God said about the condition of those who do not know or fear the living God of Israel in Isaiah 57:19-21:  "I create the fruit of the lips: peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near," says the LORD, "and I will heal him." ²⁰ But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. ²¹ "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."  For those in rebellion against God, who walk according to the dictates of their own hearts, lasting peace is not possible.  There is no peace in the hearts of those who are in perpetual conflict with God, and they will remain without rest.  Like ocean waves that continue to break on the shore, the tides swell and currents swirl, so are the wicked troubled from within.  As churning water stirs up sediment and makes visibility impossible, people remain blind to their blindness.  We live in a day where some feel it judgmental to suggest anyone could be wicked, but God says plainly in His word all have sinned.  The natural condition of man is not peace and rest but to be troubled, anxious and easily provoked.

Jesus told His disciples He would return one day, and our Messiah will set up His throne in Jerusalem and rule the nations with a rod of iron.  This period is called the millennial reign of Christ that will usher in a era of unrivaled peace and prosperity upon earth:  Satan will be bound, knowledge of God will cover the land like the water of the sea, once fierce animals will be rendered harmless, and Jerusalem will be a global destination to worship Jesus Christ the KING OF KINGS during the annual Feast of Tabernacles.  Even when the Prince of Peace sits enthroned people will be far from perfect and will require correction and chastening.  Zechariah 14:16-17 says, "And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. ¹⁷ And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain."  Since this word will be fulfilled, it is evident people will choose not to appear before Jesus when summoned.

Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 5:3-9:  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. ⁵ Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. ⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. ⁷ Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."  Who is humble in heart and mourn their sin?  Who are those marked by meekness, desire for righteousness, who extend mercy?  Who has purity of heart and are peacemakers?  Only those who are in Jesus Christ, born again by faith in Him.  It is solely by the power of Jesus Christ we can be like Him.  Only Jesus can provide lasting peace for all eternity.  It is in Christ alone we find rest for our souls.

Biblical Imitation

Paul wrote to Christian believers in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ."  Like Jesus, Paul's exercise of liberty was love of God and others--and they would do well to follow in Christ's footsteps as Paul did.  It is said, "Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery," but this is not what is meant by the imitation Paul spoke of:  flattery has nothing to do with it.  We follow Christ and imitate Him from a heart of love, admiration and worship.  Jesus no longer physically walked the earth when Paul wrote his epistles to the Corinthian church, and as Paul submitted to the life of Jesus lived out through him, following Paul's example by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit was the real thing.

In his book The Call, Os Guinness had valuable insights to share concerning the importance of imitation in the Christian walk:

"Paul's use of the word imitators is important.  Modeling--observing and copying--is vital to discipleship because of the biblical view of the way disciples must learn.  There is always more to knowing that human knowing will ever know.  So the deepest knowledge can never be put into words--or spelled out in sermons, books, lectures, and seminars.  It must be learned from the Master, under his authority, in experience.  When we read in the Gospels that Jesus chose twelve "to be with him," their being with him was not some extra privilege they enjoyed.  It was the heart and soul of their disciples and learning.

The theme of tutoring and imitation, which goes far deeper than current notions of "mentoring" is conspicuous in the teaching of the early church.  We grow through copying deeds, not just listening to words, through example as well as precept, through habit and not just insight and information.  Calling therefore creates an ethic of aspiration, not just of obligation...Clement of Alexandria wrote, "Our tutor Jesus Christ exemplifies the true life and trains the one who is in Christ....He gives commands and embodies the commands that we might be able to accomplish them."

Clement's last sentence is noteworthy.  Some Christians are suspicious of imitation because it sounds like a form of self-help spirituality.  Modeling seems to smack of a foolproof method of growth that is as mechanical as the instructions for assembling a model airplane.  But they misunderstand imitation.  For one thing, genuine "originality" is God's prerogative, not ours.  At our most "creative," we are only imitative.  For another, imitating a life is far from wooden.  Real lives touch us profoundly--they stir challenge, rebuke, shame, amuse, and inspire at levels of which we are hardly aware.  That is why biographies are the literature of calling; few things are less mechanical...

Importantly, imitating Christ is not a form of do-it-yourself change because it is part and parcel of responding to the call--a decisive divine word whose creative power is the deepest secret of the changes.  Think of Ezekiel's vision of the valley of the dry bones or the astounding miracle of Jesus calling the dead Lazarus out of the tomb.  Can anyone listen to that voice, see what it effects, and still say the hearers responded by themselves?  Do dry, brittle bones ever reassemble into a body on their own?  Can a corpse shake off death by itself?

No more do we change by ourselves as we imitate Christ.  The imitation of Christ that is integral to following Him means that, when we calls us, he enables us to do what he calls us to do." (Guinness, Os. The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. Thomas Nelson, 2003. page 81-82)

The imitation Paul called disciples of Christ to was not be more like Paul, but to be more like Jesus.  We can know this is God's will for Christians as we read in Hebrews 13:20-21:  "May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, ²¹ equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (NIV)

The Magpie Lesson

"Understand, you senseless among the people; and you fools, when will you be wise? ⁹ He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see? ¹⁰ He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct, He who teaches man knowledge?"

Psalm 94:8-10

Everything man is capable of doing is a shadow of what God does perfectly without fail or limitation.  Our ability to see and hear clearly fades over time, but God who created and formed the ear can hear everything; He who gave sight to mankind, beasts and birds can see everything at once.  By extension, all the wonders and marvels of creation speak of God's wisdom, abilities and attributes.  From the greatest and mightiest beasts to microscopic organisms, creation declares the glory of God.

Spring in Sydney ushers in a flutter of bird activity, and the mornings are full of singing and squawking from the trees in our area.  Rainbow lorikeets, noisy miners and warbling of magpies announce the rise of the sun from their perches with gusto.  During a walk past a local school recently, I noticed numerous signs posted on the fence that warned of a swooping magpie--a behaviour that is quite sudden and unnerving as males protect their nearby nest with young.  I have observed people bloodied by magpies that tend to swoop from behind, careful to avoid eye contact.  After a while the warning signs ended, and I did not see or hear any evidence of the magpie patrol.

All the signage did not quite prepare me for a sharp call and a wing that brushed the side of my head.  There was that aggressive magpie the signs had warned me about!  He continued to make passes swooping me whether I looked at him over the next couple hundred meters--even after I crossed the street.  It was amazing how quickly when my back was turned the magpie swooped close and snapped his beak right next to my ear, gliding past to another tree.  I read this territorial behaviour of swooping is nearly always done by males to any perceived threat near their young.  The result of the swooping magpie means I will choose to walk in a different area for the next month.

This experience prompted me to consider:  the God who created the magpie to swoop and defend its young--won't He defend and protect His people as well?  If a magpie will guard its little ones by instinct, isn't God more observant to recognise and drive away threats because of His great love for us?  The magpie is an intelligent bird, believed to be able to recognise the faces of 100 different people:  God knows every one of His disciples by name and even the number of hairs on our heads!  Jesus said in John 10:14, "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own."  How blessed we are to know God as the sheep of His pasture, and even being swooped by a territorial bird can provide greater understanding of our awesome God, protector and Saviour.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 LORD. ²⁰ 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 LORD. ²⁷ 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!