The Messiah Identified

I love the intricate amount of detail God provides in His word.  I don't know how many fellows named "Anah" there have been since creation, but we are given an interesting tidbit in Genesis 36:24 about Anah the son of Zibeon:  "The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is the Anah who discovered the hot springs in the desert while he was grazing the donkeys of his father Zibeon." (NIV)  People who read this would say, "Oh, that Anah."  Discovering hot springs while grazing Zibeon's donkeys would narrow down things a bit.

The Bible speaks about real people who were recognisable and distinguished from others.  It is not a collection of fanciful tales but an accurate record of people, and sometimes we are told about their appearance.  When confronted with a message of rebuke from an unknown man, 2 Kings 1:7-8 tells us king Ahaziah was able to easily identify Elijah:  "Then he said to them, "What kind of man was it who came up to meet you and told you these words?" ⁸ So they answered him, "A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist." And he said, "It is Elijah the Tishbite."  Perhaps it was not until John the Baptist the leather girdle became a trademark look (Mark 1:6).

The Scripture that distinguished Anah from other men name Anah and Elijah by his hairiness and wardrobe choice also provides a clear description of the Messiah who was to come.  He would be born of a virgin, as it is written in Matthew 1:23:  "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."  The Son of God would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and also live in Egypt for a season (Matthew 2:15).  The promised Messiah would also be raised in Nazareth as Jesus was in Matthew 2:23.  Put all these things together and it is clear this Jesus is very singular and unique.

The birth of Jesus was announced by angels to shepherds who watched their flocks by night outside Bethlehem, and wise men from the east came far to worship Him, having seen His star that led them to where the Child was.  John the Baptist identified Jesus as the Christ when the Spirit like a dove descended and remained on Jesus after He was baptised in John 1:32-34:  "And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. ³³ I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' ³⁴ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."  This is the same Jesus over whom the voice of God boomed from the heavens at His baptism as well as on the mount of transfiguration, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

The Bible is full of evidence that affirms Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Messiah sent to save His people from their sins.  Many people in Israel were not sure who Jesus was, but without a doubt Jesus knew the Father in heaven and the purpose for which He had been sent.  Concerning Himself He said in John 3:14-16:  "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  As Jesus said would happen many times, He died on a cross, rose from the dead and ascended alive into heaven in the sight of His disciples.  This is the Jesus I remember and celebrate this Christmas and every day, the Son of God who is the greatest gift anyone by faith can receive.

Jesus Works Without a Doubt

It was decades ago when I was made aware of online coupon codes people could use for discounts or free shipping for online orders.  I have noticed the amount of sites that share these codes have increased dramatically but the value and usefulness of the coupon codes have declined.  Some sites will boast having a code that was "used 25 times today," yet the fact it supposedly worked for others is no guarantee I can redeem it and receive the discount.  More often than not, I find these days the online coupon code option is a mirage of savings that rarely pays dividends.

Yesterday we read Isaiah 55:6-7 at Bible study:  "Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. ⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon."  Note the absolute confidence the prophet has for all those who turn to the LORD in humble repentance and faith!  The LORD is near to those of a contrite spirit, and God will have mercy and pardon the wicked man who forsakes his wickedness.  Isaiah is not like a coupon code broker site that raves with thumbs up, "Try it!  It might work for you too!"  God has revealed Himself to sinners in truth, that He is inclined to show mercy and save anyone who turns from sin and seeks Him.

If turning to God gave us lost sinners an outside chance of forgiveness and salvation it would be worth doing:  how much more when God invites us to do so with the guarantee of mercy, abundant pardon and eternal life?  The apostle John wrote with all assurance concerning Jesus Christ in John 1:10-13:  "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. ¹¹ He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."  See?  As many as received Him by faith--not some who received Him--He gave the right to become children of God, ushered into His glorious eternal kingdom.

Paul wrote that Christians should pray for all people to live a godly and peaceable life in 1 Timothy 2:3-7 because "...this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, ⁷ for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle--I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying--a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth."  God has expressed His desire all people would be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth--that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  God gave His only begotten Son Jesus as a ransom for all, Jew and Gentile alike.

I encourage you to turn from sin to Jesus now and receive Him by faith, for without a doubt He will show you mercy, abundantly pardon and grant salvation.

Full of Light

God is gracious to give everyone a conscience, and the Bible provides evidence of this knowledge of right and wrong with Adam and Eve and their descendants after them.  It is true the Law of Moses brought knowledge of sin, but we also observe people at times knew what ought not to be done before the Law was provided on Mt. Sinai.  Despite having a conscience, people can have blind spots--dark shadows that cause what is sinful to be justified.

In my evening reading, I was reminded of the powerful influence of the conscience in Genesis 34 after Dinah was raped by Shechem.  Genesis 34:7 reads, "And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved and very angry, because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, a thing which ought not to be done."  The brothers of Dinah were incensed when they heard Shechem forced their sister.  Their consciences were in agreement what Shechem did was objectively disgraceful and a "thing which ought not to be done."  What is fascinating is the conscience of Shechem did not seem to be troubled as Dinah's brothers, and also his character was shown to be among the more honourable of his father's house.  He was willing to be immediately circumcised to have Dinah as wife because he genuinely cared for her.

It seems the conscience of Shechem and the sons of Jacob also had blind spots:  Shechem justified raping Dinah because he loved and wanted her, and Jacob's sons justified speaking deceitfully with malice.  They agreed to Dinah being the wife of Shechem if he and all the men of the city were circumcised as they were--because a couple of them conspired to murder all the men of the city and plunder them for Shechem's crime.  Jacob rebuked his sons, not for their deceit and murder, but that they brought trouble on him by making him obnoxious to the Canaanites.  Because Shechem had treated their sister Dinah like a harlot, Simeon and Levi felt justified to murder the men of the city and plunder it.

Justification to rape and murder by people who had consciences reminds me of Jesus' words in Luke 11:34-35:  "The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. ³⁵ Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness."  Without the light of Jesus Christ and the word of God that is like a lamp to our feet and light to our path, the hearts and minds of mankind remain full of darkness.  Like Shechem or Jacob's sons, we can be deceived into justifying evil.  Praise God the Light of the World Jesus has come, and the Holy Spirit has been sent to convict of sin, righteousness and judgment.  May we Christians learn to walk in the light as Ephesians 5:8-10 exhorts:  "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), ¹⁰ finding out what is acceptable to the Lord."

When You're Not Feeling It

At times when I teach through a book of the Bible, I also land on the same book in my daily reading of Scripture.  This is the case as I am reading through the book of Jeremiah.  This faithful man of God is an encouragment and inspiration to Christians today, and I find his outlook strikingly similar to the wrestlings of psalmists.  Jeremiah expressed a full range of sorrowful feelings and grief over the spiritual state of God's people, how he was persecuted for doing good, and struggled to process his troubles in light of God's promises.  Because Jeremiah's expectations were dashed, he struggled to see how he was blessed.

Jeremiah did not charge God with doing wrong, but he was open with God concerning how he felt.  In Jeremiah 15 he acknowledged God knew him perfectly, how he suffered rebuke for speaking the truth of God's word, and that he delighted in God's word.  He rejoiced in God's word as his delight, and did not sit in the seat of the mockers.  David wrote in Psalm 1:1-3:  "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."  What David sang was absolutely true, yet Jeremiah wasn't feeling it.

If God was a healer, why did Jeremiah's pain remain perpetual and his wound incurable (Jer. 15:18)?  Since God is the giver of living water, how could it be Jeremiah felt dry and parched--like a tree that had been uprooted?  In the midst of such troubled feelings the wisdom and grace of God is seen, for the LORD is all these things and more for His people.  The troubled feelings and desperate times experienced by Jeremiah were God's means to draw the wavering prophet back to the LORD.  Under Law Jeremiah likely had a legalistic outlook and felt entitled to temporal blessings of peace, prosperity and divine protection when he remained upright but found himself under assault by his own people.  Yet the true prosperity God brings transcends the temporal, for the blessing of God's people is found in God Himself come what may.  When we feel troubled and out of control, we can rest knowing God knows all that has befallen us and is ever faithful to to His promises, covenant and word.

God revealed Jeremiah's feelings had begun to lead him astray from reliance and looking to the LORD in His answer in Jeremiah 15:19-20:  "Therefore thus says the LORD:  “If you return, then I will bring you back; you shall stand before Me; if you take out the precious from the vile, you shall be as My mouth.  Let them return to you, but you must not return to them. 20 And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall; and they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you; for I am with you to save you and deliver you,” says the LORD."  Troubled feelings led Jeremiah to drift from His only hope of deliverance, salvation and healing:  the God of Israel!  God gently exhorted Jeremiah to return to Him, to make a difference between the precious and the vile, and determine not to return to what was vile--unbelief, fear of man, accusatations God deceived him or left him alone.  Attacks would come, but God would not allow anyone to prevail against Jeremiah because God was with him to save and deliver him.

Isn't it encouraging God is with those who trust in Him to save and deliver us?  In Isaiah God told the stranger or eunuch among his people not to feel alone or like a "dry tree" when God would give them a place and name better than sons and daughters.  Those who joined themselves to God in faith would be joyful in His house of prayer, they would be accepted by Him, and the LORD would gather the outcasts to Himself (Isaiah 56:3-8).  Knowing we are loved, accepted, protected and blessed by God continually feels amazing, and by faith in our unchanging awesome God we abide in His love.  We may not feel blessed at all times, but we can know we are blessed and bless God as David sang in Psalm 34:1 for He is worthy:  "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth."  When we seek the LORD He will hear us and deliver us from all our fears--and from troubled feelings too.

Healing for Broken Hearts

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"

Jeremiah 17:9

When it comes to matters of the heart, God is the only true expert.  He answered His own quesion in following verse:  "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings." (Jeremiah 17:10)  Not only does God know the thoughts, motives and intent of every person, He is willing and able to do what no one could ever do:  to give to every man according to His own ways.  Christians who have come to Christ in faith and repentance of sin continue to be made more aware of our sinfulness as we grow in spiritual maturity.  We never knew how deep our sinfulness, rebellion and folly went without the divine illumination from God, His word and conviction of the Holy Spirit.

The people of Sydney, the nation of Australia and the whole world watched in horror and disbelief as Jews were targeted by gunmen at Bondi Beach at a gathering to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah.  Many were killed and injured in the despicable and brazen attack upon those in attendance at this joyous Jewish festival.  That anyone would plot to kill innocent people at a festive gathering, to obtain weapons and ammunition, and to methodically slaughter others is unthinkable to most.  But this massacre, like other massacres and murders before it, appears to be carefully thought out and planned by people with wicked hearts who imagined, conspired and implemented their plot to kill.

Witnesses, commentators and politicians have expressed grief, sorrow, and anger at what transpired at Bondi, and the natural reaction when such awful, heartbreaking tragedies occur is to attempt to identify what went wrong.  Some have blamed the lack of education or government inaction against antisemitism; some have said gun laws are weak and need to be strengthened.  Others have pointed to the dangers of Islamic radicalisation or immigration being extended to dangerous people.  What I have not heard anyone talk about is the problem of the heart of killers who premeditively and systematically pointed firearms at people to murder them--because we can't imagine the darkness of such hearts that would justify or condone such evil.  Perhaps it is not discussed because the sinful condition of the hearts of man is not something laws, education, vetting system or government beaurocracy can do anything about.

Because of sin, our hearts are deceitful and wicked.  God who knows the depth of the wickedness within us is able to supply hearts as He said in Ezekiel 36:26, "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh."  Jesus Christ established a new covenant in His own blood, and by faith in Him we receive a new heart and new Spirit.  Those who are in Christ by faith are enabled to do as Ephesians 4:22-24 says:  "...that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."  Because God has given me a new heart, my heart breaks for all involved:  the dead and wounded victims and their families, those who were terrorised by the events and even for the wicked gunmen who will be judged by the God of Israel and receive their just compensation.

The God of Israel not only knows what wickedness is in the hearts of men and can give new hearts to those who trust Him, but He is able to heal broken hearts.  Jesus said He came to fulfil this very thing when He read from the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue in Luke 4:18-19:  "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."  This is entirely consistent with God of whom the psalmist said in Psalm 147:3:  "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."  By His grace God puts a love in our hearts we did not possess before being born again--extended even to those guilty of greivous sin.  Today and every day, may the Light of the World Jesus Christ and His love shine through His people so those in darkness would be drawn to Him, redeemed and healed.

Hearts Turned to God

I read a passage of Scripture recently that reminded me of trips I have taken to Cambodia with a medical team to share the love of Jesus.  It is a land filled with images, pagodas, and many households have a spirit house in the yard with offerings.  God distinguished Himself from all other idols, the works of the hands of man.  God said to His people in Deuteronomy 32:35-38:  "Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; their foot shall slip in due time; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them.' ³⁶ "For the LORD will judge His people and have compassion on His servants, when He sees that their power is gone, and there is no one remaining, bond or free. ³⁷ He will say: 'Where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge? ³⁸ Who ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise and help you, and be your refuge."

While idols made of wood and stone could not move, speak or do anything, God is the creator who does everything.  He is able to take vengeance and bring calamity upon His enemies; He will judge His people, have compassion on His servants, is a help and refuge for His people.  False gods, on the other hand, are not able to do any of these things.  God asked, "Who ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings?"  This saying struck me.  When people provide an offering of food, money, or wine for their idol, the food is not eaten, the money is not spent and the wine sits without being touched.  The flies, ants, roaches or rats attracted to the food can do far more than the dumb idol that sits there mute and motionless.

In contrast to these idols made by craftsmen, God on many occasions in Scripture received offerings by fire from heaven.  One of the most famous occasions was when Elijah the prophet challenged the prophets of Baal to go to Mount Carmel and prove if Baal or the God of Israel was the true God once and for all.  The rules were simple:  build an altar, cut the wood, place the sacrifice on it, and the deity which received the offering with fire from heaven is the winner.  The people watched with interest as the many priests of Baal cried out to their god and even cut themselves to draw his attention.  This went on for many hours, and nothing happened.  Elijah built the altar according to God's design, prepared the bull for the offering and then directed water to be poured all over the altar, wood and sacrifice.  The water pooled and filled a trench that had been dug around it.

1 Kings 18:36-39 tells us, "And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. ³⁷ Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again." ³⁸ Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹ Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!"  In response to a couple sentences in prayer by faith in God, the LORD consumed the offering with fire from heaven.  This showed beyond a doubt the God of Israel is the LORD, the God who alone is worthy of worship, adoration and trust.

The God who is able to receive sacrifices is also able to take vengeance upon His enemies, help His servants and be our refuge.  The Gospels show that God is also able to provide Himself as a sacrifice for sin, for God came to earth in the Person of Jesus Christ and gave His life down as a ransom for many.  Jesus laid down His life and raised it up again--showing He alone has power to forgive sins and grant eternal life to all who trust in Him.  When we have no strength or power, we can rest assured of God's help and comfort.  Because our LORD is God, let us praise and worship Him with thanksgiving as we offer ourselves as living sacrifices to Him.  May the LORD turn our hearts back to Him again.

Doing Violence to Words

As one who reads, teaches and loves God's word, I appreciate the precision and impact of words to effectively communicate with others.  For a long time I have made it a regular practice to observe the way people use words and the intended meaning behind them.  During my lifetime I have seen words come and go as they fall out of favour.  I have observed the definitions of words morph and change over time.  While I am all for biblical translations in a modern language people can understand, I am also cognisant simplifying words is like adding water to stew.  At some stage words can be so watered down we can hardly recognise the soupy mixture we are swallowing.

God exposed the sins of His people in Zephaniah 3:4:  "Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people; her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law."  The prophets and priests in Jerusalem were guilty of breaking the Law of Moses--doing violence to it by their perverse justifications and oral traditions.  At times I have heard people do violence to God's word by pulling verses out of context, and people also do violence to the English language to advance their own agenda.  Today I read an article that termed corporal punishment as violence that should be outlawed, and this is certainly not an accurate representation of the facts.  While abuse has certainly occurred under the guise of corporal punishment or discipline, the foray into criminal behaviour that injures children should in no way disparage Bible-based disciplinary methods.

In his 1828 Dictionary, Webster defined "violence" in this way (condensed):  "Physical force; strength of action or motion; 2. Moral force; vehemence; 3. Outrage; unjust force; 4. Eagerness; vehemence. 5. Injury; infringement; 6. Injury; hurt; 7. Ravishment; rape."  This description shows violence is far more than physical action or moral force:  it is unjust, vehement, intended to injure, humiliate and subjugate.  Violence does not provide any allowance for the love of others, the fear of God or having constructive purpose aside from inflicting intentional harm.  There are those who sadly have suffered violence at the hands of people closest to them, but to say corporal discipline cannot be administered humbly, consistently, and in an age-appropriate manner is misguided.  Discipline may sting, but it does not mean anyone was injured.  Parents who fear God and know they will be judged by Him are led to have self-control, compassion and mercy in all they say and do as they rear their children.

Proverbs 13:24 says, "He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly."  Parents who discipline their children in a God-honouring way are looking out for the well-being of their children presently with an eye on their future.  It must be love that guides our hands in discipline--never anger, wrath, malice or bitterness.  While the flesh quickly and easily lashes out to assert self, love is longsuffering and moves carefully with the good of others in mind.  Devoid of God's love, discipline at the mercy of easily offended flesh can quickly cross the boundary into sin.  As God's people, let us ensure we never venture towards violence in our relationships with anyone because we are guided by God's love for us.

The Giver is Greater Than the Gift

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."

James 1:17

Our lives and all we have is a gift from God, and God is infinitely greater than His gifts.  Our flesh is prone to love the gift more than the giver because we naturally treasure ourselves over all others.  When Jesus gave 10 lepers the gift of cleansing and restoration to family and society because they cried out to Him, only one of them returned to even give thanks.  They were pleased to receive cleansing and go their own way, but a Samaritan among them recognised the greatness of Jesus who cleansed him and glorified God with thanks.

During my life I have been blessed to receive many gifts from loving, thoughtful and generous people.  I don't know that anyone has been more blessed than me by God's grace shown through immediate and extended family, friends and the body of Christ, the church.  In some cases, I received tools and possessions from my grandfathers and my dad before they passed away.  The generous gifts they gave me--even the intangible ones--cannot compare with them as people.  Having them around would be more precious and valuable than antique tools and rare artefacts that sit in my garage or on a shelf.  It is easy to see people we love are far greater than any gift they could give, even as the altar is greater than a gift offered on it.

In the parable Jesus told of the prodigal son, it could be said the younger son who demanded his inheritance loved the monetary gift more than his father who granted his request.  In the story, the wayward son had the opportunity to return to his father after he wasted his inheritance, and this is the opportunity God extends to all people as long as we live on earth.  The temporal things God gives us can be wasted, stolen or be parted from us, yet we can return to the LORD who was, is and will always be.  God who has given us life on earth provides the promise of eternal life to all who trust in Him, and His presence is a most generous gift which will never be withdrawn from His redeemed, beloved children.

The gifts which can mean so much to us were all provided by a giver who ought to be more precious and valued in our eyes than anything we have received.  The greatest of all givers is God, for every good and perfect gift is from Him--and He never changes.  I have with gratitude received gifts from people I have not spoken to in years because it seems their view of me has changed for whatever reason; evidently our relationship is not close as it once was.  But God is never far from those who seek Him, for Jesus has promised He will never leave or forsake us.  The giver is greater than the gift, and may we continue to return to God with thankful hearts for all He gives.

Embrace Being Changed

God has put in human beings a thirst for knowledge and understanding.  As little children grow they begin to ask questions about everything and love to learn, drinking in everything they see and hear.  When children are at an appropriate age, given their physical and social development, they often undertake formal schooling.  At some point, the marks students receive and doing what is required to pass a class begins to overshadow the joy of learning--especially when the information in a course seems irrelevant, has little immediate benefit, or is difficult to understand.

As a student in school, when I struggled to understand maths concepts I would look at examples and try to mimic them; I turned to the back of the book to find the correct answer and work backwards to see how to arrive at that solution.  I approached the teacher and fellow classmates for more information and details to better understand.  I dug into textbooks (in days before the internet) and asked questions because I wanted to know how to find the correct answer.  It wasn't because I had a burning desire to be competent in calculus, but because I needed to pass the class.  I wasn't interested in personal enrichment, gaining knowledge I would use in a career, or to claw my way out of ignorance:  I wanted to pass the class and move on.

I have observed we can have a similar approach concerning spiritual matters.  Sometimes we are content to be told what to believe without having to think or examine ourselves according to God's word.  We simply desire the security and comfort that comes from believing we know what is true and right.  We look for an answer to our question to support our beliefs, to show others they are wrong, or to validate or justify our practices.  We may not be interested or willing to learn to change at all!  But God is wise to give us His word, the Holy Spirit, and to connect us with fellow believers in a world that is contrary to God so we might learn, grow in understanding, be further refined and fruitful.  While we are seeking a formula to follow so we can arrive at our preferred end, God works to transform us from the inside out and make us more like Him.

As students we were told to correct our own papers that were written in pencil.  There was always a temptation to rub out the wrong answer and change it to right one when it is we who needed correction and changing.  When God tests us, it often isn't a test we pass or fail:  God's tests are meant to refine and purify us, to expose our sin to us so we will repent.  We can be so focused on being told what to do or believe we neglect seeking God for His sake and embracing our personal sanctification.  While we are looking for a checklist of spiritual disciplines like chores to do so we can move on from them, as God would have us continue to rely upon Him, abide in and follow Him.  God is doing a work in our hearts by His grace and He impacts our entire lives presently and our future.  Jesus did not always give easy answers, but He bids us to take His yoke upon us (which is easy and light!) and learn of Him, for in Him we find rest for our souls.

Context That Compliments

It is vital to keep the big picture in mind when we read, interpret and apply Scripture.  Many well-meaning people can be led astray from sound doctrine when they deviate from the immediate context of passages, cherry-pick phrases or view a verse as standing alone when the accurate interpretation is supported by verses around it.  Because the entire Bible is God's word, no verse stands alone as an outlier.  What can seem contradictory at first glance may be complimentary after consideration.  Understanding the immediate context and to whom the book originally was directed can aid us in rightly dividing God's word and living our lives according to His truth.

An example of this is seen in the book of Jeremiah.  Through the prophet, God spoke pointed words to His people and foretold of coming judgment He would bring upon them for their sin they refused to acknowledge or repent of.  He asked in Jeremiah 7:9-10:  "Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, ¹⁰ and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered to do all these abominations'?"  Did God deliver His people from slavery in Egypt to remain slaves of sin?  Did He bring them into a good land so they could justify what the LORD deemed abominable?  God forbid.

Later in this section God said to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 7:16:  "Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you."  If we read this verse on its own, we might think it falls to us to judge if people are worthy of being prayed for, and we should not pray for people who are in sin--but this would be a very bad interpretation as it violates what God says in other places in the Bible.  For instance, when Jesus was being crucified, He interceded on behalf of the Romans who crucified Him and even the Jews who mocked Him:  "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."  Paul said it is God's will we pray for everyone in 1 Timothy 2:1-4:  "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 Savior, ⁴ who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

It is not difficult to reconcile the command not to pray for the inhabitants of Jerusalem though it is God's will for all people to be prayed for and saved.  The problem was, Jeremiah's hearers refused to heed God's warnings or repent of their sin.  The judgment God would bring upon His people would not be turned away by the prayer and intercession of God-fearing people, for their continuance in sin meant their judgment was set in stone.  If they would be broken and repent of their sin, the commandment to destroy could also be broken.  In the case of God's people in Judea, what was needed was contrite hearts and repentance of sin before God, and God would not force their will.  Praying for ourselves and others--knowing God hears us and answers--is to be our rule of life as Christians because this is God's will.  The Jeremiah 7 passage in no way prohibits us praying for others, but it reveals when the iniquity of people is full, intercessory prayer on their behalf will not benefit them.

Withheld From Sinning

If you ever feel you were not given the credit you deserve, just imagine how often this happens concerning God!  I am confident He is often not given any credit when He deserves it, and He is blamed when He only is righteous, holy and just.

As I read the Bible recently, I came across the passage where Sarah, at Abraham's request, deceived Abimelek king of Gerar that Sarah was his sister--and not his wife.  Abraham believed Sarah's attractive appearance put his life in jeopardy as her husband, that unscrupulous men would kill him to have her.  This ruse actually put Sarah's sexual purity at risk, for Abimelek--believing Sarah was Abraham's sister--had her brought to live with him.

The LORD God spoke to Abimelek in a dream and told him he was as good as a dead man, because the woman he had taken was married.  Abimelek had not gone near her, and protested he was completely unaware of her married status.  He insisted he did not have any sinister, adulterous motives.  Genesis 20:6 reads, "And God said to him in a dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her."  Abimelech credited himself for being a man of integrity and honour, yet God revealed He was the one who prevented Abimelech from sinning against God.

This made me consider:  I wonder how many times God intervened to keep me from sinning.  Well, it is safe to say every time I consciously or unwittingly did not sin, it was by God's power and grace.  Can we stop sinning by our willpower or strength when we cannot even cleanse our hearts and minds from sinful desires?  Abimelek was prevented from sinning by God, and it follows God can do the same for us.  We cannot blame God should we sin, for God never tempts anyone to sin as James 1:13-14 says:  "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed."

How blessed we are the all-powerful God is never tempted by sin, is able to cleanse us from sin and keep us from sinning as well.  Let us praise and worship our awesome God who is pure and holy in all His ways, who declares us righteous by grace through faith in Him.  To be free of the oppressive power and eternal punishment for sin is a wonderful gift of God we may not appreciate as much as we should.

Fully Convinced

"One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind."

Romans 14:5

As I continue to learn and understand more concerning God and His word, my grasp of theology has improved.  I have a much better idea why I believe what I do, having been convinced by the word of God, sound teaching, study and seeking the LORD in fellowship with Christians.  At a Bible study recently I heard quite a different perspective from mine, and it has been profitable to prompt people to seek the LORD and read His word to see where they stand.  God holds each of us responsible to know why we believe what we believe, and He patiently allows us time to grow and mature.  We should resist the temptation to tell people what to believe but explain what the Bible says.  This will help their faith to be founded in Scripture rather than in a study leader.

There are many essential doctrines Christians ought not budge on, especially concerning the deity of Christ and the message of the Gospel.  There is room, however, for people to have their own convictions and interpretations of Scripture that may differ from others.  Some churches in the same denomination may have a culture and approach that is quite distinct from one another, and this reflects the diversity within each one church fellowship in regards to individuals.  In God's wisdom He has seen fit to unite people by faith in Christ and the Holy Spirit in His body the church, people who have different gifts, perspectives and convictions.  It follows that at any given time, we are at different places on our journey in spiritual maturity and understanding--and we ought to be patient with others as God (and others!) has been patient with us.

It shows maturity when Christians can express different convictions without being divisive.  Knowing we hold a different view does not mean we ought to hammer away on others to change their minds by force.  Rather, we ought to look to the LORD and rejoice in all we share in common in Christ.  When I was a kid, I was a San Diego Chargers fan and my brother liked the Chicago Bears.  There was no confusion at all concerning where we stood, and we did not quarrel over which team was better; we did not taunt each another if the team the others supported came last.  We were still brothers who loved each other, and that was more important than our differences.  While sound theology is far more important than the team one supports, in the body of Christ we can stoop to the level of immature children by mocking one another for having a different view.  The person with a better understanding of Scripture can show less maturity and love by sowing discord concerning a Christian who was like Apollos who lacked understanding until the way was explained more perfectly.

Paul urged in 2 Timothy 4:1-2:  "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: ² preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching."  In our preaching, teaching and conversing with others, our aim should not to be to take shots at others with different views but to hold forth the word of God rightly divided, being patient with others who still need convincing concerning sound doctrines that took us years to grasp.  We might never be on the same page with others concerning their eschatological position or a great many other subjects, but we can walk in love and give grace as we stand on the word of God, knowing what we believe and why.  Paul wasn't pedantic about personal convictions God has given us freedom in believing, and we ought to extend this grace to others as well.  We should be fully convinced to love one another no matter what.

The Moving Miracles

Recently I was reminded of God's grace towards me many years ago when men from church and I helped someone move house.  There was a lot to move into the big truck before we headed to the new residence.  As we were loading boxes and furniture, the owner pulled us aside and asked us to be very careful with a particular piece of bedroom furniture:  a chest of drawers with a large mirror.  Apparently it had been passed down through generations and he urged us to take every precaution.  "I won't be upset if anything breaks--except for this," he said.  We assured him we would be as careful as possible.

Night had long since fallen when we arrived at the new place and quickly began to haul the belongings into the garage.  Due to the late hour (with midnight rapidly approaching) we did not have time to stage every piece of furniture in each room but piled everything into the garage.  The large truck had a hydraulic Tommy Lift that made the removal of items easier--but also more dangerous in the dim conditions for volunteer movers.  One of the workers who rode the Tommy Lift up somehow found his foot pinched when the deck reached the highest point.  After a loud yell and jumping around a few times, amazingly he did not suffer an injury or even damage his shoe.  That was a relief.

It was not long before God's grace was shown to our crew and the homeowner when the unthinkable happened.  I remember so clearly looking up to see the prized mirror, well out of reach and in slow motion, move away from the wall and accelerate quickly to the steel floor of the truck.  Nothing could be done.  It fell with a loud bang and we all looked at each other in disbelief, for we all heard how important it was to be careful with the mirror and dresser.  I have no idea how it fell because no one was in the truck at the time, but it fell.  We winced as we slowly raised the mirror from the deck, expecting the worst:  we were shocked when the mirror and wooden frame was found to be intact without a scratch!  We were overwhelmed with gratitude God miraculously preserved our bodies and precious cargo, even though our efforts were sloppy.

After all these years, I continue to marvel over the grace of God demonstrated to us during that move.  God's goodness to me didn't stop there, for I arrived home after 1 AM and needed to rise in a matter of hours to go to work a full day in construction.  As the LORD enabled Elijah to outrun the chariot of Ahab, God gave me strength for the day despite lack of sleep.  How good it is to reflect upon God's grace, miraculous power and goodness towards His people in the Bible as well as in our lives.  He has provided each of His people a testimony of His salvation, and may we never take His grace for granted.  As the LORD revealed to Paul, His grace is sufficient for us and His strength made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).  Even when we imagined ourselves sufficient for the task, God made it plain the job was only done by His grace.  We didn't even need a broken foot or shattered mirror to learn this invaluable lesson.

Unclean and Clean

In the Law of Moses, God made a clear distinction between the clean and unclean.  He told the Hebrews which animals were clean to eat and ones they were to avoid eating--as they were unclean to them.  God also described many physical conditions or situations where a person was deemed unclean, and then outlined what was required for them to be ceremonially clean.  This perspective often governed the outlook of God's people, even those like King Saul who did not always honour or obey God.  When David's seat was empty during a feast, Saul said to himself, "Something has happened to him; surely he is unclean." (1 Sam. 20:26)

While some uncleanness was dealt with by washing in water and remaining unclean until evening, there were other conditions that left a person perpetually unclean--like leprosy.  Leviticus 13:45-46 says, "Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, 'Unclean! Unclean!' ⁴⁶ He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp."  Touching a person, dead body or any item that was unclean would render the one who touched it unclean.  Job correctly mused in Job 14:4:  "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!"  God spoke to the priests and Levites in Isaiah 52:11:  "Depart! Depart! Go out from there, touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her, be clean, you who bear the vessels of the LORD."

Perhaps it is verses like these that led people to think "cleanliness was next to godliness."  What this cliche has very wrong is only God can cleanse what is unclean, and He is faithful to do this by His grace.  Our righteousness is not obtained by the foods we eat or avoid, nor are we cleaned by washing our bodies or hands in water.  Nightfall does not cleanse or make us pure in God's sight.  What is truly wonderful is Jesus--who alone is righteous, pure and holy--came to seek and save the lost, to cleanse the unclean, to raise the spiritually dead and give them eternal live, and adopt aliens of God's kingdom as children of God.  Jesus went to unclean, ostricised lepers whom people avoided like the plague, and He touched them without becoming unclean--having miraculously cleansed them.  He reached out and touched bodies of dead people who came to life, for Jesus remains pure and is able to cleanse those who were unclean by sin.

Matthew 8:1-4 reads, "When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. ² And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." ³ Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. ⁴ And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."  Leviticus 14 is a long chapter that outlines the elaborate ceremony required after a leper was cleansed of leprosy.  Jesus is able and willing to cleanse anyone who comes to Him of any uncleanness, and He has done so by His blood shed for us on the cross.  May our lives be a testimony of Christ by denying ungodly lusts and living soberly, righteously and godly in this present age, redeemed from all iniquity (Titus 2:11-14).  It is our reasonable service we present ourselves as living sacrifices to Christ who has cleansed us from all sin and uncleanness.

God Has Chosen Us

Years ago we enjoyed an annual Easter family tradition of an egg hunt at my grandparent's home.  This epic hunt required a lot of preparation and expense to buy and fill the plastic eggs--not to mention hiding them so well.  The "silver" and prized "golden" egg were always expertly hidden on an acre of property, and there could be a lull of more than 15 minutes when no eggs were found as the search area was whittled down to find that elusive golden egg.  As an adult it was fun observing the children (including my own) look around for hidden treasures, and I discovered some children (not my own) quickly grew impatient and complained when they weren't easily finding eggs.  They snatched eggs that lay in full view on the grass and quickly moved on for more.  When finding eggs meant moving grass or pushing past a prickly pine tree or crawling near a cactus, they begged to be told where the best eggs were.  In our family hunts, this sort of seeker never found the prized eggs.

The discouragement in children who are not easily finding eggs can at times bear a resemblance to what Christians can experience.  I have met many believers who are disappointed when they have sought a particular spiritual gift but have yet to operate in it.  Some feel left out because they are not aware of God's calling upon their lives, and want someone to tell them what to do or say--a formula to follow--to obtain what they are looking for.  Discouragement will come when we prioritise the search for a gift rather seeking the Giver, and we choose disappointment in pursuing a call rather than Christ who calls us.  Spiritual gifts and callings are not like eggs that contain a special prize we hold in our hands, but they are the divine fruit of our relationship with God who holds us.  As we are not our own, having been bought with a price, our spiritual fruitfulness, gifts and call are not primarily for our feelings of fulfillment but God's glory.

In his book The Call, Os Guinness made an excellent observation how being called by God "subverts the deadly modern idolatry of choice":

"Choice in modern life is central, powerful, unquestioned, and enshrined in how we think and all we do--so much so that it cannot be undermined merely by an appeal to another choice.  Choice for modern people is a right that overwhelms both responsibility and rationality...Arguments against choice need to recognize the special, godlike power of choice.  But ultimately only one thing can conquer choice--being chosen.  Thus, for followers of Christ, calling neutralizes the fundamental poison of choice in modern life.  "I have chosen you," Jesus said, "you have not chosen me."  We are not our own; we have been bought with a price.  We have no rights, only responsibilities.  Following Christ is not our initiative, merely our response, in obedience.  Nothing works better to debunk the pretensions of choices than a conviction of calling.  Once we have been called, we literally "have no choice." (Guinness, Os. The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. Thomas Nelson, 2003. Page 167)

It is good to realise choice can be idolised, and really this modern luxury is an extension of the ancient tendency to idolise ourselves.  We can be moved to seek a particular gift or calling because of how it could benefit us.  By God's grace disappointment and disillusionment by our preferences not being met can be the means God employs to draw us to Himself, to begin to know and understand God--and have our eyes opened to better recognise how much we need Him.  To be chosen and called by God is wonderful, and to know Him is greater than unlocking a new ability that will someday pass away.  While the focus in our family Easter egg hunt was finding eggs, the real treasure was those loving, generous women who made the effort to prepare, spend and oversee the event.  As we continue on our pilgrimage of faith in Jesus, may God open our eyes to see when we have been searching for and prioritising gifts over the Giver, a calling over the Caller, or our choices rather than God who chose us.