Mixing Paint Musings

Today I was doing a bit of painting, and one of the tins of paint had never been stirred or mixed.  When I began stirring, for awhile it didn't seem like much was happening.  But as I continued stirring, the colour began to swirl and become cloudy.  The paint reached a stage where it was nearly the correct colour of white, yet there remained thin, faint grey swirls that still needed to be incorporated.  Finally, the paint was mixed sufficiently and could be put to good use by applying it evenly to a door.

My mind drifted back to when I was a child and my dad was painting something around the house.  He gave me a large brush and a bucket of water to "paint" the unfinished cedar fence in our back yard.  No mixing was required, so I could get right to "work."  It was satisfying to see the wood quickly absorb the moisture and instantly change to a darker colour.  Board after board was nicely painted, but it wasn't long before the effect of the water began to dissipate as the water evaporated in the sun.  I began to double back on boards I already painted to make them look uniform again.  Because I was painting with water, the results were only temporary--and this wasn't very satisfying.

Mixing paint is a very mundane task, but it is an important step in the process of painting well.  When paint isn't fully mixed it leads to uneven colour, streaks, poor adhesion and an irregular finish.  Because paint is expensive and time is valuable, the lack of mixing paint properly leads to unnecessary waste and a massive amount of extra work.  Being patient and thorough in the process of preparation for painting is key to pleasing, lasting results.  God knows all about preparation with patience because this is a fruit of the Spirit.  God is willing to spend a great deal of time, effort and expense to prepare people to do His work.  For instance, God caused Moses to be raised as a prince in Egypt until he was 40 years old, and then he tended his father-in-law's sheep for 40 additional years to prepare him to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt--mostly learning he could never do it without God.

There much Moses experienced that certainly stirred and agitated him, and this continued to happen after he led the children of Israel through the Red Sea, to Mt. Sinai and in the wilderness for an additional 40 years.  He was stirred to anger when he saw a fellow Hebrew being beaten by an Egyptian, and he also was stirred to flee for his life after he killed the Egyptian for it.  He was troubled by the idea of going to Pharaoh and speaking publicly, and he was awed by the presence of God again and again.  He was stirred by the idolatry and stubbornness of God's people and their unbelief and disobedience.  All the trials, troubles, experiences, failures and successes he faced were used by God to sanctify and refine Moses to know and trust God more.  This is one of God's purposes when we are stirred, troubled and agitated by experiences God allows.  He knows what He is preparing us for and the good works He would have us do.  Amazingly, His plans for us extend far beyond what is naturally possible for us on earth and for all eternity in His presence.

When we are stirred or troubled (and we realise it!) it may not feel pleasant, but feelings of anger, anxiety, worry, impatience and frustration are reminders to look to the LORD Jesus in faith and rest in His love, grace and goodness.  Our lives on earth serve a valuable function of combining faith and obedience to God with our natural way of thinking and living.  Paint that sits for a long time in a tin separates with clear binders on top and the pigment settled beneath murky fluid.  God would have His wisdom, knowledge of His will and empowerment of the Holy Spirit be fully integrated with our daily lives.  May it be we embrace and delight when God stirs us, for it provides an opportunity to be more like Jesus than we are right now.

Importance of Sacrifice

 "To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice."

Proverbs 21:3

God delights in His people who obey Him, who walk according to His righteousness and justice.  God was not interested to receive offerings from people who refused to seek and submit to Him as is written in Proverbs 15:8:  "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight."  The prophet rebuked erring King Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22:  "So Samuel said: "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams."  Everything that is has been created by God, and all we have is a gift from Him.  God delights more in the obedience of Him people to Him than the sacrifice itself.

One might read these passages and assume because obedience and doing righteousness and justice is better than sacrifice, that sacrifice is of little value.  Perhaps because Jesus has fulfilled the Law and burnt offerings cannot be offered at the temple, the concept of offering sacrifices is irrelevant to us.  On the contrary:  it is important we realise sacrifice to God is very important and critical to the lives of Christians.  Sacrifice is important, and to obey God and walk in His ways is even more important!  See the importance of everyone bringing a sacrifice according to God's blessing in Deuteronomy 16:16-17:  "Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed. ¹⁷ Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you."  To appear before the LORD empty-handed was to say God failed to provide anything when He is the source of all blessing.

Obedience to God always comes at a cost, and to do righteously and justly always involve personal sacrifice.  God is more pleased with the sacrifices of a broken heart and a contrite spirit more than the fat of rams (Psalm 51:17).  Through God's marvellous works, the Law of Moses, psalms, prophets and His Son Jesus Christ, He has demonstrated how we ought to live as Micah 6:8 says:  "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"  We are wholly insufficient in ourselves to do what God requires of us, and it is when we are born again by faith in Jesus we are given a new heart and the Holy Spirit.  We then are guided by His love, wisdom, and justice according to the riches of His grace go follow Jesus.

Jesus came to this world not to be served but to serve and give Himself as a ransom for many.  By faith in Jesus He has become righteousness for us, and we are called to walk in His steps that involve personal sacrifice unto the LORD in our dealings with one another.  Christians are urged in Romans 12:1-2, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."  Since we are called to present our bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God in Christ Jesus, this heightens the importance of living righteously, justly and with integrity.  We ought to give God the love, glory and obedience He is due, and Romans 13:8 says concerning our conduct towards others:  "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law."

God Knows and Lives

Fulfilled prophesies provide strong evidence for the veracity of the Bible and demonstrate God's power to know and do all He has promised.  It is one thing to accurately predict the outcome of a game, whether a medical treatment will be effective, or how tall someone will grow to be, but it is entirely another thing to predict something that is obviously impossible.  Speaking of His physical body, Jesus said to those who questioned His authority:  "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."  The apostle remarked in John 2:22, "Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said."  We observe Jesus and the Scripture foretold His death and resurrection, and the knowledge, promises and power Jesus displayed to do what is impossible moved people to believe in Him.

This morning I read Ezekiel 37 when God used an illustration with a valley filled with dry bones.  God asked the prophet Ezekiel, "Son of man, can these bones live?"  If I was Ezekiel, I would have quickly answered "No."  The bones were dry and turning to dust; how could they support a physical body or the marrow produce red blood cells?  If Ezekiel focused on what we he knew from observation, experience and human anatomy, impossibilities would abound.  Yet he fixed his attention upon God and said, "O Lord God, you know." (Ezekiel 37:3)  God said the dry bones would know He was the LORD when He brought life into them again.  God commanded Ezekiel to prophecy to the bones and by the power of God they were covered with muscles, sinews, skin and God breathed life into the great army that stood on their feet before Him.

God explained the significance of the vision to the prophet in Ezekiel 37:11-14:  "Then He said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, 'Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!' ¹² Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. ¹³ Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. ¹⁴ I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it," says the LORD.'"  God spoke of the Jewish nation as feeling dry, having lost hope and cut off.  Yet God would do for them as those dry bones, for He would revive them and bring them into their land again.  This came to pass after 70 years of captivity in Babylon, and it came to pass in 1947 when Israel regained their land and became a sovereign nation again.  This also will have a future fulfilment, for at the end of the Great Tribulation Jesus will return to judge the nations and establish His throne in Jerusalem.  He will gather His people to Himself from wherever they had been scattered.

I find it intriguing some dead believers literally rose from the dead when Jesus died on the cross as it is written in Matthew 27:51-53:  "Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, ⁵² and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; ⁵³ and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many."  Like the centurion who witnessed the death of Jesus on the cross, Ezekiel said people would know He was the LORD when God opened their graves and brought them out alive.  Ezekiel 37:24-26 goes on to say, "David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. ²⁵ Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children's children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever. ²⁶ Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore."

Jesus is revealed to be the Son of David, God's Servant spoken of by Isaiah and the prophets, the KING OF KINGS who will rule over the nations, the Good Shepherd who lay down His life for the sheep.  It was humanly impossible for dry bones to live, but with God all things are possible.  It was not believed possible God could take human form, die on the cross and rise from the dead, but Jesus Christ has done all this and more!  As those dead believers were raised to life, so the Jews would inhabit Jerusalem again, and one day Jesus will return and rule the nations.  Jesus has made a new covenant in His own blood that Jew and Gentile can have peace with God by receiving Jesus by grace through faith.  How awesome is our God who does the impossible, who speaks of what will be when it never could be.  It is encouraging to know even if we feel dry, without hope or cut off, in God there is assurance of new, abundant life by faith in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns forever. 

Bread of the Presence

My Bible reading in the evenings these days has been in the Legacy Standard Bible, a relatively new translation that seeks to "preserve the American Standard Version while incorporating recent discoveries of Hebrew and Greek textual sources and rendering it into more current English."  The biggest difference from other versions I am familiar with is the heavy use of "Yahweh" in translating the Tetragrammaton rather than "LORD God."  Yesterday I came across another distinction, as the showbread in Exodus 39:36 was called, "the bread of the Presence."  This refers to the 12 large loaves of holy and consecrated bread that were placed on the table of showbread on every Sabbath and were to be eaten by the priests in the holy place.

The table of showbread was one of three articles in the holy place in the tabernacle along with the altar of incense and the lampstand (Menorah).  As I thought about all these articles, each one required maintenance:  the lamps were filled with oil, the wicks trimmed and lit to provide light continually.  Exodus 30:7-8 says of the altar of incense, "Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning; when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. ⁸ And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations."  Concerning the showbread baked with fine flour we read in Leviticus 24:6-8:  "You shall set them in two rows, six in a row, on the pure gold table before the LORD. ⁷ And you shall put pure frankincense on each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, an offering made by fire to the LORD. ⁸ Every Sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant."  Incense was burned when the lamps were tended and the bread was eaten by the priests--light to see, incense to smell and bread to eat--an interactive feast of the senses physically and spiritually.

It was forbidden for the children of Israel to copy the formula of the anointing oil or the incense used in the worship of God in the tabernacle.  From what I have read, I do not see a similar prohibition for the "bread of the Presence" which was displayed on the table for a memorial.  Bread was a staple food for the Hebrews, and bread was likely part of every meal.  Unlike everything else in the holy place, the bread of the presence was meant for eating by priests while oil and incense was consumed by fire.  While the bread people baked was not anointed or placed on the table of showbread, the bread people made in their houses and ate was special because of the significance in the tabernacle and the bread's connection to the presence of God.  It is fitting Jesus did not remain in the heavens or abide only in the temple, but He came to common people and revealed Himself as the Bread of Life.  It was amazing God dwelt in the midst of His people, and then to present Himself as Jesus Christ went even further, for He promised whoever believed in Him would receive eternal life enjoyed in His presence.

During the Passover feast, Jesus instituted Communion with His disciples by eating bread that symbolised His body broken for them and drank wine that represented His blood shed for them.  Christians in the church today proclaim our LORD's death until He comes by eating the bread and drinking of the cup together, and this physical act of obedience is a declaration of God's presence within us by the Holy Spirit--having received Jesus by faith and been born again.  Eating the broken bread is a reminder of the price Jesus paid to atone for our sins through His death and shows we have spiritually received Him.  Calling the showbread the "bread of the Presence" is a worthy title as it alludes to the presence of God who was with His people in the tabernacle and temple, and it also foreshadows the Bread of Life Jesus whose presence indwells us as the temple of the Holy Spirit.  How close we can be to God because His presence has drawn near to us!

Convinced by the Lord Jesus

"I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean."

Romans 14:14

This revelation God gave Paul cut deep against the grain of his upbringing, traditions and perspective.  As a man raised in Judaism who was devout, student of Gamaliel who became a Pharisee, there were many things deemed unclean in the law of Moses.  Paul could prove what was clean and unclean in black and white.  Yet after being born again by faith in Jesus, over many years Paul knew and was convinced by the Lord Jesus there is nothing unclean of itself.  I imagine this teaching directly confronted Paul's long held beliefs, judgments and outlook--and perhaps ours as well.

I have observed in myself and in others a tendency to assume many things are unclean in itself.  For instance, I have spoken to people who rail against materialism as a great evil to the point they feel guilty for having things.  They view having to pay a mortgage for their house or attending a purpose-built church as an indictment against their own good character.  This reminds me of the Gnostics who believed the material world was inherently evil while all that is spiritual is good and divine.  This is contrary to the revelation of Scripture, for God is the source of all goodness; only He is righteous, holy and eternally so.

In the forgoing passage in Romans 14, Paul wrote of people who only ate vegetables and others who ate anything.  He spoke of those who observed a holy day whilst to others it was just another day.  Paul explained to believers they could follow their own convictions with thanksgiving to God on what foods to eat or holy days to observe without condemning those who did otherwise--as if it was evil in itself to eat meat or to celebrate the New Year.  One can enjoy food without gluttony and can drink without becoming intoxicated.  Celebrations and gatherings need not be marked with hedonistic pursuits, sexual promiscuity or violence.  I grew up in an era where people frowned upon "playing cards," dancing and drinking alcohol as activities that were likely sinful in themselves or toed the line of sin--perhaps because of their history with those activities and desire not to embolden others to be drawn into what they were convinced was sin for them.

Paul knew and was convinced by Jesus nothing is unclean of itself, but he also was convinced that if someone views anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.  This is also something believers ought to take to heart, especially when we have been given to legalism.  We assume a legalistic posture when we force or compel other to adopt our personal convictions under the guise of spiritual maturity and to truly please God.  As followers of Christ, our choices are to be governed by the love of God and love for one another.  Rather than judging and condemning others over their exercise of liberty that differs from ours, we are to be united in Christ's kingdom that is marked by righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  Romans 14:19 is not a description of a Christian walking on eggshells but one who lives by faith and obedience to Jesus:  "Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another."

Members of One Another

"And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains to one another with the clasps, that it might be one tabernacle."

Exodus 36:13

The Bible contains many lists of people in genealogies, offerings brought by leaders of tribes, and items made for the service of the LORD in the tabernacle.  It may be tempting to skip or gloss over such passages, but God can still speak volumes by verses that seem obscure or mundane.

When I read about the offerings people brought daily for the tabernacle, it struck me how God employed a combination of materials He created that were freely offered by His people to build it.  God created gold, silver, trees, every variety of precious stones, olive oil, goats with hair and rams with wool, as well as naturally occurring dyes.  God's people brought these articles which were skillfully weaved, cut, carved, beaten and shaped into the desired size and shape to fit together.  Fibres of wool were twisted into yarn, and the yarn was dyed and weaved into curtains.  Golden clasps were tied to the curtains to connect them all together and make one single unit--massive curtains all connected by gold clasps to be one tabernacle where the presence of God dwelt.

It was important when making the curtains that each of the 50 loops of blue on one curtain lined up with the 50 loops on the next curtain so 50 clasps of gold could join them together as one.  If one loop of blue or golden clasp was missing, it was not a complete tabernacle; it was unfit for service because it did not meet God's standard in His Law.  Think of all the goat hair, wool of rams and trees were needed to make the curtains and to provide a structure to support them!  Consider all the people who worked together to join yarn, threads and boards together to make a massive tent in the wilderness that could endure windy days, hot sun and flash floods.  At God's direction it was all disassembled, carried where God led them, and reassembled again.  The earth is God's footstool made for mankind to dwell in, and God allowed mankind to construct a place where He would dwell among them.

In thinking of the elaborate structure of the tabernacle and later the temple in Jerusalem, I was reminded that Christians are now the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.  We are all members of the Body of Christ (the Church) and Jesus is our Head.  As the tabernacle was comprised of many threads, boards, loops, clasps and sockets, so the church is made of many members who are part of one body.  The New Testament teaches us Christians are members with one another, having the same Spirit and mind of Jesus.  Ephesians 4:25 & 32 explains our identity ought to lead to living in unity:  "Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another...³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you."  If a loop was torn or a golden clasp missing, the right thing to do was to set about repairing it.  Should there be a schism in the church among brethren due to lying or lack of love, we ought to do our part to work toward restoration.  In Christ we are members of one another, after all.

General or Personal Application?

I recently led an Inductive Bible Study course at church aimed to help reading and Bible study to be more fruitful.  A similar course I took many years ago had a profound impact to help me develop the skill of careful observation, more accurate interpretation and personal application of God's word.  Familiarity with the Bible can cause us to skim or gloss over critical information, to fall back on what we already know as if it is all there is to know, and never take definite action in light of one specific thing God has said.

When I put together an itinerary for board meetings at church, each director has a slot to report on notable things that have occurred since our last meeting.  Before we launch into "New Business," we read through "Unfinished Business," and these are projects which have yet to be completed.  Once I was a board member of an organisation that always put "Unfinished Business" at the end.  These important tasks and projects were rarely mentioned and not completed because they were afterthoughts when time was running out rather than a priority given prime time.  Our "Unfinished Business" was never finished because there was never discussion or specific actions delegated to directors.  At the conclusion of our board meetings at church, we always review "Actions to be Taken" so every director is reminded of their responsibilities and will be held accountable to report on them the following meeting.

One of the points of emphasis of the recent Inductive Bible Study was our need as Christians to intentionally put into practice what God has said.  Our tendency when it comes to personal application of God's word is to keep it general, and this requires no action at all.  When Jesus was asked by a lawyer who sought to justify himself, "Who is my neighbour?" Jesus responded by telling the story of the Good Samaritan.  In the tale the Pharisee and Levite ignored the plight of the wounded man who was beaten and robbed on the road to Jericho, but a Samaritan was moved with compassion to help him.  Jesus asked the lawyer in Luke 10:36-37:  "So which of these three do you think was neighbour to him who fell among the thieves?" ³⁷ And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."  Rather than setting limits on who should be considered a neighbour, Jesus taught the lawyer and all who read His word to be neighbourly, to go out of our way to show mercy on others.

There is a difference between applying this passage generally and personally.  Some might be content to say, "A Christian ought to help people who are hurting" or "We should be willing to give sacrificially for the good of others like the Good Samaritan."  These points of application are not personal at all.  To make it personal, we need to include an "I" in our answer and put it in the "Unfinished Business" section of our pressing agenda.  Our takeaway could be something like, "I need to show mercy on so-and-so, and I've failed to do that.  I've been like the Pharisee or Levite, dismissive of his/her feelings or needs.  Now is the time to make a call and apologise for being callous and careless."  When the word of God is applied personally in our lives, it is always a call to action:  is God telling me of a sin I need to avoid or a command to obey?  Are there promises to believe or examples to follow I have ignored?  What should I do in light of what God is saying?

When we begin to make our decisions and live according to God's word, faith expressed by humble obedience to all God has said, God's word will become exponentially fruitful in our lives.  The Bible will go from words on a page or knowledge in our heads to being most practical and useful, working by the renewing of our minds to transform aloof Pharisees into godly people who repent and freely give mercy.

Stirred With Wisdom

As a little kid at church, I remember hearing a lot of adults express a desire to preach in front of the congregation.  During the "Jesus People Movement" in southern California (I didn't know was a thing at the time), it was common for people to be saved and in some cases relatively quickly move into serving in pastoral ministry because of the volume of people coming to faith in Jesus.  For years I observed men regularly attend church for a season and become involved in serving, but when it seemed there were no openings or opportunities to be a pastor, they moved on.  I do not judge or condemn anyone for doing their best to follow God's leading.  People came and went, and I continued to encounter the perspective that to be most useful and profitable in a church, being a "full-time" pastor was the prime position.  Perhaps this calling would provide validation and respect people craved.  If that's what they hoped for, I suggest they would have been disappointed when the call of every Christian is to be servant of all.

In His great wisdom, God has joined Christians together as a church where He is the Head of the body.  Those who imagine the pastor is the head of a church have a very inaccurate, unbiblical view of leadership.  As God has designed our bodies to be comprised of many parts connected and coordinated to work together for the glory of God, to promote health and to help others, so He has divinely placed His church in the world.  In addition to there being different callings in the church--like missionaries, prophets, pastors and teachers--God also grants people a variety of spiritual gifts according to His will.  Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. ⁶ And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all."  Many people have desired to be God's mouthpiece from a pulpit, yet no one needs to be a pastor to study, speak and walk in obedience to God's word.  The way we conduct our lives among others can be a better witness for Jesus Christ than sermons preached in a church building some will never sit and listen to.

One thing that struck me as I read Exodus 35-36 is how God does not restrict wisdom to pastors or teachers.  When God instructed Moses how to build the tabernacle, God also called and filled people with wisdom to do tasks and work we may not ever connect to Christian ministry.  After God stirred the hearts of people to bring materials for the building of the temple, weaving of fabrics and constructing the articles of gold and silver, He gave men and women wisdom to do physical work--things we may not imagine we need wisdom from God to do well.  Exodus 35:26 says, "And all the women whose heart stirred with wisdom spun the goats' hair."  God empowered men like Bezalel and Oholiab as Moses wrote in Exodus 35:35:  "He has filled them with wisdom in their heart to do every work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in blue and in purple and in scarlet material and in fine linen, and of a weaver, as those who do every work and make designs."  Wisdom and ability was not only granted by God to the leaders but the workers as Exodus 36:4 says:  "And all the wise men who were doing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work which he was doing." (LSB)

Because Christ is the Head of the church and has become Wisdom for us, we can bring God glory and be spiritually fruitful regardless of our current role, gifting or service.  One work we see others moved to do in the same passage was that of giving, for when enough had been supplied, Moses said in Exodus 36:6, "Let no man or woman any longer do the work for the contributions of the sanctuary."  By the command of God, people were restrained from giving towards the building project because their inclination was to give daily.  My eyes were opened to the marvellous design and intricate function of our physical bodies before the LORD opened my understanding to perceive His wondrous design of the church where people--who were once not a people--are now His people, united by one Spirit, adopted into God's family, made citizens of heaven who fellowship and serve together, guided by His love and grace.  Dear church, may we walk in wisdom as we are coordinated with Jesus our Head, being led by the Holy Spirit as we serve faithfully.

Nehushtan

Shortly after the death of Aaron the high priest, the Hebrews were discouraged as they took the long way around the land of Edom rather than passing through.  They spoke against God, Moses and said they loathed the food God provided daily.  Moses said God sent venomous snakes among the people that bit them, and as a result many people died.  Finally the people came to Moses and admitted their sin in the matter, and asked for Moses to pray God remove the snakes from them.  God gave a curious answer to Moses' prayer in Numbers 21:8-9:  "Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live." ⁹ So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived."

The people asked the snakes be taken away, yet God directed people to look upon the bronze serpent Moses to be miraculously healed and survive.  The prohibitions in the Law of Moses that forbade the crafting of images was to avoid idolatry as they were inclined to be driven to worship the works of their hands--as well as the sun, moon and stars.  Deuteronomy 4:15-40 went into great detail about how God had appeared to His people in a flame of fire, and without taking a physical form He spoke to them from Mt. Sinai.  Nothing God created was like Him, and thus there was no physical representation made by man's hands worthy to represent Him.  There is not another word concerning the bronze serpent Moses made until we read of king Hezekiah's reforms in 2 Kings 18:4:  "He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan."  Nehushtan literally means, "thing of brass."  The crude image made by Moses that was likely kept as a memorial of God's salvation was later idolised by later generations.  Hezekiah did well to break it to pieces to splinter bonds of idolatry with the revered object.

Since people are as prone to idolatry as ever, it is important we guard our hearts against idolising objects or people God used in the past.  The bronze serpent that should have pointed to God and His great salvation over time was disconnected from God and became one of many gods that could not heal, help or save.  Amazingly, the bronze serpent incident which should have reminded God's people of His salvation in the past was employed by Jesus Christ to speak of future salvation He would bring by being lifted up on a cross in death.  Jesus 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."  The focus of the story wasn't Moses or the bronze serpent but God who calls, saves and sent His only begotten Son Jesus.  Having been bitten by a venomous snake required faith to look at a bronze serpent for healing, and all who look to Jesus Christ in faith receive a much greater gift in eternal salvation by the Gospel.

I read an article recently with a son's remark how his father "wore a cross" every day to express his faith in God, and this was put forth as evidence of salvation.  This statement shows how it is possible to focus on a symbol rather than the Saviour who is Christ.  A cross can be made out of wood, silver or gold, but it is just as powerless as Nehushtan to save anyone.  The shape of the cross was not as important as the Messiah lifted up and crucified upon it who is risen from the dead and lives in eternal glory.  Had bits of the cross or nails been preserved, undoubtedly there would be those driven to worship them.  But what are pieces of dead wood or corroded nails compared to the living Son of God who fills us with His Spirit and will return in due time?  As God's redeemed people, let us refuse to exchange the Truth of God for a lie and worship a Nehushtan rather than our Creator we love and serve.

One Accord, Mind and Spirit

During my Christian walk and time in ministry, I can recall a handful of occasions where times of corporate worship were disrupted by people doing their own thing.  I remember when there was a decorated Christmas tree in the back of the church and a mother removed a functional bell ornament from the tree and handed it to her fussy child who rang it for the remainder of the worship set.  On another occasion, ribbons were handed to children in the back of the church who ran around with them as an impromptu activity.  In both of these instances, there had been no discussion with the worship team who was leading the congregation and practiced and prepared for the occasion.  Though the bell or ribbons were not loud in volume, the disunity revealed by those activities was louder to me than a clanging cymbal.

The first problem that came to mind was the message sent by giving bells and ribbons to children.  It immediately puts the emphasis on the item given and what the child was going to do with it.  If you have had children and allowed an elaborate bedtime ritual to develop, it makes the parents subject to items to gather and supply, activities done in a particular order, and multiple boxes to tick for a child to begin to go to sleep.  It shudder to apply a principle to worshipping God, that if we do not have our preferred bell, pretty ribbon or instrument we cannot humble ourselves before God to worship Him in unity with our fellow Christians.  If our singing in adoration of God hinges upon our ability to express ourselves in a way that is uncoordinated and out of step with the worship team God has raised up to lead, we might as well be praising ourselves.

Before the Holy Spirit came upon the believers in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, they were described as being of "one accord in one place."  They were of one mind and one heart, united in obedience to God as they all sat together--conditions prepared to receive and operate led by the Holy Spirit.  Paul gently rebuked the church in Corinth for their penchant for self-promotion and competition rather than edification in 1 Corinthians 14:26:  "How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification."  Rather than preparing to lead worship, preach or attend church as our opportunity to shine, our faces ought to humbly look to Jesus to ascribe to Him all honour, preeminence and glory.  It is the love of God and one another that leads us to submit to one another in love, even as Jesus submitted to the Father.

In a passage outlining the proper use of spiritual gifts, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:40:  "Let all things be done decently and in order."  When Apollos taught boldly in the synagogue, knowing only the baptism of John, Aquila and Pricilla spoke to him later and explained the way of God more perfectly (Acts 18:26).  It was not appropriate to disrupt the order of service, yet it was entirely appropriate Apollos be graciously instructed of what he was ignorant, and Aquila and Pricilla showed humility in the way they discussed the matter privately and without disruption to the gathering.  The same is true concerning times of corporate worship, prayer, preaching and fellowship at church gatherings.  We who are filled with the Holy Spirit ought to love God and one another, submitting to one another, giving grace to one another of one accord--not doing our own thing.

No Life Without Jesus

I recently received a large, colour brochure about an upcoming performance of Shen Yun which is an outreach funded by the religious group Falun Gong.  As a follower of Jesus Christ, alarm bells start ringing when I read of this group and how all spiritual authority is vested only in teachings of Falun Gong's founder, Li Hongzhi.  While the dance performance looks to be very colourful, performed by skilled dancers and accompanied by orchestral music, going to a show does not interest me in the slightest because of the clear connection with a group whose teachings are not of Jesus Christ.

The flier contained a quote that grabbed my attention more than the vivid colours which encouraged people to see the show:  "Go see it to believe it, because otherwise, you are going to miss the most important thing in your life."  This is a very interesting thing to say as it runs absolutely contrary to the revelation of Jesus who was born of a virgin, died on the cross, rose from the dead and ascended to heaven 40 days later before hundreds of witnesses.  When Thomas said he would not believe unless he saw Jesus in person, touched His hands where the nails pierced them and reached into Jesus' side where a spear pierced Him.  8 days later Jesus appeared in the midst of His disciples, said "Peace be unto you," and singled Thomas out because He knew (without being informed) what Thomas had said.

John 20:27-29 reads, "Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." ²⁸ And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" ²⁹ Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."  After Christ's resurrection, Thomas did not see Jesus or know how to find Him to believe, but Jesus graciously sought him out, found him and spoke with him.  Jesus made Himself unmissable to Thomas and all humanity since, for the heavens declare His glory, and His word and disciples have spread the message of Jesus being the Way, the Truth and the Life everywhere.  Thomas was blessed to recognise Jesus as His LORD and God, and we are blessed to believe in Him even when we have not touched His hands or side.

How could watching a show or adhering to the teachings of Li Hongzhi or anyone else provide what Jesus freely gives all who believe and follow Him?  Who else provides assurance of eternal life by dying and rising from the dead?  John 20:30-31 says, "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."  There is nothing wrong with going to a show or watching skillful performers on a stage, but it could never be the most important thing in your life the Bible compares to a vapour, grass that grows and quickly withers, a breath exhaled in the light of eternity.  Through God's word and this post the message of grace, forgiveness, and salvation through the Gospel has come to you.  Do you believe Jesus is the Christ?  Without Him, there is no life!  Jesus has come that we may have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

Holiness in Christ

Under the Law of Moses, God commanded to keep the sabbath day holy (Exodus 20:8).  After creating the heavens and earth in 6 days, God rested on the seventh day, blessed it and made it holy.  Later in the book of Exodus, God explained how the sabbath was a sign to the Jewish people, not only that He created the heavens and earth in 6 days but that He made them holy, sanctified as His people.  Exodus 31:12-13 (LSB) says, "Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ¹³ "But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘You shall surely keep My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am Yahweh who makes you holy."  Even under the Law of Moses, it was God--not the keeping of ordinances--that made them holy, set apart and sanctified.

God's people were made holy by God, and they were also commanded to be holy--to sanctify themselves unto God by keeping His commands, doing what is right in His eyes.  Their privileged position was to be adorned by a lifestyle of holiness to God.  Passages like Leviticus 19:1-4 emphasise this point:  "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ² "Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: 'You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. ³ 'Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. ⁴ 'Do not turn to idols, nor make for yourselves molded gods: I am the LORD your God."  Having been made holy by God, they were to lead holy lives.  God chose them, and their choice was to trust and obey Him.

The covenant of Law God made with Israel was fulfilled by Jesus who established a new covenant in His own blood, that all who repent of sin and trust in Him will be forgiven, redeemed and adopted as children of God by His grace.  Consider what Peter wrote to Christians--both Jews and Gentiles who have received Jesus by faith--in 1 Peter 2:4-5:  "Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, ⁵ you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."  He continued in 1 Peter 2:9-10:  "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰ who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."

God blessed the sabbath and hallowed it, and Jesus is the Sabbath rest for all who have received the Gospel, those whom Peter referred to as a "holy priesthood" and a "holy nation."  Rather than submitting to ordinances or traditions of men, we are made holy by faith in Christ and are called to submit to Him by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Since Christians have been raised to life with Christ, the Law that condemned us was nailed to the cross, and Jesus triumphed over all satanic power and authority, Paul wrote in Colossians 2:16-17 (NIV), "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. ¹⁷ These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."  Holiness is not obtained by keeping the sabbath day according to Law but by faith in Jesus Christ.  It is by spiritual regeneration and obedience to Him that we heed His command to "Be holy, for I am holy."

Excellence of Love

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul spoke of God's love being the most important thing in the life of a believer--which must have been a shock even to the believers to whom it was addressed.  Paul began the chapter with examples of radical personal sacrifice and supernatural power, yet without God's love it such acts were empty and worthless.  Let us consider Paul's claims one at a time to see how exquisite and amazing God's love truly is above what is commonly valued in the world and church alike.

1 Corinthians 13:1 says, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal."  In Paul's day, the Greeks were known for their famous orators who were masters of the "persuasive arts."  In public speaking, they utilised the pillars of credibility, emotion and logic to develop persuasive arguments to sway men to their side.  For all their skill in rhetoric these men did not speak in the tongues of angels, yet even if they did their powers of persuasion would be like a clanging cymbal without love.  People drew near to orators at Mars Hill to hear a new thing out of curiosity, but their fine words without love were jarring, senseless noise that would drive people away.

Paul continued in 1 Corinthians 13:2, "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."  Prophets were revered and respected in Israel, for the LORD instructed, warned and spoke to His people of what was to come through their testimony.  To operate in a prophetic gift, to understand all mysteries and have all knowledge would be most notable, for even Solomon in His glory did not reach such heights.  The person who had all faith and could miraculously remove mountains would be treated as a god by some, yet without love this one with all faith in God would be nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3 concluded, "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing."  People who do not do so themselves respect those who gives generously to people in need.  Paul said if he was to give all his goods to feed the poor and even gave his body to be burned to death, without love it would not profit him at all.  All the respect and honour he may receive from men would be worthless, and he would gain no heavenly position or reward from his torment.  Without God's love, all his giving and sacrifice would not benefit him at all.  He could save lives from starvation and sacrifice his own body with great pain, yet without love it would only mean loss.

It is amazing how the love of God in the life of a believer affects the words we speak, the things we do, and how we give.  Having received the love of God through the Gospel and the indwelling Holy Spirit, all Christians are able to walk in love towards all--even our enemies.  Not all have the same role in the church, and everyone does not share the same spiritual gifts, but we all are blessed to love God and love one another.  Loving others persuades others to consider Christ who first loved us, and though we may not be gifted in prophecy, we lack knowledge or faith, we are still useful servants of God by His love shown through us.  Because Jesus so loved us and lay down His life for our sakes, we benefit greatly presently and in the life to come by loving and serving others as we walk in His ways.  God's love guides us in the most excellent way to live. 

Thanks and Worship

Because we are people with needs and desires, we need to be intentional to express thankfulness to God.  If we are primarily focused on what we lack, we might not consider how God has always been faithful to meet our needs--regardless how we feel at the moment.  When we focus on what others have and we do not have, we can become bitter and without gratitude for all God has done for us.  Should we focus on what we have, we are easily lifted up with pride when our possessions exceed others or we can feel down when we have little by comparison.

I was reading through ministry material today that reminded me how thankfulness is worship.  When we worship God, freely giving Him the honour and glory He is due, it works to humble our hearts before God.  Those who humble themselves with thanksgiving and gratitude to God are those He will lift up.  We do not express gratitude to God with the aim to gain but with contentment and joy for who He is, all He has done and given us according to the riches of His grace.  What do we have that we did not first receive? (1 Corinthians 4:7)  How good it is for us give God the praise and thanks He is due!  In exalting the almighty God, we are encouraged in faith.  By proclaiming publicly what God has done for us privately, we delight to make Jesus our boast.

Psalm 100:4-5 exhorts God's people, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. ⁵ For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations."  To know God by entering the Door--by grace through faith in Jesus--means to enter His kingdom and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy and peace, very sweet fruit indeed!  We have been thankful to people for kindness shown to us:  hasn't God's goodness and kindness to us been infinitely greater?  Shouldn't we thank God and bless His name because He is always good?  All the resources on this planet are limited and soon gone, yet God's mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 95:6 says, "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker."  How blessed we are to be called and chosen as children of God, the people of His pasture.  Our awesome God is good, and we ought to express our eternal gratitude every day.  As we bow our knees before our LORD God in adoration, may we thank Him with our lips from the heart.

Hearing and Doing

Have you ever given thought to what it would have been like to have lived during the season Jesus walked through Jerusalem and Israel with His disciples?  They were blessed to have heard Him teach, see the miracles He performed and know He was the promised Messiah and Son of God.  It would have been interesting for Joseph and Mary to have Jesus grow up as their son, and for your older brother to be the anointed One of God and to hear Him speak of repentance for sin and the kingdom of God.

After Jesus cast out a demon and gave insight concerning the spiritual realm as God who knows all things, Luke 11:27-28 says:  "And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!" ²⁸ But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"  Mary was blessed to be the mother of Jesus, for the angel Gabriel and her cousin Elisabeth said this before she gave birth (Luke 1:28 & 42).  Mary was blessed to bond with Jesus as His mother and see Him grow into a man, but Jesus said there was a greater blessing for anyone who heard the word of God and kept it.  Some would be content to merely identify with Jesus as a mother or brother, yet there is a more blessed relationship possible today with Jesus Christ by faith and obedience today.

This statement by Jesus that emphasised the blessed relationship people can have with Him followed on from a circumstance that occurred a couple chapters earlier.  After Jesus explained the Parable of the Sower to a great gathering, Luke 8:19-21 says:  "Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. ²⁰ And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You." ²¹ But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  Even as the seed that fell on good ground would sprout and bear much fruit, so those who hear the word of God will demonstrate having heard and believed God by obedience.  Their loyalties and convictions would be outwardly plain.  Jesus taught all who hear the word of God and keep it have a closer relationship to Him than His mother or brother related by blood.

A blessed relationship with God is freely offered by Jesus Christ who shed His blood to redeem sinners and adopt us into His own everlasting kingdom as beloved children.  Rather than wishing we could have been in Jesus' inner circle, by faith in Him we are new creations in whom the Spirit of Christ dwells (Romans 8:9).  Jesus likened the one who hears and obeys His words to a wise man who built his house upon the rock, and when the rains came and the winds blew it would stand firm.  Since He is our LORD, we ought to do as He says--and we are indeed blessed when we hear and obey Him.