Running Our Course

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

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

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

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

Built On Christ

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

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

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

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

Immoral Outrage

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

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

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

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

The Advance of God's Kingdom

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

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

One thing I observe in the life of Jesus is how apolitical He was.  Many times He chose not to take sides when He had the opportunity to wield great political influence.  Again, there is nothing wrong with being engaged in political activism.  But we ought to keep in mind the focus of Christ and disciples like Paul were on the kingdom of God--not on the current government or political climate.  Rather than taking the fight to a corrupt Roman political system, Paul urged believers with all meekness and gentleness to go to battle against their own foolish thinking God's way in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6:  "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ⁶ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."  Our wrestle is not against flesh and blood but principalities, powers, against rulers of darkness and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12)  In submission to God in what He calls us to do, we can trust His kingdom will be advanced by His Spirit in our personal and social interactions.

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

Freedom and Responsibility

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

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

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

With the freedom we have in Christ, Paul wrote of many responsibilities of Christians that concern our hearts and conduct in Ephesians 5:1-4:  "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children

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

Keep On Moving

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

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

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

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

The Castle

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

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

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

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

More than Satisfying Curiosity

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

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

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

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

Praying Together

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

Acts 3:1

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

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

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

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

A Spiritual Emergency

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

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

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

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

Honour God with Increase

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

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

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

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

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

Talebearing or Faithful?

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

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

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

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

God is Working

I heard a comment recently that gave me pause.  A visitor, upon entering the sanctuary at church, said something to the effect of, "So this is where it all happens."  Instantly a thought popped into my head:  "You'd be surprised how seldom things happen here."  This was not a knock on God's work or His people but to point out the sermons preached, songs of worship sung and prayers to God for about an hour a week is a fraction of the depth and breadth of God's relationship with us.  It is a supremely special time to have fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ at church and an incredible privilege to proclaim God's word.  A lot of awesome and wonderful things happen at church--but one room isn't where it all happens.

I realise the visitor was not making a theological statement, and I did not think what was said needed correction.  What it did likely illustrate, however, is a distinction made in Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness by Jerry Cook between "church as a field" and "church as a force."  The "church as a field" is an approach that suggests church is a building where things happen, and thus it is imperative we coax or invite people into the church so they can be taught and ministered to by a pastor.  The "church as a force" concept is that the church is the Body of Christ comprised of individual members who bring Jesus and His love to minister wherever they go to whomever they meet as God leads them.  The gathering of the church in fellowship to preach the word at set times is good, and to be moved to live for Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit every day is also very good.

What happens when a person thinks the sanctuary is where it all happens--and nothing seems to be happening?  If their expectations are unmet, if people do not see or hear what they are accustomed to, they may just go to another church.  They may say, "The worship is dead" when that statement may be more indicative of their own feelings or spiritual slumber more than the hearts of God's people.  They might lament the lack of miraculous healings, spiritual deliverance or people falling to the ground because that to them is part of the church experience.  I have observed that when people do not see things are happening, they may not believe God is working.  The temptation follows to make something happen, and this is not good when it is of the flesh and not of God.

One thing I love about God is He does not judge according to appearances but examines the heart.  I believe, even when we do not see anything visibly happening, God is at work for our good and His glory.  The one who shouts excitedly is not more filled with the Holy Spirit than the silent saint who repents or wonders at the awesomeness of God.  The one who raises their hands or falls to their knees is not more "spiritual" than the person just sitting there.  Our hearts are where God is always working, and when the LORD begins to transform our hearts our thoughts, decisions, attitudes and actions change too.  God is always at work as Moses sang in Exodus 15:11:  "Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you--majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?"  In a warehouse, in a purpose-built church building, in our homes, with music or in silence, in the heart of a person sitting on a chair or laying on a bed, God is working wonders.  That is a reason why we gather together in worship as a church--to testify of the awesome things God has done, is doing and will do.

The Western Wall and God's Grace

I received an antique book titled The Land of Christ that boasts over 160 photographs "which were obtained by the publishers only after long, arduous and expensive labor."  The book provides a glimpse into the life of people in Israel at that time--and also gives unpleasant insight into the largely antisemitic and bigoted views of the writer towards Jews, Arabs and Bedouins through unflattering anecdotes.  Much of the reprehensible commentary does not bear repeating, yet I found great pleasure in noting how different Jerusalem is now from the time the book was written.  Here is a photo taken at the Western Wall in the book published in 1895, a place I have visited several times myself.

The writer said the Jewish inhabitants of Jerusalem at the time were about 5,000, and the writer showed no respect for them in his remarks.  A portion of the blurb reads, "The sight is a pitiable one in many ways.  The abject poverty of most of the mourners excites sympathy rather than derision.  The hope and faith for a restoration to power which animates these people would be sublime if their degradation were not so low as to remove them from a possibility of admiration."  These devout worshippers were seen as the lowest of human debasement and their prayers described as "hopeless supplications."  How I wish the author who penned this disgraceful commentary had read the Bible and observed the Jewish people in Jerusalem today, for he could come to realise the God of Israel gives hope to the hopeless and answers the prayers of His people!  God is moved by the faith of those who cry out to Him, and by His might He restored the Jewish nation to power and prosperity who were once made to be exiles in their own land for nearly 1,900 years.

The glory of God is seen in His deliverance, endurance and prosperity of the Jewish people as the LORD spoke through Moses in Deuteronomy 7:7-10:  "The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; ⁸ but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. ⁹ Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; ¹⁰ and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face."  God redeemed the children of Israel from the house of bondage in Egypt, and God was faithful to bring them into the land He promised to give them as an inheritance, driving out nations that were greater than they.  The secret (which is no secret!) of the strength of the Jewish nation is their God, the Creator of heaven and earth who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him.  According to God's promise He has gathered those who were scattered, miraculously doing what was altogether impossible.  As it is written in Jeremiah 31:10-11, "Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, 'He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd does his flock.' ¹¹ For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of one stronger than he."

Those who assembled at the Western Wall over a century ago, poor people dismissed and despised by men, demonstrate the power of their awesome God to deliver His people as we observe at the Western Wall today.  God has blessed and strengthened the Jewish nation exceedingly, and Christians ought to be inspired by the faithful devotion to God seen in the old photographs and to this day in the holy land.  Here is a picture of the Western Wall I took in 2015, and the unique rock carving can be seen several stones higher on the wall today as further excavations have taken place.  A horizontal darkened line shows the level where the pavement used to be.  Those gathering to pray at the wall are standing just beneath the point their forebears stood above them.  Parts of the wall that were unseen previously have now been revealed, and may it be so with the God of Israel as He opens the eyes of people to His faithfulness, mercy and grace through Jesus Christ.  People may despise and hate us now for our devotion to Christ, but may generations to come joyfully acknowledge how awesome and praiseworthy our God is in part by our faithful prayer and obedience to Him.

God Saves and Transforms

Recently I recalled a boy from my youth who quickly gained a reputation for clumsiness during fishing trips.  The first time we went fishing with him, he let go of the net in the water and stared as it (inexplicably to him) drifted down to the depths.  Then he managed to fall off the dock into the water.  The very next time we went fishing in Mission Bay at dusk he shouted with excitement as he sprinted on the beach, "Where's the water?" and kept running until the water reached his knees, tripped over and fell in.  He spent the rest of the evening wrapped in a sleeping bag by the fire.  Let me tell you, there was never a dull moment with this kid around.  Every time we fished, without fail, somehow he found a way to be soaked to the skin.

The fishing incidents from the past will always be in my mind, and frankly it has been so long I cannot remember the boy's face or name.  He has long since grown to be a man and perhaps far excels me in fishing knowledge and skill.  It would be silly for me to assume he is the same now as I perceived him then because we have both grown up.  I have been in the position of being relegated to how I used to be, and that doesn't feel great--especially when we have experienced personal growth.  When I told my dad my intention to apply for an apprenticeship program, he smiled as he expressed the irony of my choice:  "And this is the kid who hated drywall dust on his hands."  I don't know that anyone enjoys being covered with fine dust, but that childhood aversion was easily laid aside in the desire of a profitable career.

As those born again by faith in God, we above all others should acknowledge the power of God to save and transform people into new creations.  "People don't change," someone recently remarked, and we can likely supply evidence to show people have not learned a lesson or continue to repeat the same mistakes.  Yet we ought to allow for people to have the opportunity to change because of our awesome God who works to sanctify us from within.  I remember a girl years ago at a youth centre I oversaw who often was at the center of drama.  I was convicted by the LORD when I viewed this girl through the lens of her past wrongs and thought to myself, "Here we go again."  Her disrespectful and disobedient behaviour was what I came to expect, but the reality is God can and does change people.  My outlook and our relationship turned around when I started saying instead, "Today is a new day."  Every 24 hours, God graciously gives us a new day that provides the opportunity for a new beginning.

It is wonderful how God used a stubborn girl who refused to change as a means to change me from my stubborn ways of how I viewed her and others, putting them under the burden of the past they could not change.  As sure as this is the day the LORD has made, He is able to transform people into His image.  Some require a long time and an involved process, yet today could be the day they submit to God's transformational love and power and are changed for the better.  We can choose to break the moulds of judgment we have formed of people we know based on how they were knowing God is working to make us more like Him today.  Let us rejoice in our God and the new day He has given us knowing Psalm  74:12 is true:  "For God is my King from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth."  God doesn't change, and praise the LORD He can change us.

Jesus is Worthy

I'm not a "favourite colour" kind of person, but I do have a favourite sermon that stands tall above all the rest:  Ten Shekels and a Shirt by Paris Reidhead.  He masterfully employed a passage from Judges to illustrate how humanism can creep into Christianity, suggesting God exists for the happiness of man when the reality is we exist for God's glory.

Paris Reidhead made a powerful point concerning Christ's worthiness:  "Lord Jesus, I'm going to obey you, and love you, and serve you, and do what you want me to do, as long as I live even if I go to Hell at the end of the road, simply because you are worthy to be loved, and obeyed, and served and I 'm not trying to make a deal with you!"  This well encapsulates the heart of a humble believer who understands the privilege of being saved, forgiven, chosen and blessed to have a relationship with the living God.

I remember years ago at a camp I asked a cabin leader and his group:  "Would you follow and obey Jesus even if you went to hell because He is worthy?"  These guys looked at me with something akin to shock.  If the youths were anything like me, I first came to Jesus as a child primarily due to what I stood to receive:  His love, forgiveness and salvation from hell.  It was a wonderful offer!  But what I came to realise is what Paris Reidhead preached from the heart, that our motivation for serving and following Jesus is based on all God has done--and He is worthy!

This is the joyful cry of those in the presence of God in John's vision in Revelation 5:11-12:  "Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!"  Jesus is worthy to be praised and honoured--first for who He is, and also for all He has done, does and will do.  When we catch a glimpse of the glory of our wondrous Saviour, yes, He is worthy to be loved and served even if us going to hell was guaranteed.  For those who have tasted and seen He is good, life would be hell without Him.

Praying Child of God

According to the Bible, we are assured of many things concerning praying to God, the eternal Creator of all things.  The true, living God knows all and is able to do everything:  nothing is hard or impossible for Him.  We can know God hears and answers the prayers of those who need Him.  This morning I was reminded of this when I read Psalm 102:17:  "He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and shall not despise their prayer."  God invites and welcomes His people who pray to Him.  His words to the prophet Jeremiah show God's ready willingness to answer prayer as it is written in Jeremiah 33:2-3:  "Thus says the LORD who made it, the LORD who formed it to establish it (the LORD is His name): ³ 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'"  God freely chose to reveal Himself to people He created in His image so we might have a relationship with Him, and what is a relationship without regular, personal communication?

Perhaps you have heard people pray with flowery language or in Old English, with copious sprinklings of "thee" and "thy."  While some have prayer books, the only prayer book needed is the Bible that holds forth the divine revelation of God and His will.  Perhaps one of the most tricky things is people feel for prayer to be effective they must follow some sort of formula they are ignorant of, not realising God looks favourably upon a humble heart regardless of the words spoken.  Jesus told a parable about a Pharisee who "prayed with himself" and touted all his service and sacrifices for the LORD, and he expressed gratitude God had elevated him far above base sinners--despite his proud, hypocritical display.  Jesus said in Luke 18:13-14, "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Some expect they will be answered because of their many words, others put a measure of confidence in who or how many people pray for them, and others insist particular words they use are akin to invoking magic utterances that cut through spiritual red tape to expedite the granting of their requests.  The simple prayer of the tax collector in the parable shatters these notions, for he went home justified and received God's mercy just for asking.  Simply put, God hears prayer, delights to answer prayer, and invites people to pray to Him because He desires a relationship with us.  In addition to looking favourably upon the humble in heart, God responds to the prayer of faith.  James taught the prayer of faith would save the sick or weary, and confession of sin and repentance leads to spiritual healing and wholeness that is in Christ, freely offered to all who are born again (James 5:13-16).

Philippians 4:4-7 holds forth God's will for every believer by faith and obedience to Him:  "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. ⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  See the joyful, grateful attitude we ought to have in praying to God who loves us and answers prayer!  Praying is not only for special occasions or before meals and going to bed, for Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:  "Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

When we pray, let us never forget we are not God.  Our role is not to tell God what He ought to do or how He could use something for His glory (hoping for our will to be done), for God is infinitely wiser than us.  Books on prayer have a place, but better than reading a sample prayer it is better to pray from the heart to God ourselves knowing He loves us, with confidence He delights to hear and answer us, and that nothing is difficult for Him.  In praying we seek the LORD who guides, helps us and needs no help Himself.  We pray not to earn God's favour but because we have received His favour in Christ and are responding with joyful obedience, glad to cast our cares upon Him, make our requests known, and rest in the knowledge He will answer in His time.  There is no one more carefree and glad than the praying, trusting child of God.

Avoiding Cultish Tactics

It struck me today during a morning walk that cults remain as popular as ever, and this reveals their tactics can be powerful and effective.  The Merriam-Webster dictionary explains the history of the word "cult" like this:  "Cult, which shares an origin with culture and cultivate, comes from the Latin cultus, a noun with meanings ranging from "tilling, cultivation" to "training or education" to "adoration."...The earliest known uses of the word, recorded in the 17th century, broadly denoted "worship." From here cult came to refer to a specific branch of a religion or the rites and practices of that branch, as in "the cult of Dionysus."... Finally, by the 19th century, the word came to be used of "a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious."  Though cults can be diverse, they employ many of the same tactics because they are effective to help manipulate people and retain control.

One thing I have generally observed among various cults is to place godlike status upon a person or an organisation that is not God.  This person or group is not to be questioned, for their authority puts them above reproach, to be reverenced and honoured.  It is the leader who is revered--not Jesus Christ--and assumes His role as leader, teacher and master.  When a group rallies around this leader who is divinely inspired, claims to be a prophet, and reveals truths that resonate in people, they choose to follow.  Usually some holy text like the Bible is used to reinforce the messages, lifestyle, actions, terminology and discipline that is meted out.  Taken out of context, these unorthodox and heretical doctrines work to cultivate fear in people pressure to give, serve, to conform or face expulsion from a group that has become a lifeline, purpose and their hope for unrealised dreams.

While the church, the Body of Jesus Christ, is not a cult, I have seen churches that employ similar tactics that have been quite popular and successful.  For instance, I skimmed through a discipleship manual recently which bore a resemblance to cultic tactics through major points of emphasis that had nothing to do with Jesus, being born again by faith in Him, being transformed within by a relationship with God, or loving one another.  The message conveyed was disciples are revealed by what they do in the church and for the church--rather than disciples are born again by grace through faith in Jesus, and their good works are evidence of who they are in Christ.  The manual drew heavily from the "shepherding movement" which seems to have maintained popularity among people who prefer to be told what to do and how to live.  Some long for a spiritual mentor because they want to look to a person (other than Christ) who will assist them in some way, hoping to leech wisdom, belonging and security through rules and authoritarian accountability.  Weary people end up being loaded with heavy burdens and grow disillusioned because they do not comprehend they can have a relationship with the living God themselves through faith in Jesus Christ--whose yoke is easy and burden is light.

People want to be part of a group or church they believe does things right, and some present themselves as the only real church.  This claim of being exclusively right can cross the line into cultish tactics.  It is possible for genuine believers to have misplaced loyalty (cultivated in cults), like when Eldad and Medad prophesied in the camp and young Joshua asked for Moses to forbid them.  Moses meekly put a swift end to such nonsense in Numbers 11:29:  "Then Moses said to him, "Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the LORD'S people were prophets and that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!"  Luke 9:49 shows this tendency to control others was in Christ's apostles as well:  "Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."  While I do not know John's heart, he viewed this man as out of line because he was not in their group--he was a competitor!  Perhaps in John's mind if the man submitted to following Jesus with John and the other apostles, then perhaps permission could be granted.  Jesus corrected John in Luke 9:50:  "But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."  We ought to be careful we are zealous for Jesus Christ more than a particular group or preacher.  Oh, that all God's people put their spiritual gifts to good use to glorify Him, and that we would not view ourselves as in competition with other people or churches!

Discipleship is not another word for a "church member in good standing."  Jesus Himself provided hallmarks of being a disciple we ought to take to heart as those born again by faith in Him.  John 8:31-32 says, "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  Jesus said in John 15:7-9, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. ⁹ "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love."  Jesus told the multitudes there was a personal cost to follow Him in Luke 14:26-27 & 33:  "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple... ³³ So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple."

True disciples of Christ are not revealed by their role in a church or by serving in some capacity but those who hear Christ's words and heed, abide in His word, pray according to His will, and abide in His love.  Having been filled with the Holy Spirit, washed from sin and empowered to do God's will, we are enabled and equipped by God to do what we could never do in our own strength:  put our love of Christ above the love of family or ourselves, take up our cross to follow Jesus, willing to give up everything for His sake.  Being a disciple is a matter of the heart, and we shouldn't employ cultish tactics to force conformity when spiritual transformation is necessary by the Gospel.

Praying for Peace

It is biblical to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  Psalm 122:6-9 says, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. ⁷ Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces." ⁸ For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, "Peace be within you." ⁹ Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good."  There may be some who pray for the peace of Jerusalem because they want prosperity, but Christians are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem because Jesus is our peace.  While no temple to God stands in Israel today, Christians stand by God's grace as His chosen habitation, the temple of the Holy Spirit by the Gospel.

The prayers of God's people ought not to be limited by the boundaries of the Old City of Jerusalem, but we can expand our range to include the cities of people who could be viewed as enemies of Israel.  Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, ² for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence."  Jesus came to the world with peace and goodwill for all men, and this includes the people of Gaza as well as Iran.  By faith in God who is righteous, just and gracious, God's people ought to pray for the leaders of Israel and well as Iran in the midst of conflict.  Both countries are filled with people God loves and Jesus died to save, and Jesus taught His disciples to love their enemies and to pray for them.  Having been commanded by our Saviour to turn the other cheek, even when a missile inflicts casualties on our land we can pray for the peace of those responsible for launching it.

When Jesus was crucified between two condemned criminals, He extended grace to those who scorned and killed Him in Luke 23:34:  "Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots."  In one sense, the Roman soldiers who crucified Jesus knew very well what they were doing.  They had been given orders, and they carried them out efficiently and effectively.  They had learned the clothing of their victims was their spoil, and they had a system organised to ensure fair distribution amongst themselves.  On the other hand, these men did not realise who it was they stripped and nailed to the cross--even though they affixed the sign over His head that read, "King of the Jews" in three languages.  They did not comprehend Jesus was the Son of God and the atrocity they committed in complying with orders they were given.  It was just another day at the office for them, yet Jesus was no common criminal.

Jesus did not limit God's forgiveness to the ignorant but extended it to men like Saul of Tarsus who sought to incarcerate and execute Christians:  He offers grace, forgiveness and salvation to all people through the Gospel.  Since God is not willing any should perish but that all should come to repentance and be saved, we ought to pray for both the victim and the aggressor, the ones shooting and those who are shot.  We should look with compassion upon the Israelis and Persians caught up in awful violence, to seek God for their good that each one would experience peace within them by faith in Jesus Christ.  Because Jesus is our peace, we can pray for peace with genuine compassion and love without discrimination.  This kind of love is what sets Jesus apart from every other person, ruler and government.  Jesus is the almighty God, and He employs His strength and power to love.

Unbelief our Adversary

On a drive to the shops this morning, I saw a bus was emblazoned with a large "R U OK?" banner to remind people to care for their mental health as well as asking others how they are going.  It is a helpful question to ask because many people are not "OK," and they may struggle to let on how they are feeling and the difficulties they face.  The reality of struggle and suffering are all around, and domestic violence and bullying has led people to think their situations are hopeless.  The sobering reality is the situations may be hopeless--but only when we exclude God from the picture, focus on hurtful things people have said or done, or our inability to do anything to help ourselves.  God who saves souls is able to bring hope to the hopeless, is a safe refuge, can heal our hearts and renew our minds.

The writers of the psalms were not strangers to trials and troubles, for many times in Scripture they express feelings of depression, hopelessness and despair.  It is natural for us to lose heart when no amount of education or awareness can rid ourselves of unkind bullies and memory of their cruel words and deeds.  It does not take much for old wounds to be opened up again and to feel hurt, powerless and alone.  In this case, bad feelings are beneficial to remind and prompt us to seek the LORD who knows what it is to suffer painful injustice, to be hurt by the very people who should have helped.  The psalmist sang in Psalm 94:17-19:  "Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul would soon have settled in silence. ¹⁸ If I say, "My foot slips," Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up. ¹⁹ In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul."

When others seem to be the obvious culprits for our anxiety, we wish they would cease and desist.  We want to avoid any interactions with them when this may not be possible--like at school, work or in the family.  With God who is our help in the land of the living, He provides a refuge, peace and rest self-harm or suicide cannot offer.  The sorrows of this world produce death, but through sorrow God is able to bring new life and wholeness where there was only brokenness before.  The psalmist felt it impossible to stand without slipping, but God's mercy steadied him.  Though he was buffeted by anxieties and worries, by faith in God he was not cast down because God's comforts delighted his soul.  We would love everyone to praise, approve of us, and accept us like God does, yet consider the bad treatment Jesus endured joyfully who is only good and blameless.  Jesus was judged and condemned without mercy, yet He had fullness of peace and joy in the presence of His heavenly Father who loved Him and was well-pleased with Him.

As people who cannot escape hurtful words, toxic environments or hateful bullies, we must decide if we will take the words of bullies to heart or if we receive the comfort and mercy God offers us in His word.  Will we choose to despair because our feelings are crushed by criticism or will we turn to the LORD who is merciful and helps us?  As believers, we are called to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4-6), identifying and arresting in our minds thoughts the teaching of Jesus exposes as lies and untrue, like:  "I am worthless," "Life is hopeless," or "I would be better dead than alive."  Do we sin and experience pain from sins of others?  Yes, and this is why God sent us a Saviour who heals, restores and redeems.  Bullies are a problem, but they are not our enemies:  our adversary is unbelief that approves and accepts the caustic and condemning words of bullies rather than trusting Jesus, taking His words to heart, and holding fast to what He has said to us.  In Christ, Song of Songs 4:7 speaks the truth about Christians from God's perspective:  "You are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you."  Will we dwell on the hatred of men or glory and rejoice in the love of God?