Read God's Word

I read a couple of C.H. Spurgeon sermons today, and as usual, they were a rich spiritual feast.  What I found compelling and challenging was how he strongly called out professing believers who attended his church who did not regularly read the Bible.  Spurgeon had no quarrel with supposed freethinkers or those of a different perspective, but as a preacher of the Book he knew to be God's word said, "...There is never any necessity for Christian ministers to make a point of bringing forward infidel arguments in order to answer them.  It is the greatest folly in the world...Let men of the world learn error of themselves; do not let us be propagators of their falsehoods." (Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. Spurgeon’s Sermons: V. 1-2. Baker Books, 2004. page 27)

Spurgeon reserved his strongest rebukes in his sermon for professing, churchgoing Christians who were not in the regular practice of reading the Bible when it is God's word written to us.  He took aim at those who watered down the Word by trying to make it more palatable when it was intended to be unpalatable to our natural flesh.  Better than laying guilt on people to goad them to do what they ought to do, Spurgeon minced no words and at the same time shared how attractive, inspiring and remarkable God's word really is.  Toward the end of the message I enjoyed an especially delightful paragraph, and hope it will work up an appetite in you to read God's word like a hungry man who finally sits down to dinner.

"My friend, the philosopher, says it may be very well for me to urge people to read the Bible; but he thinks there are a great many sciences far more interesting and useful than theology.  Extremely obliged to you for your opinion, sir.  What science do you mean?  The science of dissecting beetles and arranging butterflies?  "No," you say, "certainly not."  The science, then, of arranging stones, and telling us of the strata of the earth?"  "No, not exactly that."  Which science, then?  "Oh, all the sciences," say you, "are better than the science of the Bible."  Ah! sir, that is your opinion; and it is because you are far from God, that you say so.  But the science of Jesus Christ is the most excellent of sciences.  Let no one turn away from the Bible because it is not a book of learning and wisdom.  It is.  Would you know astronomy?  It is here:  it tells you of the Sun of Righteousness and the Star of Bethlehem.  Would you know botany?  It is here:  it tells you of the plant of renown--the Lily of the Valley, and the Rose of Sharon.  Would you know geology and mineralogy?  You shall learn it here:  for you may read of the Rock of Ages, and the White Stone with the name engraven thereon, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.  Would ye study history?  Here is the most ancient of all the records of the history of the human race.  Whate'er your science is, come and bend o'er this book; your science is here.  Come and drink out of this fair fount of knowledge and wisdom, and ye shall find yourselves made wise unto salvation.  Wise and foolish, babes and men, gray-headed sires, youths and maidens--I speak to you, I plead with you, I beg of you respect your Bibles, and search them out, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and these are they which testify of Christ." (Ibid, pages 42-43)

Freethought and True Freedom

Those who read the Bible without faith in God--that He is and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him--will find themselves hopelessly hamstrung, blind and ignorant of the spiritual riches presented to them in God's word.  Those who read Scripture to find fault with God, His Laws or His people will have no problem doing so because mankind's spiritual perceptions are naturally distorted, and there is nothing easier than projecting our faults onto others and justifying ourselves.  Those who willfully deny the truth made evident by God erect endless obstacles for themselves which faith according to God as revealed in His word easily clear away.  I was reminded of this when I thumbed through a book written by an atheist who penned multiple volumes to espouse his hatred of God and defiance of Him.  A learned and intelligent man, no doubt, but lost in a morass of willful unbelief only humility before God can deliver from.

My first tip this book was not exposition of the Ten Commandments but a scathing critique of God and any who trust in Him came from the name of the publisher:  "Freethought Press Association."  My hypothesis was "freethought" was in opposition of what some term being "brainwashed," those who have latched onto religious traditions and beliefs who are assumed incapable of thinking for themselves at all.  Apparently all hope is not lost, for secularists are willing to go to great lengths in the hope of eroding faith of the simple.  It is no wonder such people banded together to form an association, really an antichurch and antichrist organisation to espouse numerous critiques of God and express their disdain for the suggestion of His existence.  It was very easy to affirm my hypothesis in minutes, and a smile formed on my lips as I observed the author predictably hold forth straw man arguments, false equivalence, out of context quotations and the blasphemy of lowering the God of Israel to nothing idols of heathen nations to justify misguided claims.

While the author of this tome felt a level of indignance necessary to goad him to attempt to refute and deconstruct 10 commandments one by one, I feel no such need to refute his work at all because God has already spoken for Himself.  I have no problem with such people:  it is clear such have a problem with God, and any argument I bring forth will do no good.  If someone will not see, I cannot make them see even when I try.  Jesus is the One who opens the eyes of the blind, and praise the LORD He still does so to this day.  Jesus frees us from the bondage to sin and unbelief the "Freethought Press Association" is deceived to think is freedom.  Though secular, it appeared the author laboured under proud illusion the self-righteous Pharisees did when confronted by Jesus Christ, for they believed themselves illuminated and branded Jesus as a deceiver of the people when the opposite was true.  They were deceived to think they knew the way to eternal life when Jesus revealed Himself with countless signs to be the Way, the Truth and the Life--the Way by faith they would not go.

John 8:31-36 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." ³³ They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?" ³⁴ Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵ And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. ³⁶ Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."  Unbelieving Jews took umbrage with the suggestion the disciples of Jesus who were free (thus insinuating they were not free) for according to their reckoning they had never been in bondage to anyone.  Going back through history, it is amusing they could say this when Hebrews had been in bondage in Egypt for over 400 years and in Babylon for 70 years.  But Jesus knew and perceived the true bondage they suffered throughout their history and currently suffered:  bondage to sin.  Jesus revealed Himself to be God in the flesh, as He proved He was able to forgive sins.  Unbelief is sin, and the Pharisees were in complete bondage to it, though they saw themselves as free.

Jesus taught when a person repents of sin and trusts in Him, He forgives sinners whom He makes born again.  We are all born slaves to sin and as a result face eternal death as sins's wages, and those who are born again by faith in Jesus are made sons of God and receive eternal life as a free gift.  God frees those who trust in Him from sin and makes us free indeed--free to know God and do His will, free to have fellowship with God, to be spiritually fruitful, free to serve God however He leads us by His grace, free to receive correction and repent sincerely, free to forgive and give grace to others, free to enjoy fullness of peace and joy, free to think with divine insight worldly wisdom cannot supply.  The LORD God and His word grant discernment to recognise bondage from true freedom and avoid the woes of Isaiah 5:20-21:  "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! ²¹ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!"  Blessed is the one who sees as God sees, seek to do as God pleases, who affirm the wisdom of God and admit their own folly.  Those who realise they are lost in the dark and come to Jesus as the Light of the World in faith will be made free indeed, but those who are wise in their eyes and lead people from faith in Christ as Saviour (who makes free indeed!) will remain in darkness and bondage.

Water Carriers and Wood Hewers

Often God puts people  in places of leadership or in the spotlight who would rather avoid it.  Dr. Robert E. Speer was one of those people, who for 46 years served as secretary on the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions.  Based on the testimony of his biography, his faithfulness was an inspiration to many who sought to honour him upon his retirement, as the Presbyterian board had an age limit of 70.  As his retirement drew new, he wrote to the editor of a missionary magazine who planned to write an article about him, "In whatever you write, will you not make it just as impersonal as possible?  Let the cause fill the whole picture, and let us water-carriers and wood hewers who have sought to serve it be in our proper place out of sight." (Wheeler, W. Reginald. A Man Sent from God: A Biography of Robert E. Speer. Fleming H. Revell Co, 1956. page 253)

This reticence to public honour is evidence Dr. Speer continued to be small in his own eyes even when others considered him a spiritual giant.  The reference to the work of the ministry being as "water-carriers and wood hewers" takes me back to the Gibeonites, people of Canaan who deceived Joshua to make a league or covenant with them.  Having heard of the greatness of the God of Israel and knowing they were helpless before Him, they sent messengers wearing tattered clothes, with rations of mouldy bread and torn wineskins--as evidence they had been on a long journey--when they were neighbours.  When their ruse became apparent, Joshua and the elders confronted them for their deceit yet were bound by their oath before God to spare their lives.

Joshua gave his sentence upon the Gibeonites in Joshua 9:23-27:  "Now therefore, you are cursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaves--woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God." ²⁴ So they answered Joshua and said, "Because your servants were clearly told that the LORD your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. ²⁵ And now, here we are, in your hands; do with us as it seems good and right to do to us." ²⁶ So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them. ²⁷ And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, in the place which He would choose, even to this day."

What Joshua framed as a curse turned out to be an incredible blessing, for the lives of the Gibeonites were spared and were given a position of service for the congregation and the altar of the LORD wherever God led His people.  The Gibeonites were given a role to support the Levites and priesthood who served in the tabernacle, providing wood for sacrifices and water for ceremonial cleansing.  People who were once under the sentence of death were given life and the privilege of serving the great God of Israel they feared all their days.  Their lives were not their own but to be poured out as living sacrifices unto the LORD who accepted them by grace.  Doesn't this closely resemble our standing as Christians by faith in Jesus Christ, having been purchased by His shed blood to serve and glorify Him forever?

The woodcutters and water carriers worked to provide the supplies required for the service of God's tabernacle, and unlike the high priest who wore special vestments they wore the clothing of common men.  Rather than standing above and blessing the people, their blessed God and His people with every swing of the axe, pull of the saw and the endless repetition of drawing and lugging water.  Their toil may have been unnoticed and unappreciated by man, but God knew their sacrifices and pains well.  He saw the splinters and blisters; God valued those who continued to toil even when priests their age had long since retired from public service.  The Gibeonites who were once outsiders and foreigners God brought near by His grace, and He allowed them to serve Him as His chosen inheritance.  Let us be as the Gibeonites in our service to Jesus Christ our great High Priest regardless of our role in ministry, content to faithfully serve the LORD out of sight so Christ may have the preeminence.

The Speer Prayer

After the murder of his son Elliot, Robert Speer and his wife wrote letters in response to condolences offered by friends and family that are recorded in his biography.  I was especially blessed by a prayer in a letter that was a combination of the Collect for All Saint's Day and from the hearts of Robert and Mrs. Speer.  The prayer is as follows:

"O Almighty God, who has knit together Thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of Thy Son Christ our Lord; grant us grace so to follow Thy blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which Thou has prepared for those who unfeignedly love Thee; through the same Thy son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen." (Collect for all Saints Day)

We seem to give him back to Thee, dear God, who gavest him to us.  Yet as Thou didst not lose him in giving, so we have not lost him by his return.  Not as the world gives, givest Thou, O Lover of Souls!  What Thou givest, Thou takest not away, for what is Thine is ours always, if we are Thine.  And life is eternal and Love is immortal; and Death is only an horizon; and an horizon is nothing save the limit of one's sight.

Lift us up, strong Son of God, that we may see farther.  Cleanse our eyes that we may see more clearly; draw us closer to thyself, that so we may know ourselves nearer to our beloved who are with Thee, and while Thou dost prepare a place for us, prepare us for that happy place, that where they are and Thou art we too may be.  Amen." (Wheeler, W. Reginald. A Man Sent from God: A Biography of Robert E. Speer. Fleming H. Revell Co, 1956. page 239)

God, who is able to give sight to the blind and raises the dead to life, is the source of life and love we can steadfastly look towards in all seasons of life--even with eyes blurred with tears.  I had never thought of death as "only a horizon" which is nothing but evidence of limitation of sight.  There is a limit to our vision and perspective, but God suffers no such limitations.  Mr. and Mrs. Speer prayed to be lifted up to see farther, for God to cleanse their vision so they could see more clearly.  With eyes of faith on Jesus they believed mourning was part of their preparation for heavenly joy in the presence of God and their beloved son.  While God was preparing a place for them in His presence, they too were being prepared.  Is this not the victory of faith in Jesus who overcomes the world and death as well?  Even in grief we are made more than conquerors by God's grace--weak and troubled though we may be.

Bad Old Screwtape

The C.S. Lewis classic titled The Screwtape Letters is an insightful and thought-provoking book that features a more experienced demon named Screwtape who provides guidance for his nephew in guiding his "patient"--the person for whom he is responsible to tempt and influence for evil.  When the "patient" becomes a Christian, Screwtape expresses his displeasure and suggests means to distract and prevent him from spiritual growth and fruitfulness.  In this allegory everything is turned around, where "The Enemy" is God and the correspondence reveals pitfalls Christians have stumbled into from the beginning.

One of the strengths of this book is the truth of God's word, God's goodness and the devil's tireless habit of lying and deceiving were constant long before Jesus Christ walked in Galilee.  The timeless observations remain relevant concerning Christians in society today and touches on many subtle ways Christians can be distracted or deterred from Christ by the world and things in it--including church, wars and politics.  Screwtape wrote, "Surely you know that if a man can't be cured of churchgoing, the next best thing is to send him all over the neighbourhood looking for the church that 'suits' him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of churches...the search for a 'suitable' church makes the man a critic where the Enemy wants him to be a pupil." (Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity & the Screwtape Letters: Complete in One Volume. Harper San Francisco, 2003. pages 321-322)

Screwtape weighed in on mankind's tendency to lean into viewing Christianity as a means to our end:

"Certainly we do not want men to allow their Christianity to flow over into their political life, for the establishment of anything like a really just society would be a major disaster.  On the other hand we do want, and want very much, to make men treat Christianity as a means; preferably, of course, as a means to their own advancement, but, failing that, as a means to anything--even to social justice.  The thing to do is to get a man at first to value social justice as a thing which the Enemy demands, and then work him on to the stage at which he values Christianity because it may produce social justice.  For the Enemy will not be used as a convenience.  Men or nations who think they can revive the Faith in order to make a good society might just as well think they can use the stairs of Heaven as a short cut to the nearest chemist's shop.  Fortunately it is quite easy to coax humans round this little corner." (Ibid. pages 366-367)

The Screwtape letters is a clever and insightful book where scriptural truths are affirmed by an unlikely source--an infernal spirit who has spent countless lifetimes simply observing humanity with an aim to tempt and trip them up.  It illustrates well the understanding the devil has about the Bible and God and remains blind to the truth, deceived and doomed by his own pride.  Thankfully our God has given us the Holy Spirit and His word so we can follow Jesus Christ obediently and truly "...lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices." (2 Corinthians 2:11)

The Pride Test

I came across a good warning against pride coupled with relevant questions for personal examination.  Due to our human condition, all people experience problems with sinful pride, and if we do not believe we have a problem our condition is even more dire.  Even those who acknowledge their tendency towards pride do not realise how naturally entrenched pride is in our perceptions, thinking, speech and actions.  Based on the principle held forth in Romans 2:1, our disdainful perceptions of others as proud, boastful and arrogant reveals these are our personal practices as well.

J. Oswald Sanders wrote this in Spiritual Leadership concerning pride and the danger it poses--especially for Christians in leadership:

"The very fact that a man has risen to a position of leadership with it attendant prominence tends to engender a secret self congratulation and pride which, if not checked, will unfit him for further advancement in the service of the kingdom, for "everything that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD" (Prov. 16:5).  Strong and searching words, these!  Nothing is more distasteful to God than self-conceit.  This first and fundamental sin in essence aims at enthroning self at the expense of God.  This was the sin that changed the anointed cherub, guardian of the throne of God into the foul field of hell, and caused his expulsion from heaven.

Of the myriad forms which this sin assumes, none is more abhorrent that spiritual pride.  To be proud of spiritual gifts which God has bestowed, or of the position to which His love and grace have elevated us, is to forget that grace is a gift, and that all we have has been received.

Pride is a sin of whose presence its victim is least conscious.  There are, however, three tests by means of which it can soon be discovered whether or not we have succumbed to its blandishments.

The test of precedence.  How do we react when another is selected for the assignment we expected, or for the office we coveted?  When another is promoted and we are overlooked?  When another outshines us in gifts and accomplishments?

The test of sincerity.  In our moments of honest self-criticism we will say many things about ourselves, and really mean them.  But how do we feel when others, especially our rivals, say exactly the same things about us?

The test of criticism.  Does criticism arouse hostility and resentment in our hearts, and cause us to fly to immediate self-justification?  Do we hasten to criticize the critic?" (Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership. Marshall Pickering, 1986. Pages 142-143)

David sang in Psalm 139:23-24 concerning his need for God's insight and perspective into his heart:  "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; ²⁴ and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."  It is one thing to know we are proud or anxious, and it is another thing entirely to be divinely empowered to forsake these sins and walk in God's wisdom.  God is gracious to test us so we might see our need for His gracious help to identify sin, repent and walk in the way worthy of God's redeemed forever.

Rejoicing in Christ

I enjoy reading good books that provoke reflection and provide insight into living like Jesus Christ.  I especially like concrete examples that aid personal application of points being made.  In Spiritual Leadership, a list from the Life of Robert E Speer was provided for leaders to measure their maturity in practical and timeless ways.  Most of those listed were things to avoid because it is our natural, fleshly inclination we all suffer from in various degrees.  Here are some I found most useful:

• Not to murmur at the multitude of business or the shortness of time but to buy up the time all around.
• Not to groan when letters are brought in; not even a murmur.
• Not to magnify undertaken duties by seeming to suffer under them, but to treat all as liberties and gladness...
• Before censuring anyone, obtain from God a real love for him.  Be sure that you know and that you allow all allowances that can be made.  Otherwise, how ineffective, how unintelligible or perhaps provocative your best-meant censure may be.
• Oh, how well it doth make for peace to be silent about others, not to believe everything without discernment, and not to go on easily telling things.
• Not to seek praise, gratitude, respect or regard from superiors or equals of age or past service.
• Not to feel uneasiness when your advice or opinion is not asked or is set aside.
• Never to let yourself be placed in favorable contrast with another.
• Not to hunger for conversation to  turn of yourself.
• To seek no favor, no compassion; to deserve, not to ask for, tenderness.
• To bear blame rather than share or transmit it.
• When credit for your own design or execution is given to another, not to be disturbed, but to give thanks. (Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership. Marshall Pickering, 1986. pages 118-119)

There is much in the world, in the church and in ourselves that can be disheartening when we focus on faults and failures.  But when we learn to trust God, continue to cast our cares on Jesus, and expect to see the goodness of God in the land of the living, we will experience comfort from the LORD as we rejoice in our Saviour.  Examining the motivations of our hearts and walking in integrity before God and man is our calling and a blessing afforded us as God's beloved children.  By God's grace and the power of the Holy Spirit we can implement Philippians 4:4 in all seasons of life because Jesus is our Life:  "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"

The Christian's Witness

Under the Law of Moses, a minimum of eyewitnesses were required to sentence a guilty murderer to death.  This shows the weight God puts upon the words people spoke in testifying of a person's guilt or innocence.  The Law contained safeguards against false testimony in Deuteronomy 19:16-19:  "If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing, ¹⁷ then both men in the controversy shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days. ¹⁸ And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, ¹⁹ then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you."  The result of carrying out justice against false witnesses was powerful motivation to only speak the truth.

In conversation, when someone tells me the outcome of a rugby match, how many years he has been married, or how many children he has, I am inclined to believe him until I see evidence that suggests otherwise.  I do not demand a birth certificate be produced to believe today is someone's birthdate or to confirm what his or her middle name is.  The ironic thing is, the one who demands to see a birth certificate to verify the date or place of birth could subsequently deny the authenticity of the document!  Such a one may never be convinced of the truth because they are unwilling to believe--not because of the lack of evidence.  The Law of Moses identifies liars as false witnesses, and thus there are witnesses that speak the honest truth.  The Bible reveals God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit to be the epitome of a true witness.

The apostle John testified of the reality of the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ, being an eyewitness of His glory.  He testified in 1 John 1:1-3:  "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life--² the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us--³ that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ."  John observed, heard and touched Jesus Christ before and after His death and resurrection.  John said the spirit of antichrist was already in the world who denied Jesus came in the flesh, yet the Holy Spirit bore witness Jesus indeed came in the flesh in 1 John 5:6:  "This is He who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth."

Jesus was identified by water and the Holy Spirit when baptised by John the Baptist, for the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove and alighted upon Him.  John the Baptist testified in John 1:34, "And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."  Jesus was shown to be human in His crucifixion on Calvary and was confirmed dead by a Roman soldier.  John 19:33-37 reads, "But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. ³⁴ But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. ³⁵ And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. ³⁶ For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, "Not one of His bones shall be broken." ³⁷ And again another Scripture says, "They shall look on Him whom they pierced."  By water, blood and the Holy Spirit testimony of Jesus Christ being the Son of God has been given.

Verses we discussed last night at Bible study I found very encouraging in 1 John 5:9-10:  "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. ¹⁰ He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son."  Since we receive the testimony of a man without requiring an oath to believe, the witness of God is far greater and always true.  Having been born again by faith in Jesus, every Christian has the witness of God--the Holy Spirit--in himself!  Based on His true testimony we are assured of many glorious truths mentioned in 1 John 5:20:  "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life."  How awesome it is to know the Son of God has come and given us wisdom to know God who is true and that we are in Christ.  He is the true God and eternal life, and we are His witnesses!

Moved by Prayer

After some meetings I have attended I later thought to myself, "Now that was a waste of time."  A prayer meeting has never been one of those meetings.  Even when it was a struggle to arrive at the meeting on time or there were other pressing matters, meeting to pray with others or alone before the LORD is always a productive and encouraging blessing.  The Bible teaches us when we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us--and God never disappoints (James 4:8).  We are easily disappointed and frustrated, but faith in God exercised by prayer brings sure expectation of good now and in the future.

I was edified to read a couple chapters in Spiritual Leadership yesterday, and here is a highlight of what was included on the subject of prayer:

"One of the most frequently quoted of Hudson Taylor's statements is his expression of conviction that "it is possible  to move men, through God, by prayer alone."  In the course of his missionary career he demonstrated its truth a thousand times.  However, it is one thing to give mental assent to his motto, but quite another thing consistently to put it into practice.  Men are difficult objects to move, and it is much easier to pray for temporal needs than for situations which involve the intricacies and stubbornness of the human heart.  But it is in just such situations that the leader must prove his power to move human hearts in the direction in which he believes the will of God lies...

To move men, the leader must be able to move God, for He has made it clear that He moves them through the prayers of the intercessor.  If a scheming Jacob could be given "power with God and with men," then is it not possible for any leader who is willing to comply with the conditions to enjoy the same power? (Gen. 32:8)

Prevailing prayer of this kind is the outcome of a correct relationship with God.  Reasons for unanswered prayer are stated with great clarity in Scripture, and they all center around the believer's relationship with God.  He will not be party to petitions of mere self-interest, nor will He countenance impurity of motive.  Sin clung to and cherished will effectively close His ear.  Least of all will He tolerate unbelief, the mother of sins.  "He that cometh to God must believe."  Everywhere in prayer there is the condition, either expressed or implied, that the paramount motive in praying is the glory of God." (Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership. Marshall Pickering, 1986. pages 82 & 84)

God cannot be moved by force, but He delights to move by childlike faith of those who seek Him and make their requests known to God, believing He is able to do everything.  It is not possible for anyone or anything to move God by an act of the will or power of man, but God grants us faith to pray that He move and work according to His will.  Psalm 55:22 says, "Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved."  Because our God is immoveable and eternal, we are always upheld by His grace.  At the same time He gladly moves in response to our praying, and this should encourage us to be casting our cares upon the LORD who cares for us.

Paying the Price

Today I read a great illustration of knowing and embracing our duty as followers of Jesus in Spiritual Leadership by Oswald Sanders:

"A young man who was beginning his work with the coast guard was early called to take part in a desperate assignment.  A great storm had arisen and a ship was signaling its distress.  As the men began to move the big boat to the rescue, the young man , frightened at the fierceness of the gale, cried out to the captain, "We will never get back!"   Above the storm the captain replied, "We don't have to come back, but we do have to go out."  In most decisions the difficult part is not in knowing what we ought to do; it is in being willing to pay the price involved." (Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership. Marshall Pickering, 1986. page 54)

If the Coast Guard only answered distress calls in good weather, they would not be fulfilling the purpose they are especially trained and outfitted for.  Soldiers, firemen, policemen, and medical personnel are among the many professions where men and women put their lives on the line to do their duty to help others.  In the course of their job there are many difficult decisions to be made, but the great leaders among them are those who are willing to pay the personal price to see their duty done well.  In the illustration with the captain and new recruit, the captain did not wrestle over whether they should embark on the assignment:  the need to go was crystal clear.

Having chosen to search for those who sent the distress call, however, questions remained over how they were to best tackle the developing emergency.  Drawing upon his training, experience and knowledge--with the counsel and aid of the officers and crew--clear decisions could be made and communicated to work together for a successful outcome.  It is likely the captain would have rather been doing something else that day, but he had been prepared for such an occasion and had the means to do what others could not.  One need not be the captain of a Coast Guard vessel to rise to the occasion of administering an encouraging word, asking a question, or lending a hand.  As believers we are called to love one another as Jesus loves us, and this will always come at a personal cost.

There is no confusion over our Christian duty to love one another, yet we can still question what is the best way to do so.  Like the young man was afraid to leave port because his safe return was not guaranteed, we also can shrink from loving as Jesus does because of fear:  how will others take it?  What will they say?  How could this negatively impact our relationship?  What unwanted demands will this person or situation impose upon my time?  Why is this happening to me?  Can't there be an easier way?  What if loving others results in being disappointed or having my heart broken again?  Because Jesus was willing to answer His Father's call to be crucified to atone for our sins out of love for us, He is the One to whom we look for comfort, help and rest in trying circumstances.  Our risen Saviour Jesus is the LORD who heals us, and He strengthens us to follow Him day by day.

It is good for us to consider:  how much does fear factor into our decision making?  It may be we are being more guided, hemmed in, or paralysed by all manner of fear rather than walking in the fear of God!  Fear for ourselves and unwillingness to pay the price involved can keep us from doing the thing we have been called, equipped and enabled to do by God's grace.  Let us be as the captain who saw his need to go even if returning was not guaranteed, willing to pay the price God requires of us.  Our eternal salvation and destination by faith in Jesus is assured, and thus with boldness we can venture forth because He has already paid the price.

God and Priorities

It is important for believers to establish and maintain godly priorities through every season of life.  Whether it is the weekday, the weekend or we are on holiday, God always ought to have first priority in our lives.  This does not mean, however, that our actions must be reserved for only spiritual disciplines.  Doing our regular chores, work and even recreation can be undertaken in thanksgiving to God and having attitudes that please Him.  In fulfilling our roles in a family, society and at work, we can do all things as unto the LORD who sanctifies us with joy and thanksgiving.

It is encouraging to know that while God does not need us, He chooses to call us and use us as His servants as spouses, parents, neighbours and friends.  The calling to be God's ministers in our own families ought not to neglected because we are a minister of a church.  I like what Sanders wrote in his book Spiritual Leadership:  "If a man has not succeeded in exercising a benevolent and happy discipline in his own family, is there reason to expect that he will do better with the family of God?...The clear implication is that, while caring for the interests of the church or other spiritual activity, the leader will not neglect the economy of God, the discharge of one God-given duty or responsibility will never involve the neglect of another.  There is time for the full discharge of every legitimate duty." (Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership. Marshall Pickering, 1986. page 35)

Two observations I make from the quote of Sanders is the joyful manner in the discharge of familial duty, one where benevolence and happiness adorns our lives rather than fear or harshness.  Strict discipline does not rule out a fun and happy household when God's love is present.  There is a time for severity and gravity, but it ought to be the exception rather than the rule.  The second point is, God has given everyone time for the "full discharge of every legitimate duty."  If we find ourselves without time to do what must be done, then it suggests not everything that fills our time is legitimately from God.  We can be quite skilled at loading ourselves with duties and tasks based on the expectations or demands of others--or our own ambitious pursuits and desires--and begin to neglect what is most important.  Work or ministry demands can begin to encroach dangerously upon our calling as a spouse or parent, and by God's wisdom we can learn how to navigate this in a godly and healthy manner.

Often failure must be experienced before we learn to succeed.  The one who find success easily does not learn what the one who struggles and persists can.  The economy of God is wonderful because He can use years of experience leading sheep in a wilderness to leading a nation.  Jesus chose men disciplined by manual labour and business to be part of church leadership.  Jesus touched and healed people who suffered illnesses, conditions and demon possession for years, and the vivid change Jesus brought to their lives was not only observed by others but felt by each individual.  God has given us all a unique personality and perspective, and He helps us learn how to prioritise our lives to acknowledge His rule, to seek Him, and to walk in His truth day by day.  When loving God and others becomes our priority, our lives are brought into a healthy balance.  Our duty never need crowd out the fun and joy it is to know God and to be known by Him.

Preparing for Victory

"Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices."

2 Corinthians 2:10-11

In his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul spoke of the importance of recognising the tactics of Satan to prevent him from taking advantage of believers.  Unforgiveness is a snare Satan lays at our feet when we have been offended or after we heard about what others said or did.  When we allow malice and envy to abide in our hearts it leads to greater sin.  In William Gurnall's book The Christian in Complete Armour, after a detailed explanation of various satanic tactics, he counsels believers in good actions to take.  In light of God's sovereignty and goodness, there are things we can do to be prepared:

1.  Take God into thy counsel.  Heaven overlooks hell.  God at any time can tell thee what plots are hatching there against thee.  Consider Satan as he is God's creature; so God cannot but know him.  He that makes the watch, knows every pin in it. He formed this crooked serpent, though not the crookedness of this serpent; and though Satan's way in tempting is as wonderful as the way of a serpent on a rock, yet God traceth him, yea, knows all his thoughts together.  Hell itself is naked before him; and this destroyer hath no covering.  Again, consider him as God's prisoner, who hath him fast in chains, and so the Lord, who is his keeper, must needs know whither his prisoner goes, who cannot stir without his leave.  Lastly, consider him as his messenger, for so he is.  An evil spirit from the Lord vexed Saul, and he that give him his errand, is able to tell thee what it is.  Go then and plough with God's heifer; improve thy interest in Christ, who knows what his Father knows, and is ready to reveal all that concerns thee to thee (Job xv. 15).  It was he who descried the devil coming against Peter and the rest of the apostles, and faithfully revealed it to them, before they thought of any such matter (Luke xxii).  Through Christ's hands passes all that is transacted in heaven and hell.  We live in days of great actions, deep counsels, and plots on all sides, and only a few that stand on the upper end of the world know these mysteries of state; all the rest know little more than pamphlet intelligence.  Thus it is in regard of those plots which Satan in his infernal conclave is laying against the souls of men; they are but a few that know anything to the purpose of Satan's designs against them; and those are the saints, from whom God cannot hide his own counsels of love, but sends his Spirit to reveal unto them here, what he hath prepared for them in heaven (1 Cor. ii. 10), and therefore much less will he conceal any destructive plot of Satan from them.

2. Be intimately acquainted with thy own heart, and thou wilt the better know his design against thee, who takes his method of tempting from the inclination and posture of thy heart.  As a general walks about the city, and views it will, and then raiseth his batteries where he hath the greatest advantage, so doth Satan compass and consider the Christian in every part before he tempts.

 3. Be careful to read the Word of God with observation.  In it thou has the history of the most remarkable battles that have been fought by the most eminent worthies in Christ's army of saints with this great warrior Satan.  Here thou mayst see how Satan hath foiled them, and how they have recovered their lost ground.  Here you have his cabinet-counsels opened.  There is not a lust which you are in danger of, but you have it descried; not a temptation which the Word doth not arm you against.  It is reported that a certain Jew should have poisoned Luther, but was happily prevented by his picture which was sent to Luther, with a warning from a faithful friend that he should take heed of such a man when he saw him, by which he knew the murderer, and escaped his hands.  The Word shows thee, O Christian, the face of those lusts which Satan employs to butcher thy precious soul.  "By them is thy servant warned,' saith David (Ps. xix. 11).  (Gurnall, William. Christian In Complete Armour. Banner of Truth Trust, 2002. Pages 84-85)

Leadership and Authority

I have been starting to read through J. Oswald Sander's book, Spiritual Leadership.  He observed, "The overriding need of the church, if it is to discharge its obligation to the rising generation, is for a leadership that is authoritative, spiritual, and sacrificial."  (Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership. Moody Press, 1989. pg. 25) The only way this need for spiritual leadership is met is when a person submits to Jesus Christ as LORD and is filled with the Holy Spirit.  The way leadership looks and works in the world is completely different than the leadership Jesus Christ modelled.  The great need of the church is to seek, obey and depend on Jesus Christ, and individuals who embrace this call will be equipped to lead regardless of their role in the church.

One observation hearers made of Jesus was how He taught with authority--not like the scribes who quoted their rabbis.  When officers tasked with arresting Jesus refused to do so, John 7:46 gives their reason:  "The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!"  Jesus was not a pompous orator whose authority was in proportion to the volume of His voice, for He did not speak on His own authority.  Jesus said in John 12:48-50:  "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. ⁴⁹ For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. ⁵⁰ And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."  Jesus did not speak with authority as a Jew, a preacher, rabbi, as a man knowledgeable of the Law and prophets, but as the Son of God who obeyed His Father in heaven.  There would be no church without Jesus.

As followers of Jesus Christ, godly leaders ought to follow His example and not speak on our own authority but speak as He guides us by the Holy Spirit.  Rather than vain attempts to inspire confidence in ourselves, we ought to aim to lead people to greater confidence and reliance upon Christ.   Jesus told His disciples in John 16:12-14:  "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you."  The worldly concept of authority is one who is in charge, makes decisions and is the boss, but the biblical framework for leaders to follow is to always humble ourselves under God's authority inside and out, serving others like Jesus did.  There is no need to threaten, boast, tout or promote ourselves with any authority we have received, for godly leaders are those who continue to grow in humility and submission under God's authority.  We are to be proactive in seeking the LORD due to our constant need for Him, and passivity in this regard leads to spiritual pride that is all for show.

I confess that at an earlier stage when seeking Jesus in earnest, I desired the opportunity to prove to people I was the "real deal," to gain some credibility or even notoriety as a leader.  The LORD knows what a rough work in progress I was and continue to be!  I have learned that desire was terribly misguided, for I am called to lead people to know Jesus as the "real deal."  Like John the Baptist realised Jesus must increase, it is good for all believers to realise we have been born again to follow Jesus, to listen to and obey Jesus, and to lead others to place their faith in Jesus.  Matthew 28:18-20 says, "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen."  Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth, and His disciples who submit to His authority can speak with His authority.  By His grace we can speak the words of everlasting life and be led by Him to experience abundant life through the Gospel.

The Wonder of God

One thing I love and appreciate about God is He is immutable and consistent.  Being eternal and above all God is not susceptible to influences of modern society, and His wisdom does not shift with the times.  In God and His word there is an objective clarity and permanence that is not found in anyone or things of this world.  A person's opinions can shift like the breeze, and their conduct can resemble a chameleon that adjusts to their environment.  I respect people who take a stand on God's truth, and I find their insights by God's grace endure the test of time.  It is encouraging to know there are many great thinkers whose intelligence far exceeds my own who were not ashamed to make the living God and His word central to their thoughts and perspective.

I have been reading G.K. Chesterton's In Defense of Sanity lately, and he is exceptionally brilliant.  I am glad that some of the time I understand what he means and enjoy his sense of humour that crops up often.  Though most of his writings in the book hail from the early to mid-20th century, I like that he applies the timeless wisdom of God to the consistent nature of fallen humanity.  As God is always holy, righteous, just, loving and good, in contrast man remains predictably sinful, conceited, arrogant and proud.  Rather than talking down to anyone as being "holier than thou," Chesterton thinks thoughts through with a copious use of paradox and sound reason.  Though the current events and hot-button topics of his day are quite different than ours, his philosophical approach and clever logic has not aged a day.

I was particularly intrigued concerning a few observations he made about sceptics, and despite our modern education and the information available at our fingertips it seems sceptics have only multiplied.  I found this quote very useful to consider:  "The best that can be said for the sceptic is that he cannot say what he means, and therefore, whatever else he means, he cannot mean what he says." (Chesterton, Gilbert Keith. In Defense of Sanity: The Best Essays of G.K. Chesterton. Ignatius Press, 2011. page 337)  With the abundance of information today, there is the real risk of misinformation, whether it be malicious or accidental.  In this world full of deceptions, half-truths and agendas, the Bible remains a bastion of truth we can count on to reveal God and His wisdom for us.  It is truly a joy to look upon God with wonder.

On the topic of pride and sceptics Chesterton mused:

"It is a weakness; for it is simply settling down permanently to believe what even the vain and foolish can only believe by fits and starts, but what all men wish to believe and are often found weak enough to believe; that they themselves constitute the supreme standard of things.  Pride consists in a man making his personality the only test, instead of making the truth the test...It is pride to think that a thing looks ill, because it does not look like something characteristic of oneself...But the self as a self is a very small thing and something very like an accident.  Hence arises a new kind of narrowness; which exists especially in those who boast of breadth.  The sceptic feels himself too large to measure life by the largest things; and ends by measuring it by the smallest thing of all.  There is produced also a sort of subconscious ossification, which hardens the mind not only against the traditions of the past, but even against the surprises of the future.  Nil admirari becomes the motto of all nihilists; and it ends, in the most complete and exact sense, in nothing." (Ibid, pages 348-349)

It is good when we measure things by ourselves to discover we are frighteningly small, for this is God's grand design in revealing Himself as almighty and over all.  It is in knowing we are nothing in light of a city, nation, this planet or the universe--a temporary blip of life here one day and gone the next--that God's loving pursuit and sacrifice for our salvation and eternal relationship with Him is magnified.  The best of men see themselves in the worst light, and we are all granted the capacity by the warm light of God's grace to humble ourselves before Him and others.  God did not put forth the challenge for people to prove their worth by ascending to heaven and to knock on His door:  He implores us to bow the knee right where we are before Him in faith, worship and adoration.  The love of Christ constrains us to remain consistent in our awe and gratitude towards Him.

Communication With God

While doing premarital counselling, I read a portion of a book that provides insight into our relationship with God.  One of the things we discussed is the different levels of communication, and five levels of communication are shared from John Powell's book, Why Am I Afraid to Tell You Who I Am?  These levels provoked self-examination for me as I considered my personal communication style with God in prayer.  The excerpt from Before You Say "I Do" reads:

"Level Five:  Cliche Conversation.  This type of talk is very safe.  We use phrases such as "How are you?"  How's the dog?  "Where have you been?"  "I like your dress."  In this type of conversation there is not personal sharing.  Each person remains safely behind his defences.

Level Four:  Reporting the Facts About Others.  In this kind of conversation we are content to tell others what someone else has said, but we offer no personal information on these facts.  We report the facts like the six o'clock news.  We share gossip and little narrations, but we do not commit ourselves as to how we feel about them.

Level Three:  Ideas and Judgments.  Real communication begins to unfold here.  The person is willing to step out of his solitary confinement and risk telling some of his ideas and decisions.  He is still cautious.  If he senses that what he is saying is not being accepted, he will retreat.

Level Two:  Feelings or Emotions.  At this level the person shares how he feels about facts, ideas, and judgments.  His feelings underneath these areas are revealed.  For a person to really share himself with another individual he must move to the level of sharing his feelings.

Level One:  Complete Emotional and Personal Communication.  All deep relationships must be based on absolute openness and honesty.  This may be difficult to achieve because it involves risk--the risk of being rejected.  But it is vital if relationships are to grow.  There will be times when this type of communication is not as complete as it could be." (Roberts, Wes, and H. Norman Wright. Before You Say “I Do”®. Harvest House Publishers, 2019. Pages 62-63)

It is useful to consider the level of communication we typically use in our relationships with others, especially in preparation for a marriage relationship.  People who are outgoing and view themselves like an open book may realise how reserved they are in expressing their feelings or emotions.  If this is a useful consideration in our relationships with people, how vital it is for each of us to consider as we seek to cultivate a healthy relationship with God!  An honest assessment may prove that we actually spend most of our time in prayer on surface level reporting and never move into real communication.  Our prayers to God may be the equivalent of talking about news that concerns other people and the action we would like God to take--but never honestly share how we are feeling.

When Jesus came to earth, He revealed Himself as the promised Messiah through whom we can know God.  The tender and intimate relationship Jesus had with His heavenly Father is the relationship God desires to have with us by faith in Jesus where nothing is hidden and the desires of our hearts are freely expressed in the safety and security of His love, grace and mercy.  As we desire to grow in our relationship with God, may we be those who humble ourselves before God to share our thoughts and feelings in personal, prayerful communication, choosing to listen and respond to God's word with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  The LORD already knows our thoughts and hearts, but He will not force His way into them and make us share ourselves with Him.  God's desire is for us by faith in Jesus to be enraptured in His love without fear of rejection or being ridiculed.

As we have this fellowship with God marked by open lines of personal communication, we will also benefit richly from fellowship with Christians.  Jesus shared His heart for us when He prayed for His disciples in John 17:20-23:  "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. ²² And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: ²³ I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."  This is God's will for His people, that all Christ's disciples would be united by faith in God's love so His glory will shine bright in this world.  Since God has freely given Himself to us through Christ, let us give ourselves freely to Him and one another in fellowship.

Mr. Hugh Kennedy

During my study of the book of Romans, I came across an anecdote in Matthew Henry's Commentary that warmed my heart.  He wrote:

“Mr. Hugh Kennedy, an eminent Christian of Ayr, in Scotland, when he was dying, called for a Bible, but, finding his sight gone, he said, “Turn me to the eighty of the Romans, and set my finger at these words, I am persuaded that neither death nor life.”  “Now, said he, “is my finger upon them?”  And, when they told him it was, without speaking any more, he said, “Now God be with you, my children; I have breakfasted with you, and shall sup with my LORD Jesus Christ this night;” and so departed.” (Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible. Vol. 6, Hendrickson Publishers, 1991. page 345)

From this anecdote, it is likely Mr. Kennedy was a man who had placed his faith in God and also was a reader of the Bible during his life.  On what proved to be his deathbed he requested a Bible be brought to him, and almost to his surprise he found his sight gone and was unable to find Romans 8:38 himself.  With keen eyes of faith on God and His promise, Mr. Kennedy was persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities or powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth nor any other created thing would be able to separate him from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  We too, having placed our faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, can retain such confidence even when our bodies fail and we go the way of the earth to our fathers.

The God Who was with Mr. Hugh Kennedy all his days would also be with his children after him, and all believers can have this same confidence and unshakable assurance.  Mr. Kennedy was persuaded because of Christ's love for him that he could eat breakfast with his family, and after his passing would be eating dinner with Jesus in heaven.  The end of life on earth would not be his end.  The anecdote concluded, "And so departed."  His spirit left behind his mortal frame and went to be clothed with a new body in the heavens with his LORD Jesus, united and glorified in the presence of God forever.  His departure from his body meant his arrival in the presence of the LORD, free of pain, blindness and all sorrows of this world--because for him the former things had passed away.

That we would have such confidence in God and His promises to us in Scripture!  The love of God demonstrated for us on the cross and ever since is a sound foundation to build our lives upon, for Jesus gives eternal life to all who repent and trust in Him.  A day came when Mr. Kennedy was unable to see or speak, yet God continues to speak to this day and will continue to speak long after we enter into the LORD's presence.  God remains faithful, and His active love never fails to pursue, bless and cause everything to work together for good to us who love God.  The death of Jesus accomplished God's good purposes and plans, and when God calls us home to be with him we can have this confidence:  nothing shall be able to separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus.  He truly gives rest for the weary soul.

Seeing Yourself in Christ

We have been studying through the book of Romans at church, and it has been wonderful to have a better grasp of what Jesus Christ has accomplished for believers.  Knowing the spiritual reality of receiving the Gospel, our minds are renewed to live for God with more clarity and focus.  A married person does not need to wear a wedding ring to remain married, but wearing the ring can be an intentional acknowledgment of marital status everyone can see.  When our minds are renewed by what Jesus has done and our privileged position in Him, it impacts the way we see Him and desire to serve Him.  He has not saved or blessed us anonymously, and the indwelling Holy Spirit guides us to live to please and glorify our Saviour in particular.  My relationship with my wife is special because we uniquely belong to one another, and through the Gospel we have a marvellous relationship with God because He loves us, saves us and lives in us--and we in Him.

The Bible opens our eyes to see what Jesus has done and is doing for us, and it also reveals the truth about ourselves.  In McGee's commentary, he shared several quotes from Dr. Newell that illustrate the practical, personal changes of perspective the Gospel brings:

"'To hope to do better is to fail to see yourself in Christ only.'  You say, 'I hope to do better.'  You know you're not.  You need to see yourself in Christ today and realise that only the Spirit of God moving through you can accomplish this.  And then Newell says again, 'To be disappointed with yourself means you believed in yourself.'  Somebody says, 'Oh, I'm so disappointed in myself.'  Well, you had better be disappointed in yourself.  You know no good thing is going to come out of the flesh, friend.  Stop believing in yourself, and believe that the Spirit of God today can enable you through the new nature to live for God.  Also Newell says, 'To be discouraged is unbelief.'  My friend, that means you don't believe God.  God has a purpose and a plan, a blessing for you.  And you need to lay hold of it.  Here is another statement: 'To be proud is to be blind.'  We have no standing before God in ourselves.  Oh, my friend, see yourself as God sees you.  Here is the final gem:  'The lack of divine blessing comes from unbelief, not a failure of devotion.'...My friend, the lack of divine blessing comes because we do not believe God  it is not because of a lack of devotion.  Oh, to believe God today!" (McGee J Vernon. Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, Volume 4. Thomas Nelson, Inc, 1981. pages 698-699)

Why should a believer in Jesus Christ be beating themselves up with self-condemnation when there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ?  So you have failed!  The Bible tells us all have sinned, and that includes me and you.  Our call as failures and sinners is to humble ourselves, repent of our sin, and do what pleases God.  Feelings of disappointment and discouragement are indications our expectations have not been met, our will has not been done, that we have put our trust in ourselves or something that is not God.  As long as we rely upon ourselves and hold our belief we are able to do what only God can do, the cycle of disappointment will be perpetual.  Believing our old man has died with Christ and we have been raised to new life in Jesus Who lives forever, the shield of faith extinguishes the fiery darts Satan or people throw at us.  When we see ourselves in Christ because it is Gospel truth, through God's eyes it changes the way we see everything.

Trusting the Life of Christ

Christians are saved eternally by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and we are also called to walk by faith in Jesus today.  Since we are willing to trust Jesus forever, it follows we ought to seek, trust and obey Him today.  The work God has begun in us He is faithful to complete, and we can take God at His word regarding our lives and other believers as well as it is written in Philippians 1:6:  "...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..."  Though Jesus has not yet returned in glory, His glorious life is in us and lives through us today.

In the book Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness, Cook and Baldwin make a good point of our need to trust the power of the Gospel as well as the life of Jesus in other Christians.  From the perspective of one in church leadership, Cook wrote:  "Besides lacking faith in the gospel, there is among us a tragic distrust of the life of Christ in other believers.  We are scared to death they are going to goof things up, whether through incompetence or moral or spiritual failure.  So we don't release them to minister." (Cook, Jerry, and Stanley C. Baldwin. Love, Acceptance & Forgiveness. GL Regal Books, 1984. page 70)  Later in the same chapter, the authors went into greater detail about trusting the life of Jesus in others:

"Besides a basic mistrust of people's competence, I think I also see among many Christians a tragic mistrust of the life of Christ in His people so far as their moral and spiritual commitment is involved.  Some seem to think we must put all kinds of hedges around Christians to keep them on the "straight and narrow."

I don't understand that.  My people don't want to sin.  They love Jesus and they are trying to follow Him, just as I love Him and try to follow Him.  My people don't need a warden to guard them; they need a shepherd to guide them.  And when they do sin, they need love, acceptance and forgiveness, not suspicion and rejection...

The life of Christ is incredibly tenacious in a believer, and we need to trust it more. I'm sure someone could tell stories on the other side--how believers were drawn away by evil surroundings.  That's where the fellowship of the believers comes in.  That's what the collective gathering of the Body is for--to restore and strengthen one another.  But that restoration and strengthening is so that we can then go back out as lights into the world, not so that we can stay insulated and isolated." (Ibid, pages 72-73)

Reading this passage reminded me we are saved by faith and to live by faith--and this means trusting God is doing a good work in the lives of other people in the church right now.  It is entirely possible to be saved by faith and then lean on my own understanding, to follow my own thoughts or rely on what I see rather than seeking God and yielding to Him in trust and obedience.  Cook pointed out the error of insulation and isolation within church ministry or a church building.  While this can happen, the more common occurrence is insulation and isolation from meeting with other believers as the church, the Body of Christ, and when they fall there is no one around to help them back up.  Online teaching keeps a person spiritually fed, but a lack of Christian fellowship leads to spiritual weakness, dullness and drifting coupled with self-confidence.

When we gather together as Christians, it is a wonderful opportunity God has provided to seek and worship Him together, to examine our hearts, to love and listen to others.  There is opportunity to learn, grow, exhort, rebuke, correct and stand corrected, and all this is edifying for us.  Just being in the same room or speaking in a conversation with other Christians does not mean we have experienced fellowship, for this happens when both or all parties before the LORD are willing to humbly receive from one another and to share with one another from the heart.  This requires humility by the Holy Spirit, transparency about personal difficulties, willingness to share what the LORD is teaching us, and to love one another.  Praise the LORD because Jesus is alive and at work in each one of us, He empowers us to do His will to love others as He loves us.

The Reforming Paradox

Because God is the sole source of wisdom and does not change, wisdom from God remains timeless for every person and season of life.  God's wisdom is never outdated but relevant for everyone.  While our lack of faith in God can prevent us from heeding or observing God's wise ways, God's wisdom will endure beyond us and subsequent generations.  Knowing God is our Creator and Sovereign, this impacts our perspective of relationships God has instituted.

G.K. Chesterton touched on this in an essay titled "The Drift from Domesticity" he wrote and our need to consider the reasons why laws, roles and boundaries in society exist before we think we do well to destroy them.  Though these words were written almost 100 years ago, Chesterton touched on the timelessness of God's wisdom for us to heed today in this excerpt:

"In the matter of reforming things, as distinct from deforming them, there is one plain and simple principle; a principle which will probably be called a paradox.  There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity; a fence or gate erected across a road.  The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, "I don't see the use of this; let us clear it away."  To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer:  "If you don't see the use of it, I certainly won't let you clear it away.  Go away and think.  Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it."

This paradox rests on the most elementary common sense.  The gate or fence did not grow there.  It was not set up by somnambulists who built it in their sleep.  It is highly improbable that it was put there by escaped lunatics who were for some reason loose in the street.  Some person had some reason for thinking it would be a good thing for somebody.  And until we know what the reasons was, we really cannot judge whether the reason was reasonable.  It is extremely probable that we have overlooked some whole aspect of the question, if something set up by human beings like ourselves seems to be entirely meaningless and mysterious.  There are reformers who get over this difficulty by assuming that all their fathers were fools; but if that be so, we can only say that folly appears to be a hereditary disease.  But the truth is that nobody has any business to destroy a social institution until he has really seen it as an historical institution.  If he knows how it arose, and what purposes it was supposed to serve, he may really be able to say that they were bad purposes, or that they have since become bad purposes, or that they are purposes which are no longer served.  But if he simply stares at the thing as a senseless monstrosity that has somehow sprung up in his path, it is he and not the traditionalist who is suffering from an illusion.  We might even say that he is seeing things in a nightmare."  (Chesterton, G. K., and Dale Ahlquist. In Defense of Sanity: The Best Essays of G.K. Chesterton. Ignatius Press, 2011. pages 173-174)

The principle illustrated here shows the impact faith in God has on our perspective and worldview.  If we believe God created man and woman and instituted marriage between a man and a woman, we cannot reform these institutions without risk of deforming them.  While it is true people do change over their lives, our basic need for God and His wisdom does not change.  Having been illuminated by the word of God and born again by the Holy Spirit, we have learned that without God we are hopelessly adrift in the dark.  To follow our hearts may be to disregard God and the wisdom He has passed down through generations.  How blessed we are to have such a sure foundation in our God Who provides wisdom for abundant life and to be transformed by faith in Jesus into the people He intended us to be from the beginning.  Staying the course requires constant reformation--not of God's institutions but of ourselves--being sanctified by God's grace.

Peace Of Mind

Only God has the power to save us from ourselves.  It is likely we ourselves pose a greater risk of ruin and fruitlessness than Satan and all his demonic minions could impose upon us by force.  As long as our hearts are selfish, self-confident, self-reliant and esteems self over others, we will stumble in our aim to walk in the Spirit.  While we can be focused on our tendency to do wrong, it can be what we neglect to do in obedience to God that hinders our spiritual growth and vitality.  Unbelief and lack of love towards God and others in our hearts causes more trouble for us than the symptoms of sin everyone can see.  I thought J. Sidlow Baxter made good points about the importance of examining our hearts:

"In the ultimate analysis there are just two things which prevent peace of mind--pride, and lack of love.  Pride always carries the haunting fear of humiliating fall; and where love is lacking there can never be that rest of heart which comes only with perfect motive.  I learned something about that years ago when I used to do a good deal of open-air preaching.  At times, when Communists and other hostile persons in the crowd seemed likely to react violently, I would feel fear.  Then I would say to myself, "If you were utterly down at the feet of Christ you could not possibly fear humiliation; and if you loved them as utterly as Jesus loves them you could not know fear, for 'perfect love casteth out fear' (1John 4:18)".  It is a high point in the spiritual life when, cost what it will, we submit to the divine will; but the highest point of all is when the mind has become so renewed by the Holy Spirit that every desire is altogether one with that divine will.  Oh, that is the way of "life and peace"!" (Baxter, J. Sidlow. His Deeper Work in Us: A Further Enquiry into New Testament Teaching on the Subject of Christian Holiness. Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1967. page 158)

In the classic rock song, "Peace of Mind" by Boston, the lyrics say the way to find peace of mind is to "take a look ahead."  While the song makes no allusion to the eternal state in the presence of God, considering our eternal future in the presence of Jesus does bring peace of mind.  But all those who are assured a glorious future can experience peace of mind now by humbling ourselves before Jesus Christ in faith, choosing to obey and rely upon Him to help us whether in our jobs or speaking to people who are hostile towards God.  The perfect love of God casts out fear and guides us to sacrificial living for the glory of God and the good of others.  There is no peace for the wicked, but those who submit self to the LORD to do His will find rest the world cannot know, for Jesus is our peace.