The Moving Miracles

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

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

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

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

Repentance as Needed

Yesterday I went on a bushwalk with friends from church on the Ku-ring-gai track to Berowra Train Station and started from the station.  It was a cool morning, and the canopy of trees prevented the light drizzle from soaking us through.  Our small party encountered a couple lyrebirds, heard the wailing of black cockatoos, saw a wallaby, and removed a couple of leeches as we trudged along the 10km track by a creek that seemed more like a river.  By the end of the walk a decent rain began to fall as we hoofed it to our vehicle.  After a slow drive home through traffic, I was pleased to change out of wet clothes (and ensure my prickly feet were leech free!) and relax.

A couple hours later I scratched my side and felt something strange:  a textured, raised area that was not part of me.  I suddenly realised I had picked up a tick that hitched a ride home with me.  Because of the location I wasn't able to see it clearly or grab it with tweezers, and thankfully my son was able to remove the tick.  After close examination of the tick before and after death, it appeared the tick had not drawn any blood.  Then I had a close examination of my body, ensuring there were no additional ticks.  Thankfully all I have to show for the experience is a small welt and what turned out to be an impromptu sermon illustration.

In our church study of the book of Jeremiah, a recurring theme is how God called to His erring people and sent prophets daily to identify sin, urge them to repent and turn to God--yet they were unwilling.  Jesus came preaching repentance and the kingdom of God, and thus repenting of sin should not be viewed as a one-off thing but to be done as needed.  Like children who are filthy from playing the yard, we might assume one bath a day is enough.  As kids there were days we didn't have a bath; certainly one is enough!  We felt it was too much to ask for us to bathe after a bath though we were sweaty from running and rolled in the grass.  But washing was needed before bed because we were unclean, and this is why bathing usually happened after playing in the yard.  Jesus said we are not only to forgive one who repents 7 times, but 70 times 7.  What we don't always consider is we are the one who needs forgiveness over and over because we sin.  When we do wrong, as needed we should confess our sin, repent and do what is right instead.

Galatians 6:1 says, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted."  We can be aware of our sinfulness before committing it, and by conviction of the Holy Spirit, God's word and our conscience we can also discover we are sinful in ways we didn't notice before.  As we go through life, we can pick up sinful habits as easily as having a tick latch onto us.  For the sake of our health it is beneficial to remove ticks soon as possible after noticing them, and it is even more important to confess and repent of sin for our spiritual health as needed.  Even as I could not remove the tick myself, we need to willingly expose our sin to the the LORD so sin that clings to us can be removed.  We like to view ourselves as the spiritual ones who seek to meekly see people overtaken in trespasses restored.  We don't always see ourselves as ones needing help of God and fellow believers to be restored to fellowship due to sin and weights that sap our spiritual vigour.

Knowing there were leeches and ticks on the bushwalk meant thorough examination of the body was important, and realising our fleshly inclination to sin ought to move us to examine our heart, thoughts, motives, words and deeds.  If we will be forgiven of sin we need to repent, and thus we ought to repent of sin as needed--even 490 times a day.

The 10 Letter Word

Sometime during my life, "punishment" became a bad ten letter word that was an indicator of a heavy-handed parent, one who might as well admit to abusing their child.  I can understand serious concern how consequences for doing wrong are meted out because parents, teachers and others in positions of authority have committed abuses, but the Bible shows punishment in itself is not sinful or morally wrong.  God punishes evildoers, and what those in authority must understand is they are not God and must answer to Him for their deviation from love, mercy, compassion and justice.  It is the love and fear of God that ought to govern God's people in the administration of discipline.

I have experienced leaders at schools, camps and the workplace who embraced positive affirmation to a degree that made me squirm with discomfort more than harsh censure.  Instead of identifying bad behaviour and enforcing a clear boundary with corrective measures, some feel compelled to tell everyone how wonderful and amazing their conduct has been.  Had those words come from my mouth, I would have been guilty of lying through my teeth based upon my observations and convictions.  Sometimes bad behaviour occurs when a boundary and clear consequences were not adequately spelled out, and once this is done there is no excuse for those in authority not following through with their own stated policies when there is clear, willful disobedience.  When leaders neglect to take appropriate action, a warning is reduced to an idle threatening which leads to habitual and greater transgression.

Webster defined "punishment" with important distinctions:  "Any pain or suffering inflicted on a person for a crime or offense, by the authority to which the offender is subject, either by the constitution of God or of civil society. The punishment of the faults and offenses of children by the parent, is by virtue of the right of government with which the parent is invested by God himself. This species of punishment is chastisement or correction. The punishment of crimes against the laws is inflicted by the supreme power of the state in virtue of the right of government, vested in the prince or legislature. The right of punishment belongs only to persons clothed with authority. Pain, loss or evil willfully inflicted on another for his crimes or offenses by a private unauthorized person, is revenge rather than punishment."  There are different kinds of punishment that are to be done in an appropriate way in the fear of God.  Punishment is not merely inflicting pain as retribution--"You angered me so I will hurt you"--but has the aim of instruction, correction and restoration.  When punishment is abandoned for vengeance, we transgress upon God's sovereign territory.

I remember years ago there was an unruly youth at a centre where I worked.  We had a simple disciplinary approach taken from soccer for the kids who attended:  a yellow card was a warning, and a red card meant ejection.  While we always encouraged the children and praised good behaviour, we also needed an effective way to communicate what behaviour was unacceptable.  After serving more red cards to one youth than all other children combined, I sought the LORD and His wisdom because the red card punishment was not resulting in correction or reformation.  I was led to consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 18:15-17:  "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. ¹⁶ But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' ¹⁷ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector."

My immediate response was, "That's not going to work."  But I chose to heed God's word and put the principle of Jesus' teaching into practice.  I had a conversation with the youth who claimed to be a Christian.  I explained that if I needed to give a red card again, we would have a chat with all the kids at the centre, that the youth would be prohibited from entry until there was a change of heart and willingness to follow the rules.  It wasn't long before the red card was issued, the conversation was had before all the children, and the youth was not permitted to attend.  A couple months later, we were all blessed by God's answer to prayer when the youth returned willing to apologise and had a different attitude.  There may have been a couple of yellow cards given after that, but never again a red card.  I cannot emphasise this enough:  it was not our system but God who made all the difference.  God was faithful to His word and loved me and the unruly youth enough to teach us all valuable lessons that made a difference for good.

I urge you brother and sister in Christ:  trust God enough to put His word into practice concerning administering punishment and discipline to those God has entrusted to you.  Love is shown by being patient and kind, by being slow to anger and not keeping records of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).  Abuse of authority is unloving, and it is also unloving to neglect appropriate discipline.  Should the temper flare and the flesh bristle with offence, immediately stop and examine your own heart before the LORD, repent of vengeful desires, and humble ourselves before God.  Then, even when it feels uncomfortable, have a conversation where you specifically identify the boundary and how it was transgressed.  Seek the LORD for what are appropriate consequences should the line be willfully crossed again.  Proverbs 13:24 says, "He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly."  Praise God He is gracious and merciful with His administration of discipline to us when we err, communicating His love without fail.

A Disciple Illustration

During a recent men's breakfast at church, we were treated to hear testimonies of God's faithfulness to work in the lives of His people.  I was encouraged and blessed by those who shared from the heart.

There was one story that opened up a fresh perspective of discipleship.  When people speak of or consider discipleship, often people look to spiritual disciplines like reading the Bible, regular times of prayer, attending gatherings with fellow believers to worship God, giving, fasting and Christian service--actions that are done outwardly and are quantifiable.  Some feel if they are doing these things more whilst avoiding sin they are doing well in their relationship with God, and this can be true.  Since the Pharisees were very good at maintaining their religious exterior without having hearts transformed by the Gospel, the embrace of spiritual disciplines do not necessarily correlate with being saved.

A brother rehearsed an event which happened years ago as a teen when he was smacked in the mouth by the school bully.  Raised in a Christian home, he said it was the first time he remembered doing something contrary to his will for the sake of Jesus.  After being struck in the mouth, he heard three voices:  his mother saying "Destroy him!", his father advising "Do what you think is right," and the voice of Jesus who said, "Turn the other cheek" (Matthew 5:39).  He had previously identified as a Christian, read the Bible, went to church and prayed, but that deliberate act to turn the other cheek was a massive step of faith in Jesus to deny himself and instead follow Jesus as LORD.

This is a wonderful illustration of what it means to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus.  As Christians, there should be moments on a daily basis when we deliberately lay aside our will to obey what Jesus has commanded us, to follow His example rather than the inclinations of our flesh.  Intentional obedience to Jesus is divinely translated into love for Him, for Jesus told His disciples in John 14:15:  "If you love Me, keep My commandments."  There are many voices that impress themselves upon us, but genuine disciples of Jesus will deny themselves to do as He says.

The Scene of the Fall

Today I walked by what could be called, "the scene of the fall."  I took a tumble a couple months back when I kicked a raised kerb on the footpath during a morning walk before daylight.  It seems the local council took notice of the lifted kerbs in the area and ground them flat to prevent others from tripping like I had.  Without me notifying anyone, the council put into practice a principle of Romans 14:13:  "Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way."  A council worker observed the raised area, judged it to be uneven and unsafe, and ground it flat to remove the walking hazard.

It is possible to have a perfectly flat footpath and still trip over our own feet and fall down.  But if we are the ones who have fallen, we ought to be circumspect and more careful when we pass by that way again.  When I came to the area where I fell, I took care to walk more to the middle of the footpath.  The wise do the same when it comes to falling into sin, and the term "fall" may be a misnomer in many cases.  Many times we dive into sin like a swimmer does a pool, taking to it like a duck to water.  I have seen clips of people accidentally falling into pools while doing maintenance or when talking on their phone, but sin is rarely an accident.  Sin is natural to our flesh and often intentional, even habitual.

Sometimes we have failed to recognise our attitudes, outlook, judgments, actions, motives and words are sinful, and because He loves us God convicts us of our sin.  His word is like a light that shines in the darkness of our hearts and reveals how contrary to God we actually are.  Other times our sin is premeditated, and there are well-worn paths to sin we have habitually frequented.  As Proverbs 26:11 says, "As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly."  I always wondered what our dog was thinking when he did weird things like eating grass or returned to eat his own vomit.  I don't believing thinking had anything to do with it, for he was an animal driven by instinct.  He did so because he was a dog, and those are commonly observed behaviours in dogs.  In his parable Solomon said dogs and fools act according to their nature, and fools express their folly by repeating it.  Without thought of God, fools do not learn from their folly and on their own cannot change.

Having been born again by faith in Jesus Christ, we no longer are to walk as fools--who live as if God did not exist.  We no longer have a "sin nature" because Jesus has made us new, raised from death to life.  We are empowered by God to put off the deeds of the "old man" and sins associated with life apart from Christ, and we can do as Ephesians 4:23-24 says, to "...and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."  Though we continue to live in a body of flesh that has a hearty appetite for sin and tries to justify itself in pride, we are to walk wisely and remember what led to previous falls.  We ought to avoid what has caused us to sin in the past and ensure we do not stumble others.  Even if the council worker hadn't leveled the footpath, by God's grace I was not doomed to fall again.

Knowing I had fallen and can fall again today prompted me to walk wisely and carefully.  It would have been foolish for me to walk away from the "scene of the fall" proud I didn't fall today, scoring a victory over that dumb kerb!  We can make the mistake of feeling proud of ourselves for avoiding where we stumbled in the past only to have another sin like pride overtake us because we believe we are sufficient in ourselves due to our knowledge, maturity or spirituality to avoid such errors.  How we need to rely on Jesus to walk uprightly!  God save us from sin and flesh that repeats its folly!

The High Beam Illustration

Yesterday something that amused me happened during a drive through the country.  As the sun began to sink over the horizon and the shadows grew long, I decided to turn on my headlights to ensure best visibility.  Somehow the lights were on high beams that shone into the rear vision mirror of the car I was following.  Noticing this, I quickly toggled the beams to the normal setting.

This also did not go unnoticed by the driver of the car I followed along the road.  I imagine the driver viewed this an an intentional act to urge them to pass the car in the front.  The driver showed his displeasure by giving his windscreen a thorough spray--which caused water to sprinkle all over my vehicle--to my great amusement.  The simple act of turning on my lights to see more clearly sent a message I was annoyed or displeased with the driver ahead of me who instantly retaliated.

It was probably too dim for the driver to see my smile or see me laugh as the droplets rained down, but my hope was the driver chalked up their high-beaming as a simple accident without malice.  In reflecting upon the situation, it illustrated well how a well-meaning person (who is trying to see more clearly) can accidentally annoy someone else who feels compelled to retaliate.  Either party has the power to escalate the situation or to diffuse it by extending grace to the other person--even if the beaming or sprinkling was on purpose.

Solomon wrote in Proverbs 15:1-2, "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.  The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness."  Rather than assuming the worst about others or taking their words or actions as intended to insult, we can turn away wrath with a soft answer.  It is easy to be defensive and harsh, but it takes strength from God to extend grace and respond with gentleness.  What seems to be an unfair attack could be an unintended message.  But even when people take aim with intent to harm us, by the power of the Holy Spirit we can love others as God loves us, keeping no record of wrongs.

Stint on the Sideline

When my dad lived in Michigan as a teen, he suffered a broken femur during a game of "king of the hill" in the snow.  The object of the game was to stand on a heap of snow and fend off everyone else who wrestled their way to the top.  People teamed up to overthrow the present "king," and when my dad fell in a tumble of bodies his leg snapped near his hip.  Because of the location of the break, he was hospitalised and in traction for nearly two months as his bone mended.

Though an injury sidelined my dad, he came out of hospital much stronger than he went in.  There wasn't much to do with his whole leg in a plaster cast suspended in the air, but he discovered he could do pull-ups on the traction equipment.  He missed out on playing and working for months because of the leg break, yet his focus was not on what happened or that he wasn't able to be where he wanted to be:  he put in hard work through exercise because of where he was heading.  When he walked back into class the following year, he looked like a different person and ready to take on anyone.

This is a good illustration for those who feel like they have been sidelined from what was enjoyable, and it wasn't your choice.  It could be through an injury, condition, having a baby, moving house, being let go from a job, or the breakdown of a close personal relationship.  It is easy when things happen that were never our choice to lose heart, to focus on who broke our leg or ruined our lives, to fixate on what has happened rather than where we are and where we are heading.  For Christians, we realise God is with us and He is able to redeem for good what others intended for evil.  So you have been sidelined from where you want to be:  how about exerting yourself to gain strength, endurance and joy as you seek the LORD and do what you can to be ready for the next season?  When God opens the door, He will be faithful to help us walk through it--and walking means work.

Christians can learn from the diligence and dedication of athletes who suffer a serious injury, miss an entire season and work their way back to the field; we can glean wisdom from those who toil for years in lower levels of professional sport who never make it to the big leagues.  Some of these go on to coach, manage, to work in scouting and the front office.  They were waiting for their "big break" that never came the way they expected, but the LORD used their time in dusty dugouts to be part of a team in another way.  Joseph did not go to Egypt to seek fame, wealth and power:  he was sold as a slave and taken there.  He was made to serve in a rich man's house, and after he was thrown into prison he took the lead in looking after other prisoners.  In suffering his relationship with God deepened, and the LORD orchestrated an opportunity for Joseph to exercise God-given wisdom to interpret dreams.  In time he was brought before Pharaoh, was promoted to second in command, saved nations from starvation and was reunited with his family where there was food to spare.

How different Joseph's story would be if he brooded over the wrongs done him, shirked his responsibilities as a slave and rebelled against God!  Joseph did not set his sights on where he was or even where he wanted to be but looked to the LORD.  He never aspired to govern or rule in Egypt.  The one thing he wanted was to be released from prison, and in time by God's grace he was.  As a slave and in the prison Joseph continued to develop godly character, and he was useful wherever God opened a door.  So you're in traction or on the sidelines; you've been sacked and feel like your feet have been taken out from under you.  I encourage you to look to the LORD and exert yourself to seek, serve and praise Him right where you are.  Maybe pull-ups are the only thing you can do in your hospital bed, or perhaps all you can do is spiritually exercise in prayer.  But know that there is a season God has for you beyond that hospital bed, and God often provides opportunity in that bed to prepare for it.

God's Faithfulness

God remains faithful in all seasons of life, and there is no substitute for His gracious presence.  While my family and I are still in the process of settling in a house after moving, I felt it fitting to magnify God for the help He has provided step by step when everything seemed too arduous to endure.  When we are overwhelmed, God remains sovereign and is truly a present help in times of exertion, trouble, inconvenience, uncertainty and hard work.  As our Good Shepherd, He makes His people like sheep to lie down in green pastures, leads us beside still waters, restores our souls, leads us in paths of righteousness to a broad place.

It was just over two months back my wife Laura and I discussed embarking on looking for a house to buy in a nearby suburb and to see what we could sell our house for.  What followed was a whirlwind of driving to open houses and vacating our house for open houses, meetings with realtors, banks and solicitors.  Laura handled the vast majority of the administrative burden.  To make a very long story short, the LORD provided a house we liked with owners that accepted our offer, our house was sold via auction, and loans were secured.  I quite liked our other house, a gift from the LORD that was compact and suitable for our needs.  But with all the building in the area the traffic was growing more congested and will only continue.  In Sydney it seems the traffic needs to become a hopeless mess before one lane can be added to each side when it should have been a three or four-lane road to start with.  It might be 2030 before Garfield Road receives a much needed upgrade.

Our moving day illustrated God's faithfulness and help He has shown through the whole process.  I rented a large box truck for 24 hours to move our stuff, and it happened to be one of the hottest days of the summer.  The Grisez family plus people from church helped one or two at a time over that period of hustling back and forth.  All of us who were outside in the heat were likely suffering from various stages of heat exhaustion as we were cramping up.  I don't think I ever had hand cramps before!  But God gave us strength to keep going.  By the time I drove to return the truck, I was praying for everything:  that I could find a petrol station with diesel, drive into the correct bay, that I could unlock the petrol cap, that I would return the truck in time despite traffic.  The LORD worked it all out.  We had been planning on coming back to the "old" house to cleanup and finish moving in days to follow, but with the help we had--like Gideon's skeleton crew--we were able to have the house cleaned and emptied right when the new owners showed up for their walkthrough.

God's grace has continued as a couple from church came over that evening and helped us haul desks and beds upstairs so we had a place to sleep.  That evening there was a massive change in the weather as a "southerly buster" rolled in and we have enjoyed the cool breeze ever since.  The house is well on the way to becoming more functional with hot water, internet and laundry going, and there is no doubt in my mind it is the LORD's doing.  We are continuing to pray both properties will close on the proper date, and trust God will be with us and will help us every step.  When we consider the world He has made with the sun and moon, the living birds, trees, flowers, bugs and how they all live together, we can see God has thought of everything and is faithful.  Psalm 107:31 is a fitting conclusion to this testimony of God's faithfulness I desire to practice continually because He is worthy:  "Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"

No Longer Slaves of Sin

At a family gathering as a kid, I witnessed an interaction between one of my uncles and his grandson.  When my uncle noticed the boy playing with his pack of cigarettes, it prompted a fairly harsh response that left the little one scurrying away crying.  I was surprised by my uncle's violent outburst, and he justified it without apology as being for the best, as the incident would serve to deter the little boy from smoking in the future.  I was not convinced his assessment was accurate even at the time, and upon reflection I am certain it was untrue.  The boy was interested and drawn to the colourful packet and lighter his grandpa always had at his side, and when his uncle sparked up another cigarette it rekindled the curiosity of the lad.

My uncle's thinly veiled hypocrisy was clear to me, that he was adamant smoking was bad for his grandson when he continued to smoke himself.  I assume his motive to protect his grandson from the fangs of addiction was genuine, but at the same time he resigned himself to a slavish relationship with smoking.  Perhaps he had tried in vain to quit smoking.  I don't know.  What I do know from observing my uncle and his grandson is there can be things people see as bad for others which they continue to do themselves.  Based on my uncle's statement, his outburst was not because the boy was not of legal smoking age, but because he thought it was a bad habit his grandson would do well to avoid altogether.

My point in sharing this story is not to decry the evils of addiction or smoking, but it is to sound the alarm over hypocrisy that can be coddled in the hearts of every one of God's people.  Having been born again by faith in Jesus, we have passed from death to life.  Paul wrote in Romans 6:1-4, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? ³ Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."  Our lives should be a testimony of new life through Jesus by freedom from sin.  As God reveals our addictions to sinful ways of thinking, talking and doing, we are to repent and put on the LORD Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh.

It is tragic when Christians have been so mentally and physically beaten by a sin they are like my uncle, resigned to addiction as if there was no point trying to quit.  This is where the problem often lies:  we have failed to walk in the victory granted by Jesus because we have tried in strength of our flesh to overcome what Jesus already has.  Content with salvation, people can give up the fight against besetting sins because God will forgive them anyway.  Conviction over their behaviour as sin has been muted because it has been justified so long.  They can see their sin as being bad for others, yet they accept the sin as a regular part of life and have settled for trying to make peace with it by indulging it.  Brothers and sisters, this ought not to be.  We are not to allow sin to rule in our bodies any longer, for we have been made alive to God.  Paul said in Romans 6:18-19:  "And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. ¹⁹ I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness."  This is a choice we can make by God's grace.

It can be easier to recognise sin in others we remain blind to in ourselves.  My uncle's irritation in seeing his grandson play with his cigarettes could have been an impetus to examining his own conduct and the example he set for the boy every time he lit a cigarette.  The same reasons he did not want his grandson to start smoking in the future were solid reasons for him to quit right then.  There are aids that exist to help people break the habit of smoking, and there are steps believers can take to avoid sinning and doing what is right instead.  When it comes to sin our aim ought to be to quit "cold turkey" because we are dead to it and it is not our master any more.  We are called to present ourselves as slaves of righteousness and living sacrifices to Jesus, and how blessed we are the Holy Spirit and our fellow Christians help us on our journey of sanctification.

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.

The Mirror Miracle

God is present in the everyday situations of life, and sometimes we are given insight to see Him at work that brings encouragement.  Looking back on God's faithfulness to people in the pages of scripture, through the testimonies of others and our own experiences, we can rest assured God will be faithful to us presently and in the future forever.  Though the future is uncertain, we can know without a doubt our good God knows us and will preserve us going forward.

Recently I reminisced over a challenging move that took place years ago.  Several fellows from church and I organised to help a family move house.  This move was a struggle because the family moving was not sufficiently prepared, it was on a weeknight, and we needed to travel a long distance--and we were all slated to work early the following day.  In our initial discussion, we were told to be extra careful with a bureau and a large matching mirror.  The furniture had been in the family for a long time and it carried a great deal of sentimental value.  "I don't really care if anything else breaks," he said.  "This is the one thing that cannot be broken."  We carefully communicated the importance of the furniture to the crew and carefully secured it in the truck.

After overcoming hiccups and obstacles, we finally arrived at the new residence.  It was nearly midnight as we began transferring items from the truck into the garage--and we were far from home and hours from sleeping in bed.  The unloading was much quicker than the loading had been.  And then the unthinkable happened:  as I raised the Tommy Gate to full height I watched in horror as the large mirror began to fall forward in slow motion.  We were too far away to catch the mirror as it quickly gathered speed and slammed to the deck.  I was in disbelief how this could have possibly happened with all the precautions we had taken.  In grim silence a fellow worker and I lifted the mirror that amazingly, miraculously had been preserved.  There was not a scratch or mark on the mirror that should have shattered into a million pieces after falling straight onto the truck bed.  Our sigh of relief was also praise to God who marvelously helped us.

If God saw fit to preserve a mirror that was special to someone, how much more will He preserve His beloved children He treasures though they fall?  He is there to lift us up again.  Jesus asked in Luke 12:6-7:  "Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. ⁷ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."  Sparrows were not precious, five of them purchased in exchange for two small coins, yet God took note of every one of these small, relatively insignificant birds.  God is not only concerned with a bird or a whole person but knows the number of all the hairs on our heads.  Jesus exhorted His hearers, "Do no fear:  you are of more value than many sparrows."  Glory to God for loving and valuing us as He does, and assured of His faithfulness we need not fear anything that befalls us.

Godliness and Contentment

When my eldest son was learning to pray out loud to God, he said something that makes me smile to this day.  Shortly after our kitchen had been remodelled, before a meal he rattled off a series of things he was thankful for.  As he made a sweeping gesture with his arm he said happily, "And thank God for the countertops!"  We never had new countertops before, and we were all pleased to have them.  His exuberance over our remodeled kitchen was unexpected and fun to see.

At Calvary Chapel Sydney we are studying through the book of Ecclesiastes, and Solomon was no stranger to new or nice things.  One thing he discovered, however, was no matter how many nice things he had they would not remain his forever:  new things quickly grow old, and things in themselves cannot provide meaning or satisfaction.  We only had our new countertops for a short time before they took damage from an exercise ball that inadvertently knocked a chisel into the bench surface near the sink.  It was a test for me:  would I become angry and frustrated over the damage?  Would I justify bitterness or resentment because of what happened?  How could we take precautions to prevent this from happening again?  Was I praising the LORD with gratitude the chisel had not landed on a little foot or hand?

In contrast to those who believed gain was godliness, Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:6-7:  "Now godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out."  Whether Paul had money in abundance or was on a tight budget, he discovered contentment in God that did not depend on his present circumstances.  Paul was content to walk the streets of Jerusalem as a free man or be incarcerated in Rome.  He maintained the eternal perspective knowing he came into the world with nothing and would leave the same way.  While quality countertops are useful, we cannot take them with us.  Those who realise in God all our needs are met can be genuinely thankful and grateful for all we have and not be addled with covetousness over what we do not have--which leads us not to appreciate all God has provided.

Should it become apparent our outlook is marred with greed, covetousness or discontent, many people "try" to be content--as if that is the problem in itself.  The reality is, our lack of contentment is evidence of lack of godliness.  Children of God can fight a continual losing battle to be content in the LORD when we have not first acknowledged and repented of our greed and covetousness and thanking God for all He has given.  Confessing and repenting of our sin is a critical step to walk in godliness with contentment.  Our good God will see to it we will remain troubled should we remain unrepentant in sin.  Contentment is not carelessness or rejection of material possessions but gratitude, thankfulness and joy in the LORD who has given us all that pertains to life and godliness.  We can be thankful and praise God for all He provides for us--even when a chisel gouges the counter.  In our God is only gain, and by faith in Him we can be content by His grace.

The Bible Verse Bungle

I was reminded recently of the time God used a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses who came to my door to teach me some valuable lessons.  I was running late for a Wednesday evening service when two fellows carrying magazines knocked on my apartment door.  At the time these men were unwanted obstacles who prevented me from going where I wanted to go.  I was in a rush but I thought it impolite to leave without saying something.

I had several personal interactions with Jehovah's Witnesses before and understood some important deviations in their theology from mine as a born-again follower of Jesus Christ.  After sharing my conviction that the Watchtower was a false prophet not to be trusted because of many historical errors, I told them I was convinced by scripture God has revealed Himself as one God in three distinct persons:  God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit.  They seemed interested when I told them the Holy Spirit is referred to as God by Peter in the book of Acts in his confrontation with Ananias and Sapphira.

Then something unexpected happened:  one of the fellows held out his New World translation of the Bible and said, "Show me."  I knew the situation took place early in Acts, but I struggled to find the exact passage.  I don't know if it was because it was an unfamiliar Bible or that I was preoccupied that I was going to be later to church than I wanted, but for the life of me could not find it.  I sheepishly handed him back his book, encouraged them to look into the matter, locked the door and left them standing there.  It is not a fond memory to this day, for I barged past these men to rush to church--when a valuable ministry opportunity came right to my door.  Thinking back, it would have been better to be a godly witness to those men so they could be won for Christ and miss church rather than rushing off because I was embarrassed to be late.

This incident prompted me later to look up the verses I found easily enough in my own Bible in Acts 5:3-4:  "But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? ⁴ While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."  While I was initially annoyed by my failure to find the verses, that was a small issue compared to my callous indifference to the men who came do my door.  I demonstrated this by my unwillingness to lay aside my plans to patiently follow the LORD's leading in a friendly conversation.  I missed a prime opportunity to lovingly give an answer for the hope that is in me by faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the Gospel.  I am thankful one regrettable mistake by God's grace has the ability to help us avoid others in a far greater scope.

Praise the LORD He is able to open the eyes of the blind and raise the spiritual dead to new life even when I bungled the conversation.  It is Jesus who is a Saviour:  I cannot change a heart or mind but Jesus brings transformation from within.  How blessed believers are to be born again and to be given chances again and again, not to redeem ourselves, but because Jesus is a Redeemer not willing any should perish.  He delivers His people from pride and lack of love through failure because He is faithful.  A bad memory of our failure can work to give us (and others!) a brighter future by God's grace.

Trusting God with Little Things

As human beings, we can be full of inconsistencies.  We can look to God when situations are overwhelming and out of control, yet we can be undone by an accumulation of minor inconveniences.  We trust God to forgive our sins and provide eternal life for us in heaven, but we can worry over finding a parking spot.  Why not trust God with the little things we are involved with as much as the things which obviously are beyond us?

God can use fear, cares and worries to instruct us concerning our persistent lack of faith in God and chronic unbelief.  One example in my own life was during my union apprenticeship.  As I embarked in what I saw as my career path after working other part-time jobs, I prayed God would help me to excel as Daniel did in Babylon University.  My schooling began well but in my second year an experienced foreman made it his aim to stir up trouble for me with the apprenticeship coordinator.  The accusations were so severe the coordinator drove down from Los Angeles to have a face-to-face discussion with me in San Diego.  I was incredulous...and angry.

I was frustrated that a co-worker I trusted would go to such lengths to try to make me miserable, and I was angry with the degree of success he had.  I had heard many times, "The reputation you make as an apprentice you will carry for the next 10 years."  I wanted a good reputation among colleagues and contractors so I would be hired at a local shop and have a chance for advancement.  I felt disillusioned a person I considered a friend would lie about me for who knew what reason.  God used these bad feelings of betrayal to show me I had made my reputation an idol, something I was working for rather than Him.  My fear of a tarnished reputation revealed unbelief in God I did not realise I had, for I had put my trust in my abilities and efforts rather than in His providence, guidance and protection.

I am glad to say the difficult season eventually passed without any negative repercussions on my career or ability to be gainfully employed.  The situation was instrumental in teaching me to rely on and trust God more rather than worrying about "my" reputation.  Jesus made Himself of "no reputation" and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and God exalted Him above all names.  God exposed my selfish reasons for wanting to excel like Daniel (not that it was a bad desire in itself) and used the prospect of a reputation in tatters to teach me it is trusting and pleasing God in humility before Him that matters.  In God's hands, little troubles can lead to massive life lessons.

An Error Code and Divine Intervention

God who created all things is able to do everything, and this includes using a common household appliance to reveal unbelief in a heart and mind.  Allow me to explain. :)

A couple weeks back our condensing dryer stopped working.  I have a systematic approach to such events:  I dig up the manual, look up the error code and see if there is anything I can do about it.  In this case our Electrolux dryer flashed the letters "EHO" which meant there was an electrical fault in the circuit board.  Since the machine is under warranty for another 6 months it was not a repair I was willing to tackle.  And besides, I have never bothered to invest in a soldering gun.  The manual was hardly informative, and from what I gleaned online the only way to reset the machine was to turn it off for a few minutes and turn it on again.  It was the same problem over and over.

When my wife handed me the extended warranty paperwork for the machine, it was evident to me she wanted nothing to do with it.  I also voiced my feelings that I didn't want to handle it either.  But in our household the dryer has plenty of use and it was still under warranty.  The loving thing to do was to make the call.  Since the fault occurred on a weekend I needed to wait until Monday to contact the company.  On several occasions I tried to start the machine again, only to see the same error code.  "LORD," I prayed, "fix this machine so I don't need to organise this repair."  Well, Monday came and the machine was still broken.  I called the company and there was more I needed to do to prove my identity online.  I ended up scanning documents and applying for the repair online, no need to torture you with the details.

Days later I received a call by the service technician who said the soonest they could inspect the machine was 2 weeks later.  Without a choice I agreed to the service and then went back to the machine...which worked perfectly.  I was gobsmacked.  I know machines don't fix themselves!  Again and again the machine turned on, spun and turned off without any trouble.  After all the hassle the machine worked!  I didn't know how to feel about this sudden changed condition.  I didn't want to immediately cancel the service call because what if the persistent fault started again?  But since the machine worked fine having a technician test it was an unnecessary waste of time.  Then I remembered I had prayed for God to fix the machine.  Given the circumstances and how many times I checked the machine, the most rational option was to credit God for fixing the dryer.  It occurred to me my motive for praying was more about my convenience and comfort than it actually be operational, I mean, we have insurance for that.

The fact it was hard for me to accept God had fixed the dryer exposed unbelief secretly nestled in a heart that believes God can do everything.  My reluctance to call and cancel the service call immediately betrayed a mind that did not trust God to enable the machine to keep running, a person who selfishly hoped to receive the benefit of an extended warranty, and disdain to pay to repair or for a new machine if it died 7 months from now.  My troubled feelings were symptomatic of selfish flesh and unbelief.  As I am writing I can hear the machine whirring in the other room like a trooper, all by the grace of God who is faithful to teach us even when I doubted He did anything.  How important it is for us followers of Jesus to credit God for all He does and how much we desperately need Him.

Unlike machines, we don't have the benefit of a touch-screen or user manual that shows our errors plainly for us to see.  But God has given us the light of His word and the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin, righteousness and judgment.  The thoughts and feelings I experienced were a evidence of faults inside me due to selfishness, unbelief in God and lack of love towards others.  Just as God fixed the dryer, He is able to transform us from within when we confess and repent of our sin He brings to light.  If anything goes well in our lives it is by His merciful hand, and when He divinely intervenes to correct and chasten us it is with gentleness.  When things go wrong it would be foolish to assume it is the devil having a go at you when it can be the God-ordained means to draw you to Himself in faith so we might rejoice in Him and proclaim His goodness.

God Hears and Answers

Those who pray can attest to God's answers.  Just today I prayed God would help me deliver a message at church and He strengthened me to do so, and even directed the worship team to play songs that perfectly complemented the message.  It is wonderful to know God has even these small details in hand that magnify His generosity and greatness to those who believe.

This week I was reminded of a prayer God answered a long time ago in year 8 when I attended Emerald Junior High.  For the previous three years I had been homeschooled, and I felt a bit out of place joining people who had already experienced a year of junior high.  I was the only one I saw wearing pants and a shirt with buttons and collar, quite the contrast of other who wore shorts with much cooler t-shirts emblazoned with popular surf brands.

My prayer was a simple one:  that God would give me a friend.  I had not sat down in my home room seat long before God answered my prayer.  The fellow in front of me turned around with a smile and introduced himself, and extended his hand in a friendly greeting.  It turned out Derek was also new at school, having recently moved from Minnesota.  He was quite the sports enthusiast (as was I) and we hit it off immediately.  While I did make other friends over the course of the year in my various classes, Derek was undoubtedly my best friend at school that year--an answer to my prayer I doubt he was aware of.  I am most thankful to God for His provision and help, and I'm thankful to Derek for his kindness to me.

Derek and I parted the following year because we lived in different school districts, but God has continued with me to this day by His grace.  It is wonderful Jesus, the God who created all things, called His disciples friends.  This is a personal connection alluded to in Deuteronomy 32:8-9:  "When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. ⁹ For the LORD'S portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance."  The LORD's portion is His people, and those who have received the Gospel by believing in Jesus Christ are adopted into the kingdom of God, not merely as friends but as sons.  John 1:11-12 reads, "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name..."  This is more than we could have ever thought or asked for, all made possible by our Saviour Jesus who loves us.

Of all the things God chose to make His inheritance, He chose sinners who are born again by the power of the Gospel.  How great is the love of God for His children!  He hears our prayers and answers, graciously meeting our needs for salvation, providing a great friend for a year, or a beautiful song after a sermon.  Isn't the LORD good to us, beyond what we could have ever asked or thought?

Speaking in Symphony

In a meeting this week I was asked to describe the way God spoke to me when it came to deciding to move to Australia before I was aware of any open door.  I suppose I can describe it as similar to a symphony:  a crowd of musicians playing a variety of instruments led by one Conductor.  God is unlimited in the means and manner He speaks to us, confirming His leading by the Bible, other people, what some people might call "coincidence," and the witness of our own conscience, motives, and thoughts.  God is intimately acquainted with all people and knows the way to communicate in a way we can receive.  When we seek the LORD He is faithful to speak.

I remember the day very well God's call to go to Australia was crystalised in my mind.  Even the date was significant and unforgettable, commemorated in the title of this blog:  March 4th, 2009.  From early in our relationship my wife always said "March 4th" was her favourite date because it was also an action--something I never thought of.  On a day that started like countless before it, I rose early to spend some time with the LORD in prayer and reading the Bible.

On that particular morning I read Luke 23 and was struck by Luke 23:26:  "Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus."  I imagined what was going through the mind of Simon, a Gentile who was "laid hold of" to carry the cross for the bleeding, dying Jesus.  He had come out of his country, something I vaguely felt for years God was leading me to do.  The fact Simon was laid hold of suggests there were no volunteers willing to assist Jesus.  It occurred to me:  that is what the life of a follower of Jesus looks like.  I cried out to God in prayer basically saying, "Let that be me!"

That afternoon the pastoral staff was invited into the pastor's office for our regularly scheduled meeting.  My pastor was impressed by the testimony of a missionary he just heard of:  Gladys Aylward.  He conveyed this amazing story of how she was a British woman who went to China, ended up buying an orphaned child, and ended up being greatly used by God.  When I went back to my office I looked deeper into her story and was gobsmacked:  this was the first person I ever heard of who had a particular place on her heart--God put China on her heart without knowing anything about it, and God had done the same to me concerning Australia, specifically the east side.  Very strange indeed!

Being a Wednesday, I went home from work to exercise, shower, and have dinner before returning to church for the evening service.  As I walked past the globe in our home, I thought to myself:  what is the furthest east point of Australia?  I spun the globe and found Brisbane.  I tackled exercise with earnest, literally raising my voice to God to provide direction and help me to know His will.  Ten minutes in I thought I heard my flip-phone ring and contacted my wife Laura who told me I needed to check my email.  One of the high school students in the youth group needed a personal reference right away.  I opened the email and found an attachment of a template for the reference written in gibberish--all except the heading which read:

To: Somebody, Someone

100 Long Street
Brisbane, Australia

I seriously started shouting!  "What!?  God, you are CRAZY!  You are wild!"  After I calmed down a bit I thought, Brisbane eh?  And that's where I started looking.  I found there was a Calvary Chapel plant in Springwood and sent a letter introducing myself and telling my strange story about how I believed God was leading me to somehow minister in some capacity in Australia.  Amazingly my letter received a positive response and it was the first connection I made in Australia which has grown exponentially.  Hearing from God did not mean the process was quick or easy but God was faithful to speak in symphony and provided enough information for each next step of an amazing journey of following Jesus.

I am not a special case.  On the basis of God's Word I have all confidence God will speak to you too when you seek Him in His time and way.  God spoke to Samuel when he was a child who did not even know the LORD!  God has provided His Word and is the best communicator.  We are the weak link with our lack of seeking God and our chronic unbelief.  But praise be to God for His goodness, grace, and mercy.  He has done all things well.

Taking Grace For Granted

We never know what we take for granted until we lose it.  Over the weekend Sydney was buffeted with strong winds which downed power lines and caused almost 50,000 households to  be powerless.  Right in the middle of sermon preparation on my computer the power to our house went out.  My computer went from a useful machine to being an expensive paperweight or doorstop.  Since all our appliances, computers, and lights require electricity to run, we spent the afternoon sitting in the dark.

During prayer this morning I considered how we need God more than we rely upon Him.  Reliance is an intentional dependence.  Just like computers and refrigerators need electricity to perform their designed function, so we need the Holy Spirit of God to enable us to do God's will.  We need Him constantly but can forget that unless we are a branch connected to the Vine Jesus Christ in faith we can do nothing.  I need countless things which escape my mind at any time, like a heart which effectively pumps blood or oxygen in the air.  God is the One who designed the purpose and functions of individual parts of the body as well as fine-tuning earth's environment to support life.  So much of what God has done--even those who know and love God can take for granted.

I am glad God does not take any of His children for granted as humans can; we can take our parents for granted, but God supplied them by His grace anyway.  Reliance upon God and thankfulness for His gracious provision breaks the cycle of taking things for granted, the assumption that because we have something we are somehow entitled to it perpetually.  When I cracked bones in my wrist and wore a soft cast I was amazed how it impeded normal life:  eating, washing, opening doors, and countless other activities were impacted by one small injury.  God used the loss of electrical power for an afternoon to show me how much I rely upon electricity for daily living and how much more I need what God supplies by grace.  

The Double-Minded Man

Whilst studying in preparation for the sermon last week, I was reminded of an interaction from years ago.  I was working at a church in El Cajon and often people would come to the office seeking assistance of some kind.  "Walk-ins" were common:  people asking for money, homeless people looking for food or clothes, petrol for their cars, and even a medical emergency.  I believe God did a miracle when we prayed for an older man who was overdosing on methamphetamine and instantly set him in his right mind.

One man came into the office who had recently been released from prison.  He looked to be a tough character, covered in tattoos - and was inked on his neck and face.  I was asked to speak with him.  during our conversation he confided he had an addiction to alcohol which he saw as deadly.  "If I don't quit drinking, I'm going to die.  I'm desperate to do anything to be clean and sober."  I told him of a local ministry I knew that specialised in people like him who wanted to be free of drugs and alcohol, to have a stable job, and affordable housing.  I warned him it was not for everyone, as it required a full one-year commitment.  He was enthusiastic:  "That's exactly what I need.  Sign me up."

He was without transport so I offered to provide him a ride to the ministry office on the other side of town.  A pastor greeted us and explained concerning the program in greater detail.  Nodding in agreement to the rigid structure and requirements, the man sparked up a cigarette.  "And by the way," the pastor said, "just so you know there is no smoking permitted during the program."  The man literally staggered back a step in disbelief.  "What?"  he asked incredulously.  "I don't know...I don't think I can commit to that."  As the pastor tried to reason with him, the man began chain smoking the rest of his cigarettes, clearly disturbed by this development he was unprepared for.

I found the situation tragic and sad:  there stood a man in desperate need of help to kick alcohol, but his dependence on cigarettes seemed an insurmountable obstacle.  He knew alcohol would be the death of him, yet he was unprepared to make a necessary sacrifice for a new life because it seemed unreasonable and impossible.  I don't believe this man's situation or response is different than us in our relationship with God.  There are aspects of our life and behaviour we realise are sinful and want to see our problems dealt with, but at the same time the accomplishment of this work can require sacrifices in other areas we are not always willing to make.  So being undecided and in two minds we can settle for what will destroy us.  It's a confronting example to be sure, but one at some level we can all identify with.

James 1:8 tells us a "double-minded man" is "unstable in all his ways."  It was good the man had come to grips with his need to deal severely with his alcoholism, but because he was double-minded, unwilling to sacrifice what the ministry required to aid his restoration, instability marked every aspect of his life.  This is why commitment and willpower is insufficient to live in victory, for we need to be born again through faith in Christ so we are given new hearts and renewed minds which are in agreement with God.  James went on to write in James 4:8:  "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."  If we will be free and forgiven we cannot approach God on our terms, but we must submit to His righteous demands.  When there is agreement between God and a humble, repentant, and contrite sinner, God graciously restores according to His promise.  Then our feet will be firmly planted on the Rock of Salvation who is Christ, and He is a foundation for new life enjoyed for eternity.

Our Consuming Fire

The Bible has been a part of my life for as long as I remember.  Yesterday I recalled an occasion as a child when I was inspired by a passage in 1 Kings 18 to build a small altar of rocks in the back yard.  My actions were inspired by God's response to the prayer of Elijah atop Mount Carmel by causing fire to fall from heaven and consume the sacrifice.  I hoped to be amazed by divine fire igniting the dried pine needles I carefully perched on a pile of rocks.  Around the altar I had carved a trench I dutifully filled with water as Elijah had.  I prayed to the God of heaven, but alas, no fire fell.  And it was a good thing too.  God would not indulge a child with the equivalent of playing with matches.

Looking back on that day long ago under the big pine tree, it is instructive of common mistakes even adults can make when it comes to miraculous signs:  I was focused on the wrong things.  I wanted to see fire fall from heaven, but I didn't consider why God caused fire to fall and consume the sacrifice on Mount Carmel.  God caused fire to fall and consume the sacrifice for the purpose of revealing His reality, power, and superiority over the idols the people worshipped - not just to show Elijah was a genuine prophet or to amaze the people.  People enjoy seeing incredible, even miraculous things.  And there is something in us which enjoys the thought of harnessing such power to achieve our ends - even just to impress others.

Another thing I did not consider was God's desire for the people to re-establish the worship of God according to His prescribed order.  The people were divided in their allegiance between God and Ba'al.  Because of wicked King Ahab and his wife Jezebel the prophets of God had been hunted and slaughtered whilst the prophets of Ba'al numbered in the hundreds.  1 Kings 18:30 reads, "Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down."  Even as the altar had broken down, so the relationship with God had been broken through idolatry and neglect.  My thoughts weren't focused at all on the glory and worship of God but what I wanted done.  Calling down fire from heaven was about what God could do for me.  After the altar was restored 1 Kings 18:36 says, "And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word."  Elijah drew near to God in prayer and affirmed all he did that day was for God's sake in obedience to God.

Though I tried to follow the example of Elijah, my model had one crucial omission:  the lack of a sacrifice!  I believe it was Leonard Ravenhill, a man revered for his praying who said, "Everyone wants my mantle, but no one wants my sackcloth and ashes."  The gist of this quote is suggests people desire to have influence with the almighty God, yet are unwilling to present themselves before God as a living sacrifice.  Isaac was willing to be bound and laid upon the altar by Abraham according to God's command, and God graciously supplied a ram as a substitute.  It is Jesus Christ who is the Lamb of God who was slain on Calvary as a sacrifice for sinners once for all and therefore put to death the need of sacrificing animals according to the divine Law.  God caused divine fire to fall in the person of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost who regenerates, fills all believers, and guides us into all truth.

If we desire to see fire to fall from heaven, we must be willing to be the living sacrifice upon whom it falls.  Paul exhorted believers in Romans 12:1-2, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."   Fire purges, purifies, and consumes; it heats and provides light in darkness.  May it be our lives would provide opportunity for God to restore people to Himself through our obedience so He might be glorified.