Hallowing God's Name

I have been reading through Radical Prayer by Manny Mill recently, and it has been a good reminder of the importance to cultivate a lifestyle of prayer to God.  One of the points which was spot on was an explanation of what is commonly called "The Lord's Prayer," a prayer commonly recited.  This is ironic, as Jesus had just warned His disciples about vain repetition in prayer during the Sermon on the Mount!  Then Jesus said, "In this manner therefore pray, 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name.'"  Because Jesus told His disciples to follow His manner of prayer, some have interpreted this to be a "model" prayer.  I have heard different explanations of how this model should be used.  In his book, Manny Mill goes a refreshingly different direction.  He points out the words of Jesus are more than an affirmation of God's holiness, and actually are a request for God's name to be hallowed and glorified in everything.  All the requests from this point were with this in mind.

Mill quoted Dr. John Piper concerning this point in a message he delivered:  "In this petition, we hear explicitly (it may be implicit in the others, but only here is it explicit) - we hear the one specific response of the human heart that God requires of all human beings - the hallowing, reverencing, honouring, esteeming, admiring, valuing, treasuring of God's name above all things.  None of the other five requests tells us explicitly to pray for a specific human response of the heart." (Mill, Manny, Harold Smith, and Barbara Mill. Radical Prayer: The Power of Being Bold and Persistent. 77. Print.)  This explains the heart behind the prayers of Christ, that in all things God would be praised, worshiped, and reverenced.   This is the why of prayer, for God to be consecrated and above all in power and glory.  To pray for the glory of God and to hallow His name will change the way we pray and honour God through prayer like never before.  Manny shared how this realisation transformed his prayer life.  He wrote,

"When I began to fully grasp that our aim, at all times, is to hallow God's holy name, my prayer life was transformed.  Take the petition for daily bread, for example.  Previously, I would ask God to supply my family's needs, which Jesus tells us is something we should pray for.  However, I now realised that I needed to make this request more out of my concern for God's glory that for my family's actual needs.  In other words, I now ask God the Father to provide my daily bread so that I will have energy to hallow His name through prayer.  I ask for my family's provisions so that they too will be able to hallow God's name and live lives that show others the faithfulness of God.

I saw that praying for God to keep me from temptation and to deliver me from the evil one was not so much about my avoiding the painful consequences of sin as it was that God's name would be glorified through the testimony of my transferred life.  How can I come into His presence to hallow his name in prayer if I am involved in sin?  How can I testify to others of His transforming power if I give in to the sinful temptations around me?  I can't.  Therefore, I pray that God will deliver me from temptations and keep me from sinning in order that I may glorify Him in all that I do." (ibid. 79-80.)

Might this insight transform your prayer life too, that our requests would be made to hallow God's name and make Him look awesome rather than just asking for ourselves?  He is already awesome beyond compare, and as He heard and answered the prayers of Jesus Christ so He will respond to all who desire and seek to hallow God's name.  Our motive for praying is as important - perhaps even more important - than the words we use or our specific requests because God knows us and what we need even before we ask Him!  God is looking and listening for those praying in the Holy Spirit whose motives are aligned with His will.  God will see His name hallowed without our help, but what a gracious blessing we are invited to join with Him to that end.

God Lifts Us Up

Yesterday marked the opening day for the National Football League regular season.  After my sons arrived home from school in the afternoon, we watched the San Diego Chargers lose a game in overtime to the division rival Kansas City Chiefs.  It was more than just a tough loss to a division foe on the road, but far worse than that was our best receiver went down in the first half with a torn ACL.  Having endured that injury myself, I know it will be a long and painful road back for Keenan Allen.

Health is a precarious thing, especially for gridiron players.  There have been at least five or six season-ending injuries for Charger's starting players on offense by the end of the first game!  Players work offseason and training camp to be fit to play in the NFL, and to see it all over in an instant was hard to watch.  Number 13 was firing on all cylinders in the game and was unstoppable.  Move after move, catch after catch, he rose from the turf triumphant, celebrating each first down.  After a spectacular grab he placed his hand to his ear, having silenced the crowd.  He was letting the Kansas City players hear all about it too, charged up over a fast 21-3 advantage.  But suddenly, shockingly, there he was curled up on the ground.  No one had tackled him.  He simply was running and untouched fell to the ground as if a sniper took out his right knee.  For Keenan Allen, one of the best in the business, his game and 2016 season came to a end with six receptions.

My heart went out to the man as I watched him sob uncontrollably as he was carted off the field.  He couldn't hide his disappointment, and he was man enough not to attempt to hide his broken heart behind a stoic facade and a "thumbs up" as the game resumed.  I couldn't help notice the difference between the confident strut after catching a pass and the broken man hauled off the field, his jersey soaked with tears.  It was a contrast as stark as night and day.  I have seen the same thing in MMA fighters who all talk a big game before the fight.  Listening to all the trash talking makes it sound like neither combatant could possibly lose.  But within a matter of seconds, minutes, or a round or two, one of them is bloodied, tapping out, or unconscious on the canvas.  Champions fall.  Dreams are dashed.  Plans change abruptly without warning.  A knee ligament which has been strong for decades suddenly fails.  What then?  How will we respond when it happens to us?

All strength and success of men comes to an end, yet God's divine strength and resources are without limit.  We will fail others, and our health may fail us, but in all things we are more than conquerors through faith in Jesus Christ.  Life if more than games, health, and winning.  Those who humbly place their faith in Christ have new life and love nothing can ever separate us from.  God reminded His people in Isaiah 40:28-31:  "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. ²⁹  He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. ³⁰  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, ³¹  but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."  Keeping your chin up is sometimes impossible, but the LORD is the lifter of our heads.  In looking to God we find ourselves miraculously sustained and can rejoice even when these bodies fail.  When our bodies let us down, God lifts us up.

Perspective!

Christianity is far more than a belief system or a tradition which governs behaviour:  it is a complete transformation of the person from within by the indwelling power of God.  A person born again through faith in Jesus is empowered to live life from a new perspective.  Instead of self being our central point of focus, a love for God and others governs our thoughts, attitudes, words, and deeds.  Things we naturally used to do without thinking brings conviction from the Holy Spirit.  We have an new desire to feed on the truth of the Bible and our spiritual appetites change.  The transformation God works within us is both immediate and continual.  We are born again as new creations in Christ yet there is a path to maturity we must intentionally embrace through obedience to God.

Hagar the Egyptian is a wonderful example of God's grace.  Though she was a Gentile, God revealed Himself to her and spoke kindly to her.  After she ran away from Sarai the LORD told her to return to her mistress.  He told her the baby she carried should be named Ishmael which means, "God will hear."  She was so impacted by the divine interaction she called the spring of water where she met with the Angel of the LORD "You are the God who sees" (Genesis 16:13).  All God said came to pass.  The fact her son was named according to the word of the Angel of the LORD suggests she believed His promise to multiply her seed beyond count.  When Ishmael was a teen, they experienced a great trial.  One morning Abraham gave her some bread and water and sent them away for good.  Though God had commanded Abraham to do so, it must have been a frightful proposition for Hagar and Ishmael to be sent away.  Where could they go?  They ended up wandering in the wilderness until their water ran out.

About 17 years earlier, Hagar had been personally met by the God who hears and sees.  Yet in her desperate circumstance it seems she forgot about Him.  She was so consumed in grief for her dying son she did not even think to pray.  She placed her son under a shrub as he cried because of thirst, and she moved a distance away from Ishmael because she couldn't bear the though of watching him die.  She sobbed loudly.  Now this is a terrible situation to think about, much less experience.  Though Hagar forgot about God, He graciously heard and saw her plight.  Genesis 21:17-19 reads, "And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, "What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. ¹⁸  Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation." ¹⁹  Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink."  Blinded by fear, Hagar forgot the God who would never forget her.  God graciously opened her eyes and she saw a well of water nearby, and both she and her son were saved.

Think about God's initial question.  How might you have responded in Hagar's situation if someone asked, "What ails you?"  In bitterness and anger I might have answered with shock:  "What ails me?  Are you serious?  I've just been sent away from my home for good, I don't know where I am in this wilderness, I don't know where I am going, we are out of water, my son is dying, and all hope is lost!  You have no idea what I'm going through.  Shows what you know asking me, 'What ails you?'"  That sort of answer reveals a need for a change of perspective.  It was not just anyone asking the question, but the God who hears and sees.  In light of God's grace, goodness, and power, Hagar's perceived problems were not a problem.  Wasn't God the One who created life, caused Hagar to conceive Ishmael, and knew their needs?  Hadn't He given her the promise that He would make of Ishmael a great nation?  If Hagar would have remembered the God who sees and hears, recalled to mind the promises He had made concerning her son, and trusted God rather than despair, nothing could have ailed Hagar - even lost in a wilderness without water.

For those who trust in God, remembering who God is and all He has done brings refreshment to our souls like water to a those parched in a dry land.  As blood-bought children of the Most High God, we do not need to be afraid.  We have assurance of great promises through God's Word.  We have access through the Holy Spirit to the Living God who loves us and does everything.  Psalm 46:1-5 provides this God-centred perspective:  "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. ²  Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; ³  Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah ⁴  There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. ⁵  God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn."  It may seem God delays to help us, but in His wisdom He refines our faith.  Your world might be torn apart, but God will hold you together.  Tears may flow during the night, but joy comes in the morning.  Just at the break of dawn God will send help according to His promise for He has said, "I will never leave or forsake you."

The Fallen Tree

It's been a bit windy in Sydney of late, and the picture above of the fallen tree at the baseball field in rouse Hill is evidence!  The fall of this sizable tree revealed the reason why:  very few large roots.  For the many years I have walked past it on the way to train or play baseball games, the tree appeared healthy and strong.  But all it took was a bit of wind to topple the tree and prove the roots were not sufficient to support the weight.  Without adequate roots the tree had no chance.

Jesus told a parable about a sower who sowed seed.  This tree reminded me of the seed (the word of God) which was scattered on thin or rocky soil.  Mark 4:5-6 reads, "Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. ⁶ But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away."  Jesus explained the meaning of this part of the parable in Mark 4:16-17:  "These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; ¹⁷ and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble."  Similar to this tree which wind revealed shallowness of root depth, so trials and persecution reveal hearts which the Word of God has no depth.  People who rejoiced to receive the Good News of Jesus can fall away over time and it shows there was no genuine conversion.

This tree illustrates that what is under the surface matters most.  Large growth does not mean fruitfulness or strength in trials.  Many people have been laid low with sin because their roots were shallow and God's Word was not well established in their hearts.  I am not an arborist or dendrologist, but the tree appears to be a total loss.  But praise be to God, He is gracious to fallen sinners!  He does not write us off as firewood, but those who repent He establishes again.  What is impossible with men is possible with God.  The big takeaway I had from seeing the fallen tree was to consider the condition of my heart:  is the Word of God bearing fruit in my life?  Has my heart become dry and hard?  This tree could be me.  In fact, it could be anyone.  God is the One who gives us strength to stand by His grace.  It is faith in God which enables us to hold fast!

Importance of Confession

When it comes to confession, there is no shortage of opinions.  Because of individual experiences, backgrounds, and church practices, there is a wide range about the importance and practice of confession.  Some think it is only necessary between the sinner and God, and others have times in their meetings set aside for "open confession."  In Edwin Orr's book "All Your Need," the evangelist spoke of the importance of public confession to make way for revival.  He was careful to point out that he moderated the gathering with specific instructions:  he strongly objected to detailed confessions and warned he would silence any offender; he always exhorted born-again Christians - not the unsaved - to confess the hindrance to revival; and after explaining the blood of Jesus cleanses from all sins, he spoke of "confession as a means to forgiveness and blessing." (Orr, J. Edwin, "All Your Need 10,000 Miles of Miracle through Austraila and New Zealand." Marshall, Morgan & Scott, London, page 119)

In the Bible we read of private confession before God and public confession before men.  Jesus commanded those who had sinned against someone to go to them alone in humility for reconciliation.  Orr contends in many cases sins which are not openly confessed leads to inevitable defeat.  I agree with this assessment based upon the examples and commands of scripture.  How this should be implemented requires the leading of the Holy Spirit, a thorough examination of motives, and an attitude of prayer.  1 John 1:9 says concerning private confession before God, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Confession before God is adequate for us to be forgiven before a holy God.  But experience has shown all of us it does not mean we will forsake the very same sin or experience the victory God has given through Jesus.

Proverbs 28:13 says, "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy."  Because a man cannot hide or cover his sin from the eyes of God, I believe this passage is speaking about hiding our sins from others.  Since this is the context, humbly confessing our sins to one another is a key step to actually forsaking them and receiving the mercy of God.  That sin you may be battling, the shameful struggle you have not dared to admit to another person, may require you to confess biblically to be free of it.  It is written in James 5:16, "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."  In obedience to the word of God we can have absolute confidence our confession of sin and fervent prayer with others will avail much.

There are examples of this in the New Testament.  After the woman with the flow of blood touched the hem of Christ's garment He stopped and asked, "Who touched me?"  He proceeded to turn around a look at her who had done this.  Before Him and all the people she fell at His feet and confessed all.  After hearing her words Jesus said, "Your faith has made you whole."  Confession was part of the process to wholeness (Mark 5:33-34).  Another great example of the benefit of public confession which resulted in freedom from bondage to sin is in Acts 19:18-20:  "And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. ¹⁹ Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. ²⁰ So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed."  Christians who had been in sin confessed their deeds, and many who had practiced magic in the past brought their books to be burned.  And what was the result?  The word of the LORD grew mightily and prevailed.  The implication is these people had the word of God before, but it was not until they took the step to burn their other books the scriptures could prevail in their personal lives and their city.  What might we be keeping in our closet or library which ought to go because it is restraining the effectiveness of God's Word?

There is a deception of the enemy all we need to do is confess our sin to God and we have done what is necessary for wholeness.  In one sense it is true God has done everything for us and is enough, but He has also sovereignly placed us with others to comprise the Body of Christ, His church.  Why does He tell us to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another if "talking only to God about it" would suffice?  Having "accountability" is talked about these days, but how can we be accountable to anyone if we do not first confess?  Perhaps the reluctance to public confession comes as a reaction against Roman Catholic confession or because of damage by grossly detailed confessions which have torn families and churches apart.  Regardless of the reasons we would rather not "go there," I am convinced confession according to scripture is needful.  May the LORD guide and direct each one of us in how to be obedient and honour God in this area.  When confession is done correctly as led by the Holy Spirit, the Body of Christ will be strengthened and edified.

Church Dysmorphia

I went through a season during a time of spiritual growth where I was concerned with the lame condition of "the church."  Looking back I can say I was preoccupied with negative views of the church at large, and I am truly glad to say it was relatively brief.  The truth is, I was the lame one and because of the log in my own eye I was keenly aware of imagined weakness and failure in others.  Whilst Christians are not perfect, Jesus is perfectly capable to maintain the health and growth of His Body.  He doesn't have the body dysmorphia humans are prone to.  No matter how much we slim down we can see ourselves in a negative light.  Because of God's grace and righteousness the Body of Christ is clean and sanctified.

Even as I have experienced the pitfall of being judgmental of others, I have experienced the smug self-righteousness of a Pharisee.  This is a common condition when spiritual knowledge is combined with a measure of pride.  From this lofty vantage point it is easy to preach against the evils of the world, mock people for their folly, and even shake our heads sympathetically at errors made by people and nations in the Bible.  This is a great waste of biblical truth, to apply it to condemn others without carefully judging ourselves by the same standard.  You are part of the church, believer, and the only one you will answer for before God is yourself.

The truth of scripture has been provided for our learning so we might have hope.  It is not to be applied theoretically to others, but to your own heart and life by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus did not blast the Roman government in the synagogues, but spoke against the self-righteous Jewish religious leaders.  Jesus did not speak to His disciples to mock those enslaved to lusts and sins among the Gentiles, but He warned of a betrayer among His chosen disciples.  He corrected and instructed His followers.  Jesus did not pronounce woe on the idolatrous priests or temple prostitutes, but He spoke many woes on religious hypocrites among His people.

Here is a point I find interesting:  a vast majority of the prophets sent by God were sent to God's people who were in sin.  He did not send prophets to the Philistines or the Amalekites.  The prophets came to God's people to warn them of coming judgment for their sin, to urge them to repent.  Did the people listen?  No!  God's prophets were mocked, beaten, even killed for their trouble.  But God did send reluctant Jonah to the Gentile Ninevites.  Guess what?  They repented in dust and ashes!  Jesus was sent to the lost sheep of Israel and they largely rejected Him.  Jesus proclaimed in Matthew 11:21-22, "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²² But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you."  We don't find Old Testament prophets being sent to Tyre and Sidon, but they would have repented had Jesus done His mighty works there.  If we in the church apply the exhortation, rebuke, and instruction of God's Word to those in the world without applying it personally, we miss everything.  God wants to speak to His people:  are you one who hears and obeys?

I am humbled by the fact for many years I scorned the "sinning" world with biblical passages God intended I be confronted with myself.  How angry I was over the evils of the world, yet I was comfortable in sin as a believer!  Brothers and sisters, this ought not to be!  Won't God judge hypocrites?  We ought to be moved with compassion as Jesus was for the lost people in the world and apply the severest threatenings of scriptures to ourselves.  We hold the truth of God in our hands, affirm it to be so, and yet do not care to practice it!  Judgment begins at the house of God and all will ultimately be judged by God.  Those who have been given the sober duty of teaching God's Word must be careful not use your platform to condemn "the church" or the world in pride without repentance for our own sin.  We aren't to be smug and clubby as if the judgment of Christ does not apply to us.  God knows His people even as a shepherd knows the sheep from the goats.

If you are a sheep of God's pasture, than before God live in a way worthy of such a calling.  If we would be as vigilant to walk uprightly before God as we try to look good before men it would be a good start.  However, even this motive is of the flesh and sinful.  When we are indignant over the sins of others we do well to examine our own hearts empowered by the Holy Spirit.  It is written in Romans 2:1, "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things."  God is the Judge, and those who judge themselves will not be judged (Matt. 7:1-5).  God has given me the scriptures for me to apply personally to my life, not theoretically to others.  Once I am walking uprightly with a heart purified from pride, then I will be able to help others be restored to a good standing before God (Gal. 6:1).  Reversing the order is like trying to reap before planting, a fruitless prospect indeed.

Heart Maintenance

Spring is in the air in Sydney and that means pulling out the lawn mower, line trimmer, and edger.  Shrubs and grass shot up with our recent rain, and birds have been feasting on the seed pods on the liquid amber which grows out front.  Since my baseball game was washed out Saturday due to rain, I decided to seize the opportunity to begin yard maintenance sooner than later.

Now I hadn't paid much attention to the state of the lawn recently because the LORD supplies adequate rain, the grass stays mostly green year round, and the turf grows extremely slow during winter months.  Before mowing I decided to pull a couple of weeds I could see.  As I leaned over for a better grip, I noticed some clover growing in plain sight.  Before long I was crawling around on the lawn pulling out weeds I hadn't noticed before!  And it's not like the front yard is particularly big.  I had walked along the path to the front door only metres away multiple times a day and never noticed the weeds.  They were growing - well, like weeds - right under my nose without my knowledge.

As I crawled around, amazed at the amount of weeds which blended well into the grass, the idea came to my mind:  there are insights concerning our own hearts we can only discover from a similar posture before God on our knees.  New seasons bring growth, and in growing seasons of our lives there can be weeds growing up with fruitful crops in our hearts.  The Bible is compared to good seed which is fruitful when it is sowed into a prepared heart.  We must be intentional in searching our hearts, asking God to show us if there is any wicked way in us.  It seems pulling weeds is a job never finished, and neither is repentance for sins before God.  We can be content to deal with sin on levels of feelings or actions, but God is interested in the heart.  When we are ready to humbly cooperate with God in repentance for sin, God provides strength and the grip to pluck those weeds up by the roots.

It is on our knees before a holy God our sinfulness becomes exceedingly sinful.  At the same time His grace towards us is magnified.  I grow weary of pulling weeds, but God does not grow weary with His children who repent.  Galatians 6:7-10 says, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. ⁹ And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."  It is good for us to repent, and let us not grow weary in doing good.  Take the opportunity to do some heart maintenance today!

Chaff and Wheat

"The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?" says the LORD."

Jeremiah 23:28

Chaff is the thin papery material without nutritional value which covers grain.  Farmers would harvest grain and thresh grain, separating the grain from the wheathead.  The threshed grain was then "winnowed," by tossing it into the air with a slight breeze.  In this manner the chaff was blown away easily and only the edible grain remained.  The worthless chaff in no way made the wholesome grain less nutritious or rendered useless for planting.  Chaff and wheat come from the same stalk, but even a child can tell the difference between them.  A child of God, through the Holy Spirit, is given spiritual discernment to tell error from truth.

God encouraged prophets to share their dreams, and those who had His word to speak it faithfully.   He concluded the verse with, "What is the chaff to the wheat?"  God's Word, the Bible, is compared to fruitful seed.  Practically and spiritually it  has infinite nutritional value.  Loads of chaff does not threaten the quality of grain or make it without value.  450 prophets of Ba'al prophesying was nothing compared to one prophet of God who spoke God's Word.  Through God Elijah had more spiritual power than all the false prophets in the history of the world combined!  As Christians we can have complete confidence in the truth and power of God's Word to transform lives and save souls.  All the dreams, visions, and fanciful winds of doctrine should not cause us to abandon God's truth.

The LORD continued in Jeremiah 23:29-32:  "Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? ³⁰ "Therefore behold, I am against the prophets," says the LORD, "who steal My words every one from his neighbor. ³¹ Behold, I am against the prophets," says the LORD, "who use their tongues and say, 'He says.' ³² Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," says the LORD, "and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all," says the LORD."  God's Word sown into prepared hearts will be profitable, but those who speak chaff will not profit anyone at all.  There are plenty of people who claim to speak for God or emphatically swear they have the truth, but only God's Word is like a fire, like a hammer that breaks rock in pieces.  God and His words have real power, and not one of them will pass away.

In the Bible we have the very Word of God:  unchanging, unfailing truth.  It is truth which has burnt up arguments and lies.  It has laid bare deceptions of dreams, exposing them as fraudulent.  God sometimes speaks to people through dreams, and these legitimate dreams will survive the harshest tests of God's Word.  The chaff will be driven away by the wind!  The scriptures have hammered away and broken hearts harder than granite and supplied new life through the Gospel.  What a treasure we hold in our hands when we pick up the Bible!  Better than words on a page, the very words of God can be sown into hearts and applied in everyday life.  That is when our lives become fruitful and blessed.

The SpongeBob Lesson

During scripture class recently I asked a year six boy, "If you could ask for anything in the world, what would it be?"  His eyes looked up at the ceiling as he grinned, thinking it over.  "I know what I would ask for," he said almost bashfully.  "Well, what would it be?"  He replied, "It's about someone who is yellow and square."  "Oh?  Would that be SpongeBob SquarePants!"  "Yes!" he gleefully shouted.  "The SpongeBob SquarePants movie!"  Later I thought to myself the boy had set the bar ridiculously low.  He was given the freedom to ask for anything in the world but chose a DVD.  Imagine being able to supply someone's ultimate dream for $20!

Do you know God once asked Solomon a similar question in 1 Kings 3:5?  In a dream God said to Solomon, "Ask!  What shall I give you?"  God did not include the caveat "up to half of my kingdom" typical of royalty.  Our answer to the question depends on who is asking and what is reasonable.  If my grandmother Gammy had asked me this, I knew she had many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  She didn't have an endless supply of resources so a DVD might have been appropriate.  But God's wealth is not spread thin!  There's nothing He cannot give!  Because God is the Creator of everything and all is subject to Him, He could have given Solomon anything he asked for.  Solomon asked for wisdom to rule God's people, and God gave him that and much more besides.

As I thought about the SpongeBob SquarePants Movie answer, I was convicted when the LORD spoke to my heart.  It occurred to me God has everything and yet many of my prayers and requests aim very low.  Before a God who desires to do the impossible and be extravagantly powerful, generous, and gracious to His people, my requests are the equivalent of asking for a DVD.  I sometimes ask for things God has already promised to be doing or for things He has already given!  As children of God through faith in Christ we have complete access to our Father in heaven whose great pleasure is to give us the kingdom, yet we fix our desire on insignificant things.  I imagine for that lad SpongeBob won't seem so wonderful years from now.  How about asking God for things only He can give and do?  Why not ask for the impossible?  We can be silly and shortsighted with lame requests when God offers us His presence, power, and wisdom.  Can you imagine God offering us Himself, forgiveness, and grace and we sigh because it wasn't the DVD equivalent we had our heart set on?  God's wants our hearts set on Him and He is worthy!

How cool is that?  God is so amazing He can use even a SpongeBob DVD to teach valuable life lessons of eternal value!

Sorry School House Rock!

When I was a kid, there was a popular educational program called "School House Rock" which used the slogan, "Knowledge is Power!"  School House Rock helped me to memorise the Preamble in my year 8 History class taught by Mr. Kennedy.  I even had a retro School House Rock t-shirt when I was in high school!  But as educational and useful as the program was, after assessing the slogan biblically I must confess the slogan "Knowledge is Power!" is untrue.  Whilst knowledge is beneficial when used wisely, it has no power in itself to accomplish anything.  Education alone does not have the power to cure any ills.  Being able to recite the Preamble in no way supplies power to live in the way the forefathers of the United States intended.

Knowledge is a useful means, but not an end.  God lamented His people perished for a lack of knowledge.  He had the power to save and deliver them, but they continued to ignore His Law and live as was right in their own eyes.  Yet God's people also exposed the pitfalls of knowledge which led to pride and self-righteousness.  The Jews made the knowledge of God's Law and putting it into practice according to tradition the end instead of realising the Law was given so people might have fellowship with God.  Paul wrote in the second part of 1 Corinthians 8:1, "We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies."  We have all been given the knowledge of good and evil, but knowledge of good does not supply us the power to always do good.  Knowledge could never make a man be good.

This fact is plainly demonstrated in many aspects of life.  I may be able to read and understand a recipe which tells me the ingredients in measure, the heat of the oven, and the proper order to  mix the batter.  But this knowledge does not mean I will choose to follow it, nor does it mean my best efforts will result in a good outcome!  I may know the rules of baseball, but that does not mean I am physically able to play it.  I might know what shot to play in cricket when a bouncer comes at my head, but that doesn't mean I can execute the shot.  I may know how to read and write and do advanced maths, but it does not mean I will be admitted into my preferred university or obtain the job I desire.  Sorry School House Rock, but knowledge is not power.  Knowledge is incapable to supply the power necessary to accomplish anything or see it properly applied to my life.

The power of knowledge in itself is a mirage, but there is true power in Jesus Christ demonstrated by His resurrection from the dead.  The knowledge that a man has three weeks to live will not prolong his life or change the doctor's diagnosis.  But there is power in the Gospel to save souls and transform hearts and minds.  Knowledge of the Gospel is the path to the power of God received by faith in Jesus.  As it is written in 2 Timothy 1:6-10, "Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. ⁸ Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, ⁹ who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, ¹⁰ but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,"  Paul reminded Timothy of what he had received through the Gospel:  a spiritual gift and vitality, a spirit of power, love, and of a sound mind.  Jesus has abolished death for all who repent and trust in Him, and has brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel - critical knowledge indeed!

It is God who saves, not knowledge.  Knowledge is very important and involved in salvation, don't get me wrong:  but knowledge in itself has no power to do, save, or redeem.  It is Christ who justifies, not our knowledge of Christ or understanding of the doctrine of justification.  Knowledge of God according to the Bible leads to unending and infinite power through Jesus Christ.

Accept All Things

One of the audio messages which has been a blessing to me lately was one spoken by the late pastor Steve Mays called "Being Content."  He broke down the last chapter of Philippians 4 into three major points:  I accept all things, I can do all things, and I have all things.  Paul had learned in whatever state he was to be content in Christ, and it seems through many trials Steve Mays could say the same.  Often God uses trying circumstances to teach us these invaluable lessons.

The point "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" was the one most often stressed by my teachers during my young life with Christ.  Yet with added clarity looking back, because I could not say "I accept all things" or "I have all things" meant I actually could not do all things!  It is a seldom discussed concept that there are things God allows in our lives we must learn to accept.  In some things we overcome not by their removal from our lives but by our continued perseverance despite them.  Paul was brought to that point of acceptance when God saw fit to allow a messenger from Satan into his life.  God didn't remind Paul that he could "do all things" and therefore labour to remove this perceived hindrance from his life.  What Paul called a thorn God used as a goad to humility and increased usefulness.

Whether concerning personal life or ministry, we are often not content because our identity is not founded solely on Christ.  We think we cannot do all things because we do not have all things.  You see, if we had all things, we could do all things, and then our situation would be acceptable!  What Paul had learned was in Christ he already had all things, therefore he could do all things, and was content in every situation - even when it concerned a messenger of Satan which buffeted him.  There is much speculation and debate about what the thorn was, but Paul already made it plain:  a messenger of Satan.  The details don't really matter, for the lesson is applicable to all seasons and trials of this life.  Acceptance of what God has allowed is not a passive "letting go" or "giving up" but is a intentional act of reliance upon God as we expectantly wait on Him.

It is a glorious day when we joyfully praise God for the trial, not thanking God in spite of it.  A person who accepts all things from the loving hand of God realises through faith the supernatural ability and abundance we have through Jesus Christ.  In Christ we have all things and we are without limitation.  Paul's prayers had been answered, and this poses a question for us:  will we accept all things and be content?

God and Oysters

I am amazed and grateful how God is able to redeem flawed people for His glory.  In the fable of Rumpelstiltskin, that conniving imp was able to spin straw into gold but God does infinitely greater still.  Even the most fantastic fantasies cannot measure up to the wisdom and power of God in saving lost sinners and making them children of God.  God's grace and power is revealed in our weakness, even our failings He redeems for practical good and eternal glory.

After preaching yesterday, God spoke to me as I sung songs of worship to Him.  I had concluded the message, but God had more to say to me.  In a lovely way He laid out some additional points I hadn't even considered during study - really good ones.  When Jesus fed the 5,000 to the full there were still leftovers, and it was true concerning the message preached yesterday.  I trust even as God was able to speak to my heart, He spoke to others as well despite my shortcomings.  Over lunch we discussed the sermon as a family and when called out on a point needed to admit I made an error in interpretation.  It was over a minor point, but even making small mistakes hits hard when you aim to do your best.  Praise the LORD, for even with word-fumbling, mis-reading, or poor interpretation, God is able to speak unhindered.  I love that!

It reminds me of an "Our Daily Bread" devotion I read years ago called "The Oyster Man" by Cindy Hess Kasper.  Here is a large portion of the 9 April 2008 entry by Kasper:

In the days of John Wesley, lay preachers with limited education would sometimes conduct the church services. One man used Luke 19:21 as his text: “Lord, I feared Thee, because Thou art an austere man” (KJV). Not knowing the word austere, he thought the text spoke of “an oyster man.”  He explained how a diver must grope in dark, freezing water to retrieve oysters. In his attempt, he cuts his hands on the sharp edges of the shells. After he obtains an oyster, he rises to the surface, clutching it “in his torn and bleeding hands.” The preacher added, “Christ descended from the glory of heaven into . . . sinful human society, in order to retrieve humans and bring them back up with Him to the glory of heaven. His torn and bleeding hands are a sign of the value He has placed on the object of His quest.” Afterward, 12 men received Christ. Later that night someone came to Wesley to complain about unschooled preachers who were too ignorant even to know the meaning of the texts they were preaching on. The Oxford-educated Wesley simply said, “Never mind. The Lord got a dozen oysters tonight.”

Praise the LORD how He can use anyone to be a useful part of His Body, the church.  The best efforts of our flesh fall short, but God is a Redeemer.  Jesus can take a meagre lunch for a boy and in His hands turn it into a feast for thousands!  There is more where that came from!

Choose God's Adventure

In my primary school years I enjoyed the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books.  With plenty of pictures set in exotic locations, reading those books was almost like a game because the reader's decisions affected the outcome of the story.  At the bottom of the pages you could choose an action which directed you to a numbered page to continue to story.  One choice would bring you closer to treasure and the other ended in death as frogmen cut your oxygen supply.  The one thing I didn't like about the books is sometimes no matter what choices you made, the outcome was always a disaster.  I can't count how many times I retraced my steps and changed my decisions along the way, but it seemed there were no happy or victorious endings possible.  If this was the case, it was onto the next book to seek the ever-elusive satisfactory ending.  Besides, the school library had heaps of them.

The life of faith in following Jesus is always and adventure, and has the best ending:  eternal life in God's presence in heaven.  Yet at the same time every day God gives everyone the freedom to make choices which affect our life on earth now and all eternity.  Because God is "in control" we might assume people are no more than pawns or robots which do His divine bidding.  The Bible reveals this is not the case.  God has made His will known through scripture, but He allows people to make choices which are completely opposed to His will.  He permits things to happen we would certainly prevent if we were in charge!  There is a meekness, grace, and patience demonstrated in God's character which is entirely foreign to human beings.  Though He is God over all, He created men with the capacity to freely choose - to live as a god of sorts - not as animals governed by instinct.  When we willingly choose to lay down our will to submit to His own in faith, it demonstrates we actually love and trust God.  Because God allowed man to have a will of his own and freedom to choose, it is very significant in God's eyes when we choose to obey Him.

If God is not threatened by giving men the freedom for real choice, we should respect the freedoms of others to choose as well.  Totalitarian governments and regimes rule by force and fear, but God rules with infinitely greater power through love, grace, acceptance, and righteousness.  To choose to follow Jesus and walk in love allows men to embark on the greatest adventure in the universe, for it is the first step in truly knowing and understanding the almighty God who created and first loved us.  True adventure and satisfaction isn't found by traveling to exotic locations or having all the world has to offer, but in knowing God.  It is written in Jeremiah 9:23-24:  "Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; ²⁴ but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD."

Like there were plenty of "Choose Your Own Adventure" books at my primary school, the world holds forth numerous offerings to attract us.  Consider your own experience for a second:  no matter the promise or how high our expectations, regardless how profound an experience, we are always left hungry and wanting more, bigger, better.  Even before the ride at the amusement park was over we were wanting to ride it again.  During an amazing holiday we thought about how the next one could be better.  Genuine satisfaction and contentment is found through faith in Jesus Christ.  Life as a child of God is amazing.  When He leads you on an adventure, it will be the thrill of your life that never ends.  To know God and to know He loves me!  It doesn't get any better than that.