This morning Drew and I returned from a four-day jaunt to New Zealand to speak at the Calvary Chapel Bible Institute. It was a blessing as we enjoyed the fellowship of Jesus Christ with staff and students alike. It is a wonderful privilege to catch a small glimpse of what God is doing in another part of the globe.
My first impression when flying into New Zealand was lush, green beauty. Ironically, the Bible Institute is located directly across the street from a thermal pool and spa resort called, "Hell's Gate." On one side of the road people are spreading their beliefs concerning Ruaukoto, the Maori god of earthquakes and volcanic activity, while on the other side people are teaching the Good News of Jesus Christ, the One True God. The demons worshiped by the Maori people have great power and influence over man, but the Almighty God is both Creator and Supreme Ruler. Demons can copy God to a fixed point He ordains and deserve no worship. 2 Samuel 22:7-9 reads, "In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry entered His ears. 8 "Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, because He was angry. 9 Smoke went up from His nostrils, and devouring fire from His mouth; coals were kindled by it."
Not only did we enjoy several wonderful days at the Bible Institute, but we were treated to an afternoon of walking through the city of Rotorua. One of the things I wanted to do was drink an "L & P," which is "world-famous in New Zealand." In May of 2009 in Brisbane was the last and only time I had previously enjoyed the drink. After Drew and I had ice cream (I chose "dark chocolate raspberry and chili" which I highly recommend) we walked around, handed out some Gospel tracts, and spoke with folks from Calvary Chapel Rotorua. The anointing of the Holy Spirit permeated our evening, and we rejoiced in the grace and greatness of our God.
Our prayers for a safe return to Australia were answered, and I am happy to be back in the land of OZ. As I shared with both students and staff of my testimony concerning God's call and faithfulness to me and my family in Australia, it reaffirmed how good and gracious God has been. How blessed and privileged we are to be broken by Him so He can heal and use us for His glory. Over and over He bids us trust in Him, for He shall bring His perfect will to pass. Rejoice in the LORD, believer, wherever God has you now. Give no room for impatience! Instead, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. Be faithful, even as God is faithful. He will establish His Word!
15 March 2012
08 March 2012
When the Devil says no...but God says yes!
Every Christian knows we are pitched in a spiritual battle. Our flesh, Satan, and the world under his sway resist and rage against obedience to Jesus Christ and the Word of God. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit and faith in Christ that we can overcome. Though our awareness or sensitivity to this battle against satanic wickedness and obedience to God might at times be muted, other times we become acutely aware of how much the devil hates God and all those who trust in Him.
Jesus was condemned and crucified an innocent man, though He had only always done what had pleased the Father. After He rose from the dead and ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit was sent to fill and come upon Christ's faithful followers to instruct and empower them to live for God's glory. Men who once cowered behind closed doors for fear of reprisal from the religious leaders boldly preached Christ crucified and risen. On one occasion Peter and John were arrested because they preached publicly after performing a notable miracle in the name of Jesus. The religious leaders severely threatened them if they decided to ever preach in the name of Jesus Christ again. In their presence Peter and John said, "Whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather than God, you judge. We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."
Later Peter, John, and other believers gathered for prayer. This portion of their prayer is written in Acts 4:29-31: "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness." God doesn't just rattle the gates of hell: He crushes them to powder so the captives might be set free. Instead of making concessions to the enemy of their souls, through God Satan was cast under their feet as they boldly proclaimed the Word of God.
A day will come for every Christian when the devil says "No!" because you are close to encroaching upon his territory. We can choose to be afraid of Satan and run and hide. We can be like the Israelites when confronted with the giant Goliath, who cowered in fear in the false hope he would just be quiet and go away. Or we can respond with the boldness of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah because His perfect love casts out all fear. It is in this moment that God is testing us: will we respect the "No!" of the prince of this world or obey the "Yes!" of the Almighty God, Creator of All? Let us make a stand in obedience for righteousness. Jesus says in Luke 12:4-5: "And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!"
Jesus was condemned and crucified an innocent man, though He had only always done what had pleased the Father. After He rose from the dead and ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit was sent to fill and come upon Christ's faithful followers to instruct and empower them to live for God's glory. Men who once cowered behind closed doors for fear of reprisal from the religious leaders boldly preached Christ crucified and risen. On one occasion Peter and John were arrested because they preached publicly after performing a notable miracle in the name of Jesus. The religious leaders severely threatened them if they decided to ever preach in the name of Jesus Christ again. In their presence Peter and John said, "Whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather than God, you judge. We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."
Later Peter, John, and other believers gathered for prayer. This portion of their prayer is written in Acts 4:29-31: "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness." God doesn't just rattle the gates of hell: He crushes them to powder so the captives might be set free. Instead of making concessions to the enemy of their souls, through God Satan was cast under their feet as they boldly proclaimed the Word of God.
A day will come for every Christian when the devil says "No!" because you are close to encroaching upon his territory. We can choose to be afraid of Satan and run and hide. We can be like the Israelites when confronted with the giant Goliath, who cowered in fear in the false hope he would just be quiet and go away. Or we can respond with the boldness of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah because His perfect love casts out all fear. It is in this moment that God is testing us: will we respect the "No!" of the prince of this world or obey the "Yes!" of the Almighty God, Creator of All? Let us make a stand in obedience for righteousness. Jesus says in Luke 12:4-5: "And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!"
07 March 2012
Unveiled Face
Last night I was reading in Exodus 34 about how Moses communed with God on Mt. Sinai as God wrote the 10 Commandments for a second time upon tablets of stone. After 40 days, Moses descended from the mount, carrying the two tablets inscribed with the finger of God. Unbeknown to Moses, his face literally shone from the time he spent in the presence of God. This frightened the people, even Aaron his brother, to the point that he needed to cover his face with a veil when addressing the people. Otherwise no one would come near him! Exodus 34:33-35 explains, "And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34 But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. 35 And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him." Moses veiled his face to speak with the people, and removed the veil when speaking with God.
When Moses veiled his face, it was practical. As we look at this veiling in light of scripture, we see it is also symbolic and highly significant. In the tabernacle, there was a thick veil which separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies, the most holy place where the Spirit of God dwelt above the mercy seat. No man but the high priest on the Day of Atonement could enter the most holy place without dooming himself to certain death. When Jesus atoned for the sins of the world through His shed blood, crying out "It is finished!", this same veil was torn top to bottom, exposing the most holy place to all. From God to man, an invitation to divine communion through the shed blood of Jesus Christ by grace to faith had been offered to all.
Paul relates in 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, "Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech-- 13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Isn't this a wonderful truth? Because of Christ, we no longer need to read scripture with hearts obscured, even as Moses covered his face when he spoke to the people. Because the Holy Spirit has indwelt and filled Christians, we can approach God with unveiled face in prayer, read the scriptures with understanding and clarity as the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth, and speak with unveiled face to our fellow men, sinners who are heading to their eternal destruction - even as we once were. When we turn to the LORD, the veil is taken away! If we turn to religion, the opinions of men, legalism, or walk in disobedience without repentance, our veil remains.
Sometimes we can drift far from God, though we have long been Christians. We try to retrace our steps to where we went off the track, even like Pilgrim in Bunyan's allegory. The trouble is Satan's lies, our limited understanding, and our own sins blind us to the right path. When we try to retrace our steps, we sink deeper in the slough of sin, strangled by our own theology, and lose all hope we will ever find our way back to Jesus Christ. Forget retracing your steps: turn to the LORD! Come to Jesus today as you came to him in simplicity in faith at the beginning. Come to Jesus as if you have never known Him truly until now. Confess your sins, repent, and trust Jesus Christ and God's Word. Allow Him to remove the veil from your face and heart and set your feet once again on the narrow path which leads to victory and eternal glory.
Jeremiah 6:16 says, "Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' " Jesus revealed Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The way to eternal life is not through failed attempts to keep the Law of Moses or beating yourself up for your faults, but to repent and trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour. Victory does not come from theological wranglings, but atonement and redemption spring only through the shed blood of the Messiah. Jesus affirmed this truth in Matthew 11:29 when He said, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." A groom does not kiss his bride through the veil, but lifts it to reveal her face. He does this to demonstrate affection through a kiss without any obstruction. Allow Christ to remove the veil so you might commune with Him with unveiled face and realize, like never before, how much He loves you.
When Moses veiled his face, it was practical. As we look at this veiling in light of scripture, we see it is also symbolic and highly significant. In the tabernacle, there was a thick veil which separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies, the most holy place where the Spirit of God dwelt above the mercy seat. No man but the high priest on the Day of Atonement could enter the most holy place without dooming himself to certain death. When Jesus atoned for the sins of the world through His shed blood, crying out "It is finished!", this same veil was torn top to bottom, exposing the most holy place to all. From God to man, an invitation to divine communion through the shed blood of Jesus Christ by grace to faith had been offered to all.
Paul relates in 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, "Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech-- 13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Isn't this a wonderful truth? Because of Christ, we no longer need to read scripture with hearts obscured, even as Moses covered his face when he spoke to the people. Because the Holy Spirit has indwelt and filled Christians, we can approach God with unveiled face in prayer, read the scriptures with understanding and clarity as the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth, and speak with unveiled face to our fellow men, sinners who are heading to their eternal destruction - even as we once were. When we turn to the LORD, the veil is taken away! If we turn to religion, the opinions of men, legalism, or walk in disobedience without repentance, our veil remains.
Sometimes we can drift far from God, though we have long been Christians. We try to retrace our steps to where we went off the track, even like Pilgrim in Bunyan's allegory. The trouble is Satan's lies, our limited understanding, and our own sins blind us to the right path. When we try to retrace our steps, we sink deeper in the slough of sin, strangled by our own theology, and lose all hope we will ever find our way back to Jesus Christ. Forget retracing your steps: turn to the LORD! Come to Jesus today as you came to him in simplicity in faith at the beginning. Come to Jesus as if you have never known Him truly until now. Confess your sins, repent, and trust Jesus Christ and God's Word. Allow Him to remove the veil from your face and heart and set your feet once again on the narrow path which leads to victory and eternal glory.
Jeremiah 6:16 says, "Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' " Jesus revealed Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The way to eternal life is not through failed attempts to keep the Law of Moses or beating yourself up for your faults, but to repent and trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour. Victory does not come from theological wranglings, but atonement and redemption spring only through the shed blood of the Messiah. Jesus affirmed this truth in Matthew 11:29 when He said, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." A groom does not kiss his bride through the veil, but lifts it to reveal her face. He does this to demonstrate affection through a kiss without any obstruction. Allow Christ to remove the veil so you might commune with Him with unveiled face and realize, like never before, how much He loves you.
05 March 2012
Digging Deep?
In recent decades much emphasis has been placed on the ease and simplicity of receiving eternal salvation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The downside of this is a neglect of preaching repentance and the necessity of living wholly for God. People used to agonize in repentance for months with many tears before receiving salvation, and today people quickly raise a hand while all heads are bowed. The devil would much rather us make church attenders than disciples of Jesus. He would be happy for people to have their heads crammed with theology and doctrines rather than simple obedience to love God, love others, and make disciples of all nations.
Servants serve. Service involves sacrifice and work. Jesus is the One who said, "If any man come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23). That sounds like a huge life adjustment for most people. No man should come to Christ so he might have a better life: we come to Jesus to obtain eternal life. I did not come to Jesus so I could be happy: I have come to Christ to receive forgiveness and righteousness through faith in Him. And I have never been so happy!
This morning I read Luke 6:46-48: "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock." Jesus has shown His love for the world by coming to earth and putting on human flesh. He proved it through His dying on the cross while we were all yet sinners. If a man come to Christ, hears His words, and walks in obedience, Jesus compares such a one to a man who digs deep and lays a foundation upon the rock.
Digging is very hard work. After a few minutes of vigorous digging with pick and shovel, my keyboarding hands blister and bleed. Notice that the rock upon which the house is founded is not on the surface of the ground. This man must dig deep to find the rock. If we tell people "Only believe! Jesus has done it all for you!" this is both true and false. It is true that Jesus once and for all died on the cross for the sins of the world and rose from the dead, defeating death. In my sinful condition, neither me nor my "good works" can forgive my debt or free me from the condemnation of my sin. The falsehood lies in that I am still responsible for repenting and receiving of Christ's atoning sacrifice. I must choose to confess my sin, repent, and place my faith in Jesus Christ, trusting that His shed blood cleanses me from all sin according to scripture.
It is a rare thing indeed to find precious stones and gems lying on the ground without mining. It is rarer still to find a disciple of Jesus Christ who has "only believed" and walks in complete victory - without digging deep in the Word of God, having allowed the Holy Spirit to pare away besetting sins. Unless expansive soil and clay is properly amended, even a foundation of concrete and steel will heave and crack. Contractors have learned it is critical to dig deep and amend the soil with sand before a concrete foundation is poured. But in this ever shifting world we live, spiritually speaking amending the soil is not enough: we must dig until we reach the Rock of Salvation, Jesus Christ. We must toss aside the river rocks of religion, and dig through the stubborn clay of our flesh. A change in behaviour does not mean that real spiritual transformation has taken place. That is why Paul exhorts in Philippians 2:12-13: "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."
Do you desire true wisdom? Jesus is for us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30-31). The spiritual principle Paul holds forth in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 is this: "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." Unless a man is willing to gather up his own manna, he should not expect to receive the nutritional benefits. Show me a professing Christian who does not labour in the Word, and I will show you a defeated, unfounded, confounded man. Owning a shovel does not mean a man has used it, and owning a Bible does not mean you have studied it. Reading and studying are not the same thing. If we do not labour to dig into in the Word we are not drawing near to Jesus, we are not hearing His words, and therefore we cannot know to do them. Ignorance is a poor covering for this sin of negligence, a sin I too have been guilty of committing.
Hear again the words of Jesus: "Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock." Security and strength is conditional both upon the character of God and my obedience. No one can snatch me out of God's hand nor separate me from the love of God. But it is up to me to dig deep and build my life upon the Rock. I must draw near, hear the Word, obey, and abide in Christ. Keep digging until you hit the Rock!
Servants serve. Service involves sacrifice and work. Jesus is the One who said, "If any man come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23). That sounds like a huge life adjustment for most people. No man should come to Christ so he might have a better life: we come to Jesus to obtain eternal life. I did not come to Jesus so I could be happy: I have come to Christ to receive forgiveness and righteousness through faith in Him. And I have never been so happy!
This morning I read Luke 6:46-48: "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock." Jesus has shown His love for the world by coming to earth and putting on human flesh. He proved it through His dying on the cross while we were all yet sinners. If a man come to Christ, hears His words, and walks in obedience, Jesus compares such a one to a man who digs deep and lays a foundation upon the rock.
Digging is very hard work. After a few minutes of vigorous digging with pick and shovel, my keyboarding hands blister and bleed. Notice that the rock upon which the house is founded is not on the surface of the ground. This man must dig deep to find the rock. If we tell people "Only believe! Jesus has done it all for you!" this is both true and false. It is true that Jesus once and for all died on the cross for the sins of the world and rose from the dead, defeating death. In my sinful condition, neither me nor my "good works" can forgive my debt or free me from the condemnation of my sin. The falsehood lies in that I am still responsible for repenting and receiving of Christ's atoning sacrifice. I must choose to confess my sin, repent, and place my faith in Jesus Christ, trusting that His shed blood cleanses me from all sin according to scripture.
It is a rare thing indeed to find precious stones and gems lying on the ground without mining. It is rarer still to find a disciple of Jesus Christ who has "only believed" and walks in complete victory - without digging deep in the Word of God, having allowed the Holy Spirit to pare away besetting sins. Unless expansive soil and clay is properly amended, even a foundation of concrete and steel will heave and crack. Contractors have learned it is critical to dig deep and amend the soil with sand before a concrete foundation is poured. But in this ever shifting world we live, spiritually speaking amending the soil is not enough: we must dig until we reach the Rock of Salvation, Jesus Christ. We must toss aside the river rocks of religion, and dig through the stubborn clay of our flesh. A change in behaviour does not mean that real spiritual transformation has taken place. That is why Paul exhorts in Philippians 2:12-13: "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."
Do you desire true wisdom? Jesus is for us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30-31). The spiritual principle Paul holds forth in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 is this: "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." Unless a man is willing to gather up his own manna, he should not expect to receive the nutritional benefits. Show me a professing Christian who does not labour in the Word, and I will show you a defeated, unfounded, confounded man. Owning a shovel does not mean a man has used it, and owning a Bible does not mean you have studied it. Reading and studying are not the same thing. If we do not labour to dig into in the Word we are not drawing near to Jesus, we are not hearing His words, and therefore we cannot know to do them. Ignorance is a poor covering for this sin of negligence, a sin I too have been guilty of committing.
Hear again the words of Jesus: "Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock." Security and strength is conditional both upon the character of God and my obedience. No one can snatch me out of God's hand nor separate me from the love of God. But it is up to me to dig deep and build my life upon the Rock. I must draw near, hear the Word, obey, and abide in Christ. Keep digging until you hit the Rock!
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