The law in the Old Testament is full of useful principles and insights into the character of God. People have the mistaken view that there is a difference between the "God" portrayed in the Old Testament and the New. This is simply not supported in scripture. God's love and grace is on full display throughout all scripture for all who will see and hear. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Never has He suggested "Do as I say but not as I do," but has always kept His Word in righteousness.
One of the stumbling blocks for people is how God granted the children of Israel land which was obtained through warfare. As the body counts rise, so do the eyebrows of some people. "How could a loving God allow and encourage such carnage?" God has always given people opportunity for salvation. He has never visited His wrath upon people or nations without warning. Noah was a preacher of righteousness for over 100 years before the flood, warning people of the wrath to come. Because people refused to heed him and seek refuge in the ark before God shut him in, they were all destroyed. A day is coming when God will judge the world in righteousness and fire. Jesus is returning in glory with fierce vengeance against all those who war against Him.
Consider this principle in the law, a principle God has always followed. Deuteronomy 20:10-13 reads, "When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it.
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And it shall be that if they accept your offer of peace, and open to you, then all the people who are found in it shall be placed under tribute to you, and serve you.
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Now if the city will not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it.
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And when the LORD your God delivers it into your hands, you shall strike every male in it with the edge of the sword." It was a law in Israel that before the Hebrews destroyed a city in the land given them by God, they would first give the inhabitants and offer of peace. If the people submitted to the offer and opened their gates in peace, they would be servants and be permitted to live. But if the people refused the offer of peace, the Israelites would destroy the city and those within it. The principle God always follows is before destruction there must always be a proclamation of an offer of peace. For those who hear and submit to His offer, they will be given life. All those who refuse His offer make themselves enemies of God and will be subject to His fierce wrath.
Psalm 24:1 says, "The earth is the LORD'S, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein." God owns all things, being Creator of heaven and earth. He has created every living thing, having breathed into every human being a living soul. Though we are doomed to destruction, having been separated from God by our sin, God has spoken peace to us through Jesus Christ. When angel's heralded the birth of Christ of the virgin Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit, they sang together in Luke 2:14, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" In sending Jesus Christ as Messiah and Saviour, God has made an offer of peace to all men through the Gospel. The conditions of salvation are repentance and faith in Christ. Acts 17:30-31 reads, "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
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because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."
God has spoken peace to all people. Jesus spread His arms in love, allowing His hands and feet to be nailed to the cross. Romans 5:8 explains, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." It is not God's will that any perish but that all would come to repentance. Should God be blamed because He is righteous and just and men are stubborn sinners who refuse His conditions of peace? God has made a way for all to be saved from the flames of hell at the cost of His own blood (Acts 20:28). 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The pride of man keeps him from surrendering to God's terms. He thinks nothing to stand in judgment of God and the Bible without even reading it!
The offer of peace through Christ is extended to you today. He graciously extends His arms to you in friendship. He freely offers forgiveness and eternal life to all who will submit to Him as servants. It is not that God needs more servants but desires to adopt all who repent and believe in Christ as His own sons! If you refuse His offer today, tomorrow, all the way until the days of your life expire, you will experience death and everlasting torment in hell. Do not delay to accept God's conditions of peace, for what man among you knows the day of his death? Without Christ you are dead even now! Now is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation. Should you choose to war against God, God's fury will be righteously poured out on you without intermission. He pleads with you through me. Drop your weapons; lay aside your poor excuses. Choose instead to open the gates of your heart in peace toward Him! He will accept all who receive Him.
12 July 2013
09 July 2013
Broken Reeds
Has anyone you trusted let you down? God allows circumstances in our lives to teach us that He is the only one worthy of worship and absolute confidence. Even after we make a decision to follow Christ, we can lean on our own understanding rather than trusting in God. It is good when God forces us to let go of our false supports and learn only to rely upon Him. What is a primary way God makes a man decide to let go? Pain. When we pick up something hot, the message of searing pain tells us to drop it quick!
There is an instance in scripture when King Hezekiah rebelled against the king of Assyria. He sent a messenger named Rabshakeh to intimidate the people of Samaria to surrender. Though he was a false accuser, a blasphemer, and did not fear the true God of heaven and earth, Rabshakeh held forth some valuable insights in 2 Kings 18:20-21: "You speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. And in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me? 21 Now look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him." Rabshakeh accused Hezekiah and his people of looking to Egypt to save them, which was not true in this instance. But the analogy of the staff piercing the hand is a good one to consider.
A staff is a walking stick, a sturdy piece of wood selected to carry in the hand to provide stability and help when traversing difficult country. People commonly carried a staff during travel to support themselves. We may not carry a staff as we walk through the city, but there are things we rely upon just the same. We trust in our mobile phones and apps that will help us to safely navigate the city or to call for aid. You may look to your job or financial situation to provide security. We rely upon our health and mental well being. There might be people in your life like parents, your spouse, children, a mentor, or pastor you trust or rely upon for direction and help in time of need. But compared to God, all of these supports are false. They are all like a staff that pierces your hand and causes painful injury. The trouble is, once we have had our hand stabbed through we are increasingly reluctant to extend that hand to others. Even when God reaches out to help us in love, we withdraw our hand because we've been hurt before. This is ironic because only God has the power to heal our soul, mind, and body.
The hands God extends to you have been pierced: the nail-pierced hand of Jesus Christ. Jesus only trusted the Father and performed His will, yet the sins of the world - your sin and mine - were placed upon Him on the cross. Jesus knows our pain and He only did what was right. The pain which we experience in this life God allows so we might toss aside all false supports and trust in Him entirely. The Bible tells us those who seek to be rich pierce themselves through with many sorrows. You may have been burned by people. The betrayal has cut you deep. When the depth of our pain is unbearable and the temptation is strong to withdrawal from fellowship with God or others, consider that the intensity of the pain often correlates to the weight you place on that broken reed which could not save. When we lean lightly on broken reeds, the damage is minimal. When all our weight is pressed upon false supports, far greater damage is inflicted.
Christ reaches out to save us with His scarred hands. May we extend our wounded hands to grasp His, for salvation and healing is found in Him alone.
There is an instance in scripture when King Hezekiah rebelled against the king of Assyria. He sent a messenger named Rabshakeh to intimidate the people of Samaria to surrender. Though he was a false accuser, a blasphemer, and did not fear the true God of heaven and earth, Rabshakeh held forth some valuable insights in 2 Kings 18:20-21: "You speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words. And in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me? 21 Now look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him." Rabshakeh accused Hezekiah and his people of looking to Egypt to save them, which was not true in this instance. But the analogy of the staff piercing the hand is a good one to consider.
A staff is a walking stick, a sturdy piece of wood selected to carry in the hand to provide stability and help when traversing difficult country. People commonly carried a staff during travel to support themselves. We may not carry a staff as we walk through the city, but there are things we rely upon just the same. We trust in our mobile phones and apps that will help us to safely navigate the city or to call for aid. You may look to your job or financial situation to provide security. We rely upon our health and mental well being. There might be people in your life like parents, your spouse, children, a mentor, or pastor you trust or rely upon for direction and help in time of need. But compared to God, all of these supports are false. They are all like a staff that pierces your hand and causes painful injury. The trouble is, once we have had our hand stabbed through we are increasingly reluctant to extend that hand to others. Even when God reaches out to help us in love, we withdraw our hand because we've been hurt before. This is ironic because only God has the power to heal our soul, mind, and body.
The hands God extends to you have been pierced: the nail-pierced hand of Jesus Christ. Jesus only trusted the Father and performed His will, yet the sins of the world - your sin and mine - were placed upon Him on the cross. Jesus knows our pain and He only did what was right. The pain which we experience in this life God allows so we might toss aside all false supports and trust in Him entirely. The Bible tells us those who seek to be rich pierce themselves through with many sorrows. You may have been burned by people. The betrayal has cut you deep. When the depth of our pain is unbearable and the temptation is strong to withdrawal from fellowship with God or others, consider that the intensity of the pain often correlates to the weight you place on that broken reed which could not save. When we lean lightly on broken reeds, the damage is minimal. When all our weight is pressed upon false supports, far greater damage is inflicted.
Christ reaches out to save us with His scarred hands. May we extend our wounded hands to grasp His, for salvation and healing is found in Him alone.
08 July 2013
I Know You're Out There
I may not know you, but I know you're out there.
You're hurting. Betrayed, disillusioned, confused, you don't know who to trust. Perhaps you suffered abuse at the hands of people you trusted as a child. Your body no longer shows the bruises and the bleeding has stopped, but inside the wounds are fresh. Just as painful was the fact no one knew how you suffered as you stuffed your hurt deep inside.
You're afraid. You carry fear that gnaws you from the inside. Sometimes you feel like a child, alone in the dark. You fear rejection and the thought of being all alone. You fear your spouse. You fear for your life. And you are very afraid to die.
But in a perverse way you would welcome death, given your experiences of life. The weight of sorrows, disappointments, grief, and anger is more than you can bear. The anger inside of you has a grip you can't escape. It breaks your heart when you hurt others with fists and words. You don't want to be like this anymore, but you are helpless, adrift, and living without life. Your body is alive, but you are dead inside.
You're hooked. Things you used to find exciting and fun have brought you under bondage. You are a slave to alcohol, to pornography, to lying, drugs, selling your body, and giving away pieces of your heart and soul. You feel like a fish sometimes, hooked through the nose and pulled along by Satan himself. You hear voices and you fight to resist them. But inevitably you lose. When they win, you do things you hate. The shame is unbearable but the cycle continues. You hate everything, yourself - and even God.
You're miserable. You long for true love, but it has always evaded you. Financial security and outward success have left you empty. You have discovered many different ways to cope, various numbing agents to avoid the pain, darkness, and poverty within. Is this all there is? Hopeless and helpless, you desperately are seeking a way out but are afraid to take it. You have decided you will never be vulnerable again. You secretly cut yourself to feel something. You desire release and think of taking your life. How hard would it be to cut a little deeper? Would anyone care?
I know you're out there. God prompted me this morning to think about you and pray for you. He moved me to tell you that there is help and hope for you in Jesus Christ. You might be looking for God, you might not. But God is not lost. He is the One who seeks after the helpless, the sick, the hopeless, and sinners - people who aren't perfect - regular people like you and me. He knows your pain. He understands. Jesus was betrayed by a friend, forsaken by His friends, abused, tortured, and killed by sinners even though He did nothing wrong. He did only good. Yet He suffered and died on the cross because He loves all people: the broken, the wounded, abused, and addicted. He died for you.
During His life, Jesus did many miracles and signs pointing to His deity. He healed the blind, lame, cleansed lepers, and raised the dead to life. But the greatest portrait of His love is when He stretched out His arms and His hands were nailed to the cross. Naked, ashamed, and humiliated, He bore the punishment for your sins and mine on that cross. Sin came into the world and death through sin. Sin also is the cause for all sickness, sadness, crying, and suffering. Jesus embraced all those things for you because He loves you. He did not fear death because He knew He would rise again the third day and prove His power over sin, death, the devil, and hell. Glory to God, Jesus Christ DID rise from the dead. He's alive to this day and will ever be.
I know you're out there, and I don't even know you. But God does. He created you, knit you together in the womb of your mother. He sees through the facade; His eyes pierce the masks we wear. He knows your fear, doubts, anger, and hate. He knows you are wounded and all the injustices you have endured. God demonstrated His love for you through the greatest injustice ever committed on this earth when Jesus was crucified on the cross. God redeemed that grave tragedy, and God can redeem your life too. He invites you to come to Him. He gently speaks words of peace. He coaxes you to trust Him. People may have abused, betrayed, and forsaken you, but He will not. He offers you everlasting love, life, redemption, forgiveness, and hope. Christ offers you Himself. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Come to Him today as a frightened child. Confess your sin and admit your great need for forgiveness and salvation. Trust in Christ and He will wash you clean. He will break your bonds and open your eyes. He will give you new life and unfailing love. He will hug you close as a daddy you never had.
If you choose to repent and follow Christ, Revelation 21:3-4 paints a picture of your certain future: "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Our God makes all things new. Apart from God you are without hope. If you will trust in Him, He will set you free and give you a fresh start to a new life through Him. Won't you trust Him?
You're hurting. Betrayed, disillusioned, confused, you don't know who to trust. Perhaps you suffered abuse at the hands of people you trusted as a child. Your body no longer shows the bruises and the bleeding has stopped, but inside the wounds are fresh. Just as painful was the fact no one knew how you suffered as you stuffed your hurt deep inside.
You're afraid. You carry fear that gnaws you from the inside. Sometimes you feel like a child, alone in the dark. You fear rejection and the thought of being all alone. You fear your spouse. You fear for your life. And you are very afraid to die.
But in a perverse way you would welcome death, given your experiences of life. The weight of sorrows, disappointments, grief, and anger is more than you can bear. The anger inside of you has a grip you can't escape. It breaks your heart when you hurt others with fists and words. You don't want to be like this anymore, but you are helpless, adrift, and living without life. Your body is alive, but you are dead inside.
You're hooked. Things you used to find exciting and fun have brought you under bondage. You are a slave to alcohol, to pornography, to lying, drugs, selling your body, and giving away pieces of your heart and soul. You feel like a fish sometimes, hooked through the nose and pulled along by Satan himself. You hear voices and you fight to resist them. But inevitably you lose. When they win, you do things you hate. The shame is unbearable but the cycle continues. You hate everything, yourself - and even God.
You're miserable. You long for true love, but it has always evaded you. Financial security and outward success have left you empty. You have discovered many different ways to cope, various numbing agents to avoid the pain, darkness, and poverty within. Is this all there is? Hopeless and helpless, you desperately are seeking a way out but are afraid to take it. You have decided you will never be vulnerable again. You secretly cut yourself to feel something. You desire release and think of taking your life. How hard would it be to cut a little deeper? Would anyone care?
I know you're out there. God prompted me this morning to think about you and pray for you. He moved me to tell you that there is help and hope for you in Jesus Christ. You might be looking for God, you might not. But God is not lost. He is the One who seeks after the helpless, the sick, the hopeless, and sinners - people who aren't perfect - regular people like you and me. He knows your pain. He understands. Jesus was betrayed by a friend, forsaken by His friends, abused, tortured, and killed by sinners even though He did nothing wrong. He did only good. Yet He suffered and died on the cross because He loves all people: the broken, the wounded, abused, and addicted. He died for you.
During His life, Jesus did many miracles and signs pointing to His deity. He healed the blind, lame, cleansed lepers, and raised the dead to life. But the greatest portrait of His love is when He stretched out His arms and His hands were nailed to the cross. Naked, ashamed, and humiliated, He bore the punishment for your sins and mine on that cross. Sin came into the world and death through sin. Sin also is the cause for all sickness, sadness, crying, and suffering. Jesus embraced all those things for you because He loves you. He did not fear death because He knew He would rise again the third day and prove His power over sin, death, the devil, and hell. Glory to God, Jesus Christ DID rise from the dead. He's alive to this day and will ever be.
I know you're out there, and I don't even know you. But God does. He created you, knit you together in the womb of your mother. He sees through the facade; His eyes pierce the masks we wear. He knows your fear, doubts, anger, and hate. He knows you are wounded and all the injustices you have endured. God demonstrated His love for you through the greatest injustice ever committed on this earth when Jesus was crucified on the cross. God redeemed that grave tragedy, and God can redeem your life too. He invites you to come to Him. He gently speaks words of peace. He coaxes you to trust Him. People may have abused, betrayed, and forsaken you, but He will not. He offers you everlasting love, life, redemption, forgiveness, and hope. Christ offers you Himself. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Come to Him today as a frightened child. Confess your sin and admit your great need for forgiveness and salvation. Trust in Christ and He will wash you clean. He will break your bonds and open your eyes. He will give you new life and unfailing love. He will hug you close as a daddy you never had.
If you choose to repent and follow Christ, Revelation 21:3-4 paints a picture of your certain future: "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Our God makes all things new. Apart from God you are without hope. If you will trust in Him, He will set you free and give you a fresh start to a new life through Him. Won't you trust Him?
07 July 2013
Time to Start Sewing!
While reading through Revelation this week, the LORD showed me a wonderful analogy of how our position of righteousness in Christ and good works are knit seamlessly together. It is written in Revelation 19:7-8, "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."
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And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." Scripture tells us there is none righteous, no not one. The righteousness which comes through the law is as filthy rags. The law was like a schoolmaster, taking us by the hand and leading us to faith in Christ. The law revealed to our conscience our sinful stains, and the blood of Christ through faith in the Gospel washes us clean and imputes His righteousness to us.
The picture God gave me is one of a groom and his future bride in ancient Israel. During the betrothal period, the bride and groom would not see each other whist the groom was building an addition onto his father's house. But the groom would often supply gifts such as fine linen for her wedding garment. It was the bride's responsibility to wisely design, cut, sew, and alter the garment to fit properly. She needed to be ready at a moment's notice so at the sound of the trumpet heralding the wedding procession she would be dressed and ready.
In the Bible, the church of Christ is often referred to as the bride of Christ. Christ has supplied us with His righteousness, and the onus is upon us to walk therein. We are His betrothed, legally married together even now, for He is the Head of the Body of which we are many members. Ephesians 2:8-10 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." It would be sad if the groom at great expense provided expensive, flawless linen for his future wife to wear on their wedding day - and she never bothered to unwrap it! If she loves her future husband and is happily awaiting the big day, the wife would tackle the project earnestly, rejoicing in the fact that her husband loved her so much to provide linen she never could have afforded. We should be like that faithful bride, diligently working to craft a wedding garment worthy of royalty adorned with love.
The church is only as faithful as each individual member. Instead of leaving the fine linen wrapped up until we trim down our figure, let's labour to put on His righteousness today in humility for God's glory. Jesus has given us the pattern to follow through the instruction and wisdom of His example and Word. May we walk worthily of Christ's sacrifice, having payed the bride price with His own blood. Let us labour to be ready for His return, for He comes quickly. Time to sew!
The picture God gave me is one of a groom and his future bride in ancient Israel. During the betrothal period, the bride and groom would not see each other whist the groom was building an addition onto his father's house. But the groom would often supply gifts such as fine linen for her wedding garment. It was the bride's responsibility to wisely design, cut, sew, and alter the garment to fit properly. She needed to be ready at a moment's notice so at the sound of the trumpet heralding the wedding procession she would be dressed and ready.
In the Bible, the church of Christ is often referred to as the bride of Christ. Christ has supplied us with His righteousness, and the onus is upon us to walk therein. We are His betrothed, legally married together even now, for He is the Head of the Body of which we are many members. Ephesians 2:8-10 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." It would be sad if the groom at great expense provided expensive, flawless linen for his future wife to wear on their wedding day - and she never bothered to unwrap it! If she loves her future husband and is happily awaiting the big day, the wife would tackle the project earnestly, rejoicing in the fact that her husband loved her so much to provide linen she never could have afforded. We should be like that faithful bride, diligently working to craft a wedding garment worthy of royalty adorned with love.
The church is only as faithful as each individual member. Instead of leaving the fine linen wrapped up until we trim down our figure, let's labour to put on His righteousness today in humility for God's glory. Jesus has given us the pattern to follow through the instruction and wisdom of His example and Word. May we walk worthily of Christ's sacrifice, having payed the bride price with His own blood. Let us labour to be ready for His return, for He comes quickly. Time to sew!
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