It is easy to focus on the symptoms and neglect diagnosing and dealing with the source. For years I have dealt with a shoulder injury by avoiding actions that cause additional pain. I take care not to lie directly on my shoulder at night, and ensure I stretch properly and warm up before physical activity. To this point I have not taken the time to seek a professional opinion or pay for scans. Instead of having the cause fix, history says I prefer to treat my symptoms through strengthening exercises, avoiding painful activities, applying ice and pain relieving rubs, and using anti-inflammatory medications. Eventually, I keep telling myself, I will have the shoulder examined and scanned. But in the meantime, I will keep treating my symptoms rather than seeking out the cure.
I do not believe I am alone in this. Governments, businesses, churches, families, and individuals sometimes see a symptom as a problem rather than ferreting out the cause and dealing with it openly. Even the medical and scientific communities can focus on the wrong thing. Billions have been spent on searching for cures of diseases that kill millions every year. Cancer, for one, is a viscous disease that causes millions to die every year. People hate cancer. But cancer, strangely enough, is merely a symptom of a deeper, greater illness in the heart of every man. Death itself, seemingly the final blow from our perspective on earth, is a symptom of a far worse evil: that of sin. Sickness, pain, sorrow, crying, and death are all products of sin. When Adam rebelled from God, sin and thus death passed to all men. The fact that people fall ill and die of cancers, disease, or even old age are indicators of man's true spiritual condition in the world.
Sin has a devastating effect upon body and soul. God says the soul that sins shall surely die. We mourn disease, suffering, and death in this world, but have we yet mourned over our sin? Sin is the one who conceives such horrors. The bodies of believers and non-believers on this planet will perish because we have all been born steeped in sin. Death for Christians is turning the title page to the first chapter of eternal life in a glorified state. For the unbeliever it is the penultimate blow, infinitely overshadowed by the second death where all who die in their sins will face the wrath of God for eternity in hell. To cast a look at sin is to stare into the snarling face of death, truly horrific beyond description. It is a horror Jesus Christ came to earth to save sinners from and usher us into eternal life through His sacrifice.
I think most people would claim cancer is a far greater evil than sin, but cancer is only a symptom. Let us take our symptoms to the word of God and see if the effects of sin have clung to us as well. Consider the list we see in Revelation 21:4-5: "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."
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Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." During your life have you every cried, experienced sorrow, or physical or emotional pain? If you have experienced any of these symptoms, you have most certainly come in contact with sin. The only cure is found in Christ through the Gospel. When we repent and trust in Jesus as Saviour, He cleanses our souls from sin and gives us eternal life through Him. We are all guilty of breaking His Laws, but Jesus has paid our debt. He took our sins upon Himself, having become sin for us upon the cross. Have you received this unspeakable gift?
John 11:25-26 reads, "Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
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And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" This is the question Jesus asks all men. Our answer will determine where we will spend eternity. John 14:6 also says, "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." It is only after we recognise the severity of our disease we will seek after the cure, regardless of the cost. Won't a man give anything to save his own life? And what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his own soul? Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." A choice of life and death has been placed before you. Are you ready to stop treating the symptoms and deal with the cause?
26 December 2013
23 December 2013
Freedom in Confinement
No one likes the idea of confinement. No one thinks, "I'd really like to see more restrictions placed upon my life." But there is one Person who willingly accepted personal restrictions beyond anything we could ever imagine: the Infinite, Almighty God took the form of a human being in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus was in a human sense free to do anything He wanted, yet He voluntarily chose to take upon Himself the form of a servant and was obedient to His Heavenly Father in everything.
Jesus is the Creator of all, for without Him nothing was made that is made (John 1:1-2). He existed from eternity past and had previously no date of birth. But all that changed about 2,000 years ago when He was conceived in the virgin Mary through the Holy Spirit (Is. 7:14) and was born in the city of Bethlehem (Matt. 2:5-6). For the first time, God entered the confines of time. God was also confined within a human body as Immanuel, God with us. God become a human being, crying and wailing as a helpless infant after being born, wrapped in cloth, and laid in a manger (Luke 2:16). Jesus was brought into a family where He put into practice the Law of God, and honoured His father and mother. Though He was without sin and in Him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead (Col. 2:9), He learned obedience by the things He suffered (Heb. 5:8).
Jesus went about doing good (Acts 10:38). He healed the sick, delivered those oppressed by unclean spirits, cleansed lepers, and raised the dead to life. Jesus did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for sinners. Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and was falsely accused of blasphemy. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and did not resist evil, for He walked in obedience to the will of the Father. Think of it: God allowed sinful men to bind him, scourge, and strip Him. God allowed His body to be nailed to a cross and took upon Himself our sins (1 Cor. 15:3). After the death of His body, God allowed Himself to be wrapped in graveclothes and confined in a tomb. Glory to God in the highest, for He broke free from the bonds of death and rose glorified!
If we will repent and be born again through faith in Christ, we too can have freedom whilst being confined in these bodies. His victory over sin and death has become our own. Our regenerated souls long for God, drawn by His love, mercy, and grace. It is a paradox that in confinement we can discover true freedom and salvation from within. May we follow the example of Christ, seeking to serve and save others through the Gospel. Thank God for His wondrous gift and the victory we have through His atoning blood! (Acts 20:28)
Jesus is the Creator of all, for without Him nothing was made that is made (John 1:1-2). He existed from eternity past and had previously no date of birth. But all that changed about 2,000 years ago when He was conceived in the virgin Mary through the Holy Spirit (Is. 7:14) and was born in the city of Bethlehem (Matt. 2:5-6). For the first time, God entered the confines of time. God was also confined within a human body as Immanuel, God with us. God become a human being, crying and wailing as a helpless infant after being born, wrapped in cloth, and laid in a manger (Luke 2:16). Jesus was brought into a family where He put into practice the Law of God, and honoured His father and mother. Though He was without sin and in Him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead (Col. 2:9), He learned obedience by the things He suffered (Heb. 5:8).
Jesus went about doing good (Acts 10:38). He healed the sick, delivered those oppressed by unclean spirits, cleansed lepers, and raised the dead to life. Jesus did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for sinners. Jesus allowed Himself to be arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and was falsely accused of blasphemy. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and did not resist evil, for He walked in obedience to the will of the Father. Think of it: God allowed sinful men to bind him, scourge, and strip Him. God allowed His body to be nailed to a cross and took upon Himself our sins (1 Cor. 15:3). After the death of His body, God allowed Himself to be wrapped in graveclothes and confined in a tomb. Glory to God in the highest, for He broke free from the bonds of death and rose glorified!
If we will repent and be born again through faith in Christ, we too can have freedom whilst being confined in these bodies. His victory over sin and death has become our own. Our regenerated souls long for God, drawn by His love, mercy, and grace. It is a paradox that in confinement we can discover true freedom and salvation from within. May we follow the example of Christ, seeking to serve and save others through the Gospel. Thank God for His wondrous gift and the victory we have through His atoning blood! (Acts 20:28)
20 December 2013
In Time of Need
I was riding back from lunch with a couple of mates when the car started making an odd noise. The sound began a running commentary among all in the vehicle about the source of the sound. As it persisted and grew worse, a passing driver honked and quickly ended the discussion. We pulled over and found we had a flat rear tyre. It turned out that my fellow passenger knew personally a tyre shop owner close by and directed the driver to the entrance. True to his claims of good service, the process of the inspection and replacement was handled immediately. This was a case of knowing where to go because you know someone you trust.
The situation had me thinking. My mate who directed us to the tyre shop performed a role similar to that a Christian who leads others to Christ in time of need. Had we been without his aid, it would have taken us a long while to locate the jack, remove the spare, and possibly find the spare too was flat! Because my mate knew the tyre shop owner and the exact location of the shop, we were able to have prompt, quality service and be back safely on the road. As a Christian, one who had taken refuge in Jesus Christ as LORD and Saviour, I know He is able to help in time of need. He is able to redeem lives destroyed by sin, marriages broken through infidelity, break addictions, give beauty for our ashes, and freely give us eternal life.
It takes recognition of our need before we will do anything about it. We would have kept on driving with that weird noise until we were riding the rim had someone outside the vehicle not alerted us to the trouble! It is one thing to know you have a problem, but it is another thing altogether to know what to do about it or where to go! Having responded to Christ's offer of salvation through the Gospel, Christians are called to lead others to experience the new life, joy, and rest He provides. In one sense, churches are intended to be hospitals where sick people are nursed back to spiritual health. Church is like a smash repair shop, not a showroom. We are all damaged through sin, battered through our foolish choices, and victims of living in a perverse world. It is Christ who not only restores us to His intended calling and purpose to glorify Him, but transforms us from within.
Hebrews 4:16 reads, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Because God put on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, He knows exactly what it means to be human in this world polluted by sin. He understands what it feels like to be misunderstood, rejected, hurt by family members who didn't believe in Him, arrested, falsely accused, tortured, and even killed by envious men. Praise God Jesus did not remain in the grave, but rose alive three days later as He said. He has ascended to heaven and intercedes for us even now. He invites us into His throne room of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Do you see your need for mercy and grace? Do you come boldly and humbly to Christ in time of need or do you look elsewhere? Just like we inspect our tyres to ensure they are filled with air before we drive on them, we ought to inspect our attitudes and feelings to see if they are upright according to God's standards. When we catch a glimpse of God in His glory, we see how far we are from walking in righteousness. Our great lack becomes increasingly evident as we mature in faith. Let us respond to Christ's loving invitation to find mercy and grace to help in time of need. Let us lead others to Him, because we trust Him!
The situation had me thinking. My mate who directed us to the tyre shop performed a role similar to that a Christian who leads others to Christ in time of need. Had we been without his aid, it would have taken us a long while to locate the jack, remove the spare, and possibly find the spare too was flat! Because my mate knew the tyre shop owner and the exact location of the shop, we were able to have prompt, quality service and be back safely on the road. As a Christian, one who had taken refuge in Jesus Christ as LORD and Saviour, I know He is able to help in time of need. He is able to redeem lives destroyed by sin, marriages broken through infidelity, break addictions, give beauty for our ashes, and freely give us eternal life.
It takes recognition of our need before we will do anything about it. We would have kept on driving with that weird noise until we were riding the rim had someone outside the vehicle not alerted us to the trouble! It is one thing to know you have a problem, but it is another thing altogether to know what to do about it or where to go! Having responded to Christ's offer of salvation through the Gospel, Christians are called to lead others to experience the new life, joy, and rest He provides. In one sense, churches are intended to be hospitals where sick people are nursed back to spiritual health. Church is like a smash repair shop, not a showroom. We are all damaged through sin, battered through our foolish choices, and victims of living in a perverse world. It is Christ who not only restores us to His intended calling and purpose to glorify Him, but transforms us from within.
Hebrews 4:16 reads, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Because God put on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, He knows exactly what it means to be human in this world polluted by sin. He understands what it feels like to be misunderstood, rejected, hurt by family members who didn't believe in Him, arrested, falsely accused, tortured, and even killed by envious men. Praise God Jesus did not remain in the grave, but rose alive three days later as He said. He has ascended to heaven and intercedes for us even now. He invites us into His throne room of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Do you see your need for mercy and grace? Do you come boldly and humbly to Christ in time of need or do you look elsewhere? Just like we inspect our tyres to ensure they are filled with air before we drive on them, we ought to inspect our attitudes and feelings to see if they are upright according to God's standards. When we catch a glimpse of God in His glory, we see how far we are from walking in righteousness. Our great lack becomes increasingly evident as we mature in faith. Let us respond to Christ's loving invitation to find mercy and grace to help in time of need. Let us lead others to Him, because we trust Him!
18 December 2013
LORD, Open My Eyes!
One character I find most interesting in scripture is that of Balaam the prophet. When King Balak sent prestigious nobles a second time to entreat him to return with them, they promised honour and advancement should he curse Israel. God told him to go with them if the men came in the morning and called him. In the morning, the text says Balaam rose, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. It does not say that Balaam waited to be called, but presumed he was free to go anyway. Numbers 22:22 reads, "Then God's anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the LORD took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him." When opposition to God makes Him our adversary, that is a bad thing indeed!
As the Angel of the LORD stood in the way with a sword drawn, Balaam was completely clueless to the mortal danger he was in. The donkey, however, was able to see the imposing angelic warrior. Upon seeing the Angel, she quickly turned aside into a field. Balaam was irritated by this unusual occurrence and struck the donkey. Then the Angel of the LORD stood in a narrow place and when the donkey moved to avoid him she crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. The searing pain only irritated him more, and he struck her again. Finally, the Angel of the LORD stood in a place so narrow the donkey could not veer to the side and turn around. She simply dropped to the ground, prompting Balaam to strike her with his staff.
Numbers 22:28-33 reads, "Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" 29 And Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!" 30 So the donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?" And he said, "No." 31 Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. 32 And the Angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. 33 The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live."
More than a donkey enabled to speak by God, I am struck by the irony of the scene. The donkey saved Balaam three times from the sword of the Angel of the LORD. When confronted by the donkey after hitting her three times, Balaam raged he wished he had a sword in his hand so he could kill her! She was three times his saviour, but Balaam's blindness saw her as wayward, careless, and lazy. Then the LORD opened his eyes and he saw the peril that he unknowingly faced. He looked into the austere face of grace. No donkey could possibly outwit or outmaneuver the Angel of the LORD. God allowed Balaam to be spared, even though he deserved to die for his sin and the donkey deserved to live.
How important it is for God to open our eyes so we can see how He has worked in our lives to preserve and protect us! The irritations, annoyances, and side-tracks He allows work to advance and accomplish His glorious purposes. May our eyes be open to see the glory of God so we might fear Him, falling down before Him in worship and reverence, submitted fully to Him. In a moment man can be cut off from the land of the living, or even destroyed eternally for our rebellion. Even as God spared Balaam for a purpose, may we be those who bless and refuse to curse. When God opens our eyes, for the first time we see clearly. Praise God that He opens the mouths of brute beasts to speak wisdom, causes our eyes to see Him in glory, and chastens us to walk uprightly so we might fulfill His perfect will.
As the Angel of the LORD stood in the way with a sword drawn, Balaam was completely clueless to the mortal danger he was in. The donkey, however, was able to see the imposing angelic warrior. Upon seeing the Angel, she quickly turned aside into a field. Balaam was irritated by this unusual occurrence and struck the donkey. Then the Angel of the LORD stood in a narrow place and when the donkey moved to avoid him she crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. The searing pain only irritated him more, and he struck her again. Finally, the Angel of the LORD stood in a place so narrow the donkey could not veer to the side and turn around. She simply dropped to the ground, prompting Balaam to strike her with his staff.
Numbers 22:28-33 reads, "Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" 29 And Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!" 30 So the donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?" And he said, "No." 31 Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. 32 And the Angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. 33 The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live."
More than a donkey enabled to speak by God, I am struck by the irony of the scene. The donkey saved Balaam three times from the sword of the Angel of the LORD. When confronted by the donkey after hitting her three times, Balaam raged he wished he had a sword in his hand so he could kill her! She was three times his saviour, but Balaam's blindness saw her as wayward, careless, and lazy. Then the LORD opened his eyes and he saw the peril that he unknowingly faced. He looked into the austere face of grace. No donkey could possibly outwit or outmaneuver the Angel of the LORD. God allowed Balaam to be spared, even though he deserved to die for his sin and the donkey deserved to live.
How important it is for God to open our eyes so we can see how He has worked in our lives to preserve and protect us! The irritations, annoyances, and side-tracks He allows work to advance and accomplish His glorious purposes. May our eyes be open to see the glory of God so we might fear Him, falling down before Him in worship and reverence, submitted fully to Him. In a moment man can be cut off from the land of the living, or even destroyed eternally for our rebellion. Even as God spared Balaam for a purpose, may we be those who bless and refuse to curse. When God opens our eyes, for the first time we see clearly. Praise God that He opens the mouths of brute beasts to speak wisdom, causes our eyes to see Him in glory, and chastens us to walk uprightly so we might fulfill His perfect will.
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