The Hedge of Thorns

"The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway."

Proverbs 15:19

During the WORD Bible study on Friday night at Calvary Chapel Sydney, we discussed this verse.  Passages like this can reveal our tendency to filter biblical claims through our experience or current understanding rather than believing the text at face value.  It is very common for us to read an objective statement and accept it because it confirms previously held views.  If we will read honestly, openly, and inspired by the Holy Spirit, God's truth will confront and dash the presumptuous assumptions of the flesh.  A man of understanding seeks knowledge with the intent to apply it to his own life.  Those who are faithful to heed the truth of God's Word will grow, be fruitful, and richly blessed.

This verse paints a compelling contrast between the way of the lazy man and the upright.  Proverbs 20:6 says, "Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?"  Laziness is not a particularly desirable quality, nor is it a characteristic to strive for.  A lazy man will not strive for much except his own comfort and ease!  Solomon compares the way of a lazy man like a hedge of thorns.  Picture a man trapped in a thorny hedge.  Remarkably, through a series of decisions and procrastinations (for no decision IS a decision), he found himself wedged in with thorns in front and behind with no clear view to escape.  Should he move forward, thorns jab into his brow.  Scooting backwards seems not to work either, for the thorns press into his legs!  Seemingly painful obstacles encircle the lazy man, so he stays in his uncomfortable situation, paralysed.  "There's no way out for me," he cries aloud.  "Whether I move forward or try to move back, I am surrounded by painful obstructions.  Who wants to pluck thorns from their socks or perhaps suffer injury?  If I am to do anything, I will do nothing."

There are several characteristics of a slothful, indolent man.  He demands a guarantee of success before he will pay a price, risk effort without reward, or make a sacrifice.  Difficulty and unknowns surround every possibility, so in his distorted, short-sighted view it seems advantageous to do nothing - except perhaps to complain about his unique predicament!  Unless there is a certainty of being brought toward his preferred, ideal end immediately, he is unwilling to take the first step towards the goal.  Being lazy, his goals all centre around himself.  There may be one or more ways out of the hedge of thorns, but he will wish and wait for a comfortable option he prefers - even if it kills him.  Notice how the Psalmist contrasted the lazy with the upright man, the man who trusts in God and walks faithfully in obedience.  The upright man does not wait for wishes to be miraculously fulfilled without effort or intentional steps, but has placed his hope in God.  The lazy man is preoccupied with self, yet the upright man has God in His view.  The highway he walks is well-marked, for even a fool could stick to the path (Is. 35:8).  He knows where he is going, and he is willing to continually put one foot in front of another though the path is long, hilly, and potentially hazardous at times.  The upright man cannot tell what might happen to him on the road, but he has determined to stay on the path and persevere to the end.

Motive is key in both the lives of a lazy and upright man.  A spiritually upright man might at times exhibit laziness, but a lazy man is never upright.  It is true there are people who know not God but have a strong, desirable work-ethic.  Their motive may be self-serving, yet they are willing to pay the price to achieve their ends.  The same may be indolent and willfully ignorant concerning spiritual responsibilities.  The existence of the lazy man provides no reasonable justification for Christians to embrace laziness.  Jesus did not come to be served but to serve and give Himself as a ransom for many.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He is no hedge of thorns but a highway of holiness that leads us to salvation.  Thorns are a result of sin, and a crown of thorns was pressed into the scalp of Christ the Saviour when He was crucified.  He died on the cross so we might be dead to sin and enter into the good works He has prepared beforehand for us to enter into (Eph. 2:8-10).

If your way resembles a hedge of thorns, take the first step in admitting laziness and repent.  God has a miraculous way of clearing the thorns when we ask Him for help in ordering our lives for His glory.  Taking the first step of faith will lead to more!  Gideon taught the reluctant elders in Succoth a lesson with thorns and briers, and God is willing to use the discomfort of a hedge of thorns to prick our consciences and bring us to our senses as well.  Jesus said in John 9:4-5, "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  Jesus is the most upright man this world has ever seen, and we do well to heed Him and follow His example.

The Demon Destroyer

One of my sons was doing a school assignment which involved making "trading cards" with challenging words.  He chose "colloquial" for one of the words.  For whatever reason, I find the word does not roll simply off the tongue!  Easier for me to define than pronounce, a "colloquialism" is an informal, commonly used word or term of phrase.  Colloquialisms can be slang, and they are often understood by local people yet sound completely foreign to others who speak the same language.  Australia is rife with colloquial terms which remain relatively unknown by other Australians.  Being an American, it's always strange when I use a colloquial term I have picked up over the years and a true-blue Aussie looks at me funny, totally unaware of what the septic just said.  There, I had to say it. :)

I find it interesting when a colloquialism has what I will call "crossover."  This is when a person uses a colloquialism which carried no special significance to them, but means something to someone else.  People use the expression "Oh my g.." without any belief in a literal God.  If they did believe in the God to which they refer, they certainly should think twice before uttering blasphemy because they know He is a holy, just God!  Another phrase I have heard much of late is when a struggling person is "battling his demons."  Many people who say this do not actually believe demons are malevolent spirit beings, but for me this is a colloquialism that has crossover.  I believe in the existence of demons as strongly as I do in the existence of human beings or God!  Someone who believes in the existence of demons may agree literally with the statement, whilst the one who says it only is speaking figuratively - "demons" being no more than negative self-talk or a catch-all which suggests inexplicable power apart from personal control.

I can't tell you how many times I have heard of celebrities, musicians, or depressed people "battling their demons" by people who do not believe in the existence of them.  The Bible reveals God created all things both in the spirit and natural world.  He created human beings distinct from all other animals and living things because He breathed into man a living soul - an immaterial, eternal aspect of a each person.  You are not your body, for your body is simply a vessel your soul inhabits for a season.  The spirits who have remained God's loyal servants are often referred to as angels, and those who have rebelled under the authority of Satan (once an angel himself) are called demons.  Since demons are unclean spirits who operate in a spiritual realm yet have the power to cross over into the natural realm we see, they cannot be battled through external means or effort.  How does one battle a demon he cannot see, touch, or perceive?  Unfortunately so many fight a losing battle with actual demons they do not believe in because they are going about the fight the wrong way.

Jesus amazed people through His power demonstrated when He cast unclean spirits out of people with a word.  The people of that day had pagan rituals and techniques of silencing and appeasing evil spirits who took possession of people's minds and bodies.  To this day in places the Word of God has had little exposure, demonic oppression and possession is a real part of life for many people.  In the west we have written off demonic power as "superstitious," and do not even address the potential spiritual aspects of mental illness or physical sickness.  In the east the pendulum is at the other extreme, with nearly every illnesses or accident being blamed on evil spirits.  Jesus did not need to recite incantations, splash holy water, or take a cross and press it into the face of the afflicted to deliver from demonic power:  He merely said the word, and the ones in bondage brought to Him were set free.

Jesus gave His followers power over unclean spirits, and the authority to cast out demons in His name is an attribute possessed by every genuine Christian.  We need not fear, for greater is the Holy Spirit within us than the devil or demons who are in this world.  Jesus said in Matthew 12:43-45:  "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. ⁴⁴ Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation."  Jesus compared the body of a person to a house.  Demons are like squatters who shack up in derelict, abandoned houses with all their filthy buddies.  Jesus cast out many demons, yet it was imperative those who had been swept clean in faith invited Jesus into their lives.  When the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the hearts of believers through the Gospel, not even Satan himself can evict Him.  Through God born-again Christians have spiritual power and authority that has spiritual "crossover" through Christ and provides victory in the physical realm as well as spiritual.  There is no demonic horde too strong for God to overpower, bind, and throw out for good.  The power and victory is the LORD's, and He will make more than overcomers all who trust in Him.

We need not fear, though the mountains be removed and thrown into the sea:  God is the One who fights for His people.  Jesus Christ is the only hope we have to be forgiven from sins and saved from the power of wicked spirits.  The lasting image in my mind is one of Jesus Christ in Revelation 19:11-16, the One who will ultimately throw Satan and all demons into the lake of fire for eternity:  "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. ¹² His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. ¹³ He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴ And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. ¹⁵ Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ¹⁶ And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

The People Whose God is the LORD

On United States money it is written, "In God we trust."  There is a truth to be gleaned here:  whatever you trust is your god.  There is One God (capital G), but there are many lesser gods in this world.  There are many idols people look to in place of God but are powerless to hear, speak, or save.  It is ironic that atheists reject a belief in the existence of God to the end they might be god themselves.  People want to claim absolute "control" of their lives and deem themselves masters of their own destiny.  But how much control do we really have?  We cannot keep the sun from rising, and a day will come when we cannot keep our hearts beating or our lungs breathing.  Will laws stop lawbreakers?  Will political discussions ensure peace?  Will signing a treaty remove hatred from a man's heart?  We are not masters but servants, and every day we must decide who or what we will serve..

Psalm 33:12 reads, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance."  It is a happy and blessed nation who places their trust in God.  More important still, after trusting God we must make Him our LORD.  God chose the Jewish people not because they were strong, but because they were few and weak.  Through their weakness God's strength, power, and grace would be made evident to the entire world.  God has also chosen the foolish things to confound the wise, and He has called the Gentiles (non-Jews) through the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be born again and adopted into His family as His own inheritance.  By grace through faith all can be grafted into the Vine, Jesus Christ, and be recipients of God's love, forgiveness, and salvation.

I visited Israel this year and am concerned with the reports I hear of the terror and bloodshed.  I am saddened to hear of the rocket attacks back and forth between the Israelis and Palestinians and the loss of life.  Where are the days of Jehoshaphat when the people were overwhelmed by their enemies and sought the LORD their God?  These days Israel has grown strong with their nuclear arsenal, Iron dome, highly trained and specialised soldiers, vast resources, technologically advanced weapons, intelligence, and loyal allies.  If they are attacked it seems they must strike back or appear weak.  Is God not able to fight for them any longer?  How long has it been since Israel was overwhelmed by their enemies and rejoiced to put their singers in front as they marched towards their enemies because God had promised to fight for them?  Israel won a miraculous victory in the "6 Day War," and it was truly miraculous - God helped His people triumph despite impossible odds.  I am convinced, however, that unless God's people turn to Him, trusting only in Him for salvation, all their gains can be lost in a moment, all their military might will crumble, and all their resources will pass into the hands of their enemies - that is, until they turn to God as their LORD who will fight for them and grant them the victory in His time and way.

I wonder:  is Israel willing to stand still and see the salvation of the LORD who fights for them?  2 Chronicles 20:20-22 reads, "So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper." ²¹ And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the LORD, For His mercy endures forever." ²² Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated."  This is not only a historical narrative, but instructive concerning the future faced by all God's people.  We need to believe in God and obey Him as LORD.  Only then will we be truly blessed.  It is not the aggressive nor those who retaliate violently who are blessed, but the people whose God is the LORD.  It is not good policy in a fallen world to make God your defense, yet the people and nations who do will be blessed and prosper.  We do not need to fight when God fights for us!

The Life Worth Living

As I drove home from the discipleship course at CC Sydney last night, for some reason the idea popped into my head of the heroin addict who decided he was finally going to quit for good - he just wanted to get loaded one more time.  No sense in letting those drugs already purchased go to waste!  But it would turn out to be the last time shooting up, because it caused an overdose which led to death.  In light of the ultimate result we might see that decision to use drugs "just once more" as pathetic and foolish.  The fact is, that is the picture of the natural condition of every person in the world when it comes to sin.  We are all born sinners, and completely addicted to it.  We are born into this world like drug babies, hooked on sin.  We are rebellious degenerates who simply can't say no.  For us it's always, "Just once more."  Even when we say, "Never again!" it's not long before we are back at it like we never quit.

When our eyes are opened to our helpless condition and we come to Christ in repentance and faith, He is the one who sets us captives free.  We can go beyond just saying "no" because we don't have to be enslaved to bondage to sin any more.  Every person in the world knows the relentless power of addiction.  We know how impossible it is not to worry, and how controlling our temper is beyond our power.  Standing in judgment of others is as thoughtless for us as drawing breath, and wicked motives and intentions seep from our minds with every pump of our deceitful hearts.  It is a view of a holy God according to the scripture which sheds light on our condition:  lost, depraved, and damned.  Thanks be to God, for He is a sure hope of salvation, forgiveness, help, comfort, and everlasting for all who trust in Him.  He alone gives us a life worth living, and it's a life we can enjoy forever because He is in us, and we in Him.

This morning I heard shocking news of the death of comic Robin Williams, and from initial reports suicide was suspected.  It is always surprising when we hear of celebrated musicians, actors, athletes, a pastor, or a friend intentionally ending their own lives.  The public is often presented the glamorous side of celebrities, them posing for pictures on a red carpet wearing gowns and stylish suits.  We read of their large salaries and because they are famous we assume they must be among the world's happiest people.  The characters they portray on the screen or skills they possess on the field colour our view of them as people.  "Oh, I loved him in that movie" some say - expressing a conditional love that can feel good at times but also bites like a tiger.  Since celebrities have a public level of fame and success few people will ever experience, we figure there must be a level of satisfaction and rest in their private lives.  But this is not always the case.  It is folly to think more money, fame, or an arbitrary level of success brings peace in your world.  It speaks to me of sheer desperation when death seems a better option than living.  Live long enough on this world and the day may come when you think you are better off dead.  For me I can truly say a relationship with Jesus Christ makes this life worth living, regardless of the amount of outward success or notoriety (or lack thereof!).

The preacher says in Ecclesiastes 5:10:  "He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity."  The Bible reveals this is the human condition apart from Christ.  Even those who have a relationship with God can be staggered by depression, grief, and personal loss.  There is always a potential that we will seek ways to numb feelings with drugs, alcohol, through work, escapism, games, sport, sex, body image, even comedy.  We must embrace more activity - even Christian service - to lose ourselves so we can cope with our pain, disappointment, worries, or insecurities.  Jesus said in Matthew 16:25, "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."  It is easy to lose ourselves in so many things:  work, addictions, entertainment, chemicals, activities, and the list goes on.  We human beings have been fashioned in God's image and therefore have a need of dependance upon Him, even as an human embryo naturally must grow in the womb of the mother.  It is only through being born again through the Gospel that we experience the life God intended for us on earth and into eternity, a life filled with love, joy, and peace.

When I hear of someone dying, I am confronted with not only my limited life span on earth, but the mortality of everyone on this world who does not know Jesus Christ.  There are also many people who know Jesus and struggle with depression, anxieties, and sins.  As long as we are in this body of flesh, there will be struggles.  But take heart, for Jesus is a Deliverer and Redeemer of all who come to Him in faith.  We are sinners, but He is a Saviour.  He heals broken hearts and lives.  If we are hungry we can partake of Him, and if we are thirsty He will provide Living Water.  It is natural for us to grab all the world can possibly offer to gratify the flesh, but we are insatiable.  There is a part of a man that remains troubled apart from Christ, no matter what he does or what he has.  The Godfather made offers no one could refuse, but Jesus Christ has offered Himself - with the freedom of refusal.  Will you refuse the one who loves you and died for your sins?  Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-29, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ 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."