17 June 2015
Praise God!
This morning I woke up with the essence of Psalm 106:1 in my heart: "Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." God is so praiseworthy! Consider the favour He has bestowed upon the lowly, and hears all who cry unto Him. All He does is good, and there has not failed one word of His promises. He is beautiful in holiness, glorious in power, mighty to save, and actively loves all people. He graciously opens His arms to the unwilling and speaks tenderly to outcasts. God rebukes the foolish and corrects those whom He loves. He gives wisdom to the wise, knowledge to the understanding, reveals deep and hidden things, knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells within Him. He is altogether lovely, just, righteous, and does not change. Psalm 28:7 says, "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him." Praise the glorious, unchanging One, all ye redeemed! Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
16 June 2015
Sharpening Iron
"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."
Proverbs 27:17
Honing metal to a fine edge is a skill which these days requires special equipment. I do not own a single iron blade, but have many stainless and carbon-steel blades. The use of grinders, files, and stones are all useful to sharpen tools for maximum effectiveness. A sharp blade requires less strength and is often therefore safer and more efficient. In the day when King Solomon penned this proverb, quality tools and weapons were fashioned of iron. Rubbing iron blades against each other sharpened each at the same time. In the same way, friends have a way of positively "rubbing off" on one another. Insightful discussion, sharing thoughts, and working together sharpens the intellect and improves understanding.
This verse is applied easily to the benefit of fellowship in a church fellowship of Christian believers. But do not mistake gathering together for meetings or activities as fellowship which sharpens. If I were to drop a handful of iron knives into a drawer, open and close it for an hour, in addition to a sore arm my knives would be more dull than before! Anyone who has sharpened or tried to sharpen a knife knows there are right ways and wrong ways to go about it. The knife needs to be laid at a consistent angle. Even pressure must be applied to remove the material to sharpen the edge. One or two strokes is not sufficient to sharpen a factory edge: be ready for a time-consuming process!
Sharpening does not occur accidentally, and so is the process of being sanctified. We are sharpened when we are challenged, encouraged, and exhorted by brothers and sisters who are walking with Jesus. It is not our physical proximity or shared activities, but when the truth of God's Word impacts our minds, hearts, and lives. Most important is time intentionally spent at the feet of Jesus, meditating on His Word, and applying it faithfully to our lives through the Holy Spirit's power. Listening to sermons or going to church doesn't sharpen you by virtue of the activity alone any more than sitting in the basket with the knives and forks in the dishwasher. We must recognise our dullness before we can be sharpened, and God has provided the means through fellowship and service with others. We need the oil of the Holy Spirit to keep us from rust which corrodes and dulls, for iron oxidises very quickly. It's amazing, really. As we are sharpened by God's grace, we will sharpen others. Allow God to knock the rust off you first, and trust He will also see to it others are sharpened as well.
Sharpening is work, and every tool which requires sharpening has a specific use and designed purpose. As you are sharpened by the LORD, be faithful to do according to God's calling upon your life. As willing slaves of Jesus Christ, let us heed in our daily activities the exhortation of Colossians 3:22-25: "Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. 23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality." The God who has called you out of darkness has called you into His marvelous light. Whatever you do, do it heartily as unto the LORD! Simple obedience will make a greater impact on others than you can ever know.
15 June 2015
Guess Who?
2 Timothy 3:16-17 reads, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17
that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." The Bible is personally applicable and powerful, being the Word of God. All written in the scriptures is for our learning and edification: that all people might know their Creator and experience an everlasting, loving relationship with Him. There are numerous good and bad examples of people who trusted God, a realistic picture of humanity without any attempt to veil flaws.
Apart from the life of Jesus Christ, there are far more bad examples and failures observed in people who trust God than good ones. It does not require the learning of a brilliant theologian to discern inconsistencies, errors, and major faults in God's people: they are clear for all to see. It seems when we are first born again we scratch our heads when we read of the disobedience, rebellion, and stiff-necked stubbornness seen in God's people. How their stupidity annoys us! How ridiculous is their poverty of faith! Their failures are so blatantly foolish it even strikes us as humorous. How could someone be so weak and shortsighted to make the same mistakes again and again and again?
Do you really want to know the answer? It is not a hard question from God's perspective. The answer is simply, me and you. Yes, you heard me correctly. The inconsistencies and hypocrisy we see in others are the same ones our hearts naturally embrace. The biblical characters we view as most vile and disgusting are merely a mirror image of the sinful nature of our own hearts. Without exception, all characteristics we disdain and condemn in others thrives in us. "But I've never murdered anyone," you might protest. From a biblical perspective, you don't need to physically shed blood to have murder lurking in the shadows of your heart. God sees hatred (which is to love less) as murder (1 John 3:15). The hatred which God sees as murder thrives naturally in all human hearts. It is a humbling to see our sin enlightened by the Word of God. In my flesh I perceive the disobedience of Adam, the envy of Cain and King Saul, the folly of Nabal, the violence of Agag, the hatred of Haman, the idolatry of Ahab and Jezebel, the greed of Judas, and the rebellion of Barabbas, the fearful denials of Christ by Peter - all rolled into one.
God be praised, for all who trust in Jesus are made new creations. All who repent and place their faith in Jesus are born again and the Holy Spirit dwells within us. We are then free from the shackles of sin and free to glorify God with a life which genuinely shines forth His righteousness, holiness, and purity. Like Paul said, in our flesh dwells no good thing (Romans 7:18), but the glorious life and love of Jesus Christ can now be displayed by the grace of God. The light of God's Word provides a clear view of ourselves in truth, and acknowledging our sins magnifies God's marvelous grace. Instead of focusing on our faults, God looks upon faith exercised in Him with great delight - and counts it as righteousness.
So whenever we shake our heads and scoff the boneheaded decisions or inconsistency of people in scripture, guess who we are looking at? Ourselves!
Apart from the life of Jesus Christ, there are far more bad examples and failures observed in people who trust God than good ones. It does not require the learning of a brilliant theologian to discern inconsistencies, errors, and major faults in God's people: they are clear for all to see. It seems when we are first born again we scratch our heads when we read of the disobedience, rebellion, and stiff-necked stubbornness seen in God's people. How their stupidity annoys us! How ridiculous is their poverty of faith! Their failures are so blatantly foolish it even strikes us as humorous. How could someone be so weak and shortsighted to make the same mistakes again and again and again?
Do you really want to know the answer? It is not a hard question from God's perspective. The answer is simply, me and you. Yes, you heard me correctly. The inconsistencies and hypocrisy we see in others are the same ones our hearts naturally embrace. The biblical characters we view as most vile and disgusting are merely a mirror image of the sinful nature of our own hearts. Without exception, all characteristics we disdain and condemn in others thrives in us. "But I've never murdered anyone," you might protest. From a biblical perspective, you don't need to physically shed blood to have murder lurking in the shadows of your heart. God sees hatred (which is to love less) as murder (1 John 3:15). The hatred which God sees as murder thrives naturally in all human hearts. It is a humbling to see our sin enlightened by the Word of God. In my flesh I perceive the disobedience of Adam, the envy of Cain and King Saul, the folly of Nabal, the violence of Agag, the hatred of Haman, the idolatry of Ahab and Jezebel, the greed of Judas, and the rebellion of Barabbas, the fearful denials of Christ by Peter - all rolled into one.
God be praised, for all who trust in Jesus are made new creations. All who repent and place their faith in Jesus are born again and the Holy Spirit dwells within us. We are then free from the shackles of sin and free to glorify God with a life which genuinely shines forth His righteousness, holiness, and purity. Like Paul said, in our flesh dwells no good thing (Romans 7:18), but the glorious life and love of Jesus Christ can now be displayed by the grace of God. The light of God's Word provides a clear view of ourselves in truth, and acknowledging our sins magnifies God's marvelous grace. Instead of focusing on our faults, God looks upon faith exercised in Him with great delight - and counts it as righteousness.
So whenever we shake our heads and scoff the boneheaded decisions or inconsistency of people in scripture, guess who we are looking at? Ourselves!
14 June 2015
Water to Swim In
Jesus came to provide all who will trust in Him an abundant life. This does not translated into an excess of material goods or money, for it is Jesus who said, "One's life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses." (Luke 12:15) The abundant life Jesus offers is one only realised through faith in Him and being born again. It is the Holy Spirit who regenerates and dwells inside a follower of Jesus, teaching, guiding, comforting, and helping us to live for God's glory.
It is an unfortunate reality the abundant life Jesus offers is misunderstood or goes unrealised - even by people who profess to be Christians. People thirst for knowledge, spiritual experiences, longing for God's power, and in all their labours miss the sweetness of fellowship God has for those who simply love and obey Him. It is easy to move from the simplicity of the Gospel and become learned Pharisees who polish a clean exterior but nurse a critical and judgmental spirit within. We can neglect to continue to pursue a deepening relationship with our Creator, content with scant knowledge and a compartmentalized Christianity. And the worst thing is, we can think in this sorry condition of calloused familiarity we are actually living the abundant life Jesus offers. It is disgust with our unregenerate life which awakens our understanding and desperation for new life provided by the Gospel, and dissatisfaction over our spiritual poverty after being born again which God uses to open our eyes to draw closer to Jesus Christ in faith and obedience.
Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:13-14: "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." Jesus provides the Holy Spirit, the spiritual Living Water who brings life, refreshment, and a pure, cleansing influence in and through us. It is a life to be lived and experienced in fullness right now - not just only after our bodies go the way of the earth. When Jesus sits enthroned in our hearts as King, LORD, and Saviour, the living water of the Spirit's presence flows through our lives. The vivid, literal picture painted in Revelation 22:1 applies to Christians today figuratively: "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb."
A beautiful illustration and personal application of this abundant life all can have through Christ is seen in Ezekiel. This is a literal description of a river which will flow during Christ's Millennial reign which will heal the waters of the now Dead Sea. Ezekiel 47:1-5: "Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. 3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. 4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed." Ezekiel was led along the water which flowed from the temple towards the east, towards the sun's rising. A man measured the depth of the water which flowed from the throne. For a thousand cubits (about 457 metres) the water came up to Ezekiel's ankles. A thousand more cubits and the water came up to his knees. A thousand cubits more and the waters had risen to Ezekiel's waist. One thousand more metres and the water became too deep to walk, "water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed." A small stream grew to be immeasurably deep and wide.
It is impossible for us to plumb the depths of God's love, wisdom, grace, and goodness. The life God has offered us is an abundant, refreshing life, yet we can be content to splash around in ankle deep water. The Living Water is in us, and we feel very good to be in the water when it suits us. But how about going deeper? What do you know of swimming around in the love and power of the Holy Spirit of God? It is a stream of Living Water which cannot be crossed! These waters are meant for swimming, "water in which one must swim!" Jesus calls out to all who will listen today, "Come to me, all who thirst!" The water is more than fine, dear friend, for it is good and glorious. This life-giving, life-sustaining, refreshing flow continually directs us to the Risen Son, the King of Glory. Go deeper! Don't be content with water up to your knees when you could be immersed in the life God has provided for you!
It is an unfortunate reality the abundant life Jesus offers is misunderstood or goes unrealised - even by people who profess to be Christians. People thirst for knowledge, spiritual experiences, longing for God's power, and in all their labours miss the sweetness of fellowship God has for those who simply love and obey Him. It is easy to move from the simplicity of the Gospel and become learned Pharisees who polish a clean exterior but nurse a critical and judgmental spirit within. We can neglect to continue to pursue a deepening relationship with our Creator, content with scant knowledge and a compartmentalized Christianity. And the worst thing is, we can think in this sorry condition of calloused familiarity we are actually living the abundant life Jesus offers. It is disgust with our unregenerate life which awakens our understanding and desperation for new life provided by the Gospel, and dissatisfaction over our spiritual poverty after being born again which God uses to open our eyes to draw closer to Jesus Christ in faith and obedience.
Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:13-14: "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." Jesus provides the Holy Spirit, the spiritual Living Water who brings life, refreshment, and a pure, cleansing influence in and through us. It is a life to be lived and experienced in fullness right now - not just only after our bodies go the way of the earth. When Jesus sits enthroned in our hearts as King, LORD, and Saviour, the living water of the Spirit's presence flows through our lives. The vivid, literal picture painted in Revelation 22:1 applies to Christians today figuratively: "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb."
A beautiful illustration and personal application of this abundant life all can have through Christ is seen in Ezekiel. This is a literal description of a river which will flow during Christ's Millennial reign which will heal the waters of the now Dead Sea. Ezekiel 47:1-5: "Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. 3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. 4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed." Ezekiel was led along the water which flowed from the temple towards the east, towards the sun's rising. A man measured the depth of the water which flowed from the throne. For a thousand cubits (about 457 metres) the water came up to Ezekiel's ankles. A thousand more cubits and the water came up to his knees. A thousand cubits more and the waters had risen to Ezekiel's waist. One thousand more metres and the water became too deep to walk, "water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed." A small stream grew to be immeasurably deep and wide.
It is impossible for us to plumb the depths of God's love, wisdom, grace, and goodness. The life God has offered us is an abundant, refreshing life, yet we can be content to splash around in ankle deep water. The Living Water is in us, and we feel very good to be in the water when it suits us. But how about going deeper? What do you know of swimming around in the love and power of the Holy Spirit of God? It is a stream of Living Water which cannot be crossed! These waters are meant for swimming, "water in which one must swim!" Jesus calls out to all who will listen today, "Come to me, all who thirst!" The water is more than fine, dear friend, for it is good and glorious. This life-giving, life-sustaining, refreshing flow continually directs us to the Risen Son, the King of Glory. Go deeper! Don't be content with water up to your knees when you could be immersed in the life God has provided for you!
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