Addressing Source or Symptoms?

Head colds are common ailments usually caused by viruses.  Symptoms include a sore throat, blocked or runny nose, and sinus pressure.  There are many over-the-counter medications which can alleviate the symptoms in varying degrees.  It is important for the sufferer to realise the runny nose is a problem and an irritation, but it is not the source of the problem:  the runny nose is indicative of a virus the body will overcome in due time.

It would be silly to think the source of the head cold was eliminated by jamming Kleenex in the nose or irrigating the sinus with a saline solution.  Treating the symptoms of a chronic illness or disease never touches the root cause.  It would be foolish to load up on caffeine to fight fatigue when the body is suffering anemia or heart disease.  Morphine is very good at numbing pain, but it does nothing to mend a broken bone or remove bowel cancer.  Unless the source is dealt with directly, all efforts to treat the symptoms will not promote healing or restoration.  Efforts to remove white patches off tonsils with a wire brush will only add complications to pain.  The alleviation of symptoms without discovering and addressing the cause is problematic as well, for it masks the insidious nature of the sickness which will continue to rage unchecked.

It may be we only want our symptoms relieved, but wisdom demands we discover the source of our symptoms and seek a genuine cure.  The symptoms of spiritual illness are often played out in the physical realm.  A lack of peace, joy, or contentment should be an impetus to seeking God and His counsel through the Word.  Waywardness of eyes and thoughts are often indicative of a wandering heart from steadfast faithfulness to God.  We can toil against the lusts of our flesh and eyes and not realise the problem is not with all the temptation offered in the world but the sin which sits enthroned in our own hearts.  We are called to guard our hearts, for from the heart springs all the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23).

Sinful conduct and habits is like a spiritually runny nose and fever:  it is an indicator something inside us is sick and in need of a physician's care.  It may appear passive to allow a virus run its course, but in truth the body is working overtime to see the viral threat destroyed.  God designed our bodies with an intricate defense system which identifies and attacks all threats to the health of the body, and God allows feelings we classify as bad, sickness, waves of depression, and circumstances so we might recognise our need to repent and refocus our trust on God once more.  It is not more self-control in one area we need, but to abide in Christ's love by making God's will our practice in all our lives.  Resist the urge to force superficial change in yourself by modifying behaviour without considering the implications of how your actions reveal your heart.  Unless a heart is humbled before God in faith and surrender, lasting transformation is not a viable option.  Efforts of the flesh to clean our exterior resemble a man with a fever who scrubs his inflamed tonsils with a wire brush - and that is an ugly picture indeed.

The Illegitimate Son

The strong negative stigma of having children or being born out of wedlock today has lost much of its former potency.  Not long ago even in western cultures children considered "illegitimate" or of dubious origin were mocked and shunned.  In the Bible we read that Jephthah was driven away from home by his brothers because he was the son of another mother.  Being deemed a bastard had legal consequences as well.  For instance, an illegitimate son could be denied an inheritance and could not be a rightful heir.  In Bible times there were strong consequences even in regards to worship.  Deuteronomy 23:2:  "One of illegitimate birth shall not enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the LORD."  The exact meaning of the words translated "illegitimate birth" has been hotly debated by Jewish Rabbis, but the point is this:  the illegitimate nature of a person's conception had a far-reaching and often negative impact on life.

Even as a man and woman are necessary to conceive and bear children, so children have need of both their father and mother to raise them.  I cannot imagine how my life would have been impacted as a child without my dad or mum.  It used to be a boy who never knew his father was called a "child without a name," and I imagine the lack of a name would be the least of his worries.  I am grateful to have been raised by both my parents, but the day came when I left their immediate care.  Now I live on the other side of the world, and though the internet, technology, and modern transportation keeps us closer than has ever been possible, a divide remains.  A man need not leave a city, state, or country for a divide to exist.  The day comes when a son or daughter leaves home, embarks on a career, is married, and the nature of the parent/child relationship changes.  As much as a parent always wants to "be there" for their children, no one will live forever.  Praise God He has offered to be an eternal, heavenly Father who will always be there for His children.  He is not limited by distance or advancing age:  He provides, protects, and corrects us faithfully.

This morning I was listening to a message by Jon Courson and he reminded the congregation:  "Sin is not bad because it is forbidden; sin is forbidden because it is bad."  A good father who loves his son will discipline him.  If we have embraced a life of sin and are not under conviction or being chastised by God in a painful way for it, it may indicate we are not children of God at all.  Sobering words!  Listen to what Hebrews 12:5-8 says:  "...My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; ⁶ for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives." ⁷ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? ⁸ But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons."  People can be downright gleeful in their sin.  It may even seem for a prolonged season they are unaffected by sin which works for their ruin.  God loves all people, but those who have received His love through being born again by the Gospel, in His love He will swat us.  He will even allow us to go into oppressive captivity for a season, taken captive by Satan to do his will.  God ultimately inflicts sharp pain to correct His children - all working towards our ultimate restoration, deliverance, and refinement.  If we are bastards and not sons of God by the blood of Christ, then we cannot legally receive any inheritance of eternal life from Him.

Don't despise the chastening of the LORD, believer.  And we need not concern ourselves that God isn't chastening others as we think He ought.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and He knows very well how to manage His own flock.  He does not need advice from the sheep of how to best do this.  He is a loving Father who knows the hearts of  His children perfectly.  God knows the best way to discipline each one, and we must answer the call as His child to act as an obedient, reverent, and faithful child towards Him.  The words of Jesus to Peter when he asked concerning John ring in my ears as an appropriate application.  John 21:21-22 says, "Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?" ²² Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."  God is our good Father, and let us concern ourselves with being good sons and daughters.  Praise the LORD for His correction which prevents us from self-destruction!  It is better to be spared from future sin by pain now than for God to spare the rod and refuse to accept us as sons.  I would rather have a good Father who inflicts pain motivated by love than to live in my sin and suffer without help or hope.  What would you prefer?

Upheld by Love

As I reflect upon the trip I took to Cambodia in 2015, this image (courtesy of Vanny Phal, an amazing chemist and sister in Christ) is the one indelible memory of the trip.  To me it sums up the truth I realised in a very personal way.  I always want to be the strong one who helps others, but there are times when I am weak and need to be upheld by my sisters and brothers in Christ.  The sweet scene depicted in the photo played out for me as a literal parable.

During one of our medical clinics in a mountain village, I noticed this little man starting to fade into sleep as he patiently sat on the bench.  His mother was having dental work done, so his big sister picked him up, held him, and gently rocked him to sleep.  I watched amazed for over an hour as this little girl held her brother who was half her size without complaint or visible discomfort.  I had no idea how this scene would unfold in a personal way and in dramatic fashion.

After our time in Cambodia came to a close, we flew to Singapore before returning home to Sydney, Australia.  It was in Singapore I began to feel unwell.  It began with what I thought perhaps was hunger or indigestion, and I was glad to be boarding a flight heading home.  I had not been seated for a minute before I felt like it would be advisable to go to the toilet - just in case.  When I found the toilets locked, I leaned against a bulkhead to think and suddenly...I found myself lying on my back in an aisle, surrounded by concerned staff who asked me to tell them my name.  I had fainted and been unconscious for almost a minute!  After convincing everyone I was right as rain and was seated, I promptly fainted again.  I was deemed unfit to fly and wheeled off the plane utterly humiliated and disappointed to be denied passage home.  But I understood.  They did the right thing.

Eventually I did make it home, after being diagnosed with food poisoning.  What I haven't explained is how God used two women from our church who accompanied me on the trip to uphold me.  One of them literally caught me as I fainted so I didn't injure myself when I lost consciousness.  The other decided to stay with me in Singapore, denying herself the chance to fly home, so she could ensure our flights were quickly rescheduled and I was properly cared for.  You see, I was the little boy in the picture.  God provided two sisters in Christ to uphold me.  What I must remember is that I am still that little boy:  weak, frail, unable to be strong all the time, with genuine needs I cannot meet myself.  Just today I was so encouraged to hear from a sister in Christ that she is praying for me, upholding me and the ministry here in Sydney in prayer.

Sometimes God will use you to be the girl in the picture, but more often than we care to admit we resemble that little boy:  in need of love, care, and support.  Praise God for the family He has provided in Christ and all the support we receive we will never know about.  Thank you friends and family who faithfully support my family and me in countless ways.  God has made us a Body, the church, and when all its movements are governed by the love of Christ there is nothing more beautiful.

Reducing Belly Fat

I don't know how many different ads I have seen, but I've read belly fat can be reduced by a series of "weird tips."  It's a strange thing:  I have never seen an ad for removing fat from my hips, arms, or chest, but it appears we must make every effort to target that cursed belly fat.  The truth is, there are people who pay money to re-arrange their fat - to make parts of their bodies slimmer and other parts fuller.  I wouldn't have known sin without the mirror of God's Law, and I wouldn't have known belly fat was such a big problem without those ads constantly popping up.  I'm sure magazines and Photoshop doesn't help either.  And then there are my pants which always seem to be shrinking...moving on! :)

It occurred to me that even as we long to target our body fat selectively, so we can do the same with sin.  We can come to a place spiritually that as long as we can fit into our pants the growing belly isn't a big deal.  We might be a bit out of shape and breathless walking up a few stairs, so to speak, but at least we can wear clothes which conceal the truth from others.  Spiritually speaking, attempting to target a certain sin in isolation will not work.  We must be willing to commit to dietary changes and embracing of exercise so the entire body can benefit - not just our bellies.  We must allow His Word to pierce our hearts and bring our entire lives under the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ.  It is folly to say, "I'm happy for you to remove the fat I consider unsightly from my belly, but can't I keep a good layer on my arms and chest?"  It is telling that it is not the fat which jiggles under our skin, but the visceral fat which collects around our internal organs which is most dangerous.  Surgical removal of the subcutaneous fat may slim our waistlines for a season, but it doesn't make us healthy.

Visible sinful behaviour is evidence of sin in our hearts.  Sinful habits and choices are merely symptoms it is not well with our soul.  It is good when we recognise our need to change, and it is through repenting and walking in obedience to God according to faith in His word that our overall spiritual health begins to improve.  It is not just one area of your life that needs to change, for those who are born again by faith in Jesus are new creations!  All things have become new!  God has given us the opportunity of a new beginning, and we should joyfully seize it.  God desires much more for us than flat bellies and ripped abdominals, but a new heart, a biblical perspective, and a godly lifestyle.