Glory In the LORD

God's glory is shown in using weak vessels to accomplish His awesome purposes.  He does not need us but chooses to use us and make us fruitful for His glory.  I remember a conversation I had with a pastor who spoke how amazed he was people kept turning up to church week after week:  "They just keep coming back," he said.  There are many conversations I have no memory of, but I recall this one because it struck me as odd.  I could have understood his confusion if he was the only one responsible for people coming to church, but won't God honour His word?  Isn't He at work in the heart and minds of people to remind and compel them to respond in obedience to gather in His name?  Since fellowship is prompted and sustained by the Spirit of the Living God, his surprise (feigned or not I could not tell) to me was surprising.

In his book Lectures to My Students, I came across something C.H. Spurgeon had to say on the matter:

"Oh, brethren, we ought to preach feeling that God means to bless the word, for we have His promise for it; and when we have done preaching we should look out for the people who have received a blessing.  Do you ever say, "I am overwhelmed with astonishment to find that the Lord has converted souls through my poor ministry"?  Mock humility!  Your ministry is poor enough.  Everybody knows that, and you ought to know it most of all:  but, at the same time, is it any wonder that God, who said "My word shall not return unto me void," has kept His promise?  Is the meat to lose its nourishment because the dish is a poor platter?  Is divine grace to be overcome by our infirmity?  No, but we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us." (Spurgeon, C. H. Lectures to My Students: Complete & Unabridged. Ministry Resources Library, Zondervan Publishing House, 1989. page 194)

Knowing preaching and teaching is God's work should not promote slackness in preparation or delivery, but wisdom causes our hearts to glorify and praise God when it is useful.  I tend towards pride like other people, and I have learned by God's word coupled with experience if there is anything good found in me it is solely due to God's grace.  Should there be no visible profit from my efforts I cannot blame God for it, yet fruitlessness ought to prompt thorough self-examination to see if the fault is mine.  I ought to own my failures and folly so I might repent, and all glory goes to God who does all things well.  Clutching even a little glory or credit for ourselves is the subtle start of disastrous straying from God.  Such are like Samson who was lulled to sleep on Delilah's knees, who awoke out of sleep without realising the Holy Spirit had left him.  He said, "I will go out as before and shake myself free" yet was promptly overcome, bound, blinded and imprisoned.  Proud Christians may encounter a worse end without an opportunity for redemption, and God keep me from such insidious folly.

While it is surprising how God employs a poor platter or earthen vessel to communicate His word and wisdom, let us not linger there:  may the weakness of the instrument foster praise for the God who works miraculously and marvelously.  What is the strength of a pillar without a solid foundation?  The use of the weak to reveal God's might is His divine plan as explained by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:26-31:  "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. ²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence. ³⁰ But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption-- ³¹ that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."

Life Without Controversy

One blessing of the internet is the ability to share information and communicate, and this is also one of the greatest curses:  the spread of misinformation.  The internet is a prime breeding ground of rumours and conspiracy which have duped many.  When these thoughts germinate and take root in the minds of people, legitimate reporting and research are condemned as disinformation:  information that is deliberately misleading to promote sinister agendas of shadowy figures behind the scenes.  What is true can become so convoluted those taken in by conspiracies will not part with their views, even when it kills them.

I read an article yesterday of a nurse in South Dakota who allegedly expressed her sadness there are patients infected with COVID she has treated who used their last breaths to deny the existence of COVID.  It may very well be disbelief in COVID that led to careless behaviour which enabled them to initially contract the illness.  I have learned that it is impossible to change the hearts and minds of people no matter how hard I try, whether it involves politics, conspiracy theories, sport or religion.  For every fact, report or statistic shared, everyone seems to have their own preferred sources which confirm their beliefs.  This can be very disheartening when misinformation turns into an obsession nothing has the power to shift--not even the truth which has supporting evidence.  To think a person could be admitted to the hospital with a fever and respiratory issues, be diagnosed with COVID by the experts to whom they entrusted their recovery, and then for them to refuse the diagnosis as propaganda or call their doctor a liar blows my mind.

Great is the blindness of the human heart without the illumination and guidance of the Holy Spirit!  Without a doubt as human beings we all have our blind spots, but if the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness (Matthew 6:23)!  The death of the body is a tragedy, and the eternal death of the soul infinitely more terrible.  Jesus miraculously opened the eyes of a man born blind who later met with Jesus and believed He was the Son of God.  Having his eyes opened the man trusted in Jesus, his soul was saved from hell and was granted eternal life.  The scribes and Pharisees believed Jesus was a sinner and a deceiver and refused to believe on Him though Jesus did many signs that affirmed His claim of being the Messiah.  John 9:39-41 reads, "And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind." ⁴⁰ Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?" ⁴¹ Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains."  The Pharisees were self-righteous and thus remained in their sins.  They believed Jesus was wrong and they were right:  this revealed they were more blind than the man born blind.

If the Pharisees had confessed their blindness, through faith in Jesus they would have been able to see He was the Way, the Truth and the Life, the LORD and Saviour sent to save sinners.  When we adopt a humble posture before God, admit we are fallible and easily fooled He guides us into all truth and our souls find rest.  The ones who believe they cannot possibly be wrong in a controversial matter are already wrong whether they realise it or not.  People must place their faith in something, and only faith in God and His word will never lead us astray.  Of course there are people who attempt to twist the scriptures to suit their beliefs but fallacious arguments and distortions of scripture can be exposed by rightly dividing the word of truth.  If a person does not believe they are sick they will not go to a doctor:  if they believe they are sick and the doctor says they have COVID, why wouldn't a person believe it?  This shows faith is powerful.  Faith in self is a snare, and God will be faithful to reward those who trust Him despite our fallibility.

In the world and online there is no shortage of controversy, but 1 Timothy 3:16 has it right:  "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory."  As believers let us hold fast and walk according to this doctrine at the cost of our lives and refuse to promote controversial beliefs which cannot profit souls.

More Than Reminders Needed

Reminders are useful because we easily forget.  But even the best reminders have their limitations and do not always serve their intended purpose because we are the weak link.  We can be distracted, fall into habits, and be overtaken with behaviours that impede our ability to do our part to follow through.

I was struck recently concerning how many memorials and reminders are in the Bible.  After God delivered His people from a Philistine attack, the prophet Samuel set up a stone he called "Ebenezer" and said in 1 Samuel 7:12, "Thus far the LORD has helped us."  God directed the Hebrews attach a fringe of blue on their garments so they would remember to keep God's commands (Numbers 15:37-39).  When the children of Israel crossed the Jordan river on dry ground 12 stones were stacked in the place where the feet of the priests stood.  To stop the people from murmuring against Moses and Aaron, God made Aaron's stick to bud, blossom and yield almonds overnight.  Then He commanded it be laid up as a token before the Ark of the Testimony to silence their opposition (Numbers 17:10).  God placed the rainbow in the sky as a token of the covenant He made with man and the earth after the great flood, that He would never again flood the earth to destroy all flesh (Genesis 9:12-15).  God would look upon His bow and remember His covenant, and it directed men to remember God.  Even Jesus told His disciples to receive communion together in remembrance of Him.

Making reminders does not ensure people will remember.  This is seen after the children of Ruben, Gad, and half-tribe of Manasseh made a replica of the altar at the tabernacle when they returned to the east side of the Jordan.  Because their land was divided by the Jordan river they were concerned future generations would forget their obligation to offer sacrifices to God at the tabernacle in Shiloh, and the remaining tribes of Israel might question their right to do so.  Joshua 22:28 shares their explanation for building the altar:  "Therefore we said that it will be, when they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say, 'Here is the replica of the altar of the LORD which our fathers made, though not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between you and us.'"  It is ironic the people who had the real tabernacle and altar along with the eastern tribes who desired their descendants to follow the LORD and built the large replica were unsuccessful.  Judges 2:10-11 explains, "When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel. ¹¹ Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals..."  This reveals reminders are useful, yet they provide no guarantee people will heed them.

We can write the time and location of an important meeting in our diary and forget to check it; we can set an alarm to wake up early and continue to dismiss the notifications.  Our forgetfulness can lead to slackness in business and in the LORD's service.  All the reminders in the world are powerless to change our hearts, and reminders are no substitute for the LORD's presence.  That is a glorious truth of those who are born again by faith in Jesus Christ.  He does more than remind us:  His love compels us.  Even those who sewed a fringe of blue on their garments were still condemned by their sin willfully or by ignorance.  We can keep the command of Jesus to gather and remember Him by receiving communion together, but the rite itself has no power to save, guide or help us:  it is Jesus Christ who is our all in all.  The God who gave men brains with memory is able to prompt us Himself, and blessed is the one who responds in faith and obedience.  God is mindful of us and needs no reminders.  No man can follow and serve God without God's help, and praise God for all the reminders we have of His faithfulness.

The Victory of Jesus

 As a kid who grew up in the church, I was taught Christians were in a "spiritual battle."  The range of views and degrees of emphasis placed upon this battle by different people was a source of confusion for me.  Some people acted like that battle could only be won by the intense efforts of people to "put on the armour of God" and to be "prayer warriors" delving into "spheres of influence."  Others who were also well-grounded in the truth of God's word seemed to give "spiritual warfare" far less publicity.  Some often felt "under attack by the enemy" when difficulties arose, prayed for God to mobilise angels on their behalf and for a "hedge of protection."  Some saw the battle as out there in the world with an unseen enemy, others saw this conflict more as personal and internal; others felt they were on the front lines whilst others said without a care, "The battle is the LORD's."

One of the great challenges of doctrine around spiritual warfare is terminology often used to explain aspects of it are not found verbatim in scripture.  Over the years believers have developed words linked to doctrinal truth which mean different things to different people and involve a range of subjective applications.  Many doctrines can be extended to a point of being extreme and drift away from the truth of God's word, and thus we must always be vigilant to be grounded in the Bible.  It is imperative believers hold to the sovereignty of God and His infinite power, that before Him the greatest powers of evil must flee as light before darkness.  Jehu called out to the eunuchs, "Who is on my side?" and the only way we can be victorious is when we are on God's side by faith in Jesus Christ.

I have lately been thinking about the prayers of Jesus and believers in God throughout scripture and I must confess many prayers I heard in my youth--and prayers I have repeated because I followed their example--are foreign to biblical examples.  For instance, I cannot find a time anyone prayed for God to send angels, His ministering spirits who do His bidding.  We can find many examples of God sending angels in scriptures, and there is certainly no prohibition to do so.  Personally my convictions do not allow me to do so, for it is akin to telling God how to handle His business as the Almighty.  Who am I to tell Him what He should do or how He ought to do it?  Besides, I would rather have the protection of God Himself than His servants, the One who graciously sets a hedge of protection rather than the hedge itself.  We might be content to know God's plans, but better to know the God who plans and whose will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Isn't the Giver better than the gift?

As I was contemplating the nature of the spiritual battle we face as believers who have an adversary who is compared to a roaring lion and seeks whom he may devour, 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 came to mind:  "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ⁶ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."  It is true there is an enemy of our souls, but he does not cast a shadow on the Lover of our souls Jesus Christ.  While the Bible has parallels of soldiers with followers of Jesus, Paul told believers in Corinth they should not imagine the spiritual battle should be fought according to the flesh.  Therefore the basis of the warfare is not what their efforts but on who Jesus is and what He has done.  Paul addressed a group of believers and they were to address sinful aspects of their fellowship which were contrary to Jesus and the Gospel.  They needed to be obedient to God themselves before they could rightly administer church discipline.

This exhortation given to the corporate church is also appropriate to take to heart personally.  They are not glamorous or flashy but our weapons are mighty in God for pulling down strongholds that exist in our own minds.  Though God has taken up residence in our hearts, there are arguments and contradictory thoughts we are called to take captive to the obedience of Christ.  "But aren't we to put on the whole armor of God?" some might ask.  Of course, but remember Paul's use of the armour was for illustrative purposes and revealed the wide range of protection afforded us by the Holy Spirit.  When we put on Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh, we are protected as we walk in the Spirit.  God protects us physically and spiritually even when He allows a messenger of Satan to buffet us as in Paul's case.  If we lose the inner battle of faith in Jesus all is lost, and we resemble people starving in the keep of the castle behind thick walls.  When we exalt God and His knowledge in obeying Him, we walk in the victory Christ has won.  How awesome is this!