The Dead Man of God

A tendency we can have as Christians is to negatively judge the character of others by their mistakes, that because of what someone said or done such could not be a man or woman of God.  The flip side of this error is to put those we respect or admire on a pedestal as a man or woman of God who can do no wrong even when they are imperfect like the rest of us.  The Bible demonstrates many times how godly people can make foolish and sinful choices, but this does not negate their good standing with God--despite the negative consequences and discipline that follows.

1 Kings 13:1 says, "And behold, a man of God went from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense."  This man of God was a prophet through whom God spoke judgment upon the priests who committed abomination in the land and burned incense upon the altar king Jeroboam had made.  The man of God spoke of Josiah by name before his birth, that he would desecrate the altar by burning the bones of the corrupt priests upon it.  When the man of God cried out against the altar in Bethel, the king reached out his hand and commanded he be arrested.  Immediately the hand of Jeroboam was withered and he could not move it any more.  1 Kings 13:6 reads, "Then the king answered and said to the man of God, "Please entreat the favor of the LORD your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me." So the man of God entreated the LORD, and the king's hand was restored to him, and became as before."

The man of God spoke the message God gave him to speak, and the LORD heard and answered his prayers.  But being a man of God did not prevent him from folly, deception and sin.  Jeroboam invited the man to be refreshed with a meal but he declined, citing God told forbade him from eating or drinking and to return to Judah a different way.  He was able to refuse the invitation of a wicked king, but he was deceived by a fellow prophet who lied and said an angel spoke to him the word of the LORD that he should share a meal with him.  During the meal the old prophet of God in Bethel spoke the word of the LORD, that because of his disobedience he would not rest in the tomb of his fathers.  The word of the lying prophet came to pass in 1 Kings 13:24:  "When he was gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the corpse."  The old prophet of Bethel retrieved the dead body and buried the man of God of Judah in his own tomb and lamented over him like a dear brother.

While we cannot know the motives of heart, it is clear a man of God can be disobedient to God.  The passage shows God's dealing with a disobedient prophet in the short term was more severe than with a wicked king, for Jeroboam's withered hand was healed whilst the man of God perished from the earth.  This is instructive to all God's people by demonstrating the people of God do not receive a free pass for sin, but God will chasten and discipline those whom He loves--so others will hear, fear and avoid sin.  Finally, having received the truth of God's word we ought not be swayed from it even if a prophet and man of God leads us to disobey what God has spoken to us.  Paul said in Galatians 1:8, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed."  An prophet, angel or apostle can lead us astray, so we ought to hold fast to what God has said to us so we might truly live as God's people.  The dead man of God still speaks and leads us to obey God always.

True Freedom

Recently it came to mind I had yet to check out the beach at Windsor after the area flooded, and this morning I went and surveyed the area with metal detector in hand.  Typically after a flood the upper layers of sand and everything they contained--typically bottle tops and other rubbish--are all washed away.  Today my experience was much the same as I found mostly metal lids from canned food with a lead fishing sinker here or there.  The most interesting thing I found was not made of metal at all, but was a bookmark that contained self-centred messaging that is rife in the world.

The phrase, "Be anything you want to be" suggests listening to Audiobooks (or reading eBooks) liberates us from the drudgery of being ourselves and provides an opportunity to live vicariously through the stories we hear.  I have read many books during my life, but I cannot say any of them made me to be anything besides what I already was.  What I can say based on a biblical worldview is the humanistic messaging that you are "the captain of your ship" or can "be anything you want" is not liberating at all:  this is the epitome of bondage to self.  It makes me a slave to my own desires and lusts; it is a prison that binds me to my failures, weakness, ill-discipline and sin as self-defining.  This promise of freedom and empowerment is empty as chaff in the wind, having no potential for life that satisfies, is fruitful or endures.

This humanistic appeal to the flesh is a vapid substitution for what is real, satisfying and obtained by God's grace:  in Christ we can be everything God designed us to be.  Rather than swallowing down self-empowering propaganda, we are divinely empowered to glorify God by lives lived in the fear of God and obedience to Him.  Apart from God we were at the mercy of our feelings, circumstances and our own strength, but having been born again we discover freedom to know and serve the God who was, is and is to come, the almighty Creator.  The God who created and loves us has provided all that pertains to life and godliness, and this is an abundant life no activity, possession, achievement or entertainment can rival.  The work Jesus has begun in us He will be faithful to complete.

Better than basing our identity on what we want, how much better it is to embrace the identity God desires for us as souls created in His own image, people He loves and calls to forgiveness, redemption and salvation.  Our wants change continually but God, His love and the abundant life He provides endures forever.  The greatest plans you could devise for yourself cannot compare with the wondrous, miraculous plans God has for you.  God's ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts our thoughts, and He sheds light on them in the Bible.  Reading and considering God's word with a humble, hungry heart opens a way to freedom of self and joyous glory of God we never dreamed possible.  Everything God has planned for His people blows anything I want to be away.

Quenching Thirst

"Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise."

Proverbs 20:1

I've been reading through the NIV Bible as my evening portion, and given the use of parallelism in Hebrew poetry it is a very pertinent and accessible translation that speaks to the heart.  The KJV and NKJV put "strong drink" where the NIV says "beer."  There are a lot of beer drinkers who do not drink whiskey or other distilled spirits, and such may miss the point because their drink of choice is not expressly mentioned.  The concept is that all beverages that contain alcohol have the potential to lead people astray from God's wise ways.

"Wine is a mocker," Solomon says, and alcohol has a way of blunting kindness and tact.  Drinking to excess can make people seem very funny and clever (at least to themselves) and influences them to say things which ought not to be said.  A person who is gentle and kind in their right might can be a mocker when under the influence.  In addition to mockery, alcohol can make people combative and violent.  Mild-mannered people after a few beers can result in arguments, contention and blows.  I remember many years ago giving a patron of a pub a ride home to his hotel.  "I could fight right now," he said.  Motioning to a man at random walking along the street he demanded, "Pull over, I'm going to beat up that guy."  This was not a man in his right mind, but he couldn't see it.

Another application of the passage is to consider how alcohol makes a mockery of a person by leading them astray:  by drinking to excess a man's follow is put on display.  Alcohol wars and fights like an enemy against the better judgment of people, and it is always seeking to undermine their mental and physical well-being.  Even when it does not lead to poverty, drunkenness always leads to spiritual poverty.  By the fear of God the wise will not be led astray by strong drink, though it has left many wounded and ashamed.  Mocking and brawling are a blight upon fools--and how much more so upon those who claim to know and follow Christ!

Rather that toeing the line of sobriety, the child of God is guided by Christ to be guided by the leading of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 5:18-21:  "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. ¹⁹ Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²¹ Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."  Debauchery can be defined as "habitual lewdness; excessive unlawful indulgence of lust" that is not limited to those who abuse alcohol.  Having been filled with the Holy Spirit, the outflow of God's presence results in speaking and singing praise to God, giving thanks to God for everything.  The Living Water of the Holy Spirit is more than sufficient to quench the thirsty soul.

Good Stewards of Grace

Jesus told parables that involved servants who were given stewardship of talents (large sums of money) by their master to invest while he was away.  They didn't know exactly when he was going to return, yet belief their master would arrive at any hour motivated them to work so they would be ready.  This provides a parallel for Christians today, for Jesus said many times His return is imminent and sudden.  Many believers have passed away before the long awaited rapture of the church, and only God knows if we will remain until that glorious day.

In light of the end of all things being at hand, Peter urged fellow believers to be sober, watch unto prayer, and love one another fervently.  He continued in 1 Peter 4:10-11:  "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."  Freely we have received the Holy Spirit who provides spiritual gifts, and having freely received we are to be good stewards of God's grace to minister it to one another.  God gifts His people, not primarily for their own edification, but so our God-given ability would be utilised for the glorification of God through Jesus Christ.

Receiving a gift is a small thing when compared to if we are using it as good stewards.  God does not fault anyone for not operating in a spiritual gift they have not been given.  Receiving a gift from God should cause us to glorify God by ministering the gift to one another--not seeing it as a feather in our cap of spiritual maturity since all we have is by God's grace.  We may have been Christians a long while before we realised the gift or gifts God has given us, and we need His guidance and wisdom to learn to use it well.  Even when we have a great wealth of experience, every time we minister to one another we need to rely upon Jesus as at the first, for without Him we can do nothing.

Even if you are not sure what spiritual gifts God has given you, common to all believers is the gift of salvation when we are born again by faith in Jesus.  Having been saved by Jesus through the Gospel, we can testify of all He has done for us and how awesome He is.  By virtue of our new birth we have also received the Holy Spirit who indwells us, for Christians are now the temple of the Holy Spirit.  To Jesus Christ belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever, and having been purchased by His shed blood we are not our own.  As people saved by grace through faith, we are to extend grace to all people by loving and forgiving, by edifying words and exhortations to be good stewards of the abundant grace of God.  As we have received, good stewards freely give and lack no good thing.