Be Faithful In Little

Driving in Sydney traffic provides ample opportunity to exercise patience.  There seems to be no shortage of large, slow moving trucks on the road.  Many times today during my travels I had the unfortunate position of being directly behind the sluggish vehicle, and everyone behind me who desired to travel the speed limit was able to pass before me.

As I inched forward behind one truck, the thought occurred to me:  I can wait in traffic as unto the LORD.  Enduring trying situations with a heart focused on God and rejoicing in Him is pleasing in God's sight.  The benefits of the fruit of the Spirit are not only useful in relationships or interactions with others, but between me and God alone.  A gracious attitude in trials can be a witness before God that I am seeking to honour and obey Him.  I should do all things for the glory of God, even when I am by myself.  Whenever we make a conscious choice to put off the sinful desires and attitudes of the flesh and align our hearts with His will, this is pleasing in God's sight.

Today I almost justified my impatience and annoyance because I did not see how my change of attitude in a car all by myself brings glory to God.  I am grateful for God's correction and wisdom.  At times when we do not see ourselves as directly impacting others we might think, "Why bother?  Who will notice?  How will me changing bring glory to God when I keep driving exactly the same?"  God sees, God cares, and if we love Him that must be enough.  Who knows how He might redeem our obedience for His glory?  Isn't obedience good and right even if we cannot see how our sacrifice might positively affect others?  If we will not be faithful to repent and choose to rest in the peace of God when we are alone, why should we expect to reflect His character in public?

True are the words of Jesus spoken in Luke 16:10-12, and let all followers of Christ take them to heart: "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. ¹¹ Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? ¹² And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?"

Keeping Ranks

"...of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men who could keep ranks..."

1 Chronicles 12:33

The men of Zebulun described in this passage came to David to support him and establish him as rightful king over Judah in Hebron.  These 50,000 men were depicted with glowing terms:  experts in war with all weapons, stouthearted (the KJV says "not of a double heart," united in desire and purpose), and could keep ranks.  Whilst everyone would like to be expert and have courageous hearts in battle, it struck me that "keeping ranks" flies in the face of our humanistic and narcissistic culture which promotes the individual and celebrates those who distinguish themselves as champions.

The reason why the fighters of Zebulun were singled out and uniquely described as able to "keep ranks" was precisely because they were not "rank and file" soldiers.  They fought as a single unit, knowing their place and role in the battle.  They kept to the proper formation, their steps ordered by their captains and commanders.  They were experts, and they knew their place.  Usually when people are told, "Know your place!" it is because it is a low place they should return to.  Yet the ability to keep ranks is the mark of a true warrior, not a novice.  Being of one heart and one purpose to establish David as king, their efforts were not weakened by each trying to outdo others or make a name for self.  They fought skillfully and kept ranks without fleeing in the heat of battle.  This ability to keep ranks made them a formidable fighting force against any enemy who would threaten them or their king.

I believe this courageous, stouthearted, and unified approach is important in the church today under the kingship of Jesus Christ.  We need people who are willing and able to keep ranks, casting off the sin and the weights which encumber us.  All Christians have been divinely connected to the Body of Christ for the purpose of glorifying God.  We need men, women, and children who realise and embrace their God-given roles and positions in various seasons of life and ministry.  We need to walk in lockstep and love with our Master and Saviour Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, obeying Him and heeding His Word.  As long as the lives of Christians are primarily centred on promoting or protecting ourselves we will never be the effective force God desires and designed the church to be in this world.

You may be an expert, but are you humble and skilled to keep ranks with fellow Christians?  Find your place outlined in scripture and do not flee or surrender to the enemy.  Keep in fellowship with other believers, bear one another's burdens, and carry your own load.  It is time to report for duty and keep ranks with a courageous heart!

Little Beds and Blankets

This morning at Calvary Chapel Sydney we spoke of the danger of apathy and complacency in God's people.  Having the benefit of God's presence, provision, and forgiveness, we can come to a place where our hearts are hard and cease to walk in humility and repentance.  God sent the prophet Isaiah to warn God's people of coming judgment for their sins - though they were God's chosen people established in Jerusalem, had been given His Law, and His presence dwelt in their midst.  They refused to confess their sin and repent so God would chasten them without mercy so a faithful remnant would serve Him forever.

In the passage we studied, there was an apt description of the person who remains in their sin without repentance.  It was compared to day after day of bad news.  On top of that, rest and comfort diligently sought would be evasive.  The prophet said in Isaiah 28:20, "For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it."  There are few things more exhausting than trying to sleep in an uncomfortable bed when you are freezing.  We can be so tired but find it impossible to drift off into restful slumber!  In this parable, both the bed and covering are inadequate for the potential sleeper.  The truth was God's people had embraced idols which were worthless and were incapable of saving anyone.  Yet God's people were loathe to give them up.  Like a person tossing and turning on a small bed with an inadequate covering, rest and comfort for their souls was only a fantasy.

We can be a lot like the man in the story.  We stubbornly cling to what isn't working.  The other night my wife and I toughed it out through a chilly night with only a sheet and a thin blanket.  I kept waking up and wrapped myself tighter with the blanket, but I was still cold.  Instead of having the sense to rise from bed and grab the doona from the closet, I tried changing my position and kept waking up.  Needless to say, I did not have a very good night's sleep.  I told Laura the next day, "I think it's time to break out the doona.  I was pretty cold last night."  We have done so and I haven't awakened cold again!  We must be brought to the place where we realise our idols and our worldly affections are inadequate.  They look satisfactory, but even when we gain our desire they never satisfy.  Only those who recognise their idols are miserable comforters and repent will receive the peace, joy, and comfort Jesus Christ brings.

Better Than War?

After church Sunday I had a great conversation I have continued to reflect upon.  I don't know about you, but often in the moment a question is posed my mind can remain "prodigiously empty" like Emmet in the Lego Movie.  For me, my best responses ebb at the beginning and begin to flow freely days later.  In talking of the current state of the world ravaged by conflict and war, it was mused:  "There must be a better way than war.  Why can't we figure something out to avoid the killing of young people and scarring them for life?"  I agree completely with the view.  War is plainly horrific, and I realise my ignorance on the subject - never having personally lived in a war zone, suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, flashbacks, or lost a close friend or family member in combat.  Despite my lack of personal experience, God has provided wisdom and understanding about war, even how God is able to redeem warfare for His redemptive purposes.

I have been considering the words of King Solomon in relation to war often reserved for funerals in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:  "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: ^{2 a} time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; ³ a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; ⁴ a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; ⁵ a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ⁶ a time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; ⁷ a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; ⁸ a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."  What this passage shows is there is ordained by God a purpose and time for war and peace.  Every human being is born in sin and therefore at war with God, naturally resistant and hostile to His wisdom.  It is only those who surrender to God in faith and repentance who will experience His perfect peace.

Jesus Christ has proclaimed peace to all people through the Gospel, His death on the cross and resurrection, even as God commanded His people to do for people in cities God provided.  Deuteronomy 20:10-12 says, "When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it. ¹¹ And it shall be that if they accept your offer of peace, and open to you, then all the people who are found in it shall be placed under tribute to you, and serve you. ¹² Now if the city will not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it."  Conquest was never the purpose of war for God's people but to claim and take possession of all the land within the borders God had given them as an inheritance.  Global domination was never the point.  The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, and God gave the children of Israel clearly delineated borders when He brought them into the Land of Promise.  God used His people as His instruments to judge the sinful nations who possessed the land after giving them space to repent and to respond to the offer of peace.  If they refused to submit to the offer of peace, God caused their cities to fall.

The Bible demonstrates how God uses war to remove wicked rulers, to defend the innocent, to confirm the truth of His Word, to show His might and glory, to discipline His people, and to cause them to seek Him again in truth.  Suffering and persecution purifies the church.  The book of the Revelation in many places speaks of Satan making war against Christians and will prevail against them for a season.  Revelation 17:14 tells us how Jesus will overcome and those who follow Him will partake in the victory:  "These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."  When murderous tyrants are overthrown in battle the oppressed and those who delight in righteousness rejoice, and Satan is a thief, liar, and murderer from the beginning.  God is not bloodthirsty and does not even delight in the death of the wicked:  He calls all men everywhere to repent.  The horrors of war and death are but a small precursor to the eternal terror which awaits all those who refuse His offer of peace and forgiveness through the Gospel.  It is only through the lens of scripture and the ultimate victory of Jesus Christ the suffering of this world makes sense at all.

Daniel praised God for His might and wisdom in Daniel 2:20-22, "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. ²¹ And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. ²² He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him."  There is hope, peace, and healing in Jesus Christ.  No matter how the battle rages or the wickedness of men seems to spread, God remains in control and is a refuge for all who trust in Him.  The only way to peace in this world torn by sin and war is through Jesus.  Jesus won't force anyone to surrender to His rule, and those who refuse will only experience war and conflict - whether or not they ever step foot on a field of battle.  Jesus is our peace (Eph. 2:14)!  

Speaking of Jesus...

As a Christian, I am highly supportive of Christian musicians who include Jesus Christ in their art.  Artists like Lecrae and the metal band "For Today" are a couple of my recent discoveries of musicians who do not shy away from using the name of Jesus in their songs.  I find this very refreshing.  Many Christian artists are content with using vague allusions to Christ in their music rather than coming right out and saying His name.  When I hear a musician, actor, athlete, or person in the public sphere mention the name of Jesus, I rejoice.  I am sure God also rejoices in the boldness of His loyal followers.

Professing Christian musicians in the public eye often face harsh criticism from people in the church.  They can be criticised for their music style, dress, piercings, tattoos, the other bands they tour with, their lyrics, record label, for becoming "secular" or "sell-outs."  It is almost safer to shed a "Christian" label to not have to deal with the judgment of other professing believers who presumes to know how a person should handle stardom.  Realise it is very easy for us to sit in a throne of judgment over other Christians, smugly asserting if we were a famous musician or actor we would use the platform in a far more constructive and evangelical manner.  We wouldn't merely make shadowy allusions of Jesus in our songs, no:  we would come right out as sold-out followers of Jesus Christ!

While we are up on our high-horse in judgment of others who are at least known by the world to be professing Christians, perhaps we would be better served to issue a judgment of ourselves right now.  How often does the name "Jesus" roll off your tongue in casual conversation?  When was the last time you spoke even one complete sentence specifically about Jesus to someone you didn't know?  If praises and glory to God do not flow from us in random conversations during everyday interactions, do we really think we would speak freely of Christ on a stage in front of millions?  He who is faithful in little is faithful over much.  Instead of criticising supposed missed opportunities by others, why not redeem the opportunities God gives you every day?  God has given you personal, direct contact with more people than you realise.  Jesus didn't draw people with music or reach people with an amplified voice from a stage.  He didn't turn the world upside down by interviews over the radio, TV, and online, or with printed lyrics in a CD jewel case, but spoke of the Kingdom of God and lived righteously wherever He went, speaking to all who would listen.

Most Christians think they would better handle the big platform for the glory of God.  I say it is better for us to seize the opportunities God lays before us daily to speak freely to one person the name of Jesus and faithfully live in the way which fully pleases Him.  God may never give you the platform you crave or feel you deserve.  You may never have the opportunity to speak to hundreds, thousands, or millions, but it is the man, woman, and child who faithfully follows Jesus in truth when no one is watching who will actually have anything of value to say on the platform for the glory of God.  Whether or not someone redeems their opportunities, what is that to you?  You follow Jesus and speak of Him often!

Desire and Denial

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."

Matthew 16:24-25

Jesus has extended an invitation for anyone to follow Him.  The conditions are simple enough:  desire to be with Jesus, deny self, take up his cross, and follow Jesus obediently.  It is an tragic position when a man desires to follow Jesus but is unwilling to give up his own life.  Jesus talked about many people who would call to Him "Lord!" on the day of judgment, citing their great works for His sake, but Jesus will deny any knowledge of them.  They called Him LORD with their lips, but they never met His conditions of self-denial and faith demonstrated by obedience.  Unwilling to carry their own cross, some wander from Calvary and substitute good works which cannot save.  If I am unwilling to deny and die to self, than I am not Christ's.  Of this I am certain.

Our existence on earth is really a struggle between the life of Christ and the ways which lead to death.  It is not like Jesus holds one of my hands and Satan the other, both pulling and entreating me to go their way.  One major trouble with this picture is I am not neutral in my allegiance, but naturally selfish and sinful.  Another problem with the view is it is not consistent with the character of Jesus.  He does not play tug of war with souls.  The reality is my sin nature and Satan have held me with countless bounds in prison awaiting death for my crimes and Jesus came to me in my ruined, powerless state.  When I admitted my guilt in repentance, Jesus broke every bond which held me fast.  He caused me to be born again and the door of my maximum security prison cell swung open.  If I desire life, then I must desire Jesus and abide in the Way, Truth, and Life.

Let me ask you:  what was your motive for coming to Christ at the beginning?  What is your motive for seeking Him now?  When I was at Camp Kedron, I took part in an object lesson where all the campers were given four playing cards.  The object of the game was to obtain a "perfect score," four cards which added up to 40.  Each face-card and the "10" was worth 10 points.  The rules of the game are every person was required to walk around the room, find someone with cards, place your finger on a card held in someone else's hand (like "Old Maid") and draw at the same time.  You need not play the game long before you realise it is impossible to have the perfect score.  A player may hold a card worth 10 points for a while, but it is only a matter of time before it is swapped with a low card.  Even if by chance you did obtain the perfect score, you would need to continue swapping with other players until game end.  One different aspect of this game is all who did not have a perfect hand by the end of the game would be subjected to a punishment - which in our case was a cream pie to the face.

My role in the game was to walk around and make offers to the players.  Instead of trading cards, my role was to say, "Give me your cards, follow me, and I will take your punishment."  The various responses of people was interesting.  Some were so intent on playing the game they looked blankly at me and walked away.  Others were happy to unload their cards.  The most common response I had was people handing me their cards and in a carefree manner walked away!  I said to them, "Hey, you can't just walk away:  you need to follow me."  "Oh!" they would say, and sometimes they would actually follow me.  Some would head off to hang out with their mates.  The game continued until my "followers" were confronted for not having cards, and at that time I held no less than 70 cards with only one face-card among them.  I revealed my hand which had been hidden during the game:  four Kings, a perfect score.  Even though I held a perfect hand, I needed to take the punishment for holding those horrible cards for others.  Hopefully the pie to the face I received made the impression intended:  Jesus took our punishment on the cross for our sins, and we must follow Him.

I believe many people today are like those kids who were happy to unload their damning cards which demanded a punishment but had no desire to follow me at all.  No one wants to be condemned, and the concept of someone taking our punishment for nothing has appeal.  If we have only come to Christ to unload our guilt so we could go our own way, we have not followed Christ.  According to Christ's conditions such are not born again or saved!  We must want Christ and the life found only through faith in Him - not just forgiveness of a debt we could not pay.  People in financial difficulty choose to declare bankruptcy - not because they are sorry about their spending habits or have taken intentional steps to repay all debt - but to cut their loss of possessions, to avoid creditors, jail time, or foreclosure!  There were likely many in the bunch which heard the words of Jesus that day who fit in this category in a spiritual sense, and no doubt there remains many to this day.

We are all guilty sinners before a holy God, and He alone has the ability to cleanse and redeem us.  He will do this only when we meet His conditions to repent and place our faith in Him.  If we want to go where Jesus is going and be where He is for eternity, then we must follow Him.  This means committing our past, present, and future entirely into His hands.  We must lay aside all our selfish aspirations, dreams, and plans, burning them on the altar as a freewill offering.  We are called to obedience and to submit to God so the life of Christ can be lived through ours.  Jesus has become our life, much more than a belief system or moral compass.  As a purchased possession by the blood of Jesus, we can joyfully submit to His guidance and find contentment in every situation.  There are times we am not content, but when we repent and fix our eyes upon Christ again joy and peace is restored.  Are you following Jesus today?  Our desire of Christ is evidenced through denial of self.  If you want to dwell with Him for eternity, today is the day to begin in earnest.

The Satisfying Answer

At camp last week I had the privilege of some lovely conversations with leaders and campers.  One camper in particular had a question to which there seemed no satisfactory answer.  Often this can be the case, where we have a desire to know something definite when God in His wisdom has seen fit to conceal it.  There are many legitimate questions we can ask without a single answer provided satisfying our curiosity.  We want to know how, who, what, when, where, and why, and even if all these were laid out for us it doesn't mean we would agree or be pleased with the answers.

I love how Jesus answered questions people asked Him - or how He didn't answer them.  Read through the Gospels and take note of how Jesus dealt with questions.  Sometimes He answered them plainly with an explanation.  Other times He spoke in parables, even linking different parables which on the surface didn't seem to fit together!  Jesus also answered questions with questions.  And my favorite is when Jesus disregarded the question altogether and talked about another subject entirely.  This shows me I can be asking the wrong questions because I am focused on the wrong thing.  If we are satisfied with Christ and trust Him, then we can be pleased when He knowingly changes the subject to reveal important things our curiosity isn't keen enough to consider.  Is that possible, that God wants to reveal something far more fulfilling than the answer to my question?  Are you fine with that, even when at the time the answer to your question seems so important and critical for your rest?

Job was a man who asked a lot of questions, and rightly so.  He was a man who enjoyed fellowship with God through worship and sacrifice.  He trusted God even when his life seemed to go to hell after Satan attacked him (with permission under God's watchful eye) and robbed him of his goods, children, and health.  Some of Job's friends came to "comfort" him but spent the majority of their time attacking, judging, and suggesting his sin had contributed to his pitiful condition.  In his pain Job asked questions of men and God, and there seemed no answers for why such terrors had befallen him.  God finally weighed in on the conversation in Job 38:1-3:  "Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: ² "Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? ³ Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me."  God did not answer Job's questions, telling him why He had allowed him to be born or see such days.  Instead, God launched into a extensive series of questions and Job was unable to answer a single one.  God provided Himself as the answer and Job finally understood.  In trusting God He would find satisfaction - not in answers to petty or hypothetical questions.  Job put his hand on his mouth and was silent before God, repented, obeyed His command, and God restored Job.

God gave us minds to think and question, but there is no question or dilemma man can have which is greater than God.  Sometimes there are no answers to our specific question from God, the Bible, or our friends, but we are called to trust the God who has become wisdom for us.  He is not just enough but our everything, our life, our all.

Two Are Better Than One

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour. ¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up."

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

During last week at Camp Kedron, I had the rare task (for me, anyway!) to prepare for, light, and maintain a campfire during two evening activities.  I don't have a fireplace at home and can't remember the last time I actually went camping so it was a fun challenge.  The success of dinner one night and sharing testimonies about how Jesus has saved and is working in our lives depended in part to my preparation and timely stoking of the fire.  The first night a fellow leader, campers, and I was able to gather enough sticks for kindling and wood for the fire.  During the men's night, all the male campers brought a can of food and we mixed it all together and cooked the "bivouac" (affectionately called by some "the biv") in a large pot suspended by wire from a long pole heated to boiling over an open flame.

The next day I was faced with a dilemma.  We had plenty of wood from gum trees gathered the previous day for the fire, but it was in large, uncut boughs.  All the large pieces of wood needed to be cut down to a manageable size, but finding a saw in the shed up to the task proved to be a challenge.  Had the wood been wet it would have been much easier, but some of the fallen branches were extremely dense and hard.  I was able to find a couple of pruning saws, but as I suspected the blades were far too flimsy.  Then I found an old rusty handsaw, but it too was useless to cut the wood.  It cut through bark easy enough, but the teeth were dull and the rust made pulling the saw through the wood impossible.

When I first poked my head into the tool shed, I saw a large two-man saw.  Because I was the only one working on preparing firewood for the evening, I didn't see it as a viable option.  But time was beginning to run short.  So I pulled the antique-looking saw from the tool shed and asked a fellow worker to help me.  It took us a few minutes to figure out the best way to position the limbs for cutting, but progress was being made.  About halfway into the process the saw bound right when I was pushing and injured a spot on my palm.  I could see the blood pooling under the surface, so I used my other hand to push and pull.  After about half an hour of coordinated pushing and pulling in unison the work was nicely done, and I am glad to say we had wood left over at the end of the night.

It occurred to me how we can approach our labours for the LORD in ministry in a similar way to how initially I went about cutting firewood.  We feel with the LORD alone we are sufficient to accomplish the work He has called us to do.  But the fact is, to do some work we not only need the right tool but other people united with us as well.  I could have tried using the big saw by myself, and perhaps the work would have been done in time.  Yet the saw was designed for two to handle big jobs, and with my partner the work was easily done.  As I looked at my injured hand after the work was done, it occurred to me that many pastors and leaders can be hurt in ministry.  A flawed response of mine would be to point to my injury and say, "Next time, I'm not going to ask for help.  I will do it myself."  If I could have used the two-man saw myself, who is to say my hand would not have been more damaged by the end?  I would rather sustain an injury and have the work finished than injure myself trying to do it myself and never complete the work.  In my case, I was only able to do the work with help and though I sustained an injury in the process, I could smile with a job well done.  Two are better than one.  When I dropped the saw because of the pain, my friend held the saw and asked if I was alright.  I wouldn't have been able to receive such care, support, and encouragement if I was alone.

If we want to work in unity with God, then we must be willing to take risks in labouring with others.  I am not suggesting we be cavalier, foolish, or irresponsible, but there are those among us who tend to take on more than we should because we feel comfortable with an illusion of control.  We want our firewood cut just so, and God help us if someone does things differently or questions what we are doing.  In our walk with Jesus there will be pains, difficulties, and injuries along the way, but it is important we do not allow these to deceive us to think it wise to push others away.  We must trust God has called us, and that He has provided the tools and people necessary to accomplish the work before us.  My eyes fell upon that saw at the very beginning, but I ignored it because it looked old and required two people.  It very well may be there are people serving alongside you who are perfect assistants for the work God has called you to do, but because they seem busy or some other hollow reason you have looked elsewhere.  I was looking for a power tool with a sharp blade, but the antique saw is what was needed on that day.  We all want perennial All-Stars on our team, yet it is the unified team of hard workers nobody has heard of but plays best together who wins the big game.

If I needed help to cut a few dry limbs from a tree, don't you suppose we servants of Christ also need help from others to accomplish great works for God?

The Scuff Mark Lesson

I have just returned home from a wonderful week as speaker at Camp Kedron, a Christian holiday camp.  God truly moved among leaders and campers alike, and over the next few posts I hope to share some observations and things the LORD revealed to me.  It all started with a scuff mark on the ceiling.

Lately my right shoulder has been a bit sore from landing on it awkwardly playing baseball a few weeks back.  As I lay down on the floor to stretch and adjust the shoulder back into the correct position, I noticed a small black mark on the ceiling.  Fixing my eyes upon it, a series of questions flooded through my brain, and to them I had no answer.

"Do you know who made that scuff mark?"  Nope.

"Do you know when that scuff mark occurred?"  No.

"Do you know what object made the mark?"  No again.

"Do you know how it happened?"  No!

Then came the kicker:  "If you don't know anything about a simple black mark on the ceiling, what makes you think you know anything about the problems others have in their hearts and lives?"  Laying on my back in my room, I had been wisely instructed by the LORD.  God knew all about the history of a scuff mark, and He also knows everything about people He created and loves.  He knows the painful history, the strong temptations, blind spots, sins, and issues people are facing.  And the best part about all this is He knows how to deal with them in love, grace, and truth.  While we might be preoccupied with quickly removing scuff marks or covering them up, He knows how He can redeem those mistakes and trials for His glory - even teaching from a scuff mark on  a ceiling.

That's the God I serve.  He is awesome, wise, and blows my mind continually.  I praise and worship the God of Israel, my heavenly Father, the One who knows me and loves me.  He speaks freely to all who have eyes to see and ears to hear by His grace.  He doesn't just point out our faults but freely forgives and redeem them for our good and His glory.

Freedom to be Honest

I saw an interview on cnn.com with Josh McDowell concerning the upcoming "Set Free Summit" and it made an impression on me.  I was not able to find the original video, but basically Josh McDowell was talking about the problems of pornography within modern culture and especially taking aim at the issue in the church.  He is a skilled writer, speaker, and apologist, but what impacted me in that short video was the freedom he had in speaking about his own painful childhood experience of suffering sexual abuse for years.  He candidly mentioned his abuser's full name, and the interviewer seemed surprised he was so candid.  But Josh went on to explain he had spoken to the man as an adult, forgave him for his cruelty, and that his abuser had passed away years ago.  The interview continued as normal, but it struck me how Josh McDowell's candor was quite abnormal - and a good thing.  Josh credits God with healing his heart and mind, and he shares his story not to shame his abuser, to dredge up pity for himself, but to encourage others to discover the healing and freedom only Jesus Christ can bring.

Many people tragically face abuse in their past quite alone, and the power their abuser once held over them weighs upon them heavily as they attempt to hide their past abuse, confusion, and current pain.  The pain people experience in this life as a result of sin is legion, and trying to cover up or deny the past causes pain to be multiplied.  Such concealment creates a perfect environment for a root of bitterness to grow.  Whether we have been innocent victims of wickedness or have been the cause of pain for others, Christ's blood washes us from guilt and shame.  Apostle Paul, when defending himself before King Agrippa, did not hide his misguided and violent past.  He said candidly in Acts 26:9-11, "Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰ This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. ¹¹ And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities."  Paul's past involved persecuting Christians, but he did not sweep it under the rug.  On the biggest stage of his life he was open and honest concerning his past faults, all to the end he might testify publicly of his transformation for the glory of Jesus Christ.

What Josh McDowell did in publicly speaking of past abuse he suffered showed the powerful feelings of shame, fear, and pain no longer had an unhealthy grip on him.  He had not forgotten, but he had forgiven.  No longer was he ensnared in the bondage of guilt or bitterness, but in trusting God and forgiving others he discovered freedom.  A relationship with God had redeemed his life and forever altered his perspective.  I in no way wish to minimise the pain of abuse or to suggest coming to Christ will make life easier or take all your problems away.  The point is all sin, whether inflicted by others upon us or through us, gains power and strength when we try to conceal it.  It is only after we admit we are hurting we will consent to see a doctor, and only after we admit our addictions and failures will we seek help outside ourselves.  Simply broadcasting our painful past or present hell does nothing to free us from guilt or heal our hearts, but Jesus can do all if we will humble ourselves before Him.  When we have been delivered from guilt and sin there is no need to pretend we are perfect.  It is Jesus who transforms us by His grace, and those freed from the burden of guilt are free to be perfectly honest.  When we experience this in our lives or in others, it is most refreshing.

The Path and Destination

Early this morning I drove my parents to the airport to catch their flight back to San Diego.  As we slowly crept along, my mum commented on the GPS affixed to my windscreen.  A couple of times I had ignored the directives of the GPS and went a different way because I have learned various paths to avoid lights.  My mum wisely pointed out it was a good illustration of how we can go the way we think is best and ignore God's guidance.  It was a good point.  I turned on the GPS, plugged my destination into it, but could easily deviate from the path plotted for me - assuming it would recalculate to bring me to my intended destination.  The fact is, sometimes we don't know exactly where God is leading us, when, or how He will bring us to His destination.  We need to seek Him, and there is little point of asking for guidance if we have no intention to obey Him.

Jesus told a parable to illustrate the danger of covetousness, and there is great wisdom which can gleaned straight from the text which proves God's way is different from man's way.  Luke 12:16-17 reads, "Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. ¹⁷ And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'"  Many followers of Jesus are like this rich man.  God has provided for us bountifully, and instead of seeking Him how we should use all He has given our thoughts never leave our own heads.  Notice how the rich man "thought within himself."  The man in the parable is like a man who has a car, a GPS, but has no idea where he is supposed to go.  He was a man without a destination but the means to go wherever he wanted.  So he did what we all do:  he did what he thought best.

Luke 12:18-19 explains his thought process:  "So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.'"  Because the rich man did not seek God, he spoke to himself words he was glad to hear.  He did not hear from God until it was too late.  He was content with the prospect of wealth and ease on earth for his soul but did not realise he was spiritually poor before His Maker and Judge.  The rebuke from heaven came as a trumpet blast in Luke 12:20-21:  "But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' ²¹ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."  The man who imagined his bills would be paid for years to come was now confronted with massive debt before God.  Such is the price of unbelief, covetousness, and selfishness.

A man known for wisdom can also be a great fool.  A fool is someone who does not regard God or trust Him as he ought.  Christians have all the wisdom of the kingdom of God through Christ Himself to guide us available, but we can choose to go our own way.  Psalm 10:4 says, "The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts."  If we desire to hear the wisdom and walk in the guidance of God, we must seek Him and ask with the intent to obey.  Take care that your thoughts go beyond your own brain so our prayer life is not reduced to an internal exercise which falls woefully short of heaven.  God knows where He is guiding us and knows the best way for us to go - even if it seems like it is the long way.  The long way is often the best way.  Jesus is the beginning, the Way, Truth, Life, and the end.

Fruitful in Drought

"He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."

Psalm 1:3

Happy is the man who puts off evil and finds delight in God's Law, meditating in it day and night. David proclaimed such a man will be established by God by rivers of living water, will be fruitful in season, and his life will be marked by vibrant growth.  God is one who plants, feeds, prunes, and tends us with more care than any gardener or groundskeeper.  God desires we would be fruitful, but we are not merely a means to God's end.  We may buy a peach tree because we dream of homemade peach cobbler, but God cares about the tree more than fruit alone.  He has many angelic servants created for that express purpose they fulfill perfectly, but His glory is best revealed through these weak human instruments:  it is like we were thorn-bearing plants with poisonous berries who now have been transformed by God's grace to produce succulent, delicious fruit that enlightens the eyes.

Many Christians experience trying times as they walk with Jesus, and one of the most tricky seasons is when you are not feeling fruitful or useful in a church fellowship.  You might feel nothing like the established, fruitful, and happy tree spoken about in Psalm 1.  One thing all believers can count on is God is in control and knows exactly what difficulties and trials we experience.  It is lovely those spiritual streams of living water do not depend on our physical location or geography, nor on a ministry or particular person - as useful as these things can be.  Our supply of light and life comes through Jesus Himself as we look to Him in faith, regardless of the circumstances of our lives.  We can worship by the Holy Spirit in a dungeon or on a mountaintop, and God is able to make us spiritually prosper in hard times.  The God who causes the rain to fall also brings drought, and it is in the times of drought genuine roots of faith spread and deepen to seek moisture.  A drought does not need to make us bitter but stronger in our resolve to walk in righteousness and grace.  The man who abides in Christ in dry times can produce fruit sweetened by God's love, mercy, and compassion.

Psalm 92:12-15 says, "The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. ¹³ Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
¹⁴ They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, ¹⁵ to declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him."  The delight in God's law is not a theoretical exercise but evidenced by obedience.  There is unrighteousness and hypocrisy in even good men so called, yet with God there is no unrighteousness.  God is able to use us and make us fruitful when we remain faithful to Him in obedience.  If worship has become stale, if praise has dried up, if our vision has become dim, fix your eyes afresh on our glorious Saviour Jesus Christ and believe His Word!  Only then will you be truly prosperous in whatever you do.

Stirring Up Ants

Not everything we do is completely thought through, is it?  Sometimes we do something just to see what will happen or "just because."  When I was a kid visiting my cousin's house in Ramona, large red ants were common.  At my house we only had small black ants, so the red ants were a novelty.  I remember pouring some silty dust on top of their nests and watching them scramble through the surface at a frantic pace.  More and more ants were agitated and mobilised to attack this phantom threat.  Pretty soon I would have to move back from the nest as thousands of ants emerged, jaws and antennae wagging.  I can't explain exactly why summoning those ants to the surface was fun, but it was an amusing pastime.  Perhaps there was a sense of toying with danger, imagining what those insects might be thinking, or maybe just "Let's see what happens when I try to fill the holes of this nest."

During our discipleship course we were speaking about how the mind of a Christian is a battleground which we must be prepared to fight.  Because we are in a spiritual battle, God has provided spiritual armour through the Holy Spirit who indwells us.  We must guard our heart with the breastplate of righteousness and our minds with the helmet of salvation.  The shield of faith is able to stop and extinguish those fiery darts he throws at us.  Our minds are always active like those nests of ants, and most of the activity is taking place underground.  While we were talking during the discipleship course, the picture came into my mind of Satan thinking to himself, "I wonder what happens if I do this?" and fires an immoral thought, a care or worry into our minds - like a child dropping dust on a nest of ants.  When he is able to influence our thoughts, our actions follow suit.  He plants the seed of a wicked thought, and when combined with desire in us it brings forth sin.  I think he enjoys seeing us scramble around in fear and worry as he watches at a safe distance, amused by our confusion.  This can become such a common event we assume this is how life is and don't recognise the spiritual attack.

Happy is the man whose God is the LORD, who discerns Satan's tactics and refuses to be distracted from labouring for the LORD when he drops a bit of sand down the hole.  Through faith in Christ we are enabled to take our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.  Our minds can often become a frenzied jumble of thoughts like ants because Satan is pestering us.  Instead of being preoccupied with Satan and his attacks, we are to keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus as we continue to follow Him faithfully in obedience.  Lambs familiar with the voice of the Good Shepherd will not be tricked to follow strangers.  No matter how much dust Satan kicks in our direction, we can be strong in the LORD and the power of His might.  We can stand in our armour and pray without ceasing, fixing our minds of Christ rather than the distractions, worries, and cares of this life.

Agree to Plea

"When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. ⁵⁹ I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite."

Luke 12:58-59

It cannot be emphasised enough the importance of studying the Bible in context.  Reading through a passage in its entirety aids greatly in understanding the meaning behind this statement of Jesus.  Themes woven through this chapter are God's coming judgement, the need of men to prepare and watchful, and to recognise the signs of the times.  With this in mind, the point Jesus made has profound application for everyone.

Jesus painted a picture with which we can all identify.  If a man received a subpoena to be judged in a court of law, his innocence or guilt would impact his feelings about going.  If  he is sure of his innocence or is going merely as a witness he could go to court without much trepidation.  But had he received counsel his case was a lost cause and he would be deemed liable and likely fined and imprisoned for years, he would desperately seek to settle out of court.  He would do his best to avoid steep penalties by accepting a plea bargain.  Jesus encouraged all to make every effort along the way to settle before facing judgment in court because the judge would be bound by the law to impose the most harsh, strict measures as a punishment.  There would be no leniency or reduction of punishment at that point.  The only chance a guilty man has to avoid further prosecution is to settle out of court.

All men stand condemned and guilty of breaking God's law.  All are deserving of death, and God has given every sinner an opportunity through the Gospel to "settle out of court," so to speak.  The previous passage Jesus talked about how men noticed weather patterns and planned their days accordingly, yet it was entirely hypocritical for them to ignore the eternal implications of their guilt before God.  If we see wisdom in arranging a schedule or planning a holiday, how much more important is it to consider and prepare when our eternal future is at stake?  Jesus came to this world as a sacrifice for sin so our fine could be paid and our permanent record of sin expunged.  Won't you make every effort along the way to settle accounts with God and men so we might be deemed righteous before the Judge of all the earth?  There is no bargaining with God, but we can plead.  If we take the plea of the Gospel God will plead our case against all our accusers.

All who repent and trust in Christ can echo the words of David in Psalm 35:1-3:  "Plead my cause, O LORD, with those who strive with me; fight against those who fight against me. ² Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. ³ Also draw out the spear, and stop those who pursue me. say to my soul, "I am your salvation."

Our Eternal Hope

Our family has enjoyed hosting my parents who are visiting from the United States.  It had been a couple years since we have been able to visit in person, and it is a privilege and blessing for which we are most grateful.  We've had great conversations and have had fun praying, working, and driving around town.  Just being together is a treasure money cannot buy.

My dad made a great observation over a pair of wire strippers.  The tool was marketed to do it all:  crimp, cut, and strip wire insulation.  Problem was, the claims of the packaging did not match the ability of the tool itself.  In my hand I held a waste of twenty dollars.  "The thing is useless, absolutely hopeless," I said in disgust as I placed the tool back into the plastic to return it.  My dad said something to the effect of, "Isn't it great that God chooses to use us even though we can't accomplish anything good?"  A fair question.  Yep, that is great indeed!

Paul said that in his flesh dwelt no good thing, and it rings true for all today.  I don't know about you, but when I buy tools I am not lured by the cheaper cost of no-name, generic tools.  I am looking for quality construction, durability, and reliability.  I am also not interested in buying tools or appliances with soiled or ripped packaging, and am especially wary if the item for sale has been used and sloppily resealed and sold as new.  As I placed those hopeless wire strippers on the receipt, I had to admit the truth:  in my flesh I am just as useless and hopeless - without the benefit of neat and clean packaging.  Yet in God's hand sinners forgiven by God's grace are His chosen tools to build His kingdom.  The blood of Jesus purchased our redemption, and when we fail God doesn't demand a refund.  He holds us close and will never let go.

A quality tool designed for the job at hand is important, and because of the vast range of quality between brands and styles we might actually boast in a tool.  But boasting in people or accomplishments is as empty as the false advertising on those wire strippers.  Isn't it wonderful that we are utterly hopeless, yet we have eternal hope through Jesus?  When it comes to life as a Christian the only one in whom we can rightly boast in is Jesus Christ our Saviour.  He is the One worthy of praise.  Psalm 34:1-3 says, "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. ² My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. ³ Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together."

Jesus Bound

Heaven is more than a hell-avoidance plan:  it is the privilege of praising, serving, and abiding in the presence of the living God forever.  If your idea of heaven does not involve God at the centre and is more centred around you, something is tragically wrong with that picture.  People talk about being "heaven bound," but only those whose hearts are bound to Christ in faith and obedience will actually go there.

If the only reason why you desire to go to heaven when your body goes the way of the earth is to avoid hell, it is likely you are not particularly interested in spending quality time with Jesus today.  And this begs the question:  if it does not please you to invest minutes, hours, days, and years to cultivate a healthy relationship with Jesus, what makes you think you would want to spend forever with Him?  Choosing heaven over hell never saved a person.  That is not the point.  The point is, do you want a life purchased and redeemed by the shed blood of Jesus or not?

When our eyes are opened to see the goodness of God and we humble ourselves before Him in repentance and worship, fellowship with Christ by the Holy Spirit becomes a privilege, not a chore.  This divine relationship is to impact all our other relationships, thoughts, words, deeds, and choices.  A biblical, godly perspective provided by the Holy Spirit transforms us from the inside out.  Too many people are content with the adaptation of behaviour rather than spiritual transformation from within through a life submitted to God.  Their lives become segmented, with time set apart for church, praying, Bible reading - along with hobbies, work, play, television, social media, and internet - but their relationship with Christ is not a chain which connects everything together as one life lived for God's glory.

How about taking intentional steps to do more than include God in various activities of your life when it is convenient, but dedicate all aspects of your life for Him to control?  To tweak a quote from Paris Reidhead, "Why not love and serve God every step of the way whether we go to hell or not because He is worthy?"  And He is worthy.  The path of discipleship is not passive but active in seeking, communicating, and obeying God.  We abide in God's love when we keep the commandments of Jesus Christ, and He is at the moment preparing a place for us where He desires we abide with Him forever.  If we plan to spend eternity with God, shouldn't we start abiding in Him now?  Obedience is costly, but disobedience and selfishness always comes at an infinitely greater price.

Believe in Commas?

"I know some people with mo' money then we'll ever see...they don't believe in Karma, but they believe in commas."

Lecrae in "Confe$$ions"

Money has many slaves in this world, and the queue of the willing seems to stretch on forever.  The thing about the love of money is no matter how much money you have, it never seems to scratch the itch.  The varnish of bigger and better ultimately loses its appeal.  Like superheros lining up to have a go at lifting mighty Thor's hammer after watching others fail, people still covet a chance at great wealth.  Millions are spent on the lottery every day as people dream about a few more commas in their bank account.  The trouble with being a slave to the love of money is you cannot buy your freedom.

Now there is nothing wrong with money in itself, and many would point out much good can be accomplished by it.  I agree, but there is no question it has also cast down many wounded, destroyed lives through addictions and excess, fuels sex slavery and the drug industry, and worst still can become a worthless substitute for God.  Paul warned in 1 Timothy 6:9-10, "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."  There is also nothing wrong with being what some would deem rich, but the desire for riches exposes a lack of contentment with what God has given.  Jesus compared hearts ensnared by the deceitfulness of riches as unfruitful ground choked with thorns.  God's good seed is unfruitful even when it falls on that soil.

You do not need to have money to desire money.  Pressing financial needs affect all, even Christians. Many missionaries can be brought to a point of despair for lack of funds, feeling like their God-given calling is being hampered or on hold because of a lack of money.  Trusting God in the area of money is something all people who follow Christ must learn.  The waiting time can be a growing time - not the accumulation of money in an account, but the strengthening of faith and resolve which will later be invaluable in the field.  If God has called you, He will provide for your every need in His time and in His way.

The truth of God's provision is illustrated when Jesus and Peter did not have the money for the Temple tax, but their needs were miraculously supplied when Peter was obedient to Christ to go fishing with a line an a hook (Matthew 17:27).  Every other time in scripture Peter fished with nets.  It seems to be a much more effective way of catching fish, right?  But as Jesus predicted, the first fish Peter brought up with a hook had a shekel in its mouth - enough for both Peter and Jesus.  Many times Peter cast out nets all night long without a single fish, and much effort can be expended in trying to gain financial support without result.  Even if we gain support at first, who knows for how long it will continue?  When Peter was obedient to the directives of Jesus, Peter experienced more gain than he could contain alone.  Whether Paul received financial gifts, worked in a trade to support his ministry, or chained in prison, he learned in all circumstances to be content in God.

Now don't hijack this to be a formula for financial gain.  After His resurrection, Jesus bid His disciples to cast their nets on the other side.  They caught so many large fish their nets were breaking.  When the fish were brought to the shore, Jesus told them to bring their catch to Him.  They were laid out and counted:  there were an amazing 153 large fish, and yet their nets had not broken.  As they were eating of the fish supplied by Jesus (He had some fish already on the coals before they brought their catch), John 21:15 says, "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs."  It may seem a bit strange for Jesus to ask Peter if he loved him more than fish, but Jesus was making an important point.  Fishing was Peter's career, and fish were his primary source of food and income.  It was a question straight to the heart:  did Peter love Jesus more than a career, money, food, or family he sought to support?  It is a fair question for us to answer as well.

It is in Jesus, not in commas or a great catch, where we find lasting security, satisfaction, and salvation.  While the world dreams of winning big, we discover in Christ more wealth than can be contained for eternity.

The Dividing, Uniting Sword

God endowed King Solomon with wisdom like no other king before or after him.  His wisdom was demonstrated with an incident which involved two harlots who came before him for judgment over a baby.  They lived in the same house together, and their case was a sad one.  They both gave birth to sons, and one of the infants was tragically smothered during the night.  One woman accused the other of switching the dead baby with her living one, and the other denied it.  In those days there was no DNA testing, and being only three days old perhaps the babies were quite similar in appearance and behaviour.  Who was the real mother of the boy both claimed as their own?

1 Kings 3:24-28 reads, "Then the king said, "Bring me a sword." So they brought a sword before the king. ²⁵ And the king said, "Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other." ²⁶ Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, "O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!" But the other said, "Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him." ²⁷ So the king answered and said, "Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him; she is his mother." ²⁸ And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice."  In his wisdom, King Solomon used the threat of a sword dividing a living child in two to unite a child with his rightful mother.  The genuine mother had compassion for her son - willing to give him up forever to spare his life - whilst the baby-swapping culprit was exposed by her coldness.  The sword which divides can also be used to unite.

Solomon is known for his great wisdom, and Jesus has become wisdom for all who believe (1 Cor. 1:30-31).  Jesus is the one of whom John the Baptist said baptises with the Holy Spirit and fire.  Matthew 3:11-12 says, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."  John contrasted the living water of the Holy Spirit with eternal fires of judgment.  The example of the harvest is a picture of salvation and damnation:  the farmer brings the good grain into the storehouse, but the worthless chaff is thrown into the fire.  Jesus is a righteous Judge, and uses His Word like a sword to divide believers from the unbelievers.  His Word is like a fire that separates the dross from precious metal, like a hammer that breaks the rocks in pieces.

To take the illustration of the sword further, consider the impact of the words of Jesus in Matthew 10:34-38:  "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; ³⁶ and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' ³⁷ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me."  The word of God is called the sword of the Spirit (Eph, 6:17) which is able to divide bone from marrow and judges the intent of the heart (Heb. 4:12).  The sword Jesus brings has the capacity to divide men from their family, but is able to unite a man with his Father in heaven.  The scriptures divide people concerning their hearts and belief, but a man whose heart has been pierced by the Word, repents, and believes is adopted into the family of God.

God is brilliant, isn't He?  Only He can use a sword to divide and unite at the same time!  The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.  The Bible is a two-edged sword which brings life to those who believe and condemns all who refuse to trust or heed it.

Rejoice in the LORD Always

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"

Philippians 4:4

How good it is for us to thank and praise God!  Paul exhorted believers to rejoice in the LORD always, and he wrote this whilst incarcerated.  The Christian life is one of faith, not feelings.  I imagine Paul did not always feel like rejoicing in the LORD because of his circumstances, but he urged all to rejoice in the LORD always.  No matter what season of life or the struggles we face, God remains good and praiseworthy.  Jesus gives fullness of joy to all who trust in Him.  Walking in the joy of the LORD is done by faith regardless of how we feel.

We can be so fixed on learning more about God or desirous to receive something from Him we can forget to simply rejoice in Him.  It is easy in this weak frame to forget of God's wondrous works and promises.  Yet how our souls soar when we praise God for being God!  When David's felt there was but a step between him and death, praising God gave his heart wings.  So great was his joy he wrote in Psalm 34:1-4, "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. ² My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. ³ Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together. ⁴ I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."  We can rejoice in David's deliverance by God, knowing He remains a Deliverer for all who trust Him today.

Rejoice in the LORD always!  Thank Him and praise Him!  All who have encountered the presence of God respond with praise.  This morning I read Luke 1 and was blessed by how Zacharias, Elizabeth, and Mary all praised God and rejoiced in His goodness.  We can rejoice in God's goodness to them and can also rejoice that God's grace and goodness is extended to us as well.  Those who were barren God caused to give birth, and He would was dead God has raised in everlasting glory.  Hear the words of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:1-2:  "And Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation. ² "No one is holy like the LORD, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God."  Let us rejoice in the LORD together!

Big Government and Jesus

It is a pattern which extends through all history:  government and leaders once celebrated by the people becomes increasingly corrupt.  The overthrow of a government does not always usher in the peace and prosperity the people desire.  When the Jews demanded Samuel give them a king and monarchy rather than a theocracy, the decision cost them dearly when Saul took their children, forced them to fight his battles, and oppressed the innocent.  Ask the people of Cambodia who celebrated the end of a civil war when the victorious Khmer Rouge entered Phnom Penh clothed in black wielding machine guns.  What seemed a day of hope ended up ushering in the darkest season in the nation's history.  The evil which seemed to have been stamped out rose from the ashes with greater force and brutality.

This tendency towards oppression and corruption by leaders was evident to King Solomon thousands of years ago.  He wrote in Ecclesiastes 5:8:   "If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them."  Scandals, perversion of justice, and shades of oppression are evident all over the world today.  Leaders of totalitarian regimes are exposed for their opulent lifestyles at the expense of impoverished citizens. Shady back room deals and the sway of lobbyist groups in democratic nations are often reported publicly, and it is safe to assume more goes on than the public knows.  This should be no surprise in any form of government overseen by men.  When officials are tasked to report to higher officials and God is not the one to whom the top men and women look, there will always be a disconnect from love, justice, judgment, and equity.

God is the ruler over all, and even oppressive regimes are allowed by God for His purposes.  Sometimes big government is a consequence of sin as it is written in Proverbs 28:2:  "Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes; but by a man of understanding and knowledge right will be prolonged."  The more a land is corrupted by sin, the more people rise up to govern.  People are understandably leery of monarchies because in a sense all trust and hope is placed in a single person and his progeny to do what is right.  I believe the world is looking for that one person who has the answers, can unite people peacefully, protect innocent people, and provide freedom so all can thrive.  A day will come when people will be so fed up with the corruption in the political systems and place their hopes on one man to unite and save the world.  The Bible speaks of this person as the Beast, or the anti-christ.  He will be the wrong choice, for he is not the man of understanding and knowledge Proverbs 28:2 speaks of.  It speaks of none other than Jesus Christ, the KING OF KINGS and LORD over all, the Prince of Peace who has an everlasting kingdom.

Our eyes are designed for seeing and our ears for hearing.  This seems obvious to me.  It occurred to me the other day though our knees are useful for bending our legs, there is one thing they are designed to enable all men to do:  to bow.  All men must bow before something.  We bow the knee to philosophy, a worldview, to science, our beliefs concerning morality, and God.  Those people waving banners and going door to door to canvass for their preferred candidates or party have bowed the knee to the one they desire to rule.  Some refuse to bow to others and will only bow to themselves.  Human beings were created to bow.  There is something in us which longs to worship.  We see an amazing performance and we bow and wave arms in praise declaring, "We're not worthy!"  We Christians are called to choose to bow our knees to no one but Jesus Christ.  Philippians 2:9-11 says, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: ¹⁰  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."  Jesus was a King when He came to earth as a servant of all, and He was willing to give His life on the cross so all who follow Him can know God, be forgiven, and live forever.

Before whom or what do you bow?  It doesn't matter if you are a communist, socialist, monarchist, democratic, utopian, or anarchist:  you bow before something because you must.  Man cannot be greater than his ideals.  The only man who transcended humanity, vain philosophy, and hypocritical morality is Jesus Christ because as God He is the One before whom all ought to and ultimately will bow.  He submitted to His Father and heaven, and all who love the Father before Christ must bow (John 14:7).  Every ruler of this world must bow to someone, for not even high officials are exempt.  As the day of celebrating Christ's resurrection draws near, let us bow before Him in worship and praise.

Turning To God

From my limited perspective in Australia, it seems the entire world stares horrified at the presidential race in the United States.  It is a nation which appears more fractured and divided than ever, and it is clear that no person - no matter how savvy or capable - will be able to bind or heal these wounds.  If I was tasked to describe each of the leading candidates with one word, positive possibilities do not immediately spring to mind.  These candidates should not be blamed for polarising America, for this race has only brought the septic boil which had already been festering to the surface.  Believing a person, political party, or even "the people" have the capacity to create positive change by effort alone without the aid of God is like a man thinking he is able to stop an earthquake with his hands.  The word "futile" comes to mind.

Should Christians vote as led by the Spirit?  Absolutely.  But we are to engage in political process recognising our hope is in God alone, not in government, politicians, or a majority vote.  Unless the LORD builds the house, they labour in vain who build it (Ps. 127:1).  In Genesis 11 when all people banded together to build a tower to make a name for themselves in disobedience to God, He confounded their languages and immediately scattered them.  What God told the nation Israel in Jeremiah 18:6-10 is relevant for all nations for all time:  "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the LORD. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel! ⁷ The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, ⁸ if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. ⁹ And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, ¹⁰ if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it."  Nebuchadnezzar was a mighty king of a world empire, but it was nothing for God to raise him up or cast him down (Daniel 2:20-22).  One would hope "a nation under God" would lay this to heart.

So what should be our response to the antics of politicians and their rabid supporters?  One temptation is to retreat from the fray and with grim faces stockpile food, supplies, and ammunition for the apocalypse.  Any such retreat would be a silly, shortsighted gesture.  When God spoke of the Day of the LORD, a day of severe future judgment, He gave His people commands we would do well to consider.  Joel 2:11-13 reads, "The LORD gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for strong is the One who executes His word. for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; who can endure it? ¹² "Now, therefore," says the LORD, "turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." ¹³ So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm."  Turning away from politics is of little consequence if we do not turn to the LORD!  It was foolish for people to think they could prevent or escape the judgment of God, and refusal to vote will not prevent a candidate you do not support from being voted into office.  One person alone has no control over the future.  But every man with a contrite, humble heart has an audience before the living God.  God's people are called to turn to Him first themselves.  Don't bother bringing a nation before God until you are first willing to humble yourself before Him for your own sin.  He invites all to return to Him with broken hearts over the condition of this fractured world and divided nations.  Are they not all as soft clay in His hand?  If we harden our hearts and put our confidence in men, we are truly without hope.

Our God is a great God, the One we should trust and seek in times of peace or conflict, in seasons of abundance or lack.  He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.  His mercies are new every morning for great is His faithfulness.  God chooses to use everyday people to accomplish His will, not just paid professionals and politicians.  The focus of the media and people seems to be fixed upon a few politicians, but God is looking somewhere else entirely in the second part of Isaiah 66:2:  "But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word."  The world holds its breath to see who will be the next President of the United States, but believers can breathe easy though our hearts break over the sick condition of a nation who looks to a man or woman rather than God for hope and help.  We do not need to fear regardless who is elected to office, what laws are passed, or if current freedoms are outlawed by a totalitarian regime.  Let us turn to God with all our hearts, fear Him, and look to Him for our bright future.  He's the only One who can save us.

Remorse Isn't Repentance

God has placed in every person a conscience, a moral faculty which aids us in knowing right from wrong.  The fact we deem certain actions or behaviour immoral shows humans are moral beings.  Without breaking a law we can feel guilty about what we have said or done which is contrary to our own principles.  Though the conscience of everyone develops according to beliefs, even if we were governed by conscience alone all people embrace a system of right and wrong.  As important the knowledge of right and wrong is, knowledge of doing wrong is insufficient to put things right.  Feelings of guilt are not enough to atone for our sin, regardless of how prolonged or profound they might be.  Without repentance there can be no forgiveness, no matter how awful we feel.

One biblical example which comes to mind is Judas, the man who betrayed an innocent man named Jesus to His death.  He secretly sought out the chief priests and agreed to betray Jesus Christ for 30 pieces of silver.  From that time he waited for an opportunity to deliver Jesus to them.  After Judas led the Jewish leaders to Jesus to arrest him, even a man who had been possessed with Satan felt bad about what he had done.  Matthew 27:3-5 reads, "Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, ⁴ saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!" ⁵ Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself."  It is evident Judas experienced a massive weight of guilt for betraying innocent blood.  He went to the temple, perhaps hoping the feelings of guilt would subside if he unloaded his sinful wages.  When they refused, he threw the silver at them.  Apparently offloading the silver did nothing to ease his suffering, for so consumed was Judas by guilt he committed suicide by hanging himself.

On the night Jesus was betrayed he said to all His disciples in Matthew 26:24, "The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."  Jesus pronounced woe upon Judas, knowing he would not repent.  A smattering of details are scattered throughout the Gospels which show Judas followed Jesus in word but was not a genuine follower.  He certainly had a working conscience, for Judas called Jesus "Rabbi" when the other disciples called him "Lord" (Matthew 26:19-25)  He held a distinct position among the disciples as the treasurer but was a hypocrite and thief (John 12:4-6).  God is absolutely consistent:  all who humble themselves and repent of their sins will be forgiven - and this offer was extended to Judas as well.  Instead of repenting Judas was consumed in guilt and chose to violently end his own life, a fitting end for a man poisoned with sin.

Esau is another classic case of a man who rejected repentance.  When he was swindled out of his blessing by Jacob, he was upset and rightly so.  Yet instead of accepting blame for giving away his birthright for a bowl of lentil stew, Esau felt he had been wronged when it was his own fault.  He nursed a murderous grudge against his brother, and Jacob was not safe until he moved far away.  Hebrews 12:14-17 says, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: ¹⁵ looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; ¹⁶ lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. ¹⁷ For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears."  Esau felt really bad and shed many tears, but bad feelings did nothing to restore Esau's relationship with God or his brother.  Punishing himself with condemnation or the guilt of others against him did nothing to cleanse Esau of sin.

We can labour under the misunderstanding our bad feelings of guilt for wrongs are sufficient payment before man and God.  The Jesuits used to practice self-flagellation as pennance for their sins, and people do the same today with their feelings of guilt and self-loathing.  When our wrongs are brought to remembrance we may cry out, "Haven't I suffered enough?  When will my pain ever end?"  These bad feelings can bring us to despair and even turn to anger and resentment.  Continually beating ourselves up over our mistakes or condemning ourselves is never the path God intends.  The truth is, we are already condemned by sin.  Esau was condemned before he plotted to kill Jacob, and Judas was condemned before he betrayed Jesus.  We all must repent and be born again through the Gospel to be forgiven and receive atonement for our sin.  We must recognise Jesus has suffered for us, and we must own our wrongs without any self-pity.  It is necessary for us to own our sin, like when David was confronted with his sin with Bathsheba and Urijah.  Repentance should be accompanied with contrition and feelings of sorrow and by grace we experience restoration before a holy, just God.  Remorse or bad feelings aren't repentance but should be evident in our repenting.

Feelings of regret and remorse are useful in causing us to examine our hearts and lead us to repent before God.  Once we have truly owned and repented of a sin we are truly free.  We do not need to condemn or punish ourselves any more - as if Christ's blood is not effectual to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  Those who repent are no longer slaves to sin, feeling the need to cover our tracks, justify ourselves, or play the hypocrite.  With a clear conscience before God and man we do not need to defend ourselves, for Christ has forgiven us and set us free.  David's sin was ever before him, but it didn't need to wound him any more.  God brought healing to his soul and restoration before the righteous Judge.  Psalm 51:6-8 reads, "Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. ⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. ⁸ Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice."  Remorse leads only to guilt, but repentance ultimately leads to rejoicing.

Astonishing Doctrine of Jesus

All Christians have the sober responsibility to rightly divide the Word of truth.  It is important we observe what the text plainly says before we rush to explain what it means.  It is also critical we do not parrot what we have heard but do our best to stay true to the text with our emphasis.  It is a common mistake to transfer assumptions based upon hearsay or our opinions into passages and provide the wrong impression.  One passage where this is commonly done is when Jesus on two occasions cleansed the Temple in Jerusalem.

People have used this passage to justify being angry when the passage never explicitly says Jesus was.  The harmonising scriptural accounts of the Gospels portray Jesus observing the illicit trade in the Temple, fashioning a scourge of small chords, and then driving out the animals and overturning tables.  Those who say Jesus must have been angry (maybe they would have!) might be the same people who assume a parent must be fueled with anger when administering discipline with a paddle to the seat of his/her disobedient child.  This is unfounded.  To say Jesus was angry when He drove out the money changers is conjecture which goes beyond the text.  Looking at Jesus through the lens of our flesh is a huge mistake.

The emphasis and revelation of the text is Jesus taught the people who were in the Temple, quoting from Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11.  As I read the account of Mark, I noticed the emphasis in a fresh way today I never had before.  The richness of the Bible expands the understanding of those who are willing and patient to observe.  One would have thought the actions of Jesus made the biggest impact, but it was His teaching.  As Jesus held His ground in the Temple and forbade people to carry wares through the courtyard, Mark 11:17-18 says, "Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" ¹⁸ And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching."

How clear is this?  Most Christians are blown away that Jesus would make a whip and drive sellers and their animals out of the Temple, but the scribes, chief priests, and people were amazed by His doctrine.  The text says the scribes and chief priests heard what He was saying.  They wanted to kill Him - not primarily because their hope of gain was gone - but because of His doctrine which implicated them.  Jesus first quoted from Isaiah 56, and after talking about His house as a house of prayer for all nations the passage said in Isaiah 56:10-11:  "His watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. ¹¹ Yes, they are greedy dogs which never have enough. And they are shepherds who cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his own gain, from his own territory."  Ouch.  No doubt the words of Jesus cut like a sword through the hearts of the scribes and priests, implicated as blind watchmen, dumb and greedy dogs who could not understand.  No wonder they were upset!

Jesus made a "den of thieves" reference spoken by the prophet Jeremiah.  Hear and feel the full force of His words in Jeremiah 7:1-11, a pronouncement from God against them:  "The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, ² "Stand in the gate of the LORD'S house, and proclaim there this word, and say, 'Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah who enter in at these gates to worship the LORD!' " ³ Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. ⁴ Do not trust in these lying words, saying, 'The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD are these.' ⁵ For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor, ⁶ if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt, ⁷ then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. ⁸ "Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. ⁹ Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, ¹⁰ and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered to do all these abominations'? ¹¹ Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it," says the LORD."  The scribes and priests oppressed the people for monetary gain, for money was their god.  These statements angered the rulers and amazed the people, for there stood a man who spoke as God.

Jesus, being God, had the authority to say such things.  To the scribes and priests these were fighting words.  They were infuriated and sought how they might destroy Him.  Jesus spoke the truth in love with a clear, strong voice and the rulers feared Him.  What Jesus did and said all has great significance, and let us be sure we put aside our own assumptions so we can observe and understand what the Bible says!