The Supremacy of Who God Is

"After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."

Genesis 15:1

What God was for Abraham He will be for all those who place their faith in Him.  I love that when God made promises to Abram it was not about what He would do for him, but who He would be for him.  There is a tremendous difference between the two.  God did not just shield Abram from evil or enemies but was his shield; He did not grant Abram rewards which could be bought or measured with silver or gold but He was Abram's exceedingly great reward.  God does not change, and God remained a permanent and eternal shield and great reward even after his body was laid to rest.  Abraham's soul still enjoys the awesome characteristics of our God, for He is not the God of the dead but the living.

This morning I read the words of David in Psalm 43:3-4, "Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. ⁴ Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God."  See how David described His great God:  "God my exceeding joy."  God did many things which brought David joy like giving him victory over his enemies, establishing him as king, and providing peace on every side.  Yet David did not praise God because of the joy brought to him by God but because God was his exceeding joy.  God Himself exceeded all other passing joys that quickly fade, the earthly delights which are forgotten out of mind.

Jesus Christ revealed Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He is the light of the world that leads us to perfect peace and unfailing love because He personifies these attributes perfectly.  Jesus gave His own life so we might have eternal life through faith in Him.  He is and will ever be our shield and exceedingly great reward not because of what He has done, but because of who He is and all He does.  All we need is found in our Saviour who is ever good and His mercy endures forever.  Let us praise our God who is our exceeding joy!

Even In the Depths

The world is filled with contrasts:  light and dark, hot and cold, health and sickness, fruitfulness and barrenness.  Almost every human experience or condition has an opposite.  We have experienced highs and lows, and when we are in the midst of one extreme the other is almost completely forgotten.  We have felt as free as a child leaving school for a long break, and we have felt like were weighed down with burdens far greater than anyone could bear.  I have found a relationship with God and the guidance of God's Word are critical to maintain a godly and good perspective.  And we need reminders - a lot of them.

David was a man whose spirit rose in joyful worship of God, yet he also experienced low moods and depression.  In his writings we see him saying to himself at times almost to snap himself out of a funk, "What am I thinking?  Trust in God and hope in Him!"  Today my day began reading of such a place in Psalm 42:6-8:  "O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. ⁷ Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. ⁸ Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life."

David confessed before God his soul was cast down like a sheep that had fallen and could not stand up without help.  He was intentional in remembering the LORD who had called him and brought him through many troubles.  It didn't matter if he was in a deep valley or on a mountaintop, for God is faithful.  In verse 8 David said poetically he was in the depths, and wave after wave knocked him over again and again.  When he was at his lowest point and imagined it impossible to go deeper, further down he went.  God created the oceans which cover the earth to be very deep - deeper than any human being can go alone.  Submersible vessels have been designed to transport people safely through the crushing depths, but without them men could not survive.

Have you ever considered when God created the world He could have made the oceans shallow?  But according to His design He made them very deep, dark, and virtually unfathomable.  Our God who created the heavens to be high also created the depths, and He remains a good God wherever we find ourselves.  Sometimes it takes a season in the depths (as Jonah literally experienced) for us to arrive with the confidence in God David experienced in verse 8:  "Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life."  Even in the depths God remained good and was David's life.  God's love was evident to David day and night, and therefore David made his prayer unto His God.

What confidence we can have as God's children even in the depths, when it seems wave after wave is pulling us under, when we wonder in desperation, "Do you see what is going on, God?  Have you forgotten all about me?  Don't you know how much I am suffering?  Can't you do something?"  Even in the depths He is there, and in remembering our God and exalting His name there is great comfort found.  The one who cries out to God from the depths demonstrates faith the man at ease may only imagine he has.  How good it is for us in the heights and from the depths to praise our Saviour Jesus Christ and thank Him for the lovingkindness He has shown us.

The Middleman

Sometimes it is to the financial benefit of the buyer to remove the "middleman," one who increases the cost of goods due to their involvement.  For instance, when I planned to propose marriage to Laura I did not buy the solitaire from a shopping mall but from a gem cutter.  In doing so I avoided the markups which are common with jewelry sales and was able to buy a better ring than I could afford otherwise.  The middleman in this context can be an unnecessary man, and I believe this can be true in the arena of prayer.

Paul said this in Philippians 4:6:  "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God..."  This is a verse which divinely instructs and guides us, and it also convicts us when we have gone astray.  Being anxious is a normal human condition and common response to trouble, but anxiousness is not to mark a child of God.  Our prayers are also to be marked with thanksgiving as we make our requests to God.  There is nothing wrong it itself with asking for others to pray or to desire for others to intercede on our behalf.  But there is a problem when we are very good at making our requests known to men but neglect to actually bring them before God.  Prayer meetings have a tendency to be heavy on sharing with others what is happening and how we want God to intervene but light on making our requests known to God.

Concerning prayer Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:1-6:  "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, ² for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. ³ For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time..."  Why rely upon the help of middlemen when we already have one God and Mediator between God and men, the Man Jesus Christ?  When we speak to the Father Jesus is not only our Mediator but our Advocate, one who speaks kindly on our behalf (1 John 2:1).  The people to whom we share our troubles are only able to intercede on our behalf through the same Jesus Christ we trust.

I started thinking:  why do we have the inclination to hope in people rather than trust God?  Perhaps it is because we don't value the personal access God has given His children by His grace.  Perhaps we don't always believe God actually hears us.  Maybe we hope someone in our circle has a more "direct" line to the Almighty than we seem to.  But the reality is God commands us to bring our requests to God.  God has given us by His Spirit the ability to know we have made our requests to God because of the tangible result within us.  See the conditions in Philippians 4:6-7:  "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  The peace of God accompanies the hearts and minds of all who let their requests be made known to God.

The ability to communicate a prayer request to people through email is a wonderful advancement, and it is a blessing to be able to intercede on behalf of others.  But let's not be content to pass off our responsibility to let our requests to God be made by middlemen when we have a Mediator who loves us.  God will always do His part, so let us do ours.

What Do I Wait For?

"And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You."

Psalm 39:7

How many times have I placed my hope in something other than God!  Even when he was beset by sin, David concluded his only hope was in God.  God is good to allow difficult situations so those who trust in God will be cast down and realise their hope and expectations have been misplaced.  Pains have a way of revealing our devotion is tinged with selfishness, cares, and worry.  We pray so God will immediately change our circumstances according to our will, and our impatience displays a lack of trust in the God we genuinely trust.

When our hope and trust is placed in God, we will find ourselves sustained and greatly helped even when dangers and troubles multiply.  If our hope for deliverance from sin or trials truly rests in our great God we will not fear, worry, or be impatient.  We will be grateful the Almighty God hears us and answers according to His will and timing.  God established the heavens and earth by His power, and nothing is too hard for Him.  How blessed is the one who hopes in the LORD!

David asked a question it does well for us to answer when we are troubled:  "What do I wait for?"  If we are waiting for a light at the end of the tunnel, waiting for a glimmer of hope due to changed circumstances to bolster our faith, we likely are not placing our hope in the Light of the World Jesus Christ and the promises in His Word.  Since Jesus is our life, He is the only one worthy of our hope.  Praise the LORD that He knows us, loves us, and is faithful.  The immortal perspective of Job comes to mind in the first part of Job 13:15:  "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him..."  God is the One who kills and makes alive, and the Christian must die to self before we can live for Him (Deut. 32:39).  The fear of the LORD frees us from the fear of man, for no one can deliver from His hand.

What do you wait for?  Who do you wait for?  God is patient with us, and let us patiently place our hope in Him.  He is our LORD and our expectations are in Him.

The Perfect Way

How good it is to know we are made righteous, sanctified, and saved by the grace of God!  Many of God's blessings are conditional upon our obedience, but it would be a grave mistake to reduce our relationship with God to a business deal.  Trusting in Jesus is is not like a monetary transaction where the exchange of money confers rights to the buyer and responsibility to the seller.  We have no entitlements as children of God because we have earned them by our good standing with God or our efforts to please Him.  The blessings God supplies we have not earned but received by His grace.  All we deserve is judgment, wrath, and total destruction due to our wickedness, but God delights to bless those deemed righteous by His grace - as well as those who do not regard Him at all.

Those who are born again through faith in Christ and the Gospel will desire and aim to walk in God's ways, and God does reward the humble and obedient.  These rewards are not dependent primarily on our efforts, but these blessings come from a good, gracious, and merciful God.  There is often a visible correlation between obedience and blessing, and there are invisible, eternal guarantees God provides like salvation and fullness of joy.  The blessings seen and unseen we receive from God are all of grace, free gifts God offers to all who trust in Him.  Since God loves us we love Him, and because we love Him we delight to obey Him.  Love is the currency of heaven and the holy motivation God gladly accepts and rewards.

This seeming dichotomy between the grace of God and our efforts is a tricky balance to strike in our minds.  There is something in us which strives to meet God's conditions so the benefits may be ours, and the motivation can be more selfish than godly.  The knowledge of God's grace can also distort our perspective to drift from godly disciplines to lazy and aimless conduct.  We know we are seated with Christ in the heavenlies so our conduct doesn't really matter much, and the flip side is to think everything depends upon our ability to walk uprightly.  Both extremes leave a person depressed:  one can never measure up to God's standard no matter how he tries, and the other sees no need to even try.  The truth is we can never measure up to God's perfect standard through the efforts of the flesh, but at the same time God never is looking for perfection in us.  Perfection is His arena and is all of grace, and He is the one who works this in us.

See what David wrote in 2 Samuel 22:31-33:  "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. ³² "For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? ³³  God is my strength and power, and He makes my way perfect."  We might think our reception of God's blessings have all to do with our ability to meet His conditions, but then we might as well be trading money for the benefits we want.  David acknowledged God's way is perfect, and because God was David's strength and power (not merely the source of it) He made David's way perfect too.  Was David perfect?  Hardly.  He needed to offer sacrifices to atone for his sin, and Jesus needed to die on the cross and rise again so we could be justified, sanctified, and saved.  God is a shield to all who trust in Him, and we could not trust Him except God help us.  How great is God's grace and goodness to those who seek and trust Him!  From beginning to end we are His workmanship, and He works in us to will and do of His good pleasure.  What a blessing this is!

Seek and Find

"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

Jeremiah 29:13

My boys and I headed out to Mission beach early this morning for a little metal detecting.  The weather was overcast and cool, and before 9am we had cleaned the beach of tent pegs, coins, nails, bottlecaps, keys, and even a mobile phone.  We weren't the only ones scouring the sands of Mission beach:  because of the low tide many others searched the wet sand for hidden treasures.  I have found metal detecting to be a bit more consistent than fishing.  I have been skunked many times without a bite whilst fishing, but every time I have headed out with a metal detector I have found something - even if every target turns out to be junk.

I've had some interesting finds during my time detecting, but I'm still waiting for a discovery of monetary value.  This is in sharp contrast to the discoveries I have been blessed with when I have sought the LORD:  every discovery and revelation concerning our great God is beyond price.  You can't find buried treasure unless you put forth the effort to search and dig with persistence, and seeking God requires intentional effort as well.  Prayer, reading and study of the Bible, and fellowship with other Christians are keys which aid us in seeking the LORD.

God has chosen to reveal Himself to those who seek Him.  The great irony is we believers can drift from God and become a bit stale - even though we have sought the LORD and discovered Him in various degrees.  No matter how much a person knows of God and His Word, we have a desperate need to continue seeking Him.  We cannot look to our previous closeness with God to validate our current walk (or lack thereof!) with the LORD.  When we sense we are drifting from close fellowship with God, we must repent and return to God and seek Him as we did at the first.  Only then will we seek and find Him, when all our heart is captivated in the search.

Praise the LORD He delights to be found!  Unless He revealed Himself personally, we could never discover or know Him.  We never need to be empty handed or without hope of a future with a great God like ours, for He knows our every need.  Should He be concealed from our gaze or seem far away, this should quicken us to draw near to Him with increased tenacity.  For us, He is our life!

Embrace the Season

When God created the heavens and the earth, He placed the sun, moon, and stars in the heavens.  He established days, months, and years - but that wasn't all.  He made the earth to experience seasons which are opposite in the northern and southern hemispheres.  The varied seasons are a part of ordinary life we can almost take for granted.  People usually have a reason for their preferred season, yet if a season went on forever, it wouldn't really be a season.  There is blessing in the contrast.  The earth experiences a cycle of seasons, and church ministry does as well.  It is easy to ignore this and assume everything should continue as it has in the past - only more, bigger, and better.

Let us read again what Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, and it would be a shame to reserve these timeless truths for funerals:

"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."

There is a time for winter, and a time for summer (spring and autumn too).  God has built into nature growing seasons and a time to harvest.  If there was only planting and no growing there could be no harvests!  We get how this is essential for nature, and we ought to recognise the seasons of life and ministry serve God's good purposes.  How freeing it is when we realise even dry times have their purpose, as well as blazing bush fires and freezing cold.  All of our times are in God's hands, and He has designated different seasons and times of life to serve His purposes.

Reading through Solomon's list, I suggest we would all have our preferences which seasons we like and why.  We like gaining more than losing; we likely prefer dancing over mourning, and laughing over weeping.  But even losing, morning, and weeping can be redeemed and wisely employed by our good God to fulfill His purposes - not ours.  Let us embrace and enjoy the current season God has ordained, whether we prefer it or not.  The upcoming season always brings with it great reason to rejoice because God's plans are greater than anything for which we can ask or think.  He has made everything beautiful in its time, and the future is ever brighter for children of the living God.

From Sorrow to Joy

"Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him. ¹¹ Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!"

Psalm 32:10-11

Negative symptoms help accurately diagnose illnesses in those who are sick.  There can be sorrows of heart where the cause is not physical but spiritual in origin.  The psalmist said "many sorrows" shall be to the wicked, but the one who trusts the LORD shall be surrounded by mercy.  The weight of sin is a heavy burden the wicked do not realise they carry.  Other times people experience guilt due to their sin and sorrow over being in bondage.  Even followers of Jesus experience sorrow and suffer, for Christ Himself was described as a man of sorrows.  Suffering is not reserved for the wicked, yet they have no healing balm to ease their pains.

In contrast to the wicked whose sorrows are increased, those who are righteous have profound gladness and joy.  The joy of the believer is enabled when we are brought into a healthy relationship with God through repentance and faith.  David began Psalm 32 with saying in verses 1-2, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. ² Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit."  No one is righteous by their own merit, and only the blood of Jesus Christ can wash our hearts clean of sin.  In David's day sins were atoned for by the sacrifice of animals according to the Law of Moses.  Blessed was the man to whom God did not impute iniquity, and more blessed still is the one to whom God has imputed righteousness through faith.  God has sealed every Christian with the Holy Spirit who indwells our hearts, God's glorious presence contained in these earthen vessels.

The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment.  The conviction He brings is not to be sorrowed of because it produces the fruit of repentance.  Psalm 32:5 says, "I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah."  Think about this!  To plead guilty to sin in a human court of law means a lesser sentence but the perpetrator remains guilty as sin:  when we confess our sins and repent of them before God we are forgiven and deemed righteous by faith.  We are sinners who God declares righteous on account of Christ's sacrifice, and this is something to celebrate and rejoice over.  There is nothing we must or can do to earn God's approval:  we are accepted into the beloved when we admit our sin and forsake it.  Even when we fall as God's precious children He is merciful to draw near when we cry out to him.

Let's be glad in the LORD, all you His redeemed!  What joy is ours when we trust in the LORD.

Into His Hands

I am continually amazed by the things Jesus said and did.  Reading through Old Testament passages can also shed further light on the implications of the words of Jesus.  For instance, I did not always know Jesus was quoting the first line of Psalm 22 when He said, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"  The devout Jews who heard these words would have been familiar with what followed.  The scripture was being fulfilled by the promised Messiah right before their eyes, and the words of Jesus were signposts pointing to that reality they refused to acknowledge.

Another compelling statement is found in Luke 23:46:  "And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.' " Having said this, He breathed His last."  If one reads these words in the KJV there is no hint this a quote from the Psalms as well.  I was blown away when I came upon these words written by David as inspired by the Holy Spirit in Psalm 31:5:  "Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth."  Jesus only stated the first half of the verse, but having identified Himself with the first part He proclaimed the second.  When Jesus breathed His last it appeared to His enemies their schemes had prevailed, but death had been swallowed up in Christ's victory.

When we read Psalm 31 from the perspective of Christ, one who is described in Isaiah 53 as "...despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief," how encouraging and awesome are the promises for those who fear God.  Those who mocked Jesus as He died on the cross would be silenced forever, but the mouth of Jesus still speaks as our risen LORD.  David wrote in Psalm 31:19, "Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men!"  A violent death does not seem good, but God redeemed the death of Jesus Christ by providing atonement and salvation for all.

And see the glorious exhortation through the lens of Calvary in Psalm 31:23-24:  "Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. ²⁴  Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD."  The God of heaven and earth is worthy to be loved, having purchased us as His chosen saints.  If you have chosen Jesus to be your LORD and Saviour, than He has chosen you.  God preserves the faithful, though He kills and makes alive, and He strengthens the hearts of all those who hope in Him.  Jesus showed immense courage in the face of certain death knowing His redemption was more sure.  Praise the LORD for His redemption of all those who commit themselves into the hands of our Redeemer.

Responding to Giving with Giving

One passage of scripture which always brings a smile to my face is the interaction between Abraham and Ephron the son of Zohar.  Sarah the wife of Abraham had died, and as a stranger in the land he did not have a place he owned to provide a proper burial.  Abraham gathered the children of Heth together and because he was highly regarded the people invited him to make his request.  Genesis 23:7-9 states, "Then Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. ⁸  And he spoke with them, saying, "If it is your wish that I bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and meet with Ephron the son of Zohar for me, ⁹ that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he has, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me at the full price, as property for a burial place among you."  And so began an extended discussion concerning the land and their final agreement.

The way Abraham spoke about buying the field is interesting because he never uses the wording we typically would.  We might say, "I'd like to buy that," or "I'll take that off your hands."  But Abraham asked Ephron to give him the land, and he would give the full price for it.  In our culture when we buy something or pay for a service, we give to receive.  After Ephron agreed to give him the land and cave, Abraham responded to giving with giving. Genesis 23:12-13 reads, "Then Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land; ¹³ and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, "If you will give it, please hear me. I will give you money for the field; take it from me and I will bury my dead there."  The price was agreed upon, the money weighed before witnesses, and the title transferred.  Ephron gave him the land, and Abraham gave full price for it.

This transaction between Ephron and Abraham is similar to the Gospel.  Jesus gave His life for us, and we should not be content with His giving alone:  having been born again by grace through faith we ought to give ourselves to Him.  What a privilege it is God would give all things to us, and that He would delight to receive anything from our hands.  We do not give motivated by guilt of all we have received but of thankfulness for all God has given.  Jesus was willing to pay the full price for our sins on the cross, and having been purchased with His blood we too can give.  We are not entitled to receive any gifts, and what a privilege it is we can give to God and others.

Choose Life, Not Death

Suicide is a blight upon the world, and the awful impact has touched virtually everyone.  Today I read an article on the 9 News website about a young man of 24 who committed suicide because "He felt there was no way out."  The article went on to highlight the connection between tradesman and higher than average rates of suicide - and increased alcohol and drug use.  For those who are battling depression, alcohol and drugs make the downward spiral much worse.  The article said the stress the young man faced "was just too much," and suicide was his solution.

What do you do when life is too much?  From a biblical viewpoint, suicide is never a good option.  But the world has romanticised suicide to a degree, and this perspective is held for in the classic cowbell rock tune by the Blue Oyster Cult, "(Don't Fear) The Reaper."  This is a song millions have heard and sing along, but beyond the cowbell and catchy riffs the lyrics could have a sinister interpretation.  Whilst the songwriter says the song is about eternal love rather than encouraging suicide pacts, he admitted his surprise when people took it that way.  After saying the reaper should not be feared the lyrics continued:  "Came the last night of sadness and it was clear she couldn't go on..."  As Romeo was separated from Juliette, she ran to the reaper without fear to be reunited with her love in eternity - where exactly the song does not say.

The song says "it was clear she couldn't go on," and this sounds similar to the news article which said life "was just too much."  Suicide is an ultimate conclusion of a soul which is not regarding God.  Suicide has been the end for unbelievers and Christians alike, and killing self is not the escape it purports to be.  If life feels like a "living hell," it is nothing compared to the eternal hell all souls go who die in their sins.  To live on earth is better than to be bound by eternal chains in darkness.  If a person feels like there is "no way out" of their problems on earth, know there is no way out of the hell people choose for themselves which was prepared by God for Satan and his angels.  Suicide is not an "unpardonable sin" of course, but it is condemned by God as murder.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  If we want to be free indeed, it only comes through faith in Him.

Christians are no strangers to depression and difficult times.  I was reading in Spurgeon's proverbs, "Lightness of spirit may bring darkness of soul.  Too often has it been so!  Tender consciences soon discover that something is wrong between God and their souls, and then their sinful levity is followed by heaviness of heart.  Thus Berridge complained of himself:

"Brisk and dull in half an hour,

Hot and cold, and sweet and sour;

Sometimes grave at Jesus' school,

Sometimes light, and play the fool!

What a motley wretch am I,

Full of inconsistency!

Sure the plague is in my heart,

Else I could not act this part."

(Spurgeon, C. H. Spurgeon's Proverbs and Sayings with Notes. Vol. 1, Baker Book House, 1975. pg. 333)

Suicide is a wretched deception because it is a fatal, permanent decision for temporary issues.  Debts can be paid; love can be found again.  In Jesus Christ there is hope, peace, joy, and rest which does not depend upon circumstances.  Suicide offers no hope:  only death and increased pain and suffering.  The deceased body feels nothing, but what of the soul?  What of those who are left to pick up the pieces of their own broken hearts?  This horrendous act creates more questions than provides answers.  If you are someone who is struggling with thoughts of self-harm or suicide, talk to someone who cares for and loves you.  Even if there is not one person in your life you are convinced loves you, remember God loves you with an everlasting love.  He created you, cares for you, and Jesus demonstrated His love for you by dying on the cross for your sins.  We all deserve death but we are granted eternal life through faith in Him.  Why choose death when there is life in Christ?

Great Is God's Faithfulness

My wife Laura shared an observation with me yesterday I thought was profound.  She related how common it is when we hear someone is going through a hard time to instinctively pray for the trial to be over immediately and miraculously, for healing, for an easy escape from the difficulty - not considering the circumstances could be divinely ordained to accomplish God's purpose we do not comprehend.  I have found this to be true in my own experience.  It is easy for compassion to regress to mere human pity and we pray for a swift and preferably painless conclusion.  We can pray according to the direction of men rather than seeking the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Should God employ hard times to work wonders in the lives of people, should we pray against that?

After turning these thoughts over in my mind, my evening Bible reading echoed what Laura had said.  Written by Asaph, Psalm 83 addressed God concerning those who opposed Him and His people as enemies.  See what he prayed in Psalm 83:13-16:  "O my God, make them like the whirling dust, like the chaff before the wind! ¹⁴ As the fire burns the woods, and as the flame sets the mountains on fire, ¹⁵ so pursue them with Your tempest, and frighten them with Your storm. ¹⁶  Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek Your name, O LORD."  For those who stubbornly hate God and refuse to hear His Word, God uses the fire of affliction, the tempest of trials, fearful uncertainty, and deep feelings of shame to cause people to seek Him.  If they will not pursue God, He can use even the fiercest storms to draw them to Himself that they might be saved.  It is one thing to ask God blow His enemies away and consume them with fire, but Asaph rightly sought this ultimately for God's glory - that people would seek God and find Him.  It is similar to Paul delivering false brethren to Satan that they learn not to blaspheme, the destruction of their body working for the salvation of their souls (1 Cor. 5:5; 1 Tim. 1:20).

Wait a minute, you might say.  The context of this passage speaks of the unbeliever!  A good God wouldn't allow His beloved children to suffer such things!  We only need look at the righteous Son of God Jesus Christ who suffered on the cross for the sins of the world to see such protests are misguided.  God disciplines His children for sin, and He also allows them to be tested and tried as in the case of Job.  As God's children we can know a couple things for certain:  1) in this life we will suffer according to the will of God (1 Peter 4:19) and 2) we will never be permitted to suffer needlessly (James 5:11).  God will bring us to His good intended end as we persevere in faith, and our risen and living Saviour is proof of this.  Even in our light affliction (which may seem burdensome beyond measure) God is gracious, merciful, and compassionate.

Knowing God is good and remains in control despite our pains is most comforting.  His mercies are new every morning and He never leaves us at the mercy of our enemies - even when it feels like it.  The enemy of our souls prowls around seeking to devour, but what is that power to our Good Shepherd who crushed his head on Calvary?  Can the strongest lion overpower a forest fire or lightning from a storm?  The lion will flee, and so he should.  If God can bring eternal life from death on the cross, can't He bring good out of our suffering - we of little faith?  Great is God's faithfulness to us!

Being Strong in the LORD

Being born again through faith in Jesus Christ brings about a new perspective and identity.  We discover the reality of who Jesus is and many blessings afforded us by revelation in the Bible.  God's Word says it like it is, whether we feel like it or not.  We learn how God created us, loves us, and made a way for salvation through Jesus.  The Bible speaks of God's faithfulness and all He has accomplished, and in addition provides commands and directives which by His grace we can obey.

A familiar example is presented in Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus.  Ephesians 6:10-13 reads, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armour  of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."  As children of God through faith in Jesus Christ we are recipients of the Holy Spirit.  It is through Him we weak vessels are made strong.  It is in our weakness God's strength is perfected, wielded through humility, surrender, and obedience to Him.  Believers are told to put on the whole armour of God because we face a spiritual adversary.  It is God who enables us to stand fast.

Using the analogy of the armour of Roman soldiers, Paul described the spiritual armour God has provided through the Holy Spirit.  He spoke of the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the preparation of the Gospel, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God).  I have heard people say in teaching this passage that if we do not know each part of the armour, how can we put them on?  Answer:  the same way love is the fulfilment of the Law.  I do not need to know all the 10 Commandments by heart to observe them, for if I love God and others as I ought I will keep them.  I believe it is good to know each piece of armour God has provided by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.  We make a mistake, however, to think that by the virtue of our efforts we can put them on.  If we are filled with the Spirit and walking in obedience to God's Word, we will be strong in the LORD and stand fast.

In no way do I want to trample the discipline many employ to "pray on" each part of the armour of God at the start of the day.  It is a good reminder of the reality of spiritual opposition we will face and the protection God has provided for us as His enlisted soldiers.  At the same time I believe when we are filled with and yielded to the Holy Spirit of God we have our "armour on."  There is nowhere in scripture we are ever told to remove our armour, and therefore no daily necessity to put it on (when you have kept it on).  Inspection of armour and weapons is important in every conflict, though.  We can know for certain when we are not walking in the Spirit (or in other words - facing a spiritual battle without spiritual armour) because we will be given over to fear, lies, deceit, worries, and cares.  The fiery darts will hit their mark and we find we are over-sensitive, quick-tempered, easily tempted, and resentful.  We can know our armour is in place when we have real reasons to be vengeful but are gracious and kind.  We once would have justified being angry but instead discover comfort in prayer, and we could easily be preoccupied but experience the joy and peace of God.

The multi-faceted armour of God and soldier picture is only one of the many ways a Christian relates to God.  We are not just soldiers but sheep of His pasture, ambassadors of His kingdom, fellow oxen sharing the yoke of Christ, and God's dear children.  Believers are compared to individual parts of a body whose head is Christ, and the church is compared to a chaste bride being prepared for the Bridegroom.  When we are filled with the Spirit and rely upon Jesus, walking in obedience to the scripture, we will be equipped for every good work.  This includes being strong in the LORD and in the power of His might.  Praise the LORD for His goodness and strength provided for us all!

Found What You're Looking For?

The band U2 had a popular song in my high school days which repeated, "But I still haven't found what I'm looking for."  After climbing mountains, scaling walls, speaking the tongues of angels, and holding the hand of the devil, the desire for satisfaction remained insatiable.  There was still something Bono was looking for but not able to find.  Perhaps he didn't know exactly what he was looking for!  God made a promise to His people who sought Him in Deuteronomy 4:29 after they turned to the LORD wherever they had been scattered:  "But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul."  Again God promised in Jeremiah 29:12-13, "Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

A lot of times the things we are seeking are not God and likely have much more to do with us than Him.  A divided heart is a troubling thing because it renders us incapable of seeking the LORD and finding Him.  God can and will be found by His grace, and if we have not found Him we cannot rightly place the blame on God who became human flesh, dwelt among us, died for us, and rose from the grave.  There He is if you will have Him.  Whether man judges Jesus worthy of worship is a very small thing indeed, for over what other man has the voice of the God boomed from heaven, "This is my only begotten Son in whom I am well-pleased?"  God is pleased to rejoice over and reveal Himself to all who trust in the LORD Jesus Christ.

After we place our faith in Jesus and endeavour to follow Him faithfully, undoubtedly we will face cares, sorrows, and troubles in this life.  David, a man God judged to be a man after His own heart, wrote in Psalm 27:13-14:  "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. ¹⁴ Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!"  David would have fainted and lost heart had he not believed he would see the goodness of God in the land of the living - especially when things went wrong.  It was faith in God and His goodness which provided David courage and strength to persevere in the face of danger and betrayal.  He urged his readers to wait on the LORD and take heart.  God has been incredibly patient with us though our history is one of repeated failure:  shouldn't we be content and joyfully expectant to place our faith in the LORD and wait on Him who is only good?

The singer in the U2 song looked all over and never found what he was looking for, and when we stop looking to Jesus Christ we will start waiting on the wrong things.  If our hopes are pinned on our circumstances changing we might never receive the encouragement we long for.  If we look to others for strength and hope for the future we should not be surprised when discouragement, disillusionment, and frustration become our wretched companions.  But if we will look to the LORD, believing His goodness will be apparent and His grace sufficient, we will discover strength and encouragement everywhere.  When you are cast down or depressed, what are you looking for?  Waiting on the LORD turns our hearts toward Him again and puts our feet back on the solid ground of hope which is never disappointed.  Praise the LORD for the goodness He has shown to us and the encouragement He provides along the way through others.  How I rejoice to know and proclaim the goodness of our God who will be found when we seek Him with our whole hearts.

The Peril of Self-Trust

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

Proverbs 3:5-6

The tendency for me to trust self is something God has been bringing to my attention lately.  Trusting our own judgments and feelings is as natural to man as breathing - something our bodies do without even having to think about it.  Before the moment of decision we must determine to trust God and have our ways submitted to His will.  God has promised to direct the paths of those who trust Him, but if we do not admit and deal with our sinful habit to lean on our own understanding we will choose wrong.  A.W. Tozer gives good insight in his book The Crucified Life:

Sometimes a trial comes along, and we run to the Bible, pull out a quote and say, "According to this Scripture right here, we got it."  We have certain confidence in ourselves.  We think we know exactly what is going on.  The problem is that we do not know what is happening, and so God will deal with our self-trust.

God certainly knows our feelings.  He knows we are so proud of the way we rightly divide the word of truth and that we can disjoint a text like a butcher getting a chicken ready for the barbecue.  With words are carefully laid out and knowing just where to put your finger on this or just where to put your finger on that, you are too smart for God to bless you.  You know too much.  You can identify everything, but the dear heavenly Father knows you do not really know much at all.  He lets things happen to you until you recognise that you do not know what is happening.  Your friends do not know what is going on either.  And when you go to somebody you feel you can trust, that person will not be able to help you either.  That is actually good news.

It truly would be terrible if we had some holy Saint Francis to whom we all could go to find out where we were, what was happening to us and what life is all about.  God loves us too much for that.  He is trying to teach us to trust Him, not people - to lean on Him, not on people...As a Christian, you know some of the means God uses to teach His people.  As a Christian, you love God, but you are sick of all the nonsense in the world.  Your heart is crying after God just as the doe yearns for the water brooks.  Your heart and flesh cry out for the living God.  Yet in spite of all this, you still trust yourself.  You testify that you love your Bible and that your time of prayer is precious, but still your tendency is to trust yourself. (Tozer, A. W., and James L. Snyder. The Essential Tozer Collection. Bethany House, 2017. The Crucified Life, pages 108-109.)

Knowledge of God and His Word are gifts from God, but let us not lean on our own understanding.  Truth does not change over time, but there remains much truth packed away even in the most familiar verses we do not grasp or practice.  How we need to rely upon God to teach and direct us!  Let us trust the LORD, and when we obey the leading of the Holy Spirit we will begin to mature into the disciples Jesus saved us to be.

Broken - Then Revival

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart-- these, O God, You will not despise."

Psalm 51:17

If you were described as having "fallen to pieces" or that you experienced a "complete breakdown," would it paint you in a positive or negative light?  We hate to be seen without makeup and are embarrassed to be seen as weak.  When our emotional or physical capacity overflows and we collapse in a heap, it does not present the independent, tough, and resilient persona this world values.  If a team leader was "breaking down" regularly under the pressure of business we would suggest that person should take a break.  This passage written by David in response to his sin reveals a very different picture, how a broken spirit and contrite heart are acceptable in God's sight and not to be ashamed of.

Think of the many sacrifices which people in scripture delighted to offer God.  They brought Him gold, silver, precious stones, money, expensive fabrics, first-fruits of flocks, herds, and produce.  Their generosity was likened to that of a king, and the children of Israel when preparing for the construction of the tabernacle were told to stop giving because too much had already been received.  In the end it wasn't about what was given or how much which God took notice of but the condition of the hearts of sinners who approached Him.  All the gold and gems in the world are no substitute for a shattered soul over guilt of sin and a heart which has been broken into pieces and repents in sorrow.

When this verse was spoken last night during prayer at church, I went to the back of my Bible where under various headings I have listed relevant verses.  The importance of humility before God struck me as I turned to Psalm 138:6-7:  "Though the LORD is on high, yet He regards the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.⁷ Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me."  Then I looked up Isaiah 57:15 to read God's voice blasting like a trumpet:  "For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."  These verses made clear the necessary connection between humility, brokenness, revival, and abiding in the presence of the Almighty God.

We prefer to have leaders who appear strong and impervious to pressure, but God is not taken in by this outward display:  He looks at the heart.  He brings about circumstances to break us, not to ruin us because pride and arrogance have ruined us already.  When we fall to pieces before Him in repentance and humility that is when the Holy Spirit fire falls.  We do not earn the privilege but when we submit in faith to the will of God in our brokenness He hears, heals, and revives.  Many people look upon the power of God with desire, but it is the contrite heart which is granted the capacity to wield it with the fear of God and trembling.  How precious humility before God is!  And beyond great is our God and worthy to be praised for putting on human flesh and saying as the cross loomed before Him to the Father, "Not my will, but Yours be done."  Before His body was broken on Calvary the sacrifice of His broken heart already had been offered and accepted.

See the risen LORD Jesus!  If we will be revived and raised to newness of life, there must be breaking.  We tend to fight this rather than surrender to it.  This is not the good fight, brothers and sisters, to build a fortress around our hearts to hide how broken we actually are.  When heaviness grips our hearts and a contrite tear spills from our eye a great battle has been won.  Let us fall to pieces before our LORD so He might heal and restore us.  I am not aware of any therapeutic value of crying alone, and what can our tears change?  But when a broken heart cries out to God, He will hear and answer according to His perfect will.  The sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit is an offering everyone can bring.  It is not the rich but the poor in spirit who are granted the kingdom of heaven.

According to God's Will

It is easy for us to mix up "wants" and "needs" and prove ourselves presumptuous.  There are things we take for granted on the level of basic human rights like good health and a consistent job.  We say things like, "She really needs healing" or "He needs a better job."  But are those pressing issues needs from God's perspective?  Isn't He able to do exceedingly above what we ask or think?  When we are ill we desperately desire health, yet the LORD is able to leverage something awful like illness to accomplish divine purposes beyond our comprehension.  Who is man to assert what God ought to do, the One who does awesome things without number?

In my own life (and prayer life too) I have observed a tendency to substitute what I see as beneficial changes in circumstances instead of a closer walk with Jesus and increased faith.  Pains, troubles, and uncertainties are often the impetus for us to seek God with greater fervency, and I suggest one purpose God allows these is so we will learn to seek and trust Him in a greater degree when things are well.  How good it is when instead of superficial and temporary fixes we endeavour to draw closer to Jesus.  When someone needs physical healing they really need Jesus; when a man is out of a job He needs Jesus too.  Jesus is a Saviour, Provider, and Redeemer - especially for those who are born again.

When people don't yet trust in Jesus as Saviour, our prayers can be for the salvation of others.  But once they are being saved we need to rely upon Jesus more than ever and cultivate the practice of seeking Him.  Just because I placed my faith in Jesus Christ for salvation or believe the Bible is the Word of God does not mean I am trusting the Holy Spirit for guidance in my present situation.  If we are facing impossible circumstances in our lives and need a miracle, if we are hoping for the miraculous our longing is misplaced:  we need Jesus, the One who does the miraculous.  If we are seeking the blessing alone we are misguided. for it is Jesus who blesses, heals, and restores souls.  The Giver is better than the gifts.

Proverbs 16:25 says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."  The "good life" we naturally want for ourselves and our children ends in a grave - regardless of the education, relationships, career, money, and achievements gained.  God's ways are higher than our ways, and He is worthy of our trust and adoration.  I am not suggesting we cease praying for others who are struggling or be cavalier concerning trials, but we ought not be presumptuous and assume God wants what we do.  We can see only one way out of trouble, yet the trouble might be the very thing which causes us or others to advance in faith.  If we had our way, we would often short-circuit what God has been working toward all our lives.  Trials and tribulations can be a boon to our faith.  This is the perspective held forth in 1 Peter 4:19:  "Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator."

Imagine it, that suffering could be according to the will of God!  Jesus suffered according to the will of God, didn't He?  Sometimes we suffer as the result of our sin, but Jesus was perfectly righteous and still suffered.  See how God redeemed it!  Can't He also redeem our suffering, o we of little faith?  Isn't our unbelief a great cause of our suffering?  With eyes of faith turned towards our Saviour we can rejoice in suffering, knowing our LORD loves us and suffered for our sakes.

In God's Likeness

"As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness."

Psalm 17:15

David saw with eyes of faith the reality of a future no man could imagine unless God revealed it to him.  This reminds me of what Job declared in Job 19:25-27:  "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; ²⁶ And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, ²⁷ Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!"  David and Job both knew the death of the body was not the end.  Their flesh would be destroyed and see corruption, but they would ultimately be raised immortal and incorruptible.  Such is the enduring future for all those deemed righteous through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Job spoke of seeing God, but what caught my attention is David knew he would be raised in God's likeness.  It is one thing to observe a person with your eyes, but another thing altogether to be likened to them.  David knew satisfaction beyond explanation would be his when he awoke in God's likeness.  I am not aware of a promise to this end in the Law, but David received this revelation from the Holy Spirit even as the apostle John related in 1 John 3:2, "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."  Paul also wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52:  "Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- ⁵²  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."  And what a profound change this will be.

We are transformed on the inside when we are born again through faith in Jesus, and we shall be changed physically into the likeness of Christ after we depart this earth.  We will not look like Him, but we will be like Him.  All human beings share the same basic features, and our risen LORD Jesus remains a man.  Upon graduation to eternal glory we will not be made into angels, stars, or disembodied spirits, but our perishable body will be made into an imperishable one likened to Jesus after His resurrection.  We see the future dimly, but the day is coming when we will see our Saviour face to face.  That is something Job and David spoke of, a future assured for all those who are made righteous through faith in Jesus.  If we look forward to a holiday, the big game, or special gatherings with glad anticipation, then it is only proper for us to be excited about our eternal future in the presence of God.  Everything we look forward to on earth passes by quickly and is overshadowed by future plans, but our glorious future will remain in the present forever.

The Sustaining Word

Elijah was a prophet of God who experienced distressing and discouraging times.  After great victory by God's grace against the prophets of Ba'al on Carmel, all gladness was quickly soured by threats from wicked queen Jezebel.  Many preachers and Christians have been incredulous concerning Elijah's response, almost accusing him of forgetting what God had done or minimising the impact of a death threat.  Elijah was certainly a man of God and had the Spirit of God upon him, but he was a man like the rest of us.  At a point the demands and pressures of life can become unbearable.  I have experienced lonely moments like this, when trials immediately deflate us of joy - and my life wasn't even on the line.  A heart at rest in the victory of God can be easily battered and beaten at the whim of disappointing news, and our enemies are not merciful.

The prophet, upon hearing the threats of Jezebel, isolated himself from his servant and went on alone.  He despaired of life, and it felt like dying was better than living.  God in His grace would provide all Elijah needed to continue, both physically and spiritually.  1 Kings 19:5-8 says, "Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat." ⁶ Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. ⁷ And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you." ⁸ So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God."

God sent an angel who provided Elijah with bread and water twice to sustain him for the journey which stretched ahead Elijah was not yet aware of.  In the strength of the food God provided Elijah pressed on for forty days and nights until he came to the "mountain of God."  Here is a great picture of the life of faith in Jesus Christ, how He is our Living Bread and He supplies the Living Water we need to persevere through this earthly pilgrimage.  It's hard to keep on going; it's tough when you feel alone.  All the continual effort and caring doesn't seem to accomplish much.  And if we look to ourselves, others, or to our circumstances for hope there is none to be found.  But pains and discouragements have a way of recentring our gaze on the LORD, His Word, and His promises.  If we don't eat or drink spiritually we will waste away and be unable to continue, and this is a reason why many gifted and called servants of God quit.

Yesterday I was treated to the sustaining power of God's Word throughout the day.  Let's just say the day did not go like I thought or hoped it would.  In my morning reading I came upon Psalm 13:5-6:  "But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. ⁶ I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me."  The Psalmist David wrote this when he was feeling alone and forgotten.  He experienced sorrow daily and felt beaten up by his enemies.  But he came to a place when, without any change of his feelings or circumstances, his perspective shifted to focus on God.  David was reminded of the mercy of God and he had been granted salvation from God.  This caused a change in his mind and heart and he sang praises to God because of the bountiful way God had dealt with him.  Boy, these verses encouraged me all day long when temptation to despair came!  I had salvation going for me, and how bountiful God has been towards me!

How good is the Word of God, and how well it sustains us!  The Word is compared to good seed, and when sown in the heart of a believer it is very fruitful according to its own kind.  Our circumstances are like the sharp blade of the plough which painfully open our hard hearts to receive God's Word.  It does not produce baked loaves of bread which can be eaten straight away:  the grain it produces can be eaten raw, but it must be threshed, prepared, and ground into flour.  Elijah had cakes prepared for him by the angel, and God prepares great bounty for us to feast on.  Who knows what the next forty days holds for us, what God will accomplish in that time, or how He will lead us in pressing on!  All I know is we need the Bread of Life and the Living Water, the Holy Spirit.  Thank God He will sustain us, and His Word is an indispensable supply for all our need so He might lead us to Himself.

Hosanna in the Highest

"Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' ¹⁰ Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

Mark 11:9-10

The scene described in Mark 11 took place when Jesus rode in triumph into Jerusalem on a donkey.  People laid down their clothes and palm branches before Him as before royalty, and even the children shouted, "Hosanna!"  Not being a Hebrew speaker, I needed to look up the word for the definition.  The Strong's Concordance explains the meaning like this:  "oh save!; an exclamation of adoration."  Jesus was worthy of such adoration and praise, for He is the Saviour God promised who would save people from their sins.

The Jews which cried out the words of Psalm 118:25-26 were an occupied and oppressed people by Roman rule.  How they longed for the promised Messiah to deliver them from their enemies and restore the kingdom of David to its former glory.  It is fitting Jesus would humbly ride into Jerusalem in fulfilment of scripture in Zechariah 9:9, and not as a Roman general on a chariot pulled by white horses.  The cross of Calvary loomed before our meek Saviour, and He would save not only the Jews but provide salvation for all who repent and believe through His sacrifice.  The people shouted, "Oh save!" and they had no idea how great a salvation Jesus would accomplish through His death and resurrection.  Jesus would do much more than establish an earthly throne which perishes, but by His shed blood would establish an eternal kingdom of which there will be no end.

How glorious is our Saviour, a One also to be greatly adored.  We reserve the word "adorable" to attend the cute and cuddly, but Jesus deserves our adoration and appreciation.  The beauty of Christ transcends anything we can admire with the eyes or desire in our hearts.  His power to save is greater than all the armies of the world; the praise of which He is worthy is greater than all men and the angelic hosts shouting in unison.  We say "Hosanna" to urge God to save and to adore Him at the same time, a wonderful picture of how He is worthy and able to meet our every need.  I need salvation as much now as ever before, and the more I read about Jesus and spend time with Him my love for Him grows too.  No matter how much I love Him, His love for me is infinitely greater and constant.

As fitting as it was for Jesus to be praised when He rode into Jerusalem, so it is right for all to exalt Him today.  Throughout the day "Hosanna" by Carl Tuttle has been singing in my heart:  won't you sing along?

Hosanna, hosanna,

hosanna in the highest

Hosanna, hosanna,

hosanna in the highest

Lord we lift up Your name

With a heart full of praise

Be exalted, oh Lord my God

Hosanna in the highest

Glory, glory,

glory to the King of kings

Glory, glory,

glory to the King of kings

Lord we lift up Your name

With a heart full of praise

Be exalted, oh Lord my God

Glory to the King of kings

Glancing or Gazing?

Last night at youth my wife Laura shared an observation from a book:  in museums and art galleries there are often glancers and gazers.  Some are so intent on seeing everything they breeze through the exhibits, perhaps only briefly pausing for something which catches their interest.  The visit to the museum is a task to be completed, and with the aim of seeing everything possible only a cursory glance will do.  For gazers, however, spending quality time with a work of art cannot be rushed. They are content to contemplatively view a painting from various angles for hours.  They can be seen sitting or standing staring at the canvas, even writing down notes.  The glancers think of such people, "What are they looking at?  What of interest can they see in that?  Am I missing something?"

If I must choose a side which fits my natural bent, I tend toward the glancing side.  I am largely a destination oriented person.  Scenery is nice, but it isn't worth stopping the car which slows progress toward my intended destination.  At the same time, I would rather spend more time in the Australian War Memorial or Yad Vashem (World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Isarel) than rush through.  I am not a big art fan, but I believe the memory of people ought to be remembered and honoured.  I find the tales of courage, bravery, and sacrifice move my heart and sober my mind, and in that environment one must walk slowly and think deeply.  When I am rushed my feet move but my heart remains unmoved.

A good question to consider:  how do you approach the reading of the Bible?  It is God's Word written to us, and our familiarity with the text or our aim to tick "Bible reading" or "devotions" from our daily checklist can make us glancers rather than gazers.  Glancers are off to the next verse so quick they don't think deeply about what God is saying or how it applies to their own life.  I think everyone can fall into the habit of glancing rather than gazing and grazing on the good Word, giving time for our minds and hearts to digest all the LORD is saying.  As a cow is content to stand and chew its cud for a good part of the day, our engagement with the messages in God's Word be similar.  It is one thing to hear the Word or read it, but another thing to take it personally.

Reading the Word is most profitable and necessary, and it is intended - more than viewing art or visiting a memorial - to not only move us but change us.  Reading the Bible is not the end in itself, but to transport us into the presence of the Living God.  People can be emotionally moved by beautiful songs and artwork; they can shed tears as they feel the pain and loss of victims of war.  Many things in this world are designed to transport us somewhere physically or emotionally, and God has provided us His Word to move our hearts towards Him, to cause our gaze to be fixed upon Him.  We are rarely moved at a glance, but when our hearts and minds are engaged to consider and think deeply we can be drawn into the very presence of God.  Let the Word do its work in your heart and mind to transport you, and as we gaze on our Saviour may our hearts be moved to praise and worship Him in Spirit and truth.

Flipping the Canvas

It is amazing what a change in perspective will do.  I can adequately paint a wall with the right equipment, but I have never learned how to paint artistically.  Artists are able to see what others cannot and have the ability to bring an empty canvas to life with colour and detail.  It impresses me how people mix oil paint and use brushes to create pictures with a photographic and textured quality.  Bob Ross on KPBS often said anyone could paint, and I suppose he is right depending on how you define "painting."  I can apply paint to a canvas like a child, but I haven't painted anything recognisable yet.  I have seen paintings done by apes and elephants far superior to my efforts.

Perhaps I am easy to impress, but I always enjoy presentations when an artist basically attacks the canvas with quick swipes, splatters, and flourishes.  After a minute, when I still have no idea what is being painted, suddenly the artist with a quick flip of the canvas brings a recognisable image into view almost like magic:  a face, a scene, something which remained completely hidden to my eyes until the painter kindly turned it right side up for all to enjoy.  The artist knew much I did not know:  he knew what he was doing when I had no idea.  It required a change of my perspective - done for me by the artist - and then I could better appreciate the end result.

During our lives there will be many times when we struggle to understand or appreciate what God is doing because we do not have the correct perspective - His perspective.  In these times we often lose sight of God entirely.  We try to make sense of something we cannot make sense of no matter how hard we try.  Now God doesn't always flip the painting over to show us what He is up to, and He is under no obligation to.  But we are called to trust Him even when we don't understand, trusting the character and promises of God in His Word.  Focusing on ourselves or problems in the world cannot bring the peace and rest available when we look to Jesus.

God is able to do what a painter cannot do with oils and brushes:  He sometimes allows painful circumstances so He might bring a bountiful blessing from them.  He can take a severe illness and make it an asset rather than a destroyer.  He can take the loss of a job or promotion and use it to strengthen our faith in Him.  The deepest pains can lead to profound purpose which remained previously hidden all our lives.  By the grace of God from death can spring life; the lost can be found, and failed dreams can transform to enduring hope.  What would crush us God uses to strengthen, and even our faults redeemed for His praise.  I do not know how God does this, and nor can I explain how a painter can paint upside down.  But I know God is able to do everything - far beyond my ability to understand.

I daresay God at times turns our lives upside down so we might re-centre our gaze on what counts and will endure.  His ways are glorious, and His works perfection.  He is able to make this blind man see and He will do the same for all who look to Him in faith.  We do not always understand, nor can we explain.  But by His grace we can seek our great God and know certainties where all else is darkness and shadow.  In God there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17):  it is we who must be turned!  Rightly Asaph wrote in Psalm 80:19, "Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved."

Friend or Client?

I remember the event very clearly:  a former co-worker (who had never once been to my house before) showing up at my door unannounced at 8pm, and it was the first time I had ever seen this man in a suit.  I was happy to see my friend, but my heart sunk when he awkwardly explained how he wanted to sell me something.  I can't explain the depth of disappointment, a feeling I can only describe as betrayal.  Friendship had been exchanged for the meagre gain of financial profit, and sadly the situation has been repeated many times - and every time it hurt.  Worse than being friend-zoned is when you are reduced to clientele.  It is true clients can later become friends, but to cross the line from friend to client jeopardises the quality of the relationship.

My intent is not to blast people who are trying to earn an honest living or feel social media is a ideal platform for free advertising.  But the willingness to leverage friendship for the opportunity of personal financial gain or to risk endangering it - regardless of the "benefits" you offer or products you swear by - is an awful, regrettable choice.  I would rather a friend who is struggling financially to ask me directly for money than try to sell me something or make me part of their diversified revenue stream.  It is no wonder some in the quest for wealth treat friendship with utilitarian disdain, for the lure of riches causes people to err from the right way.  Paul warned of the love of money in 1 Timothy 6:10: "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."  Greed pierces those guilty of it, and their targets can be wounded as well.

I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, to value friendship rather than potentially sacrificing friendship on the altar of financial gain.  Greed can build walls between close friends and endanger the relationship once enjoyed.  Better to have a loyal, trusted friend than a client.  If you are willing to risk friendship for money, don't be surprised when friendships start drying up.

The Way of Repentance

When questioned concerning what was the great commandment of the Law, the reply of Jesus to the lawyer is seen in in Matthew 22:37-39 "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.'"  Jesus would later give a new commandment to His disciples, that they should love one another as He had loved them (John 13:34).  The love of Jesus was demonstrated and culminated on Calvary's cross where He laid down His life for sinners.

In church today we read the passage in Acts 17 when Paul addressed the council, philosophers, and religious people in Athens.  He said in Acts 17:30 God "...now commands all men everywhere to repent...".  Repentance is a change of mind which results in a change of practices.  It is agreement with God concerning what is wrong, choosing to forsake sin, and do what is pleasing in God's sight.  Repentance is a command God has issued to all people, for those who have not yet been born again and those in the church.  Sin keeps a man from fellowship with God, and repentance is a step in restoring the broken relationship.

As I mused on this during a song of worship to God, it struck me repentance does not happen in the pews.  Repentance begins with a commitment but does not stop there:  real repentance occurs in the moment of temptation.  Let's say you struggle with gossip.  Repentance happens when you have a juicy bit of gossip to share but in the moment recall to mind tale bearing is a sin and choose to remain silent.  Say God puts His finger on your gluttonous appetites, eating more than you should.  Repentance may begin in a church service or on your bed at night confessing before God your gluttony, but it is proved when you choose not to have a second helping of dessert - or forgo it altogether because you have had your fill.  Repentance is proved when the opportunity for sin reveals itself, and in obedience to God the repentant heart intentionally avoids doing what is wrong and does the right thing instead.

This is how repentance goes from being a decision in the mind to being a practice in your life; this is how repentance passes from a commitment before God in church in response to a sermon to a way of life.  Repentance is simple obedience moving forward.  God commands all men everywhere to repent, and praise the LORD He has made a way of forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.