Andrew Murray Quote

A quote from Andrew Murray was recently shared with me from a friend battling cancer, and it is a great reminder how God is sovereign and good regardless of our health, circumstances, or feelings.  Because of the depth of suffering, pain, and sorrow we face in this life unless a person knows God they cannot accept this statement as remotely true.  But for those who know God, knowing they are known by Him, they can affirm the words of Andrew Murray when he wrote:

In time of trouble, say, first, He brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest. Next, He will keep me here in his love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as his child. Then say, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons he intends me to learn, and working in me the grace he means to bestow. And last, say, in his good time he can bring me out again. How and when, he knows. Therefore, say, I am here (1) by God's appointment, (2) in His keeping, (3) under His training, (4) for His time.

It is faith in God which allows us to walk in the love, joy, peace, and patience required to endure and press on.  Because God is faithful to His Word and His promises we can rest in Him even if the earth shakes and mountains are thrown into the sea.  This globe we inhabit will one day be dissolved in flame with everything on it, but those who hope in the LORD lack no good thing.  It may be that death is the passage we must travel to enter into eternal glory, but God's glory will not be tainted by the strain of the journey.  Though I have not experienced cancer, I have received great encouragement from passages like Isaiah 65:17-18:  "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. ¹⁸ But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, and her people a joy."

I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to new heavens and a new earth--plus a glorified body free from sickness, pain, and sorrow.  I almost shed a tear thinking about how good it will be to have God wipe away all tears from our eyes.  There is part of us that holds onto memories of this life, good and bad.  In the eternal state we will be perfected and know what we need to know.  Since we will not be God and know everything we will rejoice to be ever learning of our awesome God and resting in His truth without fiery trials and the burden of this perishing flesh.

Praise the LORD He is creating a joyful reunion for all those who fear His name, and we do not need to wait for eternity to experience His love and peace.  We have His comfort and rest today, if we will trust and seek Him, and we will also enjoy His presence forevermore.  It is only the Christian who can say regardless of the season, "All the time God is good!" and experience rest in our loving Saviour who is our life.

Sanctification Cooperation

"Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God. ⁸ And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you."

Leviticus 20:7-8

God gave Moses His laws to deliver to the nation Israel so they might keep His covenant.  The context of these verses follow God saying He would set His face against those who did wickedly, defiled His sanctuary, or profaned His holy name.  The peoples of the ancient world worshiped demons and not God, even burning their children alive on altars before images made by hands of men.  God's people were not to imitate these abominable practices of the heathen, and were forbidden in the Law of Moses to make images or representations of man or beast lest their hearts turn from God in idolatry.  God sanctified His people, and thus they were to sanctify themselves.

To "sanctify" is to "cleanse, purify, make holy, to set apart, or appoint for sacred use."  The mistake people can make is to believe sanctification can or must be earned, yet scriptures reveal God sanctifies people by His grace--not based on performance.  God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants not because he, Isaac, or Jacob were more worthy or pious than others.  God called Abraham out of His goodness and Abraham responded with faith in God.  The sanctification available to whosoever will repent and trust in God must be received first, and only then can we sanctify ourselves.  Like a marriage relationship requires cooperation, communication, and contribution of both parties so does our relationship with God.  The Jews in the Old Testament were under the covenant of Mosaic Law, and Christians today relate to God through the new covenant made with the shed blood of Jesus.

We are justified by grace through faith and our sanctification is also a gift freely given we receive.  No effort of our flesh, no volume of sacrifices could earn such favour from the holy, almighty God.  God has made us holy and sanctified by the sacrifice of Christ, and therefore we ought to aim to live a life that is sanctified--set apart and appointed for God's use.  Paul wrote in Galatians 3:1-3:  "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? ² This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ³ Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"  After we are born again and converted there must be a continual reliance and trust in God marked by humility, not imagining we become worthy or acceptable by ourselves.  Gentiles in the early church, misguided in their zeal to please men, began to teach keeping the Law of Moses was critical to sanctification and salvation.

Now the Law remains good but God did not call Gentiles to live as Jews or for Jews to put aside their observance of Law as legalism.  Jesus kept the Law of Moses, but Christians are not sanctified by keeping the Law:  it is Jesus who sanctifies us by the indwelling Holy Spirit in real time.  It is the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth in keeping with the Bible and the law written on our hearts, no longer governed by words written on tablets of stone.  Remember the message Jesus preached on the mount when He called His followers to a standard far higher than that of Law, and we can only sanctify ourselves to achieve such humility and surrender to His will only after He first sanctifies us.  Having been sanctified by God, we by His grace and strength sanctify ourselves.  We do not receive the Holy Spirit by grace and then are perfected by our efforts.  It is God who works in us both to will and do of His good pleasure, and thus we crucify the flesh and mortify the deeds of the flesh in surrender to Him.

Human sacrifice to idols is an abomination before God, but having been raised to new life with Christ we are called to be living sacrifices.  Romans 12:1-3 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ³ For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."  Let us not think there is any power in our flesh to sanctify ourselves, but having been sanctified through the Gospel we are transformed and helped to do God's will.  The sanctification partnership works when we die to self and the life of Jesus is lived through us.

The Positive Negative

I enjoyed catching up on a sermon preached by Bob Roche when I was away last week which focused on Zephaniah 3.  One thing mentioned that struck me was how a negative can teach a positive.  God summed up sins of His own people Israel in Zephaniah 3:2:  "She has not obeyed His voice, she has not received correction; she has not trusted in the LORD, she has not drawn near to her God."  Because Israel departed from the LORD sin was added upon sin.

Although God's people were perverse and polluted, stubbornly refusing to obey God's voice, this implies He continued to speak to them.  God continued to offer correction to His people despite their refusals.  God remained trustworthy and could be found by them if they would repent and seek Him with their whole hearts.  Isn't the loving pursuit of God amazing?  What grace, that He would continue to express desire for the restoration of people who shunned Him?

The failures of God's people could not be blamed on God remaining silent, His refusal to guide or teach, His reneging on the covenant, or Him abandoning them.  He continued to be faithful though His people were unfaithful.  Let us praise the LORD who seeks the redemption and salvation over all people, for He desires we would repent and turn to God for salvation.

Open Wide

"Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me! ⁹ There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god. ¹⁰ I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it."

Psalm 81:8-10

The God who was faithful to bring His people out of Egypt provided for their needs, giving them manna from heaven and water from a rock.  Their survival was completely dependent upon God in the wilderness, and God met all their needs.  God bid His people open their mouths wide and He promised to feed them.  And this, my friends, requires faith.

Have you ever heard the loud chirping of hungry baby birds?  Whenever their mum or dad draws near, these helpless and blind birds spring to life.  Though they have no feathers to fly, they certainly are unhindered to make noise!  They instinctively open their mouths wide to eat whatever their parents drop in.  Baby birds are not picky eaters:  they do not push food around on plates, complain about temperature, or comment on how the flavour or texture is disagreeable.  They open their mouths wide trusting their parents to drop in healthy, nutritious food.

I wonder how many of us are willing to open our mouths wide, trusting God will fill it?  The Hebrews looked to idols they brought out of Egypt to provide sun, rain, and bountiful harvests.  They prayed to idols and not to God, opening their mouths to make requests of images who could not speak, hear, or save.  God lamented His people did not hearken to His voice.  Instead of receiving His Word in faith, they closed their mouths and hardened their hearts.  God has put in all people the triggers of hunger and thirst to ensure the needs of our physical bodies are met, and He also supplies the Bread of Life Jesus Christ who gives life for our souls.

As we follow Jesus the Good Shepherd, He leads us in green pastures and beside still waters.  All our needs are met in Him.  He satisfies our hunger with His Word, and provides us the Holy Spirit who is Living Water for our souls.  Let us open our mouths wide and trust He will fill them with good according to His promise.

The Feast of Grace

I was recently reminded of the movie Babette's Feast based on the book by Isak Dinesen and the wonderful illustration it provides of grace.  I like Philip Yancey's description of grace, that it costs everything for the giver and nothing for the recipient.  We are mistaken to think the grace of God is free because it came at a tremendous cost to Him, even as the feast Babette prepared.  As adopted children of God our freedom came at the cost of God's only begotten Son.

It's a funny thing how things we receive for free are not valued like things we worked to earn.  The guests at Babette's feast (save the amazed and verbose General) had no appreciation for the quality of the food and drink placed before them course after course.  Had they been accustomed to such foods it is likely they could have even been critical, not complimentary as the General was.  Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:17, "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy."  It is God who has richly given us all things to enjoy in life, and having received such bountiful love and grace we should be perpetually thankful.

Babette chose to spend her lottery winnings on others rather than herself, and it was the sheer delight to bless others which motivated her.  It was not to show the spinsters she lived with how her culinary skills were superior, or to show the superiority of French cuisine over cod and gruel.  That is what makes her humble gift of an exquisite meal so remarkable, that all the townsfolk needed to do was attend to receive a free meal.  Their presence was a gift Babette was pleased to receive so she could serve.  Hasn't our God done even a more remarkable thing that He would invite sinners to receive of the Holy Spirit, a new nature, forgiveness, and salvation?  May our hearts be filled with gratitude for the Living Bread come down from heaven who offered Himself freely so we might live.

Come to the Light

"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed."

John 3:18-20

At Teen Camp this week I used an illustration of what it means to "come to the light."  I told the kids to imagine we had a party at an abandoned home with music pumping, people were drinking, dancing, and increasingly rowdy.  People at the party started vandalising the house by smashing bottles, breaking furniture, and punching holes in walls.

Suddenly a guy runs into the party, shuts down the music, and informs us of approaching police cars.  The lights are quickly turned off and a hush falls over the crowd.  The tyres of the cars crunch gravel, brakes squeak, and the baying of dogs ring out.  The faint sound of a chopper can be heard in the distance.  A beam of light pierces the darkness and is fixed upon the front entrance, and the voice of a constable is heard over a speaker.  "OK kids, we know you're in there.  If you come out the front now, no harm will come to you.  You have 10 seconds until we send in the dogs."

In this situation, what would you do?  If you've ever watched an episode of COPS, you know one tactic is to trust your own legs, to climb out the back door and attempt to futilely run from the "eye in the sky" with heat-sensing cameras.  After inevitably being caught the arrested would face additional charges.  Some might choose to barricade the door and arm themselves with whatever they could find.  Others might try to climb into a dark spot like an attic, a closet, or under the floorboards to escape.  But what of the dogs?  And the additional squad cars and firepower?  In this situation, the best possible outcome is to demonstrate faith in the safety promised by the constable, walk towards the snarling dogs and drawn firearms, and come into the light with empty, raised hands.

This scene is an illustration of what God requires of sinners.  We are condemned already, our lives forfeit because of sin.  God has made a way of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ:  if we confess our sins, repent, and ask God for forgiveness and salvation, He will justify us.  All our sins will be forgiven and our guilt washed away.  But if we try to hide our sin, blame others, claim ignorance, or try to escape by running we will be bound and cast into outer darkness and eternal torment.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one can be forgiven or see the kingdom of God without Him.

The question remains:  will you hate the light and choose darkness or come into the Light of Life in full surrender?

Good Will on a Plate

I have the privilege of being the speaker at Camp Kedron this week, a Christian camp which has shared the Gospel with young people for over 50 years.  Holiday camps attract youth from diverse backgrounds and beliefs and it is a joy to share the truth of God’s Word with them, to answer questions, and tackle issues which confront people today.  Centred on Jesus Christ and the Gospel, leaders from various Christian denominations and groups unite as one to demonstrate the love and grace of God.

I was admiring the artistic skills of campers who chose the ceramic elective today, and I came across a plate with a message and scripture reference.

As a student of scripture (hopefully not one who could be described as ever learning but never coming to the truth) I was instantly curious what passage in scripture could possibly support the idea presented.  Love and judgment are never placed in opposition to one another in the Bible, as if righteous judgment cannot spring from love.  I was glad to see this plate because it instructed me in some people’s minds love and judgment are opposites.  I mean no offence when I say this is a classic example of cliché Christianity which ignorantly hijacks scripture disjointed from the biblical revelation of God.  It is a perspective which elevates a worldly concept of love to the status of God.

Before we examine the passage cited, a little more on the catch-phrase.  The Bible reveals God is love (1 John 4:16), and His active love is far more than unconditional acceptance.  It is a sacrificial love expressed for the good of others according to His grace and goodness.  It is the love demonstrated by Jesus when He healed the sick, fed the hungry, raised the dead, and laid down His own life on Calvary for undeserving sinners.  At the same time, God is a righteous judge:  Abraham called Him the “Judge of all the earth” in Genesis 18:25.  This establishes how love and judging can coexist, just like a good judge can love people and uphold law at the same time.  The Bible teaches a father who loves his son will discipline him, and there can be no discipline without judgment:  a weighing of God’s standard of righteousness against words, deeds, and motives by the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Judgment was required for King Solomon to decide who was the real mother of the child brought before him, and the desire to unite a mother with son is a loving judgment.

Some might say, “It is all very well for God and kings to make judgments, but surely this is above the pay grade of the common Christian” (or anyone really).  Perhaps there is no word more despised than when a person feels “judged.”  Doesn’t the word provoke a universally negative sense?  Judging by itself is a neutral word but to many appears a cardinal sin in itself, that to judge—to decide or examine—should be struck from the responsibilities of a Christian.  People are fond of quoting snippets of scripture but do not consider the context.  They’ll say something like, “Doesn’t the Bible say we aren’t supposed to judge?”  Consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:1-2:  “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”  Far from a prohibition of judging, we are called to examine—to judge—how we judge others knowing the stricter we are with them the more severe our loving Judge and Father will be with us.  Jesus said in John 7:24, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."  We are commanded by Jesus to examine and judge ourselves according to God’s righteousness.  God gave Moses the Law and equipped him to judge his people righteously, and Jesus has given the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth.

The verse quoted on the plate is the passage where a woman was brought before Jesus who had been caught in the act of adultery.  The text reveals the Jewish rulers cared nothing about the woman (or the man who was strangely absent from the proceedings) and upholding justice:  their motive in bringing the woman before Jesus was in the hope of finding fault with Him.  Jesus, knowing their plot find fault and hypocrisy, ignored them.  John 8:7-11 reads, “So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" 11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

So what does this have to do with, “Love, don’t judge?”  Though the immediate text does not mention love, it is well-established in the Bible Jesus Christ, being God made flesh, is love—even when the words He said and things He did don’t seem loving to us.  But love did not change the fact the woman had sinned; love did not rub out the 7th Commandment written on tablets of stone on Mt. Sinai or the just punishment for sin.  God had already given a judgment on the sin of adultery, but what Jesus did not do is condemn the woman.  Judgment and condemning are two very different things.  To judge is to weigh and examine sides, and to condemn is to damn, a final, binding sentence or judgment.  The woman was by Law condemned for her sin and under a curse which would bring death, yet notice she called Jesus “Lord.”  Faith in Christ freed her from the condemnation her sin deserved.  It is condemnation—not judgment—which is God’s sovereign territory.  Those who were once under condemnation can be set free by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, justice having been satisfied.

We are called to use righteous judgment, yet this does not give us license to what could be called judgmental—to judge others by our self-righteous standards.  This was one sin of the Pharisees Jesus called out, the hypocrisy of claiming to uphold God’s righteousness when they gave greater weight to enforcing traditions of men.  This plate reminds me of something Paul wrote in Philippians 1:15-18.  I am very glad the plate was made as it is, for it moved me to go to the Word and these considerations have sharpened me on the subject.  Paul wrote, “Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from good will:  16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defence of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”  If you could write a message on a plate about anything, would it be about love and a scripture like this skilled artist?  I can say it wouldn’t have been my first idea.  It is good will on a plate, an exhortation to love, and a platform to dive into God’s Word so we can be washed clean of misunderstandings.

Rats in the Cellar

I have been reading through Mere Christianity, a classic penned by C.S. Lewis.  It is really a terrific resource which deals with a lot of complex aspects of Christianity which he explains exceptionally well.  As an intellectual who once was an atheist, his insights are the product of wisdom from being born again and part of his own personal journey in knowing God.

One consequence of  coming to faith in Christ is a more sharpened sense of our own sinfulness.  Maturity in faith brings a greater sense of our need for Christ to transform us from within.  C.S. Lewis wrote:

When I come to evening prayers and try to reckon up the sins of the day, nine times out of ten the most obvious one is some sin against charity; I have sulked or snapped or sneered or snubbed or stormed.  And the excuse that immediately springs to my mind is that the provocation was so sudden and unexpected; I was caught off my guard, I had not time to collect myself.  Now that may be an extenuating circumstance as regards to those particular acts:  they would obviously be worse if they had been deliberate and premeditated.  On the other hand, surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of man he is?  Surely what pops out before the man has time to put on a disguise is the truth?  If there are rats in a cellar you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly.  But the suddenness does not create the rats:  It only prevents them from hiding.  In the same way the suddenness of the provocation does not make me an ill-tempered man; it only shows me what an ill-tempered man I am.  The rats are always there in the cellar, but if you go in shouting and noisily they will have taken cover before you switch on the light.  Apparently the rats of resentment and vindictiveness are always there in the cellar of my soul.  Now that cellar is out of reach of my conscious will.  I can to some extent control my acts:  I have no direct control over my temperament.  And if (as I said before) what we are matters even more than what we do--if, indeed, what we do matters chiefly as evidence of what we are--then it follows that the change which I most need to undergo is a change that my own direct, voluntary efforts cannot bring about.  And this applies to my good actions too.  How many of them were done for the right motive?  How many for fear of public opinion, or a desire to show off?  How many form a sort of obstinacy or sense of superiority which, in different circumstances, might equally have led to some very bad act?  But I cannot, by direct moral effort, give myself new motives.  After the first few steps in the Christian life we realise that everything which really needs to be done in our souls can be done only by God.  (Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity & the Screwtape Letters: Complete in One Volume. HarperSanFrancisco, 2003.)

I believe God allows us to be put off guard--not because it is a test we must pass or so God can know the conditions of our hearts--but so we will see the rats scrambling for cover in the cellar of our souls.  If we saw rats or evidence of rats because of damage or defecation in the pantry where we store our food, we would take prompt action to eradicate the pests.  We ought to do the same when our sinful reactions come to light.  Shrugging them off emboldens the pests to remain, to breed, to further corrupt the good God has wrought within us by grace.  On our own we could never eradicate or cleanse ourselves from sin, but through faith in Jesus Christ these victories are accomplished.

No Holidays!

Part of the culture shock for me in immigrating to Australia has been adjusting to the amount of annual leave people receive.  The base amount for full-time employees is 4 weeks paid--with 10 sick days a year and something called "long-service leave" which is two additional months off.  If you happened to be sick in the same year long-service leave was taken, this would be almost 4 months off work paid.

Whilst some people's eyes light up at the possibility of that much time off work, something inside of me shudders at the prospect.  Holidays, in my mind, have the connotation "going to work" has for others.  Now I have been blessed and benefited greatly by holiday experiences I have enjoyed with family, but they aren't something I pine for.  Holidays are not a dangling carrot which help me push through the daily grind.  I am satisfied and pleased with my daily work routine, and I love what I do.  Why would I want to create extra hassle and expense to find folks to cover for me?  What is special for me these days is a night in, not out.

People spend time thinking about what a perfect holiday would involve, where they would go or what they would see or do.  Do you know what my idea of the perfect day is?  It would be a day when no one takes a holiday from going to church.  What is the sense in taking holidays from fellowship with heaven?  I'm not talking about those who do not fear God or those who only go out of guilt when asked:  I'm talking about everyone who claims 1) to be a Christian and 2) has a church they call home actually going there for worship and the teaching of the Word all on the same day.  That is my idea of bliss.

Can you imagine it?  It would be like a family reunion with the worship and praise of God at the centre.  The fellowship would be sweet as we gather in unity in the fear of God and love of Jesus Christ.  I know people would look around at others and say, "How wonderful this is!  We should do this more often!"  We can enjoy fellowship in Christ often, and we should.  But alas, this level of unity seems strangely elusive.  Unity is not going to the same building at a particular hour, but in daily following the Saviour who leads us to contribute to church fellowship and the lives of people week after week.  No church is perfect but we have an awesome God; no pastor is without faults but we follow the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ who leads us into green pastures and beside still waters.

For me one day to join believers who gather to seek the LORD is worth a month of holidays spent elsewhere.  I would rather open the door to a brother or sister at church than hang a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the outside of my hotel door.  King David wrote in Psalm 84:8-12, "O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah ⁹ O God, behold our shield, and look upon the face of Your anointed. ¹⁰ For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. ¹¹ For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. ¹² O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You!"  Amen!

Grace Gives Hope

John 3:14-16 says, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  Because Jesus spoke these words to Nicodemus, a Pharisee and ruler in Israel, he had intimate knowledge of this allusion.  It is likely Nicodemus never attached any future significance to what transpired in the wilderness over 1,000 years previous--but Jesus did.

After God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, they became discouraged because of the way He brought them.  They complained against God and Moses for their disappointment and accused God of plotting their demise.  Their biting words were returned in kind by the fangs of venomous snakes God sent among them.  Numbers 21:6-9 reads, "So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. ⁷ Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. ⁸ Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live." ⁹ So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived."

The people realised their guilt before God and came to Moses in repentance. Moses prayed for the people and was given a strange command by God:  make a bronze image in the shape of a snake, lift it up on a pole, and all who look upon it will be healed.  The people asked for the snakes to be removed so no additional people would be bitten, but God made a way for those who were bitten to be healed and saved.  On the surface it seems odd God would command to do something forbidden by Law, as Deuteronomy 4:18 expressly forbade crafting an image of a creeping thing or fish lest they worship the image they had made (which later came to pass concerning the bronze serpent in 2 Kings 18:4).  It is no sin for God to make an image, for He created man in His own image.  The fashioning of the bronze serpent was divine foreshadowing of how Jesus Christ would become the express image of God in human form, be lifted up on Calvary, and provide salvation for those under the curse of sin and death.

It is amazing how God created man in His own image, and then humbly put on human flesh to provide atonement for sinners.  The grace of God through the Gospel cost God everything and offered forgiveness and salvation freely to all who will receive it because of His great love.  The children of Israel had given up hope for those already bitten by venomous snakes, but God was not willing for them to perish.  All had the chance of salvation if they would respond in faith to His gracious offer.  Most of those who were healed of their snake bites would fall in the desert, but those who trust in Jesus Christ have eternal life!

The Re-Commitment Trap

In the church I was raised, it was a common occurrence for the pastor to invite people to respond to a message by re-committing their lives to Jesus.  Many times under the conviction of sin I raised my hand or went forward in acknowledgement of my sin and desire to repent.  It is never hard for born-again Christians to see their need for repentance and forgiveness.  We could not be born-again again, so re-commitment was posed as the way back to God for a backslider.  This concept of re-commitment became an endless loop which rested on nothing more than my own resolve and self-control which always fell short.

There is a place for renewal and revival in the life of Christians, but I am convinced the option of re-commitment modeled for me in my youth misses the point.  The more I think about it, the more I am certain the idea of re-commitment is without biblical precedent.  Should Christians commit and entrust themselves to God in faith?  Yes.  But commitment can be independent of faith; it can be empty words of the self-deceived who refuse to repent.  Re-committing to God is not repenting of sin before God.  The biggest issue I have with re-commitment in response to conviction of sin is it is only one side of the coin:  the focus is entirely on me and my best efforts rather than reliance upon God and all Christ has accomplished.

God is more than "committed" to us, for He established an everlasting covenant with the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  When we are convicted for sin and made aware of our backsliding, the call is to return to God in repentance.  If every time we were convicted of sin we "re-committed" our lives to Jesus it is little more than a pledge from a hardened felon.  And that is why when re-commitment is an option, it never seems to stick.  We have not truly repented because we did not need to.  All that was required in that moment of soul-searching was to respond with raising a hand, walking to the front of the church, or seeking prayer and the pressure was relieved.  Having done something we were back in good standing with God again and life continued on as usual--that is, until being called out the following Sunday.

What is tricky about following Jesus is that in a sense it IS a commitment, but again this is only part of the equation.  Better than telling God what we will do, we should confess before God how we have failed and ask forgiveness on the basis of the covenant He has already made with us.  For those in the re-commitment rut their salvation often seems to hinge on their performance rather than receiving the grace of God through His promise.  If we are indeed born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, having been adopted as a child of God by grace through faith in Him, we ought to respond with the humility of the prodigal son in the parable who returned to his father.  He did not come back pledging to do a better job or to make up for his folly:  he said, "I have sinned."  He was filled with a sense of unworthiness and begged to be permitted to serve as a slave but his father hugged and received him as a beloved son.

If you find yourself caught in a perpetual backsliding re-commitment trap, there is hope in Jesus Christ.  Instead of pledging to do better, repent and return to Jesus Christ.  Only God can make a new creation and empower you to walk in the way that fully pleases Him.  Re-commitment is an empty hope based on our feeble efforts, but in Jesus Christ and in His covenant there is strong confidence.

The Enduring Word

Well, it's official:  Google hates me.  I probably shouldn't say anything because Google is always listening and recording (perhaps even hiding from plain sight) what I write.  Over the years I have wondered if changing algorithms negatively affected search traffic to the blog, but recently I discovered something which leaves little doubt.  Occasionally I will look up a keyword of an old post as a point of reference.  I was pretty sure I've mentioned MacGuffin on the blog before" and tried to search it with the blog address.  By the way, anyone who has watched movies would be familiar with MacGuffins (but maybe not the name), a device in film that drives the plot but has little significance otherwise.

When I searched on Google Chrome I was surprised to see only one page of results and none from marchforth2oz.blogspot.com.  After navigating to the blog in the search bar I typed "MacGuffin" and bingo:  the single mention of "MacGuffin" from 2017 was revealed!  On a hunch I loaded the Bing search engine, typed in the same query as I first had in Chrome, and the first page was flooded with successful results.  I'm not much of a conspiracy theory person, but the disparity between the Chrome and Bing search was notable.  It's all a bit fishy, and this isn't the first time I have been unable to find blog posts outside the blog itself (using Google, that is).  It leads me to conclude one does not need to live in a strict Communist regime to have Christian content quietly disappear.

The glorious truth for Christians is even IF all our words are suppressed or obscured, the Word of God endures forever.  It is God's Word and will which drive the plot of our lives according to the Holy Spirit, and we do not need to fear anything.  Worrying about declining traffic or algorithmic censorship is only one of many real-life MacGuffins people can obsess over and lose sight of the awesome God this blog is intended to glorify.  God knows if a person does a good deed with the hope of being seen by men, and that person has their reward whatever the opinions may be.  Those who do things with intent to glorify God, whether or not seen by men, will receive a reward from the LORD which cannot be corrupted or stolen.  Praise the LORD!

1 Peter 1:22-25 provides a fitting conclusion:  "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, ²³ having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, ²⁴ because "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, ²⁵ but the word of the LORD endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you."

The Cost of Convenience

Convenience often comes at a price, and the consumer decides if they are willing to pay for the luxury.  Prepared foods typically cost more than buying the ingredients separately.  Convenience has a universal appeal because it reduces extra work and saves time.  For all the allure of convenience, however, there can be a downside.  The cost for convenience is not always paid in money but with countless distractions, intrusions, oppression, and even bondage.

For almost two weeks I was without a mobile phone.  A month ago the screen developed a fault which daily increased to the point of the screen being completely fuzzy.  For days it was like trying to view emails and sites through the bars of a virtual prison.  Since the phone was under warranty, it was shipped off to the assessment centre and I was told it would be 5 to 10 business days until the job would be complete.  For the job to be done the phone would be wiped, and I drove home phoneless.

I started thinking:  how should I handle navigation?  I would have to print out directions again.  How will I check email account?  I would need to log into each account individually at my computer.  How inconvenient life suddenly became when I could no longer check all my email accounts with the tap of a screen.  At the prospect of being weeks without a phone, I was more annoyed with the inconvenience of it all than anxious.  But an interesting thing happened:  as much as I missed the convenience of a phone, I did not miss the burden of having it and carrying it around.  I began to realise how many times a day I would check the phone and how at any time--in the middle of studying, conversing, driving or eating--a text or notification would come through.

Because of my forced phone fast I found I was reading more books.  I was spending far less time online, only checking my emails once or twice a day.  Days passed without checking messages on Facebook.  Whilst I appreciate the convenience of a phone, I found it was more apt to waste my time than save it; it was likely to command my attention as a slave rather than serve me.  When I went to pick up my phone yesterday it was a perfect illustration of how I had been feeling.  Those without a phone are more observant of how many people have and use them all the time.  As I stood at the door of the shop waiting for it to open, for 15 minutes I watched people walk by.  Approximately 50% were actively scrolling with heads down, 25% were talking, 20% had earbuds in, and one or two people did not have a phone in their hand.  As I watched a woman walking with her son's hand in hers, she smiled as she saw something on the screen held in her other hand.  She held her son's hand but her other hand was being held by something even more interesting at that moment.  She gripped her phone, but the phone held her.  Convenience has a cost.

Now don't get me wrong:  I am not anti-technology or think the correct course of action is to ditch our phones.  I am glad to keep mine, thank you.  But I do think it is wise to honestly consider how and how much we use them.  When we are locked into our phones we don't realise how much life we are missing out on, how distracted we are.  Being without a phone showed me I do not need it to lead a fulfilling, productive life.  It opened my eyes to how I allowed my phone to unnecessarily intrude upon my life and become more a burden than a blessing.  Phones are the Swiss Army knife of technology with countless features and useful apps, a practical tool in our digital age.  But as useful as mobiles phones are because of our human condition they can be wielded as weapons which wound us and damage relationships with others too.  That's far too high a price for convenience.

Christ's Yoke

"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Matthew 11:29-30

I was reading through Malachi this morning when I came across a wonderful promise to those who trust God, and it prompted me to seek out Christ's words in Matthew.  Malachi 4:2 says, "But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves."  Jesus Christ is the Son (and Sun here, the Light of the World) of righteousness who died on Calvary and has risen glorified.  He is our Saviour, the One who has called us and sent us out to all the world to proclaim His everlasting truth of the Gospel.

When Malachi compared those who trust in God to being "stall-fed calves," it reminded me of what Jesus said.  He urged people to take His yoke upon them, and this is something a calf must be taught to do.  The freedom we have in Christ is not without boundaries and the labours we do alongside Christ are not like the shackles of sin or the bondage of legalism.  Christ's yoke is easy and His burden light because He has done the heavy lifting for us, nailing the handwriting of ordinances which was against us to the cross and triumphing over principalities and powers.

An interesting fact about yokes is different yokes are required for donkeys, horses, and oxen because of their size and basic anatomic structure.  A yoke for ox is completely unsuitable for the body of a horse.  A harness which connects a horse to a carriage or buggy would be useless for an ox.  Jesus bids us take His yoke upon us and learn from Him.  The amazing truth is God became flesh like us, and having been born again by the Holy Spirit we are adopted into the family of God.  Through the Gospel of grace we have become members of the Body of Jesus Christ the Church, and He is the Head of the Body.  Jesus is willing and able to share a yoke with us!  He has humbled Himself to come down to our level, and He has raised us up to sit with Him in the heavenlies (Ephesians 2:6).

Only in Jesus is rest found for our souls.  The scriptures testify of His character, discipline, love, obedience to the Father, and humble service we ought to emulate.  He says if we will come after Him we must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him.  Jesus was crucified on a cross for the sins of the world, and having been made righteous by faith in Him we take up our cross in obedience.  David said he would not offer as a sacrifice to God that which cost him nothing, and Jesus has paid the price so our lives can be offered as a living sacrifice to God--which is our reasonable service.  It is costly for us to lay down our lives, but Jesus has already shown us the way and that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  How gentle and lowly He is!

Praise the LORD we can take Christ's yoke upon us and learn from Him, all by the grace of God.

Book of Remembrance

"Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name."

Malachi 3:16

I have long aspired to writing a book.  Though I write often I have yet to be inspired to sustain any thought for hundreds of pages, nor do I feel my contributions superior to anything written.  I have had ideas flit through my mind, but none of them have stuck.  But today I was reminded of a book God is writing, a book all those who fear God contribute to when they speak and think of Him.

Have you ever been in a room and heard your name mentioned and perked up, wondering of the context of the conversation where your name made an unexpected appearance?  Malachi 3:16 reveals God does the same thing when we speak or think of Him.  Those who love and fear God will speak to one another of Him, and God listens and hears.  This may seem redundant in English, but the word translated "listened" has more to do with catching the ear or one's attention.  "Heard" is fairly straight forward, yet it is to hear intelligently and intently--not to vaguely hear of a rumour.  It is amazing to think we are God's treasured children, and He delights to be treasured by us.

God knows and sees all, yet He has a book of remembrance written to note the times those who fear Him speak and think of Him.  Short chapters are in vogue today, but wouldn't you like to have a lengthy chapter attributed to you in this book?  God is not forgetful or greedy for attention, but this book "was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name."  This book is written for our sakes!  If you fear God, speak of Him and meditate on His name, God is writing this book for your sake.  He is the Author of life and our faith, yet we are given credit as a team of authors He will keep forever.

My wife Laura for many years compiled pictures of our sons in individual books, and they could be called books of remembrance.  We enjoy occasionally leafing through these albums:  what is nostalgic for Laura and I might be things my sons don't even remember.  I believe the book of remembrance God is having written for us will be like this.  He remembers everything without fail, but I might not even remember what I had for lunch yesterday.  I wonder if this is one of the books opened in addition to the Lamb's Book of Life when people are judged in the last day.  Everyone who is in the Book of Life will have at least a mention in the book of remembrance.

I might never have a book title to my name or "author" on my resume, but God is writing a book for me.  And you know what?  Knowing this I am content. :)

Be Still and Know

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! ¹¹ The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah"

Psalm 46:10-11

During prayer I was reminded of these verses and had forgotten they had been included in my sermon notes!  It was good to meditate on these verses, and this meditation has nothing to do with repeating a particular word or phrase.  Meditation for a Christian involves conscious thought.  Depending on where the stress is placed, God opens new avenues of thought.

God's command to those whose world is coming apart at the seams is to look to Him in trust and reliance is to "Be still."  Instead of rushing around trying to scheme or save, look to the Saviour.  We can "know" God alone is our Saviour, having received the truth of His Word and the indwelling Holy Spirit.  He says "I am God," not because He is shaking Himself from sleep or is in the midst of a identity crisis, but in times of crisis it is we who often forget.  God always keeps His word without fail.

When God says, "I will," we can view it as already done.  He "will be exalted among the nations" regardless if it seems like it or not.  Being the Almighty our God IS exalted, but am I exalting Him by faith and obedience?  This reminds me of the Christian's sanctification:  it is finished in the sense we are set apart unto God, but we also share a responsibility to sanctify ourselves in obedience to Him.  God is exalted, and we do well to exalt Him personally too.  God "will be exalted in the earth," and He graciously uses followers of Jesus Christ to that end.  In fact, even heathen kings like Pharaoh were used mightily by God to show His power, strength, and salvation.

Isn't it good to know the LORD of hosts is with us?  The eternal King is with us, and through faith in Christ He dwells in us.  The God who appeared to Jacob and changed His name to Israel is the God who is faithful to His promise and transforms us.  Like the location of a fortified bunker is known to the owner, so God is known by us.  At all times we can seek refuge in Him and find a supply of wisdom, help, refreshment, protection, and sustaining strength foreign to the world.  He skips across mountains at the sound of our voice, the voice of His beloved.  How gracious and good our God is, and let us be still and know that He is God--not us.

Strategic Patches

The local council removed a large tree from the parkway in front of my house and left a large patch of bare dirt.  Being winter the turf was dormant and did not fill in the damaged patches of lawn topped up with sand.  Though we did not have rain for months, apparently the clover did not get the memo.  When healthy Sir Walter turf spreads thick and is quite impenetrable, but the patchy condition made it susceptible to invasive weeds.  As I pulled weeds this afternoon, looking over at my neighbour's lawn which was completely green and weed free, it was obvious a healthy lawn is the best defense against unwanted weeds.

Bare spots in the lawn practically invite weeds to spring up uncontested.  This shows the folly of trying only to resist sin rather than to flee from it and do what is right.  Some vice will surely fill the bare spots in our character unless good things are sown there.  Turf must be watered and fed regularly, and properly winterising it would have prevented a lot of the weeds I pulled from growing at all.  I was reading and came across a great quote from C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity today:

"Good and evil both increase at compound interest.  That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance.  The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of.  An apparently trivial indulgence in lust or anger today is the loss of a ridge or railway line or bridgehead from which the enemy may launch an attack otherwise impossible." (Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity & the Screwtape Letters: Complete in One Volume. HarperSanFrancisco, 2003.)

It is good to see the purpose in one seemingly small act can have massive, long-reaching implications.  C.S. Lewis wrote at a time when World War 2 loomed large in the minds of people, where the deeds of one heroic man or coward might change the course of war.  Realising we are in a battle with our flesh and that our allegiance is to Christ about self is something we must often be reminded.  I want to progress in maturity and faith, not backslide.  Sometimes we will make mistakes and need to drop to our knees to clear away the weeds of sin in repentance, but let us stand in faith and press on doing good for God's glory.  That denial of the flesh and choosing to do good is like a patch of green turf which will spread in time.

The Unchanging God Who Changes Us

Self-help books have been popular as long as I can remember.  What I find ironic is despite the great volume of books written with terrific insights, new self-help books retain timeless appeal.  This is likely for two main reasons:  books cannot fundamentally change us, and despite our new knowledge still see our need for positive change.  The change we desire continues to remain elusive.

The confidence of a follower of Jesus Christ is not in our ability to change, but that God does not change and has the power to change us.  See what the prophet wrote in Malachi 3:1-6:  "Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," says the LORD of hosts. ² "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like launderer's soap. ³ He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness. ⁴ "Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the LORD, as in the days of old, as in former years. ⁵ And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien--because they do not fear Me," says the LORD of hosts. ⁶ "For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob."

Jesus Christ has come, and He will someday return from heaven with His saints to judge the world in righteousness.  The Day of Judgment should strike fear into all, especially those who do not regard God or expect Him.  Those whose lives are marked with sin shall be purged, and offerings will again be pleasing and acceptable to God in righteousness.  God did not provide false hope to the people, that if they really tried hard they could maintain His righteous standard and earn His favour.  Their only hope was in the mercy and grace of God who had made an everlasting covenant with them who does not change.  When the Law was given by Moses the people committed themselves to do all God had said, but they went back on their word.  God, in total contrast, would not deviate from fulfilling the New Covenant in His own blood He would make through Jesus Christ.

Paul said to believers in Acts 20:28:  "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood."  Jesus Christ the Son of God was sent by the heavenly Father to seek and save the lost, and He stayed the course--which included crucifixion on Calvary--and culminated with His death and resurrection.  Jesus paid the price of atonement required for divine justice to be satisfied, and through faith in Him we are justified and saved.  We are not justified, sanctified, or glorified because we have changed but because of the grace of God who does not change.  In God we find a Rock of Salvation, an enduring hope, and righteousness by grace through faith.  His Word remains true, a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.  The everlasting Light of the World reveals who we are, those who have feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace.  God also directs us by the Bible and the Holy Spirit how we should walk and where to go.

A relationship with God who does not change will utterly transform us from the inside out.  And there awaits a final change for all who are born again spoken of in 1 Corinthians 15:51-58:  "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. ⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." ⁵⁵ "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."  Life on earth is often chaotic, but through faith in Jesus we can be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the LORD.  The God who does not change provides the basis for our endurance, strength, and fruitfulness.  How wondrous this is, the immutability and goodness of our God and Saviour!

Cologne and Praise

I was reading through a news article concerning a Los Angeles Charger player Austin Ekeler who had a standout week.  The advice given Ekeler after a quality performance echoed the wisdom found in Proverbs and other places of scripture.  Here's an excerpt from the article:

Running back Austin Ekeler has understandably garnered national media attention after recording 95 receiving yards, 58 rushing yards, and three touchdowns last Sunday against the Colts. However, Ekeler isn’t concerned with the increase in attention -- he wants to remain focused on his game. “I was talking with ‘Fredo (running backs coach Alfredo Roberts) and he was telling me, ‘You have that cologne on for a little bit, but it's going to fade. Don’t drink it. You can wear it, that’s fine, but it’s poison. It might kill you.’ I’m just keeping my [blinders] on and focusing on my game with the Chargers."

It is good to know the proper use of cologne:  it may smell nice when applied to the body in moderation, but it is poisonous to drink.  When we are praised and recognised for something positive we have said or done it can be encouraging.  At the same time we should not allow it to go to our heads because it will lift us up with pride.  Fame and notoriety have pitfalls we do good to avoid, and we do this when praise is offered us by men and we immediately pass it on as an offering of praise with thanksgiving to God.  If we say or do anything good it is His doing, for in our flesh dwells no good thing.  We are born again by His grace and our fruitfulness comes from Him alone.

 The smell of cologne fades, and it is easy to become addicted to the attention and praise of other people.  We naturally want to impress, do well, to make our mark and be remembered.  But this desire to be acknowledged and recognised by men comes from our selfish flesh which insatiably seeks attention and approval.  Knowing we are accepted and approved of God by grace keeps us from falling into the trap of preoccupation with self:  "What do others think of me?  Have they forgotten about me?  Shouldn't I be receiving attention?  Don't I matter?  What about me?"  Comparing ourselves with others is not wise.

After being born again through the Holy Spirit we can shake free the fetters of self and lust for recognition and begin to praise God with our whole hearts.  The praise of men should not be like cologne we wear in moderation to top up our self-esteem, but should be treated like the bottle of precious perfume Mary broke on Jesus and poured all upon Him--saving nothing for herself.  Let all praise, honour, and glory be given God who is good, loves us, has saved us, and rejoices over us.  Receiving praise of men for self poisons us with pride, but God is worthy of all praise.  Pride kills, but praise exalts God and refreshes our souls.

Prevailing With God

I find Jacob's wrestling bout with the Angel of the LORD compelling.  The background of the life-changing encounter was Jacob was terrified upon hearing his brother Esau approached to meet him with 400 men.  Jacob separated his family into two groups and sent droves of animals by the hands of his servants before him, hoping to placate a potentially violent and aggressive enemy.  After night fell Jacob was alone, and the next we read he was grappling with an unknown Man who possessed divine authority and identity.

Genesis 32:24-28 says, "Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. ²⁵ Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. ²⁶ And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!" ²⁷ So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." ²⁸ And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed."

Let us not for a moment think this match was even or that Jacob forced the Man with whom he wrestled to submit.  Jacob's opponent merely touched the socket of Jacob's hip and put it out of joint, and this was painful and crippling.  All Jacob could do was hold on and beg for a blessing--and it was not possible for Jacob to even hold his grip against the Angel of the LORD (a rare of appearance of God in human form before Jesus Christ) unless He wanted to be held.  And this is a beautiful thing:  God wants to be known and held close by us.  This wrestling match was a culmination of Jacob's life which always was a struggle to be first, to acquire and win at any cost.  But he could not scheme his way out of the Angel's grasp, nor could he overpower him.  The only way Jacob could prevail over the Angel of the LORD was ultimately by complete surrender.

Hosea 12:3-5 provides insight about Jacob Moses did not mention in the Genesis account:  "He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he struggled with God. ⁴ Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; he wept, and sought favor from Him. He found Him in Bethel, and there He spoke to us-- ⁵  that is, the LORD God of hosts. The LORD is His memorable name."  The God of Abraham and Isaac revealed Himself to Jacob in Bethel, and He was the one who grappled with Jacob in the darkness.  The weight of his circumstances, the fear of facing his brother, the physical pain he experienced, and his inability to win brought Jacob to tears.  Jacob struggled with God all his life until the moment when, like a horse calmed by a gentle expert equestrian, God touched him.  Jacob's realisation of his need for God came as day broke.  By the help of God Jacob surrendered and in doing so prevailed with God:  instead of relying upon himself to fight his battles, Jacob's name was changed to Israel:  "God contends."

Jacob is not the only one who has wrestled with God all their lives, but he is one of the few who finally prevailed through surrender.  The Genesis passage says a Man wrestled with Jacob, and the order is significant.  The Man who suddenly appeared in the text was the initiator of this physical wrestling match which was the culmination of a lifelong spiritual conflict of Jacob fighting for himself.  No matter what Jacob tried, he couldn't escape and he couldn't force his Opponent to submit.  It was he who needed to submit, and having done so he held on to the One who made a promise to him all those years ago Jacob struggled to believe.  If we desire the transformation, blessing, and to prevail with God, with God's help we are called to surrender to Him.  We cannot escape His grip, and He is glad to be held close by us, to bless us, and to keep His Word.

The Coming King

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Zechariah 9:9

How great it is to know the King is coming to us!  Kings who rule nations have messengers, ambassadors, servants, and armies to do their bidding and I cannot imagine one having such humility to attend personally to the needs of their subjects.  God bids the daughter of Zion to rejoice greatly because the king comes who is just, having salvation, lowly, and in peace.  He does not come to His own to wage war but in humility, meekness, and ultimately triumph.

This about how the news of the king's coming would affect his starving subjects who were at war and under siege in a city surrounded enemies, the city about to fall.  Consider how great the relief this message would bring a man wrongly imprisoned, knowing his king was coming in justice!  What would it mean for the woman who was being abused by a spouse, a family who had lost everything in a fire, or a child being bullied to hear from the lips of the prophet, "Behold, your King is coming to you?"  To the person feeling alone, lost, or forgotten, to hear "Your King is coming to you!" would bring great rejoicing.  It would immediately shift the focus of the afflicted to the Saviour who was coming with salvation.

It is amazing the King would come to His people, and the manner of His coming is important.  If the King was coming with a great army it would be an intimidating show of force, but to come riding on an ambling donkey shows great humility.  When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the people shouted with rejoicing, "Hosanna!"  The King of the Jews had come, but Jesus Christ was more than that being the Son of God.  To think God would humble Himself to become lowly man to save sinners and become the servant of all is beyond comprehension.  Though He has ascended alive into heaven, He comes to those who trust in Him today and provides the Holy Spirit, Living Water for our souls which causes us to be refreshed and born again.

To those who need salvation, the coming of Jesus to us is most welcome news.  Let's be those who live in light of the Light of the World, His love and care for us.  If Jesus is not your King, however, it would be great causes for alarm.  The book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ says His second coming will be to take vengeance on His enemies.  A sharp two-edged sword will come out from His mouth to strike the nations, and He will rule the nations with a rod of iron.  Praise God that what strikes fear into His enemies is a source of comfort for those He protects and avenges.  God's people can rejoice always, and again I say rejoice because our King is coming to us having salvation!

The Sin Fast

Samuel famously told king Saul to obey God is better than sacrifice, but history tells us God's people struggled with the concept.  People tend towards embracing penance than repentance.  Better to repent before God and put the sin away than beating up yourself over it--as if personal punishment could provide atonement and cleansing.  Once sin is repented of instead of wallowing in guilt we ought to be intentional to be obey what God has already said.  A vast majority of the time we were conscious of sin before we chose to commit it.

When the temple in Jerusalem was halfway through the rebuilding process Zechariah 7:1-4 says, "Now in the fourth year of King Darius it came to pass that the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, Chislev, ² when the people sent Sherezer, with Regem-Melech and his men, to the house of God, to pray before the LORD, ³ and to ask the priests who were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and the prophets, saying, "Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?"  During the period of captivity in Babylon--for 70 years--the children of Israel mourned and fasted during the fifth month (AND the seventh, as we will see).  It seems during their exile away from the land of Israel they punished themselves with a self-imposed fast.

See God's response in Zechariah 7:5-7:  "Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me--for Me? ⁶ When you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink for yourselves? ⁷ Should you not have obeyed the words which the LORD proclaimed through the former prophets when Jerusalem and the cities around it were inhabited and prosperous, and the South and the Lowland were inhabited?'"  God rejected this self-imposed sacrifice made by the people because when they ate and drank they did so unto themselves.  Therefore these months of self-imposed fasting and mourning were self-serving, for the people did not obey word of the LORD by prophets He previously sent them!  Fasting in obedience to the LORD is good, and sacrifice according to His leading is righteous.  But instead of fasting God preferred repentance for sin and simple obedience.

It was fitting they do good every day in Zechariah 7:9-10:  "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother. ¹⁰ Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother.'"  Refusing to eat what God graciously provided did nothing to right the wrongs which persisted for 70 years of captivity.  The problem was not when or what the people ate but the sin in their hearts.  There is nothing wrong with spiritual discipline and fasting, but it is of no benefit if when we eat and drink we do so with only ourselves in mind.  Paul sums up well the approach believers should take in 1 Corinthians 10:31-33:  "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ³² Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, ³³ just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved."

People came to inquire at the temple if the fasts they had traditionally done for so long were necessary likely because some didn't want to keep fasting and some would be offended if they stopped.  They spoke of giving up the fifth month fast but didn't mention the seventh--they would keep that fast going.  God turned their question around:  instead of wondering if you should keep fasting, how about you start obeying Me?  Rather than thinking you are doing me a favour by denying yourself food, why not do yourselves and everyone a favour and deny yourself sin and do right?  Paul said in Romans 14:23 that whatsoever is not of faith in God is sin.  So whether we eat or drink or whatever we do, let us do it all to the glory of God.  We are to fast from sin and to do good instead.

Life to the Full

I am reading one of the books I received when attending the Calvary Global Network conference in Costa Mesa, California by John Bonner titled The Myth of Coincidence.  It didn't take long to reach halfway through the book, a compilation of details concerning life, call to ministry, and God's ways which are higher than ours.  His story of being called to move to and minister in a foreign nation in some ways resembles my own.

Pastor Bonner wrote in the preface, "If I were to die tonight, I would go home a completely satisfied man, having lived life to the fullest." (Bonner, John. The Myth of Coincidence. Calvary Chapel Hosanna! Publishing, 2019.)  Though John Bonner has been called to South America and I have been called to Australia, we share the same home because we are citizens of heaven through faith in Jesus Christ.  Because of what Jesus has accomplished by the Gospel after the death of the body we are going to the same heavenly home in the presence of God.  Having lived as foreigners on earth, it is the place Abraham looked for, the place where we finally belong.

I agree with Bonner's statement, especially the first part.  I would not die satisfied because of what I have experienced or accomplished on earth, but because of Who I am going home to.  When I look at the meager fruitfulness of my efforts which have gone largely unrealised by me, there is nothing to crow about.  For everything that has been accomplished there are 100 things yet to do, and 99% of what seems finished needs work before long.  There are worthy battles yet to be fought, minds to be persuaded, hearts to be changed, and souls to be won.  Clearing a small field of big rocks takes a lot of time and patient labour, and this is the work God has asked me to do:  to stick it out, keep going, keep trusting Him, and keep looking to Him.

When God calls me home, my work on earth will be finished.  He knows best and I trust Him.  I do not believe regret will have a place in my heart where I am going because I will be with my heavenly Father, my LORD and Saviour by grace.  I cannot better explain our purpose for carrying on until Jesus comes or calls us home in Ephesians 2:10:  "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."  We like the idea of Jesus preparing a home for us in the heavens, but before we experience that wonder we are given the privilege of entering into the works He was preparing for us before we were born or born again.  He is preparing me right now for more good works yet to do, and this excites me as much as heaven.  Jesus gives life to the full, now and forever!

Completed by Grace

Zerubbabel was given a difficult task by God:  to re-build the temple in Jerusalem.  When we face hard decisions and fierce opposition it is natural for us to attempt to steel the resolve of our flesh or even give up, but God revealed a truth we do well to remember in  Zechariah 4:6-7:  "So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. ⁷ 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ' "

The uniting of the people and building of the temple was a mountain might and power could never scale, but it was by the Holy Spirit it would be done.  The highest peaks in the world which require ideal conditions, training, equipment, and guides were not as great as the mountain which loomed before Zerubbabel, but God promised to help him to bring the work to completion.  The mountain would become a plain, and the capstone (the final stone) would be placed with celebratory shouts of "Grace, grace to it!"  It wasn't Zerubbabel's experience, building ability, or organisational prowess which would bring the project to a successful conclusion but the Holy Spirit by God's grace.

If you have a Bible translated into English you will notice occasional words which are italicised which denotes those precise words were not in the original manuscripts but added by translators to better translate into English.  When I import verses into blog posts I italicise the entire passage to convey it is a direct quote of scripture.  I was struck by the rendering of verse 7 so here it is as written in my Bible without italicising all:  "'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ' "  The prophet says (in effect), "Who are you, O great mountain?  Before Zerubbabel a plain!"

I found this significant because of what Jesus said, that if we pray believing mountains can be removed and cast into the sea (Matthew 21:21, Mark 11:23).  We like the idea of insurmountable obstacles being removed so we can easily walk forward on flat ground.  But this did not happen with Zerubbabel:  the mountain remained massive, foreboding, and towered above him.  Yet with the aid of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God, scaling the heights would be accomplished like crossing a plain.  The mountain remained stubbornly in front of Zerubbabel, and God by grace would empower him to see the task completed.  And God was faithful to His promise.

What comfort this brings us when we realise we are incapable of performing the impossible task which stands before us!  We want God to move the obstinate obstacle to make our passage easier, but God wants to deal with our obstinance of reliance upon our own might and power to accomplish His work.  We want to see the mountain gone and a flat plain before us before we move:  sometimes God leaves the mountain be to teach us to look to Him as we climb.  What obstacle lies before you which you wish to avoid?  Let us remember God's word to Zerubbabel:  "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit" says the LORD of hosts.  The work He has begun He is faithful to complete by grace.