The Skill of Rumination

As I grow older it is strange to think how much technology has changed the way people live in the western world.  For all of our advancements in science, medicine and education, however, there is one thing that has remained the same:  people.  The Bible is so relatable because it nails the essence of the human heart perfectly and resonates with our conscience.  It is ironic the many digital devices which allow us to work from home and technology which enable us to do more at once seem to drain our time and can make life more difficult and complex.  I am not interested in throwing away modern technological conveniences which are not sinful in themselves because they are not the problem.  We are the sinners.

Though the word of God remains the same, advances in technology and transportation have drastically changed the way Christian and church ministry is done.  We have gone from having one church in a large parish with one preacher to a global deluge of sermons and services we can tap into without leaving our bedroom.  When I was a kid at our church we had a "tape lending library" where the Sunday sermon was quickly recorded on cassette tapes to buy, borrow or share with others.  Because Christian radio programming was rare in our area, people would listen to the same cassette throughout the week and bring it back to church on Sunday where it was erased and updated with the most recent offering.

It used to be a family would have to go to a church building to hear a sermon, and during the week as they farmed or conducted business their minds would think back upon what they had heard.  I believe we are in an age when we must again refine the simple art of rumination.  Think of a cow in a paddock, chewing the cud with contentment.  Over and over the ox munches the same bite of grass, regurgitating and chewing again and again until most of the nutrients are absorbed.  We live in a day of binge-watching a whole season of shows over a weekend and look forward impatiently until the next installment.  For many, gone are the days of listening to the same sermon over and over, reading the same chapter or verse of the Bible again and again.  And some Christians have never known a day other than ours, a day of click-bait titles and an insatiable thirst to hear something new.  Some have never read through the entire Bible while others speed through several times a year.

So we move on from a sermon and on from a passage of scripture, seeking a new revelation from God when there is priceless wisdom from God we have glossed over in our haste.  Like a person orders from a menu at a restaurant, we can scroll through messages to a popular sermon by title.  Within minutes we can choose to close the message and look for something of interest.  For all our hearing there can be little growing, and our stunted growth causes us to doubt the usefulness and practicality of--imagine it--even a message from God because of the messenger or style of delivery.  Familiarity with a passage dupes us into thinking we know it already when the reality is a foreign concept to our lives.  Knowing and doing are two different things as the story of the wise and foolish builders Jesus told reveals.

David wrote of the blessed benefits of careful and patient consideration of God's law in Psalm 1:1-3:  "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; ² but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. ³ He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."  See the blessing of meditation on God's word?  God told Joshua in Joshua 1:8, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."  God commanded Joshua to speak God's word, meditate on it day and night, and do what it said.  If Joshua met God's conditions, his way would be prosperous and could be successful in all endeavors God called him to do.

Let us develop our skill of ruminating on a passage of God's word so our understanding and lives will be fruitful.  Read the scriptures again and again:  observing what the text says, interpreting scripture with scripture and putting God's divine wisdom into practice personally.  And it must be personal; it will require patience and perseverance, but no one can argue with the results because what God promised He will perform.  A cow ruminates because God created it to do so, and we have a choice what we will ruminate or meditate upon.  Humans have always had a terrible propensity to ruminate on what worries and troubles us rather than on God and the good word spoken to us.  As a farmer cleans the rust from the blades of the plough by directing it through hard earth, let us develop our skill of rumination by putting it into practice in heeding God's word as we break up the fallow ground of our hearts.

The Unclaimed Blessing

Christians desire blessing from God like people go crazy over free stuff.  Drawings and giveaways keep our attention at the possibility of winning a valuable prize.  I wonder if believers can be like people who hang around an event for the chance of receiving something good from God when He has already blessed us with His presence, grace and love.  The reality is we are more blessed than we realise and comprehend.

What does God's "blessing" or "blessings" we ask for look like?  A lot of times our translation can be a bit selfish:  make life easy, remove difficulties, help me or give me what I want.  Last night I read about a blessing God has provided for us we do not always appreciate.  In sharing the Gospel with curious Jews who gathered in Jerusalem, Peter said in Acts 3:25-26:  "You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' ²⁶ To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities."  God coming to earth is a great blessing, and He was sent to bless people in turning everyone from their sins.

We love to have options and alternatives.  Mankind was under bondage to sin, death and fear, and Jesus came to turn us from sin.  He is infinitely more than a different option like a switch to another channel on television:  it is now like we can turn off the religious television programming altogether and have a personal relationship with God through faith.  Jesus came to save us from our sin, to turn us from wickedness and to Him.  The Law could only condemn sinners and Jesus bore the sins of the world on Calvary out of love for us in obedience to the Father.  Christians often rejoice to be free of the penalty of sin (which is death) and even the power of sin:  God has blessed us to turn us away from sin so we can look to Him in faith.  Sometimes our past iniquity and present temptation to sin has more of our attention than Christ who has turned us from it.

Though Jesus has blessed us by turning from sin, the reality is we can turn back to it.  Because sinful desire forms within us, it can seem no matter where we turn we cannot escape from the whispers to indulge in what allures our flesh.  We do well to remember this reason Jesus came to earth at all:  to turn us away from our iniquities, to deliver us from the power of the devil and sin.  The shame and guilt associated with sin has been washed away by the blood of Jesus, and this is a blessing we must receive by faith in Him.  To a believer sin God has turned us from ought to be seen as most sinful, not a "bad habit" or "moment of weakness" we can justify.  In all our temptation God makes with them the way of escape who is Christ, and He enables us to steadfastly endure and do righteously.

It would be a great shame to have your name chosen for a free new car or house and you were unable to claim for yourself because you decided to leave 5 minutes before the drawing took place out of boredom.  How many believers pray for blessing who do not realise the blessing Jesus has already provided by His coming to earth to turn away every one of us from our iniquities!  The chains that bound us to what brings a curse, sorrow and death have been broken by Jesus Christ who came to set captives free.  Will we as believers lay those shackles of sin upon our hands and feet, lamenting our hopeless state in unbelief, while the lock is shattered to bits?  Because Jesus has come, paid the price from our sin and is risen, let us in faith rise with Him who has blessed us.  If we will not receive the blessing of turning away from our iniquities, why should we beg for another?

When the purposes for Jesus Christ's coming to us are fulfilled, we are empowered to live fulfilling lives.

Jesus Suffered For Us

In preparing for Sunday's message at Calvary Chapel Sydney, I was struck how consistently I try to avoid suffering if I can.  If I am experiencing pain or discomfort in my body I do what I can to find relief.  Suffering can seem like an unnecessary part of life as we seek happiness and comfort wherever we can.  We are pleased to avoid suffering, but unbelievably God chose to suffer and die so we could be free of suffering forever.

I remember an occasion when I was verbally blasted by an irate parent at a soccer game as the assistant coach.  As his volume grew to a crescendo and the profanity flowed, the parents around me slowly moved away.  I found myself standing face to face with a man who literally trembled with rage.  After the final insult was flung and his sons gathered, he left the soccer field.  Fellow parents slowly meandered back to the sideline.  One man put his hand on my shoulder and said with a smile, "Better you than me!"  After what had just occurred, I didn't know what to say except a sheepish "Thanks."

The scene is instructive, as the troubles man faces in hell for eternity for his sin is infinitely worse than being shouted at.  No one wanted to be the target of an angry verbal tirade, and certainly no one is pleased to suffer death and darkness in agony forever.  God looked upon man's sorry state on earth reigned by sin and said in contrast, "Better Me for you!"  God could not suffer as an immortal Spirit, so He cloaked Himself in human flesh and came to earth in the person of Jesus to suffer death and conquer it and Satan who wielded it for us.  It was man whom God gave dominion over the earth, and thus it was fitting for God to become flesh so He could deliver us from the power of death.

Hebrews 2:16-18 says, "For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.¹⁸ For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted."  Because Jesus became a man He suffered in our place and we can become children of God.  Another incredible result of God's incarnation was He is also able to help us overcome temptation.  Jesus was "in all ways tempted" and remained sinless (Hebrews 4:15).  We who entrust our eternal souls to Jesus Christ for salvation can have all confidence in His deliverance from temptation even in the midst of suffering.

Suffering was made to serve God's good purposes, and this is one redemptive aspect of the Christian walk.  Jesus knows what it is like to suffer and even suffer what we have not:  physical death!  Three days later He rose from the dead in glory, and the power that raised Him is the power which resides in us through the Holy Spirit when we are born again.  Through faith in Christ we have comfort in our suffering, even as a person awaiting surgery takes confidence in the words of another who experienced the same procedure successfully.  Our hope is not in the opinions of men but in the person of Jesus Christ who suffered for us and has overcome all.

God's Not Finished

Discovering a sense of purpose is encouraging for the despondent soul.  Knowing God has a purpose in the trials and difficulties He allows strengthens us to persevere.  I read a message from a pastor recently that suggested if you are on this planet, it means God is not finished with you yet.  I have heard this phrase many times, and for the first time I realised it was only partly true.

The implication of the statement "God is not finished with you yet!" is that at some point God will be finished with you.  It implies after God is finished with you, or the job is complete He assigned to you to do, He will bring you home to heaven like a race-horse is turned out to pasture after the racing days are over.  God will never be "finished" with His beloved children He has redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus!  The reality is life on earth is preparation for greater usefulness and service in the kingdom of heaven where we will do His perfect will free from the weakness of our human flesh.  Heaven is not retirement in solitude but a place of abundant life free from all sorrow, suffering, pain and tears among our great God and all who love Him.

For those who feel they do not have an important or fulfilling role in life, knowing God still desires to use us today can be encouraging.  At the same time, better to find encouragement today in looking to the LORD in faith, rejoicing in His gracious love and all He has done and promised rather than what I can do, for without Him I can do nothing.  God has created people to work and find satisfaction in a job well done, and thus it is a blessing God uses us for His glory.  God's faithfulness to us is amazing as He sanctifies us despite our failings and rejoices to draw near to us as His own.  We are happy to be rid of a wrecked car that is written off, yet God delights to restore our souls, renew our minds and redeem our lives for His glory.

Believer, God will never be finished with you because He loves and has chosen you.  Jesus Christ is the Head of the body the Church, and you have a privileged place in Him no angel can possess.  We are blessed to serve God today and worship Him forever, for He is gracious and good.  The work God has begun in us He is faithful to complete, and after we have completed our days on earth we have eternity to look forward to by His side.  How fulfilling, satisfying and comforting it is to know God works with us today and will never will be finished with us.

The Example of Jesus

I find the statements and responses of Jesus fascinating because He never did what I would.  Though I have read the biblical accounts numerous times, I constantly re-examine them and think about what could have been said and contrast it with what Jesus actually said.  There are great lessons to be learned even in what Jesus did not say.  Jesus alone has the words of life, and faith in Him marked by obedience enables us to embrace the abundant life He promises.

For instance, I was blown away by what Jesus said after He donned a towel and washed the disciple's feet during the Passover meal.  John 13:12-15 states, "So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³ You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. ¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you."  Jesus provided an example of the love and care His disciples were to show to one another by washing their feet.

Notice Jesus did not provide an example of how to wash one another's feet.  This was not a step-by-step tutorial in feet hygiene, and this is a very important distinction.  Jesus did not explain in detail what to do if someone is ticklish, how to discern when feet were truly in need of washing or exactly when to wash them.  I expect the way people washed feet was different even in one household.  Jesus allowed His followers to have freedom without being chained to rituals like the Pharisees under Jewish traditions.  By washing feet Jesus provided an example of what we are to do for one another:  to serve, minister and love one another as He gave us commandment.

Jesus did not provide people "how to" instructions concerning being a spouse, a pastor, neighbour, sibling, parent, friend or coworker.  The act of Jesus in the upper room transcended the washing of feet and can be extended to every activity and relationship, to guide our motivation behind what we do and why.  Sometimes we hold back from loving others because we are unsure how best to do it.  "It's the thought that counts," we might say, but we don't truly believe it because our pride stands in the way.  Too many times we have been distracted by extra or unnecessary steps other people took to "wash our feet" we did not appreciate or understand and thus do not receive the genuine love expressed.  In response we roll up our sleeves and think, "Now I'll show them how to really wash feet!" and miss the whole point of what Jesus said.

It's not the filthiness of the feet of others, the quality of our service or the extent of our humility that matters because Jesus has already given us an example we are to follow:  as He has done for us, so we ought to do for others.  He has provided us an example of sacrificial love, mercy, grace and forgiveness, and we are called to extend these freely to others.  We can be focused on a formula of "how to" when Jesus bids us trust Him and follow His example.  We "can do" what we should only because He lives and we live through Him.

God Cares For You

Once I was driving home from work on Interstate 8 in San Diego when traffic came to a sudden halt because cut logs had fallen out of the back of a truck and skidded across the road.  It happened right in front of me so I stomped hard on the brakes and narrowly missed one.  Once the cars behind me had also stopped, I put on my hazard lights and jumped out to join other motorists to move the stump blockade.  

My first instinct after I approached the massive cut off was to lift.  It was instantly clear how foolish and impossible the task before me was.  But because the wood was freshly cut and very wet, this immovable object slid neatly to the shoulder across the concrete surface.  Within minutes with the help of others all the logs were moved to the side, traffic was flowing freely again and I was thankful not to have a hernia from my poor attempt at lifting.  One takeaway from the incident for me is there are things I imagine I can lift that are far too heavy.  But dealing with an immovable obstacle a different way (with the help of others) proved fruitful.

Sometimes heavy weights are not obstacles in front of us but figurative ones that weigh upon us.  Our minds can be weighed down with problems we cannot solve and our souls can be cast down.  It is possible the burdens we bear were never for us to carry, but a test allowed by God to show us (when we are consequently overwhelmed) how much we rely upon our own strength.  A person with genuine faith in God can still be prone to try to lift what they cannot and attempt to carry what will crush us.  Our relationship with God is of primary importance, but we are not in this alone:  God has joined us together with other Christians in the Body of Christ and are called to bear one another's burdens as we carry our own load.

In light of the fact God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble 1 Peter 5:6-7 says, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."  When we come to the realisation we are unable and humble ourselves before God in faith, we are also to keep casting all our care upon Him.  In verse 7 the words for care are different:  our care is translated from a word that carries the idea of distraction, whereas the word for God's care is one of concern and interest.  Our cares distract us from seeking or relying upon God, and He is faithful to care for us without distraction.

When we are troubled, worried and afraid, how good it is to view the "cause" of our anxiety to be, on a spiritual level, a mere distraction from Jesus Christ who sits on the throne holding the scepter as KING OF KINGS.  Our Good Shepherd knows the needs of every sheep in His flock, and He is able to lift us from the pit where we are stuck and protect us from howling wild dogs.  If we are robbed of our peace and joy by circumstances of this life, often the reason is we are trying to carry what we cannot; we are trying in vain to lift what is too much for us to budge.  It is wise for us to shift what could distract us from God to be what prompts us to draw nearer to God because He cares for us.

The Need for Preparation

Whether gardening, baking a cake, launching a satellite into orbit or doing surgery, an amount of preparation is required.  Before Jesus came to earth God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Him.  Jesus also sent disciples before Him into towns to prepare for Him, and the upper room was prepared by the disciples before Jesus observed the Passover with His disciples.  Preparation is a necessary part of our physical and spiritual lives.

A great example of this is seen in Gideon being called to deliver God's people from the oppressive rule of the Midianites.  Most familiar with the biblical account know Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress when an angel revealed God's call upon his life.  What is not often mentioned is prior to Gideon's personal call a prophet spoke to Israel in Judges 6:7-10:  "And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD because of the Midianites,⁸ that the LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage;⁹ and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land.¹⁰ Also I said to you, "I am the LORD your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell." But you have not obeyed My voice.'"  The message from God spoken by the unnamed prophet was given before the Angel of the LORD came to Gideon and should not be ignored.

After Gideon was urged to go in his might and deliver Israel, he presented an offering received by God.  That night God told Gideon to destroy his father's altar to Baal, cut down the grove and sacrifice a bull owned by his father as an offering to the LORD.  Gideon did so, much to the dismay of the local idolators who demanded his execution.  Judges 6:33-35 says, "Then all the Midianites and Amalekites, the people of the East, gathered together; and they crossed over and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. ³⁴ But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; then he blew the trumpet, and the Abiezrites gathered behind him.³⁵ And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, who also gathered behind him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali; and they came up to meet them."  This all occurred before Gideon laid out a fleece in faith to ensure he was not being presumptuous to lead God's people to victory over Midian.

The progression is insightful:  God spoke generally to the nation, God called Gideon, in faith Gideon obeyed God, then Gideon was filled with the Holy Spirit.  This word of God prepared Gideon to receive a call, faith in God quickened Him to obey, and then the Holy Spirit came upon Him in power for service.  We can reverse this order and start "laying fleeces" before God to discern His will before we have listened to His word or obeyed Him!  The Holy Spirit can come upon people in an instant because God is sovereign and does gloriously as He pleases.  Yet even as repentance precedes forgiveness and being born again precedes being baptised with water or receiving communion worthily, so submission to God in faith and obedience precedes the baptism with the Holy Spirit.  Being filled to overflowing with the presence of God is a free gift according to God's promise, and the life of Gideon shows how preparation is at times required.

There is no formula to receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit as the book of Acts clearly demonstrates, but one thing is certain:  God prepared every soul to receive the Holy Spirit and operate in the gifts of the Spirit according to His will, and the promise of the Father is for us and as many as our LORD will call (Acts 2:38-39).  The life of Gideon shows us even in the midst of oppression God is moving and speaking; when we are filled with questions God is pleased to call and direct people in His service.  When nothing good seems to be happening, be sure God is preparing.  Those who prepare their hearts to seek the LORD and obey Him are the ones He will fill with the Holy Spirit.

We might think victory is simply given at our asking, but these scriptures reveal we are led into it by the Holy Spirit.  In one sense failure prepares us to enter into victory.  This is affirmed in 2 Corinthians 2:14:  "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place."  The victory over the Midianites was most unorthodox and showed it was God who graciously gave His people the victory of their enemies, and this is true with us as well.  Do not lose heart in the midst of oppression, believer, for the LORD hears our cries and will always lead us in triumph in Christ--whether it is like Stephen who was stoned to death or David who stood on the neck of the deceased giant.  Praise the LORD for preparing us and accomplishing His will through us!

The Plain Meaning

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to know what we believe and why.  It is also important that we walk according to what we know through God's word.  Because we are finite and flawed it is reasonable that the scripture will expose areas of sin, unbelief and misunderstandings we have.  An ongoing challenge of the Christian experience is to humble ourselves and submit to God as He reveals Himself to us and opens our understanding.  As we mature in faith and our understanding grows, we learn to view and interpret scriptures in the light of other scriptures.  Verses which were problematic and confusing are more illuminated by the power of the Holy Spirit and harmonise with others.

It will never do for a child of God to ascribe blindly to a statement of faith or belief system of a sect without carefully considering the theology in light of scripture.  We should not defer to a party line when we have not examined the biblical evidence ourselves.  And when there are scriptures read in context that seem to contradict our views, it is wise to consider other scriptures and a wide array of perspectives with interpretations old and new before we jump to conclusions--or worse yet, in our ignorance assume we understand it perfectly ourselves and there can be no other possible interpretation.

In a study of Hebrews I recently began I came across something I had not noticed before.  Apparently the warnings in Hebrews are a bit of a "thing" among those who hold strongly to reformed theology.  Many books have been penned to explain how these warnings fit with their established beliefs.  One wrote, "How do we reconcile our theology with what appears to many to be the plain meaning of these passages, that believers can lose their faith?"  It is a dangerous position to adopt, that we must seek to avoid the plain meaning of a passage to justify our beliefs.  Of course the scope of this issue goes far beyond the warnings in Hebrews and the Pandora's box of implications that may undermine core beliefs of some.  If the Bible contradicts our beliefs, isn't it sensible our beliefs need to be revised accordingly?

The core beliefs of the revelation of the triune God, the infallibility of His word, the deity of Jesus Christ, and the way of salvation through the Gospel are all foundational truths of followers of Jesus Christ.  On what are sometimes called secondary issues there is room for different beliefs and practices in the Body of Christ, and they ought not to be cause for contention or division.  There is no room, however, for us to explain away the plain meaning of scriptures to maintain our beliefs.  At times I have found the plain meaning of scripture reveals I have been plain wrong.  It is one thing to be concerned about erroneous beliefs of others, but more important for us to ensure our theology is sound and we walk uprightly according to it.

God Makes Better

"A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones."

Proverbs 17:22

Have you ever laughed so hard you cried?  That's what happened to me last night as our family played a board game together.  Something struck me funny and the more I thought about it, the funnier it was.  Later I was reminded of this verse and the tendency is to quote the first part without realising there is a second, contrasting part.  This verse explains the way we feel on the inside has an impact on physical health and vitality.  The way we feel impacts our perspective and response.

As a fit of laughter which soon passes shows, humour and merriment are limited in their effects.  Medicine ingested has a temporary effect and must be taken again when needed.  There are maladies, however, no amount of medicine can cure.  Laughter may temporarily lighten the mood, but it is no cure for folly as Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 7:6, "For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity."  Solomon knew laughter in itself was vanity and could not cure a broken spirit, for one of the most humorous people I ever knew ended his life by jumping off a bridge.  The joy of the LORD is distinct from merriment because it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit Who fills believers in Christ by grace.

King Solomon observed a broken spirit dries the bones.  This speaks of one who is afflicted, depressed and beat down.  Feeling down on the inside has the ability to sap gladness, thanksgiving and enjoyment of all the gifts and blessings God has provided all people.  Even feelings of brokenness can have curative properties for our character which endure.  Solomon also wrote of these benefits in Ecclesiastes 7:2-3:  "Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart. ³ Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better."  Merriment can leave us empty in the end without self-examination, and sorrow moves us to seek a cure for what ails us.  Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted, and thus in Him we find genuine hope that endures.  When we are sick we want to "get better" (as in a return to the good health we enjoyed previously) and the LORD can utilise continued sickness or sorrow to make us better people than before--more like Christ.

God has given humans the capacity for merriment and sorrow, the opportunity to consider how we feel and to decide to adopt God's perspective in every season of life.  A broken spirit needs more than medicine but supernatural healing from within by the power of Jesus Christ.  When we realise we are without strength, looking to the LORD in faith lifts ours spirits.  Whether your heart is merry or your spirit cast down, take to heart the words of Habakkuk 3:17-19:  "Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labour of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls--¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.¹⁹ The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills."  Though Habakkuk suffered and there were no obvious signs of his situation improving, he was able to better look to God in faith as his depth of character grew.  In the end this was of far greater benefit than hysterical laughter.

Jesus Heals the Brokenhearted

It is amazing how good or bad memories can be triggered by our experiences.  After our boys were grown I held an infant and was surprised how it suddenly took me back in time to when I used to carry them.  Feeling that little life snuggled in my arms, it was like the whole world stopped and I rushed back to a happy place with fond memories.  The smell of bacon being cooked in McDonald's produces a fleeting feeling of anxiety because of the stress I endured day after day at my first job.  Double-cheeseburgers were on the menu that month and during that initial season I cooked up plenty of bacon.  My experiences haven't ruined bacon or double-cheeseburgers for me, and for that I am grateful. :)

The reality is, everyone who is living will have positive and negative experiences.  We will experience grief, loss, sorrow and regret; we will also rejoice in happy news, unexpected blessings, fun and friends.  I have discovered the happiness of the good cannot negate the bad:  having a perspective focused on the goodness of God and His love and grace towards all enables us to patiently endure.  More than words can express I am grateful for the God who heals hearts, redeems lives and saves souls of those who trust in Him.  It is not the hope of a better life or the trappings of success which lift us from depression and fear but the living hope available in Jesus Christ we receive by grace.

In many respects I have led a sheltered life.  I grew up in a family where God's love was present and His grace experienced.  Where a lot of my childhood memories are good, I am aware the memories others have might be predominately painful.  When we have a pain in our leg or foot we limp as we attempt to avoid placing pressure on what hurts, and it is natural to avoid speaking about what has hurt us in the past.  Some hurts never heal on their own.  I heard a story yesterday of a boy who was dearly loved by his dying grandmother.  She promised to give him a special ring as his inheritance to remember her.  After she passed he asked his parents to give him the ring as she intended.  His parents were unmoved:  she was buried with the ring on her finger.  She had died, but her mourning grandson had to live with his parent's decision that deeply wounded him.

Friends, these sorts of wounds do not simply heal over time.  When our hearts have been broken like the shell of an egg it will never be the same--though we use much glue.  Sometimes the damage done in this life can be permanent; physical loss can be catastrophic and total.  Yet there is hope for all people, because there is hope of an abundant life now and a life beyond this world through faith in Jesus Christ.  Isaiah 61:1-3 records words Jesus applied to Himself:   "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; ² to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, ³ to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

To those bound in sin and guilt, to the brokenhearted and sorrowing Jesus came to comfort and console.  Those who trust in Christ find freedom from crippling anxiety, anger and grief over our childhood, and strength to overcome depression.  Having been born again by faith in Jesus, we receive beauty in exchange for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.  Our whole outlook can change for the better because we have been transformed by the power of God through the Gospel.  Because we have a Saviour and glorious present and future we can recall the past without continuing to be crushed by it.  With eyes of faith we can even begin to see God's hand present in our past to protect, provide and preserve us until now.  Praise God He is a redeemer, healer and Restorer of broken hearts.  In this broken world, in Jesus alone we have a living hope.

Blessing God Today

God has blessed and blesses people in countless ways, and those who are in Christ have had our eyes opened to see and appreciate many of them.  Our lives and all we enjoy are gifts from God, and even trials and pain He allows serve His redemptive purposes for our good.  As I read the Bible last week, it occurred to me how prevalent it is to appeal to peace, joy, contentment and rest as reasons to seek and trust God while these are actually some results from faith in Him.  Could it be people are introduced to Jesus Christ as a source of blessing before they even comprehend they are sinners who need a Saviour?

Imagine an orphaned little boy living in a group home without a father or mother.  Without parents, this child intensely feels a lack in their life and dreams of one day filling it with a dad and mum.  This child may desire a parent like a girl wishes for a cute puppy.  She wants the companionship of a pet and the fun of playing together.  Never having had a dog she doesn't realise a pet requires a lot of expense, hard work and personal sacrifice:  the dog will need to be groomed, fed, cleaned up after and trained.  The orphaned little fellow imagines being tucked into bed by parents will make him feel secure, safe and loved.  Having parents is much more than feeling comfortable at night:  it is being adopted into a new family, growing into a new identity, learning obedience and what it means to honour father and mother.  Being tucked into bed with prayer and a kiss is a tiny part of what being a child of parents mean, and by no means the most important.

I believe God's desire is to be known and loved by people for who He is as revealed in the Bible, and He is a Saviour and LORD of all.  Isaiah 45:22 reads, "Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other."  There is no greater blessing than being born again by faith in Jesus and being adopted into His family.  We may come to Him as little children who only want to be tucked in at night and be loved, yet over time we begin to appreciate so much more about Him.  We come to realise we could never be worthy to be so loved and we actually deserved eternal punishment for our sins.  All along, regardless of the depth of our understanding, God continues to love and nurture us.  He feeds us faithfully and guides us into all truth.  He spends quality time with us and seeks us out.  When there is a task to accomplish God helps us and works through us to accomplish His will.  What peace, rest and joy is ours as we experience His presence all by God's grace.

The little boy who simply dreamed of being tucked in at night into his own bed never considered his dad and mum would then leave his room to go to their own room.  But God doesn't do that:  the Holy Spirit dwells within us continually as we abide in Christ.  We never need be apart from the LORD who will never leave or forsake us.  The result of faith in Jesus Christ in my life is greater than the reasons I sought Him, and only later I learned He sought me first.  Any longing for Him was preceded by His dying for me so we could live together forever.  Having been so blessed by God, His people ought to bless Him today.

Jesus our Refuge

Jesus died for the sins of the world, there is an important condition every individual must meet to receive the benefit of His atoning work.  We understand well the necessity of our own actions to obtain a college scholarship, apply for a home loan or collect unemployment payments.  Just because a benefit is offered freely we are still responsible to act.  God does not require us to fill out forms or make a deposit.  God has put it in writing He will save all who place their faith in Jesus Christ, and gives us the down payment of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.  With the heart we believe, and with our mouths we confess our sinfulness and Jesus Christ as LORD and Saviour.

After the children of Israel settled in Canaan, God established several "cities of refuge" where a manslayer could flee and seek refuge from the avenger of blood.  Before he was granted entrance to the city, the man guilty of manslaughter needed to publicly confess how he had killed someone without any malice or hatred, how the death was accidental.  Once his case was heard by the elders and judged by the people as innocent of murder, he would be given a safe place to reside.  Those who were unwilling to trek to the city of refuge or openly confess the circumstances of the death they were responsible for, the protection of the city of refuge was of no effect.  Proverbs 28:13 reads, "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy."  The arrangement of the city of refuge well illustrates this principle.  There was protection under the law available to those who freely admitted they had accidentally killed another person and placed themselves under the scrutiny and judgment of others for their deliverance from the avenger of blood.

If we will receive the forgiveness and salvation made available to the world by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we must freely admit our sin and ask to be forgiven.  God is loving to provide a way of deliverance for us through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, and we must meet His conditions to enter into it ourselves.  These conditions are not according to the Law of Moses etched into stone, but a new way through the Gospel and the shed blood of Jesus.  The resurrection of Jesus reveals His power over sin and the consequences of death and eternal separation from God.  The one who ran to the city of refuge to save his life had much still to lose, and the one who runs to Jesus Christ in faith has all gain:  forgiveness, acceptance into the family of God, an eternal home in heaven and an abundant life today.

We can only see our need for mercy after the realisation we are guilty, condemned and no way to justify ourselves.  The only way we can receive mercy is by going to the God who is ever merciful and gives to those who ask.  Faith takes God at His word and comes to Him boldly to find help and grace in time of need.  Jesus came to seek and save all sinners, not just to prolong the lives of manslayers.  The mercy shown to manslayers and the cities of refuge shows God seeks to save lives, not destroy them.  Praise the LORD for His goodness and the Gospel, for Jesus is our refuge.

Enter In and Receive

God has provided the scriptures so we might learn of Him, to walk in His ways and grow.  The Bible is much more than an accurate account of history but provides examples for us to observe wisely and heed ourselves.  Paul explained how the past experiences of others are useful for us to take to heart today in Romans 15:4:  "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope."  God recorded the failings of His people so we might begin to comprehend His faithfulness and place our hope in God whose love is revealed by longsuffering patience.  The Bible details how God was true to His word and fulfilled promises He made to undeserving people by His grace.  People were fickle and forgetful, yet God remained good and faithful.

I was recently struck by what happened after God established the children of Israel in Canaan.  After the kings of nations were overthrown in Canaan, Joshua 18:1-3 reads, "Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them. ² But there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance. ³ Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: "How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?"  God had delivered the children of Israel from Egypt and sustained them in the wilderness for 40 years.  He brought them into the promised land and miraculously subdued their enemies before them.  One might assume each tribe and family would be keen to take possession of the inheritance God promised to give them, yet 7 of the 12 tribes were content to camp at Shiloh around the tabernacle as they had during their lengthy pilgrimage.

The crazy thing is they had not even seen nor mapped out the area God would give them by lot.  Joshua continued in Joshua 18:4:  "Pick out from among you three men for each tribe, and I will send them; they shall rise and go through the land, survey it according to their inheritance, and come back to me."  The tribes did as Joshua commanded in Joshua 18:9:  "So the men went, passed through the land, and wrote the survey in a book in seven parts by cities; and they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh."  People love free stuff, and this especially applies to free real estate.  Taking possession of the land would involve time-consuming effort and ongoing maintenance.  I expect the reluctance of the people to take possession of the land had much to do with their preference for comfort, familiarity, the close proximity to the tabernacle and the presence of God, and uncertainty and unknowns of what the future held.  A new level of personal responsibility would be required when they moved away from the national campsite and to their own plot on their own.  And there were still enemies and wild beasts in the land, potential threats to safety and family.  Perhaps it was just easier and simpler to keep things as they were:  at least they were no longer enslaved or trudging through wilderness.

Joshua, however, would not stand idly by and watch the children of God continue to congregate around the tabernacle in Shiloh when they had an inheritance from God to take possession of--an inheritance they had never even seen!  The children of Israel in this passage provide an example that applies well to the Christian life.  The Hebrews were content to be free of bondage in Egypt and to have the land conveniently subdued before them.  Many believers are well pleased to be born again, forgiven of sin, to receive the promise of eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ--and are content to stop right there.  God had an inheritance for the Hebrews to enter into, plots of God's land provided by lot they were to work and cultivate, provide for their families and the service of the tabernacle.  Their daily lives and routines were to radically change because of new boundaries and horizons.  For Christians, God also has a place for us in the body of Christ were we are called to serve Him and one another in love.  God has given us the Holy Spirit who fills, comforts, teaches, and empowers us to do God's will.  I believe there are many things God has promised His born again children we also have yet to possess.  Like the Hebrews who had not even walked through or mapped the land God promised to give them, I suggest a great number of Christians have never perused or carefully examined the scriptures concerning the promises God has already given them to enter into today.

God has divine wisdom and spiritual gifts for believers in Christ to operate in now for the glory of His name and to edify the Body of Jesus Christ, the church.  Do you know what these gifts are?  In the epistle to the Galatians Paul contrasted the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit.  You might be savvy to know varieties of fruit, plants and even their Latin names:  but would you recognise the fruit of the Spirit when you see it?  Are works of the flesh being culled and the fruit of the Spirit cultivated in your life today?  In His teaching Jesus gave His followers many commandments to follow and the New Testament is packed with "one another" commands which guide believers in how to love our brothers and sisters in Christ:  are you aware of these?  Have you mapped them out through experience?  Unlike the children of Israel who huddled by the tabernacle where the presence of God dwelt, under the new covenant in Christ's blood the Holy Spirit fills and accompanies us wherever He sends us as the temple of the Holy Spirit.  Some of the believers in the early church did not understand the implications of this, and it is entirely possible we do not either.

Brothers and sisters, let us not neglect to enter into the inheritance God has supplied us today by His grace.  It is true God has promised to provide us a home in the heavens with Him where righteousness dwells, yet today is the day to enter into the Gate of Righteousness by faith and obedience.  For all followers of Jesus Christ He has an abundant life to experience today.  There are enemies, obstacles, opposition, and hard work required, yet nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  Let not comfort or convenience hinder us from pressing on into the inheritance God has given us in Him, taking steps of faith in obedience to His word.  Let us refuse to shirk our responsibility to enter in, though we must climb a mountain, cut down a forest or displace fortified giants.  Caleb did so because the LORD helped Him, and God will help us--even we of little faith whose doubts are great.

Upheld and Carried by God

It is a great tragedy children and even older folks can be viewed as "burdens to society," a concept never put forth in the word of God who values and loves all people created in His image.  Those who appear strong and supportive in their prime of life can be gone in an instant, and this reminds us that health and strength of people with the most robust constitutions are limited and temporary.  Believers are called to carry one another's burdens, but we are also called to carry our own load.  It is when we are unable to carry our own load, small though it may be in comparison to others, that we realise we need God to carry us.

Do you know God promised to do this for His people?  Even whilst they were in the throes of idolatry, labouring needlessly to find favour with foreign gods when they were established and blessed by the living God, He reached out to them through the prophet Isaiah.  Isaiah 46:1-4 reads, "Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle. Your carriages were heavily loaded, a burden to the weary beast. ² They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but have themselves gone into captivity. ³ "Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been upheld by Me from birth, who have been carried from the womb: ⁴ even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you."

God used a remarkable illustration to promise He would hold, carry and deliver them all their days.  The prophet described strong beasts of burden struggling under the weight of heavy carriages loaded down with idols that could not hear, see or do anything.  Where they were placed there they would remain and collect dust.  They would lose their shine as the precious metals corroded and the wood began to rot.  The weight of the idols was so great these bulls collapsed under the weight from exhaustion, and all their precious idols were taken.  God pictured himself in contrast to these weary beasts and dumb idols:  they perished in the worship of their idols, but God would carry and save them.

Consider the contrast between carrying a heavy idol of stone or wood and being carried by God to His intended destination!  A man took great pains to prepare a plot of ground or temple to adequately house the idol, ensure it was not exposed to the elements and did not tip over--and was not always successful.  God, on the other hand, lifted the burden off His people as He listened to them and acted for their good.  He was the One carrying them to safety, kept them upright and delivered them from destruction.  People guarded their idols which could be stolen, but no one could snatch God's people out of His hand.  We are called to be casting our burdens upon the LORD because He is able to bear them without being burdened by them, so great is His power to save and love for us.

Isn't it wonderful to know God stoops to carry us from the womb to our old age?  As recipients of such love and grace, let us joyfully walk in it no matter our season of life.  While we are upheld in His hands by faith we can fulfill our purpose to bear one another's burdens, for He is faithful.

Treasuring God

On the first day of the week, two disciples walked along the road heading away from Jerusalem to Emmaus.  They discussed and could make no sense of what had happened:  during the Passover feast, Jesus had been arrested, crucified and buried in a tomb.  Luke 24:15-17 reads, "So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. ¹⁶ But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. ¹⁷ And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"  It is fitting their discussion and reasoning resulted in sadness because they did not realise or believe Jesus was risen, alive and walking with them.

There are things in life that do not make sense to us, no matter how much we obsess or think it over.  The disciples talked, reasoned and perhaps vented but it did not change the reality the one they believed would redeem Israel was dead, nor could they understand why it happened.  Jesus knew beforehand what His crucifixion and resurrection would accomplish, and He graciously drew near to open the scriptures so these sorrowing disciples would have a change of heart and mind.  This was not an isolated incident, for God still speaks through His word and the power of the Holy Spirit.  We should not "hope" for an experience with God as if we could be disappointed, but we ought to expect to hear from God every time we read the Bible because God has spoken and the Holy Spirit lives within us.

As a kid I enjoyed reading Calvin and Hobbes, a comic strip by Bill Watterson.  One strip illustrates well six-year old Calvin's perpetual joy for life.  Calvin, wearing a pith helmet, was digging for buried treasure.  In Calvin's words he found “a few dirty rocks, a weird root, and some disgusting grubs.”  His stuffed tiger Hobbes asked, “On your first try?”  Calvin enthusiastically replied, “There’s treasure everywhere!”  While rocks and grubs can be interesting for a little boy, nothing compares to the treasure of God and His word.  When we open the Bible we hold in our hands God's divinely inspired words of life that sets hearts on fire with awe and joy.  God has comfort for broken hearts, revelations for the believing seeker and hope for the future regardless of circumstances.

When we open God's word in a humble posture in faith, by God's grace we can receive truth and wisdom beyond the reasoning of men that is profound and intellectually satisfying.  We find, not so much an answer to life's questions, but a God who loves us and is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  God is the treasure we ought to value over all.  Unlike treasures on earth which are hoarded and kept for ourselves, God is the treasure we joyfully share with all.

Fruit Unto God

I remember a singular experience years ago at the start of youth group on a Sunday night.  One of the youth workers was visibly frustrated as he told us of his decision to stop serving as a leader after several months.  "Guys, I'm just not seeing any fruit," he said.  "I'm going to Horizon" (a different church in southern California).  After he voiced his displeasure at our lack of maturity and growth, the meeting had just begun when he walked out the door and I never saw him again.

I was thinking today of how common it is to look for results from our efforts and how we can be disillusioned when we do not see them.  Like that youth worker we have made sacrifices, laboured faithfully and been patient and yet we cannot see any positive impact.  I am convinced fundamentally the youth worker's issue was not with us kids, ratbags though we were:  his frustration was actually with God.  Genuine believers must recognise the temptation we face when we see immediate, tangible results from our efforts or none whatsoever.  Believing we are the ones making a difference provokes pride in us, and the absence of arbitrary "fruit" from our efforts leads to disillusionment and despair.  It is possible at the root of the youth worker's outburst was unbelief in God and the power to accomplish His good purposes in providing His word.

Could it be God prevented the youth worker's eyes from seeing the profound impact God was making on the lives of young people so he himself would be changed and grow in maturity?  He was a man who had spent much time in a gym and was used to seeing gains in his physique:  perhaps he imagined working with youth should be no different.  People embrace workout routines to achieve goals, yet no amount of effort can change a heart or save a soul.  Jesus compared the word of God to seed that is sown in the soil, and depending on the variety of seeds we observe in nature the germination process is different.  Some seeds spring up quickly in prepared soil and others can be dormant for years because they require the heat of fire to germinate.  Who but God knows what it will take for His good seed to grow and be produce fruit?  There is always a gap of time between sowing and reaping, and let us not lose heart in the meantime.

Jesus said in John 15:1-2, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."  On occasion I have trimmed fruitful citrus trees, and I have found this guarantees the tree will not fruit for at least a year.  Having trimmed the tree myself I expect there to be a season of fruitlessness in a good tree as it redirects nutrients to build stronger limbs to support a greater capacity for fruit.  Jesus says as a Vinedresser the Father takes away branches that do not bear fruit, and the fruitful branches He prunes.  He cuts off a bit of fruitful branches so they will be more fruitful still.  It is Jesus who supplies our spiritual life, vitality and fruitfulness, and God expertly manages the fruitfulness of His people.  This is why "looking for fruit" in the lives of others can be a snare:  it has more to do with what we want to see or feel our efforts deserve rather than what God intends to accomplish according to His divine purposes.

The situation with the disgruntled youth worker who left our church group in a huff provokes the question:  are we looking for fruit in other branches or to the LORD who makes us fruitful?  May the fruit of our lips be seasoned with salt, grace and wisdom as our hearts are yielded in faith to the power of God and His word.  Any fruit we see is not for our encouragement or satisfaction but for God (Romans 7:4).  Galatians 6:9-10 has an exhortation and promise to God's faithful labourers:  "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."

Eyewitnesses of His Glory

Recently it occurred to me:  unless Jesus was physically seen by eyewitnesses alive after His death and burial, claims to His resurrection would be along the lines of tabloids or sites that claim Elvis is alive.  John wrote concerning Jesus that He is the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us.  John continued in the introduction in 1 John 1:1-3:  "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life-- ² the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us-- ³ that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ."  It is reasonable to give credence to the natural senses God has given us, otherwise the term "eyewitness" becomes meaningless.

Paul wrote that over 500 people saw Jesus alive at one time after His resurrection before ascending into the heavens as one evidence of the resurrection.  The resurrection of Jesus fulfilled prophecy and people watched it unfold in real time, and the observable reality confirmed what God had said.  We live in a day, however, where our God-given powers of observation are challenged and undermined.  It used to be said, "I'll believe it when I see it."  Now we have reached a point where people will not believe even when they see it because they are afraid to fall for falsehoods.  People cite the editing of videos or pictures as reasons not to believe what they see (and fair enough), yet at the same time refer to videos or pictures to as evidence of credible research.  The irony!  When it comes to the resurrection of Jesus the words of Abraham spoke to the rich man about his unbelieving brothers in Luke 16:31 rings true:  "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead."

I was reading Thru the Bible and McGee commented on how widespread the knowledge of Christ's crucifixion was in Jerusalem.  When Jesus incognito approached the travellers to Emmaus and asked them what had happened that made them sad, Cleopas was shocked this stranger had not heard about Christ's crucifixion.  McGee said, "It would be difficult for someone to live in this day and age and not know that someone has been to the moon and back to earth." (McGee, J. Vernon. Thru the Bible, Volume 4. Thomas Nelson, Inc, 1981. page 358) McGee was writing as an eyewitness along with the rest of his generation who had seen the situation unfold in 1969:  television and radio reported on the "space race," interviews were conducted with astronauts, Apollo 11 was seen launching by millions, people were keen to hear and see the successful landing on the moon, and the returning astronauts were picked up by the US Navy after their splashdown as heroes.  Because McGee was an eyewitness of what occurred, he found it difficult to imagine someone in his "day and age" would not know about the moon landing.  Friends, we are in a day and age where people know what they have been told but do not believe despite evidence they can see for themselves.

Only the power of God can break through the unbelief in the heart of men that refuses reason.  We kid ourselves to imagine all the facts, articles, pictures or even eye-witness accounts will have any impact on a heart blinded by unbelief.  Christians are not to be gullible and believe everything we hear or see.  At the same time we should not throw aside the powers of observation and reasoning God has provided so we can confirm the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as true.  What the Bible says and historical, eye witness accounts work together to confirm the truth of what we know and have personally experienced: through faith in our risen Saviour Jesus Christ we have eternal life and fellowship with God and one another.  Our walk with Jesus Christ is by faith and not by sight.  At the same time God has graciously opened our eyes and we ought to wisely use them as eyewitnesses of His glory.

Increasing in Favour with God

"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men."

Luke 2:52

The Bible never ceases to amaze.  It can illuminate the darkest heart and reveals hidden motives.  God's word can confront and shock as it exposes our ignorance, misconceptions and our need to personally change in ways impossible to accomplish without the Holy Spirit.  God and His unerring truth thunders forth with a still, small voice.  With one sentence He can send our heads spinning, and that is what He did to me with this familiar verse that literally kept me up at night.

Though Jesus existed before He put on human flesh, His body grew and developed like ours.  As a child our thoughts were simple and concrete before we grew to understand abstract reasoning.  It makes sense Jesus increased in wisdom as He physically grew, a healthy body and mind worked together.  What floored me was how Jesus could possibly increase "in favour with God."  To increase in favour or grace ("charis" in Greek) with men is no surprise, but to increase in favour with God?  How is this possible when God's grace is infinite and already extended in full to His only begotten Son?  Therein lies part of the problem, for it is impossible for us finite beings to comprehend the infinite--though we imagine we understand God's grace because we can concisely define it.  To the contrary:  God's grace is amazing not because we fully comprehend it but because we have received it according to our limited knowledge of God and His word.

Growing in grace is connected with our knowledge of God and grateful submission to Him in faith.  Faith is not a belief system but a life lived according to God's will that requires trust and obedience in Him.  Jesus increased in favour with God as He intentionally took steps to follow Him.  As an infant incapable of making decisions or choices there was not yet opportunity provided to walk in faith.  A child learning to walk provides a good illustration of the walk of faith in following Christ.  It takes time to learn to walk and skillfully balance on two legs, to gain the coordination and strength day by day to stand, walk and run without falling.  A paralysed man can read about walking, understand the physics and the anatomical requirements, yet this knowledge does not empower Him to overcome the disconnect between the brain, nerves and muscles to do it himself.  After a person is born again through faith in God we are able to receive and tap into God's limitless supply of grace He freely gives to all.  It is faith in Jesus that makes us upright and is accounted for righteousness.

See the connection that is made by Peter when he bid believers to consider what kind of people they ought to be and to avoid the errors of people who distort scripture to their own ends.  2 Peter 3:17-18 says, "You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; ¹⁸ but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen."  Though God's grace is beyond reckoning, it is something we can grow in according to our knowledge of God and recognision of our total need for Him.  As the body of Jesus grew physically, He grew in grace with God and men.  This was not because He was more deserving because this undermines what grace is:  loving favour freely given and received out of God's goodness which cannot be earned.  If anyone could have earned God's favour, it was Jesus.  He grew in favour with God as He joyfully obeyed His Father in heaven, not thinking His deeds or sacrifices made Him worthy of grace.  Jesus grew in God's favour because He received it by faith and walked according to it.

It is ironic how easily we can be tempted into a performance or works-based arrangement with God when all we are and have received is of God's grace.  John 1:16-17 wrote concerning our Saviour, "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."  God gives grace again and again and our lives are a testimony of His faithfulness that transcends our circumstances.  Paul was unlawfully imprisoned and it actually turned out for the furtherance of the Gospel.  God allowed a messenger of Satan to buffet Paul and this evil spirit became an unwitting importer of God's grace to him.  God refused to deliver Paul from the troubles he prayed to escape from, and God brought him to a glorious conclusion in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  Paul wanted God to drive away his tormentor, yet God was gracious to use this infirmity to draw Paul to Himself with love.

God's grace is sufficient, of His fulness we have received, and grace for grace.  May we grow in grace and knowledge of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ.  God's grace is without limit, and since human beings are finite it is clear God has grace we have yet to personally experience.  Brothers and sisters, do you see your need to grow in grace?  Let us receive grace, walk in grace and extend it freely to others.  We cannot earn this privilege:  it is a responsibility and calling for all children of God He enables us to walk and rejoice in.

God's Word Is True

"Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: "Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon." ¹³ So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day."

Joshua 10:12-13

Joshua recorded a miraculous and unique incident as God fought for Israel at his request.  Verse 13 says this event was also recorded in a source outside of scripture that exists to this day, the Book of Jasher.  As those who value the word of God, it is important to realise this mention in scripture does not validate a book which has been omitted from biblical canon.  Some have made the mistake for looking for truth outside the Bible in ancient texts that have been permanently disqualified due to errors.  Since the Bible provides a historical record of factual events it is fitting historians such as Josephus and others would confirm and these at best support the authenticity of the Bible--not the other way round.

The Book of Jasher, Josephus and others cannot legitimately add anything to the Bible.  We cannot give any text, historian or pastor the authority of God who divinely inspired the scriptures.  It is also important we do not define apostolic authority as being without error, for not all the writings of Peter, John and Paul have been preserved as the inerrant word of God.  Being an apostle does not make a man infallible, for men are mere men.  There is no man but Jesus Christ who is without fault or error.  Being an ordained minister or pastor is not a call or claim to infallibility but a responsibility shared by all followers of Jesus to humbly serve our infallible, immutable Saviour Jesus Christ.  God on this occasion in Joshua hearkened to the voice of a man, and we should never once listen to the voice of man as God.

There are many who claim to have divine inspiration and revelation, and those who genuinely do at best are only messengers who must remain faithful to what God has already said.  God does not change and His word will not pass away:  there is nothing to be added nor should anything be taken away from it.  The biblical qualification for prophets (forecasters, prognosticators, or whatever title a person claims for themselves to shrug off censure for making false predictions) is that should they be found to speak presumptuously in the name of the LORD God's people are to no longer fear or heed them (Deut. 18:22).  It is not required for you to throw out your copy of the Book of Jasher or prophetic materials which have been found to have flaws, but we should never imagine they speak for God or could add to His word.  They should be handled very cautiously lest we be led astray and consequently lead others astray as well.

When God exposes the folly of a false prophet, it is foolish to trust these blind leaders of the blind which end up in a ditch.  Because there remains a hot market for new revelations these people are enabled to dust themselves off and put together a new book or video series.  Affiliation with a church or association with a ministry in themselves are no qualification for prophetic ministry, for this comes from God alone.  Anyone can claim to speak from God, and those who do will be aligned with what He has said, agree with reality and stand the test of time.  There is room in the kingdom of God for sinners and those who have spoken falsely, yet one who claims to speak for God and is proven wrong is not the one we should continue to heed.

Our Good Father in Heaven

No matter how long we have been believing in Jesus as LORD, we will always remain God's children.  We are called to grow to maturity, of course, but knowledge or experience should never lead to increasing distance from God:  growing in the LORD means we rely on Him more than ever.  We train our children to become independent of our care, and God trains us through countless means to be more dependent on Him.

Jesus acknowledged parents are able to give good gifts to their children in Luke 11:13 to teach that God is able to give infinitely better gifts:  "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"  There is a biblical connection often made between our asking in faith and God responding.  James explained we often do not have because we do not ask, and also we have not because we ask with selfish motivation.  God is wise to refuse requests which work for our detriment and puffs us up with pride.

Responding to the request of a child for food is one of the many things a parent does for a beloved child.  In fact, parents watch out for the good of their children when they are clueless and place themselves in danger.  I have seen many parents swoop down to catch a child who was happily running into the street or lift them up after a fall.  This week I thought about a little child playing at the beach who never saw the wave that knocked him off his feet.  He went from laughing and playing to suddenly being flipped over with salt water in his mouth and sand in his eyes, his whole world turned upside down in an instant.  His mother or father does not wait for an earnest request for assistance:  before he can cry out his observant parents are already on their feet to quickly pick up their little one and offer words of comfort and consolation.

If we, being careless and forgetful, will lift up our little one who has fallen and is in trouble, won't our omniscient and loving Father in heaven do the same for us when we are cast down?  It is amazing how God uses our fellow believers to do this for us.  It is true that God draws near to those who draw near to Him; it is true God responds to the prayer of faith for comfort in His presence.  Yet let us not imagine God's care is based primarily on our desperate efforts to reach out to Him.  It is God who loves us first and has delivered us from sin and death.  It is God who keeps our feet from stumbling and lifts up those who are cast down.  Praise the LORD for responding to our prayers, and praise God for coming to our aid when we give Him no thought.  The best, caring parents in the world are a fleeting shadow in comparison to our compassionate, patient Father in heaven.

Growing In Grace

How gracious God is to teach us and give us time to grow!  A farmer does not pull or throw out seedlings because they have not yet produced fruit, and God does not expect us to have a biblical perspective from spiritual infancy.  Like a child grows to walk and talk outside the womb, once we are born again God enables us to develop into mature children of God.  It may be a surprisingly quick process to the casual observer, but it still requires time and the wisdom of God to accomplish.

Children have many misconceptions of the world around them due to their naivete, ignorance or from being misinformed.  In a similar way, many Christians can bring misunderstandings into their relationship with God after trusting in Jesus and being born again.  The transformation of a heart justified by faith may be immediate, yet even the most mature believers require a renewing of their minds.  All believers have the potential to lack faith, to forget what God has said and done, and to be slack in seeking God.  Let us also not forget the impact of growth.  As it grows a sapling sends roots down deeper, the trunk grows thicker and the branches grow longer.  Before too long there are new branches and leaves where nothing before grew, and as we grow in grace and knowledge of God a framework of theology is established.

No matter how extensive or "correct" our theology may be, there is also a need for our lives to align with what we say we believe.  Without obedience to God we will not grow or be fruitful as we ought.  Heresy is as deadly to souls as sin, and fallacies potentially sap our fruitfulness.  There are many genuine believers who hold onto misunderstandings which have stunted their growth.  One of these which I encountered recently is the assumption that if Jesus did not say something on a subject, we have "open slather" to do as we please, to fill in the blanks with what seems equitable or fitting for us.  The problem with this perspective is it ignores the fact Jesus is the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us, the God who existed before He was manifested in human flesh, the same God who has given us 66 books that comprise the scriptures.  Those who hold to this perspective run the risk of invalidating all other scriptures which do speak on the subject because they are not printed with red ink.

We live in a "pick and choose" world where it is natural to choose the news coverage you prefer, to alter recipes, to order from a menu where you are free to choose what you want and refuse what you do not like, to build bespoke homes or vehicles where man's demands are king.  This is not how it works for a child of God, for God is not a doting Father who is at the mercy of the whims and dictates of His children.  God is; God has spoken, and He speaks according to what is written.  He has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ but also as God the Father and the Holy Spirit.  The words of Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Life are to be heard and heeded, yet let us not forget the rest of the scriptures are also God-breathed.  It takes time to marinate or brine meat, and it takes time for the washing of the water of the word to cleanse us of the many misconceptions and errors we continue to make.  Praise the LORD Jesus is wisdom for us, for the Holy Spirit who fills us, and our heavenly Father who loves us.

Stones That Speak

There are many tasks we "leave to the professionals" because we lack the training, skills, tools or time to do a quality job.  When hiring a contractor we spare no pains to read through pages of reviews to ensure the price is reasonably and professionalism is adequately high.  One thing I find remarkable about God is His gracious choice to rely upon volunteers to gladly proclaim His praises and goodness.  God never shies away from using the weak and foolish to do His perfect will, broken vessels through whom His immeasurable glory shines.  Should a vessel God uses be proved flawed, He remains righteous, holy and good.

When the children of Israel passed through the Jordan river, God caused the waters to stand in a heap.  The priests who bore the ark of the testimony stood on dry ground in the midst until all passed over.  Joshua instructed a man from each tribe in Israel to carry a stone from the riverbed of the Jordan which were later set up in Gilgal.  Joshua 4:21-24 says, "Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones?' ²² then you shall let your children know, saying, 'Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land'; ²³ for the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, ²⁴ that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever."  Silent stones were used by God as a memorial of the mighty deliverance He worked among them:  He brought them out of Egypt through the Red Sea, and He also caused them to pass over the Jordan to enter into the land He promised them.

The stones themselves were not sufficient to present the message of God's might and power.  God instructed the people to give their children an answer for why the stones were set up in Gilgal and to acknowledge the mighty hand of God Who worked in their midst.  The parents and their children were chosen by God to be a witness to the "all the peoples of the earth" of God's might that He might be feared now and forever.  Isn't it amazing God would use mortal men to proclaim His goodness?  Our lives on earth are compared to grass that dries up, a vapour that quickly dissipates and yet He has called us to fear the LORD our God forever.  Even as God made a way for the Hebrews to escape the advancing Egyptian army by parting the Red Sea and caused them to pass into Canaan through the Jordan on dry ground, God is able to overcome every obstacle so we can perform His perfect will.  Our lives on earth are short but God has miraculously overcome the curse of sin by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ so we can live forever with Him.

God did not reserve His public relations to priests and prophets but to everyone called by His name, having been born again through faith in Jesus Christ.  Paul spelled this out in 2 Corinthians 5:20-21:  "Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."  We are to make known the might of God to the ignorant as well to those who know God.  Paul and his fellow apostles urged believers to be reconciled to God and to walk righteously before Him and the world.  We are living stones whose mouths open with praise to God and minister His truth to all in the fear of the LORD.  Once we were drowning in sins that brought death, and now we have been set free and made His holy habitation.  Believer, God has chosen you and me to be His ambassadors, and though we be unworthy let us walk worthily before Him.

Navigating Unfamiliar Territory

"So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; ³ and they commanded the people, saying, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. ⁴ Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before."

Joshua 3:2-4

On the cusp of finally crossing the Jordan river and entering into the Promised Land, God's people were told to keep their distance from the ark of the covenant carried by the Levites as they followed.  During their pilgrimage in the wilderness the presence of God led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to the next location to make camp.  The children of Israel were told to keep almost a kilometre distance between them and the ark of God so they could see the way God was leading them.

God was leading Israel to a new place with which they were unfamiliar.  They did not know the way, nor were they to assume they knew where their final destination would be.  Everyone has a different idea of what is ideal, and the people were to wholly submit to God's leading in real time as they went together.  As we embark in a new year and every day this is wise for us to hold to this principle.  We have lived many days and years on earth, yet who but God can say where He will lead us or the way He will take us?  We have never lived today before.  We can apply this to Christian ministry as well because we run the risk of relying on our experience, our own ideas or the opinions of others to guide and direct our steps.  We can assume we know the way to go, that God, having reconciled us to Himself by His grace, will "rubber stamp" our movements with His approval.  Our call is to walk by faith in God, not by sight.

The children of Israel were to see and follow the priests bearing the ark of the covenant, but every step they took was to be by faith in God's sovereignty, provision, protection and presence.  Walking in God's ways meant God was with them and would not leave or forsake them.  Israel knew pushing the flocks to hard would cause many to perish, and God knew throwing His people into warfare quickly after being delivered from slavery would be too much to bear.  So like a good shepherd, God led His people gently toward His intended destination that they did not know and could not by experience predict.  We have been given the inspired word of God and we need to be taught by the Holy Spirit to comprehend what God is saying to us.  God was leading to a place they had never before, and today is unfamiliar territory for us though the scenery might remain the same.

Isn't this a lovely reminder of God's love and care for His people?  If we imagine we know the way to go we might make a decision like Lot who moved his family to the well-watered plains which ended up being utterly destroyed in God's judgment.  The tribes of Ruben, Gad and Manasseh were content to dwell on the east of Jordan because the land was suitable for cattle and they had cattle:  they were the first tribes to be absorbed by heathen nations.  Friends, when God moves in your life do not assume you know where He is leading you or even what the day will hold:  you have never been here before.  Unlike the Israelites who followed the ark at a great distance, we are called to follow Jesus Christ our Saviour closely as we heed His voice as sheep that heed their Shepherd.  Jesus is the Way and we enjoy safety, peace and hope in His presence.  Let us go after Him that we might go where Jesus is as the Holy Spirit leads us.