The Valley of Decision

As I read the Bible before bed last night, I came across Joel 3:14:  "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision."  How true it is, I mused to myself, that the valley is the place of decision.  The place of decision is not the mountain peak or the plain:  it is in the valley.  When we are at a low point every man must decide what he will do:  dig a grave and lie down in it, or decide to follow Jesus to a higher plane.  He stands at the right hand of the Father and bids us join Him.  Every man is in the valley of decision, and the day of the LORD is near.

When everything is going smoothly in our lives we are happy to just keep plugging away.  But when disaster strikes, the fiery trial brings us low, or the depression begins to take hold, we are in that all-too-familiar valley of decision:  should we remain in the valley or climb out of it in God's strength?  There is only one way to successfully navigate out of that valley.  We need the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the unalterable truth of God's Word, and strength through Jesus Christ to emerge victorious.  Sometimes we are led by the Good Shepherd through the valley of death - but it was never intended that we build a house there to dwell in.  We must continue on, faithfully following.  Jesus has offered us eternal life through repentance and faith in Him and is obtainable only by grace.

Mountain-top experiences are wonderful things in the life of a Christian.  When God reveals Himself in love, power, and grace, our eyes are opened to the richness He has freely granted us.  We stand on that mountain, drinking in the beauty.  But being presently shackled to this earth and housed in these crude bodies, our minds often forget the heavenly vision.  Our spiritual sense becomes dull and our resolve fades.  We forget.  We forget we have already decided to follow Jesus and it's a decision we need to make moment by moment.  In the valley of decision we must resolve to trust in the LORD with all our hearts and to lean not on our own understanding.  When we acknowledge God in all our ways He shall direct our paths.

The valley is a good place.  It provides another opportunity for us to choose Christ.  Are you in the valley of decision today?  What is your decision?  No decision is a "no" decision.

Are You Prepared?

Next week I plan to head down with a friend to Jindabyne.  It will be our first time ever visiting the snowy mountains.  While I am not too interested in the "snowy" bit, I am looking forward to fishing and having a little break from the normal routine.  It's amazing how much preparation goes into planning even a short trip to be a success:  accommodation must be booked, fishing gear prepared, planning for the weather conditions with clothing and boots, buying food, sorting out activities, and on.  It's like a full-time job trying to prepare yourself to not be on the job!  Perhaps a little bit of my American self is showing through:  planning a getaway is so much work it is a relaxing thought to stay at home, go back to work Monday, and forget the whole thing!

All this preparation has me thinking:  with all the prior planning necessary for a short holiday or vacation, how can it be that people think no preparation is necessary for eternity?  It is planning of a different kind.  Where we are going no one else can come, and we can bring nothing with us.  Naked we were born, and naked we return to the dust.  There are two potential eternal destinations:  heaven or hell.  The Bible says that it is appointed for man once to die and after the judgment.  We will all stand before the Living God - whether you want to or not - and every thought, word, deed, attitudes, and even sins of omission will be judged according to God's perfect law.  There is no one who will be innocent on that Day when judged according to our works.  The wages of sin is death.

Thankfully, Romans 6:23 doesn't stop there. Paul continues:  "...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD."  Jesus is the Way to heaven, and we can prepare ourselves by making a heavenly booking through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  No long distance telephone call is required, and no details must be entered in a top-secret website.  We must simply humble ourselves before God, admitting that we have terribly broken His laws and are without excuse.  We must affirm we deserve hell for our great sins against Him and others.  Then we must repent, meaning that He has changed our mind concerning sin.  We decide to agree with God, committing to turn from our sin and follow after Jesus Christ in faith.  Our reliance is no longer in ourselves, but upon Jesus Christ our Saviour and Messiah.  He is God-Made-Flesh who died for the sins of the whole world so we too might be saved.  Romans 10:9 says, "...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."  No man knows the day of his death, but everyone knows it is only getting closer.

You prepare for your holidays and vacations:  are your prepared for eternity?  What arrangements have you made?  If you neglect this most important calling of every person born in sin, you are planning for eternal disaster and damnation.  God implores all people through His Word in Ezekiel 18:30-32:  "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord GOD. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. ³¹ Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? ³² For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore turn and live!"  Take to heart the words spoken by Christ in John 3:16-17:  "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. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

Safe in the Den

How important it is to place your trust in God!  Many people rely upon things that are not God and have no power to save.  Even we Christians can be deceived or deluded into trusting in an arm of flesh when only Christ can deliver us.  Daniel was a man who trusted in God.  Because God was with him, he had been highly promoted in both the Babylonian and Medea-Persian empires.  There were high-ranking men in the Medea-Persian empire who were envious of Daniel and sought to kill him.  Through treachery, they passed a law that prohibited anyone from praying to anyone but King Darius.  Daniel, being a devout and faithful man, was unmoved by the law.  He continued to openly pray as he always did three times daily.  Thus he was found guilty of breaking the law, and King Darius reluctantly sentenced him to be thrown to the lions.  He said to Daniel when they parted in Daniel 6:16, "Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you."

During the night, Daniel was protected by an angel who shut the mouths of the hungry lions.  When morning came, Darius hurried to the den and called out in Daniel 6:20:  "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?"  Daniel answered in the affirmative, for nothing is too hard for the One True God.  He was safely pulled from the den and the king greatly rejoiced.  Verse 23 says no manner of hurt was found on him because "he believed in his God."  For those men who had conspired to kill Daniel, the end of their story came swiftly without mercy.  Daniel 6:24 reads, "And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions--them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den."

We see in this passage a picture of Christ and the severe retribution which will come upon all those who oppose Him.  Jesus was wrongly condemned to death, yet He trusted fully in God the Father to deliver Him.  Though He tasted the bitter cup of death and wrath of God when crucified and was buried in a tomb, God raised Him triumphant and victorious three days later.  Though Jesus bore scars, no manner of hurt was found in His glorified body - because no sin was found in Him.  Satan and all those who reject Christ, will face eternal damnation in hell which makes the quick end made by lions seem a delightful cakewalk.  The accuser and enemy of our souls, who even now is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, Satan, that old serpent, will be utterly overcome and broken to pieces.  His head has already been crushed under the foot of Christ and he rages on, knowing his time is short.

Blessed are those who trust in the Almighty God, the great I AM, YHWH, the Creator and Saviour of all who repent and trust in Christ.  Like Daniel, we ought to trust and serve Him continually.  When we walk in faith, the accusations and even violence of the enemies of God will not sever us from fellowship with Him.  In Jesus Christ we find eternal life and pleasures evermore.  David wrote a fitting conclusion in  Psalm 56:1-4: "Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; fighting all day he oppresses me. ² My enemies would hound me all day, for there are many who fight against me, O Most High. ³ Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. ⁴ In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?"

A Life Without Worry

Late this morning I took my wife Laura and my sons Zed and Abel to the Sydney International Airport.  For some time now they have been looking forward to this return visit to the United States.  It was on 5 January, 2010 when our family moved to Sydney.  Since relocating to Australia we have been blessed to host both my in-laws and parents, pastors, a family friend, and even a young man we had never met before!  So now Laura and the boys are able to be visitors and spend time with family and friends.  We praise God for the prayer and monthly financial support, and this trip was made possible through a special gift for that purpose.  We thank God for His provision and faithfulness towards us, and many people have been the conduits of that blessing.

It's a strange feeling, sending the family away with a few bags while I stay home.  Almost every other time we head to the airport it has been the other way around - me leaving and the family staying behind.  All sorts of crazy thoughts scamper through the mind.  My main effort is in making sure they scamper through and I do not encourage them by dwelling upon thoughts not grounded by faith in God.  There is no substitute for the pervasive peace and contentment which comes only from God.  Perfect love drives out all fear.  Because my family has been committed to God, I know they are in His hands.  I do not need to load myself down with the burden of worry.  By worrying I cannot add a centimeter to my height, nor can I protect my family from overseas.  I rejoice in knowing that God is able to do so!

Jesus says in Matthew 6:30-34:  "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."  Christ intends we live a life without worry as we rest all our hopes and desires upon Him to faithfully fulfill His Word.  What have we to fear when we have such a Saviour and King?

Biscuit Bombers

I am in the middle of reading Kokoda by Paul Ham, a comprehensive overview of the Australian involvement in New Guinea during World War II.  Facing obstacles of all kinds, the Japanese, Australians, and native carriers braved unthinkable suffering from the boggy jungle, difficult terrain, disease, and starvation - not to mention fighting a war through it all.  One common problem which plagued both sides was the inability to adequately supply the fighting men.  The Allies had control over the air and employed transport planes the Aussie troops nicknamed "biscuit bombers" to supply the troops.  But there was a huge logistical problem:  most of the time parachutes were not used and the contents of the drop were severely damaged or rendered unusable.  Sometimes mortars would fuse from the impact and later detonate in the tubes, killing the Aussies who tried to use them.

Ham writes concerning the "biscuit bombers" on page 337:  "Radio signals were meant to guide in the planes and, at the appointed time, bags of food would hurtle to earth.  The pilots were instructed to aim for burnt patches of ground, or logs arranged as markings.  Their maps were as good as useless.  Where the planes missed the marked clearings, hundreds of bags came crashing through the canopy and free fell to the jungle floor.  Occasionally they struck the men below - biscuit bombs killed or wounded several Australian soldiers.  Most airdrops still lacked parachutes, and a large percentage of supplies were lost.  Virtually all the bags split open, biscuits were reduced to powder and sugar scattered over the jungle floor."  Isn't it ironic the careless method of deploying supply drops to save lives actually caused the death of people they intended to save?  How unspeakably awful, and what a gross waste!  Had parachutes been used, much of the precious supplies could have been useable.  I can almost see the relief and satisfaction on the face of the pilot after completing his drop and banking to return to base for another load - completely unaware that a mere fraction of the load was salvageable.  He had done his duty, braving enemy fire, successfully locating the drop zone in the misty jungle, and unwittingly ended up killing his mates by dropping supplies on them.  The lack of parachutes was a tragic oversight.

It occurred to me that this is a great object lesson concerning a Christian's presentation of the Gospel.  Jesus has committed unto us the words of life.  God is not willing that any should perish but that all should repent and be born again.  Though the Gospel saves souls for eternity, if it is deployed like a load from a biscuit bomber - without the parachute of love - it is an insult and a disgrace.  Harsh, judgmental tones in presenting the Gospel do much more harm than good.  Spiteful words mingled with pride from the mouths of Christians have greatly injured the cause of Christ.  A discussion without love can degrade into vicious debate.  I have witnessed an unbeliever stomp off angrily while the believer laughs and shrugs it off.  Happy he has done his duty by quashing the spirit of another sinner, the self-assured Gospel bomber seeks his next victim.  Of course the opposite is the fearful pilot who would not risk a drop because of the potential of offense.  The bright light of scriptural truth can hurt the eyes and wound the pride of those long in darkness.  But when delivered with the love of Christ, it causes sorrow which produces repentance not to be repented of and brings ultimate joy.

We should be faithful to share the Gospel with others, seeking to save the lost.  Always be sure to be led by the Holy Spirit and demonstrate the love of Christ through compassion, grace, mercy, and kindness.  Unlike those pilots without specific guidance to drop sites or parachutes for their loads, God has given us a most comprehensive map in His Word to help and guide us to abide in Him.  He has provided us love we are to demonstrate faithfully so others might be drawn to love God too.  People will know we are Christians by our love.

Making Sense of Scripture

Anyone who has read the Bible thoughtfully at times will wonder, "What does that mean?"  I must admit, when I was younger I would plow through chapters without even thinking!  But times of quality, prayerful reading trumps quantity every time.  We should open the word with a humble heart seeking to learn from God.  It is good for us to read again and consider even well-trod passages, for within them many priceless gems are hidden.  Sometimes our questions generated from a text are clearly answered later in the text if we would only keep reading.  Last night was one of those times, when reading a little further clarified with precision what Jesus meant.

As I read John 15, I came to verse 9:  "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love."  I stopped there and asked my family, "What does Jesus mean that we are to "abide" in His love?  How do we do that?"  Blank looks from my sons made it evident they had no idea what I was talking about.  This should be expected:  who uses the word "abide" in common conversation anymore?  After I explained that abiding means to remain, continue, or stay, I asked "How can we abide in Christ's love?"  Again, no answer was promptly given.  I continued in verse 10:  "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."  We abide in God's love by keeping Christ's commands.  When we kept reading we learned the result of obedience and what command Jesus is talking about:  John 15:11-12 says, "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ¹² This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

Jesus loves us, and Christians ought to abide in His love.  We abide in His love by keeping His commandments.  His commandment is that we love one another as He has loved us!  So we abide in Christ's love when we love one another.  Had we stopped reading at verse 9, the abstract language Jesus uses could have kept us in doubt as to what He specifically meant.  But when we continued to read, the logical progression makes perfect sense.  This was a good illustration to our family that when we are stumped by a scripture, we should pause and pull it apart into bite-sized pieces.  No one would think to shove a 72oz. steak into their mouth without first cutting it up into manageable pieces, and it would be presumptuous to think we can understand in one quick read everything contained in a single statement made by Christ.  When we read in context, reading many verses on each side of a verse we don't comprehend, often the Bible will explain itself.  This is especially true when reading parables told by Jesus.  If you're not sure what He means, keep reading!

Reading the Bible is not merely an intellectual or literary exercise.  We need the aid of the Holy Spirit to comprehend and properly apply the truths of scripture.  Anyone can buy a pallete, oil paints, brushes, and a canvas, but that does not mean he can paint!  Owning a Bible does not mean that you can make any sense out of it without divine aid!  When Phillip overtook the Ethiopian eunuch who was reading in Isaiah, Phillip asked him if he understood what he read.  He wisely replied, "How can I unless someone guides me?"  The Holy Spirit has been sent by the Father to guide us into all truth.  We need to be born again and ask God to do for us what Jesus did for the disciples who were spiritually blind in Luke 24:45:  "And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures."  Even as Christ opened the eyes of the physically blind, He can open the eyes and ears of our heart to receive His Word in truth if we humbly ask Him.  God has given us His Word, not so He might cleverly shroud Himself from plain view, but so we might intimately know Him.  As the old song says, "Open our eyes, LORD.  We want to see Jesus, to reach out and touch Him, and say that we love Him."  This is God's will for all people!

Work of Faith with Power

"Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, ¹² that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

If I was asked for a prayer request of late, these verses convey it well.  Clear and concise, these words sum up my desire to walk worthy of God for His glory.  My heart is also in agreement with verse 10 because I desire for Christ "...to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed."  Man loves to be admired, but as a Christian I desire that Christ be admired in me.  Any admirable qualities I possess I do only by God's grace, for within my flesh no good thing dwells.

I do pray that God would count me worthy of this calling, that I would fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and this last part strikes me with renewed freshness:  that God would display in me "the work of faith with power" so that He would receive the glory and admiration.  I was thinking yesterday:  are all my words and deeds empowered by faith in God?  I can't say that God's power is so revealed in my lifestyle that people can only say, "God is awesome!"  An example of this work of faith with power is when Peter and John were heading towards the temple and they walked by a lame man who was begging.  The cripple looked at Peter, thinking to receive something from him.  Peter said:  "Silver and gold I do not have.  But what I have I give unto you:  in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."  The man was miraculously healed and entered into the temple, walking, leaping, and praising God.

This work of faith in power attracted the attention of the people.  Acts 3:11-16 relates, "Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed. ¹² So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. ¹⁴ But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, ¹⁵ and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. ¹⁶ And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all."

I will someday leave this body in physical death, but the works of God endure forever.  We might not leave a legacy of miraculous physical healing or have thousands of souls for Christ attributed to our testimony.  The work of faith with power is not only displayed in dynamic events, but also in mundane routine.  It takes many days and weeks to slowly scale the great mountain heights, where rarefied air and freezing cold must be overcome with every upward step.  It is God who makes a man strong through faith and reliance upon Him.  Faith is no walking stick or crutch for a Christian:  it is our lifeblood.  In Christ we find life:  a life of love, forgiveness, grace, and yes - power.  God has granted us freedom to live a life girded by divine power so that Christ might be glorified in us and we in Him.  The dynamic power revealed in Christ resurrection is the same power that is infused into every Christian right now.  Pretty awesome!

Let us be ever thankful that God has given us all that pertains to life and godliness.  In Christ we find life everlasting and mercies that are new every morning, for great is His faithfulness!

The Pilgrim's Regress

I recently acquired a copy of a C.S. Lewis book I had never heard of:  The Pilgrim's Regress.  It is an allegorical cousin of Bunyan's classic, and I found it very interesting indeed.  As I read it cultivated in me a fresh appreciation of the literary skill and depth of thought of Lewis, and made me in turn wonder if my limited faculties have the capacity me to grasp all that he intended.  The book is honest and true.  In the preface on page 19 he writes concerning the suggestion of supplying a "key" to the allegory:  "It may encourage people to suppose that allegory is a disguise, a way of saying obscurely what could have been said more clearly.  But in fact all good allegory exists not to hide but to reveal; to make the inner world more palpable by giving it an (imagined) concrete embodiment."  This he does immaculately, and Lewis has few rivals.

I do not think it right to compare The Pilgrim's Progress to this work, and I don't believe C.S. Lewis wrote it for that purpose.  But it would be a worthy appendix because it puts in a different light the path of the genuine seeker of God and His eternal kingdom.  The pilgrim in Lewis' book, John, may take a path more often traveled than Bunyan's Christian.  Instead of a scrip in hand and a road stretching before him, John is without any direction.  He is confused with hypocrisy in the church and at a loss to know what he should believe.  The idea of God and hell bothers him, and the chance that God does not exist and therefore the lack of accountability is a great delight which quickly erodes into lust, loss, and pain.  His wandering leads him into all sorts of error.  He is confounded on every side, seeking as a phantom the Island he so desires.  Every philosophy and humanistic mode of belief proves empty and unsatisfying.  Though very prejudiced against Christianity at first, Wisdom, History, and Reason compel him to submit.  His view of everything is changed as he heads for home.  As he arrives at end of his journey, he realises he is right back where he started:  God was there all along.

It is a great irony that God gave men minds so He might reason with us, yet humans can be most unreasonable.  The very thing God provides is what Satan labours to prejudice against Him.  Of all creation, what is a more deluded and insensible creature than man?  Lewis quotes Bacon at the beginning of book four:  "Doth any man doubt, that if there were taken out of men's minds vain opinions, flattering hopes, false valuations, imaginations as one would, and the like:  but it would leave the minds of a number of men poor shrunken things:  full of melancholy and indisposition, and unpleasing to themselves?"  The world's philosophies are all from the same corrupt source, while the wisdom which comes from God alone revealed in His Word is eternal and without flaw.  Those with a prodigious ability to reason have a great scope of temptation to entertain vain philosophies which oppose scriptural truth and lead to eternal ruin.

Christianity is logical and reasonable.  A scientist will carefully cite his sources for his claims, and is not considered foolish for doing so.  It is actually proof he has studied.  He must exercise faith, trusting the data of previous studies.  Philosophers follow the rivers of thought which have been discovered and discussed since the very beginning.  Christians are not ignorant for choosing to follow Christ and believe the scripture, even as men sought the wisdom of Plato and Aristotle.  Darwin never claimed to be God - but Jesus did.  His claim of divinity and resurrection is what sets His claims apart from all other men.  The fact that He has confirmed them only adds to His credibility!  Christianity to you may appear like Mother Kirk did to John:  an old, plain woman.  For all of John's searching, he limited his search by his prejudices.  He would not consider taking Mother Kirk's hand unless he had no other choice.  Have you considered that the old woman may be right?  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Him.

When Walking Hurts

Yesterday morning God prompted me to go on an early morning walk.  I woke up with expectancy, believing God would teach me something.  It was chilly and dark as I set out around 5:30am.  Every time I stepped on my right foot, I winced because of sharp pain.  The day before I had strained or sprained part of my foot, perhaps while lifting weights.  It made walking very difficult without a pronounced hobble.  But I gritted my teeth and kept on, thinking the foot simply needed to be stretched out.  The pain was still there.  It grew to the point of being almost unbearable.  "I don't know that I can do this," I said to God.  Because walking hurt, I didn't feel like doing it.  I could only maintain a decent pace with great effort.

It was in this moment that it dawned on me.  Following Jesus isn't easy.  In fact, the Christian walk can sometimes be downright painful.  In the painful moments we face the temptation to quit.  We are not to tempted necessarily to quit believing in Christ, but to abandon tasks which seem to stretch before us for miles.  I found that when I focused on the pain, it felt worse and worse.  But when I thought about why I was walking - because God told me to - I was able to slowly walk through the pain.  When Jesus is our pursuit and passion, even the hurts of this life won't prevent us from pressing on with Him.  He won't leave or forsake me, and I've decided never to quit on Him.

My walk didn't last very long, maybe 10 minutes.  But in that time I learned something I hope to remember for the rest of my life.  The pain people experience takes many forms, and pain can be a big distraction that takes our focus from God and places it on ourselves.  Let us be moved with compassion for those who are in pain.  In a spiritual or emotional sense they are hobbling on, or perhaps even collapsed by the footpath in tears.  In their pursuit of Christ their pain has knocked them off their feet and they are confused and feel forsaken.  We do not lose valuable time in our race to lift them up with our hands, lend a shoulder for support, or offer a kind word of encouragement.  Let us not pass by those who are struggling for life, looking upon them with disdain as the Pharisee and Levite did in Christ's story of the Good Samaritan.  Do not be repulsed by what you perceive as weakness.  If we are strong then our weakness remains.  God's grace is sufficient for us:  when we are weak we are strong (2 Cor. 12:9-10).  When we bear one another's burdens we fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2).

Are you in pain?  Keep on following Jesus.  Even as a good shepherd will notice when his prize sheep walks with a limp and will investigate for the purpose of treatment and restoration, so Christ does for us.  May we do so for one another, following the example of our loving Saviour!  Christ makes the blind to see and the lame to walk, leap, and praise Him!

A Clean Heart

Ever since custodial duties were part of my job, my eyes are drawn to things many don't notice.  I would find myself wiping down sinks, mirrors, and toilets without even thinking.  Having a background in construction only adds to my unique observations.  I suppose even how Jason Bourne in the "Bourne" films was able to instantly observe intricate details of people in the room, places to hide a gun, and exit routes, I walk into a room and I'm quickly looking at carpet, the condition of the wax, the brush marks in the casing paint, and that a few florescent tubes are dead.  Instead of thinking about how to kill people or survive, I am constantly thinking about how things can be cleaned, fixed, or improved.  It's far safer and a much more wholesome lifestyle than being an assassin!

Cleaning tile or carpet is kind of like a new haircut:  only a few people will notice it without prompting.  And when they do, it will be two or three weeks after the fact!  With the help of a friend I recently stripped and waxed the tile floor at church.  Since I had seen the project all the way through, I was well aware of the total transformation which had taken place.  Supplies were purchased, stuff moved out of the way, and a machine was secured.  Over many hours the floor was stripped and carefully cleaned.  After everything was totally dry many coats of wax were applied to the surface, resulting in a beautiful finish.  It never ceases to bring a smile to my face when people walk all over the floor without even noticing it.  But when the "different" floor is brought to someone's attention, their eyes light up with amazement.  The floor is such a static fixture that even a large change in appearance can easily escape notice.

We have two white cars which have been in desperate need for a wash.  After Zed's indoor soccer game on Saturday, the boys and I washed our two family cars.  Being white in colour, it is amazing how well dirt can be hidden in plain view.  It was not until I began washing the car that I realised how dirty the cars really were!  We rubbed off the grime, cleaned the rims, rinsed off the car, and dried the water spots.  Our labour was richly rewarded with a sparkling result.  I wiped down the interior and was pleased with the result.  I don't know about you, but it actually feels great driving a clean car.  It is almost like sliding into a well-made bed when the crisp and fresh sheets are still taut, without a single wrinkle.  I asked Laura after she drove her car, "So, what was it like - driving a clean car?"  "I really didn't even notice," she said.  I thought to myself, how could you not notice the difference?

I think the cleaning of floors and cars are similar to the cleansing of our hearts in many respects.  First, cleaning is often neglected.  Even those who are mindful of the condition of their carpets, tiles, and cars are aware that cleaning is often overdue.  Another similarity is that we often don't realise how dirty, grimy, and gross they are until we have done a thorough clean.  Only after the clean can we with great appreciation step back and say, "Wow!  That was so dirty!  I'm so glad I took the time to do that!"  Because cleaning is a job never done, we can grow weary of doing it over and over again.  But there is great reward in faithful maintenance:  it is hygienic, prolongs the life of the paint and finish, shows discipline, responsibility, and good stewardship.  We Christians live in a polluted, dirty world.  Filthy thoughts and ideas, foul language, and the folly of the flesh cakes onto our souls.  When we have unnoticed or unconfessed sin in our hearts, it can cut us off from the presence of God.  We may not even notice the burden of sin under which we labour until we confess it before the LORD and repent.  Once that weight is lifted from our hearts we say, "Wow, it feels good to be clean and free!  I had no idea I was even in bondage!"

1 John 1:9 reads, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Let's not neglect the cleaning of our hearts because it's been awhile since we did it last.  If we stay on top of cleaning, the job is easier to do.  If we keep careful watch over our hearts and minds by putting off the old man, being renewed in the spirit of our minds through God's Word, and putting on the new man, we will experience the victory Jesus has given freely to His disciples by grace through faith.  A man can clean up his deeds but cannot cleanse his heart.  Only God has the power to wash us in the blood of Christ and the water of the Word.  Only then can we be clean!  And what a difference!

Hint or Question?

From a young age, I remember my dad putting into practice the truth of scripture:  "Ask and ye shall receive."  While some parents are content to ask leading questions of their children, it was clear that if I wanted something I would need to ask for it.  More and more these days I notice people don't actually ask for things:  they will hint or resort to manipulative tactics to achieve their ends.  For instance, let's say you see a child struggling to open the lid of a container.  He grunts and groans, making his frustration known.  His mum notices the struggles of her son and says, "Do you want me to open that for you?"  The child nods and brings it to his mum to open.  This is an unscriptural way to deal with this issue.  If a child wants help, he must be required humble himself to ask for it.  God requires no less of His children.  Before long this can become a deeply entrenched habit the boy or parent won't even recognise which can affect not only his relationship with men, but his approach to God.

Here is another perfect illustration of this hinting in the movie "Napoleon Dynamite."  Kip gets his wish, though he never asks a question.  He simply makes a statement.  But like most of us, Napoleon took the hint and responds to a statement as if he was asked. 

James writes of common problems of people in James 4:2-3:  "You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. ³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures."  We have not because we ask not, and when we do ask it is often with selfish motivation.  Like that child struggling with the lid, we might suppose we have actually asked God to help us when all we have done is grunt and groan in frustration.  We vent our anger to God, we lay out our frustrations, but we never actually ask Him to do anything.  And when we do ask Him to intervene, we do so not led by the Holy Spirit, but according to our selfish dictates.  Even worse, we choose to complain or consult with people rather than taking our issues to God at all.  It's not until we are on a severe downward spiral before we even think to speak to God in prayer.

Jesus teaches us in Matthew 7:7, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."  God does not exist to supply our lack, but it is His good pleasure to give us the kingdom!  He is a gracious provider, a generous giver, and hears the prayers of the humble.  We are evil and know how to give good gifts:  how much more is the Father able and willing to give to Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?  It a is wonderful consolation that God does many things for our benefit without us asking.  His will is not restricted by our poor pseudo-questions.  But when we desire something, we ought to ask.  Instead of resorting to manipulation or hinting, let us humble ourselves before both God and man to ask direct questions.  In answering a question, let our words be obedient to what Jesus commands in Matthew 5:37:  "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."  May our requests of God be actual questions!  Only after we ask will the answer come.

Excuse to Doubt or Reason to Believe?

In this age of information, the irony exists that men have more excuses than ever to doubt.  Conspiracy thrives on the internet and all manner of media with unrelenting force.  People will believe what they want to believe, and it's not hard to find people with all sorts of opinions.  Truth has become a virtual cornucopia which allows the freedom of opposite and conflicting opinions to carry the same weight.  Evidence is open to wide interpretation - if you have the luxury of actually possessing it.  Personal opinion is often the strongest evidence most people's beliefs are founded upon, about as stable as oil and eroding sand.  If we hear it enough, we can be convinced two plus two equals five.

The world changes, but people stay the same.  We are naturally parrots upon whom the conspiracy vultures prey.  Conspiracy and doom are big business with books, DVDs, and conferences raking in millions annually.  Funny isn't it, that people who stumble upon this "secret" information are willing to bare all for a few bucks?  A topic cools down, and ten more pop up from nowhere.  Even after these self-proclaimed prophets and insiders are proven wrong because of incorrect "facts," two or three more documentaries from the same group are already in the works to tie up the loose ends and take it a step further.  If someone is wrong once, they can be wrong again.  If a prophet speaks in the name of LORD and the thing does not come to pass, they are not to ever be heeded again.  Unlike leopards, men change their spots.  But God and His Word never change.  They are the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Because God loves His people, God sent prophets to warn them of the certain negative consequences of their sin.  One of the prophets was named Ezekiel.  God directed him to do all sorts of strange and bizarre things to capture the attention of the people and illustrate what the future held.  Although Ezekiel faithfully warned the people about the coming judgment, famine, sword, and captivity, they did not believe him.  He lamented in Ezekiel 20:49, "Ah, Lord GOD! They say of me, 'Does he not speak parables?'"  Instead of believing the sober words of Ezekiel, the people chalked up his words as merely symbolic, a story they could explain according to their own dictates.  They didn't like Ezekiel's words, so they made up a meaning to suit themselves they were comfortable with.  They rolled their eyes at this loon and ignored his pleas to listen.  God certainly wouldn't let them be judged by Babylon!  Ezekiel must be mad!  Month after month, year after year, Ezekiel continued to warn.  Ultimately all he said came to pass because God does not lie.  The people had reason to believe, but they made excuses to doubt.

God has given everyone many reasons to believe.  He has given every man a conscience which agrees with His moral law.  He has sent Jesus Christ in fulfillment of scripture, who died and rose again from the dead.  He has sent the Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.  Unfortunately, not everyone is pleased with what God has to say.  2 Corinthians 4:3-4 explains, "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, ⁴ whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them."  The Bible says that a day is coming when every man will be judged according to God's Law.  It is appointed to man once to die and then comes the judgment (Heb. 9:27).  The only hope for man to be saved from eternal wrath is to receive Christ through the Gospel.  But Satan has blinded the eyes of men and prejudiced their hearts against the truth, to the point it seems like foolishness to them.  The natural man cannot receive the things of God.  It is only through the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit that blind eyes can be opened and the dead raised to life.

God warned His people in Isaiah 1:18-20:  "Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD, "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. ¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; ²⁰ but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword"; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."  Truth can bear examination.  Have you ever considered the historical and geographical evidence, the fulfilled prophesies, and the flawless perfection of God's Word as reasons to consider and believe the claims?  Do not comfort yourself with "The Bible is full of mistakes" without having read and studied it yourself!  I have never met someone who made this claim except out of admitted ignorance.  The Bible is not just another book:  it is the Word of God without flaw.  In it we find the words of life which point to Jesus Christ as the Saviour of the world.

No drowning man would refuse a life-preserver because the orange colour doesn't match his shirt, yet many people will not even open the Bible that explains how to have eternal life.  If man will give anything to prolong a miserable existence on earth a couple years, of how much greater value is his eternal soul!  What rational excuse does man have to ignore the claims of the Word of God?  Maybe the Bible does contradict your life.  But what life do you have beyond your fleeting existence upon this planet?  Without Christ, there is no life at all:  only death.  He is the Way, Truth, and Life (John 14:6).  Three days after being crucified and dying on a cross, Jesus rose again and was seen by hundreds of eye-witnesses!  Isn't that alone reason to believe Him?

Passion for Christ - Fruit to Follow!

During my first visit to Australia, I stayed with a wonderful family in Brisbane.  A good portion of the back of the house and porch was covered with a lush, green, passion fruit vine.  I was amazed by the amount of foliage and fruit generated by a single seed.  The vine was enormous, but the connection to the ground was very small.  From what I can remember, my hosts said every year they would give it a big trim.  It would begin growing again, creeping up the bannister and up to the second story with a bumper crop of delicious passion fruit.

Jesus said in John 15:5, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."  Just like the passion fruit vine's life, growth, and food production depended on the vine's connection to the earth, so we as Christians are only viable when we are connected to Christ.  It would be foolish for the branches to be so awed by their rich foliage and heavy fruit that they no longer see the need to be connected to the root system.  This can occur in the ministries of the church.  We can be so focused on growth or evident fruitfulness that we neglect to protect and tend to our connection to Christ.  It may not be obvious overnight, but ministries that move away from abiding in Christ instantly begin to wilt and die.  Apart from Christ all strength for life, growth, and fruitfulness is gone.

The best strategies and plans of men will fail, but those who abide in Christ are granted life and vitality.  As a gardener daily inspects his vines for disease or insects, so we must constantly consider the condition of our hearts.  Am I wandering from complete devotion to Christ?  Is my mind dwelling on things above or am I entertaining sinful thoughts?  Are my eyes focused on Jesus or am I distracted and frustrated by lack of growth?  Are there little foxes - spiritual attacks - that I need to guard against?  Am I lifted up with pride because of the apparent success of a ministry instead of glorifying God for His grace and provision?  Without Jesus Christ we can do nothing.

Let us acknowledge and praise God for the life provided through Jesus.  May we grow and thrive as we abide in Him!

Do You Want to Be Made Well?

Our eyes are valuable because they enable us to see.  During our waking moments we are almost entirely dependent upon them.  It it difficult for someone who can see to even fathom living without the blessing of sight.  Yet there are limitations even to a set of eyes with perfect vision.  We cannot see through thick fog or solid objects.  Our range of vision is limited by distance and the direction we currently face.  No one actually has functioning eyes on the back of their heads, though some people can make you wonder by their uncanny ability of perception!

Man is constantly stretching the boundaries of what he can do and accomplish.  But there will always be a boundary.  The time for a human being running 100 meters will never be 0.00.  Because of the things we can see and do we sometimes forget there is more to the picture.  From our limited perspective, we create expectations of what needs to happen in our lives.  As Christians, we often pray according to what we can see.  We pray according to sight, not by faith.  We observe what appears to be a huge problem and tell God how we think He should handle things.  And when He doesn't operate in the way we expect we can become bitter and disillusioned, wondering if God hears our prayers or actually loves us at all.  From time to time God will pull back the veil on things that happened years ago and we see clearly what He was doing we didn't perceive then:  He was with us and acting for our good the whole time.

In John chapter 5, a passage talks about a man who suffered from a debilitating infirmity for 38 years.  It was no doubt a source of great struggle and difficulty.  He lay by a pool called Bethesda, waiting for the moving of the water.  John writes that from time to time an angel would stir the water and whoever stepped in first would be healed from whatever infirmity they suffered.  Jesus visited this man.  John 5:6-8 reads, "When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" ⁷ The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me." ⁸ Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk."  Jesus asked the sick man if he wanted to be made well.  Instead of answering the question, the man pointed out that being healed seemed impossible since he had no one to help him be the first in the water.  He had figured out what he thought to be his best and possibly only chance for healing.  Unless he had a man to put him in the water, he was doomed.

Jesus asks you the question:  "Do you want to be made well?"  How do you answer?  Do you tell God what needs to happen before you can be healed?  For 38 years or more you may have suffered from your condition, and you are still waiting for God to acquiesce to your plan.  It is time to stop pointing to the obstacles, blaming others, or yourself.  If it time to look to Jesus and say, "Yes.  I want to be healed and I know you can do it.  I give you freedom to ask or do anything you wish because I trust you."  How silly it was for the man to be lamenting he did not have a man when the God-Man Jesus Christ stood before him with the power and willingness to heal!  The Saviour stands before you today, knocking at the door, and calling out your name.  He may not act in the way you expect, but expect Him to act!

What Happens in Vegas...

Prince Harry made headlines in Australia because of his partying ways in Las Vegas, often referred to as "Sin City."  Famous for its strip of hotels, casinos, clubs, risque adult entertainment, call girls, and endless buffets, the city of Las Vegas has a adopted a bold-faced lie as its slogan:  "What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas."  The moniker fits in my opinion because sin is deceitful.  The concept that there is a geographic place on earth where morality and consequences are nil is the fantasy of fools.  Most people leave Vegas with less money than they came, so obviously money stays there!  Even if mobile phone cameras hadn't been invented, Prince Harry and others just looking "to have fun" leave Vegas with far less dignity.  What happened behind closed doors has been shouted from the rooftops with the long reach and permanent smudge of the internet.

The potential for scandal is not based upon geographic limits.  A city nor outside influences are justifications for scandalous behaviour.  The issue is one of the heart.  Just like what happens in Vegas does not stay in Vegas, the desires and lusts in the heart of a person will find their release.  The things people think about and the fantasies they entertain will eventually spill over into real life.  What we set before our eyes and the people we associate with have the potential to lead us into grave error and sin.  James 1:13-15 reads, "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death."  We sin when we transgress the righteous commands of God's laws.  Jesus says that if a man even looks with lust at a woman, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  The heart is drowning in sin long before a man acts out on his desires.

The Bible always tells us to do what is right, not just avoid doing what is wrong.  Deuteronomy 6:5 says, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."  If a man loves God, he will honour, respect, and obey Him.  A man who loves his wife will not cheat on her or be disloyal.  He will consider her feelings, respect her wishes, listen to her, and spend quality time with her.  Instead of focusing on trying not to do all the things that he knows will weaken and destroy the marriage, his love will positively strengthen and deepen their relationship.  When Joseph (a single man at the time) was tempted by a married seductress to have sex, he did not apologetically decline.  "Well, I know it's old school, but I was raised to wait until marriage.  I mean, you are attractive and it sounds like fun, but if someone found out I would be in big trouble.  We wouldn't want those pics plastered on the pyramids."  No!  Genesis 39:9 says, "There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"  Joseph honoured God and his master.  He saw this suggestion as great wickedness and his heart refused to even entertain the idea of sin.

The devil delights to deceive a man into thinking he can sin without consequences.  The moment a man sins in his heart--even in Las Vegas--God knows.  When desires are conceived they bring forth sin.  And when sin is full grown, it brings forth death.  After a woman becomes pregnant, a tiny person begins to grow within her womb.  As the mother eats, nutrients are passed to the growing baby.  Even though 9 months is the typical length of a pregnancy, a child can be born months before or weeks past the original due date.  Sin in our hearts is like a developing baby,  At first there may be a little "morning sickness" which is actually a disturbed conscience, but people get over that.  A pregnant woman will ultimately give birth to a baby, whether she is aware of her pregnancy or not.  It is not unheard of that a woman goes to the doctor thinking she is experiencing abdominal cramps but is actually giving birth to a child!  The point?  Sin grows in the hearts of all people, developing slowly.  Whether we recognise the symptoms or not, sin when full-grown brings forth death.  Even as a baby emerges from his mother into the world, so all men will face God on the Day of Judgment.  All secret sins will be brought to light, and the soul that sins will surely die.

God made a way for our sins to be forgiven, expunged, and remembered no more.  Our permanent record of sin can be wiped clean by the blood of Jesus Christ when we repent and trust in Him.  Trying to wash yourself clean of sin is like trying to purge the internet of those embarrassing mugshots or bachelor party photos.  Even if you were to do that, it's impossible to strike from our memory some of the things we have done or seen.  But God can cleanse your heart, mind, and soul.  We can have right standing and fellowship with Him again by grace through faith.  Don't be deceived by the apparent latency period of sin.  Galatians 6:7-8 says, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life."

According to His Riches

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:19

When I was growing up, I wore my favourite clothes and shoes until they wore out.  Silk-screened logos became cracked and faded, and holes grew in my Vans shoes.  One thing I love about the promises of God is that they never become threadbare and worn out from use.  They never lose their lustre or fade.  If anything, the promises of God become exceedingly more precious because our experience proves they are genuine.  God's Word is not to be locked away in a vault somewhere to guard the secrets contained within, but liberally shared and broadcasted everywhere.  Like the bread that Jesus blessed, broke, and distributed to His disciples to dispense, the greater the need the more God supplies.

God is a provider for the needs of His people.  He does not give out of His abundance, but "according to His riches."  This is grace upon grace.  We starving beggars would be satisfied with scraps from the King's table, yet the King has set us beside Himself at the table with a double-portion of royal dainties.  But alas!  Though we are children of God by faith in Christ, in our earthly condition much of what enters the mouth and stomach is not only eliminated, but forgotten.  When the familiar gnaw of hunger grows within us, we worry that we will starve!  We must bring to remembrance often how God has graciously provided for our needs, given us assurance in His Word of His faithful care and provision, and to reject fears and worries as sin.

God will doubtless supply ALL our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  When our sufficiency is found in Christ, what have we to fear?  Let us take God at His Word and receive according to His gracious provision.  2 Corinthians 8:15 says, "As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack."

Follow Jesus!

One of my favourite paintings is called "The Parable of the Blind" by Pieter Bruegel.  Painted in 1568, I find the attention to detail and profound symbolism striking.  When Jesus and his followers were criticised by the Pharisees, Jesus saw no need to fight with them.  The painting is an illustration of what Jesus says in Matthew 15:14, "Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."  Who you trust and choose to follow is very important.  There are many people who can see with their physical eyes but are spiritually blind, unable to discern the truth.  The Pharisees substituted the traditions of men for the commandments of God.  They were blind guides who led many to destruction.

A teacher can only take a student as far as he knows.  Exceptional students who desire complete mastery over their subject seek to be taught by experts.  Someone who aspires to be a physicist will need more than rudimentary knowledge of algebra.  The same can be said of martial arts or sport.  A weekend warrior with relatively no experience will not be a suitable coach to prepare people to play at a professional level.  A grand master has the knowledge and ability that enables him to teach and train others to a high level.  The sensei a man decides to train under will be a large determining factor in his ultimate success.  In the Hebrew culture, the rabbi a man followed would influence his beliefs, interpretation, and philosophy.  A man's spiritual progression, wisdom, and status depended largely on the rabbi he followed.  It is imperative, therefore, to choose and follow the best rabbi - not just anyone who will take you on as a student.

When John the Baptist began preaching and baptising people, he gained a following among the Jews.  He had many followers who were faithful adherents to his teachings.  John was a prophet sent by God to prepare the way for the Messiah, the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.  He singled out Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God.  The identity of Jesus as the Messiah was revealed to John after he baptised Him.  The Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended and landed on Jesus as a voice spoke from heaven, "This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." (Matt. 3:17)  John 1:35-37 reads, "Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. ³⁶ And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" ³⁷ The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus."  When I read this I thought, here are two men who really understood what John the Baptist had been saying.  They got it!  But even after John claimed Jesus was the Son of God, there were many men who continued to follow John.  Their loyalty to John hindered their growth because a man greater than John had come.  After John pointed out Jesus as the Christ, those who were wise left John and followed Jesus instead.

As Christians, it is imperative and paramount that we follow Jesus Christ.  There are no shortage of people to follow or causes to embrace.  Plenty of people will have you if you will have them!  Unless Jesus is the one we follow, we follow a blind guide.  Unfortunately blind guides have continued to multiply over the years, drawing people away from biblical truth.  Never give your allegiance to a preacher, author, philosopher, philanthropist, actor, musician, or to any person other than Jesus Christ.  A man can only truly follow one master.  Our loyalty cannot be divided.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He is the one who baptises with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  He is the only one who has the words of life.

Love Makes the Difference

After church yesterday, my wife Laura and I went to a high tea put on by the Pyjama Angel Foundation.  For over a year now I have been a volunteer with the Foundation, committing to one hour of reading and playing educational games with a child in foster care a week.  It is really a terrific organisation that seeks to meet the needs of an ever growing number of children in foster care.  We had a good time chatting with other volunteers and enjoyed a musical performance by the Lane Cove Orchestra.

The founder of the Pyjama Angel Foundation spoke about the importance of education for the children in foster care, as statistics show they are at a high risk of dropping out of school and committing crimes as juveniles and adults.  The simple act of spending time with undivided attention for each child conveys a sense of value and security.  Literacy and education, she said, were keys to giving kids in care the opportunity to progress and develop in their studies and life.

As I looked over the group of people listening to Mrs. Sheehan, I thought about what she said.  I agree completely with the vision and purpose of the Pyjama Angel Foundation.  But I do not believe education is the answer to the problems children in foster care face.  They need the same thing that all people crave:  love.  If I try to "educate" without love, it profits very little.  When you love a child unconditionally, what you say now becomes important.  Knowledge and facts have their place, but they are no substitute for love.  If a child knows he is truly loved, his trust will begin to grow.  He may still have baggage, issues, and struggles.  He may not seem to get out what you are putting in.  But it is your love he will cherish and remember, even when he is old - not the English facts you skillfully present.  It is love that will transform a life.

When I think back to all my years in school, I learned many things.  But it is easier for me to remember the faces and names of my teachers and professors than what they actually taught me.  The teachers which made the biggest difference in my life were the ones who impacted me by touching my heart.  It was their love of kids and the love of teaching that came through.  It is love that mades the difference.  Jesus Christ did not come to earth as the Master Teacher, though He is unrivaled as far as good teachers go.  He came and demonstrated His love for all people.  He went to the sick and healed them.  He fed the hungry and taught the multitudes.  Jesus took babies and children in His arms and blessed them.  Those same hands were nailed to a cross:  Jesus laid down His life as a payment for sin so all who repent and trust in Him can be born again and become children of God.  Romans 5:8 reads, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Plenty of men were crucified by the Romans, but the death of Jesus Christ was different.

What does this teach us?  It is love that makes the difference.

Heading for Heaven

"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. ¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

 Romans 8:16-18

When I was young, I made a decision to be born again and commit my life to Jesus Christ.  There were three basic reasons why I did this:  Jesus loved me, I didn't want to go to hell, and I wanted to go to heaven.  As unthinkably horrible as hell is, heaven is infinitely better than we can grasp.  I think it is easier for us to comprehend the terrors of hell than the bliss of heaven while entrenched in our earthly condition.  In this life we have all tasted suffering to some extent.  Instead of backing away from hell in fear, Christians ought to set our focus upon the heavenly glory which will be revealed.  New Jerusalem will not be amazing because the streets are paved with gold or because of our glorified bodies:  New Jerusalem will be great because God is there, sitting on the throne in unspeakable glory, and we will be with Him forever.

Scripture is limitless in scope and application.  The more we dig in the more we realise much remains to be discovered and understood.  No man alive can plumb the depths or soar into the heavens of all that scripture contains.  Yet for all the height, width, depth and breadth, only a small fraction is spent describing the new heavens and new earth that will be our eternal abode - the place we commonly call "heaven."  Many books have been written on the subject, but they cannot not do heaven justice.  I'm sure the authors would not disagree.  Our view of heaven is foggy and misty at best.  Having been saved from the wrath to come, we do well to fix our eyes upon Christ and where He is, living in the presence of the Father.  That is a place where even angels fear to tread, bowing before the Father reverentially with constant words of praise and adoration.  Even with the revelations provided by the Holy Spirit, it has hardly entered into our hearts what God has prepared for those who love Him.  Our light affliction (which can be unfathomably heavy by the world's standards) is not worthy to be compared with our ultimate glory.  Suffering now increases the sweetness of heaven exponentially.

Revelation 21:3-5 reads, "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." ⁵ Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."  Can you imagine a place where there is no death, sorrow, crying, or pain?  I can't.  I believe heaven exists and by God's grace, according to the assurance provided in His Word, I will someday live there.  But it is unimaginable how things will be different.  God will make all things new!  It will not be former things with a new coat of paint:  all things will be new.  Pain and sorrow are our inseparable companions on earth, but the day is coming when they will pass away forever.  Death will not even be a memory, for the former things will not come into mind (Isaiah 65.17).

I have heard many people say that they look forward to meeting men and women of faith spoken about in the Bible and asking questions about their time on earth.  Should I go up to Moses and ask him what was going through his head when he saw the burning bush, I would surely have to interrupt praise being offered to God!  He would be right to say, "Shut up, man!  You are in the presence of the KING OF KINGS!  Who am I?  You're thinking about a burning bush when the Lamb of God stands before you in glory?  Praise Him!"  Words are inadequate to convey the feeling of joy all will experience who are in the presence of God, a God whose presence we can boldly enter today by grace through faith.  Because the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in every believer, we know a bit of the joy we share in God's holy presence.  But when we are perfected and glorified, we shall comprehend in a far clearer and purer sense than we can today.  1 John 3:2 reads, "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."

Jesus says in John 14:1-3, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."  When considering heaven, what is your primary focus:  crowns, mansions, a glorified body, or simply being with Jesus?  He is coming to receive His inheritance to Himself.  We are that inheritance, the reward of His suffering.  That God would love us to such a degree is mind-blowing.  Can you imagine, us sinful pukes as an inheritance?  Yet it is a reality that rightly brings tears of joy to our eyes.  To God be the glory now and forever!  Since we are going to be together forever, let's get to know Him better today.  When the time comes to meet Him face to face, there will be no words.  Looking into His eyes will suffice.

Living in the Light of Eternity

When people take out a loan to buy a house, there are consequences for those who are late or miss payments.  Late payments affects credit ratings and adds fees.  If a "homeowner" ceases to make payments on their home (which the bank still owns!), they can be evicted from the property.  After I bought my first home in the States, it turned out that the previous tenant had accrued much debt.  My neighbor told me he saw several of her cars impounded, and for a while we received calls from a collection agency because she had missed payments on her furniture.  If we put ourselves in debt by overspending and are unable to pay, those whom we owe have the legal right to repossess our cars, homes, and even take the bed out from under us.

All people are born with a debt of sin that looms larger by the day.  Like a balloon payment at the end of a mortgage, the day will come for everyone to settle accounts with the Judge and Creator of all things.  God has provided the 10 Commandments and His Word so we might be see ourselves in the light of His truth:  we are all sinners, and the wages of sin is death.  Without the shedding of blood there is no remission, no forgiveness of sins.  If I were to die in my sins and be judged according to God's perfect Law, the only way I could settle accounts with God would be with my own blood.  I would be bound hand and foot, my body and soul repossessed, and be thrown into hell - where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched.  It is a place of outer darkness, regret, and unspeakable torment for eternity.  That's the consequence of sin, and it's absolutely heartbreaking.

Hear how Whitefield preached, and never dare to be lethargic again.  Winter says of him that "sometimes he exceedingly wept, and was frequently so overcome, that for a few seconds you would suspect he never would recover; and when he did, nature required some little time to compose himself.  I hardly ever knew him go through a sermon without weeping more or less.  His voice was often interrupted by his affections; and I have heard him say in the pulpit,  'You blame me for weeping; but how can I help it, when you will not weep for yourself, although your own immortal souls are on the verge of destruction, and, for aught I know, you are hearing your last sermon, and may never more have an opportunity to have Christ offered to you?' (Lectures to My Students, Spurgeon, pg. 307)

People will do anything to save their own skins.  But most give little if any thought to the condition of their souls.  Jesus asked, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"  Money, fame, power, or political clout will not save you on the day when you stand before the Great White Throne of Judgment.  It is not the throne which is intimidating, but the face and mighty power of the One who sits upon it before whom the earth and heavens will flee.  Death comes unexpectedly, and the wise prepare for it.  I am not referring to funeral plans, insurance, or buying a plot for your remains:  I speak about the soul, the eternal, immaterial, and real you who lives in your body. Through the Gospel, all people are invited to repent and trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour, allowing God to possess you heart, mind, body, and soul.  On the Day of Judgment no Christian will face God's wrath, because Jesus has paid the fine we owed.  Because He did for our sins, we are partakers of His life which continues for eternity.

Think of it!  Standing naked with empty hands before the Creator and Just Judge, God Almighty - without a solicitor, lawyer, money, or recourse - what would you say after countless charges are laid before you, each carrying the sentence of eternal death?  What could you say?  What could you do?  When a man dies in his sins and is bound hand and foot by angels powerful enough to kill every human being on earth in a day, how could he fight against them?  Can a man fight against God?  Man can fight, scream, curse, and blaspheme, but that will not change the righteous rulings of God.  It gives God no pleasure to mete out justice to man for his sin.  It is God's will that none should perish and that all come to repentance.  He has made a way for all to be saved through repentance and faith in Christ.  There is one way to heaven, and Jesus is the Way.  God has revealed this all beforehand so all men are accountable.

Jesus says in John 3:16-20, "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. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. ¹⁸ 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."  Are you walking in the Light?  Jesus is the Light of the World, come to seek and save the lost.  When God shines the light upon you, allow yourself to be exposed.  Don't run from the truth.  Don't try to hide the reality of your sin.  Repent and be born again today.  Jesus is your only Hope.

Joey Hockenberry, Loved By God

Funerals are bittersweet:  bitter because we are processing the loss of a loved one, but sweet to reflect on how people have impacted our lives for good.  The first funeral I officiated was for a man I never knew.  Our church was contacted by the coroner's office in San Diego and were asked if we could provide someone to perform the service.  I was on staff as a youth pastor at Calvary Chapel El Cajon at the time and had been recently ordained as a pastor.  It was through that phone call I was introduced to a young man known by his friends as Joey Hockenberry.

Joey was a man I wish I could have met.  A condition from birth prevented him from being able to speak.  Even at 30 years old he enjoyed simple pleasures, especially balloons.  He had an amazing smile.  His mother and sister loved Joey deeply, and his death was a tragic shock.  In a moment, this young man passed into eternity.  As I stood at the lectern at the funeral hall, the organist playing softly behind me, my heart broke for the grieving people who knew the young man.  This was a man who was greatly loved by people and the God who created him.  Though I never met Joey, I will never forget Him.  His life should be celebrated more than the mourning of his passing.  If I could meet Joey's mum and sister again, I would give them each a hug.  They shared the life of their dear son and brother that day, a gift I can never repay.

There are some people who might trivialise Joey's life because of an arbitrary level of physical or mental development.  I can tell you one thing for certain:  God doesn't.  God spoke to Moses in Exodus 4:11, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?  God made Joey Hockenberry.  He made him exactly as He intended to, and God does all things well.  Joey never lost the wonder of being young.  He laughed, he loved, he was human in every way.  What we see as a limitation in someone else is a revelation of our limitations.  God values human life to the point of sending His own Son as a sacrifice for sin.  God allowed His only Son, Jesus Christ, to face death on the cross so all might live.  Jesus died for Joey, me, and you.

God values life.  He is the one who gives eternal life!  Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."  If you hate your life, it is because you love yourself more than Christ.  And when Christ becomes your life what freedom, peace, and joy is provided by His grace.  Psalm 16:8-11 reads, "I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. ⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope. ¹⁰ For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. ¹¹ You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Worship the Creator!

There's been a lot of hoopla on cnn.com about the success of NASA deploying the rover "Curiosity" on Mars. At a mission cost of 2.6 billion, the hefty price tag is impressive.  The rover was eight months hurtling through space before it touched down safely on the Red Planet.  It is amazing what technology, human ingenuity, and some government funding can do.

As amazing as it is to put a man on the moon or a rover on Mars, it is nothing compared to the miracle of human life.  It is far easier for us to land a rover with cameras and robotic arms on Mars and control it remotely than to comprehend or explain how bones form in the womb of the mother (Ecclesiastes 11:5).  Isn't it crazy that the heart of a baby forms BEFORE the brain?  Unless the heart was formed and pumping blood throughout the body, the brain tissues could not live.  Our brains cannot fathom this wisdom.  Maybe the day will come when man will put a rover on Jupiter, but that great feat will still pale in comparison to the miracle of life which God performs hundreds of thousands of times every 24 hours right here on earth.

A microscopic cell from a father and a cell from the mother in the right conditions are all that it required to begin a whole new life, a person in whom God breathes a living soul.  Diving to the bottom of the Mariana Trench is kid stuff compared to this.  God scoffs at nanotechnology:  He is the only true Innovator and Creator.  Worship Him, because by Him all things are created and consist.

Stupid Questions?

I've heard it said:  "There's no such thing as a stupid question."  A variation on this theme is, "The only stupid question is the one never asked."  I disagree with both of these statements.  I once asked a class of teenagers to provide an example of a stupid question.  Without a moment's hesitation, a hand shot up.  "Yes?"  The young man smiled and asked, "If a chicken had lips could it whistle?"  I saw no need to further prove my point.  The intent of those first two statements is often an encouragement for people to ask legitimate questions, even if they feel foolish asking them.  In a classroom it is likely that if one person finds themselves stumped, there are others who could benefit from the answer.  Too many people fear that revealing their ignorance through a question will make them the targets of ridicule and scorn.  Pride does not enjoy making room for humility, and one must humble himself to admit his lack.

I believe there is such a thing as a good question.  Jesus asked a lot of profound questions.  Because good questions exist, it stands to reason that there are questions at the opposite end of the spectrum.  Jesus was asked many leading, loaded, dishonest questions - not because people sought to gain understanding - but for the purpose of catching Jesus in His words so they might accuse Him.  There are honest and dishonest questions.  Jesus always answered honest questions, but He never entertained dishonest ones.  When the disciples of Jesus humbled themselves to ask for an explanation of a parable, He spoke to them plainly.  When the Pharisees asked dishonest questions, Jesus shot back questions of His own and turned the tables on those schemers, exposing their hypocrisy.  We should emulate Christ's example and not feel compelled to give stupid questions asked dishonestly a moment of our time.

The Bible warns Christians to guard against wasting time on foolish questions.  Titus 3:8-9 reads, "This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. ⁹ But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless."  It is also written in 2 Timothy 2:22-25:  "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³ But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. ²⁴ And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, ²⁵ in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, ²⁶ and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will."  Foolish questions generate strife and division; they are unprofitable and useless.  There is a man who is more concerned about proving his point than by living righteously.  Instead of arguing over senseless hypothetical situations or focusing on flavour over substance, we ought to expend our energies in actually living for God.

If we find ourselves unable to steer clear of disputes, it may be that we are not walking in humility as we ought.  Jesus was humble yet was often the target of calculated debate and attack.  Through great wisdom Jesus was able to diffuse His aggressors and leave them speechless - to the point that no one dared question Him any more.  Let us follow Christ's example of answering dishonest questions with better questions still, and offering gracious instruction to those who legitimately seek understanding.  I do not have all the answers, nor do I need to feel pressure to do so.  1 Peter 3:15 exhorts us:  "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear..."  Jesus has the answers, and He is my answer.  He is my Hope!  Instead of attacking others with words, we have a sure Defense and Foundation in Jesus Christ.  Let us be clothed in humility and meekness, knowing that Christ is our Wisdom.

Repent or Perish!

On the news before dinner, a video was shown of a flaming, mangled car which was involved in a tragic accident.  The wreck ended up killing the teenage driver and sending a passenger to hospital in critical condition.   After dinner our family reads a chapter from the Bible and discusses it together.  The words of Jesus which we read were most appropriate and thought provoking.  Luke 13:1-5 reads, "There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. ² And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? ³ I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

That girl who perished in that accident was no worse than any other teenager.  She was not killed because of bad karma, having sown the seeds of bad deeds throughout her life.  I never met her, but I know she was no worse than I am.  God causes the rain to fall on the just and unjust alike.  Those Galileans who were killed by Pilate, nor those on whom the tower of Siloam collapsed, were worse than other people.  The fact is, we have all done wrong.  The point of Christ's emphasis is, "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."  Not too many of our lives will end in a fiery automobile crash.  Not all of us will be crushed under the weight of crumbling masonry or face capital punishment.  But unless we repent, we will likewise perish.  Jesus spoke these words to compel people to face their own mortality.  Every man will die, and if we die in our sins we face eternal death as a result.  Though it may seem a bit harsh, Jesus was loving to speak this way.  As I think of the flames licking that gutted car, I understand Him clearly.  People are not unlucky to die, and others are not lucky to live.  No matter how long we live on earth, each day is a step towards the inevitable end.

In the evangelism efforts of Christians it is a grave error to divorce the stark truth of the Gospel from the love which made it a reality.  Most of us have witnessed a callous, arrogant, unloving presentation of Gospel truth.  This is an outrage.  But the other extreme is to hold forth the Gospel packaged with such fluff and ribbons that when the gift is opened there is nothing of substance within.  We hold back from sharing the Gospel the way Jesus did because we are afraid of offense.  The result is we pander to those who would refuse to trust in Christ no matter how it is presented, and we do not adequately warn others who would actually respond to the message of salvation through faith in Jesus.  Because we are worried about scaring away the fish we stay away from the water.  If we want to catch fish, we must not only be content to lower the nets:  we need to retrieve them as well.

If we will save souls, there are things which we also must bring up:  our sinful condition, mortality, the judgment that awaits all people after our life is over, and the salvation offered us through Jesus Christ.  If John 3:16 is worthy to commit to memory, so is Luke 13:5.  Unless we repent, we will all likewise perish.  John 3:16 says, "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."  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Visa Update!

I consider it a great privilege to serve God in Australia.  There is no place in the world I would rather be.  Australia was never in my plans growing up or even well into adulthood, but God had other plans!  He has knit my heart so closely to the people here that I cannot imagine living anywhere else.  Watching God unfold His plan for me and my family has been instrumental in strengthening my faith in His provision, timing, and grace.  The love and support of friends and family from "up above" and "down under" has been such a blessing.

Visas are part of the deal when serving in a foreign field.  We are about a year and a half gone of a two-year visa.  When we obtained the 428 Religious Workers visa through the nomination of Calvary Chapel Sydney, it was a once-renewable path to permanent residency.  When Laura called a couple weeks ago to see when we could begin to submit paperwork for the renewal, I knew something was up.  I could hear from the other room:  "I would like to know when we can renew the 428 visa.  We were told it was a path to residency...it isn't?  Oh.  Ok.  Good to know."  What came out of the call is the 428 is renewable, but no longer a path to residency.  I suppose that was the bad news.  It would have been disappointing had the other news not been so good.  It turns out that 1 July a new immigration began which would allow the church to nominate me as a Minister of Religion right now and with it permanent residency!  "Get it done now," the immigration officer said.  "Why wait?"  I could not agree more with that sentiment!

Immediately I began to investigate the process and initiated our Australian Federal Police checks.  At the moment we are gathering together the necessary documentation for the nomination and application, an involved process to be sure.  We are content in the knowledge that God is in control and want to be faithful to do our part.  Patience is something God has given me many lessons in, and there are more lessons to come.  Please pray for the nomination and application to be sorted in God's time.  Thank you for all the prayers, financial support, and love many have expressed to us.  With this visa process and all things may God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven!