Labour and Submission

This week I heard a great message on the subject addressed in Hebrews 4:11:  "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."  This is an interesting paradox, that we should have to labour to enter into the rest God has provided for us.  There is a rest God offers which transcends the cessation of activity.  This rest God speaks of can be intentionally entered no matter our circumstances, just like the peace God offers that passes understanding.  We will never be perfectly at rest until we are free from the fetters of this body of flesh, yet we are called to labour to enter that rest today.  It is not a fleeting mirage that taunts us, ever slipping from our grasp, but a state of heart and way of living we enjoy as we abide in Christ.

This touches on something I have been thinking about often of late, the contrast between being passive and submissive.  Biblical submission is something often misunderstood.  Some correlate submission and passivity, but they are complete opposites.  These two responses are defined not by outward actions, but the condition of the heart.  When someone is passive, it is defined as the absence of outward activity.  When we submit to God and one another in love, at times it can look like passivity.  Yet submission is the voluntary laying down of our will in obedience to the Father, purposing even in outward inaction to rely wholly upon God.  "Submit" is a verb; it is an action we purpose to take.  Submission to God is always intentional and impossible to accomplish without faith in God.  Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Submission is a labour of faith in which God is well pleased.  Jesus gave His back to the scourge, His cheeks to the smiters, and His hands and feet to crude Roman nails in submission to the Father.  The response of Christ to the buffeting of his tormentors may have appeared outwardly passive, but in reality it was nothing of the sort.  His path to the cross was not as a passive sheep, ambling onwards in ignorance, but was purposeful, intentional submission as the Lamb of God sent to be a sacrifice for sin.  Let us submit to one another in love, casting our cares upon Christ because He cares for us.  All our burdens He has already bourne.  We are also called to bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ, to love one another as He has loved us.

Through the Keyhole

I am awed by the complexity of life on earth.  When I turned on the TV the other day, there was a program about Emperor Penguins.  How those creatures survive in such brutal conditions is nothing short of miraculous!  The instincts within those created animals (all creatures are created by God) enable them to procreate, pass the egg gently from female to male, and then walk with the egg balanced carefully on the feet.  After handing off the egg, the female heads off to hunt.  I saw the show for less than five minutes, but my mind was blown by the amazing abilities and rare beauty of those majestic creatures.

From the smallest single-celled organism to the sprawling heavens above, all boldly proclaim the awesomeness of God's creative majesty.  The stars displayed in the night sky twinkle from millions of light years away.  It struck me that when we look up into the sky and admire the beauty of countless stars, we are simply peering through a keyhole to catch but a glimpse of God's majesty.  That is how awesome and great God is.  He is so beyond our comprehension, yet through nature His beauty can be seen.  But God was not content simply to create matter, animals, humans, and spirits.  He desired to be known by them and to be with them.  Unwilling to remain apart from man because of man's rebellion, God saw fit to reveal Himself to us as a Man:  Jesus Christ who is called Immanuel, God with us.  He was not simply and orator or a proponent of social justice, but One who demonstrated divine love for all people through His sacrificial death.  Jesus also revealed His power over death through His resurrection and ascension before many witnesses.

How great is our God!  Moses sang in Exodus 15:11 after God delivered the Israelites through the Red Sea and destroyed their enemies, "Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"  Answer?  No one!  Nothing!  Let us glorify, praise, and thank Him.  May God open our eyes to behold Him so we might better appreciate His wonders!

Only Christ Redeems

The world cannot provide the redemptive forgiveness and grace found only in God.  There is no hope in mankind for salvation or comfort.  Heap up money and riches, distract yourself with activity, and pursue everything your heart desires and your conclusion will be the same as King Solomon:  "All is vanity and grasping for the wind."  Successful building projects, laughter, abundance of wealth, wine, women, or song did nothing to satisfy the needs of his soul.

In the mornings this week I have been reading through the book of Ruth and continue to marvel over this beautiful story of redemption.  Ruth, a foreign widow, "happened" to glean in the field of Boaz.  He was a near kinsman, a man who was called to redeem her to raise up seed on behalf of Ruth's late husband so he would have an heir.  This he delighted to do, and took his case before the men at the gate.  There was a man who was a closer relative than Boaz, but when redeeming the land meant he must also marry Ruth he refused to do so.  He claimed it would mar his own inheritance.  Boaz rejoiced to make a covenant before those at the gate, and redeemed Ruth as his wife.

It is a wonderful picture of the redemptive work Christ has done for us.  We are aliens and foreigners of the commonwealth of heaven, separated from God because of our sin.  But He has been gracious to us and sealed a covenant with His own blood, claiming all who will repent and trust in Him as His own.  What grace, mercy, and love He has demonstrated!  How thankful I am that my life has been redeemed from sin, Hell, and death.  Christ has paid my ransom and delivered me from everlasting destruction, providing through His sacrifice eternal life as it is written in Ephesians 1:5-8:  "...having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. ⁷ In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace ⁸ which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence..."

There are things in this world which have redemptive value:  scrap metals, plastics, even paper goods can be redeemed for the purpose of profitable use.  I am a wretched sinner without any eternal value, yet God has seen fit to redeem my life to accomplish His divine purposes through me.  This is a wondrous thing:  God does not redeem me only because He wants to use me, but because He loves me as I am.  He has made a distinction between me and my sin.  He has forgiven me and chosen to remember my sin no more, and now uses me and all others adopted into His family through the Gospel by His grace.  This is the example I am to follow, giving more grace, that His redemptive power will be at work in and through my life.

I was previously without hope or comfort, but God has done the impossible through the redemptive sacrifice of Christ.  God is worthy of all praise and thanksgiving for all He has done, and I am eternally grateful!

Fear is a Choice

The perspective of the Bible reveals love is a choice.  The divine love revealed through Jesus Christ springs of grace from the goodness of God.  In obedience to the Father's will, Jesus rejoiced to demonstrate His love for sinners even through the suffering of the cross.  This love is not seated on the rise and flow of the emotions, nor is it at the mercy of circumstance.  It is a constant, active love that is ever reaching out to man from the sole pure source of love:  God.

One of the commands Jesus gave to His followers is that we would love one another as He has loved us.  We choose to love therefore on the basis of His active love, not on how we feel at any given time.  Our motivation for loving others is not their worthiness, but out of the same grace God has shown us.  Because the Holy Spirit resides within us, we are enabled to love as God loves.  It is a conscious decision we are called to make to demonstrate this love to all regardless of their performance or views of us.  This sacrificial love is a supernatural fruit of the Spirit within us that is bourne when we abide in Christ through faith.

This week God spoke to me so clearly about another choice we as Christians are called and empowered to make:  the choice to fear.  Did you know that fear - just like love - is a choice?  You might think, "I can't help it if I am afraid."  If you are not a Christian, I quite agree with you.  I fear for you!  But if you are a Christian, you have been given the strength and wisdom to walk according to God's perfect will.  Anyone can be given a fright, but the fear I am speaking of can also be called dread, preoccupation, worry, or fearful uncertainty.  As a Christian, we are given the power to refuse to sin and instead walk in righteousness.

To paraphrase Luther concerning sin, he said something to the effect of "You can't keep birds from flying overhead, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair."  The temptation itself is not sin.  It is our acquiescing response to the temptation which causes sin to be conceived and brought forth.  Satan will surely send his fiery darts and temptations to sin our way, but the shield of faith has the power to block them harmlessly to the ground.  When the idea of sin barges into our minds through our senses or a satanic suggestion, Christians have a real choice:  to flee from the temptation and seek God, or choose to entertain the idea of sin.  We sin when our sin nature is awakened by temptation and we choose to entertain it.  Even before we put it into practice when we toy with the ideas conceived, we are in sin.  Jesus said if someone looks at a woman with lust in their heart, he or she has already committed adultery.

When it comes to fear, we have a choice set before us.  As soon as we recognise our preoccuption or worry, our call is to choose to be casting our cares upon Christ, committing our situation and the outcome into His hands.  David wrote in Psalm 56:2-4, "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?"  Every person on the earth has very real fear, even as we have a sin nature by birth.  David used fear as a trigger to cause him to seek God instead.  He said, "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You."  When David was struck with paralysing fear, he looked to God as his Saviour and Deliverer.  This enabled him to maintain a godly perspective when fear struck his heart.  Then he was no longer afraid because He trusted God and his Word.

Let us choose to flee from the temptation to fear.  When the wind blows and the waves crash against us, when everything seems uncertain and frightening, let us look to Christ and the scriptures.  His nail-scarred hands reach to lift us up, and His eyes are filled with love.  When we see Him and recognise Him as Creator of All and Saviour of our souls, all fear melts away.  Then we can love as He loves, for it is His love which is revealed through us.

God Lifts Up the Fallen

When someone falls on the ground, what is your response?  Do you laugh?  Stop and stare?  Do you carefully walk around the fallen because someone else has already stooped to help?

Do you run to lift the fallen up?  If you know the one who has fallen are you embarrassed for them - or more embarrassed for yourself? 

The simple act of falling can have devastating consequences.  The person who falls bears not only the brunt of the impact, but also the potential stigma of harsh judgments from others.

As Christians, may we be people who are quick to help those who have fallen, whether physically or spiritually.  I think it is easier to accept that someone has fallen physically than spiritually.  Perhaps for years we have viewed someone as a tower of strength who ultimately proved to be weak as any other man, and their fall into sin has left us gutted, disillusioned, even angry.  Let us be those who give grace and seek in a spirit of meekness to restore such a one to fellowship with the LORD and others.  Those who think they stand are warned to take heed lest they fall.

Falling is part of walking, and sin is part of our life here on earth.  Let us admit our failings and when we have fallen, seek aid from the Great Physician Jesus Christ.  We are not too proud to go to the doctor when the pain becomes unbearable, but sometimes we think in spiritual matters we are above falling or requiring assistance to begin the healing process.  Jeremiah 17:14 reads, "Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for You are my praise."  We don't need insurance to have God's assurance.  God is the lifter of our head!

Ready for Real

Yesterday morning I picked up my parents from the airport to kick off their two-week stay with us.  It is a blessing to our family fly down under to visit with us.  Thank you to those who sent letters and goodies along with them, an unexpected treat!  I have been feverishly working to finish my "work" so we can do things together at a relaxed pace.

When I visited the States in June, ironically I helped out with booking this trip.  It was placed on the calendar months ago.  There were many things we have successfully prepared for:  ordering a bed for the re-arranged guest room, organising things to be brought over, inquiring with friends about things to do and see, and planning for the upcoming conference and projects.  But regardless of all the work we have done, it seems like things slipped through the cracks - things like lunch!  For months we knew my parents were coming, but we never thought to put together a menu or daily calendar.  We're jumping right on it...better late than never, I suppose.

It is very easy to be caught up in the daily activities and lose sight of the thing Jesus often reminds us in scripture:  "Behold, I come quickly!"  Being ready in our minds and ready in reality are two different things.  How many times did we know a birthday or special day was coming up and we neglected to buy the card, make the phone call, book the trip, do all the things we fully intended and desired to do because we were busy about other things?  Let's make sure that our Father's business is our highest priority!  Someday it will be too late.  Why regret when we can rejoice in a job well done?

The Better Offer

There is an intriguing passage in Judges 17-18 which speaks of Micah, his idols, and priest.  One of the best and useful sermons I have ever heard was drawn out of this passage by Paris Reidhead titled, "10 Shekels and a Shirt."  Micah hired a Levite to become the priest over his household.  The Levite was pleased with the terms offered him and agreed to serve Micah - that is, until he received a better offer!  When men from the tribe of Dan came with a hidden purpose to steal Micah's ephod and idols, the Levite who posed as a priest confronted them.  They said, "Why don't you come with us?  At the moment you are only priest over a household:  wouldn't it be better for you to be priest over an entire tribe?"  Judges 18:20 reveals his response:  "So the priest's heart was glad; and he took the ephod, the household idols, and the carved image, and took his place among the people."  Like many people, the Levite was only loyal until a better offer came along.

I wonder how many people decide to serve Christ because they see Him as a better offer than what the world initially provided.  The trouble is, the devil is like the Godfather who knows how to make offers men can't refuse.  Everyone who makes a deal with him ends up dying in the end!  Loyal Christians remain faithful to Christ not because He has given them a "better offer," but because only in Him is found forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.  Jesus told a parable in Matthew 20 which set forth a scenario involving a vineyard owner seeking labourers.  He promised to give the willing workers "what was right," fair wages for a day's work.  At the end of the day, all the workers lined up who had been hired to receive their wages.  We are like the workers the vineyard owner has recruited to serve in His vineyard for wages.  Jesus says if we will believe in Him we will receive eternal life.  Those who worked through the whole day received exactly what the master had promised.

Now imagine you are one of those workers in the vineyard.  Just after lunch as you are toiling away, a well-dressed man in a suit walks up to you.  "Working hard, I see?" he says with a wry smile.  "You're working your hands to the bone for what, a denarius?  I think you're worth a bit more than that."  The work is hard and tiring, so he has your attention.  He continues:  "Tell you what:  you come over and work for me, and I'll put you in charge as a foreman and triple your wage."  As you think it over, something doesn't seem right.  The backstory is you have never in your life made a denarius a day.  In fact, you've never had a paying job!  In addition, the master of the vineyard actually paid the fee to free you from life imprisonment for grave crimes.  He invited you to work for him, and you were grateful for the opportunity.  As you stand up, stretch your back, and wipe the sweat from your brow, you see the man nod and smile.  "So?  What will it be?  What's your decision?"  Now what do you do?

If you made the choice to leave the vineyard and follow the well-dressed man, it would be the most regrettable decision of your life.  It's true he paid well - for a while - but in the end you ended up being in greater debt than when you began.  You found yourself back on death row before long, alone and full of regret:  why did you walk away from the vineyard that day?  No offer this world can offer us is better than what God offers.  He gives us what is right by His grace.  What does it profit to gain the whole world and lose your own soul?  Only Christ has the words of life, for He is the Way, Truth, and Life.  The devil's offers may seem good initially, but his forked tongue only speaks lies.  Too many people have laid down their souls as collateral to pursue their desires, and it is a decision they will regret for eternity.

Following and serving Christ is not the easy way, but it is the best way.  It is a good way.  Psalm 16:11  says of our God:  "You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."  Money cannot provide life, fullness of joy, or lasting sweetness.  Jesus freely offers all these things if we will repent and trust in Him.  Let us choose this day whom we will serve.  The scriptures teach us following God is the wise choice.  Choose to stay faithful to our God, no matter what other offers may come along.

He Holds the Reins

Some people have the impression that the Christian life is one of restrictive rules.  In fact, quite the opposite is true:  in Christ we have freedoms never before possible, either apart from God or under the Old Covenant of the Law of Moses.  The Bible tells us all people are born sinners, spiritually blinded by darkness, chained and imprisoned awaiting everlasting judgment.  Jesus came to open the eyes of the blind, make the lame to walk, cleanse the lepers, release people from their chains, and raise the dead.  He is the Light of the World that has shined in the darkness, and only He has the words of life.

God does not bring us out of our bondage to Satan, sin, and death, and herd Christians into kennels.  We are no longer shackled in a prison, but are set free.  We have absolute freedom in Christ without fences, walls, chains, a life without guards in turrets armed with high-powered rifles who wait for any excuse to shoot.  God governs us in a completely different way than some might think.  The Holy Spirit leads us from within.  The way the Holy Spirit leads us could be compared to an expert rider holding the reins on a horse.  He does not hem us in with the bars and gates of a corral, but moves us with a gentle tap of the heel, a quiet command understood by our opened ears, and directs us through a tug on the reins.  It is for us to decide if we will heed His guidance or go our own way.  The world sees Christianity as a cramped corral, but in actuality it is a wide-open meadow with plenty of grazing and clean drinking water.  In the presence of our Owner we remain under His protection and care.  He feeds and waters us, scrubs us clean, and tends to our wounds.  We are ever safe with Him, and He has the best plan for our future.

Unless you have experienced a life with God by His grace, this loving relationship cannot be understood or appreciated.  Even those who are born again cannot express fully the thankfulness we have for the God who rescued us in our distress and saved us.  Horses and people are alike in that before we can be useful we must be broken.  God employs many means to break a man, but all healing is found through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.  Once we learn to submit to His control, we are led out of the paddock and a whole new world opens to us.  As our relationship grows with God so does our trust, and only God knows where He will lead you!  Praise God for His love and gracious governance!

The Poison of Prosperity

It is a great irony that some parents who grew up with virtually nothing want their kids to have everything.  Yet this fervent sacrifice to provide all their children desire creates in them a lack of appreciation for anything!  I was raised by parents who loved me and my siblings and provided for our needs.  Not only were we fed and provided with clothes and shelter, we received gifts for our birthdays.  On very rare occasions we even took family trips to Disneyland.  But we were not given whatever we wanted.  Therefore it didn't take too much for us to greatly appreciate "treats" like eating out at McDonald's or receiving a gift of beef jerky.  We never expected or felt entitled to have a Big Gulp at 7-11 or an ice cream when the truck came by.  My parents showed their love first through being present with us, supported each of their children to meet our individual needs, established clear boundaries through consistent, rigid discipline, and most of all through their faith in God.  The rod played a role in our raising, but it was outdone by kisses, hugs, and laughs.

Every good parent wants to see the needs of their children met.  More than food, water, clothing, housing or gifts, the greatest need of a child is of a spiritual nature.  My parents instilled in me the knowledge through scripture that I was a sinner in need of a Saviour.  I came to understand that the God who created me desired to be my heavenly Father, and that I would be His child.  One of the books of the Bible I loved to read from an early age was the book of Proverbs.  The wise and the foolish are often contrasted.  Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."  The biblical definition of a fool is one who denies the existence of God, or lives as if God does not exist (Ps. 14:1).  Unless children are instructed concerning their deep spiritual need, the success of their studies and career may more of a curse than a blessing.  Interestingly enough, the one thing that is almost an eternal death sentence for a human being is security and prosperity.  For what does the scripture say?  Proverbs 1:32 reads, "For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them." The Hebrew word translated "complacency" in the NKJV is also translated at different times as "prosperity, peaceably, quietness, abundance."  The Strong's Concordance conveys the meaning as a genuine or false security.  If we find our temporal security in relationships, money, insurance, or anything other than God, we remain blind to our need for Him.

When a man or child without the fear of God has an abundance of goods, when they are prosperous and without threats, it works for their destruction.  Jesus said is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a sewing needle than for a rich man to enter heaven.  Yet in Christ there is hope for all.  With men, it would be impossible:  with God, all things are possible (Mark 10:27)!  Satan seeks to destroy men, and one way he does it is through prosperity.  It is good to give good gifts to our children, but may we not neglect their deepest need to fear God.  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and He will supply all our needs.

Christ is Without Controversy

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory."

1 Timothy 3:16

The world is full of controversy, but these basic tenets of godliness are not numbered among them.  Paul plainly says the mystery of godliness - something once hidden that has now been revealed - is without any controversy, beyond any doubt or factually-founded opposition:  God has been manifested through the person of Jesus Christ, justified in the Holy Spirit through His bodily resurrection, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up in glory.  Paul speaks of these as ironclad facts.

Most of the attacks of scripture or Christianity do not come against these aspects, nor could they.  It is easier to point out the flaws or hypocrisy of His followers than to lay such claims against Christ.  Should someone try to debunk Christ's existence, His claims, deeds, resurrection, or ascension from even a secular historical basis, it is a futile exercise.  Ask Josh McDowell about that approach!  It is easier to try to create controversy through "oppositions of science falsely so called" (1 Timothy 6:20) than to refute the authenticity of Christ's words and deeds.  These truths are made plain and evident through scripture for those who have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to understand what the Spirit is saying.  But the reality is, many people have strong reasons not to believe.  When the "reasons" not to believe are stripped bare, the aforementioned proofs are not the issue.  As much as we humans love to tout our logical approach and emotional detachment in making decisions, and our ability to make an objective choice based solely on the facts, we have an inner bias favouring ourselves we cannot shake.  Nearly every single thing we have learned through our senses, and our senses or ill-informed sources have failed us more than we know.

If we want to understand truth from God, we must be born again.  We need the Holy Spirit to make new our minds, hearts, and will.  We must lay down our prejudices and biases, and choose to bring God's Word to bear upon the parts of our lives that naturally oppose His rule.  God became a man to relate to us, personally enduring rejection, physical pain, and hatred.  He did not come to visit for the experience alone, however, because He came with the express purpose to seek and save the lost.  He came to sacrifice Himself for man's redemption.  Jesus came with great wisdom and the words of life, but people sought to trip Him up or trap Him with His own words.  They questioned Christ and disputed with Him, and ultimately Jesus was accused and killed.  But without controversy is the fact the Messiah Jesus Christ has come in fulfillment of scripture.  Jesus rose from the dead, and it has been documented the great pains the Romans and Jewish leaders went through to make sure He was dead, buried, sealed in a tomb, and guarded.  In doing so, they only furthered proved the validity of Christ's resurrection, and His ascension was viewed by eye-witnesses who went to their deaths professing the truth of it all.  The man who wrote this passage inspired by the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul, was one of them.

This is the beauty of Christ and His Word.  The world may ridicule and scorn; we will face unfounded personal attacks on our character; but regardless of whatever state we find ourselves or wherever we may be, we can be assured of these truths upon which our lives are founded.  Our bodies will grow old and fail, yet our inner man is renewed day by day.  The world can dissolve, but our faith will wax stronger through the Spirit's revelation.  We know and are assured that our souls have been purchased with the precious blood of Christ, and He has reconciled us to God.  The words of Jude 1:24-25 are our daily benediction and praise:  "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵ to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen."  Let us hold the high ground, looking to and rejoicing in our Saviour and Messiah Jesus Christ!

Jesus Still Speaks

The Bible is filled with many teachings of Christ to His disciples.  Some have been recorded in great detail and have been named by scholars, like the Sermon on the Mount or the Olivet Discourse.  But there are many times we aren't told exactly what Jesus said.  When Jesus met with two men headed down on the road to Emmaus, we are told beginning at Moses and the prophets Jesus expounded on all the scriptures concerning Himself.  No words from this enlightening sermon besides the initial words of rebuke are recorded.

Only a handful of verses later, Jesus appeared to the disciples as they gathered in secret.  Luke 24:44-45 reads, "Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." ⁴⁵ And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures."  Again, we are not told precisely what He said.  But I believe there is a reason that the words were not entirely recorded.  The words Jesus spoke could have easily been penned, but they have been sealed.  Why?  Because Jesus has things He desires to teach us individually and corporately today we can only discover through the study of His Word empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Before Jesus went to the cross, He said to His disciples in John 16:12-13:  "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."  After Christ's resurrection and ascension, when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, the disciples who met in one accord were baptised with the Holy Spirit.  Through Him, Jesus has revealed things previously unknown.  We are not at a loss because all the sermons of Christ were not recorded for us because the Spirit will reveal to us personally all He desires to teach us.  This is a wondrous truth!  1 Corinthians 2:9-10 says, "But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." ¹⁰ But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God."

Jesus has many things yet to teach us, and He has chosen in these last days to open our understanding that we might comprehend the scriptures through the power of the Holy Spirit.  We live in a day of revelation, understanding, and fulfillment.  Are you willing to walk with Christ and open up His Word so He can speak to you through it?  How many things He will teach us if we will only walk with Him and listen!

God Doesn't Change

People change, but God doesn't.  This is one of the many aspects of God which is completely contrary to our experience on earth.  He says in Malachi 3:6, "For I am the LORD, I change not..."  The world changes with the advance of technology; philosophy, society, and economics change; the climate is constantly in a state of flux; even our bodies are always changing.  Our thoughts change from one moment to the next, but God does not change.  His righteous Laws do not "change with the times," for He has created time and it is subservient to His everlasting rule.  He created this world, and someday He will end it.

During my lifetime, I have witnessed many changes.  I have seen portable music devices go from oversized boom-boxes lugged on the shoulder to Walkman cassette players with headphones to portable CD players and MP3 players with ear buds to a phone that is a computer, camera, work and game station which oh yeah - also plays digital music downloaded from the internet without wires or cables and is stored in your pocket!  With the advance of capitalism has come a massive increase in technology, increase of schools and universities, and convenience stores.  Walk through a shop today and the range of products is staggering, and everywhere we are faced with choices.  And with our freedoms and affluence, our foray into personal entitlement demands we "have it our way."  As our independence grows so does our pride.  It was not long ago that certain things were certainly right and wrong, but the poison of subjective truth has seeped into the very souls that comprise society - if a man has a soul at all.  God has become unnecessary, and even to speak of Him is an ill omen.  God, the Bible, the account of creation, and the person of Jesus Christ have been reduced to a grab-bag where people justify themselves to pick and choose what we want to believe - if we believe at all.

God has always given people the right to choose if we will believe Him or not.  Remember, He doesn't change.  He created man from the dust of the ground and breathed into Him a living soul.  He created a mate for Him by removing a rib and fashioning a woman, for she was taken out of man.  God established distinct sexes designed to provide companionship, procreate within marriage, a picture of the relationship He desires to have with man, one spurned on by His active, unfailing love.  Because of sin, it was not long before the institution God made was under attack, with men divorcing their wives because of the hardness of their hearts.  A ploy of Satan was to make Eve question the validity of God's Word, and he uses the same tactic masterfully to this day.  When I was growing up, the Bible that gave unheard of protection and provision for women was blamed for their oppression.  The God-ordained roles in the marriage relationship were questioned.  The existence of sexual sin or illicit relationships was also questioned.  Now it has come to a point where a genetically born man is free to choose if he is really a man or a woman.  It has become all about us, and the phrase from the satanic bible "Do what thou wilt" has traction like never before.  With the erosion of the fear of God has come great confusion.  1 Corinthians 14:33 says, "For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." The word "confusion" in the Greek is defined as "instability, disorder, confusion."  God is a God of order and He does not change.  Sin has entered this world and death through sin.  Satan opposes God and fights against Him, seeking to subvert his truth.  Because we live in a day where men do not measure truth against God's unchanging Word and character, applauding whatever his heart believes is right, we add confusion to our guilt before God.

Today I was driving and caught something out of the corner of my eye.  Near my house, several pairs of ducks can often be seen together:  a male and his female.  The heavens declare the glory of God, and nature itself speaks of order.  I smiled to myself as I thought about the wisdom of God.  There are very intelligent people who believe humans are descendants of sludge and there is no God.  But there by the road, in a very quiet and lovely manner, those two ducks waddled along together.  It spoke volumes to me:  no matter what changes occur in society, no matter how far we stray from the truth of the scriptures, at least the ducks will keep being ducks.  God created them to reproduce after their own kind.  They will keep being male and female, and ducks will remain monogamous life-long partners long after the biblical definition of marriage is cast aside by humans, a testimony of God's plan and design.  Ducks did not learn this "behaviour" from their parents or from their religious beliefs, but because God placed in them instincts to obey His rule.  Is not the wisdom of God past finding out?  God gave man the freedom to choose, and sadly most men choose to go their own way - and to their ultimate destruction.  I guess you either believe this, or you don't.

Consider the objective wisdom offered in James 3:13-18:  "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."  I am called by God to be righteous, and I am a great sinner.  God has provided a way for me to become righteous through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  The Bible says when we do this, our sins are washed away and we are clothed in Christ's righteousness.  He is for us Wisdom (1 Cor. 1:30) and we are called to judge with righteous judgment.  This does not mean to be judgmental of others, but to choose to agree to God's perfect judgments demonstrated by living accordingly.  God's wisdom is the wisdom from above.  Through Christ we can have peace with God, though we live in a fallen and confused world under the sway of Satan.

Let us show by good conduct - according to God's standards - that we walk in the meekness of wisdom.  Does God need us to become defensive and furious against all who deny Him?  No.  Christ is our Peace, and let us sow the good seed of His Word in faith knowing it will not return to Him void.  When we see attacks upon God's definition of marriage or Christians standing up for their beliefs, let us recall 2 Timothy 3:12-17 to mind:  "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Let Jesus In

Picture a husband and wife recently married.  The husband has been away on business and returns to his wife in the middle of the night.  The night is cold and damp.  Embers glow faintly on the hearth, like eyes peering into the room.  In a semi-conscious state, the woman hears her husband knock and call.  The drama unfolds at this moment:  "I sleep, but my heart is awake; it is the voice of my beloved! He knocks, saying, "Open for me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one; for my head is covered with dew, my locks with the drops of the night." ³ I have taken off my robe; how can I put it on again? I have washed my feet; how can I defile them?" (Song of Songs 5:2-3)

This is a tiny excerpt from King Solomon's "Song of Songs."  The bride heard the voice of her beloved as he knocked on the door.  He entreated her gently and affectionately, proclaiming his love for her.  In his view, she was flawless and without compare.  He explained the dew had soaked his hair, and he would very much like to come in.  His wife's response is interesting.  Despite his love and affection toward her, she remained unmoved.  She was very comfortable in her warm bed.  She was not wearing her robe and her feet had been freshly washed.  She didn't want to have to wash them again!  Considering the time, opening the door was most inconvenient.  But if she would be honest, these were mere excuses - and selfish at that!  As the story continued, the bride finally made it to the door.  She dolled herself up a bit, even anointing her hands and fingers with liquid myrrh.  Song of Songs 5:6 explains the cost of her delay:  "I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and was gone. My heart leaped up when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer."

The Beloved is a picture of Jesus Christ, who stands at the door and knocks, calling out our names.  Revelation 3:19-20 says, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. ²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me."  Jesus has come to each one of us, even as the husband stood knocking at the door.  What He has been doing is inconsequential, for He is always about His Father's business.  Jesus does not desire only to purchase us as slaves He orders around, but to commune with us intimately in relationship.  But how do we respond when He prompts us to read the Word?  To rise early and pray?  To go on a walk with Him on a dewy morning when we would much rather stay in bed?  If we delay, we can miss important time spent with Him.

When Jesus knocks on the door of our heart, let us open to Him.  Let us shake off our slumber and rise immediately in response to Him.  Should He rebuke, it is a sure sign of His genuine love.  Let us put aside all excuses, and cease trying to make ourselves look good.  Open the door just as you are, even if we have laid aside the robe of righteousness He has provided.  If our feet are dirty, He will wash them.  He has given us this example for us to follow!  He will do even more than this, for if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us from all sin and cleans us from all unrighteousness.  Humbling ourselves in repentance will bring Him skipping across the mountains to meet with us with great joy.  Restoration begins when He knocks and we open the door!
 

Love that Governs

God's love is greater than man's comprehension.  Yet in His grace God has demonstrated His great love for us through the willing sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  It is a love so profound and limitless, that if it had size it would extend beyond the known universe.  God's love is deeper than an ocean, more powerful than the crushing weight of the greatest waterfalls.  About 70% of the earth is covered with water, and very little of it has actually been explored.  The best most of us do is roll up our pants and get our feet wet.  When it comes to God's love, the same could be said.  We can swim out a little into it, but to plumb the depths from our vantage point is impossible.

In preparing for a sermon this week, I was reminded of a post written years ago called "The Ligament of Love."  Love is the indispensable bond of perfection in the Body of Christ.  This week I was treated to another practical example of God's love in our lives.  For a few years, I worked at the NASSCO shipyard in San Diego as a private contractor.  Here is a picture of one of the ships I worked on in the NASSCO dry dock, known as "the floater" (by the way, I am not in the picture!):

In the picture, the propellers and rudders of the ship can be clearly seen.  The movement of the propellers drives the ship forward and the rudder allows the vessel to be safely navigated.  Whilst looking at this picture, I was reminded how Christ is intended to be "at the helm" of every Christian's life.  The propellers represent the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit who moves us according to Christ's leading.  As I thought about it, the rudder of a ship is a wonderful picture of the role of Christ's love in our lives.  We are to walk in love, our every action being governed by it.  A ship without a rudder would be adrift and ultimately end in disaster, and Paul says that without love we are nothing.  This ship could be loaded with all the riches imaginable but could never reach the intended port without a rudder.  In the same way, the love of Christ provides resistance to the currents of this world and even the leanings of our flesh so we can fulfill the perfect will of our Captain - who is Christ.

How important it is we keep our rudder in the water!  It is imperative we learn to walk in love, being guided by Christ in everything.  Only then will we be useable by our Saviour, regardless of the talents or treasures we have been bountifully granted by Him.  Ephesians 5:1-2 says, "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. ² And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma."  May the love of Christ compel us to walk in the manner that fully pleases Him.

Hands On! (part 2)

After writing a post of the necessity for a "hands on" approach to Christianity, I decided it would be important to develop the concept a little further.  While "hands on" training is important for honing skills in a trade, the work done in the classroom is not necessarily what you will face in the field.  In fact, it is safe to assume the work done in a classroom will always be different than the field!  The concepts could be applied, but the differences are many.  The level of fitness required to be a mechanical insulator (potentially climbing up and down a 10 foot ladder hundreds of times in a day, for instance) is not addressed in the confines of a classroom.  In a classroom, the material needed for the job is on hand.  Specialised tools are easily accessible to fabricate metal.  Pipes and vessels in class are not energised, unlike in the field when repairs need to be made on "live" steam pipes.  In class therefore, no care is required to avoid burns.  Insulation in the class setting is applied to pipes without any interference of any kind at eye level.  These conditions are shockingly different from the field, where there could be shortages of the correct-sized material and necessity demands you to "make it work."  Material may need to be carried long distances, and hoisted or lowered with a rope.  Ships are notorious for having all manner of interference:  pipes, electrical, and equipment not associated with insulation work have to be carefully avoided and kept clean.  While classwork is valuable for developing hands, eyes, and skills, there is undoubtedly a large divide from practice in school and actual insulation in the field.

This is very true in the spiritual arena.  It became evident to me when I entered university that in church I had learned answers to questions nobody was asking!  Growing up in church, certain things were a given:  God exists, the Bible is the Word of God without error, and truth is absolute, just to name a few.  We did not spend much time discussing the reality of these facts, because apparently they were self-evident.  But in university, everything was debatable.  Everything was questioned.  It was a good thing for me, because I was forced to carefully examine the things I believed.  That experience helped me to understand the necessity of approaching the Bible and Christianity from a view of unbelief - though I believe myself.  We need to be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is in us in a manner unbelievers can relate to.  The Holy Spirit will give us wisdom and discernment to speak the truth in love and demonstrate through love unfeigned the truth of the Gospel.  How much Christians would learn if we could organise a time to meet with people who hate Christians or deny the existence of God and ask them some simple questions for the purpose of understanding their perspective!  I'll bet their reasons for believing what they believe will surprise you.

When I was in trade school with Local 5 in Los Angeles, we insulated the same pipes with the same insulation in the same arrangement all the time.  It was not long before the work became a routine.  Some sneaky apprentices saved their layouts as patterns - only to have the sizes changed for the final!  The students who did this struggled with time and didn't learn the concepts behind laying out a circular pipe on a flat surface.  Without a proper grasp of the basic fundamentals, I doubt the techniques learned in class were ever applied outside the classroom.  The same thing can happen in church.  We are around "church" people so often that we forget there are so many different issues and struggles people have.  We cannot simply apply a "pattern" to approach people with the Gospel.  Using an insulation pattern in the field with all sorts of interference would be a waste of time.  The pattern we must follow is that of Christ who always did the will of the Father.  It is so important that all we do is steeped in Christ's love as we are led by the Holy Spirit.

There were plenty of guys I trained with who had skills at layout and insulating in class, but their knowledge did not immediately correlate to ability in the field.  Some lacked speed and fitness required to put in a full day of work in sweltering conditions.  Others were confronted with their fear of heights.  In the church many have skill within the church context, but struggle with the idea of speaking to an atheist or someone of another faith.  But no matter where we find ourselves in our Christian walk, the imperative is to take the concepts and truths we learn in the church and apply them in our lives wherever we are.  We are to continue growing in grace and knowledge, seeking to walk in love always.  God desires His people walk skillfully through life.  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.  As we are led by Christ, may we grow to maturity and bring much glory to His name.

Hands On!

Something I've been mulling over lately is the value of "hands on" experience.  When I was in training to be a journeyman mechanical insulator, my classes were broken into two basic parts:  book work and hands on.  We spent a good deal of time learning about hydronic systems, four and three pipe systems, chillers, boilers, and identifying what pipes or surfaces required insulation.  A bit dry at times, but valuable information.  But hitting the books did nothing to develop the eye, hands, or gain any practical experience of actually doing the work.  Hands on training was the primary part of our training so we could familiarise ourselves with layouts, cutting styrene, metal jacketing, fiberglass cloth, and rubber.  The high quality our teachers required was obtainable only after much practice, repetition, and the development of learned skills.

In the church today, I think the tendency is to have things backwards.  In my view, there is a real possibility we focus primarily on the book work and put little emphasis on the "hands on" portion of our faith.  Can you imagine a hairstylist who spent 95% of time in beauty school learning about the history of scissors and brushes, the anatomy of hair follicles, the chemical properties of various hair products, studying the evolution of hair styles through the centuries, and and only spent 5% of their time in school actually cutting, curling, dyeing, and styling hair?  But this is what we can do with our many Bible studies, home groups, Sunday Schools, prayer meetings, and discipleship classes.  Don't get me wrong - fellowship, prayer, and study of God's Word is vital to our spiritual health and growth.  The point is, how often are you actually getting your hands dirty, learning through experience to apply your knowledge in real life situations?  Unless our faith includes a lot of hands on, we have the Christian skills of a hairdresser who really hasn't styled much hair ever!

There was no person more hands on than Christ.  He invested wisdom and time with His disciples, taught the Word in the synagogue, and He laid hands on the sick and healed them.  He fed the hungry, and discussed spiritual truth with unbelievers.  Jesus went about His Father's business, which involved Him traveling around and doing good.  He had a message to share with the world, and He compassionately shared it with all who would hear.  How important it is that we provide a Christ-like example for our spouse and children, our friends and co-labourers in Christ!  Unless our kids are given hands on experience in following Christ and are taught to live skillfully as we invest ourselves in them individually, how will they practically know what following Jesus looks like?  We can't be content to feed them information alone.

Once we are washed from our sin, our call is to engage in the work of the ministry.  So let's get our hands dirty, people!

Taught to Know War

"Now these are the nations which the LORD left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan ² (this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it), ³ namely, five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath."

Judges 3:1-3

When the people of Israel neglected to drive out the inhabitants of the land according to God's command, He allowed the people to remain to test the Israelites.  In Judges 2:22 God revealed one purpose why He allowed the nations to remain:  "...So that through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the ways of the LORD, to walk in them as their fathers kept them, or not."  By allowing nations that did not fear God to remain, He effectively provided His people a choice.  The Israelites were granted an opportunity to prove themselves faithful to God's commands or reveal their disobedience.

This second reason God allowed the nations who did not fear God among His people I find most compelling.  There was a new generation of Israelites who did not know God, His mighty works (Judges 2:10), and had not experienced war firsthand.  They were not battle-hardened warriors who placed their faith in God to fight their battles.  This new generation was soft, easily influenced by the enemies of God, and needed to learn how to fight and stand up for righteousness.  So God saw fit to allow enemies of Israel to remain so His people would "be taught to know war."  No one gains skill through ignorance.  No one improves without a level of training and practical experience.

It is for this reason that God has allowed Satan - the enemy of our souls - to remain presently alive and well on this earth.  He goes to and fro like a hungry lion, seeking who he may devour.  We are called to resist him, steadfast in the faith, standing strong girded with armour supplied through the Holy Spirit.  God wants Christians to learn how to fight, defend the truth, to resist temptation, and to be strong.  God does not want us to be warmongers against flesh and blood, but to be battle tested and grow increasingly proficient with our blade:  the Sword of the Spirit which is is the Word of God.  He wants our minds to be sharp, our lives focused, our hands toughened, taking courage in God though we see the enemy advancing.  No one in the midst of a fight entangles himself with the affairs of this life, and we must remain vigilant.  God wants us to be battle-hardened veterans, not doughy and soft through lack of exercise.  He desires we be courageous and bold to trust His promises.  Every day we are being tested and tried:  are we willing to make peace with the world through compromise?  Are we willing to stand up for righteousness or will we acquiesce to the world's wisdom to please the flesh?  Will we choose to love God and others enough to labour to pull down the enemy's strongholds?

God has provided all His people with a choice.  Our desires, decisions, and the use of our time shows if we are truly loyal to God or not.  May God be able to say to us at the end of our days:  "Well done!  You have fought the good fight; you have run a good race; you have finished the course.  Enter into the joy of the LORD."  Even as the enemy gains strength, we need not fear.  Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.  The battle is the LORD's, but we must be resolute to fight!

Nimby!

I learned a new word today:  nimby.  It means, "Not in my backyard!"  It reminded me of something I've been thinking of lately.  The messages at Calvary Chapel Sydney lately have compelled me to do some personal examination and inventory.  As a parent or leader, we are to be circumspect in our conduct and that of our children.  There is always the potential that we will be personally offended when kids we are supervising (especially our own!) fall into destructive or sinful behaviour.  We can forget that we too are imperfect, and sin ultimately is not against us but God.

It has been revealed to me by God that I tend towards a "nimby" or "Not on my watch!" mentality.  When we make the struggles of others focused on primarily how they affect us, we have ceased to walk in love.  If I grit my teeth in frustration because of the inconvenience of an internet filter installed for the safety of my children, I am walking in selfishness - not love.  It occurred to me that as a parent, it is better to be watchful and discern sinful behaviour than to bury my head in the sand and pretend all is well.  Sometimes as parents we discover our kids are struggling in an area, it feels like an indictment against us.  We are tempted to believe the lie that this means we must be doing a terrible job as a parent.  Actually, quite the opposite may be true!  It is a good watchman who notices the danger and does something about it.  His discovery of a threat proves he is doing his job, and his loyalty to his master and his position moves him to action.

When we aren't aware of the struggles of our kids, we may think we are doing a spectacular job.  But our ignorance of a struggle does not mean there is not fight a going on.  God is the best Father, yet that doesn't mean His kids are perfect!  The fella who said "Ignorance is bliss" clearly never considered the certain end of that path.  God said in Hosea 4:6 that His people were destroyed for lack of knowledge.  Ignorance of the law does not make a man innocent, and ignorance concerning the struggles of others does not spare them the consequences.  It would be better for our children to go "off the rails" whilst in a nurturing, loving environment where they are accountable before man and God than to do so after they have left home and resort to their own devices.  If open communication is established while kids are young without there being hell to pay, kids will confide more with their parents about the real issues they face.  The consequences of freely confessing sin should not bear the same punishment for sin parents discover themselves.  If you think all is well because your kids haven't approached you with a conflict, don't be deceived to think they are immune from sin.  It won't be your great parenting that saves them, but the grace of God.

I must move beyond the nimby mentality which suggests as long as I don't know about it, everything is fine.  As long as I remain my children's prime deterrent to sin, what will keep my children following God into adulthood and after they have moved away from my home?  We must teach our children to honour God proactively, not instruct them through our negative reactions to cleverly mask their pains and hide their sins.  A life of holiness goes far beyond the outward conduct, but is a matter of the heart.  If we make the Christian lifestyle of one preoccupied with externals, the inner man has not been affected.  Therefore we must labour to deal with the source of sin by gently shepherding our children's hearts as we are led by the Holy Spirit.  It is for us to maintain our walk with God, so we will be able to demonstrate for our children the relationship God intends man to have with Him.

We may have all the wisdom in the world but unless we walk in love, we are nothing.  It is the love of God that pursued and captured our hearts, and God's love through us will have the greatest and most profound impact on our kids as we encourage them to receive of His love and walk therein.

Why This Blog Exists

We are living in a day when point of view is king.  People see what they want to see, and hear what they want to hear.  The internet has transformed the way we view information, a place where we decide whether the information is credible or not.  If you disagree with the "facts" presented, it can be explained away as irrelevant propaganda - despite any research or support for the view.  Whether it is news being reported on TV, books, magazine articles, or blogs, there seems to be a constant and growing suspicion of an underlying personal bias or political agenda.  We may not even notice that the one with the bias could be ourselves!  I wrote more on this point in a previous post in titled, "Particularized Trust."  The field has been leveled to such a degree that a claim substantiated from 20 years of research can be instantly debunked by a web surfer who doesn't know a test tube from a beaker.

I recognise this blog is one among hundreds of millions and is therefore of infinitesimal significance.  It is not possible for a blog to change a single person's mind concerning their established beliefs either of Christ, Christians, morality, or the Bible.  People may click on a post from this blog and before one sentence is read fully declare "Rubbish!" and move onto something they already agree with.  This also goes for Biblical doctrine and interpretation among Christians.  It used to be that people actually toiled over their own Bibles in prayer, seeking answers to life's questions.  Now prayer has been replaced by search engines like Yahoo and Google with millions of results to choose from.  More than seeking the truth for our questions, we can fall into the rut of seeking confirmation in our ignorance.  Find one person that agrees with you, and it would take more than the earth splitting in two to move us to reconsider.

I don't write these blog posts because I think I can do any good in this world.  I can't save a soul.  But I pray that God uses them for His glory in encouraging, challenging in a healthy way, and building up the Body of Christ.  The only power of this blog is found in the Word of God through the Holy Spirit.  He has the power to pierce, to reveal, instruct, to personally impact each and every person who reads looking for the Truth.  Over and over in scripture the words of Jesus ring out:  "He who has an ear to hear, let him hear!"  Most people have ears, but it is rare person who knows how to use them.  More than talking only of the functional aspect of listening, hearing in the sense that Jesus speaks of is "heeding."  Heeding is hearing and walking accordingly.  Hearing is when we actually listen and digest carefully what we have heard before we formulate a rebuttal in our minds.  Are you the kind who is chomping at the bit in a discussion, that while another person is speaking to you already you are working out what to say next instead of hearing what is being said?  Haven't we all been guilty of this offense?

From time to time I step back and examine why I blog and what purpose it serves in these treacherous times.  My answer to continue at this time comes from 2 Timothy 4:1-4:  "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: ² Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. ³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; ⁴ and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."  We are living in these days Paul predicted, when people will not endure teaching from God's Word.  People pick and choose what confirms their existing beliefs.  They will subscribe and follow teachers they agree with, and refuse any that raise contrary positions.  People will gladly choose fables or stories over the revealed truth of God's Word.  They will call the Bible a fable should it contradict their views!  People assert there is no god so they can in essence be one!  So what are the righteous to do?  Preach the Word.  Be ready in and out of season.  Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.  That is why God has me contributing to this blog.  I rarely see any fruit from it, but God will bring the increase in His time.  Since it's His increase, I don't need to see it to continue pressing on.  Even if there never is any measurable effect on the world or church from these posts, that's not my problem.

We Christians have been given the message of the Gospel as ambassadors for Christ in a world fully opposed to Him.  We must speak, regardless if people seem to listen or not.  The church has always faced obstacles, and always will.  Christ is the only one who can open the eyes of the blind, open the ears of the deaf, heal the lepers, or raise the dead.  Jesus has overcome, and we can only overcome through Him!

More Than Just Facts

Some people say their primary hindrance to sharing their faith in Christ is a lack of knowledge.  Faced with the prospect of arguments they do not feel equipped to answer, sharing Christian beliefs with others may appear a daunting task.  It is important to recognise Christianity is more than facts but a real relationship with God.  If we have Christ we can share Christ, even if we do not have the academic background to match others.  Knowledge is valuable and reasonable, and for Christianity it is an imperative.  Our minds are convinced of the truth by evidence in scripture.  Our hearts are moved to receive the truth, and our will responds to walk according to it.  These three things in that order - the mind, heart, and will - must unite together to be born again by grace through faith.

Facts are like keys, but we must realise only God can fit them into a locked mind and turn them to open the understanding of an unbeliever.  That is why facts alone will not convince a person of the existence of God, His righteous Law, the desperate need for salvation, and furnish the desire to receive His free gift through Christ.  1 Corinthians 2:12-14 tells us, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. ¹³ These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. ¹⁴ But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."  We need the Holy Spirit to open our understanding so we might know what God has freely given us.  If only our natural mind is employed to consider spiritual truth, it will seem like foolishness.  Facts are a necessary means, but they are not the end.

There is a balance:  we must study to show ourselves approved unto God by rightly dividing the Word of Truth, yet we must be reliant upon the Holy Spirit to convince us and others of the wisdom of God.  A blind man may be very perceptive, but he is still without sight.  He could not possibly describe a picture of a simple object you hold in your hand, though it appears to a person with perfect sight clear as day.  We should not be impatient with a person who cannot see, but ought to show grace and compassion in carefully describing the picture in detail.  When we are harsh, easily frustrated, or abrupt without demonstrating love towards the person, the message we intend to convey will be lost.  Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.  Those who rely upon knowledge seek to use facts to bolster their own case, but love seeks to encourage and build up others.  "Winning" an argument is not the point, for if that is our aim we likely slam and bolt shut a door of interest and opportunity others could potentially enter at a later date.

Don't let mockery or the scorn of unbelievers cause you to waver from the foundation of scriptural truth.  When Paul preached in Athens, many of the intellectuals laughed and mocked his message.  When Jesus expounded on a passage from Isaiah in the synagogue, the religious men of the city tried to kill Him in their fury!  If you hold forth the truth in love, and both you and your message are refused with ridicule, you are in good company.  Instead of feeling forlorn, double your efforts in prayers for those blinded by the devil.  Seek the answers in the Bible.  Trust that God is able and willing to open the eyes of the blind and deliver the slaves from bondage to sin, for that is the purpose Jesus was sent and a primary purpose God chooses to leave Christians on this earth.  Don't preach yourself, but Christ.  It is Jesus who is being rejected.  Should you abandon all faith and agree with those who oppose you, you would be gladly accepted.  But it is better to be rejected by man and received by God than to be accepted by men and destroyed by God.

2 Corinthians 4:5-18 reads, "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake. ⁶ For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- ¹⁰ always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So then death is working in us, but life in you. ¹³ And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. ¹⁵ For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. ¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

The Man at the Inn

I've been thinking lately about the parable Jesus told about the "Good Samaritan."  When tested by a man who sought to justify himself by asking, "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus told a story about a man traveling the road to Jericho who fell among thieves.  He was beaten, robbed, stripped, and left for dead.  A priest who walked by ignored his plight, as well as a Levite who passed by on the other side.  It was the Samaritan, a man hailing from a group of people despised by the Jews, who showed compassion on the man when he stopped, lifted him from the ground, anointed his wounds, and took him to an inn so he might recover - all at his own expense.

Perhaps it is more ironic still that Christ alludes to Himself through the care of the foreign Samaritan who helped the wounded man.  Jesus has done for us far more than the Samaritan in the story did for the wounded man.  Jesus was despised and rejected by His own.  He revealed love and compassion for all people through coming to earth as God-made-flesh, and paid for our healing and salvation with His own blood on the cross.  He has not merely left us with money as we recover, but He has given us the Comforter -the Holy Spirit - who dwells within us.  Jesus will someday return to settle all accounts, and His reward is with Him.

From this perspective then, the picture of the man who was beaten, stripped, and robbed represents all people who have inherited the sin nature of Adam.  Man was stripped of his standing before God because of his sin, robbed of his innocence, and if left in his sinful condition faced certain death and eternal punishment in hell.  Those who respond to the Gospel by grace through faith are born again and receive new life through Christ.  We have been raised from the grave and restored to fellowship with God again.  Having been washed in His blood, He has placed upon each Christian a robe of righteousness.  He has provided a place of lodging for us in this world and a role in His Body, the church.  Jesus has promised to someday return for us and will set all things right.

The aspect of this parable which has captivated me is the attitude and thoughts of the man during his recovery at the inn.  I'm sure the healing man was thankful for the sacrifice of the Samaritan who helped him.  Yet is there a potential that the man had bitterness toward the Samaritan for not coming sooner and driving off the bandits?  Maybe he nursed a grudge against those who passed by and refused to help him.  Or perhaps he was annoyed with the fact he had to share a room with someone he didn't know or the toilet was too far away.  Maybe the healing process took longer than he would have liked and it was a growing source of frustration.  There are potentially thousands of complaints the man may have had even though his life had been saved!  How would we view someone who had nothing but complaints after being saved from certain death?  We might call him forgetful, self-centered, ungrateful, and foolish.  Before we judge him too harshly, let's remember that when we look at him we are looking at ourselves.

This is how we can be as Christians, even after all Jesus has done for us.  We can be frustrated with our circumstances, pain, or limitations.  The church is a place God has provided for healing and fellowship.  But we can be filled with criticism or complaints rather than grace and thankfulness.  Colossians 3:12-17 describes well the attitude we ought to have as we go through the healing process of our near-death experience while Christ tarries:  "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. ¹⁴ But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. ¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. ¹⁷ And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."  Hasn't God been good to us?  Let us remember how Christ has saved, restored, and reconciled us to God by His grace.  Let us demonstrate our thanks and gratefulness to God through loving one another.  In light of all God has done for us, our complaints ring hollow.  Instead of a critical spirit, let us praise God with thanksgiving.

The Pitfall of Slackness

"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?"

Joshua 18:3

God had brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, through the wilderness, and into the Land of Promise.  He also provided victory as the people drove out the inhabitants of the land.  The tabernacle had been set up in Shiloh, and the land was subdued before the people.  But a point came when 7 of the 12 tribes had not yet entered the land God intended His people to dwell in as their inheritance.  Joshua rebuked the people for their slackness.  The words of Joshua in verse 3 in the KJV read, "How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?"  The word "slack" in the Hebrew means, "abate, cease, fail, wax feeble, forsake, idle, let alone."  Once the people became established in the land, they seemed to lose the motivation to expand the borders God ordained for them and were slack to drive out the enemies which remained.  Free from enemy assault and able to dwell peacefully, they became idle.

Isn't this a potential pitfall which Christians face today?  When we are free from overt resistance or satanic assault, we can fall prey to a more subversive, more sinister attack.  We can be content with our justification by faith but cease to press on in sanctification and growth.  In not labouring to progress we lose ground as the strength of the enemy builds.  We would never be so foolish to suggest "We have arrived!" but are we heading anywhere?  Are we doing anything?  In God we have potential for perpetual growth and fruitfulness, but we can be content with last season's harvest.  The enemies we co-habitate with are not too bad or threatening at the moment, meaning they do not make our lives too inconvenient or uncomfortable.  We can lose sight of the fact that those enemies, those hindrances to our spiritual growth and fruitfulness, are occupying the very ground God intendeds us to take, having claimed it as our inheritance.

When a threat of certain attacked is understood, the men within the city would feverishly prepare.  Weapons would be sharpened and protective armour prepared.  The fortifications of the city would be strengthened, and watchmen would remain vigilant in their duties.  But when the people of the land are established and enjoy a season of rest and peace, slackness creeps in.  The same can be true in our lives as Christians.  Godliness with contentment is great gain, but contentment without godliness is a sin which the flesh prefers.  May we not be slack to enter into all that God has ordained for us.  He is our Inheritance, and there is much land yet to possess!

Refugee to Resident

Long before I became a resident of Australia, there has been an ongoing debate concerning how to handle the boats of refugees and "asylum seekers."  There are differences between these groups, though the terms are often used interchangeably.  Similar to where I lived previously in Southern California where drug trafficking and people smuggling are ongoing issues, the position of Australia provides unique challenges.  Having little practical knowledge of the conditions which have evolved over the decades to bring us to this point, I have no unique insight or authority to even suggest a solution.  It seems unlikely that a single action or policy will make the "problem" of people smuggling go away.  Even this term is a misnomer, because these profiteering smugglers are the ones who are bringing desperate refugees or asylum seekers.  Those who feel they have no where else to flee will do anything to save themselves, their family, and seek a future in Australia.

Are there clear guidelines and policies in place so people can be processed as refugees whilst remaining in their country?  Do people have access to facilities that do not rely upon the internet or electronic banking?  Is there a way for genuine refugees to be accepted into Australia even if they lack the funds to take their case before the court?  The boats of people may be more of a symptom than the cause.  But from what I hear on the news - whether it is true or not I cannot be certain - many people pay money for the boat trip to Australia because they are convinced it will expedite or even ensure their processing into Australia.  People sadly pay money and find themselves aboard leaky vessels, some perish at sea, and others are intercepted and processed at offshore facilities.  They believed the words of a smuggler but were deceived.  Whilst some are found to be true refugees and brought to Australia in time, others are sent back home to start the process over again.

Having just finalised the process for permanent residency for my family and me, it is clear there is a legal way to immigrate to Australia.  While some have no choice but to flee, others make a decision to take the risk to climb aboard a boat with the hope of becoming a resident and possibly a citizen of Australia.  It must be beyond sobering for people who spend all their money for a trip they are told will result in them being processed and accepted into Australia and never make it.  I think we can all sympathise with their plight, having been deceived by people who stand to profit from them.

I wonder if this is the way some people think about heaven.  They are told that as long as they are a "good person" they will be accepted.  They like to think that on the Day of Judgment God will be sympathetic towards their plight, their ignorance of His policies, and throw themselves upon His mercy.  But God has been very clear that there are not many paths to salvation.  There may be many routes one can take to acquiring residency status in Australia, but there is only one way to heaven:  through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and LORD.  Many will say to Jesus on that day, "Lord, Lord!" but He will say to them, "I never knew you.  Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness."  I am sad at the thought of people being deceived to think they can be good enough or that they will be able to sweet-talk their way into heaven.  God is a Just Judge, and He has made a way for all people to be saved.  They must first meet His exacting conditions.  Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

If we want to do the works of God, we must believe on the One He has sent, the God-Man Jesus Christ.  It is one thing to lose your life savings because you were duped to believe a boat trip would end in residency; it is far worse still to lose your soul because you were deceived to think your "good" works could save you.  Salvation is in Christ and no other.  Only those who seek refuge in Christ will become residents of heaven!

The Power of Politics

The tendency in all people is to look to the wrong things for salvation.  Even people of faith in God can be duped at times into placing too much trust in things and people other than God.  The illustration in the life of Peter on the Sea of Galilee when he took his eyes off Christ, overwhelmed by the storm's wind and waves, is a fitting one.  Whether I read the news from my home State of California, or watch debates and news concerning the approaching election in Australia, the focus is on the same sort of things:  economics, health care, and social justice issues.  The expectation on the government to "fix things" is misplaced, seeing the government has had much influence to bring us to where we are.  You might as well shout at a lost man with a megaphone and demand he find his way without a map or have 100 million people sign a petition if you want - but that will not bring his wandering to an end.

C.S. Lewis wrote, "If tribulation is a necessary element in redemption, we must anticipate that it will never cease till God sees the world to be either redeemed or no further redeemable.  A Christian cannot, therefore, believe any of the those who promise that if only some reform in our economic, political, or hygienic system were made, a heaven on earth would follow." (The Problem of Pain, pg. 102)  Those in politics are not so rash to predict a "heaven on earth," but they no doubt place faith in their policies to bring about improvement.  The difference between many of these politicians, businessmen, leaders, and citizens and the perspective of C.S. Lewis is that Lewis believed wholly that there is a God, and He is in complete control.  Much of the activism we see today is a response to a symptom rather than the root cause.  Sin is the cause of all suffering in this world.  It is the source of the curse which ensures all will wax worse and worse - not "better and better."  Ultimately this world will only be "better" after Jesus Christ sets up His throne on earth and reigns in righteousness.  The world is sick, and this healing will only come through Christ.

I am grateful that even in a world growing darker with every passing day, the light of Jesus Christ will shine ever brighter through the steadfast testimony of His people and scriptures.  We can make a difference as we labour in prayer, obedience, and faith, following Jesus and making disciples.  When the President of the United States visited Australia last year, one of the newscasts attached a moniker to his name:  "The most powerful man in the world."  This perception suggests that Jesus Christ is not still alive.  I only state this title because apparently it is a perception some have.  I agree that the office of the President is both respected and has great authority.  But in relation to God, how powerful is a man?  So you vote your preferred politician into office:  what then?  Can they save you?  Are they capable of providing life for all?  Here is a haiku I wrote as I mused upon the subject.  Let me preface this by saying this poem is not an indictment against any particular person, party, or policy.

Mister President:

The "World's Most Powerful Man."

He sits there, farting.

I'm sure the irony is not lost on you!  We are foolish to deify men who are at the mercy of the health and digestion of their own bodies, just like you and me.  Compared to God, what power does man possess?  Man only has power God has granted to him.  Christians have the most power to do good in this world because the Spirit of the Living God lives within us.  He is the One who empowers us for service, enables us to stand strong in the face of adversity, and to intercede on behalf of the poor.  God has ordained good works He has called us to enter for His glory.  Prayer is more than talking, and obedience to God's Word greater than any policy a man can enact.  If God is for us, who can be against us?  In these times of uncertainty, when the only certainty is things growing worse and worse, place your faith in Jesus Christ.  He is our source of life and will complete the good work He has begun.  Stand, O Christian!  Stand and praise the LORD!  He will fight for us, for the battle is the LORD's.

Lesson from a Boot

I suppose there is a first and last time for everything, and hopefully I ticked both boxes yesterday with a law mower "mishap."  During all the time I have mowed lawns since my youth, I have only had two incidents to report.  One of them was when I pressed my knee into the hot muffler (which cost me a little skin!) and my second came yesterday.  I was wrestling with a rusty gate whilst reaching over the running mower.  When I pushed against the resistance with my right, my left hand which held the handle pushed down slightly.  The momentum of my body went forward, and my right boot slid barely under the whirring blades.  Before you could say "jack rabbit" I heard a strange noise, then instantly sensed a vibration, and found the blades had contacted the toe of my boot.  Here's the result:

I was a bit annoyed by my careless stupidity, but the feeling was quickly swallowed up with thankfulness that I still had my toes!  I can't vouch that the boot is still waterproof, but after a little "Shoe Goo" it cleaned up nicely.  As I finished mowing the lawn, a lesson came out of the experience.  It was not my intention to slide my foot under a moving mower, but in the course of work damage was done.  It was a foreseeable, predictable consequence considering the situation:  if a boot comes in contact with sharp blades, the boot will lose.  Our proximity to sin adds greater potential for damage and loss.  No one figures they will be the one to be overtaken with a trespass.  They believe they are in control until suddenly, before they can even react, the fangs sink in and with them a numbing agent that kills from within.  I was taught as a child never to play with matches because of potential risk.  Don't think you can play with sin and not be burned.  Sin always brings death.

It was a good lesson, and I'm thankful the cost was only damage to a boot and not the loss of my toes!  Praise the LORD for His grace and goodness.