No Love, No Justice

Last night I started thinking about the legal systems of this world.  It seems to me the blindfold has fallen from the eyes of Justice, and her scales are a false balance.  I have not studied law, nor am I a solicitor or judge.  But I have studied the character of God and the divine law He instituted.  When we examine God through scripture, we see Him as the perfect Lawgiver and Judge of all.  He is the ideal.  He is by nature wholly righteous, just, loving, and good.  And this is where the legal systems of the world have lost the plot:  law today has become the means to an end rather than a means to God's end.  Justice according to God's standard is no longer the point.  Legal wranglings are all about knowing the system, interpreting law according to precedent, and at times even using law to legally do what is by nature unlawful.  Courtrooms have become a place of pride-fueled entanglements with the combatants not wielding swords and nets, but carefully crafted arguments to damage reputations and ensnare people in their own words.  Making other people look bad makes others seem better, and paid experts brandish opposite opinions using the same evidence.  Winning is more important than truth because truth is debatable.

There are many factors that have led to the breaking away of the legal system in America from the love of God and biblical truth to the relativistic slough it has become.  John Jay, the first Supreme Court Justice said, "It appears to me that the gospel not only recognizes the whole moral law, and extends and perfects our knowledge of it, but also enjoins on all mankind the observance of it."  Because God is just, without an intimate knowledge of God how can a man truly understand justice?  Then it struck me:  God's justice and love are inseparable.  He is loving and just, just and loving.  His love does not spring from pity and His justice does not grow out of pride.  Apart from the love of God, there can be no justice.  This was an amazing concept indeed!  Is there any place for the love of God in our courtrooms?  Is there room for mercy, grace, and absolute truth?  Without being born again through the Gospel, a man can only be selfish, proud, and unjust.  He cannot love as God loves or judge with righteous judgment.

From this biblical perspective therefore, the courts of the world who deny the existence of God and the truth of His Word are breeding grounds of injustice.  Jesus railed against such in Luke 11:52:  "Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered."  Are the lawyers or solicitors the problem?  No.  They are not different than any other person who goes through life in an unregenerate state.  The problem Jesus had with the lawyers He rebuked was their hypocrisy.  They made law so convoluted that the common man could not understand it properly.  It was not that the law needed to be so complex, but such a maze had been created that the lawyers hindered people from entering into godly knowledge.  The path of righteousness and justice they were to lead people through became so muddled and confusing they did not even bother to enter it themselves!  Justice could wink at sin if you filled her scales from behind her back.

The trouble is not just in courts, government, schools, or special interest groups:  the trouble resides in every single human heart because of sin.  The Law was a schoolmaster to show us our great sin and lead us by the hand to salvation through Jesus Christ.  He is the Judge of the living and the dead, and God has proved His authority through raising Him from the dead.  In Him love and justice come together in perfect harmony.  Our walk with Christ is not one according to outward conformity, but through inner transformation by the Holy Spirit.  God is righteous and just, and Jesus speaks peace to all who will bow before Him.  Psalm 85:8-13 reads, "I will hear what God the LORD will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly. ⁹ Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land. ¹⁰ Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed. ¹¹ Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. ¹² Yes, the LORD will give what is good; and our land will yield its increase. ¹³ Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway."

Life Observations of Pastor Bill Wilson

Our recent move has forced me to go through files and paperwork.  Most of what I find is junk, but I did come across notes I took during a session taught by Pastor Bill Wilson of Metro World Child.  He is a dynamic communicator with a heart to reach children with the power of the Gospel all over the world by meeting spiritual and physical needs.  Some might find his style at times a bit gruff or abrasive, but I appreciate his perspective because it comes from a man who loves deeply.  He is a man who has experienced a lot of tough stuff, yet God has brought him through stronger still.  Here are some of thought-provoking proverbs he shared during that fireside chat many years ago:

• Everybody wants to walk on water but they won't get out of the boat.
• Whatever it takes!
• Some preachers love crowds and hate people.
• Don't wait to get knocked off a donkey.
• Your commitment must be stronger than your emotions.
• Happy hinges on what happens.
• If Jesus shows up and wants fruit, you better have it.
• What makes me angry is what God will use to change me.
• Everything in life is designed to make you quit.
• If you don't have it, you don't need it.  Hone and develop what you have.
• Never discuss your problem with someone incapable of solving it.
• You don't decide on what your ministry is supposed to be:  you discover it.
• When everyone thinks the same no one thinks much.
• Everything is just like church.
• Be faithful in the small things.
• If you do what you know, you know what to do.
• If you want something you've never had before, you have to do something you have never done before.

The Importance of Attitude

Our attitude is a God-given looking glass into our hearts.  Attitude is an insightful tool, a gauge discerning Christians can utilise to discover whether we are walking in God's truth or according to the flesh.  We use thermostats to regulate the temperature of conditioned air, a thermometer to discern if meat is cooked through, and moisture gauges to measure the dampness of a room.  Our bodies are designed by God to function at an optimal temperature, and it is not difficult to discern if we are sick if we will submit to taking our temperature.  The instrument spells out the proof, whether we think or feel like we have a fever or not.  Yet when it comes to spiritual health, things are not so clear cut.  Many times in my own life I thought I was spiritually healthy and robust when I was suffering from the equivalent of walking pneumonia.  Examining my attitude and motives according to God's Word was the way that God drove home the reality that I was gravely ill from a spiritually vantage point.  The danger of not immediately seeking God to treat our spiritual sickness is we unwittingly open ourselves up for all manner of error.

A.W. Tozer wrote a most useful book called The Dwelling Place of God.  He introduces the subject in the following manner:  "These are the times that try men's souls. The Spirit has spoken expressly that in the latter times some should depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron. Those days are upon us and we cannot escape them; we must triumph in the midst of them, for such is the will of God concerning us. Strange as it may seem, the danger today is greater for the fervent Christian than for the lukewarm and the self-satisfied. The seeker after God's best things is eager to hear anyone who offers a way by which he can obtain them. He longs for some new experience, some elevated view of truth, some operation of the Spirit that will raise him above the dead level of religious mediocrity he sees all around him, and for this reason he is ready to give a sympathetic ear to the new and the wonderful in religion, particularly if it is presented by someone with an attractive personality and a reputation for superior godliness.  Now our Lord Jesus. that great Shepherd of the sheep, has not left His flock to the mercy of the wolves. He has given us the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit and natural powers of observation, and He expects us to avail ourselves of their help constantly. "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good," said Paul (I Thess. 5:21) . "Beloved, believe not every spirit," wrote John, "but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (I John 4:1) . "Beware of false prophets," our Lord warned, "which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Matt. 7:15). Then He added the word by which they may be tested, "Ye shall know them by their fruits."

Tozer suggests a series of useful questions intended to cause us to examine our attitude.  Instead of judging others, we are to make our own attitudes the focus of this examination, for ours is the only attitude we can do anything about.  Does this teaching or experience make Christ more indispensable?  How has this new doctrine or emphasis changed my attitude towards God or others?  Is it drawing me towards God or leading me away?  He writes, "Briefly stated the test is this: This new doctrine, this new religious habit, this new view of truth, this new spiritual experience has it affected my attitude toward and my relation to God, Christ, the Holy Scriptures, self, other Christians, the world and sin. By this sevenfold test we may prove everything religious and know beyond a doubt whether it is of God or not. By the fruit of the tree we know the kind of tree it is. So we have but to ask about any doctrine or experience, What is this doing to me? and we know immediately whether it is from above or from below."

One question that especially hit me as true is one concerning our view of others.  Again, quoting from Tozer's book:  "Our relation to and our attitude toward our fellow Christians is another accurate test of religious experience.  Sometimes an earnest Christian will, after some remarkable spiritual encounter, withdraw himself from his fellow believers and develop a spirit of faultfinding. He may be honestly convinced that his experience is superior, that he is now in an advanced state of grace, and that the hoi polloi in the church where he attends are but a mixed multitude and he alone a true son of Israel."  Man, that really hit home for me.  I remember going through seasons of spiritual growth when it seemed at every turn God revealed himself to me.  But due to my immaturity I suffered from a serious case of "plank-eye" syndrome for some time!  Once I was broken for my sin, I was able to see I had fallen into the trap of projecting my sins upon others.  I had issues submitting wholly to God and His rule, and therefore was unwilling to yield completely to authority He placed in my life.  When we begin to feel like Elijah - who thought he must be the only one still loyal to God - by His grace God will open our eyes to reveal that He has thousands who have never bowed the knee to Ba'al.  God corrects our misconceptions if we will listen to Him.

Attitude is huge.  We can be very right with our facts, but at the same time our attitude can be all wrong.  God is teaching me to examine my attitudes and motives in everything I do.  Am I afraid?  Why am I worrying about this or that?  Have I become envious or unsettled?  Am I hoping for praise from men or am I fully resting in obedience to God?  Am I experiencing the joy of the LORD despite trials of faith?  Am I glad to substitute anything for reliance upon Christ and His Word?  Praise the LORD that He gives us wisdom through the Holy Spirit to know if we are walking according to the Spirit or in the flesh.  God has given every man a conscience that agrees with His Law, and the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth.  Attitude is a valuable tool to gauge where I am with my walk with Christ.  When I see the fruit of the Spirit evident as I walk in love according to God's grace, I can know I am heading on the right track!

God Gives!

While driving home after church this morning, I was thinking about how God is faithful to give us what we need.  He provides for all our needs, physical and spiritual.  He also gives us things we don't realise we need.  Sometimes we just need a hug!  How grateful I am for the love and acceptance from our loving Saviour.  Other times God even gives us things we don't want but we do need.  The Good Shepherd may lay His staff across our flanks to grab our attention.  He gives His beloved sleep, yet He also wakes us up when we have become drowsy and listless.

How good God is to give us what we need, just at the right time!  My God supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory by Jesus Christ.

Never Forfeit

Upon arriving at the baseball field today after two weeks off due to rain, we were met by a member of the opposite side with bad news:  since the other team only had five players available, they had to forfeit the game.  We were all disappointed.  I suppose we would rather play and lose the game then prepare to play, drive out to the field only to be told there was no game.  A win's a win, but that kind of winning isn't much fun.

I thought about the five people on the other side who could have played the game but couldn't because they didn't have the support from their teammates.  I felt for them.  I'm sure they all wanted to play, even the people who were unavailable.  Who knows?  Had they been able to field a team - even of seven or eight - they could have won!  To forfeit is to give up without trying.  It's a waste because no effort has been exerted to win.

I started thinking about the spiritual implications of forfeiting (I have odd thought patterns, I guess).  Is it possible to be a Christian who forfeits?  Can we run up the white flag of surrender when the enemy assaults us even though we have absolute certainty of victory through Jesus Christ?  It's a poor analogy, but can you imagine having the best professional players to ever play baseball on your side against a mediocre group of weekend warriors who can't even run to first base without taking a smoke break?  It wouldn't be great competition, but it would be a blast to play with legends of the game.  It doesn't matter if your players are the best on paper, have an undefeated record, and you're playing against people who have never even played baseball before:  if you don't show up, you forfeit.  By not coming to the field, the team has given up.  When you forfeit, you can lose without a single pitch being thrown!

When it comes to victory against sin, despair, and fear, Jesus Christ has already claimed the victory.  But when Satan rages against us, when temptation overwhelms our minds and pressure to cave seems impossible to resist, we can choose as Christians to forfeit.  Why should we give up when Jesus has already defeated sin and death?  Should we wave the white flag because the opposition looks intimidating or we have made an error?  Never!  We win when we commit ourselves to be at Christ's disposal.  Hand Him the ball, and watch Him work.  Always surrender to Christ, but never forfeit.  Too much is at stake to give up.  Let's not waste the opportunities Christ provides to walk in victory!  Let's not deny Christ the victory He has won.

Seeking out a Resting Place

My family and I have been very busy lately since moving to a new house - new to us, that is.  We've made some improvements already with better lighting in most rooms, installed new spout on the kitchen sink, and systematically moving the dehumidifier through the rooms.  The handyman has come through and fixed up some things as well, like screen doors, bathroom taps, exhaust fans, and re-attached an air conditioning unit to the wall.  Laura still isn't able to park in the garage yet, but I hope to have that remedied within the next week.

As we are reading through the book of Numbers as a family, it has become clear it doesn't always sit well with God's people to go where He leads.  Perhaps you can relate!  During decades in the wilderness, God taught His people to rely upon Him for everything:  food, water, meat, protection, and direction.  He led them to places like Marah, a place where He made the bitter water sweet and made a covenant with them.  From Marah God led them to Elim, an oasis with water and beautiful palms.  But God didn't allow His people to stay there.  He moved them on!   After the tabernacle was built, the Spirit of the LORD rested upon it.  As long as the presence of God rested upon the tabernacle, the people would remain.  At the moment God's presence moved on, the people were called to pack up and leave according to their tribes in the prescribed manner.  Last night we read in Numbers 10:33, "So they departed from the mountain of the LORD on a journey of three days; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them for the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them."

The idea of God seeking out a resting place for His people was an amazing thought.  Did you know that God seeks rest for His people?  In Him rest can be found, no matter where we are.  After the flood, Noah released a dove from the ark.  The first dove returned to him because "she found no rest for the sole of her foot."  After seven days the next dove Noah released returned with an olive branch in her beak, signalling the abatement of the waters from the earth.  He waited seven days and sent out another dove that never returned.  The first time a dove is mentioned in the New Testament was when the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove alighted upon Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.  John the Baptist was led to baptise people to reveal the Messiah to the world.  In the Gospel of John (a different John writing!), he explains this fact.  John 1:29-34 reads, "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' ³¹ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water." ³² And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. ³³ I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' ³⁴ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."  After Jesus came out of the water God spoke from heaven, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased!"  When the Spirit in the form of a dove landed upon Jesus and rested upon Him, it was clear to all who would believe that Jesus is the Christ, God-made-flesh, the divine sacrifice, the promised Messiah, and Redeemer of lost sinners.

Do you know you will never know true rest until you know Christ as LORD and Saviour?  It is through the Holy Spirit resting and coming upon us that we know God and are empowered to serve Him.  The eyes of the LORD go to and fro throughout the whole earth, looking for people who are loyal to Him.  He seeks those who worship Him who worship Him in Spirit and in truth.  Jesus is the one who baptises with the Holy Spirit and fire.  Once we are through with wandering, murmuring, and complaining, tired of our best efforts to save ourselves, by God's grace our eyes can be opened to Jesus and we realise salvation is found only in Him.  Jesus invites all in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."  The Spirit of God looks today to rest upon those who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and abide in Him.  Have you been washed?

No matter where you find yourself geographically, Jesus is your peace.  Through the Holy Spirit, we can rest in Him!  Follow Jesus wherever He leads.  God's thoughts toward us are good and not evil, to give us a future and a hope.  Jesus is this for us!

Love My Motive

"My son, keep your father's command, and do not forsake the law of your mother. ²¹ Bind them continually upon your heart; tie them around your neck. ²² When you roam, they will lead you; when you sleep, they will keep you; and when you awake, they will speak with you."

Proverbs 6:20-22

 We've been studying through Proverbs on Friday nights at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  It's been a terrific time of in depth exploration and discussion.  The preceding verses have been on my mind and heart of late.  Adherence to the Law was focused on external conformity under the Old Covenant.  People could fulfill the demands of the letter of the Law without inner transformation.  The Pharisees were outwardly holy men, but were filthy within.  They kept the Sabbath according to the Law and the oral traditions, but they nursed envy and murderous intentions in their hearts.  After Christ established the New Covenant of His blood, we are no longer governed by an external set of regulations.  Jesus did not destroy the Law but fulfilled it.  The Holy Spirit regenerates and takes up residence in the heart of every Christian, leading and guiding us into all truth.  He washes us clean of our sins when we repent, takes away our heart of stone, and gives us a heart of flesh.

Jesus told His followers in John 15:12:  "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."  Instead of walking according to the flesh, we are called to be led by the Spirit.  Romans 13:8 says, "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law."  The first and greatest command is that we love the LORD God with all our heart, soul, and might.  Everything we do, therefore, is to be motivated by the love of God.  It is love that must be bound upon our heart, speaking of our motives.  The importance of our motive cannot be overstated.  It is the love of Christ that constrains us as we follow His example of obedience to the Father, service, and sacrifice.

Some people have this concept of God's commands tying us down, holding us back, or dragging us along.  Obedience to God's commands is not an "Old Testament" thing, as John states in 1 John 5:1-3:  "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. ² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. ³ For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."  Jesus says that if we truly love Him, we will do what He says.  When love is our motive, it is like a lead tied around the neck of a well-trained dog.  When a dog is trained to heel, he is not to pull on the lead or be dragged around by it.  The lead is an extension of his master.  When the lead is fitted to his collar, the dog learns to follow the lead of his master.  He stops walking and the dog sits, looking to the master.  The dog does not resent the lead, for the lead is his freedom.  God's commands are not intended to burden or confine us, but rather free us to enjoy the presence of our Master wherever He leads.  No matter where we find ourselves in life, no matter how unfamiliar the territory, we can look to our Saviour and He will graciously lead us through everything we face.

One thing God has always desired is to be with His people and to commune with them.  Whether we sleep, are awake, or roam, God will direct us in the way that pleases Him.  Is love for God your continuous motive for the things you do?  Is it the love of God that constrains you and leads you in every circumstance?  If we love God, we will keep His commandments.  Those who love one another fulfill the Law!

Eating at the Table of the King

Mephibosheth is a compelling figure in scripture.  He was the son of a prince, crippled from a young age when his nurse dropped him upon hearing the news of the deaths of his grandfather King Saul and his own father, Jonathan.  From the moment of the fall, his life and future was uncertain at best.  When David became king in Judah and later over all Israel, Mephibosheth's life seemed to be in jeopardy.  Whenever a new king reigned apart from the line of the prior king, all the descendants of the previous king were executed to eliminate divided loyalty.  Into adulthood, lame Mephibosheth dwelt in Lodebar on the other side of the Jordan river.  He lived far from the lands given as an inheritance to his fathers, isolated, alone - and still lame in his feet, a haunting reminder of his fall from grace.

But if Mephibosheth feared for his life, it would prove unwarranted.  David had made a covenant with Jonathan, Mephibosheth's father, that they would show favour to each other and to their descendants forever.  While Mephibosheth remained distant and isolated, perhaps fearing for his life, David's thoughts towards the children of Jonathan were only gracious and good.  2 Samuel 9:1 reads, "Now David said, "Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?"  After an inquiry was made, word was brought to David that Jonathan did indeed have a son who was living in Lodebar.  David immediately sent men to bring him.  Upon his arrival Mephibosheth fell prostrate before the king, throwing himself upon his mercy.  Instead of being harsh and austere as he may have feared, David did something unthinkable:  he welcomed Mephibosheth back, restored all his father's lands, commanded the servant Ziba to work the land and give the proceeds to Mephibosheth, and reserved a place for Mephibosheth to eat food at his table continually, to live even as one of his own sons.

The invitation and offer given to Mephibosheth by David was gracious and amazing.  What amazed me further as I read this morning is how humble Mephibosheth received it:  2 Samuel 9:13 says, "So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table. And he was lame in both his feet."  A proud man would have refused such a gift.  He would have never been content to be a guest at the table of a king when he could be "king of his own castle."  Mephibosheth was not too proud to be seen limping and dragging himself along in public:  he had been given a wonderful gift, and he chose to walk in it - lame he still was.  This whole scene is a shadow of what Jesus Christ has done in offering salvation to all men.  God does not desire the destruction of men, though it is in His power to do so:  He desires that all would repent and receive eternal life through faith in His Son.  We are all damaged and doomed because of the fall of man into sin, and we have been alienated from the relationship God intended man to share with him.  God has called each one of us, despite us being lame, blind, deaf, paralysed, and dead in sins.  He has made an offer that if we will deny ourselves, repent, and place our faith in Christ, we will be restored to fellowship with Him for eternity.  Those who are born again do not live "as sons," but become God's adopted sons and co-heirs with Christ.  Sadly, many people make excuses.  They are too proud to admit their need or humble themselves to bow before the rightful king.  They remain in Lodebar - literally "pastureless" - because they do not see their need for the Good Shepherd.  A lot of people languish in Lodebar when the richness of royalty have been graciously offered to them.

Let us enter into the life of faith and humility God has offered to us by His grace.  Mephibosheth stayed lame in his feet, though he ate continually at the king's table.  When a man is born again, all things are made new.  Whilst we remain in these bodies on earth we must contend with our fleshly lameness, but we can embrace the sanctification process through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.  We can be transformed through the renewing of our minds.  In Christ we find healing, love, and life.  Those who wait upon the LORD will find their strength renewed, running without weariness.  Praise be to God for His gracious gift!  As it says in Jude 1:24-25:  "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."

The Final Walkthrough

For the past week my family and I have been in the throes of moving.  We are most thankful for the help we have received from church family as we packed, hired a truck, loaded and unloaded our belongings at the new residence.  We were also able to do most of the cleaning of the old house in a single day, thanks to many people pitching in.  Now that the internet is up and running along with changing our phone and electricity providers, and most of the change of address notifications done, things are almost beginning to seem normal.  But not really.  Despite all the work done, there is much more to do!

After a trip to Bunnings today for the necessities - more roach spray and to cut new keys for a new deadbolt I installed - I went by the old house to better clean the oven, range hood, dishwasher, exhaust fans, and shower doors.  When Laura went on the final walkthrough with the agent, he was ridiculously thorough - as I expected.  The list of demands seemed to go on and on, and most of them were reasonable.  Unfortunately for us, we were not so thorough when we moved into the property as he has been upon our leaving.  Though we are leaving the house in much better condition than when we arrived, the improvements we have made are not taken into account.  I know it's his job to ding us wherever he can, force us to pry his sticky fingers from our bond money, and he is good at what he does.  I cannot fault the man for doing his job.  But needless to say, we will be noting every possible thing wrong with our current property so we won't be on the hook when it's time to move on.

As I cleaned today, an interesting parallel came to mind.  When we walked away from the property on Sunday, I was quite confident going into the final walkthrough.  With walls washed, paint touched up, floors mopped, and everything looking shiny and clean I was certain it was good enough.  But not so fast!  The agent started opening appliances and noting things I wrote off as normal wear.  As he went through his checklist he snapped picture after picture to show the owner:  hard water spots, the length of the grass, and inside the gas burners on the cooktop!  The house wasn't new or nearly as clean as when we moved in so I figured some things would be good enough.  But item by item, the list grew.  It reminded me of the scriptures which tell us it appointed for man once to die and then face judgment.  Most people are fairly confident in saying they are basically good enough to get into heaven.  What they do not realise is their words, actions, and motives will be judged against the perfect standard held forth in scripture.  Every filthy deed will be uncovered; every single wicked thought exposed and brought into the light of God's perfection.

Imagine being destitute and being offered a modest home for free.  The landlord agreed to handle all the cost for electricity, water, phone, and rubbish removal.  The landlord even offered to supply money to handle repairs, to buy food, and appliances.  The roof leaked a little, the carpet was a bit worn with an occasional rip, and a couple of the taps dripped.  Despite the imperfections, it sure beat living on the street!  Let's say that you stayed in this home for a whopping 70 years!  Over the course of living in the home for seven decades, you did some improvements on the property.  You added on a room here, more lights in the garage, and had new carpet installed.  The roof still leaked a little, but the bucket worked just fine!  A few cracks had opened in the foundation, but hey - it was free!  After 70 years, you are told by the landlord it is finally time to check out.  His generous offer was finally up.  Nothing could prepare you for the final walkthrough.  The agent did not bring merely a list - he hauled out a massive book with countless things to check off.  He noted everything wrong with the property, even things that were wrong when you first arrived!  The dialogue could go something like this:

"Hmm, that leak been there for awhile?  Quite a bit of water damage - dry rot and mildew.  Didn't you notice it?"

"Yep, roof's been leaking since I moved in.  After a while you just learn to deal with it, right?"  You laugh, hoping to reduce the tension that has been building.  He didn't even smile.

"Unfortunately for you, you are liable for all damage to the property even if it happened before you arrived.  The landlord expects the entire property to be immaculate - not just like new or improved in your estimation, but completely new."

Your eyes opened wide.  "What?  That's ridiculous!  Doesn't the room I built count for anything?"

"Actually, that room is a serious problem.  It's not built to code and will incur additional fines."  As he continued to turn the pages, noted every single mark on the walls, and took pictures of everything, dread knotted like snakes in your gut.

"I thought because of what I did to make the house better it would compensate for faults the house came with," you reasoned.

Tears welled in the eyes of the agent.  "Yes," he said softly.  "Most people do think that.  But it doesn't change the facts that you are on the hook for all the damage.  I have never met a single person able to pay the fees according to the exorbitant exchange rate.  You are in serious trouble."

"What will happen to me?  How was I to know you would charge me for dust in the attic, every single scratch on the wall, every fibre of carpet out of place, cockroaches I never saw, or for smudges on windows I can't even reach?"

"Because you lived here, you are liable for all.  You will be sent to prison to spend eternity in solitary confinement.  If you remember, the same landlord who lent you the property free of charge provided the funding necessary to make all things new.  But instead of investing in eternity you ignored his correspondence and offers and now you find yourself doomed.  He called you every day.  You cannot blame him for refusing to answer and act on his offer."

"It just isn't fair!"

"No, it isn't," the man continued, "and it was never meant to be.  It is all of grace.  You had this house to live in all this time at no cost to you, with everything graciously provided at his expense.  You loved the house instead of the landlord who gave it to you.  In a way it was all a test:  he gave you 70 years to answer his call.  Some people have far less time than that!"

The Bible teaches every person who walks the earth will one day be required to settle accounts with the Almighty Creator, the righteous God who is a just Judge.  He has given us bodies, a world that supports life, and the means to know His righteous requirements through the scriptures.  We are all imperfect, having broken His law.  Seeing that no man had the means to be reconciled to God - to be made new, perfect, and acceptable according to the divine code - God became a man:  Jesus Christ.  Because God put on human flesh, Christ's sacrifice was able to atone for His fellow humans who would repent and trust in Him.  For those who are born again, all has been made new.  We will not face the same consequences of the final walkthrough of those who are forced to check out before they have answered the call of the landlord to repent.  Even though our salvation is secure through Christ, Christians too will face judgment and answer for our stewardship.

Still not convinced?  The words of Christ still ring true.  Matthew 12:38-42 says, "Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." ³⁹ But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰ For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ⁴¹ The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. ⁴² The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here."  Are you confident to appear before God?  Will you be found perfect?  Only those who answer the call to repentance and are born again by grace through faith will be found flawless, for our righteousness has been imputed by Jesus Christ!

As a Man Thinks...

During my time at the Calvary Chapel Bible Institute in Rotorua, New Zealand, a point often discussed was the need for our minds to be changed.  In our sinful, natural condition our minds are completely opposed and actually hostile to God.  The first part of Proverbs 23:7 says, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he."  Jesus taught that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  Consider a man who smashes his finger with a hammer and curses in pain.  Is the hammer to blame for the cursing?  One man will curse in his pain, and another will praise God despite suffering.  Pain was the mechanism to bring to the surface what already festered in the heart of the man.  As a man thinks, so he is.  Thoughts precede action, and even our automatic reactions are good indicators of what hides within.

The sinful nature of a man works to corrupt his mind.  Even those who have been born again and filled with the Holy Spirit must contend with their own flesh and the lure of the world.  James 1:13-15 states, "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."  Things seen with our eyes put ideas in our minds.  Like a fish slowly circling suspended bait, in our minds we examine the idea from all angles.  We think about potential consequences.  We weigh carefully the positives and negatives.  "That would be fun...but what if he or she found out?"  Our reasons for denying the lusts of flesh can be far from holy, can't they?  When we recognise our motivation to do good or avoid evil are impure, we must repent of sin.  Biblical repentance starts with a change of mind, leading to a change of heart, and ultimately a changed life.  The process starts in the mind, for as a man thinks so he is.

Because of the filthiness of this world and how sticky our minds can be, once an idea is sown into our minds we will likely move towards acting out on it.  It is not surprising that pedophiles often are discovered to have an abundance of child pornography in their possession.  We should not be shocked when fantasies spill over into real life.  As Christians, we must do battle upon those thoughts before they are given a chance to take root or bear fruit.  2 Corinthians 10:3-7 reads, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ⁶ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."  The mind is the seat of knowledge, and there is a battle raging for the mind of every human being.  Through subtle suggestions or overt temptation, Satan battles for control of the mind.  Boxers taught traditionally know the value of working the body.  Those heavy blows landed on the stomach may not produce an immediate knockout, but they begin to add up with a cumulative effect.  Every shot to the gut is like making a deposit in the bank which can be withdrawn in later rounds.  "Kill the body and the head will die."  Body shots slow down an opponent, make it harder to breathe, and open up easy chances for big uppercuts and hooks to the chin - power punches that put a man flat on his back.

Christians are often already defeated in their minds before they choose to participate in overt sin.  Wandering hearts always precede wayward feet.  How important it is to set a guard over our minds and hearts!  Our eyes and ears are without filters so we must diligently bring "every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."  God has revealed Himself through scripture and the indwelling Holy Spirit so we might know Him and make Him known.  Sanctification begins in the mind, not through externals.  Let us recognise our sin according to scripture, repent, and think upon things that glorify God.  Paul exhorts in Philippians 4:4-8:  "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. ⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things." As a man thinks, so he is!

Hate and Love

"I have loved you," says the LORD. "Yet you say, 'In what way have You loved us?' Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" says the LORD. "Yet Jacob I have loved; ³ but Esau I have hated, and laid waste his mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness."

Malachi 1:2-3

Over the weekend a visiting pastor referenced this statement from the book of Malachi.  He said some people fault God for hating Esau, but they would do better to question his love of Jacob - the conniving, supplanting, deceitful heel-catcher!  God is not unrighteous to hate sin and those who commit abomination.  Yet God has shown mercy and grace to all through the sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus Christ.  His love for Jacob was all of grace.  Man cannot question God's sovereign choices, nor can man rightly blame God for any evil.  When we are faced with difficult questions or situations which seem impossible to reconcile, we should not abandon faith for what we do not know.  We are to cling to what God has divinely revealed of Himself through His Word, and hold it closer still.  When the divine wrestler touched Jacob's hip and put it out of joint, Jacob did not ask "Why did you do that?"  He hung on, desiring a blessing.  You know what?  He received it!

God's dealings with His people, His lofty thoughts, and His sovereign plans are far above our ability to understand in full.  It is natural to have questions when we face difficult seasons, trials, and persecutions.  It is hard when we have done our best to love others and are met with harsh opposition.  I know too well the sting of not meeting the expectations of others.  But I am so comforted by the unfailing truth of the Word of God:  "By the grace of God, I am what I am."  Anything which is praiseworthy, pure, wise, or good in me is solely by God's grace.  I rest easy in the knowledge that God does whatever He wants, because I know He will always do what is righteous.  Paul lays out the heart of the matter in Romans chapter 9, an echo of the heart expressed by godly Job:  "Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him."

God is angry with the wicked every day, and one day will judge this world in righteousness.  Everyone will have to answer before God for every thought, word, and deed weighed against the unyielding law of God.  Even believers saved by grace through faith in Christ will be brought before His judgment seat.  Acts 17:30-31 reads, "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, ³¹ because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."  Through the resurrection we have assurance of Christ's divine power of life and also the assurance of judgment.  This truth goads us to do what God loves, not what He hates.  Praise God that He is a Redeemer, a Restorer of souls!  He has shown love to all people, for while we were still sinners Christ died for us.  It is important we remember our frail frame and humbly submit to God as slaves, serving one another in love.

Hang on, believer!  Lay hold of Him and do not let go!  The blessings of God sometimes come with a permanent limp.

From Death to Life

I have entered the final day of my trip to New Zealand.  It has been an absolute delight visiting with friends, speaking with the students from the Calvary Chapel Bible Institute, and witnessing the power of God to transform minds and lives.  Most of the week has been filled with rain, but this morning is clear and sunny.  My time here has been inspiring and refreshing as I have received and held forth the timeless truths of God's Word.  I cannot be the same, for I have tasted and seen again the goodness of God.

When I travel, one of the aspects I enjoy the most is being an eye-witness of God's work in every place.  There is not a place in the world outside the reach of God's miraculous power to redeem and save.  No one is beyond the love, mercy, and grace of God to transform.  I heard the testimony of someone yesterday who God delivered months ago out of addictions and a destructive lifestyle.  This person was trapped in a generational cycle of sin.  This individual was distant from God, stubbornly resistant to the message of the Gospel, and yet has completely been transformed through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  My eyes welled with tears as I heard the testimony of the saving grace of my God who has extended this salvation and redemption to all who will repent, believe, and receive.

As I read the Bible this morning, I came across this passage in 2 Kings 13:20-21:  "Then Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year. ²¹ So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet."  In the space of these two verses we read of a radical, unbelievable transformation.  Elisha the prophet of God died and was buried.  After some time had passed, another man had died and a grave was being dug.  As they worked, the diggers become aware of a band of raiders.  They abandoned their excavation and hurriedly placed the man's remains in the tomb of Elisha.  When the corpse of the dead man came into contact with the bones of the prophet Elisha, life returned to him.  He "revived and stood on his feet."  This transformation was not merely improbable:  it was impossible!  What a change, to go from being dead to being alive!

This is the transforming change that occurs to anyone who comes in contact with Jesus Christ through receiving the Gospel.  The bones of Jesus are not in a tomb somewhere, but was resurrected and lives!  He still seeks out those who are lost and dead in sins, desiring they would repent and be saved.  No one is too far off to be brought near to God by grace through faith; no one is "too dead" to be born again.  God does an inner work inside all people who respond to His call, and how glorious it is to see it firsthand.  If we are in Christ we are a new creation.  Every Christian is like that man who was dead and then was miraculously restored to life.  I tell you truly:  he could never be the same.  He lived with an understanding of his own mortality, and had a new life laid before him.  Every day was a precious gift to be treasured.  He was no doubt glad to have been touched by a dead man's bones:  how much more should we glorify the living God because He has chosen to touch us?

Imperfect, but Being Perfected

This morning I read 1 Samuel 27, the passage when David and his men fled to the land of the Philistines to seek refuge from King Saul.  After ingratiating himself with Achish the king, David persuaded him to give him some land.  Achish complied and gave David the town of Ziklag.  For the space of time David remained in Philistine territory, he lived a double life.  He was outwardly loyal to Achish but secretly remained loyal to Israel and God.  He and his men would go on raids of the native inhabitants of the land and when asked by Achish David would lie, "Oh, we went on a raid in the south of Judah."  He would give some of the spoil to Achish, who became absolutely convinced of David's allegiance and sword.

I think some can make the mistake of seeing a God-fearing man like David playing the hypocrite and believe this scriptural account is an endorsement of this behaviour.  I do not believe David was right in living a double life, and I do not believe God in any way endorses hypocrisy.  Just because something is recorded in scripture does not mean what happened was good or right.  God can redeem all evils, but we should never use scripture to justify sin.  The Bible is unique in that God does not sanitise His people.  We employ great effort to hide our warts, but God lays even wicked motives bare for all to see.  He does not withhold the truth to make His disciples appear blameless.  The fact that Barnabas and Saul had a fierce contention does not mean we should justify contentions with brothers and sisters in Christ!  Barnabas and Saul contended with each other because they were sinners, human beings reliant upon the grace of God for salvation.  Even men filled with the Holy Spirit make mistakes.  I will even risk the fallacy of personal experience to unequivocally affirm this point!

I believe the account of David living a double life in Ziklag is a warning to all who will heed.  David was a man after God's own heart, but this did not spare him from making sinful decisions with catastrophic results.  The move to Gath was not because David sought the LORD.  It was a natural response to his fear of death, not faith in God.  I think it is most significant that for the year plus David was in Ziklag, not once do we read of him inquiring of the LORD.  Because David did not seek the LORD and did what was right in his own eyes, he was likely blind to his own hypocrisy.  He justified his choice to co-habitate with the enemy by fighting for Israel in secret.  Perhaps he even saw his successful raids as proof of God's favour!  We do not read of David inquiring of God at all until Ziklag was burned to the ground, his wives kidnapped, all his possessions were stolen, and all his men wanted to kill him!  That is what it took to bring David to his senses.  Sometimes it takes tragedy and loss for us to see our great need for God.

Out of distress, David fled to Gath.  He went about things the wrong way.  It took disaster for David to seek God again.  1 Samuel 30:6 reads, "Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God."  I think, "Ah David, why didn't you strengthen yourself in God before seeking refuge with the enemy and living in hypocrisy?"  I find David does not need to answer, because in his situation I see myself.  Have I always seen my mistake of trusting myself instead of finding strength and guidance from God?  Of course not.  God is willing to bring us low so we might look to Him.  That time in Ziklag was not wasted time but a teaching moment God employed so David might never, ever seek refuge in anyone else but Him.  Never again did God want David to do what was right in his own eyes.  After this incident, David sought God often.  There were bumps along the way, but a valuable lesson was learned:  one learned only through such a catastrophic failure.  God's people will learn our lessons when we respond through the exercise of faith in God.

The Troubled Heart

"Now it happened afterward that David's heart troubled him because he had cut Saul's robe."

 1 Samuel 24:5

Observe the tenderness evident in the man after God's own heart!  When King Saul persecuted and pursued David, seeking to kill him, David was presented with an opportunity to kill Saul.  Men loyal to David goaded him on, telling him that moment was a fulfillment of God's word to deliver all his enemies into his hand.  Yet David refused to kill Saul and would not allow any of his men to do so.  Instead, he cut a piece from Saul's clothing as a sign he had opportunity to kill Saul but did not.  It seemed justifiable to David at the time as a sign he harboured no ill will against Saul.

But later, David was troubled by his actions.  He was convicted by the Holy Spirit and regretted what he had done.  He would not lift up a finger against God's anointed, nor even speak poorly of him:  how dare he damage Saul's robe?  Some would have felt justified in killing Saul in cold blood, yet David was deeply convicted over simply cutting a piece of Saul's fabric!  God convicts people of sin that extends far beyond the limited reaches of the Law because it aims at the heart.  Even when David showed great restraint, God wounded his conscience and taught him a deeper lesson still.

May our hearts be smitten even when we think of evil, before our sword is unsheathed and damage done.  Often we do not perceive our actions as evil because we have justified them according to the twisted perspective of the flesh.  It is only afterward our hearts are troubled because we realise we have done wrong in God's sight.  Remorse and regret are wayfaring professors who will do us much future good if we will heed their lessons now.  Acknowledgement of past failures according to God's standard is the first step towards walking in a biblical, God-fearing manner in the future.  When our hearts are troubled because of our sin, let us repent before God and man.  May we humble ourselves and take correction as obedient children before a loving Father who seeks to restore.

God receives the repentant with a smile and open arms.  Rejoice when convicted, O sinner, for in that moment God speaks.  What grace that He communicates such instruction to us!  Let us take to heart His correction and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, though the entire world counsel us otherwise.

When God Overrules

It has been nearly three years since God moved me and my family from southern California and transplanted us in Sydney.  I can say by God's grace we are looking healthy as a unit, like a well-established tree.  The leaf-casting season was short, and I'm not aware our leaves even drooped as we drew up water through well-tilled earth!  Our roots have shot down deep into good soil, and the loving Body of Christ has been a huge part of that on both sides of the Pacific.  We have had exceptional support from family, friends, and from so many at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  When I think of all God has done from establishing the boys at a great school, strengthening my marriage, and granting us permanent residency, I am in awe.

For almost the entire time our family have been in Australia, we have lived in one house.  It was certainly a God-send, granted at the time we needed it most.  There have been issues scattered over that time with an occasional repair required, but for the most part we have been without complaints.  Of course on those super hot days air conditioning would have been nice, but we've also become more acclimated to Sydney weather!  A couple months ago, we received a notice our rent would be increasing.  Laura decided it would be good to test the renting market and see if we could find a comparable house for less money.  Now I am one of those people who really don't like to move.  I would rather go to the dentist every day for a week than pack everything up, change our address with more people and businesses than I care to count, and deal with the hassle of unpacking, arranging, re-arranging, and hanging pictures.  How long will it take me to learn where things are in the kitchen?  I don't even want to think about it.

For the past couple months, Laura has been checking online, going to open houses, and us boys tagged along for a few.  The more houses we saw, the more I was convinced what we have been paying - even with the increase - was excellent value for money.  So many of the houses we saw were beat up rentals with too many problems:  garages converted to shabby rooms, exterior doors that scraped so hard on the tile they won't open, carpets that resembled a spattered crime scene, and no storage whatsoever.  Even Laura had pretty much resolved to stay at our place, something I was resolved to do before she ever started looking.

But then one house came up which caught Laura's attention.  It was a comparable size and relatively close to the boy's school.  There were some sizable concessions (detached garage without an automatic opener, electric cooktop, and a much older house), but there were also pluses:  single storey, air conditioning, less than a one minute walk to a park, and located in a cul-de-sac with a pool - all for $80 less a week than we had been paying for our current home.  Laura filled out the application and we arrived at the open house Saturday and were greeted by a gaggle of well-dressed prospective renters.  As I saw all the people, I assumed most of those folks were in a far more financially viable position and was fairly confident we wouldn't stand a chance.  At that moment I figured the only way we could have a sniff at the property is if God miraculously opened the door.  And to be honest, I didn't want Him to.

Does that sound bad?  I don't know if it is or isn't.  But I know you can be very honest with God.  Your honesty doesn't offend Him.  Honesty can offend people, but not my heavenly Father!  The fact was, I was very comfortable in our home and did not welcome the aggravation and stress that comes with moving house.  I would be happy to stay in a comfortable, predictable environment and trust for God to provide for our needs right where we were, which He has been graciously doing.  So as I drove away with admittedly selfish motives I prayed, "LORD, I pray we won't get that house.  What a pain to have to move."  Now my wife and I have an agreement we have made with God:  if He opens the door, we will walk through it.  In our minds, the only way the door to renting that property would occur if God opened the door.  I continued on through the day, thinking very little about the property.  Consider my surprise when Laura sent me a text message with three words:  "We got it."  Laura later told me she had just put down a deposit, and we had been chosen out of 25 other applicants.  I was more than surprised.  I was more like, "Oh no!" but not in a bad way.  Obviously God had overruled my plan.  He opened the door to that rental property, and I am delighted to walk through that door.  What are my shortsighted plans compared to God's?

This morning I was laughing to myself.  How ironic that I would uproot my family from San Diego and move to Sydney, only to balk at moving to another suburb!  The fact is, God has every right to order my steps and tell me where to live.  This morning I read in 1 Samuel 22:5:  "Now the prophet Gad said to David, "Do not stay in the stronghold; depart, and go to the land of Judah." So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth."  Fearing for his life, David had gone to the land of Moab and stayed with the king in his stronghold.  But God sent the prophet Gad to tell David not to remain there, though Saul sought his life, and to go to the land of Judah.  Obediently, David did as God commanded him.  This move certainly required faith for David, seeing as there remained only a step between him and death.  Yet God was gracious to protect and provide for David, as He will for our family as well.  God will never mislead or trick us.  The children of Israel were reliant upon the presence of God leading them in the desert, and the leading of the Holy Spirit is the same for Christians concerning our actions as well as where we live.  Moving for me is an act of faith, and I know God will use it for good.

It is a good thing to consider:  when you are overruled by God, will you choose to obey and rejoice?  For me my joy was not immediate, but I tell you the truth:  what peace, joy, and delight is found when we choose to obey and rest in God's will.  He knows us and the struggles we will face.  He will see us through every one and bring us to His desired end.  It will be difficult at times and it will not always be comfortable.  But what a joy to know that God is leading, directing, and upholding us by His gracious love.  I am praising God for the provision of a place to stay, and I covet your prayers as we prepare to move in the next few weeks.  Glory to God, for He rules over all!

On Spiritual Fitness

Our family recently signed up for private health insurance.  There were many reasons we did so.  The primary reason was that if we did not to opt for private health insurance in Australia within the first 12 months of being permanent residents, there would be a sizable rate increase we would have to pay for the rest of our lives.  Basically, the government strongly advocates private health care as well as public.  The cost of private health care through Bupa is about half of what we were paying for international health care through Aetna, so we're actually saving money!

There are many benefits to private health coverage I was aware of, but there was a promotion I was not aware of.  After signing up for Bupa, we were given the choice of three gifts:  a $200 New Balance shoe vocher, 20 movie tickets, or a Fitbit One wireless activity and sleep tracker.  After mulling over the options, we decided to go with the Fitbit One.  It's an amazing piece of technology, very small and clever.  It keeps track of how many steps you take, calories burned, distance walked and incline climbed.  The tracker syncs with your mobile device and computer, keeping track of how you are doing.  It notifies you when you have reached a goal and new goals can be set.  You are able to input exactly what foods you eat and how much water you drink.  Strap it on your wrist at night and it keeps track of how long you were in bed and how long you were restless or awake.  My, the things I'm learning about myself!

What is great about this device is not only that it keeps track of what you do, but it also pushes you on to do more.  It is a silent encouragement in my pocket to be more active and to consider my health with eating and drinking choices.  I thought to myself:  what if we did the same with our Christian walk?  It might be very useful to know how long I have prayed, how much screen time I have had during the evenings, and how often my mind intentionally considered scripture.  After walking yesterday and looking at how many calories I burned, I was unimpressed:  "I only burned 130 calories after all that?!!" (I did go over 3,000 for the day)  I wonder how many of us actually gauge how effective our spiritual exercises are.  Our means of measuring is far more subjective.  But we don't need to clip devices on our pockets to be able to answer these pertinent questions:  what did God say to me in prayer?  How can I apply that passage to my life today?  Am I intentional in sharing my faith with others?  Do I have new stories about how God has revealed Himself to me?  We need to take careful stock of our spiritual health, even as it is beneficial to carefully observe our activities, food choices, and sleeping habits.

How spiritually healthy are you?  What sort of things are you putting in your mind?  Are you standing strong in the LORD and in the power of His might?  Are you utilising the gifts God has entrusted to you?  If all we did is eat without exercise, we would balloon up.  If all we do is gain knowledge through scripture without putting it into practice, we become the equivalent of a couch-potato Christian - someone who impacts furniture more than people.  Let's get moving!  We all have room to grow in Christ, and He will lead the way.  We cannot only be content with what we have done yesterday, but be spurned on to do more today for God's glory!

Seek Christ and Live

"For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: "Seek Me and live; ⁵ but do not seek Bethel, nor enter Gilgal, nor pass over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing. ⁶ Seek the LORD and live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, with no one to quench it in Bethel."

Amos 5:4-6

A few nights ago I came across this passage.  It illustrates one of the common pitfalls of God-fearing people:  seeking fulfillment through ritual rather than seeking God.  Amos was a working man turned prophet through the call of God.  Amos issued many warnings to Judah and Israel because of their idolatry and sin God would certainly judge.  God gave Amos a series of visions to share with the people to aid their understanding.  Through Amos, God predicted the dispersion of His people and their ultimate restoration.

I don't know what is worse because they are both bad:  unbelievers who refuse to seek the LORD, or believers who also neglect to seek God.  My opinion is when believers actually seek after God with all their hearts, their influence to lead others to God will grow exponentially.  The problem is not so much with the unbelievers in the world because they are doing exactly as one might expect.  The heart of the issue is found in the hearts of professing Christians.  Instead of wringing our hands because of the sins of this world, may God rend our hearts for our feeble witness and propensity to seek anything but God.

In the days of Amos, the Jews who feared God were overtly religious.  They made pilgrimages to Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba.  At the time, Bethel was a place of gross idolatry.  King Jeroboam had set up two calves in Bethel so the people could "worship" without going to Jerusalem.  This of course was strictly forbidden under the Law God gave to Moses, but many people were willing to make worship of God more convenient.  Gilgal was the place were a monument of stones had been raised when the children of Israel first crossed over Jordan into the land of Canaan.  It was intended to memorialise what God had done in divinely parting the Jordan to allow His people entry into the land on dry ground.  Abraham and Isaac both called on the LORD in Beersheeba.  Abraham planted a tamarisk tree there, and Isaac built an altar to the one true God.  People thought by visiting these "holy sites" their efforts would be rewarded by God.  Though the people were very religious, despite their efforts and sacrifices, they neglected to do the most important thing:  to seek God!

Over the years, the worship of God had been reduced to a grab-bag of idolatry, tradition, sacrifices, offerings, and ancestor worship.  Through Amos, God rebuked the people for seeking after experiences rather than seeking Him.  At great cost they would travel to Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba, in their eyes a show of genuine piety and devotion.  But God told them otherwise.  "Seek Me and live!  Don't seek Bethel, Gilgal, or Beersheba!  Seek the LORD and live!"  Worship of God was life for the Jews.  God reminded them worship is empty in itself:  life could only be found in Him.  It is very easy to substitute a church building for Bethel, a Bible study for Gilgal, and an outreach for Beersheba.  May we never substitute anything for seeking God.  It is fine for you to go to church and teach a Bible study.  But are you seeking God when you go?  Do you hear His voice speaking to your heart?  Are you seeking God like you would for valuable treasure?

Life is not found in activities or service, but in God alone.  When Jesus spoke to the Pharisees, He testified that the Bible was their Bethel.  They thought through obedience to the Law they would have life.  Interpreting and following the Law was their life, but it could never provide it!  Jesus said in John 5:39-40:  "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. ⁴⁰ But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life."  There is no life apart from Christ.  He is the world's only source of life, forgiveness, salvation, and peace.  The words spoken by Amos ring clear and loud today:  "Seek the LORD and live!"  Are you willing to come to Jesus that you may have life?  Seek the LORD while He may be found.

Pain into Joy

God is able to redeem the pain of our lives.  Sometimes pain continues after the healing is over.  Our bodies are designed in an amazing fashion, able to adapt and compensate for injuries.  I have many injuries suffered years ago that I still feel every day.

During my years working with youth, I racked up all kinds of injuries.  Matt broke my left thumb with a small basketball during a dodge ball game.  My thumb still works, though it looks deformed and has limited movement.  Jason busted something in my right thumb during a football game.  This one is special because I have to adjust it multiple times a day.  I can get three to four cracks at a single time!  Kevin popped something in my right elbow when we were arm wrestling - and yes, it is sore especially after I pitch.  That was the day I retired completely from arm wrestling, a young man's game!  Brian chipped one of my teeth during a inflatable games jousting match, and I totally deserved that one.  When you give someone a "free shot," what can you expect?  Those are just the injuries that made the cut!

The funny thing is, I am not in the slightest mad at those who had a hand in breaking down my body a bit early.  I remember all those kids in the best light, happy for the times we spent together.  When I was feeling pain in my thumb today, it reminded me to pray for Jason.  Forget sticky notes or strings around the finger:  I have nerve endings as my reminders!  I am deeply grateful for the season of working with the youth at Calvary Chapel El Cajon, and I pray they would make a great impact on the world for God's glory.

Pain is a great reminder of our mortality and frailty.  As C.S. Lewis famously said, pain is God's megaphone and through it speaks loud and clear to hearts tuned by the Spirit.  I am grateful the reminders of fun times, wonderful friends, and God's sustaining grace through it all.  Only God can turn pain into joy without regret.

Freezer Expectations

Man can become resentful when his expectations are not met.  Even if his expectations are idealistic, unrealistic, or perfectly ridiculous, resentment and bitterness can influence his attitudes, decisions, and interactions with others.  I am eternally grateful God is not like that.  He does not have "expectations" like a man does because He has perfect knowledge of past, present, and the future.  He does not become resentful and withhold good from people because we have disappointed Him.  He does not withhold good things from us because we will never use what He gives us perfectly in the future!  Again, disappointment comes from my desires remaining unfulfilled in the way or timing I prefer.  God is gracious, and He is always good.

A couple years ago I received a freezer from a family who was moving house.  It served us very well for a season, and we were recently blessed with a freezer which is bigger and more energy efficient.  Putting into practice the principle of "Freely you have received:  freely give!" I decided not to sell the freezer but offer it on the kerb for any who had a use for it.  We had been blessed by the generosity of others, and I wanted to ensure that the same blessing was available to others.  So I defrosted the freezer, wiped it clean, and set it in my yard with a "free" sign.

It was during dinner we began to discuss how long it would take for someone to pick up the freezer.  Like someone seeking to find a good home for a pet, I had this idealistic view of someone on our block who really needed a freezer and would be so delighted and blessed to receive it.  And then a thought hit me and my wife at the same time:  oh no!  I hope we won't see the freezer relocated to a front yard down the street!  I felt my heart sink.  When I accompany my sons to the bus stop, we walk by a front yard that is packed with junk.  From the outside, it appears the hoard once contained in the garage has spilled out onto the driveway, is stored in the back of a truck, and spread under tarps in the front yard.  There are dented bonnets, greasy radiators, tires, pieces of bikes, countless oily cable harnesses, bits and pieces everywhere.  LORD, please help the right person to pick up that freezer, I thought to myself.  Just not THAT guy.

The next day I went out to make sure the door of the freezer was open so it wouldn't grow mould.  The freezer was gone!  I instinctively swung my gaze down the street to see if my prior suspicions were valid.  Sure enough, there was my - now his freezer - sitting in the front yard surrounded by stuff, still resting in the handtruck used to cart it to his house.  I shrugged my shoulders and walked back inside.  Oh well.  I was disappointed.  I had offered the freezer with the intention of someone actually using it, not taking up space in the front yard.  Today I walked by the house again and there was the freezer, moved to another location among the churning piles.  I recognised that I did not give that freezer like the gifts God gives men.  I gave with expectations.  I pray good comes out of that freezer, and whether it is used to store food or dismantled and sold for scrap it will accomplish God's will.  God does not give randomly, but purposefully and perfectly.

This presents another point to consider:  even as I did not give the freezer to sit idle, unplugged, and growing mould within, so God gives gifts not to add to our collection but so we might use them.  Suggested by its very name the "freezer" has been designed for a purpose.  It has been designed to use electricity to keep things frozen and preserved.  God has given us forgiveness and new life in Him, and those who have received the Gospel through faith are called Christians.  We are to love God, love people, and make disciples of Christ.  We are to live for Christ.  God gives gifts so we might use them for His glory, not hoard the spiritual and physical blessings He gives for ourselves.  Instead of building bigger barns, let us give as God has given.  The scriptures say God has given us all which pertains to life and godliness.  The perfect peace which Jesus has given is complete, lacking nothing.  So let us purpose to be generous, godly, peacemakers who forgive others as Christ has forgiven us, without placing expectations on others.  God does not give us blessings to reward our performance, but rather out of the storehouses of His grace.  Take time to thank Him today for all He has given!

The Sunburnt Legs Lesson

Yesterday I rose early and took a two hour drive to Thompsons Creek Dam.  It was a learning experience in more ways than one.  Since the weather has been so hot of late, I was largely unprepared for the blasting, freezing wind that blew continuously all day.  The water was choppy, the fish weren't biting, and I would have paid big money for a beanie!  It felt like my ears were going to fall off and my lips were numb.  As the clouds dissipated overhead, the sun shone bright and clear.  But the wind persisted and we continued to freeze.

After a day of fishing we drove back and parted ways, and I could faintly see the sun and wind had affected the faces of my fellow fisherman.  I had come prepared with polarised sunglasses, large hat, windbreakers, and sunscreen.  Unfortunately, my sunscreen remained in the bag I carried around!  I had been so cold from the wind all day that I never even thought to put on the sunscreen.  After removing my boots, I came to the immediate conclusion that I did not only get a little sun - but had received a lot of sun on my legs and face!  I had been wearing shorts, and from knee to sockline I had been sunburned.  The Australian sun spares no skin, and sunscreen does no good in the bag.  Leaving sunscreen in the bag is like going to a lake with a fishing rod but never casting out a lure.  And as God has been showing me, this principle applies to our spiritual life as well.

While I fished alone for a while, I spent some time in prayer with God.  At the time I didn't have a clear impression of what He was saying so I sang praises to Him.  Before bed last night I read in Hosea 10:12:  "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness on you."  In the middle of the night I woke up because my legs were burning.  When I rose to put some aloe vera gel on them, this verse came back to me in a rush.  That was the lesson of the sunburnt legs!  God spoke in that moment clearly.  The suncream was of no value to me because it remained in my bag, and the same can be said of God's righteousness.  Justification and the imputing of Christ's righteousness is not simply a "trump card" to give a man access to heaven, but the righteousness of God is to be sown intentionally by us.

In the world today, many people still rely upon seasonal rain for the success of their crops.  God will bring the rain, but we have a role to play.  He has provided righteousness through repentance and faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He has given the Holy Spirit to quicken, convict, instruct, guide, and comfort.  We must act in faith, purpose, and intent, breaking up the fallow ground of our hearts and sowing for ourselves righteousness.  It is time to seek the LORD.  Treasure hunters must expend money to buy costly equipment to locate and retrieve valuable treasure, even as a fisherman buys tackle to snare trophy trout.  Treasure seeking and fishing often require early mornings, traveling long distances, and a sacrifice of time.  We must expend our lives to seek God, living righteously, reaping mercy, and breaking up our fallow ground.  What good is righteousness if we choose our own way?  What good is a plot of land unless it is cleared, plowed, and planted before the rains come?  What good is justification if we will not labour in our sanctification?  People will go to great lengths to find hidden gold or catch a fish:  how far are you willing to go to know God and live righteously as He reveals Himself to you?

If the sunscreen remains unopened in the bag, it will be of no use to protect our skin from the burning rays of the sun.  There are far graver consequences spiritually than temporary skin discomfort if we sow wickedness instead of righteousness.  Trusting in our own way rather than God will lead us to certain destruction.  We know the means of protecting our skin, but we must individually agree to and put forth the effort to cover all exposed skin.  We even need to humble ourselves to ask for help to get those spots we can't reach.  In the same way, we must be willing to apply the scriptures to our lives:  to our minds and the way we think; to our words and actions; even to our motives and the inmost desires of our hearts.  We need the Holy Spirit to aid us, applying God's word effectively to our minds and hearts, in those recesses only He can see and reach.  Let us be intentional in the way we live, choosing to heed this exhortation found in Hosea 10:12.  It is time to seek the LORD, and He is coming quickly.

Jesus People

After hearing Greg Laurie endorse a book by Larry Eskridge titled God's Forever Family:  The Jesus People Movement in America, I was immediately interested.  I "Kindled" the book and I have found it invigorating and thought-provoking.  The book chronicles the "Jesus People Movement" in the United States of which Calvary Chapel was a part.  I first began attending Calvary Chapel in 1980 as a child and a relationship with Jesus has been a massive, transformative part of my life since.  The "counterculture revolution" was a bit before my time, but the Holy Spirit utilised the thirst for enlightenment and truth to direct many hungry, lost souls to the saving knowledge of Christ.

Some of the facets that marked the hippie Christian movement throughout the States was using the book of Acts as a script for daily living.  There were people who actually sold their belongings and moved into communes or shared dwellings to have "all things in common."  Coffee shops featuring Gospel presentations and Christian rock music popped up across the nation.  Runaways, hippies immersed in a hedonistic anti-establishment bent, and all manner of down and out people were evangelised.  What struck me as I read these accounts was those sharing Christ did more than give a message.  They shared the love of Christ in generous, practical ways.  Simple things like the use of a toilet or a shower was extended to homeless hippies.  Humble peanut butter sandwiches and coffee were given away for free.  Music the culture was familiar with was played accompanied with the message of salvation in Christ alone.  The new Christians didn't often have too much, and they were willing to give all they had away for the sake of Jesus.

Now this is where the modern church has diverged greatly.  The hippies of those days have cut their hair and moved out of their communes.  People have bank accounts, careers, and retirement funds.  They have their spouses, 1.9 children, two vehicles, and their holidays planned a year in advance.  The story has been repeated again and again:  those anti-establishment idealists have become the institution - and it is a far cry from the book of Acts.  Some churches even set forth the passage in Acts 2:42-47 as a model for their vision of ministry:  "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³ Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, ⁴⁵ and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. ⁴⁶ So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."  Churches these days have idolised the second part of verse 47 but have neglected the preceding verses!  This is not intended to be a formula for church growth, but an example of the outworking of the Holy Spirit to save and enable God's people to live in unity.

So what should we do?  Are we to sell all we have and live in communes?  No.  But for the church to become effective as at the first we must be willing to.  We must be willing to quit our careers, move our families, and give generously according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  My observations are not an indictment over a particular fellowship, but the general impression having been in the church for over 30 years.  When I read this book it came to me:  over time "church" has become more an activity than community.  It can be more a hierarchy than a Body.  People can attend church because of what they can receive rather than what they can give.  Is there a hunger for God at the first or just a desire to further establish our theology?  We are full!  Yet we are content and discontented at the same time.  I can fall into this rut as well.  We would love to see changes in theory, but we are unwilling to change.  We are unwilling to make the sacrifices necessary to see the fulfillment of Acts 2:42-47 in our churches, families, and communities.  There is no place for signs and wonders because we do not expect them, nor do we need them.  How much of your life actually necessitates a walk of faith in God?  Walking in faith grants us strength from God, but without faith we are weak as any other man.

It would be wrong for us to read of the "Jesus People Movement" and long for those days, just as it is foolish for us to try to create the conditions of the early church so we might duplicate their result.  We live in a different culture; it is a new day.  Instead of trying to return to a point in time, recreating the past through present efforts, we must return to Jesus Christ, our First Love.  The power of Jesus to save remains unabated and the power of the Holy Spirit as fervent and fiery as ever.  God has plans for you and your church fellowship in these last days.  He will do a new thing if we will return to the old path of faith and complete reliance upon God in all things.  Anything short of an all-out commitment will not do.  Are you willing to do whatever Christ commands?  If God told you to quit your job, sell your house, your two cars, your stuff, and bring your spouse and 1.9 kids along for the ride, would you?  What is holding you back?  Don't make the mistake of giving God your wretched past and holding onto your future.  He has plans for you, to give you a future and a hope.  Is that good enough for you? :)  God help me:  may You be my all in all!

How God Handles Authority

This morning I was struck by how God's ways are so unlike the ways of man.  Give a man a little authority and he will fight to maintain it; God has all authority and He chooses to allow men to do as they choose.  He does not force.  He warns, but does not threaten.  He tells us the certain negative consequences of our rebellion and disobedience, and even allows His own children to wander from the right way.

This facet of God's gracious character is displayed when the children of Israel demanded that Samuel establish a king over them.  When the people communicated their desire to be as other nations and have a king to lead them into battle, Samuel was angry.  He knew that God was the King of the nation and over all, and this desire to have a king was a grave affront to the grace He had demonstrated.  For the Hebrews to say they wanted an earthly king instead of God, it was like a son disowning his own father.  Instead of smashing this insurrection with a heavy hand, God chose to give the people their desire.  1 Samuel 8:7-9 reads, "And the LORD said to Samuel, "Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. ⁸ According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day--with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods--so they are doing to you also. ⁹ Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them."  God was rejected by His own people, the ones He delivered from slavery in Egypt and brought them victorious into the Promised Land, having established them as a nation.  Though He did everything for them, they cast Him carelessly aside.

God did an amazing thing in allowing His people to have a king.  Saul started well, but became proud, bloodthirsty, and quite insane.  God later established David as king, a man after his own heart.  Though the people rejected God by wanting to be like others, God would send a Messiah to redeem all people from their sin through the line of David.  This is phenomenal, that God would redeem even the wanderings of His own people to provide salvation through Christ for all!  Jesus Christ was rejected by the Jews, even as the Father's rule was rejected by the Jews in Samuel's day.  God has even redeemed this as well, for because of the Jew's refusal of Christ as Saviour the Gentiles have been brought into the kingdom of God through the Gospel.  In Christ we see that same gentle spirit, meekness, and all authority.  The Good Shepherd knows when His sheep wander, and He allows them to do so.  In the end His purposes will be obtained, and He receives the glory for it.  When we wander, He pursues us to win us back.

In the position of authority God has granted you, do you tend towards domineering?  Do you fight and angle for control?  When the authority God has given to you is challenged do you become angry and take up the case with God?  Or do you threaten, force, or coerce others to fall in line through your own schemes?  When the authority of Moses was challenged in Korah's rebellion, he fell on his face before God.  God fought for him.  When the authority of David was challenged by his own son, he fled the city and trusted God.  God delivered him from the sword and established him again upon the throne.  When Jesus was betrayed, falsely accused, tortured and murdered - though the Son of God, God-made-flesh with all power and authority from the Father - He allowed the scourge to open His back, the thorns to pierce His brow, and nails to pierce His hands and feet.  He said, "Father, forgive them.  They know not what they do."  Three days after His death Jesus rose to life glorified, having all authority over life, death, and hell.  Those who remain in their sins will face the fierceness of God's wrath, but those who heed His warnings and repent, trusting in Christ as Saviour, will be saved.

All on this earth will someday answer to the Ultimate Authority:  God.  The supernatural way He loves people and compassionately, patiently offers them mercy and grace with forgiveness is the touchstone for how the authority God has granted to us must be exercised.  On our own this is impossible, but we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!