Think, People!

On Tuesdays I teach scripture at a local primary public school to a class of year-six students - that's 6th graders, for those reading from the States.  Over the school term we have grown to have more of a routine.  We usually start with a passage from the Bible and spend the last third of our time in workbooks.  In the workbooks there are crossword puzzles, mazes, fill-in-the-blank questions, and the highly-sought after "find-a-word."  There are days where there seems to be a decent level of understanding, and other days the chore of eliciting reasonable responses is like attempting to pull teeth from a toothless baby!  It is a great consolation to me that God's Word never returns void.  I might be a lousy teacher, but the Holy Spirit isn't! :)

Today I asked a couple of questions to the class before opening the scriptures.  It is imperative to connect real life with the things we speak about from the Bible.  I am not interested in merely a transference of knowledge, but to have these young people apply Biblical truth to their own lives.  Today showed me, however, the kids would rather not think.  After labouring through the second question one girl asked, "Can we get started now?"  She wanted to read the Bible passage.  She knew once we read the Bible passage then she can do the fun workbook.  "We started already," I told the class.  "I am here to help you use your brains."  "What's a brain?" a boy in the back drawled out.  This is going to be a good day, I thought to myself.  And by God's grace, it was.  I witnessed my share of offhand remarks and glazed looks, but I trust God used it to make a difference for eternity.

Kids love to learn, but they don't always like to think.  These kids would love for me to do some storytelling, show them pictures of distant places, entertain them with puppets and drama, and let them spend time in their workbooks. They like finding the correct verse in the Bible and reading it out loud for the group.  They are happy for me to do all the thinking and tell them what to do.  But when it comes to these kids actually thinking about what the passage means, I tend to hear a lot of ridiculous statements or pervasive silence.  It seems to me these students have been trained to hear words, and repeat back when asked verbatim.  They are out of their depth to even hazard a guess what the words mean, much less how the truth applies to their personal lives!  It is so important to encourage critical thinking instead of merely conveying information.  Today reminded me how many children remain unreached in Bible classes and Sunday schools.  Don't get me wrong.  Many of these unreached children know a lot of Bible facts - maybe even more than their teachers.  Because they have never been challenged to think critically about what they are hearing, the truth has not actually been applied to their hearts.  Knowledge about the Bible can pass as a cheap substitute for knowledge of God, and this is a tragedy beyond words.

While adequate preparation and an engaging delivery of a lesson is the aim and responsibility of every teacher, no Bible teacher needs fear their efforts are being wasted.  Is not God a Redeemer?  My confidence must not be in my experience, preparation, visual aids, object lessons, or activities:  it must be in the Spirit of God to open the hearts and minds of kids to consider God's infallible truth and how it demands action on their part.  The Bible is not just facts to know but opens our gaze to our loving Creator, pure and holy.  The Bible introduces us to our Saviour Jesus Christ and how we can be born again through faith in Him.  No matter if we teach children or adults, our best will be useless when we step up confident in self.  Days like today remind me I cannot teach anyone anything.  I need God, and He doesn't need me!  Thank God for sending the Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth!  Thank you for choosing to use this frail, sorry vessel to pour forth your love and light.  Praise God for His wondrous grace!

Content in God

It's been a long week.  My wife and I have been floored with a virus since last Wednesday.  I can't remember if I have ever had a fever for five straight days, and I hope that is the last time!  We were very thankful to have a doctor home visit and have scripts written for both of us for a course of antibiotics.  This is the first time I have missed teaching on a Sunday morning due to illness in almost nine years, which is quite remarkable.  It is not a testimony to my constitution, but to the grace and sustaining power of God.

As bad as it is to be sick and exhausted, Laura and I talked about how gracious God has been to our family since arriving to Australia concerning illness.  When moving to a new country there are many new strains one can be exposed to.  Despite the differences, I believe God protected us and kept us healthy.  This is where some become quite cynical:  "Does God only answer your prayers?  What about the people who have been sick many times?  How about those with cancers and debilitating illnesses who suffer every single day?"  God did not keep our family from illness because of any goodness in us or because we are more "special" than other people.  God gives people good health who don't even believe in Him!  He gives according to His grace.  We have asked Him for good health and God gave it to us.  We have thanked Him profusely.  And guess what?  This past week He said "No" to good health.  I hate being sick and run-down, but if God sees fit to allow me to be sick, then I am content in Him.

God is only good, in total contrast to this fallen world.  He is trustworthy.  My family and I are sheep of His pasture.  Jesus is our Good Shepherd who watches over us, protects us, binds up our wounds, heals our bodies, and brings rest to our souls even when we are sick.  This world cannot offer true rest, healing, and restoration!  There is no peace in the hearts and minds of the cynics who lash out angrily at God only when things go wrong and credit themselves when things go well.  Some are happy enough to forget about "God" until they feel a need to blame someone.  Job asked his wife, "Should we receive good from God and not evil?"  A fair question.  If God is in control and knows what is best, who are we to doubt Him when He allows discomfort and pain?  Never forget He is a Redeemer.

David wrote in Psalm 120:1 after the priests had been slaughtered in cold blood save one:  "In my distress I cried to the LORD, and He heard me."  When I was in agony during these days I have cried out to God in my distress like I have not for a long time.  It was a good reminder that I need to have that sense of urgency to seek God when it is not my body or comfort on the line.  God uses distress and illness even for good concerning those who love God.  What a wonder, to be heard by God!  To be heard is a greater blessing than to be healed!  When bad things happen, how much greater and good is our God!

Levi and Lot's Wife

"After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." ²⁸ So he left all, rose up, and followed Him."

Luke 5:27-28

Jesus called people to follow Him from many walks of life:  fishermen, a zealot, doctor, and a tax collector.  It is most instructive that in many cases Jesus called people to follow Him when they already had careers and even called them during their work day!  Jesus knew His disciples before He called them, and He no doubt knew their daily routine and working hours.  But He did not wait for a convenient time.  This is always the case when it comes to following Jesus.  Following Jesus means leaving other things behind, and Levi illustrates this well.

What I find most interesting in this passage is the order of verse 28.  Before Levi stood to his feet, he already left all.  His heart was no longer yoked to his career, money, or even his responsibilities before the Roman authorities who had employed him.  Jesus simply said, "Follow me."  A decision was made in Levi's mind in union with his heart that he was going to answer that call immediately.  No discussion, no contract, guarantees, or promises of success or prosperity.  Levi did not wait to answer Christ's invitation after providing a two week notice for his employer, after he asked permission from his boss or family, no half days, no weaning period to build financial support, no training up of a new tax man.  Levi walked away from financial security and his pay for work already performed.  Levi was willing to place his whole life in the hands of Jesus.  He left all, rose up, and followed Jesus.

Now some might wrongly use this passage to accommodate and justify impulsive, fleshly decisions when it comes to life or ministry.  Moved by pride or ambition and not the Holy Spirit, there are some who might be cavalier and flippant because they expect God's approval and nurse a sense of entitlement of subsequent blessings due to their efforts, sacrifice, or service.  The problem is, when our steps are not ordered by faith in God confirmed by His Word, we can be presumptuous and exhibit folly.  Levi had no doubt it was Jesus who called him and was certain the open invitation had been leveled specifically to him.  I have heard it said "The need is the call," but frankly "need" does not necessarily constitute calling.  There is no shortage of need in this fallen world, just like there is no shortage of telemarketers who call my residence asking for help or money.  Jesus says His sheep know His voice and follow Him.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit and the scriptures we can discern God's voice and take the appropriate steps of faith for His glory.  God does not need us, but the wise recognise their need to entrust our lives to Him alone.

One final point concerning verse 28:  the heart departs and the mind agrees before the body moves.  Every single Christian at times and in varying degrees during their walk with Christ will choose to accommodate the flesh rather than walk in faith.  We can make the error of thinking the problem with our wandering feet is constant temptation, the ferocity of Satan's assault on our minds, our past, or weakness.  The problem primarily every time is one of the heart.  James tells us in chapter 1 that when temptation and the lusts of our own heart combine in agreement sin is conceived.  Jesus explained the desire for divorce is primarily indicative of hardness of heart, not irreconcilable differences between you and another person.  Our hearts must be reconciled before God first, and then we are able to deal with conflict biblically, flee from temptation, and resist the devil.

Have you decided to follow Jesus, even when you are on the job, at home, watching TV, or reading the Bible?  Are you willing to leave all so you might rise up and follow Him?  Too many try to rise up and follow Jesus before our hearts and minds and left all.  The result?  We never follow Christ in absolute surrender, joy, victory, and power as He intends - if we ever follow Him at all.  It is hard to keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus when our heart's desire is to remain in Sodom.  Jesus said in Luke 17:32, "Remember Lot's wife."  When it came time for her to flee Sodom's destruction, she left her home and treasured things behind - with a little bit of her heart.  She cast longing eyes towards Sodom and became a pillar of salt, a memorial of death for all who love the things of this world.  To whom Jesus has revealed Himself, the same must be willing to leave all, rise up, and follow Him.  We can't take any part of this world with us, but Christ deserves and desires to be our all in all.  If we seek to save our lives we will lose them, but if we lose all for Christ's sake our lives will be preserved.

Levi chose life.  Are you willing to leave all, rise up, and follow Jesus?  He's calling you right now!

Redeeming the Moments

"Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light." ¹⁵ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, ¹⁶ redeeming the time, because the days are evil." 

Ephesians 5:14-16

Sleeping is a necessary aspect of life for human beings.  Though some need more sleep than others, physically we all require a regular amount of sleep to function at our best.  Spiritually speaking, those who have been born again through the Gospel need not sleep.  Our bodies need sleep and rest, but we are called to awake to righteousness and sin not (1 Cor. 15:34).  A biblical definition of a fool is one who does not believe God exists or lives in a way that does not acknowledge Him or His wisdom.  A wise man is the one who has heard God's Word and obediently applies it to his life.  A fool - being spiritually insensible and asleep - does not walk with this knowledge of God or His wisdom.  There is a sense of urgency in Paul's words, that Christians not become complacent, careless, or sleepy.  He goes on to say we should not be unwise, but understand what the will of God is (Eph. 5:17).  The implication is knowing God's will should profoundly affect the way we live.

A characteristic of the wise man is one who walks circumspectly and "redeeming the time."  What does it mean, to be redeeming the time?  It is God's will we would be continually redeeming the time He has granted us for His glory.  Our time on earth is limited, and no man knows precisely the time or manner of his own death.  Therefore we are to live earnestly, purposefully, and intentionally according to the wisdom and will of God.  We only have so many years, months, days, hours, and minutes left on this planet to glorify God.  A wise man recognises the brevity of his existence and seeks to make every minute count for eternal purposes.  God has been showing me lately that it is not only the minutes or seconds we must continue to redeem, but the moments.  There are countless moments throughout the day we can be redeeming to glorify God we can easily miss.

In fact, this can be taken even further:  I suggest the ways we handle our "moments" is indicative of the true condition of our hearts before God.  We may have to spend hours in front of the TV before we experience guilt or acknowledge we have "wasted" time.  Yet it is not necessarily the big blocks of time where the real waste happens.  It can be when we are waiting for the kettle to boil, when we are sitting on the toilet, or waiting at a traffic signal.  In those moments, where do you turn to occupy your mind?  Are you redeeming those moments for God, or are you using them for yourself?  During those moments wouldn't it be more profitable rather to be praying, thanking and praising God, reading the Bible, or memorising scripture?  God is challenging me not only to be redeeming hours or minutes but even the moments.  God help me!  When we commit to redeeming our moments before God, the minutes, hours, and days will be redeemed for God's glory.  It reminds me of a maxim attributed to an uncle of mine:  "Take care of those pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves."  If we are careless with our pennies, it will affect the ways our dollars are spent or if we have them at all!

Here is an illustration of the necessity to guard against the little wasters.  Song of Songs 2:15 reads, "Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes."  During the night whilst the farmers slept, foxes would squeeze their way through fences and access grape vines.  Foxes are a relatively small animal and only need a tiny hole to weasel their way in.  Once inside a vineyard, when they fed on the grapes they would also ruin the vines.  When foxes or other animals find a source of good, easily obtained food, one can be certain they will return.  It would be folly for a farmer to shrug his shoulders when he saw evidence of vine damage, ignore the hole in the fence (It's just a small one!), or hope vainly the foxes would not return the next night.  The fact is this:  if we are sleeping during moments we should be redeeming through the day, more and more foxes will be emboldened to come.  It will be only a matter of time before the whole vineyard is spoiled because the little foxes were not trapped and the holes in the fence not repaired.  Life is filled with little foxes - sneaky, subtle, destructive thoughts, motives, activities, and affections - which work to spoil our spiritual vitality and fruitfulness.

So what should we do?  Romans 13:10-14 states, "Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. ¹¹ And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. ¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts."  Instead of making provision for the flesh, we are to put on the LORD Jesus Christ.  It is high time for us to awake out of sleep, for we only have a short time left.  Round up the little foxes without compromise and decide to walk wisely, redeeming even the moments.  In this God will be pleased!

The Hedge of Thorns

"The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway."

Proverbs 15:19

During the WORD Bible study on Friday night at Calvary Chapel Sydney, we discussed this verse.  Passages like this can reveal our tendency to filter biblical claims through our experience or current understanding rather than believing the text at face value.  It is very common for us to read an objective statement and accept it because it confirms previously held views.  If we will read honestly, openly, and inspired by the Holy Spirit, God's truth will confront and dash the presumptuous assumptions of the flesh.  A man of understanding seeks knowledge with the intent to apply it to his own life.  Those who are faithful to heed the truth of God's Word will grow, be fruitful, and richly blessed.

This verse paints a compelling contrast between the way of the lazy man and the upright.  Proverbs 20:6 says, "Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?"  Laziness is not a particularly desirable quality, nor is it a characteristic to strive for.  A lazy man will not strive for much except his own comfort and ease!  Solomon compares the way of a lazy man like a hedge of thorns.  Picture a man trapped in a thorny hedge.  Remarkably, through a series of decisions and procrastinations (for no decision IS a decision), he found himself wedged in with thorns in front and behind with no clear view to escape.  Should he move forward, thorns jab into his brow.  Scooting backwards seems not to work either, for the thorns press into his legs!  Seemingly painful obstacles encircle the lazy man, so he stays in his uncomfortable situation, paralysed.  "There's no way out for me," he cries aloud.  "Whether I move forward or try to move back, I am surrounded by painful obstructions.  Who wants to pluck thorns from their socks or perhaps suffer injury?  If I am to do anything, I will do nothing."

There are several characteristics of a slothful, indolent man.  He demands a guarantee of success before he will pay a price, risk effort without reward, or make a sacrifice.  Difficulty and unknowns surround every possibility, so in his distorted, short-sighted view it seems advantageous to do nothing - except perhaps to complain about his unique predicament!  Unless there is a certainty of being brought toward his preferred, ideal end immediately, he is unwilling to take the first step towards the goal.  Being lazy, his goals all centre around himself.  There may be one or more ways out of the hedge of thorns, but he will wish and wait for a comfortable option he prefers - even if it kills him.  Notice how the Psalmist contrasted the lazy with the upright man, the man who trusts in God and walks faithfully in obedience.  The upright man does not wait for wishes to be miraculously fulfilled without effort or intentional steps, but has placed his hope in God.  The lazy man is preoccupied with self, yet the upright man has God in His view.  The highway he walks is well-marked, for even a fool could stick to the path (Is. 35:8).  He knows where he is going, and he is willing to continually put one foot in front of another though the path is long, hilly, and potentially hazardous at times.  The upright man cannot tell what might happen to him on the road, but he has determined to stay on the path and persevere to the end.

Motive is key in both the lives of a lazy and upright man.  A spiritually upright man might at times exhibit laziness, but a lazy man is never upright.  It is true there are people who know not God but have a strong, desirable work-ethic.  Their motive may be self-serving, yet they are willing to pay the price to achieve their ends.  The same may be indolent and willfully ignorant concerning spiritual responsibilities.  The existence of the lazy man provides no reasonable justification for Christians to embrace laziness.  Jesus did not come to be served but to serve and give Himself as a ransom for many.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He is no hedge of thorns but a highway of holiness that leads us to salvation.  Thorns are a result of sin, and a crown of thorns was pressed into the scalp of Christ the Saviour when He was crucified.  He died on the cross so we might be dead to sin and enter into the good works He has prepared beforehand for us to enter into (Eph. 2:8-10).

If your way resembles a hedge of thorns, take the first step in admitting laziness and repent.  God has a miraculous way of clearing the thorns when we ask Him for help in ordering our lives for His glory.  Taking the first step of faith will lead to more!  Gideon taught the reluctant elders in Succoth a lesson with thorns and briers, and God is willing to use the discomfort of a hedge of thorns to prick our consciences and bring us to our senses as well.  Jesus said in John 9:4-5, "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  Jesus is the most upright man this world has ever seen, and we do well to heed Him and follow His example.

The Demon Destroyer

One of my sons was doing a school assignment which involved making "trading cards" with challenging words.  He chose "colloquial" for one of the words.  For whatever reason, I find the word does not roll simply off the tongue!  Easier for me to define than pronounce, a "colloquialism" is an informal, commonly used word or term of phrase.  Colloquialisms can be slang, and they are often understood by local people yet sound completely foreign to others who speak the same language.  Australia is rife with colloquial terms which remain relatively unknown by other Australians.  Being an American, it's always strange when I use a colloquial term I have picked up over the years and a true-blue Aussie looks at me funny, totally unaware of what the septic just said.  There, I had to say it. :)

I find it interesting when a colloquialism has what I will call "crossover."  This is when a person uses a colloquialism which carried no special significance to them, but means something to someone else.  People use the expression "Oh my g.." without any belief in a literal God.  If they did believe in the God to which they refer, they certainly should think twice before uttering blasphemy because they know He is a holy, just God!  Another phrase I have heard much of late is when a struggling person is "battling his demons."  Many people who say this do not actually believe demons are malevolent spirit beings, but for me this is a colloquialism that has crossover.  I believe in the existence of demons as strongly as I do in the existence of human beings or God!  Someone who believes in the existence of demons may agree literally with the statement, whilst the one who says it only is speaking figuratively - "demons" being no more than negative self-talk or a catch-all which suggests inexplicable power apart from personal control.

I can't tell you how many times I have heard of celebrities, musicians, or depressed people "battling their demons" by people who do not believe in the existence of them.  The Bible reveals God created all things both in the spirit and natural world.  He created human beings distinct from all other animals and living things because He breathed into man a living soul - an immaterial, eternal aspect of a each person.  You are not your body, for your body is simply a vessel your soul inhabits for a season.  The spirits who have remained God's loyal servants are often referred to as angels, and those who have rebelled under the authority of Satan (once an angel himself) are called demons.  Since demons are unclean spirits who operate in a spiritual realm yet have the power to cross over into the natural realm we see, they cannot be battled through external means or effort.  How does one battle a demon he cannot see, touch, or perceive?  Unfortunately so many fight a losing battle with actual demons they do not believe in because they are going about the fight the wrong way.

Jesus amazed people through His power demonstrated when He cast unclean spirits out of people with a word.  The people of that day had pagan rituals and techniques of silencing and appeasing evil spirits who took possession of people's minds and bodies.  To this day in places the Word of God has had little exposure, demonic oppression and possession is a real part of life for many people.  In the west we have written off demonic power as "superstitious," and do not even address the potential spiritual aspects of mental illness or physical sickness.  In the east the pendulum is at the other extreme, with nearly every illnesses or accident being blamed on evil spirits.  Jesus did not need to recite incantations, splash holy water, or take a cross and press it into the face of the afflicted to deliver from demonic power:  He merely said the word, and the ones in bondage brought to Him were set free.

Jesus gave His followers power over unclean spirits, and the authority to cast out demons in His name is an attribute possessed by every genuine Christian.  We need not fear, for greater is the Holy Spirit within us than the devil or demons who are in this world.  Jesus said in Matthew 12:43-45:  "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. ⁴⁴ Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation."  Jesus compared the body of a person to a house.  Demons are like squatters who shack up in derelict, abandoned houses with all their filthy buddies.  Jesus cast out many demons, yet it was imperative those who had been swept clean in faith invited Jesus into their lives.  When the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the hearts of believers through the Gospel, not even Satan himself can evict Him.  Through God born-again Christians have spiritual power and authority that has spiritual "crossover" through Christ and provides victory in the physical realm as well as spiritual.  There is no demonic horde too strong for God to overpower, bind, and throw out for good.  The power and victory is the LORD's, and He will make more than overcomers all who trust in Him.

We need not fear, though the mountains be removed and thrown into the sea:  God is the One who fights for His people.  Jesus Christ is the only hope we have to be forgiven from sins and saved from the power of wicked spirits.  The lasting image in my mind is one of Jesus Christ in Revelation 19:11-16, the One who will ultimately throw Satan and all demons into the lake of fire for eternity:  "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. ¹² His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. ¹³ He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴ And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. ¹⁵ Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ¹⁶ And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

The People Whose God is the LORD

On United States money it is written, "In God we trust."  There is a truth to be gleaned here:  whatever you trust is your god.  There is One God (capital G), but there are many lesser gods in this world.  There are many idols people look to in place of God but are powerless to hear, speak, or save.  It is ironic that atheists reject a belief in the existence of God to the end they might be god themselves.  People want to claim absolute "control" of their lives and deem themselves masters of their own destiny.  But how much control do we really have?  We cannot keep the sun from rising, and a day will come when we cannot keep our hearts beating or our lungs breathing.  Will laws stop lawbreakers?  Will political discussions ensure peace?  Will signing a treaty remove hatred from a man's heart?  We are not masters but servants, and every day we must decide who or what we will serve..

Psalm 33:12 reads, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance."  It is a happy and blessed nation who places their trust in God.  More important still, after trusting God we must make Him our LORD.  God chose the Jewish people not because they were strong, but because they were few and weak.  Through their weakness God's strength, power, and grace would be made evident to the entire world.  God has also chosen the foolish things to confound the wise, and He has called the Gentiles (non-Jews) through the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be born again and adopted into His family as His own inheritance.  By grace through faith all can be grafted into the Vine, Jesus Christ, and be recipients of God's love, forgiveness, and salvation.

I visited Israel this year and am concerned with the reports I hear of the terror and bloodshed.  I am saddened to hear of the rocket attacks back and forth between the Israelis and Palestinians and the loss of life.  Where are the days of Jehoshaphat when the people were overwhelmed by their enemies and sought the LORD their God?  These days Israel has grown strong with their nuclear arsenal, Iron dome, highly trained and specialised soldiers, vast resources, technologically advanced weapons, intelligence, and loyal allies.  If they are attacked it seems they must strike back or appear weak.  Is God not able to fight for them any longer?  How long has it been since Israel was overwhelmed by their enemies and rejoiced to put their singers in front as they marched towards their enemies because God had promised to fight for them?  Israel won a miraculous victory in the "6 Day War," and it was truly miraculous - God helped His people triumph despite impossible odds.  I am convinced, however, that unless God's people turn to Him, trusting only in Him for salvation, all their gains can be lost in a moment, all their military might will crumble, and all their resources will pass into the hands of their enemies - that is, until they turn to God as their LORD who will fight for them and grant them the victory in His time and way.

I wonder:  is Israel willing to stand still and see the salvation of the LORD who fights for them?  2 Chronicles 20:20-22 reads, "So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper." ²¹ And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the LORD, For His mercy endures forever." ²² Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated."  This is not only a historical narrative, but instructive concerning the future faced by all God's people.  We need to believe in God and obey Him as LORD.  Only then will we be truly blessed.  It is not the aggressive nor those who retaliate violently who are blessed, but the people whose God is the LORD.  It is not good policy in a fallen world to make God your defense, yet the people and nations who do will be blessed and prosper.  We do not need to fight when God fights for us!

The Life Worth Living

As I drove home from the discipleship course at CC Sydney last night, for some reason the idea popped into my head of the heroin addict who decided he was finally going to quit for good - he just wanted to get loaded one more time.  No sense in letting those drugs already purchased go to waste!  But it would turn out to be the last time shooting up, because it caused an overdose which led to death.  In light of the ultimate result we might see that decision to use drugs "just once more" as pathetic and foolish.  The fact is, that is the picture of the natural condition of every person in the world when it comes to sin.  We are all born sinners, and completely addicted to it.  We are born into this world like drug babies, hooked on sin.  We are rebellious degenerates who simply can't say no.  For us it's always, "Just once more."  Even when we say, "Never again!" it's not long before we are back at it like we never quit.

When our eyes are opened to our helpless condition and we come to Christ in repentance and faith, He is the one who sets us captives free.  We can go beyond just saying "no" because we don't have to be enslaved to bondage to sin any more.  Every person in the world knows the relentless power of addiction.  We know how impossible it is not to worry, and how controlling our temper is beyond our power.  Standing in judgment of others is as thoughtless for us as drawing breath, and wicked motives and intentions seep from our minds with every pump of our deceitful hearts.  It is a view of a holy God according to the scripture which sheds light on our condition:  lost, depraved, and damned.  Thanks be to God, for He is a sure hope of salvation, forgiveness, help, comfort, and everlasting for all who trust in Him.  He alone gives us a life worth living, and it's a life we can enjoy forever because He is in us, and we in Him.

This morning I heard shocking news of the death of comic Robin Williams, and from initial reports suicide was suspected.  It is always surprising when we hear of celebrated musicians, actors, athletes, a pastor, or a friend intentionally ending their own lives.  The public is often presented the glamorous side of celebrities, them posing for pictures on a red carpet wearing gowns and stylish suits.  We read of their large salaries and because they are famous we assume they must be among the world's happiest people.  The characters they portray on the screen or skills they possess on the field colour our view of them as people.  "Oh, I loved him in that movie" some say - expressing a conditional love that can feel good at times but also bites like a tiger.  Since celebrities have a public level of fame and success few people will ever experience, we figure there must be a level of satisfaction and rest in their private lives.  But this is not always the case.  It is folly to think more money, fame, or an arbitrary level of success brings peace in your world.  It speaks to me of sheer desperation when death seems a better option than living.  Live long enough on this world and the day may come when you think you are better off dead.  For me I can truly say a relationship with Jesus Christ makes this life worth living, regardless of the amount of outward success or notoriety (or lack thereof!).

The preacher says in Ecclesiastes 5:10:  "He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity."  The Bible reveals this is the human condition apart from Christ.  Even those who have a relationship with God can be staggered by depression, grief, and personal loss.  There is always a potential that we will seek ways to numb feelings with drugs, alcohol, through work, escapism, games, sport, sex, body image, even comedy.  We must embrace more activity - even Christian service - to lose ourselves so we can cope with our pain, disappointment, worries, or insecurities.  Jesus said in Matthew 16:25, "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."  It is easy to lose ourselves in so many things:  work, addictions, entertainment, chemicals, activities, and the list goes on.  We human beings have been fashioned in God's image and therefore have a need of dependance upon Him, even as an human embryo naturally must grow in the womb of the mother.  It is only through being born again through the Gospel that we experience the life God intended for us on earth and into eternity, a life filled with love, joy, and peace.

When I hear of someone dying, I am confronted with not only my limited life span on earth, but the mortality of everyone on this world who does not know Jesus Christ.  There are also many people who know Jesus and struggle with depression, anxieties, and sins.  As long as we are in this body of flesh, there will be struggles.  But take heart, for Jesus is a Deliverer and Redeemer of all who come to Him in faith.  We are sinners, but He is a Saviour.  He heals broken hearts and lives.  If we are hungry we can partake of Him, and if we are thirsty He will provide Living Water.  It is natural for us to grab all the world can possibly offer to gratify the flesh, but we are insatiable.  There is a part of a man that remains troubled apart from Christ, no matter what he does or what he has.  The Godfather made offers no one could refuse, but Jesus Christ has offered Himself - with the freedom of refusal.  Will you refuse the one who loves you and died for your sins?  Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-29, "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."

The Faith of the Son of God

I love it when God illuminates a scripture in a fresh way.  Yesterday I was reading the Bible waiting for my number to be called in the Medicare office and read Galatians 2:20 in the King James Version:  "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."  There is a subtle difference from the New King James I found most illuminating.  I point this out not for the purpose of pitting one translation over another, but it shed light on another facet of God's truth I had not yet considered.  The New King James Versions reads, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."  I do not believe one of these is "right" and therefore the other is "wrong," but they both hold forth important God-breathed truth.

Do you see the difference?  The NKJV renders Paul's statement "...the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God."  Christians realise our life is intended to be one marked by active reliance in Christ, delighting to do His will.  We place our trust in Christ, and as we walk in obedience the life of Christ is lived out through us.  Now compare this with the wording of the KJV:  "...the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God."  I found this remarkable.  Not only do we live by faith in Christ, but we live by the faith of the Son of God.  The faith we possess is a gift from God.  We cannot muster or manufacture such a response to God in our flesh.  God has dealt to each person a measure of faith, and our faith can be increased as we step out in obedience and see God's faithfulness.

The genuine faith we possess, therefore, is of the exact kind Jesus demonstrated when He went to the cross for the sins of the world in obedience to the Father.  The very fabric of our faith is cut from Christ's faith.  Our spiritual DNA is the same, having been filled with the same Spirit and same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.  1 Peter 1:19-23 tells us we were not purchased with corruptible things "...but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. ²⁰ He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you ²¹ who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. ²² Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, ²³ having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever."  Our faith and hope is to be in God, and now the life that we live is to be a demonstration of the faith of the Son of God, even as we love one another as He has loved us.

This is just another example of how the living Word of God is powerful, packed with truth, and applicable to our lives.  God's Word will never pass away, and the wisdom and power of it will not be exhausted for eternity.  Of making books there is not end, yet there will never be another book like the Bible that searches hearts, convicts of sin, is a lamp to our path, and will remain relevant and fresh for all time.  You who are hungry dig into God's Word, for a feast awaits!

Reaffirm Your Love

"Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. ⁹ For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. ¹⁰ Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices."

2 Corinthians 2:8-11

In his prior letter to the church in Corinth, Paul had exhorted the church to take seriously their responsibility to discipline a member of their fellowship who was living in sin.  The purpose of church discipline is not to punish or humiliate people, but for their ultimate restoration to a close relationship with God and his people.  The man repented of his sinful lifestyle and was truly penitent.  Paul exhorted them to forgive and comfort the man.  He urged them to "reaffirm your love to him."  This is a lovely benefit of being a part of the Body of Christ, the Church.  People will know we are Christians by our love for one another, even after mistakes have been made.

Paul concluded this section with an interesting observation, that Satan is able to take advantage of those who do not forgive.  Love keeps no record of wrongs, but unforgiveness and bitterness continue to claim wrongs and judge others as perpetually guilty.  Unforgiveness, disobedience, and all manner of sin cultivated in our hearts become tools of the devil, his effective devices to influence and deceive individuals who comprise the Church.  Satan cannot destroy the church, but he can sow discord and divide.  We are not ignorant of Satan's devices because we have all employed his tactics freely and liberally before we became Christians.  Perhaps Satan hoped to use the sinning man or Paul's strong rebuke to drive a wedge between relationships, to splinter and divide the church.  Thankfully his schemes were thwarted:  the church responded obediently, the man repented and was restored, and Paul encouraged them to reaffirm their love to him.

I am convinced confirmation of love is good evidence we have actually forgiven someone.  Sometimes we confuse forgiveness with "renewed agreement of civil toleration."  The words, "I forgive you" may have tumbled out of our mouths, but sometimes our affections towards the offending party cool.  Perhaps we do not feel they have suffered enough or have been let off easily.  We remember their cutting words and evil deeds and the pain remains fresh.  We are Christians, so we will agree to tolerate their presence.  We know if we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us.  So we shake their hand and smile, perhaps even sharing light conversation.  If we would be honest, we do not prefer to be around them.  For all we care, they can disappear and take their baggage along with them!  But we cannot blame them for our disobedience in refusing to forgive.  Forgiveness is an act of faith enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit.  It is a decision to transfer their sin toward us upon Christ, even as our trespasses have been laid upon Him!  We need to walk in the Spirit to love as well.  Then the joy of the LORD will be our strength, and the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds.  We will rejoice to affirm our love in practical ways, and begin to live in the liberty Christ has granted us by grace.

Isn't it great that God forgives our sin, reaffirms His love for us, and speaks comfort to our hearts?  How many practical ways God has demonstrated and confirmed His love for me again and again.  Instead of allowing Satan to take advantage of us through unforgiveness, let us forgive and affirm our love for one another.  The demonstration of God's love compels us to love one another, a tangible testimony to the church and the world of God's love that never fails.

The Intentional Walk

Walking is an activity.  To do it requires intentional movement:  standing up to our feet in an upright position and putting one foot in front of the other.  Walking is a fundamental development of human beings, and most of us learned to walk before speaking!  One of the key contributors to illness later in life is an increasingly sedentary lifestyle.  Through neglect and increasing obesity, even walking can become an unbearable chore.  There is a spiritual parallel for Christians to consider:  walking with Jesus is not a passive choice, but an intentional activity.  It is very possible after a passage of time our walk has been reduced to lounging and reclining upon plush sofas of familiar theology.  Unless we are intentional about walking with Jesus daily, every one of us can become spiritually flabby, senseless, and unhealthy - despite the breadth and depth of our knowledge.

One of the potential dangers for every Christian is we can become dull from much hearing.  When we hear the Word and do not respond in obedience, should we ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we will become increasingly dull to God's voice.  We will pray but will not hear God speak.  We will read the Word without receiving any spiritual nutrition.  We will understand the words and concepts but receive no personal application from the text.  Church attendance will become increasingly burdensome.  We can sing Christian songs without a hint of actual adoration or worship of God, our dry eyes never moistened by the moving wonder of God's love.  Service to God will not provide us joy or satisfaction.  And all the while we are self-deceived, convinced we are actually walking with Christ when our hearts have wandered from Him long ago.  Other lesser, worldly loves will continue crowd out space for God in our life.  We will become increasingly distracted, burdened, and disappointed.  All the while we are feverishly working like Martha, wondering why Mary doesn't give us a hand, when it has been ages since we have taken time to sit and the feet of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

There is a hymn I enjoy that goes, "Just a closer walk with Thee, grant it, Jesus, is my plea, daily walking close to Thee, let it be, dear Lord, let it be."  There is within all genuine believers a fervent desire to draw closer to God because of God's indwelling Spirit.  Do you know it is God's will for every person to have a closer walk with Him?  He will not refuse this request, seeing it is Jesus who has sought us out.  If we plead for a closer walk with Jesus and do not take intentional action - to daily walk closer to Jesus - do not expect this prayer to be answered.  Scripture teaches us Jesus will not refuse or cast aside anyone who comes to Him in faith.  It is we who refuse Him.  Let this sink into your soul.  Instead of including God in our activities, thoughts, and service, it is we who exclude Him.  He has brought us into His own forever family, but we are the wanderers, the forgettors, the ones mired in the love of worldly things.  Let us not pine away for what God has already given because we refuse to take baby steps of faith to walk in obedience.

Do you want a closer walk with Jesus?  It is yours if you are willing to walk with Him.  Take intentional steps to seek God and invite Him into your day.  If we truly value time with God, then we will seek Him as a treasure hunter seeks precious gold.  We would continue to pursue Him even as His love pursues us.  Let us not be as married couples who forget the importance of the loving pursuit of their spouse.  Should we put on weight and grow soft because the thrill of the chase is over?  We cannot be content with our current knowledge of God when there are many things He wants to say to us today!  God, keep me from worldly loves and affection which rob us of time together!  Cause me to take intentional steps to follow you daily - no matter the cost - for you are worthy of all honour, glory, and praise.  Thank you for providing strength through the Holy Spirit to accomplish your will, that I and all those in the Body of Christ would daily walk closer with you!

Holy Hands

At church this Sunday we sang the words, "We raise up holy hands to praise the Holy One, who was, and is, and is to come."  As hands rose throughout the congregation, my heart filled with joy.  The act of raising holy hands is one of faith, for not one person can claim personal perfection.  Our holiness is not our own, but the righteousness of Christ imputed to us.  David was right when he wrote in Psalm 24:3-6:  "Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? ⁴ He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. ⁵ He shall receive blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation."  There is no man who can claim sinless perfection but One:  Jesus Christ.  It is by His grace we lift hands now made holy, washed from sin in the pure blood of the Lamb by faith.

Raising hands during prayer and worship is not intended to draw attention to self, but to the Holy One who has forgiven and redeemed us from sin.  It is an interesting fact the scriptures always speak of raising hands - it is never singular but plural.  To me raising both hands speaks of full surrender.  It is an act of faith to raise both hands in adoration and service to the God who fashioned them and cleaned them.  Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:8, "I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."  Inward holiness ought to be revealed in outward piety and obedience to God, living in the way that fully pleases Him.  This too is only accomplished through His grace and a willing heart in submission to Him.

Has your heart been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ?  Then lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting, having cleansed your hands from idolatry and deceit.  From Christ we have received redemption and cleansing, and now offer up praise to the One in whom we live, breathe, and have our being!

Love Greater than Pain

After I came home from hospital, it happened my morning readings were in the book of Job.  This was impeccable timing, because whenever I read Job his suffering dwarfs mine in a matter of sentences.  A sore, surgically-repaired knee is nothing compared to what Job faced!  When pain hits hard it prompts soul-searching and questions.  There was no rational reason for the theft of his herds, the consuming fire from heaven, nor the collapse of the home of his son and subsequent death of all his children in one day.  There was no human answer for why Job's health failed so suddenly and the severity of his suffering.  Job's brilliance was revealed in the midst of his suffering, not by the absence of it.

Job never allowed his pain to reflect poorly upon the character, purity, and righteousness of God.  What happened to Job was wrong, but Job refused to charge it to God's account.  He acknowledged he had freely received good from God and it would be hypocrisy to refuse evil.  Job's suffering was severe.  He was in so much pain he wished he had never lived at all!  He was willing to trade all the good times - the blessings, his family, experiences, riches, friends, everything - to have the privilege of never being born.  Most have never suffered to such a degree, that they would give up memory of all good things they love and enjoy to have never known anything.  Job loved and trusted God, yet his pain was such he would have been content in that moment to have never existed.

Pain leads to self-revelation, and it is also refining.  It has the potential to bury us in self-focus or spurn us to praise and glorify God who is always good, no matter the struggles or pains we face.  I believe Job had a proper view of God. a vision seldom experienced by people today.  We have a benefit Job did not have, in that we can observe how God restored him in the end.  We can allow the fact that Job was restored by God to help us through our difficult seasons, but that is not what brought Job through.  He had no such hope, no precedent.  Here is the point:  Restoration or future benefit should not be what inspires us, but only a vision of God Himself.  Job's pain led to a deeper revelation of God.  Should pain provide a window to a greater vision of God even without physical restoration, we have been graced with a gift beyond compare.  We ought to love the Giver more than the gift. Through Christ, our love can be greater than pain.

A World of Pain

The Bible tells us in heaven there will be no more pain.  Yet alas, on this earthly side of heaven, we are guaranteed pain.  Pain, sickness, and sorrow are consequences of sin, and as long as we live in this body of flesh, pain will be a part of life.  Even Jesus, a man who never sinned, was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.  He experienced the full range of human pain:  physical suffering, mental anguish, emotional hurts through rejection and betrayal, and spiritual separation from the Father on the cross.  If God should see fit to allow His own Son to suffer and die for the sins of the world as a demonstration of divine love, then pain for those who have received His love need not sting so badly.

It is a truth that often pain must be inflicted before restoration and healing can be experienced.  When I tore my ACL and meniscus in May, it hurt.  Walking was slow and painful.  My knee was stiff, sore, and swollen.  If I twisted it the wrong way or banged it into something, shooting pains told me immediately what I did was not good!  Almost two months have passed and there is no swelling and virtually no more pain.  But there is still a problem.  My anterior cruciate ligament - the major stabilising ligament in the knee - is still gone.  This means I am at high risk of doing more damage to the knee joint and ligaments which are not so easily repaired.  Doing nothing means a certainty of arthritis!  Because of my relatively young age and active lifestyle, surgery is the only way to replace the ligament.  This means today I will be stuck with needles, have my skin cut with a knife, tools will be shoved through keyhole incisions, and a drill will go clear through the bone.  Thankfully I plan not to be conscious during this process!

My point is, some pains and injuries we suffer in life - physical, emotional, and mental - will not get better on their own.  Our greatest pains come from being cut off from a relationship with God because of our sin.  We must come to the place of disturbing the very source of the pain to administer a restorative cure.  I could live with a completely ruptured ACL, but I would have to protect and favour my injured leg.  Even after just two months my other knee has started to hurt because I have been walking slightly off.  Doctors are not healers, but God is.  God is the One who can heal and restore us back to a close relationship with Him.  Even in our physical pain He brings comfort, knowing our pain is not without a purpose.  It is when the pain is too great we are willing to seek help.  Exploring or poking around in my damaged knee without a new ligament to attach would be intensely painful and only cause more scar tissue.  That is all worldly wisdom can accomplish when it comes to a wounded and guilty conscience.  God offers assurance, forgiveness, hope, peace, and love.  God does more than acknowledge our pain, but sets us on a course for healing and salvation.

Today I am heading for a world of pain, but pain isn't always a bad thing.  It is often the door we must pass through to greater revelation, peace, and comfort only God can supply.  It can be the first decisive step to healing and restoration.  Praise God He knows our pain, and in His compassion can do everything to make it work for good!

The Ol' Club

Years ago I spent a few weeks refurbishing a pool table for my garage.  Over the course of time, one of my two-piece pool cues broke.  As I walked to the rubbish bin, I held the lower portion in my hand.  Man, this would be a good club, I thought to myself.  Convinced of the bell-ringing power of my new club, I put it near my bed in the case of an unexpected intruder.  For years the thing collected dust.

Then one day I heard a story (fact or fable I do not know) about a woman who woke up and caught an intruder rifling through her home.  Instead of demanding he leave or threatening to call the police, the woman invited the man to sit down and offered him some food.  As she prepared the meal, she spoke to him gently and told him of God's love for him despite his sins.  This woman's faith in God's protection was her security, even when there was a thief in her home.  The story made an impact on me.  It reminded me God is the one who protects my family, home, property, and myself.  Should I place any amount of trust in a club, my ability to wield it, or a gun when God watches over me?  I did that day what I should have done years before:  the club went straight to the bin.  It was replaced - not with a weapon I hold in my hands - but with the knowledge my life and future is in my heavenly Father's hands, and He can protect far better than I can myself!

When I read of Christians amassing stockpiles of weapons or ammunition because of the state of the world or new governmental restrictions, I wonder if they remember that it is God who fights our battles.  How many times did God deliver and save His people in unconventional means because they trusted in Him!  I think of when individuals or entire armies were struck blind, how the Jews were delivered from slavery in Egypt without an insurrection, or when the walls of Jericho fell flat.  Gideon and his three hundred men bested an innumerable encampment of Midianites armed with torches, pitchers, trumpets, and a catch-phrase.  In the days of Israel when there were only two swords, God turned the swords of the Philistines upon themselves!  David defeated the heavily armed and armoured champion of Gath with a sling and a single stone.  God saved Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego from a fiery furnace, and protected Daniel in a den of lions.  Isaiah 37:36 tells when the Angel of the Lord went into the camp of the Assyrians overnight and killed 185,000 warriors!  Our God causes the chains to fall off of hands and makes prison gates to swing open of their own accord, with even the most vigilant guards clueless.

God defends and protects His people if they will trust Him to do so.  How feeble does that club under the bed seem in light of the power of God!  There is a time for war and peace; there is a time as the Jews did in the book of Esther to make a stand and defend our lives.  But let us be careful we do not forget that it is God who fights our battles.  Let us put no trust in armaments or an arm of flesh, for God is faithful to deliver and save all who trust in Him.

No Record of Rights

1 Corinthians 13 is a great description of God's love.  It is active, pursues, is patient, kind, gracious, generous, and seeks to sacrifice self for the benefit of others.  1 Corinthians 13:5 says of God's love: "It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." (NIV)  The last phrase of this verse is most instructive to me.  In the NKJV it is translated "thinks no evil."  Love is not wary or suspicious, but thinks good of others - even when they have done something wrong towards us in the past.  When we keep track of other's mistakes or faults, we are not walking in love.

Closely related to keeping no record of wrongs in others is when we keep track of our rights.  It does not demonstrate love when we bring up how much good we have done for others when they have wronged us.  If I point out my "good" deeds to make someone else feel guilty, or to glorify myself in light of their conduct, this is nothing more than manipulation, pride, and self-righteousness.  It is an appeal to the flesh to have our way, and this should not mark the life or thought patterns of a follower of Jesus Christ.  We can feel taken advantage of if we file away all the good we have done for others and do not see the appreciation our efforts merit.  Those who keep record of others wrongs or their own rights will persist in folly.  Our pursuit of recognition or just rewards show we know little of grace and God's love.

When we are tempted to say, "Look what I have done!" know this is often a clear temptation to sin.  What you have done?  Can a man do anything apart from God's grace?  What do we have that we have not freely received?  Jesus was not taken advantage of by the lost He came to seek and serve because He gave Himself freely without reservation.  Let us love freely as Jesus has demonstrated by laying down His life for sinners.  His sacrifice on the cross did not become His trump card to force His way:  "Look what I did for you!  The least you could do is obey me in this small matter!"  That's not the voice or tone of Jesus, but sounds very much like the tone of the accuser of the brethren.  Love keeps no record of wrongs, nor sounds a trumpet to bring attention to our good deeds.  We are called to do all things as unto the LORD, and it is He who will settle accounts with us!  What do you want on that day:  your just due or God's grace?

God Gives the Increase

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. ⁷ So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase."

1 Corinthians 3:6-7

A person need not be a farmer by trade to know acres of desirable crops do not spring up on their own.  A bountiful harvest is enjoyed only after much labour and expense.  The ground must be cleared, tilled, and irrigated.  Good seed must be planted at the appropriate time and spaced according to each kind.  Vigilance is required to protect the growing plants from insects and rodents.  After the planting and watering, then a fruitful harvest may result.  There is no guarantee offered the farmer his efforts will be rewarded with the same degree of fruitfulness every year.  But his faithful labour greatly affects the end result.

No farmer could lay claim to creating seeds, plants, or fruit.  God is the Creator, and skilled farmers have learned methods, devised equipment, pest control measures, and nutritious feed to maximise the potential of a crop.  Paul did not have a fancy presentation or use manipulative techniques when he shared the Gospel.  Yet people responded to the message of salvation through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  Paul could not lay claim to the salvation of a single soul.  He had sowed the good seed of God's word which fell on various hearts:  some hard, others had thin and rocky soil, some choked with thorns, and others fell on good soil.  It was not his seed, and it was not even his labour which brought forth a harvest of souls.  Apollos nurtured the young believers, but he only did what was his calling and duty to do.  It was God who caused souls to be saved.  It was God who continued to mature and cause people's lives to be fruitful.  God, by His grace, made the efforts of Paul and Apollos effective in His time and divine way.

We can make the mistake of looking for a harvest before we have been faithful to plant or water!  We can perform the equivalent of planting a single seed or watering for a day, but when growth or fruit is not immediately evident we can lose heart and see our efforts as wasted.  This reveals a lack of faith in God's Word and His everlasting promises.  God has promised His Word will always accomplish what He pleases and prosper in the purpose for which it was sent (Is. 55:11).  Christians ought to keep planting, keep watering, and be led by the Spirit in obedience to His will regardless if we see the harvest we set our hearts upon and long to see.  If we set our hearts upon the harvest, we are focused on the wrong thing.  Disillusionment, weariness, and despair will be the fruit of this error.  Our eyes are to be fixed on Christ, and our hearts founded on His Word.  We are God's fellow labourers, and He will bring the increase.  Our eyes may never see it, but it's good to remember the harvest is not for us.  It is for Him and Christ's eternal glory.

Do no lose heart, Christian labourer!  Do not be fooled into thinking you should stop planting or watering because you have not perceived increase.  It is folly to quit planting or watering because you do not yet have fruit.  The fruit of your efforts is not for you to consume for the satisfaction of your flesh, but to plant again so there will be even more eventual fruit.  God is faithful to supply all our needs.  When we realise we are nothings God has chosen, called, and equipped to serve Him, what joy floods the soul.  He does not put the burden of a fruitfulness quota on us like the Egyptians did on the Hebrews, but to plant, water, or to faithfully do whatever it is God has called us to do.  Are you planting?  Are you watering?  If not, then don't expect to see much fruit.  Though we are nothing, God gives the increase!

Don't Settle for the Suit!

This morning I read a most insightful, instructive passage in the book of Esther.  After Haman felt slighted by Mordecai, he inquired and discovered his Jewish ancestry.  Haman decided the punishment of Mordecai was insufficient, and treacherously schemed to destroy all Jewish people.  He influenced the king to give him permission to destroy this "certain people scattered among the provinces" who refused to keep the king's commands, and this permission was granted.  Mordecai and all the Jews mourned this grave injustice, clothed themselves with sackcloth, and wailed bitterly.  Queen Esther, though a Jewess, was ignorant of Haman's plans to destroy the Jewish people because she lived in relative isolation in the palace.

When I read chapter four, the living Word sprang to life before my eyes.  Esther 4:1-4 reads, "When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. ² He went as far as the front of the king's gate, for no one might enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. ³ And in every province where the king's command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. ⁴ So Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them."  Esther heard of how bitterly her cousin mourned, and she was "deeply distressed."  In every province the Jews made a great mourning, but it was not until her family was directly affected that Esther was moved.  This is no fault of her own, but a common response among all people.  Her next move was one I found particularly interesting.

Without inquiring at all about the cause of Mordecai's mourning, Esther sent garments to clothe Moredecai and to take his sackcloth away from him.  Mordecai refused.  New clothes would not solve the problem which faced him and the Jewish people.  Esther's offer, though she meant well, missed the point.  She did the same thing many of us can do.  We are not as concerned about the cause of mourning as how we can stop it.  Mordecai's distress caused Esther distress and it did not please her at all.  It was only after he refused her gift she did what she should have done at the beginning:  ask concerning the cause of Mordecai's suffering.  Esther 4:5 says, "Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was."  Subsequently she received a copy of the edict against her people and discovered her own life hung in the balance.

The thing which stuck me was, what if Mordecai had been content to receive the clothes from the hand of his royal cousin?  What if he had put off his sackcloth to please her, and never informed her of the purpose for mourning?  It could have meant the death of Mordecai, Esther, and all the Jews!  Here is a question for personal consideration:  how would you respond if you were in Mordedai's position and your death was imminent?  Imagine you had been sick for a while and went to the doctor for a diagnosis.  How would you feel if the doctor sat down grimly and said, "Permit me to be blunt:  you are going to die."  After communicating the severity of your condition, he continued:  "The good thing is you are not beyond hope.  If you will make some major adjustments to your diet and lifestyle, in time your condition could be completely reversed."  What do you do?  Would you value your life to faithfully practice all the doctor ordered and avoid all the foods and practices forbidden?  There are few with such self-control and resolve.  Humans are a curious, difficult bunch.  We want to live, but for some life is only worth living on our terms - even if it means our destruction.

One of the takeaways for me from the passage is that I should never be satisfied with a new suit when it is salvation I need.  Mordecai was not content to be comforted when he and his people needed an advocate.  Churches are growing old and dying all over the world.  Should a dying church be content with more congregants, new buildings, better sound systems, and increased offerings when it is the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit we need?  If God is not in our midst, can we be comforted with anything less?  Should we be pleased with position, authority, or accolades when we have ceased to walk in love or do not experience peace that passes understanding?  How foolish it would be to substitute knowledge of God instead of a relationship with God He freely offers by His grace.  Don't settle, believer.  God has given us exceedingly great and precious promises.  We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ.  We are invited to come boldly ourselves into His throne room of grace ourselves so we might have mercy and grace in time of need.  Mordecai was not permitted to wear his sackcloth inside the gate of the King - but we can!  Are you burdened, troubled, or mourning?  Enter into His presence now by faith, for He will by no means cast out any who come to Him.

The Necessary Piece of the Puzzle

Yesterday our family returned safely from a visit to the United States.  It was a refreshing and encouraging time of meeting with friends and family.  I was also able to attend a pastor's conference hosted at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and to teach at Jericho Road Christian Fellowship.  As I reflect back upon the things the LORD showed me during the trip, one that has been useful for me is an illustration God provided me to share for the fellowship at Jericho Road.

As we live out our days on earth, we face situations and circumstances we cannot explain or understand.  With our limited vision, it is impossible for us to see how fiery trials can work for good.  Before assembling a jigsaw puzzle, the complete picture has already been printed clearly on the front of the box.  Should you come across a strange or oddly coloured piece, an inspection of the picture provides clues where the piece fits in the big picture.  But when it comes to our lives on earth, God does not reveal the big picture all at once.  Our vision for our lives could be better compared with the bare brown cardboard of the lower box!

The amazing thing about that odd-shaped piece we can't seem to fit into our big picture - that trial, attack, illness, injury, or circumstance we can't understand or explain - is that in His love, wisdom, and sovereignty God has seen fit to use that particular piece to bring our lives to ultimate completion in accordance to His will.  God allows things that are not according to His will to accomplish His will.  For instance, God allowed His own Son Jesus Christ to die - something that is not God's will - to accomplish His perfect will, that all who trust in Him through the Gospel would be born again and never die!  God is not willing any should perish, but He allowed Jesus to be crucified so all could live.  This is a remarkable, wondrous aspect of God.  Paul knew it to be true and all Christians can affirm what is written in Romans 8:28:  "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

We should receive joyfully the exhortation in 1 Peter 4:12-13:  "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; ¹³ but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy."  We are not always able to receive such words, but their truth remains despite our misgivings and current pain.  Trials are not strange events unknown to God, void of divine purpose.  Indeed, they are among the most instructive, refining, and sure tokens of God's presence, power, and faithfulness.  We may never understand how an artist paints a masterpiece  or why the sculptor formed a curious vessel:  can we explain the thoughts or plans of God whose ways are past finding out?

Our call is not to understand or explain but to believe and trust.  We can be glad despite pain and difficulties, for Christ has promised never to leave or forsake us.  As the song goes, "When darkness veils His loving face, we rest on His unchanging grace."  Corrie Ten Boom used to say that we only see the back of the embroidery.  God sees the big picture, and He will work all things for good to those who love God and are the called according to His purpose!

The Precious Blood

During a communion service today, I held a small cup of juice in my hand.  The grape juice represented the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross for the sins of the world - and mine too.  Christians have not been redeemed by corruptible things, but as it is written on 1 Peter 1:19:  "...but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."  It amazed me to think God would allow the precious blood of His Son to be poured out for any reason, much less to atone for cursed sinners.

We count precious things we own as treasures, treasures to be guarded, preserved, and cherished.  Yet so great was God's love for fallen men, He poured out the blood of Jesus on the dust of the earth.  The riches of God's glorious love and grace were displayed in God's sacrifice.  It boggles the wildest imagination!  Jesus Christ is in very nature God, and made in the fashion of a man - doubly precious!  In light of God's expense, how highly should Christ and His blood be regarded.

I stared at the cup of juice in wonder.  Marvelous, God's love!  Romans 5:5 says, "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."  Life is in our blood, yet God has given the souls of Christians new life through the indwelling Spirit of God.  Whilst in the wilderness David wrote in Psalm 63:3, "Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You."  We cannot repay God for His demonstration of love through the precious blood of Jesus being poured out, but we can praise Him.  We can trust Him and believe His Word.  We are forever indebted to God for such love and acceptance.  Glorify Him, you who have tasted and seen that God is good.  He has taken away the bitterness of the curse of sin and replaced it with the sweetness of love and eternal life!

Taken as You Follow

"Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: "I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet, but I was a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore fruit. ¹⁵ Then the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to My people Israel.'"

Amos 7:14-15

Amos is a great example of a man God called to enter His ministry step by step.  God brought him out of a farming profession - breeding sheep and picking fruit - and called him to be a prophet for His people. He didn't have a pedigree which would have been valued in the Jewish community, but he was called a prophet nevertheless.  Like Moses, he was taken from following a flock of sheep and was called to prophesy to the nation of Israel.

Jesus called fisherman, tax collectors, doctors, and educated Pharisees to follow Him.  Jesus is our Good Shepherd who takes us from one pasture and moves us to another.  He takes people from all walks of life and employs them in His service.  Answering His call is a step by step process, as each step taken in faith in God.  Sometimes God gives us the big picture without the little details, but He often reveals the very first step of a series of steps we see only as we go.  Taking that first step in surrender to God's leading with a desire to see the process through enables us to see and pass through the open door.

Amos wrote of his career, and said "then the LORD took me as a I followed the flock."  This is such an important point.  Sometimes when we perceive the call of God there may be a fleshly impulse to stop what we are doing to pursue an ambiguous goal.  But the key is to keep doing what you are doing faithfully unto the LORD and in His time and way He will take you and turn you loose:  "Go, prophesy to My people Israel."  The word from the LORD didn't come until God had taken Amos from the sheepfold and said "Go!"  There is an order to the way God works, but it is unpredictable.  God's horizons and purposes reach far beyond our limited view.

God has you where He wants you.  And until He moves you, keep doing what He has called you to do as unto Him.  The day will come when He will take you and move you to a new arena for His glory.  He may change your profession, where you live, the ministry God has entrusted to you, or call you from your failing body into eternal glory.  The good work He has begun in you He will be faithful to complete.  Trust that He is in control and He has purposes and plans you will enter into as you follow Christ in faith. 

Proud or Humble?

The other day I was struck with a simple truth:  things which tempt me to be proud are the very things which God desires to use to humble me.  Pride comes from a high regard of self.  Our flesh always seeks promotion and recognition.  The basis for true humility springs from a high view of God.    After being born again by faith in Jesus, our whole perspective changes through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.  Our chief satisfaction is found in service and glory of God instead of serving self.

Tonight I have a privilege of going to my dad's ordination at Calvary Chapel Santee and I have been asked to share a few words.  From a fleshly standpoint, I have always been "proud" of my dad.  He has always been my pastor, and has always been an godly example for me to follow.  Should I be proud of him, however, it reveals I seek to promote myself through him.  Instead of a feeling of pride, I am greatly humbled that God would grant me such a rich blessing in my dad.  I find it humbling that I should be asked to speak at the service.  It is not because I am a "spiritual" person, but simply the Holy Spirit has continued to transform the way I think and live, bringing my life into submission through God's Word.  God has revealed to my mind and heart that pride cannot have a place in my life.  The acceptance or cultivation of pride in anything cannot be justified in a believer, even if the world says it is man's just due.

The things which make us proud God desires would instead humble us.  The things we view as great achievements and accomplishments are gifts God has provided us by His grace.  I did not deserve a wonderful father nor a loving mother.  In His infinite mercy God has provided these people in my life, and they would be the first to say that anything good in them comes only from God.  Pride in my life will cause me to not see blessings from God as they truly are:  gifts by His infinite grace.  God resists the proud, thus short-circuiting grace I fall short of.  Everything we have and all we are is a product of God's goodness and grace, and this should cause us to be humble, grateful, and thankful to God!

Heart and Bones

"A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones."

Proverbs 14:30

 At Calvary Chapel Sydney, we have been taking an in-depth look at the book of Proverbs in the Bible.  What richness is found for those who linger and receive of the wisdom they contain!  They never grow old, and their truth shines undimmed by passage of time.  They hold forth the unchanging, divine wisdom of God.  As we increase in understanding, our love and knowledge of Christ expands because the Father has made Christ to be wisdom for us.

I found the above Proverb most delightful, for King Solomon through the power of the Holy Spirit made a connection between the heart and bones which was not understood by physicians until the 19th century!  In the Hebrew, the word translated "sound" is "a curative, remedy, a medicine."  We all know the heart is important to the overall health of the body, and when it is working efficiently it circulates oxygen-enriched blood to all the body, cleanses the blood through the liver, removes carbon dioxide, and allows white blood cells to attack disease, among many other functions.  A strong heart promotes health of the entire body.

The contrasting point the proverb makes is most compelling.  In an article written by Dr. Barry Cooper called, "The Origins of Bone Marrow as the Seedbed of Our Blood," he describes several early incorrect theories of what bone marrow was.  Dr. Cooper writes, "The marrow is currently well defined as the seedbed of our blood, producing 200 billion red cells, 10 billion white cells, and 400 billion platelets on a daily basis. Yet, the role of the marrow was unknown in antiquity and only first experimentally defined during the latter 19th century."  Although he lived in antiquity, through the Holy Spirit Solomon made a connection between the heart and bones - something not understood until almost 3,000 years later!  It is a catastrophic condition when the marrow inside bones ceases to function properly.  The entire immune system is compromised when the blood cell factory of the marrow fails, even if the heart continues to beat.  Unless there is a transfusion of healthy bone marrow, the condition is a certain death sentence.

From a spiritual vantage point, Solomon describes the horrific effects of envy.  It is a hidden, silent killer more deadly than leukaemia.  It multiplies within our inmost being, concealed by the appearance of strength and stability.  Envy in a person is like a house freshly painted, but all the timber has been eaten by termites.  Envy can be described as discontent or resentment aroused by apparent success of others.  It is a view of life focused on self and others, wishing we had what others do.  Envy has taken hold in our bones when the blessings of others wounds us, and we begrudge benefits others receive.

So how do we undergo a spiritual bone marrow examination?  It will happen only by the probing, piercing Word of God quickened by the Holy Spirit.  Hebrews 4:12-13 says, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. ¹³ And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."  Christians are called to guard their hearts, because from the heart springs forth all the issues of this life.  We ought to have regular marrow check-ups as well, for envy is rottenness to our bones.  Praise the LORD that He was wounded and pierced for our iniquities, and when the Great Physician pierces us it is for our ultimate healing and restoration - not our destruction!

Not Try, but Trust

"It is not "try" but trust, not "do" but done."

Corrie Ten Boom

This is one gleaming nugget of wisdom plucked from the surface of an address Corrie Ten Boom made to a group of largely new believers.  In the message she emphasised the love of Jesus and the blessing of forgiveness.  When Corrie speaks of Jesus and the Gospel, it sounds very simple - and it is.  We have ways, however, to exponentially complicate matters when we try to do in the flesh what can only be performed through the Spirit.

One of Corrie's common object lessons was a flashlight with only one battery stuffed with rags.  She said that when a person makes a decision to follow Christ and is born again, it is like one battery is placed within us.  But one battery will not allow that flashlight to operate.  We need the second battery, which she said is the gift of the Holy Spirit who operates within us in power.  The spot for the second battery was filled with crumpled rags which each represented a sin:  self-pity, unforgiveness, and lies.  Those rags must be confessed and forsaken before the Holy Spirit can have His proper place in our hearts and cause our light to shine before men so they might see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

If we try to forgive, we will find at some point we are unable.  We must trust God is able, because forgiveness is according to His will.  When we submit to God even when we feel it is impossible and choose to obey, He will do it.  We can be duped to focus on what we have to do when we should instead look to what Jesus has already done.  Because of what Jesus has already done, He provides power and ability to do.  It is not us doing it, but God through us.  What a comfort this is to those who are heavy laden and in need of rest!  Let us rest in God and the promise of the Spirit.  When we try His promises, He will prove them true.

Pain Free or Well?

In a conversation yesterday, a mate of mine asked a question I found quite profound.  He said his physiotherapist constantly asks the question:  "Do you want to be pain free, or do you want to be well?"  The answer to this question will greatly impact treatment.  I believe this simple question holds profound spiritual implications.

The point made by the physiotherapist is a critical one for him and each seeking treatment to understand.  This man has broken people coming to him who face various degrees of physical pain.  His expertise and skills to improve the condition of those who seek his service are directly impacted by their willingness and desires.  I suspect most people just want the pain to go away.  They do not care to have their lives terribly impacted by any course of treatment, despite long term benefits.  Most people are not keen to make permanent, major adjustments to their activity level, lifestyle, or habits.  They don't want to be burdened with diet restrictions or commit to series of daily stretches and exercise regimen.  If there was such a thing as a magic tablet to cure all ills, that's all people want!  All the physio can do in this case is provide temporary relief of pain, perhaps some manual adjustments to bring people "out of the woods," and at some point lose clients because he isn't accomplishing lasting results.  It's a tough job to be sure - dealing with people who want to be pain free but don't care to be well.  If people aren't interested in being well, he likely wouldn't bother burdening such with exercises and treatments.

Those who want to be well are willing to embrace massive changes in their diet and exercise routine because they want to attack the root cause of their pain.  They will be faithful to do their daily stretches and alter their lifestyle because they trust the physio and his methods of treatment.  Becoming well is not an immediate transformation, but a process.  It's important to understand our bodies do not just "heal" themselves.  God designed our bodies to work constantly towards health.  Oxygen is carried by red blood cells, white cells are mobilised to fight infection, recording each strain of virus and bacteria for future defense.  Pain is a signal that tells the body it is not well and needs treatment and special care.  Instead of masking pain with drugs or seeking an easy fix, those who will be well need to work toward that end under the guidance of one who can make an accurate diagnosis, and apply effective treatments.  Our bodies work hard on the inside, and to be well we must pitch in with health-promoting lifestyle changes.

Largely speaking, pain has a bad rap.  Sometimes damaged nerves can cause chronic, debilitating pain.  This is not what I am referring to.  God designed our bodies to feel pain as a warning sign of damage.  A lack of pain is potentially damaging and even deadly to the body.  One incurable disease that leads to disfigurement and death is leprosy.  When nerves to extremities become damaged, the lack of sensation leads to pressure wounds, burns, and serious infections.  Some who suffer from leprosy end up being blind, having lost sensation to their eyes.  Pain is an effective defense mechanism.  Leprosy illustrates how a lack of pain ultimately leads to self-destruction.  A book that goes into great detail on this point is Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey.

If we apply this question to our spiritual walks, perhaps it will open our eyes to the fact we have only wanted to be pain free and don't actually care to be well.  God wants us to be well.  Have you finally arrived to the place where you want to be well at any cost?  It is a beautiful place to be when we are in pain and realise we don't just want our pain to be relieved, but we want to be well and submit our entire lives into the hands of Great Physician - not so He can wave His hands over the spot and speak instant healing, but so He will tell us a course of treatment according to His Word we will embrace.  Don't you want to be well?  You hesitate because of the cost, the ongoing commitment, or perhaps you think you know yourself well enough!  Jesus walked up to the lame man at the pool of Bethesda and asked the question:  "Do you want to be made well?"  He did not answer the question.  Jesus is asking you the same question today.  How do you answer?