Empowerment by Submission

In this fallen world things which seem to be freeing actually place us in greater bondage.  A common lie perpetuated today is how throwing off the shackles of biblical morality and propriety results in "empowerment."  The feelings of self-empowerment may be euphoric at the beginning, but they ultimately sour after the brief honeymoon stage.  The bankruptcy of soul is often covered up by what we can acquire or achieve, numbed with alcohol, or drowned out by new pursuits. There is no enduring empowerment to be found in adulterous affairs, one-night stands, stripping, prostitutes, or pornography.  The sickly sweet sense of empowerment ends up being bitter poison in the end, putting a wounded soul at the mercy of an increasingly cruel taskmaster.

There is a temporary sense of godlike-euphoria in doing whatever you want, and the devil knows this well.  But there is no sustainable, enduring hope in self.  The body flaunted today can be dead tomorrow, and all illicit loves create wounds time cannot heal.  The so-called "sexual revolution" of the 60's was really nothing new, and the fallout of broken marriages, families, and lives continues in the Tinder-hookup era on a global scale.  The world says it is empowering to assert your dominance, to fulfil sexual conquests, to take off your top to make a statement, to make demands and take no prisoners, but like all things of this world it cannot deliver on a single promise.  The stuff we work for will pass to others and decay into ruin.  We still have to live with our own consciences, consequences, and the niggling thought there is a God we will be required to stand before naked and sober on the Day of Judgment.

The Bible makes the unique claim the world pushes against at every turn:  real empowerment comes through total submission to God.  It is only when I believe in Jesus, repent of my sin, and submit to God He graciously endows me with His power and strength.  Man's power is limited in scope and duration, but God's power is infinite and eternal.  The power God grants is not to improve my self-esteem, to feel more confident or better about myself, but so I can joyfully live in the way that pleases God.  Self-esteem and self-confidence are snares which enslave, but slavery to God is liberating from sin, self, the values of the world, and the opinions of other people.  Having power is not the reason why we submit to God, but is the blessed result of believing in Him, loving, and obeying Him.

Today people mistakenly believe they are the master of their own destiny, they can do anything, and be anyone.  Yet no body modification, surgical augmentation, workout regimen, or preferred pronoun can touch our eternal souls:  like it or not, God has made us as He intended.  We can do many things with the bodies and minds He has provided us, but there is nothing we can do to cleanse ourselves of sin.  There is nothing we can do to wash ourselves clean of the lies, rebellion, selfishness, and deceit.  But God has given us all the ability to decide if we will receive Jesus Christ as our LORD and Saviour, to believe in Him as a child trusts his parents.  We can be born again and made new creations by the power of God!  Speaking of Jesus it is written in John 1:11-13, "He came unto his own, and his own received him not. ¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: ¹³ which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."  On our own we are absolutely powerless, and how incredible it is God grants those who believe power to be adopted as His children, forgiven of sin, and receive eternal life.  It's not a better you but a new creation Jesus lives His life though.

It is not in asserting self we are empowered, but in submission before our holy God.  Our bodies will all go the way of the earth and moulder away, yet as many as humble themselves before Jesus as King and receive Him are given power to live forever in heaven.  Praise God for the exceedingly great power God has exhibited in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we are His beneficiaries (Eph. 1:15-23).

James Montgomery Hymn

Occasionally I read through an old hymnal and was blessed to read words written by James Montgomery written in 1825 which touched my heart.  One of the joys of being part of the Body of Christ of which He is Head is how love, grace, unity, and purpose of God's redeemed have not changed from the beginning.  The aim and desire of saints now in glory we can share and perpetuate with great praise to our eternal and almighty God.  Perhaps this hymn will minister to you as it did me, and let us make it a prayer to our Saviour.

Spirit of the living God!

In all Thy plenitude of grace,

Where'er the foot of man hath trod,

Descend on our apostate race!

Give tongues of fire and hearts of love

To preach the reconciling word;

Give power and unction from above,

Whene'er the joyful sound is heard.

Be darkness, at Thy coming, Light;

Confusion, order in Thy path;

Souls without strength inspire with might;

Bid mercy triumph over wrath.

O Spirit of the Lord! Prepare

All the round earth her God to meet;

Breathe Thou abroad like morning air,

Till hearts of stone begin to beat.

Baptise the nations far and nigh;

The triumphs of Thy Cross record;

The name of Jesus glorify,

Till every kindred call Him Lord.

(Palmer, Roundell. The Book of Praise. Macmillan and Co., 1867. pages 194-195.)

Without Controversy

"Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things."

Romans 14:1

This morning in my devotional reading I saw Proverbs 10:12 which says, "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins."  Love esteems others higher than self even when people have convictions or beliefs which differ from your own.  In context the people to whom Paul refers are not outsiders but fellow followers of Jesus Christ in the church.  People were divided over what was appropriate to eat or drink, and Paul urged believers not to dispute over such things.  In the second part of 1 Corinthians 8:1 he also said on the subject, "Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies."  Knowledge has a way of puffing us up with pride, but love seeks to build others up.

There are many beliefs and practices genuine Christians disagree over, but we ought not to be divisive concerning them.  This especially applies to what Paul refers to as "doubtful things."  Even when Christians disagree about a doctrine or practice, there is likely much common ground they share regardless of their level of maturity.  The NIV rendering of the Romans passage puts it in a different light:  "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters."  This provides an easy illustration of the different translations of the Bible Christians prefer.  Because I prefer one translation does not mean I should rail against others who do not share my view.

We might imagine ourselves to be strong in faith and on the side of truth, but if we are the offended party, disputing, stirring up strife, and passing judgment on the intelligence or faith of others, perhaps we are the one weak in faith!  We are called to give more grace, trusting in God's power and ability to open eyes of the blind and change hearts too.  Haven't our eyes been blind at times?  Haven't our hearts been hard?  Haven't we been the one who internalised bitterness or exploded with anger over a doubtful dispute we refused to let go?  May the LORD increase our faith in Him and His Word, to not only know the truth but practice it as we walk in love.

There is no shortage of potential controversy in the church, but God's Word has been given to teach us how to conduct ourselves - not "how to change others."  Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy 3:14-16:  "These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; ¹⁵ but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. ¹⁶ And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory."  There is much revealed in scripture that is not controversial, and may these divine revelations have a powerful impact upon each of us.  God has come to us!  Our crucified and risen Saviour Jesus Christ has been preached among Gentiles and has ascended in glory!  Let us fix our faith upon these rock-solid truths rather than dividing over doubtful things.  

Receive Correction and Instruction

"Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. ⁹ Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning."

Proverbs 9:8-9

God's Word is packed with relevant instruction and also reveals the truth about us.  It does not only tells us what to do but exposes who we are.  In this passage Solomon shows how our response to instruction and correction shows what kind of person we are.  Knowledge is not evidence of being a wise man but a humble and loving response when rebuked - even after we did the wrong thing.  A just and wise man will receive correction gladly and not hold grudges against those who bring faults to light.  Having been rebuked a wise man will love the one who cared enough to speak hard truth more still.

How do you respond to correction, instruction, and rebuke?  I would suspect there is not a person among us who enjoys being proved incorrect or exposed as ignorant.  It is natural and fleshly to despise correction, but the wise man who fears God heeds rebuke even if unwarranted.  When it comes to correction and instruction, during our lives we will often have experiences to both offer and and receive correction.  There is always wisdom to glean as a child of God, and we can learn important truths even from an impure source.  There person who rebukes us may be unloving or incorrect in their assessment, but still provides opportunity for our growth.

Sometimes we learn by observing what to do and at other times what not to do.  Solomon walked by an overgrown field and learned a valuable lesson in Proverbs 24:30-34:  "I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; ³¹ and there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down. ³² When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction: ³³ a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; ³⁴ so shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man."  What a blessing the presence of God in our lives, for He instructs and corrects us in ways no other person can.  Others can applaud, and the voice of our conscience rightly condemns because God knows our hearts.

As believers we are instructed by God, yet we should not despise the correction He sovereignly directs from other people.  God might stir a wicked man to chasten us severely - not so we will heed wicked advice - but to expose the pride and folly which lurks unnoticed in our own hearts.  Being treated harshly instructs us how not to correct others if and when we are led to do so.  The Proverbs passage says we ought not correct a scoffer, and there is a time to withhold continual instruction from those who refuse it.  After Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for valuing tradition over the Word of God, thus making it of no effect, the Pharisees were offended.  When their offence was conveyed to Jesus He said in Matthew 15:14:  "Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."

Some people will gratefully heed a warning, but others require instruction only gained by the consequences of a fall.  They scoffed at instruction, so they would be taught by plunging into a boggy ditch.  This interaction shows Jesus at a point allowed people and those they blindly led to fall when they scorned His correction in ignorance.  Their hatred and offence was proof of their folly, and Jesus left them alone in the misguided path of their choosing.  As hard as it can be to utter words of correction and rebuke in love, it may be even harder to leave someone alone knowing they will fall.  Praise the LORD Jesus is the Good Shepherd of the sheep, and He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  He is good to seek and save the lost and downcast where they fall.  He will pull the most wicked among us from the ditch and wash us clean by His grace.  Better to humbly heed and obey our LORD than to be left alone and hopelessly blind.

More Than a Meal

I was blessed to recall the occasion when Queen Esther appeared before King Ahasuerus unannounced at the risk of her own life.  According to the Law of the Medes and Persians, to appear before the king without being first summoned meant the death penalty - unless he extended the royal sceptre.  After three days of prayer and fasting, Esther came before the king and she found favour in his sight.  I wonder if he was surprised what her request was:  that he and Haman (a chief adviser) would come to a banquet of wine.  Really?  Would a sensible person really risk her life over a private banquet?

If you have read the book of Esther, you know there was much more at stake than the king attending a dinner party.  Esther was desperate to save her people, and God raised her up for such a time to use her position of influence and access with the king to plead for deliverance.  Ultimately the scheme and the wicked adversary Haman were exposed and overthrown.  The brave and courageous deeds of Esther will not be forgotten, and I imagine her husband loved and appreciated her more than ever.

It is remarkable how Esther humbled herself, putting her life in her own hands for the sake of her people so they could be saved.  It is far more remarkable what Jesus Christ has done in becoming flesh and dwelling among us, walking throughout Judea and calling disciples to Himself.  He did not only risk His life, but He laid down His life willingly on Calvary's cross so Jews and Gentiles could be saved for eternity and receive everlasting life.  He is the one who is patient and loving to stand at the door of the hearts of lukewarm Christians and bid them open unto to Him so He can come in a dine.  Wouldn't it be something to host Jesus Christ at your dinner table?  How much more intimate to have the presence of God within us, speaking words of wisdom, grace and truth!

Jesus cried out that if any is thirsty, they should come to Him and drink of the Living Water He supplies.  He does not do so to quench our temporary thirst, but so we will be satisfied and sustained by faith in Him alone.  Esther had a bigger scope in appearing before Ahasuerus than sharing a drink together, and Jesus has a far greater purpose in supplying His broken body and shed blood than fleeting feelings of happiness:  He desires to be our life everyday and forever!  Let us put to death wickedness and throw aside the weights which easily weigh us down, and then we can walk unhindered in our pursuit of our Saviour.  How great it is to have Jesus as Saviour and King, the lover of our souls!

Holding God's Hand

I saw a disheartening sight the other day.  A grown man was holding hands with a little girl, walking her to school.  Now what's wrong with that, you might ask?  What should have been an endearing and sweet scene was reversed by the man's other hand holding a phone.  As they walked in the bright sunshine under shady gum trees, he was transfixed on his screen while the little girl in a school uniform stared blankly and silently ahead.  The sad image has remained with me.

All manner of thoughts went through my head.  I wondered if the little girl saw the phone as an intruder on a friendly chat she could have with her dad.  Though quite young, I also wondered if the child was resigned to the phone's presence in the hand of her guardian and escort.  Maybe she saw it as a grown-up thing and was looking forward to having a phone too.  "Talk to your little one!" I thought to myself.  They were holding hands but distant, and that fleeting vision has weighed heavy ever since.

I then began to think about my own life and how persistent the impulse can be to immerse yourself in a digital wonderland of information, amusement, and areas of personal interest instead of interacting with real, present people.  Am I present when I walk with my wife, sons, and friends?  Do my devices have a grip on my life which rob me of opportunities to love others?  And even more important, are screens and devices a wedge between me and God?  It would be easy to reverse the picture as an illustration of us and God:  people are like the little girl focused on a screen whilst our Father holds our hand and accompanies us wherever we go.  He does not force Himself on us, and He waits most patiently.  Are we pleased to hold His hand for security and say "Bye!" with a quick smile as we head off on our day, or are we willing to leave the phone alone and see what He wants to talk about?

The wonderful thing is even when we rush off into life, when we are ready to seek the LORD He will be right near because He has been seeking us.  This shouldn't affect us by taking advantage of His love, grace, and patience, but we should value Him above all others.  I love the old hymn which paints the picture of God who walks and talks with me and tells me I am His own.  This is the intimacy God desires to cultivate with us, and in response we ought to rejoice in such a privilege.  May our eyes be fixed on Him and our hearts filled with awe and reverence for Him.  That God would hold our hand and draw us near to Himself!  What joy and rest we have in Him!

Our Sovereign God

Recognising God's sovereignty is a source of peace in the midst of trouble.  When things are difficult we can feel under attack, and we can wonder what the source of our struggles are.  Is it a spiritual attack?  Does Satan or demons have me in their sights?  Am I experiencing the consequences of sin, or am I simply wrestling with my own negative feelings and thoughts?

When Israel was laid waste by armies from Assyria and Babylon, Jeremiah did not credit physical or spiritual foes with their destruction:  he laid the responsibility for their defeat squarely upon God.  He did not blame God as an evildoer as some do, but Jeremiah recognised their plight as a result of the chastening of a holy, righteous God.  Nebuchadnezzar was a mighty king, but God called him His servant.  It was shocking to the Jews God would utilise a Gentile king to do His will, but God remains sovereign over all.  His ways are higher and good, infinitely better than ours.

Crediting God with the destruction of Israel did not move Jeremiah to hate or forsake God, but drove him to seek God with tears.  See what Jeremiah said in Lamentations 2:1-5, and this is a small portion of his lament:  "How the Lord has covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in His anger! He cast down from heaven to the earth the beauty of Israel, and did not remember His footstool in the day of His anger. ² The Lord has swallowed up and has not pitied all the dwelling places of Jacob. He has thrown down in His wrath the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; He has brought them down to the ground; He has profaned the kingdom and its princes. ³ He has cut off in fierce anger every horn of Israel; He has drawn back His right hand from before the enemy. He has blazed against Jacob like a flaming fire devouring all around. ⁴ Standing like an enemy, He has bent His bow; with His right hand, like an adversary, He has slain all who were pleasing to His eye; on the tent of the daughter of Zion, He has poured out His fury like fire. ⁵ The Lord was like an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel, He has swallowed up all her palaces; He has destroyed her strongholds, and has increased mourning and lamentation in the daughter of Judah."

God did exactly as He warned His people through His Word and prophets, but they would not hear.  What is remarkable is why God did this to His own people whom He loved:  He did not chasten them to destroy them, but so they might be restored.  How far they had drifted from God through their idolatry and brought upon themselves this great fall and demise!  In forsaking the LORD they abandoned all hope, but in humble repentance they would without doubt flourish again.  God would bring back His inheritance into the land with rejoicing, and He would plant them where He had established His name.  Jeremiah wisely did not credit the devil or the armies of enemies as the cause of their pains but the God who reigns over heaven and earth, the Judge before every knee will bow.  It is in surrender to God where peace, hope, and salvation begin.

People who have problems with God need to realise they have problems only He can fix; they have wounds only God can heal; they have folly only God can redeem.  Proverbs 3:11-12 says, "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; ¹² for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights."  God's means of chastening often involve pain, and our response shows if we truly trust Him and value His active love as we ought.

With All Your Heart

Before I head off to buy groceries at the shops, I typically jot down a list of things to purchase.  Just because I write an item on the list, however, does not mean I always remember to buy it!  There are few things more frustrating than taking time to prepare and not following through by carefully checking off the list - and forgetting the ingredient which was a main reason why I headed to the shops in the first place!

The Bible is infinitely more important and useful than a checklist I write, yet in the Bible there is great divine wisdom we should be reminded of often.  One of my favourites is Proverbs 3:5-6:  "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."  I find this verse useful because it is very practical.  It is a command to trust God and not lean on my limited understanding.  It establishes the conditions upon which God will direct and guide me into all truth, when I trust and acknowledge Him in all my ways.  If I trust God halfheartedly I give place to the sin of unbelief, and should I acknowledge God in only some of my ways I will wander from His will.

Now here's the rub:  the Bible says no man can know perfectly his own heart because it is naturally wicked and deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9).  It is true those who receive the Gospel through faith are given a new heart, but we remain in a body of flesh prone to corruption and deception.  Even Paul, a man greatly led and empowered by the Spirit, did not have the flesh totally whipped into complete submission (Romans 7:24).  I am therefore incapable in the strength of my flesh to fulfil this most basic command.  To trust in the LORD with all my heart I need God's wisdom, strength, chastening, and grace.  I need the presence of the Holy Spirit within me who guides me into all truth.  I must acknowledge my inability to do what God commands to assume a humble posture and be willing to be led to address my unbelief, repent, and trust God instead.

I am very glad for the practical steps we can take to put off the works of the flesh, avoid temptation, and to put on the new man equipped with the armour of God.  But I cannot tick these things off a list and feel better about myself:  constant reliance upon God and acknowledgement of our need for Him is paramount to walk in obedience and faithfulness.  Introspection has merit but pitfalls as well, potentially making ourselves or our efforts the focus rather than God and His grace towards us.  Let us trust in the LORD with all our heart and in every way possible.  God does not just make up the difference we lack or only aid in areas of our hearts hidden from our sight, but by His grace will enable us to obey in this matter.

The Snare of Greed

"Surely, in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird; ¹⁸ but they lie in wait for their own blood, they lurk secretly for their own lives. ¹⁹ So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of its owners."

Proverbs 1:17-19

Trapping birds requires subtlety, but those who devise wicked schemes prepare a trap for themselves.  Snares are most effective when hidden, like a hook completely concealed with bait fish find attractive.  Those ensnared by sin, however, display less sense than threat-savvy birds or fish.  They make plans to destroy others, and even if they achieve their ends they destroy themselves in the process.  The foolish do not realise this, but the wise see the danger from afar.

Solomon warned his son of the dangerous sin of greed.  Greed is like the grave:  it is never full or satisfied.  At its root is a love of self, a lack of thankfulness and satisfaction with what God has provided, and pride.  Those who are greedy for wealth pierce themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10).  Greed longs for more, newer, and better.  It compels a man and woman to overwork and prevents them from enjoying the fruit of their labour.  People toil and slave to gain at great cost, and yet life places demands on us to spend.  The lure of a better life always dangles just in front of the greedy, and it robs them of their lives which could be enjoyed presently.

The miser Scrooge from Dicken's popular book A Christmas Carol presents an illustration with whom many can relate.  Scrooge was a businessman whose primary aim was the pursuit of wealth.  It was this exact pursuit which threw his life into miserable poverty.  Oh, he had money, and he had many people who owed him money.  But greed took a painful toll.  The greed of Scrooge led to his fiancee breaking off their engagement and robbed him of the chance of companionship, being a husband, father, and grandfather.  He could afford to keep his home and place of business comfortably heated in the winter, but he suffered the cold to save money on coal.  All his life he aimed to gain, and though he gained money his life was corrupted by greed, bitterness, and cynicism.  His net worth was never enough, and life was empty like his cavernous, cold house.  The happy ending supplied by Dickens is welcome, but such a dramatic turnaround is often unfortunately fiction in people poisoned and trapped by greed.

Take the wisdom of God to heart!  The life of your dreams is not as precious as the life God has given you to live today - regardless of your money, status, or perceived lack thereof.  Should you give place to greed you endanger the life you have, for greed "takes away the life of its owners."  We must own up to our greed, or otherwise it will own us.  Greed, like all other sins, will enslave and rob us of the life God intends we live with Him.  Only Jesus can break the yoke of greed and lead us in an abundant life beyond our favourite fantasy.