Use the Word!

^"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..."

Ephesians 6:17

As I read this scripture yesterday, a powerful realization come to mind.  If the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit, than it is the implement He uses to do His searching work.  When we remove the Word of God from preaching or evangelism, it renders Him without His weapon!  Think of this in terms of warfare:  take away the pilot's jet and he is grounded; remove the gun from the sniper's hands and he is neutralized.  If we desire the power of the Holy Spirit to impact the hearts, minds, and lives of others, we are fools to substitute clever sayings or logical postulates for the Word of God.  We unknowingly play the hypocrite when we ask God's Spirit to move and neglect the use of His Word.

Hebrews 4:12 reads, "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."  Another potential is that we would blunt the Word of God by softening the message.  To intentionally change a single word because we think it would be cause for offense is grave sin.  If God calls something sin, we too must call it sin.  If God says something is "abominable," then we cannot substitute the phrases "less than what God would have" or "not ideal" or "a bad idea" to describe that thing:  it is an abomination because God has said so.  The world may not agree, and even we might struggle to accept the truth because of personal inconvenience!  When we refuse to allow God's Word to retain the sharp, piercing power in the Holy Spirit's hands, we hinder God's work.

What a powerful testimony when a believer actually carries the Word of God with him for the purpose of illuminating God's truth to others.  God will bless this richly.  When I worked in construction, it was easy for me to carry a copy of God's word in my lunchbox.  I remember a conversation I had in the galley of a ship with a co-worker who had questions about God.  Even the way I looked up passages impressed him.  "You really do know that book, don't you?"  But it was nothing that I said, no carefully crafted argument, not a single word of mine that impacted that man who later made a confession of faith in Christ.  I was not around him when it happened!  He came up to me later and said that there was a verse he could not escape:  "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Mark 8:36)  The Holy Spirit used that single verse to break down his defenses, silence every argument, recognize his need for salvation, and change his eternal destiny.

God has graciously given us His Word:  it is up to us to use it faithfully!  To do so we must immerse ourselves in the Bible, allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us.  Would an infantryman be ashamed of his machine gun?  Or would a samurai feel awkward to carry his katana into battle?  God's Word is not to be like one of those swords made for "display only" that are shiny, blunt, and hang on hooks fastened to the wall.  Those who beat people with the Word are not using it led by the Holy Spirit!  The Holy Spirit will never use it to beat people, but to surgically slice right through every defense and expose every sinful thought and intention for the ultimate purpose of redemption, reconciliation, and God-glorification.  God's Word is living, sharp, and powerful, and when quickened by the Holy Spirit it is devastating to the forces of wickedness in this world.  It is the primary thing God uses against the sin-hardened hearts and consciences of men.  The is nothing as confrontational to the flesh as God's truth.  Let us seek mastery of it as we are taught, led, and empowered by the Holy Spirit!

God's Word in Prayer

In preparing for preaching this Sunday, I have been struck by the critical importance to use of God's Word in sharing the Gospel and prayer.  Before he was filled with the Holy Spirit, I cannot immediately recall a single time when Peter quoted from scripture.  Yet during Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost, when he preached to the people after the lame beggar was healed at the temple, when he addressed the religious leaders while on trial, and in prayer afterward he quoted scripture!  The Holy Spirit not only brought passages to remembrance, but caused the disciples to rightly divide the Word of truth.  They were able to bring the truth of God's Word upon any situation with the accuracy of a skilled sniper.  It was the Spirit who caused their words to engage and persuade hearts with power.  When they prayed God answered, and the earth quaked as God moved in power among them to boldly proclaim His Word.

Consider this quote from R.A. Torrey's book How to Obtain Fullness of Power (pages 11-12) concerning the power of God's Word and its relation to faith and prayer:

Faith must have a foundation; it cannot float in thin air.  It is disheartening to see men told to believe when they are not given anything to believe in.

Not only saving faith comes through the Word of God, prevailing faith in prayer does, as well.  Suppose I read Mark 11:24:  "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."  I used to say, "The way to get anything I want is to believe I am going to get it."  I would kneel down and pray, trying to believe, but I did not get the things that I asked for.  I had no real faith.

Real faith must have a guarantee.  Before I can truly believe I am to receive what I ask for, I must have a definite promise from God's Word, or a definite leading of the Holy Spirit, to rest my faith on.  What, then, should we do?

We go into God's presence with the thing we desire.  Next, we ask ourselves this question:  is there any promise in God's Word regarding what we desire?  We look into the Word of God and find the promise.  Then all we have to do is to present that promise to God.  For example, we say, "Heavenly Father, we desire the Holy Spirit.  You say in Your Word, 'If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?'  And again in Acts 2:39, that 'the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.'  I have been called; I am saved; and here in your Word is your promise.  So please fill me now with the Holy Spirit."

We then take 1 John 5:14-15 and say, "Father, this is the confidence I have in You, that, if I ask anything according to Your will - and I know that this is according to Your will - You hear me, and, if I know that You hear me, I know that I have the petition that I have asked of You."

Then we stand on God's promise and say, "It is mine," and it will be.  The only way to have a faith that prevails in prayer is to study your Bible, know the promises, and present them to God when you pray.  George Mueller, one of the Church's mightiest men of prayer, always prepared for prayer by studying the Word."

How the neglect of reading, studying, and praying God's Word saps us of spiritual strength!  There is a old saying I will adapt for our context:  "Seven days without the Word makes one weak."  Puns aside, it would be truer said that prayer or any action without God's Word or the leading of the Holy Spirit is wasted effort, and lack of results reveals we do not ask aright.  God, please forgive me for all presumptuous prayers which are not according to your Word!  Help me through the Holy Spirit's power to rightly divide the Word of truth and bring it to bear upon all circumstances of life.  Teach me how to pray!

A Conversation with God

A man stared into the clouds as they morphed into puffy shapes overhead.  The air was damp and heavy.  Thunder could be heard afar off as an occasional raindrop the size of a grape whizzed and smacked the ground.  The stored heat in the asphalt from the sun evaporated the spot in moments, though the aroma of summer rain continued to grow.  The man knew God was up above.  He stood transfixed in the middle of the street, trying to see a break in the clouds.

"There is a dark cloud over this country, Father," the man said slowly.  "There is also a cloud over your church.  We struggle to see.  I know you can part the seas...won't you part the clouds that hang over my soul as well?"

The clouds continued to billow and change.  Sometimes a spot of blue shone brightly through the where the clouds were wispy thin.  There was no thunder, no crack of lightning.  Only the sound of the wind in the trees and pattering of rain could be heard.  The man waited for a while, no need to rush.  God would speak when it was time.

"We need your wind to blow upon us so we might be moved, LORD.  We need your Spirit to fill us.  We need the refreshment you have promised, for you have said that times of refreshment would come," the man continued.  "How can we live for you unless you help us?"

The sky became more dark and ominous.  Yet scattered through the heavens vibrant blue peeked with sharp contrast against the charcoal puffs.  Then God's still small voice said to the man's heart, "You may have clouds overhead, but you still have Light.  I make the light shine.  Be still and know that I am God."  The man listened and stood there for a while, thinking about the truth of what God said.

The man was happy because God spoke to him.  He knew the clouds were only a small layer blocking his view of the clear sky.  There is a place above the clouds that is always clear and bright.  Because the man lived on the earth sometimes clouds made the sky dark during the day.  But every day God makes His light shine, even if all the man could see were clouds.  God is good to do that, the man thought.  He prayed.  God, make my life shine bright for your glory under these dark clouds so people will know how awesome you are.  He was thankful to have a conversation with God and told Him so.

No beam of light, no voices of angels, no quivery feelings inside.  Just a still small voice.  And you know what?  It was just what the man needed. 

It's Worth It!

After church yesterday, a family took me down to "Sculpture By the Sea" at Bondi.  We ate fish and chips on the wind-swept knoll overlooking the water.  The sun was shining and the exhibition was "chockers" (full, packed) as we slowly shuffled down the path from Bondi beach to Tamarama.  I learned that every cove is a specific beach and is a different suburb.

Like most art exhibits, some displays were more impressive than others.  I'm pretty sure most of the time I don't "get" art.  I appreciate the skill, craftsmanship, and creativity these artists pour into their craft.  Some of the displays were large, others intricate, some labor intensive, and then there were ones just to shake your head at:  what the heck is that supposed to be or represent?  That is the product of six-month's work and ten thousands of dollars?  Only humans can waste their time so well.

But there is at least one thing in common between the "struggling artist" and the Christian:  the passion to pursue a goal other people do not understand, comprehend, or support.  While an artist works for self-expression, a Christian lives for Christ to express Himself through him.  I'm sure many people look at the lifestyle of a Christian and say, "All that trouble for what?  What's the point of believing in God and pursuing a "relationship" with someone you can't even see?"  Only someone who does not know God can think and speak like that!  God exists as true as Christ lived on earth, and His creative power is the inspiration for countless artists.  God is the original Artist, the Divine Creator who simply spoke the universe into existence.  While we make things out of what have already have been made, God did not even have a canvas.  God made His own clay by words alone, and then formed man and breathed into him a living soul.  God is beautiful and His handiwork exalts His name.

The labor, struggles, and difficulties we face in life may not be regarded by some men as worthwhile, but through the eyes of faith we see differently than the world sees.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18 reads:  "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."  Let us work faithfully for the praise of One, our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ.  His approval and glory ought to be our chief aim in all we do.

War Memorial

On Wednesday Mark and I visited the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.  I uploaded some of the pictures to my flickr account which can be accessed by following the link on the right panel of the blog.  In addition to a tranquil place of memorial, there is a museum which houses many replicas and actual uniforms, weapons, medals, planes, and stories from primarily the first and second world wars.  Although primarily Australian in focus, there is a unique international flair.  There are not only Australian relics, but many articles from Italian, German, and Japanese forces.  It emphasized the world-wide scale of the war and how great the impact was on all people.

As I perused weapons designed for maximum destruction of humans, armor, and equipment, I could not think of war in any romantic terms.  War is a terrible necessity sometimes brought upon a country or group of people.  It is a great tragedy that war comes at the immense cost of human life.  It is not only the man eviscerated or decapitated who personally experiences the pain of war.  He often left parents, brothers, sisters, a wife, and children behind.  War does, however, provide an opportunity for valor not displayed in times of peace.  In times of great conflict some men wilt and yet others blossom.  There was a painting and caption which commanded my attention.

 This is a painting by Dale Marsh (1940) depicting "Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean, HMAS Armidale."  The caption reads:  "'Teddy' Sheean was a loader for an Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun on HMAS Armidale.  When the order to abandon ship was given, he made for the side, only to be hit twice by bullets of an attacking aircraft. 'None of us will ever know what made him do it,' wrote a shipmate after the event, 'but he went back to his gun, strapped himself in, and brought down a [Japanese] plane, still firing as he disappeared beneath the waves.'"  Here is the story of an ordinary man doing a most extraordinary thing.  His job was to load the gun, but when wounded he took it upon himself to strap himself in and fire upon the enemy.  He showed great courage even when faced with his own mortality.  Mr. Sheean took no thought for his own life, but gave himself willingly.

In war there are casualties.  People are maimed, disfigured, and carry with them injuries that will affect the rest of their lives on earth.  We are often insulated from the gritty horror of actual war and cannot comprehend the devastating emotional price paid by soldiers.  As Christians, we are part of a spiritual battle which threatens to destroy our resolve, drown us in temptation, and isolate us from accountability and fellowship.  When Christians stumble and fall into sin, instead of being moved to compassion with grace, other Christians often stand in judgment.  Can you imagine that if Seaman Sheean had survived the conflict he was given the "cold shoulder" by his mates because he didn't obey orders and abandon ship faster?  Ridiculous!  Sometimes people just need a hug!  Sadly we often stand in judgment of others when they face a divorce, fall prey to false teaching, commit suicide, or have views different from our own.  It is not for us to judge:  we ought to pray for compassion, grace, mercy, and truth exercised in love.  Christians experience pain too.  Sometimes there are injuries inflicted that we will carry for the rest of our earthly lives.  We will not "get over" certain things we have experienced:  but we can work through them.  We were never meant to dwell in the valley of the shadow of death, but pass through guided by the Good Shepherd.  Joy will come through our Savior as we walk in faith!

Our God promises times of refreshing by His grace.  How wonderful it is to dwell together with brethren in unity!  No man goes to war by himself, and God has not left us comfortless in the spiritual battle we find ourselves.  He has promised us the victory through Jesus Christ and has given us the Holy Spirit.  He has given us brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage, exhort, and travel with us through the hardships of this journey to everlasting glory.  The peace that God brings which passes understanding is just as real as the trouble life brings our way.  Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through Jesus!  Let us be valiant to love as Christ does, and always labor to edify one another faithfully.

Be Ready!

When I saw this shirt, I almost immediately asked for a picture of it.  When Nathan traveled up to Sydney, he bought this shirt from a Muslim salesmen at Paddy's Market.  There are an interesting mix of messages on display.

Is Jesus coming?  He has already come as a servant, a Savior who came to seek and save the lost.  After His resurrection, Christ ascended up to heaven where He remains at the right hand of the Father.  But scripture teaches us He will come again, this time as a conquering King.  Jesus says in Revelation 22:12, "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work."  Christians welcome the return of Christ because He will set up His rule upon this earth.  Those who reject Christ and refuse to repent for their sin will face the fierce wrath of God for eternity.  If they actually believed this, they would shake at the prospect of Christ's return.

The part of the shirt which really intrigues me is the ridiculous conclusion the shirt arrives at:  Jesus is coming, so "LOOK BUSY."  I would contend that "looking busy" will do nothing for those who have rejected Christ.  Have they been busy about HIS business?   Looking busy does not mean you are busy.  When I was a kid, everyone looked busy doing work when the teacher was in the class.  But as soon as the teacher stepped out of the room, it was not moments before kids were out of their seats, running around, and had someone posted as a lookout.  When the teacher returned everyone ran back to their desks, picked up their pencils, and tried to look as studious as possible.  Will God reward us for "looking busy" when He has commanded all men everywhere to repent?  Acts 17:30-31 reads, "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, ³¹ because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."

God knows exactly what we're about.  While we tend to focus on externals God looks upon the heart.  The Pharisees looked busy.  In fact, they appeared totally dedicated to God.  But when Christ spoke to them, He compared them to whitewashed tombs:  they appeared clean on the outside, but inside were dead rotting corpses.  Just looking busy is hypocrisy.  Matthew 24:45-51:  "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? ⁴⁶ Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. ⁴⁷ Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. ⁴⁸ But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, ⁵⁰ the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, ⁵¹ and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Jesus is coming, and let us be watchful, prayerful, obedient, faithful and sober.  Looking busy will not profit.  Invite God to do an inner work within so we will be enabled to live righteously as we ought.  Praise God for His warnings motivated by love for our good!  Let us urgently do good for God's glory, for it is for this purpose we have been redeemed.

Leading by Following

"Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses."

Deuteronomy 34:9

Leadership is a quality rarely understood according to the context of scripture.  People sometimes think to be a good leader one must be a visionary, be filled with confidence in his abilities, and in short be the best and brightest.  This is not true according to the biblical model.  In the Bible, the greatest leaders were always followers:  they followed God, and He gave them the wisdom and authority to fulfill their role as leaders.

A quick glance over the men who gained great power in the world were men who did not follow God.  They saw their rule as absolute, and their chief tactic to deal with opposition was systematic elimination.  Men like Hitler, Pol Pot, and Stalin were particularly brutal and violent towards all who could be considered a threat.  Because of their influence and the means available to them, they were able to exercise (though not fully!) ambition fueled by lust for power.  These leaders had thousands of men to do their bidding, men who would kill and even die for their loyalty.  But were these men great leaders?  NO.  Did they invest in leadership beyond themselves?  No.  Because they were led by the dictates of their own hearts they were delusional, power-hungry, sadistic, and murderous.  They were unqualified to lead because they would not be led.

Jesus is the perfect leader because He followed God perfectly.  We do not see Him seething with violence and seeking the destruction of the established government for self-promotion.  He operated continually according to His Father's will.  The focus of His leadership was not on Himself as leader, but His Father in heaven.  Moses did not have a "vision" of the future that governed his life God had given him:  he simply knew God and lived in obedience to Him.  Moses followed God, and God lead him faithfully.  A faithful leader as he is led by God leads others.  Interesting isn't it, that submission is a huge part of being a leader?

When the church needed more leaders, the existing leadership had simple qualifications.  Acts 6:3 reads,  "Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business..."  This was the same Spirit who enabled Jesus, Moses, and Joshua to lead.  He is the same Holy Spirit who leads, empowers, and enables us to be leaders for God's glory today.  Instead of self-promotion, sound leadership is Christ glorification.  As we follow Christ, we can lead others without fear.  We need not be suspicious, for our security is found in our Savior.  Faith in God reveals itself in meekness.

Isn't it great how God's ways are greater than ours?  Only God can use the foolish things to confound the wise, and in our weakness He is strong.  As we live out our allotted days ordained by God, let us be led by Him.  The better we submit to His lead the better leaders we will become.

Be Bold!

Too many of us Christians lament our lack of opportunity to impact the world for Christ.  By "opportunity" we mean an obvious, fool-proof plan laid out start to finish with no chance of failure.  My friends, this will never exist!  People who are wise in investments make their own opportunities.  While everyone else is reeling, scared to invest, and waiting for "something to happen," successful entrepreneurs manage to create a booming market!  After companies see the success they do their best to follow the formula, usually without success.  They didn't see the opportunity while it remained an option.  Should we choose inaction when we have the Holy Spirit of God?  Christians, there will be no easy opportunities.  Our flesh will resist stepping out in faith.  Satan will try to deceive us to justify why the time isn't right.  The whole world is under the sway of the devil, and we have a message contrary to the world!  We can be so overwhelmed by the scope of potential ministry we do nothing.  And that is the place where most of us have spent most of our lives.  We have missed opportunities because we never recognized them.

You may not be able to change the world today.  But can you help one person in Jesus' name?  That is how Jesus impacted the world - one person at a time!  He says if we offer a cup of cold water in His name we will not be without reward!  Are we willing offer a word of encouragement to someone who is down?  Can we visit one person who is lonely or send them a text message to say we are praying for them?  When we see someone laboring under a load of groceries could we offer help?  When we see someone sitting alone are we willing to sit near them and start a conversation?  We do not need to set goals beyond following the Holy Spirit as He leads us step by step.

Do you know a character trait God has given every Christian, regardless of age?  It is a quality rarely exercised.  You need not be muscular, energetic, handsome, tall, or of great spiritual maturity.  It is boldness!  The disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane before being filled with the Spirit did one of two things:  they ran away or lashed out with violence.  Boldness is a calm confidence a Christian has when he is filled with the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ.  We need not fight with people, nor must we run from conflict.  We can stand our ground, firmly rooted on Christ and the truth of His Word.  Sometimes boldness is opening our mouths when we don't want to say anything.  Other times boldness is saying nothing when we really want to speak!  A little old lady and a small child can have great boldness for Christ.  It will not always take the same form but will always be bourne of the same Spirit!

Some seem to feel that boldness means being rude and confrontational.  We are to contend with error, but we need not be contentious.  God will confront us to be sure, and sometimes He will give us a message not appreciated by those who want to remain insulated from conviction.  Let us make a decision to be bold today for the sake of Christ.  We should not see to fulfill any personal agenda or goal, like trying to get someone to come to church, hoping someone will like us, or to find acceptance.  Let's not limit what God can do though us!  Because we have been accepted by Christ, let us be bold to share that love with others.  People will know by our conduct and character that we have been with Christ.  Isn't that a reason we're living on earth right now? 

God's Inheritance

^"Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession."

Psalm 2:8

Last night I attended a home group where this verse was read by pastor Mark Walsh.  The context is God speaking prophetically to Jesus, His Anointed One.  Psalm 2:7 reads, "I will declare the decree: the LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You."  The Father gives the Son an invitation to ask for His inheritance and later promises all will be subject to Him:  Psalm 2:9 says, "You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel."  A day will come when Jesus Christ will set up His kingdom upon earth and will rule in righteousness.  The earth and all that is in it is Christ's for the asking.  Jesus has affirmed, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."

Most of us have been exposed to the idea of heavenly reward or inheritance.  Thinking back to when I was a child in church I remember the teacher's description about heaven as a wonderful place to live without crying, pain, or death.  Everyone would receive a crown and the streets are paved with gold.  This is an oversimplification, but typically the promise of reward make us think about how they affect us or how we use them.  We are familiar with passages like 1 Peter 1:3-4:  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you..."  Jesus has told us that He is coming quickly, and His reward is with Him.  The prospect of a reward is one that can appeal to our flesh.

As Mark expounded upon this scripture, my thoughts rested upon a portion of it:  "Your inheritance."  Do you realize that we are Christ's inheritance as children of God?  Even more astounding is the implication that when we share the Gospel with others we increase Christ's inheritance!  What a great gift to give back to God!  Many Christians today are caught up in trying to establish an earthly legacy or even a heavenly one - for themselves.  How about we seek to give Christ the reward of His suffering by sharing the Gospel so many would be born again?  We understand the idea of giving our children an earthly inheritance of houses, land, and money:  isn't it time we focus on increasing Christ's inheritance by a life lived just for Him?

When I was a child, I thought every "good" thing I did for God meant He added "another jewel" to my crown.  In my mind, I surely had a ruby-diamond-emerald encrusted-golden-atrocity for headgear awaiting me!  Conversely if I sinned, God reached over and broke a chunk of my crown off.  I was always motivated by this fictitious idea of reward and loss much like a sea lion who receives fish for properly  performing a trick.  Can you imagine what comparisons would take place in heaven if my ridiculous childish theology were true?  I remember being amazed while reading the portion when the 24 elders Revelation 4:10-11 give God what He gave them!  "...The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ¹¹ "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created."

Wait a second, I thought to myself.  Why would you cast your crown before the feet of Jesus when you worked so hard for it?  Ah foolish boy!  Do I deserve a crown?  NO.  I deserve death in Hell and eternal separation for God because of my sins.  But out of His grace God grants us forgiveness, rewards, and an eternal heavenly inheritance which will never fade away.  God is the worthy one!  The fact is God gives us new life we are to give right back to Him so He can live through us.  This goes for our money, time, resources, talents, gifts, abilities, and EVEN heavenly reward.  What pleasure it gives me to think I can by His grace give God an inheritance of souls saved through the Gospel which will last forever!

Like Moses we would be wise to pray the words of Exodus 34:9 "...If now I have found grace in Your sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray, go among us, even though we are a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your inheritance."   Isn't it amazing that God delights to do so?  It made news across the world when the trapped miners in Chile were removed using state-of-the-art technology.  Yet without a mechanical hoist, cables, or video equipment, God brought us from the grave to a new life of liberty and freedom through the blood of Jesus.  As it is written in Deuteronomy 9:29:  "...Yet they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out by Your mighty power and by Your outstretched arm."  Isn't it great that we have the opportunity to glorify and enrich God with our lives?  Let's make God the richer and joyfully lay up treasures in heaven not for us, but for Him!

Carried in His Bosom

Yesterday the LORD gave me great comfort through a living illustration.  Whenever I put on shoes in the Tooke's home in the morning, Poncho (the family dog) whimpers and shakes with excited anticipation.  He has learned that when shoes go on the feet, it means he will be going on a walk.  I put on my shoes yesterday morning and it cracks me up how excited Poncho becomes at the prospect of a walk.  So not wanting to disappoint him, I picked up his lead (leash for the Americans in our audience) and walked out the door.

After about 10 minutes of jogging and a couple of potty breaks, Poncho began to resist the lead more and more.  As I carefully observed him, he was favoring his left foreleg.  For the past couple of weeks I have seen him more than once favor that leg.  "I'm sorry, Poncho," I told him.  "We'll take it easy, alright?"  Unfortunately for both of us, we happened to be at the lowest point of elevation in our run!  After a minute or two of hobbling around, Poncho would not walk at all.  I looked at him, he stared at me.  "Well, I suppose I'll have to carry you!" I said, and that is what I did.  For about 5 minutes or more I carried my wounded 22 kilo mate along the road.  Car after car passed and I mused:  I wonder what they think about me!

When we came to the steep part of the climb, I set Poncho down and he walked the rest of the way (much to the delight of my back!).  God showed me a wonderful truth from this illustration.  Sometimes when we start out walking with Jesus we run at a strong pace.  Whenever we walk in faith we start a new journey, trusting in God to guide and empower us.  But along the way sometimes we can be wounded.  We can tire and lose heart.  When the Holy Spirit prompts us to move we pull against the lead and refuse to walk anymore.  But instead of kicking us to the ground and dragging us along, He picks us up.  I'm reminded of the famous poem "Footprints" where the man looks back on his life with the LORD.  At times there was only one set of footprints.  He accused God of abandoning him in the tough times.  God instructed him that it was in those times it was God who carried him along!

We are so privileged to have a Good Shepherd who knows our weak frame and picks us up when we are wounded and weary!  He seeks to heal us, not destroy.  When we falter and fail we do not disillusion God, only the perception we have of ourselves.  Our pride becomes wounded when we fail to meet our meager expectations and tempts us to give up.  Shall we give up when God is in the process of carrying us through the trial?  Should we run from His healing hands?  Let us trust in the Good Shepherd and submit to Him.  He has created us, redeemed us, and does not hesitate to pick us up, muddy paws and all.  As it says in Isaiah 40:11:  "He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young."

Moving!

Moving can be a moving experience.  The nature of the process reveals to us what we really think is important.  It strips away the veneer of all we have taken for granted.  Perhaps for the first time we see our priorities aren't where we thought they were.  A baby doesn't care where he is as long as he can cuddle with his silk blanket.  Sometimes the presence of mom is enough to comfort.  Once we grow older we still do not outgrow this attachment to things.  It is natural to base our security in what we can hold in our hands.  In reality, this is security found in ourselves.

This process cannot be performed until we resign ourselves, our things, family, friends, and future to Jesus Christ.  Perhaps some foster a false "romantic" view that following Jesus comes at no cost of things, relationships, or comforts.  Will God provide for our needs?  Certainly.  Isn't it true that anyone who leaves family for the sake of the Gospel will receive reward.  Yes.  But the tears still flow.  There is no denying our family faces the stiff price of separation on both sides of the Pacific.  Is Jesus worth it?  No question!

All of our household goods were loaded into this little 20' container.  Last Friday it was loaded and driven to port, only 20lbs. under the maximum weight!  But I would trade the whole lot for the little boy sitting on the furniture.  God has seen fit to separate us for a little while.  Stuff carries no value when compared to people!  We would do well to remember this always!

This morning during my reading I came across this passage:  Psalm 27:13-14 reads, "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. ¹⁴ Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!"  No matter what situation we find ourselves in, this remains true!  We can be apt to believe this some days over others.  We must wait on the LORD before He will supply us with strength.  This kind of waiting is not patiently enduring the passage of time, but the expectant looking to and trusting in our Savior, Jesus Christ.   David was not only looking towards heaven, but he cultivated an expectancy that God would supply his needs today!  I too desire to be of the same mind.  Though I cannot be with my wife and children at the present, God will supply both our needs just the same.  He is the one we really need.

Pious Pride

What self-deceptions we are willing to employ to justify refusal of submission to God!  How far we will wander from obedience because we are too proud to repent.  We say, "I will not commit because I know I cannot.  I am unable to perfectly keep my word."  So out of pride we fashion a pious cloak to cover our rebellion.  "God would not have me agree to something I cannot do."  But can a man do anything perfectly before God?  You cannot do anything for God!  We are powerless to do the first works, much less be fruitful, progress in sanctification, or even cease a single sin unless God helps us.  It begins with faith in Him and agreement with God.  Then we must commit to give no place to the devil, walk in obedience, and continually humble ourselves before Him.  No wonder pride in all its forms and disguises is abominable before God!

While struggling with a particular sin years ago, I remember in church when the hymn "I Surrender All" was played.  During the refrain which goes, "I surrender all, I surrender all, all to thee my precious Savior I surrender all" I did not sing the words.  I sang "I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live" but not "I surrender all."  What blatant hypocrisy, what pride!  I could not enter into His presence because I would not surrender all.  I refused to mouth the words "I surrender all" not because I was incapable of surrender, but because I would not.  The pretense of keeping my "word" was more important to me than holiness, and therefore preferred wickedness instead.  There I was concerned about keeping my word while I remained in sin!

It wounds a man's pride to admit he cannot do something.  Conversely, his pride is bolstered the more he refuses to yield.  As I stood that day with the outward appearance of piety, mouth closed with "intellectual" objections, praise of sin and pride was substituted for worship and obedience to God.  What a horrible, detestable thing pride is!  Pride is death posing as an angel of light!  Should we refuse to commit ourselves to Christ because we cannot follow Him perfectly when we are not perfect ourselves?  Ridiculous!

Let us seek God's favor to weed-out pride in us wherever we find it creeping through our hearts.  Pride is the secret identity of sin.  It is a slippery monster that sounds so convincing, has huge crushing teeth, and convinces us it cannot hurt us to be friends with it.  It is time to sever the relationship, once and for all!  Let us call Pride sin, and ask God to purify us of all the numbing poisons it has injected into our minds and hearts with its fangs.  It makes a man self-righteous, arrogant, spiritually drowsy and dull, unaffected by the Spirit, caustic, selfish, and judgmental.  Like a leech it fastens onto our souls and we cannot know it except the LORD reveal it.  It seems to always fog our spiritual vision.

Have you ever hesitated to sing, "Search me O God, and know my heart, see if there be anything at all that might keep me from hearing you, keep me from knowing you, keep you from loving you, dear LORD?"  I have.  Pride keeps us from opening our hearts to the LORD's searching gaze.  "You are not that bad, you have already repented," the soothing voice says.  "You have victory!  No need to worry!"  When we entertain pride, there is always cause for concern!  Are you willing to be examined by God today?  Do you fear He might find something?  Brothers and sisters, there is always something!  But He has the power to heal, cleanse, and restore.  Pride will only drag us to hell.  God leaves the choice to us!

Doctrine of Doing

"First, all preaching should be practical.  The proper end of all doctrine is practice.  Anything brought forward as doctrine, which cannot be made use of as practical, is not preaching the Gospel.  There is none of that sort of preaching in the Bible.  That is all practical.  "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim. 3:16-17).  A vast deal of preaching in the present day, as well as in past ages, is called doctrinal as opposed to practical preaching.  The very idea of making this distinction is a device of the devil.  And a more abominable device Satan himself never devised.  You sometimes hear certain men talk a wonderful deal about the necessity of "indoctrinating the people."  By which they mean something different from practical preaching; teaching them certain doctrines, as abstract truths, without any particular reference to practice.  And I have known a minister in the midst of a revival, while surrounded with anxious sinners, leave off labouring to convert souls, for the purpose of "indoctrinating" the young converts, for fear somebody else should indoctrinate them before him.  And there the revival stops!  Either his doctrine was not true, or it was not preached in the right way.  To preach doctrines in an abstract way, and not in reference to practice, is absurd.  God always brings in doctrine to regulate practice.  To bring forward doctrinal views for any other object is not only nonsense; it is wicked."  Charles G Finney (quoted from Revival Lectures, pg. 222, emphasis mine)

Jesus never preached to satisfy the curiosity or men, to excite their senses, or simply for the sake of sharing information.  He aimed to move the hearts, minds, and man's complete being to repentance and righteousness.  Jesus did not seek to only engage the mind but move the soul.  Finney wrote these words quoted above almost two hundred years ago, yet we still see this practice continually in the church.  "Feeding the sheep" today often constitutes the sharing of information rather than motivation to action.  Quite often I find that abstract doctrines, or teaching in an abstract manner does little more than please the minister.  People politely sit through message after message, sift through the material, and though there is an abundance of information there is no direction concerning how to live in light of it.  Therefore the material exists to quiet a man's conscience:  he has done his duty in listening to a sermon rather than the sermon being an impetus used by the Holy Spirit to cause a man to draw nearer to God in faith.  He has had a healthy meal at the LORD's table and returns hungrily back to the slop served up in the world's trough.

The result of this kind of preaching is overfed and overweight sheep due to lack of exercise - actual exercise of the Christian walk with Christ.  Like cows we chew and chew, digest, and stand around talking about what we're eating.  We have the scripture on our breath but it doesn't have practical impact.  Take for instance the doctrine of the pre-tribulational rapture of the church.  People happily take a position, but for what?  Unless this doctrine moves you to action, it is like standing in the batter's box to hit without a bat.  Your stance may be textbook, your uniform spotless, and you may have memorized word-for-word the rules of baseball.  But without a bat you cannot perform your purpose in the box:  to hit the ball!  The doctrine of the rapture can and should move us to action:  the necessity for personal repentance and evangelism; the knowledge that our time is short causes us to labor with earnest, urgent diligence; to desire and labor so our conversation will glorify God more and more as we see the Day approaching; we will be sober, watchful, and godly and on.

It has never been good enough in God's eyes for a man to know something.  Knowledge brings a man under greater condemnation!  It is the application of this knowledge that constitutes wisdom.  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.  A preacher does Christ disservice when he does not specifically apply the Biblical truths of doctrine to practical life.  Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies!  When we think of any doctrine in scripture, how does it move us to greater love?  How does doctrine stir up our hearts to glorify God with our lives?  These are questions which I must address not only with my mouth through preaching or discourse, but also through my thoughts, words, and actions.  The most essential doctrines can be degraded to information regurgitation rather than life transformation.  How we need the Spirit to teach us and guide us in our daily lives!  Let us not only be good students but servants of the Most High God.  May our lives be display of true doctrine, an outflow of the life of Christ which speaks volumes of wisdom no one can deny.

Divine Acceptance

It's not often when an object lesson literally jumps into your lap.  While reading today Poncho, the Tooke's dog, did something he has never done before.  He came up very close to the chair I was sitting in, stared at me with his tail wagging, and suddenly jumped into my lap.  Before I could put what I was reading on the table beside me, he had settled down in a comfortable position.  Poncho is a medium-sized dog (poodle/cocker mix) that weighs around 50lbs, likely not the ideal size of a lap dog!  As I stroked his coat Ross remarked, "Now there's the ultimate in acceptance.  He's found a friend."  Poncho proved his acceptance of me by his actions.

As I sat with Poncho spread across me, there was a deep sense of pleasure in this display of confidence and trust.  Unfortunately today the word "pleasure" tends to have a sexual connotation, but this was nothing of the sort.  If Poncho suspected I would injure or hurt him he would refuse even to be touched by me, much less leap into my lap.  What had I done to deserve such favor over the last week?  Nothing unusual.  I had given him a few treats, opened a door for him when he wanted out or in, and scratched his belly.  Though it is likely he rested on me motivated by selfishness for attention, it made me happy he displayed such trust and desire.  It was no trouble for me to put down my papers and make him the object of attention and affection.

There was something sweet in the familiarity and closeness we shared for those moments.  After a while he moved on and I continued to read, thinking about this lesson.  If I can take pleasure in a dog seeking attention, does not God take greater pleasure when His creation seeks after Him?  Do our actions confirm that we have accepted Christ as LORD, Savior, and Friend?  Am I willing, with humility as Poncho, to approach God and climb into His lap?  Won't it give God great pleasure to know that with all the toys, diversions, and cares I might have, I will lay them all aside to spend quiet time with Him alone?  I am not Poncho's owner but God is my Owner, having bought me with a price:  the blood of Jesus.  He deserves such time with me but will not legally require me to spend a set amount of time with Him.  He could put me on a leash, threaten me with violence, and heave me onto His lap - but that would not be according to God's character.  He has freely given me His love, and desires I would freely love Him back.

Remember the longing in the words of Jesus?  He says in Matthew 23:37:  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!  God has all the comfort to give, but we so often are unwilling to receive.  Jesus offered love, acceptance, forgiveness, and salvation, and men instead plotted to kill Him!  There is little in a human relationship that compares with the closeness of a hen to her chicks.  She has the capability to cover them all, warms them with her body, and protects them from harm.  Each chick nestled beneath has all of her.  We hold our babies, but a hen covers them.  What a picture of closeness Christ desires to share with us if we are willing!

What a blessing that God rejoices in companionship with us!  We climb up in His lap with our dirty old selves, complete with wet muddy paws, bad breath, drool, rancid gas, and stickers all through our coat because of where we've been.  But God delights in us even though there is nothing we can do to earn his divine acceptance.  Psalm 147:11 says, "The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy."  Instead of taking this grace for granted, may we avail ourselves of it by offering ourselves a living sacrifice unto God.  When we trust God, we have no fear of abuse by Him.  He delights in our advances and will never turn us away because we are not worthy.  We are not worthy anyway!  Yet when we admit our unworthiness and seek Him with desire He is pleased.  God will make us the attention of His affection and acceptance if we allow Him.  Have you climbed up in the LORD's lap today?

The Good Personal Shepherd

I have spent the last few days driving around town, familiarising (Aussie spelling!) myself with the local roads.  It's been great to visit with people from the congregation, share great food, and have the freedom to travel without requesting a lift!  The car shown is a Lancer the church has provided for my transport and has been a blessing.

A huge key to my successful navigation of Sydney roads is me not having to navigate them alone!  The Tookes have been kind to loan me their G.P.S. and what a great help it has been.  It prompts me in advance for turns, warns me of the abundant red-light and speed cameras, and monitors my speed.  The function I like most of all is when I make a wrong turn or have to detour because of road work it automatically adjusts the route to my destination.  It is also encouraging there are multitudes of ways to arrive at any destination.  The question is:  how long do I want it to take?

One aspect of the TomTom I appreciate is it does not become frustrated with long lights, traffic, my choice of music, or operating error.  Without a shred of anger at my wrong turns it immediately reconfigures my path to the right way.  It never says, "You are an idiot.  Turn around, fool!"  The G.P.S. does not turn off if I make more than one wrong turn as punishment for my poor decisions behind the wheel.  It does not overwhelm me with criticism about being in the wrong lane or mock my confusion.  It is almost as if the TomTom really wants to say with a smile, "You have reached your destination."

This reminds me of the gentle way God leads us through this life.  He has a purpose and a design for every person's life in bringing Him glory.  Like Pilgrim in Bunyan's allegory, though there is a clear path laid before us we can be tempted to turn any which way.  We can lose our sense of direction when we walk contrary to God's Word, forsake the Good Shepherd, and the leading of the Holy Spirit.  All of us have been that dying, pathetic, helpless, bleating sheep caught in thorns on a precipice.  Without the intervention of the Good Shepherd, our souls would be lost for eternity.  Jesus does not drive the sheep but chooses instead to lead them.  God has given us the choice as human beings to follow Him or not.  Praise God that when we wander from His care, protection, and guidance, He will come after us.  The Good Shepherd will leave the 99 in safety to find that single lost sheep.  When Jesus recovers the sheep He does not dole out violence in anger, but rejoices and celebrates that what was lost has been found.  The horrible experience of separation from Him disciplines us to follow Him closer and more faithfully in the future.

A fitting end to this post is the third and fourth verses of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" by Robert Robinson written back in 1757.  The truth of these words has not changed over that time.  Let us never forget to thank God for His great faithfulness unto us!

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

Come Holy Spirit!

I awoke this morning to the sound of strong gusts of wind which scratched branches across the tile roof.  The trees swished in unison as the breeze fluttered the leaves, almost like the noise of running water.  It reminded me of the words of Jesus in John 3:8:  "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."  God employs no wind generator to make the breeze blow, just like He needs no wave machine to control the tides.  The sound of the wind and the visible effects are obvious, but the source and substance of wind remains unseen.

Jesus compares wind to the Holy Spirit and His influence on the life of a Christian.  While a tree is forced to move due to the power of the wind which overcomes the pull of gravity, the Holy Spirit will not make a man do anything.  God doesn't just want to move our limbs but our thoughts, attitudes, and desires.  He may seek to move us from one place in the world to another.  Of course there are many who move, but their movement is without direction and purpose.  Many people seek to do the works of God, yet refuse to believe in Christ whom God has sent.  They are constant motion and movement but because they are not filled by the Holy Spirit they are aimless.  God's work is an inner work.  Man tends to focus on externals while God looks at the heart.  An inner work will have evidence outwardly as we remain yielded to the Spirit.

The tree cannot dictate how the wind will blow, and likewise a man cannot dictate the movement of the Holy Spirit.  Man cannot make the wind blow how it pleases him.  But man can choose to obey as the Holy Spirit empowers and directs him.  God has this remarkable grace which allows men to call upon God according to His will and frees God to do what He desires.  If we being evil know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will God give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?  Amazing that God would choose to make men a part of this process!  God could do it all by himself without faulty, feeble men, but He has placed this glory in earthen vessels so the "excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us" (2 Cor. 4:7).  Are we willing to pray God would send His Spirit in power upon us?  Are we willing to speak, move, and act in obedience to Him?  My prayer is summed up in the old song:
 

Shine, Jesus shine

Fill this land with the Father's glory

Blaze, Spirit blaze

Set our hearts on fire

Flow, river flow

Flood the nations with grace and mercy

Send forth your word

Lord and let there be light.

This Light Affliction

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life."

Matthew 19:29

This is a remarkable verse, especially poignant for those who have left all to follow Jesus.  As true as it remains for the foreign missionary, it rings just a true for the man who never physically leaves his house or country.  When a person decides to follow Jesus, he must leave all.  Nothing in his life is to have precedence or influence above his LORD and Savior.  The allurements of riches, personal ambition or goals, pursuits of pleasure, and all which competes with loyalty and love for Christ must be put away.

We do not leave all to follow Christ for the purpose of receiving a reward.  If this is our motivation we can know for certain we are moved by selfishness rather than love.  By responding in the flesh we forfeit the hundredfold which the LORD desires to give.  Scripture affirms we will receive a reward, and we rejoice in the grace of God to provide abundantly beyond what we could ask or think.  But this is tempered by the realization we are undeserving of any reward or gift for our service.  Can man repay God?  All the works of a million lifetimes could not repay God for the gift of a single breath we draw.  Shall a man earn eternal life?  We cannot.  But man is offered this priceless gift at Christ's expense, who once for all died for the sins of the world.

I am coming to the conclusion that the leaving of family, house, and country is as hard on other people as it is for me, perhaps even harder.  I and my family have been called to serve God in Australia, a country foreign from our birth.  Yet parents and siblings on both sides of our family will stay behind, not sharing this specific call to be physically uprooted.  Though we labour in prayer on opposite sides of the globe, we labour together for God's glory.  Is their pain of separation any less pronounced than mine?  By God's grace they can share in the reward of suffering lack for the sake of the Gospel, being separated from children and grandchildren for Christ's name sake.  This hardness is shared by all.  2 Timothy 2:3-4 says, "You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴ No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier."  We are called and are able to endure hardship by the grace of God for His glory.  Instead of being broken under a weight of depression, our strength can be renewed like eagles when we wait upon the LORD.

Jesus is worth all the sacrifices we might be called to endure while we remain on this earth.  He does not grant us eternal life because of our sacrifice but because of His own!  To be partakers of Christ's heavenly nature is grace beyond measure, much less the gift of eternity in His presence!  These light afflictions last for a moment and are not to be compared with the glory of our Savior.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18 reads, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."  This eternal perspective is the proper one!

The End?

This week at Calvary Chapel El Cajon we finished the last chapter in the Bible, Revelation 22.  I compared the bottom of the final page of scripture with my wife's Bible.  Though hers was blank, mine read "THE END."  I like that.  There is nothing to add to the Word of God.  There will be no divine inspiration that is to be written down and added to the text of my Bible.  It is not an ever-expanding volume conditional on the passing whims of men.

But does the final chapter of my Bible mark the last of God's word to mankind?  Certainly not!  God still speaks to us with His still, small voice.  Jesus makes this clear in John 16:12-14: ^"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you."  After Jesus ascended to the Father, the Holy Spirit was sent to anoint, fill, and overflow believers for the glory of God.  Whatever He hears, He speaks.  No man can declare something without speaking.  Announcements do not occur in the dark, but are intended to bring facts to light.

Jesus says in Revelation 1:8:  "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."  This makes me like "THE END" of my Bible even more!  Jesus is LORD, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.  Because the lives of Christians are redeemed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our lives will never end.  Though our bodies will likely wither, die, and rot in the ground, our souls will dwell forever in His presence clothed in new incorruptible bodies.  John 11:25-26 reads, "Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶ And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"  If we are willing to repent and believe, we may freely receive of His life.  Our lives will never draw to an end though our bodies depart this earth in death.

People all over the world experience a lifestyle devoid of life.  They remain unsatisfied, disillusioned, empty, and thirsty for meaning.  This life can only be found through Jesus Christ as it is written in John 14:6, "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."  Once Christ revealed Himself to me through His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit, my search for life found the End.  Jesus Christ IS the End, the purpose for this life.  It is in Him we live, breathe, and have our being.  It is He who has created us, saved, sanctified, preserves our souls, and will someday glorify us.  I thank God for His Word and for Jesus who is the Word who became flesh.  Our lives are complete in Him! 

Gimme the Original!

I recently watched the "new" Robin Hood movie directed by Ridley Scott starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett.  Though it started with promise, in my opinion it ended in complete disarray.  For those of you who have not yet watched the film and hope to, you might want to skip the next couple paragraphs because I will no doubt spoil it for you.  For others I am only saving you the trouble of having high hopes dashed!  Robin Hood is a well-known character in English folklore who "robbed from the rich and gave to the poor."  This movie was a departure from that character.  It seemed like Scott didn't know whether to have Russell Crowe return to his role in Gladiator or impersonate Mel Gibson in Braveheart.  But what really bothered me was how Maid Marion was depicted in the latter part of the film.  It seemed she was directed to channel Éowyn from Lord of the Rings swinging a sword and riding into battle accompanied by chain-mail clad Friar Tuck!  And there was the new King John flamboyantly riding away from his egocentric character into battle...an absolute disaster.

The film may have been well-shot in beautiful locations with world-class actors and actresses.  But it was a movie about Robin Hood that bore little or no resemblance to Robin Hood!  The movie was a departure from the original characters I have enjoyed since my childhood.  The comedy "Robin Hood Men in Tights" is more true to the fabled folklore than the Ridley Scott version!  I understand it can be hard to do something which has already been done, perhaps even overdone.  When musicians "cover" a song, they like to make it their own.  But when a song departs so far from the original it becomes plagiarism rather than a cover!  If I watch a movie about Robin Hood, I want it to be about the Robin Hood the world has enjoyed plays, books, and movies about since the middle ages.  The "new" Robin Hood is a handsome impostor.  Big names, famous people, and 200 million dollars couldn't hide the flaws.  Of course, this is my opinion.  My convictions will not allow me to see it differently.

Unfortunately, this kind of departure from the original is nothing new.  This has happened with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  When it comes to the Gospel, I only want the original!  Sometimes pastors feel like they have to put their own "spin" on God's Word to liven it up a little.  Man can't come up with anything that can add anything of value to the Gospel.  God is holy, man is wicked.  Man deserves death for his rebellion from God, and because God loves mankind He sent His Son Jesus Christ to be the Savior of the World.  John 3:16 reads, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  If man will repent and trust in Jesus Christ, he can be born again by the Holy Spirit and regain fellowship with God for eternity.  This is not man's idea - this is the creation of God.  He has offered to meet a need we did not know we had.

We can have different opinions about movies, music, or the Gospel.  But the big difference is movies are fabricated and the Gospel is fundamental truth.  The legend of Robin Hood has morphed and changed over time.  There is a big difference between Kevin Costner's Robin Hood and the Disney animated version!  But when it comes to the Gospel, there is no room for the opinions of men to alter it.  These are aspects I love about God:  He does not change, and His Word endures forever.  Refuse to accept a "modern adaptation" of the Gospel, for this is no gospel at all!  Go to the Word, o seeker!  Repent, trust in Jesus and be saved!

The latest...

After price watching for seemingly weeks on end, I have purchased tickets with United Airlines to fly to Sydney, Australia. We will drive up to Carlsbad, fly up to Los Angeles, and begin the non-stop trip into Sydney.  Sitting on a plane for 14 hours is not great, but it certainly beats a four week voyage through the Pacific!  I plan to return on December 14th, and I will remain in San Diego for the Christmas holiday.  Then we'll pack up the family and make the big leap together, trusting God will provide our necessities concerning the religious workers visa and everything else.

Laura went to a Pastor's Wives Retreat this week and God has continued to lead her in the direction of homeschooling the boys, at least at the start.  This will not only save some money but will also ease the culture-shock of transition.  My schedule will likely provide opportunities for me to assist as well.  Again, we find ourselves in the familiar position of knowing one more detail of the many which remain unknown.  We rejoice in the fact that we know the God who has called us, will provide, guide, and enable us to fulfill His will.  Isaiah 54:17 reminds us, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me," says the Lord."  God is good, and His mercy endures to all generations! 

Free to Fight

I recently bought a re-print of a book written by Nathaniel Dwight (first published around 1840) called The Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence.  An interesting story with a spiritual application garnered my attention as I read through.  This passage can be found on page 8 of the reprint:

When General Whipple set out to join the army, he took with him for his waiting servant a colored man named Prince, one whom he had imported from Africa many years before.  He was a slave whom his master highly valued.  As he advanced in his journey, he said to Prince, "If we should be called into an engagement with the enemy, I expect you will behave like a man of courage, and fight like a brave soldier for your country."  Prince feelingly replied, "Sir, I have no inducement to fight, I have no country while I am a slave.  If I had my freedom, I would endeavor to defend it to the last drop of my blood."  The reply of Prince produced the effect on his master's heart which Prince desired.  The general declared him free on the spot.  The act was certainly highly to the general's honor; had he not done so, the character of Prince would have stood forth the fairest of the two.

Today every man is born a slave, whether he recognizes it or not.  We have inherited the sin of Adam and have been born into sin.  Our fathers going back to the very beginning have labored under the cruel oppression and tyranny of sin and death.  We have been born into this arrangement, just like many children literally born into slave bondage because their parents are slaves.  Slaves do not have the right to own land, and there is no one who really owns a square foot of God's earth.  Though land may stay in the family through inheritance, we can't take a title deed to a house, acreage, or money to the grave.  The wages of sin is death, and whoever dies in their sins deserves hell for eternity.  How rotten sin is!

But God be praised, who has given all people the opportunity to be liberated from the slavery of sin and death through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior!  Instead of inheriting eternal damnation for our sins, Christians are simply pilgrims who walk through this life having an eternal home secure in the heavens.  Jesus has blazed the trail, and those who humble themselves in faith and receive His righteousness will follow Christ's footsteps to His heavenly throne.  When we repent and believe in Christ, God declares us "free on the spot."  Because our sins have been cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus, atonement is complete.

We, like Prince, are also engaged in warfare.  But it is not the sort of warfare Constantine envisioned, using the cross as a banner to conquer the world.  2 Cor. 10:3-6 reads, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. [4] For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, [5] casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, [6] and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."  It is first an inner warfare.  We will be tempted through the deceitfulness of our own hearts to justify sin and entertain wicked thoughts and attitudes.  All kinds of allurements will dance before us:  wisdom of the world, fleshly lusts, favoritism, idolatry, godless philosophy, pursuit of wealth, etc.  God has given Christians the ability and duty to purge our lives of everything that challenges Christ's authority.  The warfare is also external.  Once we have confessed all our sin one by one and allowed Christ to remove the beam from our eyes, we can see clearly to encourage others to greater devotion with Christ.  Galatians 6:1 instructs us, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted."

We should never have the expectations of the general, that the slave Prince would fight for his interests without being free.  Sometimes Christians become judgmental of men and women still slaves to sin.  They berate a sinner for sinning!  That's like berating a bird for chirping!  If a born-again Christian is pursuing a lifestyle of sin without knowledge of it, we should seek to restore this person to God with a spirit of gentleness.  Can you imagine if Prince had been set free of slavery by the general and then screamed at his fellow ex-slaves for not fighting on the right side?  This spiritual fight we find ourselves engaged with need never go beyond the inner warfare.  But sometimes when we aren't looking for it or even wanting it the Holy Spirit will reveal something He wants us to act on.  Since we are free, let us live like free men and women.  Instead of going back to slavery to sin, may we honor God continually by keeping Christ first!  Jesus had the right to throw the first stone, but He offered grace instead:  "Go, and sin no more."

Confess + Pray = Healing

"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

James 5:16

Recently I saw this scripture in a fresh light.  How does the James passage unite with the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:23-24:  "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, [24] leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."  Perhaps my brother has something against me because I have wronged him!  If that is the case, it is my brother to whom I ought to confess my trespass.  Confession to God alone is sometimes not enough.

Is God able to absolve my guilt by the blood of Jesus Christ?  Absolutely.  But simply confessing my sin before God it does not clear me from confessing my faults to those I have wronged.  There is an interesting relationship which exists between one wronged by another.  A perfect example is Job.  He was wrong in justifying himself before God, but when confronted by God he humbly admitted his sin.  God never condemned Job for this sin because of his repentance!  Yet He was angry against the Job's "friends" who falsely judged him and condemned him as wicked.  Job 42:7-10 reads, "And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. [8] Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has." [9] So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the Lord commanded them; for the Lord had accepted Job. [10] And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before."

Though not a perfect man, Job was accepted by God because of his faith.  He had already offered the sacrifice of a contrite and broken heart. Job's friends were told to go to Job and offer sacrifices for their sin. Notice what happened when Job prays.  Not only was the offering of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar accepted, but God restored Job's losses when he prayed.  The offense between these men and God was taken away, and Job's health, family, and wealth returned to him abundantly.  It is true that the prayers of a righteous man avails much.  One righteous man who prays to God and is accepted by Him has more power than entire nations who are right in their own eyes.

Moses is another example of a man who interceded on behalf of others in prayer.  We see this principle at work in Numbers 11:2:  "Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the Lord, the fire was quenched."  Also in Numbers 21:7:  "Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people."  God directed Moses to place a bronze serpent on a pole, and all who looked upon it would be cured from their poisonous snake bites.  There was another occasion when Miriam and Aaron spoke against the authority and leadership of Moses over the children of Israel.  God called them all to appear before Him and sternly chastened Miriam and Aaron.  To the horror of all, Miriam was stricken with leprosy!  Numbers 12:11-13 reads, "So Aaron said to Moses, "Oh, my lord! Please do not lay this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly and in which we have sinned. [12] Please do not let her be as one dead, whose flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother's womb!" [13] So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, "Please heal her, O God, I pray!"  God graciously restored Miriam's heath according to the prayer of Moses.

With these examples in mind, let us read the James passage again:  "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."  I had the opportunity to put this principle to work the other day.  I was convicted by God for not being honest.  In the world's eyes, I did no wrong.  But God told me differently!  He doesn't see as the world sees!  I felt God was leading me to confess my sin not only to Him, but to the person who wasn't aware of my dishonesty.  There was no doubt in my heart that my relationship with God was distant, as if I was Samson robbed of his strength (in a spiritual sense).  After I confessed my sin to this person, there was such light which shone through to my heart!  What treachery sin is!  How it robs us not only of fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ but denies us the glory of God's presence!

I believe Christians ought to obey the scriptures and confess our trespasses to one another and pray for one another.  The wisdom of this is validated throughout scripture.  This does not mean that prayer meetings are reserved for opportunities to air out our soiled laundry!  Go to the one you have wronged and confess your sin as led by the Holy Spirit.  I am convinced there are many who have denied themselves spiritual health because they refuse to trust God and obey Him in this matter.  Why else would it be commanded in scripture if it did not apply to us?  Praise God that we can at all times boldly venture into God's throne room of grace, where Christ stands at the right hand of the Father living to make intercession for us.  When Christ prays for us, His prayers will be answered.  Whether or not people on earth forgive us, if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  Then our prayers will be heard by God and we can intercede for others!  What a wonderful God we serve who hears and heals us!

God's Requirements

"And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, ¹³ and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?"

Deuteronomy 10:12-13

 

I wonder if people understand that God has requirements of His people.  If God grants five talents to a man, at his hand He will require them.  See how many times the word "LORD" appears in the Deuteronomy passage!  This is the word used for the "self-existent and eternal" God.  If you are a Christian, than God must be your LORD.  A good servant always does the will of his master, even as Jesus always did the will of His Father in heaven.  Does a father require things of his children?  Yes.  Would a master who purchased a slave with his own blood expect obedience from that slave?  Certainly.  Yet for whatever reason, the opinion of most people today is words of obedience to God is enough.  God doesn't really require anything of us besides being born again, right?

Perhaps this verse will clear things up:  Micah 6:8 reads, "He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, To love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"  But that is so Old Testament, some might say.  Notice that God has requirements of ALL men, not just Christians or Jews.  There is an unfounded fear today in the church that preaching obedience to God will somehow bring us under the legalism of the Pharisees or Puritans.  Understand that the Law is good.  It is a revelation of the righteousness of God.  I would like someone to tell me what is wrong with fearing the LORD with all my heart and walking in His ways.  For even Christ has said, "If you love me, keep my commandments."  When He was asked "What is the greatest commandment?" He said, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."  Jesus did not come to destroy the Law but fulfill.

 

Maybe right now you feel some heat flushing into your cheeks.  Now before you start screaming "LEGALISM!" allow me to clarify.  Legalism is not obeying the commands of Christ.  Legalism occurs when man places himself in the place of God, dictating what is right and wrong.  Legalism is the belief that faith is not enough for salvation, but man must earn favor from God by adherence to the Law.  Jesus spoke against the legalism of the Pharisees in Matthew 23:1-5:  "Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, ² saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. ³ Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. ⁴ For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. ⁵ But all their works they do to be seen by men..."

 

The Law is rooted in externals.  Man corruptly uses the law to add to his pride, arrogance, condemnation, and judgment of others.  Legalism will drive a man to outward actions not consistent with his convictions.  He will do things because he is seen by other men and he will not do things because he is seen.  He is a hypocrite, living a life behind closed doors he would be ashamed to admit in front of others.  Like all men, he is a sinner.  But he remains without repentance, working to create a false persona in the name of "obedience to God" so people will revere and idolize him.  His life is caught up in being right, even if his attitude is wrong.  Ironically, I am convinced there is no one more legalistic than Satan.  He is happy to spout off God's law to cause feelings of condemnation and guilt, not that he would ever obey the Law himself!

As much as Satan has tempted away men from faith in Christ through legalism, the age of grace in which we live has given way to dissipation and complacency never before seen in the church.  Because of fear of legalism we have swung far to the left and allow grace to be used as a cloak for lasciviousness.  It is true we are free from the penalty and letter of the Law through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  There is nothing we can do to earn favor with God through the keeping of the letter.  2 Corinthians 3:5-6 says, "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, ⁶ who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."  The only way to be justified by the Law is to keep it absolutely perfectly.  Yet since the Bible teaches and we affirm all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, the Law only condemns us.  Jesus was without sin and therefore death had no right to hold Him.  He rose glorified and imputes His righteousness upon all who believe!

 

God does have requirements.  Jesus says in Luke 9:23:  "...If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."  He also told Nicodemus a man MUST be born again to go to heaven.  Must he say a certain prayer or raise his hand, be baptized in a church or join a certain denomination to be saved?  No!  But that spiritual rebirth through the Holy Spirit must take place.  Titus 3:5 says, "...not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit..."  It is by grace we are saved through faith, not by anything we have done to earn it.  Ephesians 2:8-9 also says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast."  Grace and good works are paired together.  Once we have received freely of God's grace, we show our love for God by obedience to Him.

 

Jesus never spoke poorly of the Law because it is God's creation!  Man is so wicked he devised how to drag it into the mud through envy and hypocrisy.  Even so, the Law is a necessary schoolmaster who has revealed our sinful condition and led us by the hand to our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Ask yourself this ever-relevant question:  "What does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?"  How are we doing with those requirements?  Indeed His yoke is easy and His burden is light.  Once empowered by the Spirit, His commands are not burdensome!  I love you Jesus, but I confess my sin this day in failing to keep these requirements.  Thank you for not condemning me for my sin, but taking it upon yourself so I might be free and forgiven.  All you have said is right and good, and help me to walk in your ways, serve you with all my being, and keep the commands of Christ.  Make me a man in whom the Holy Spirit is free to use for your glory, both now and forever.