I am convinced that if I never suffered for my sin I would certainly never repent. God is so wise in the ways that He chastens and leads us back to Him. Under the burden of a guilty conscience a man will consider confession of sin and repentance, but usually not before! When we fall into sin even as believers and our sins separate us from God. This is not typically enough to get our attention: God must go to great lengths to cause us to see the desperately wicked condition of our flesh.
When King Saul became proud, arrogant, rebellious, and disobedient, God sent an evil spirit to torment him. Instead of encouraging Saul to repent and offer sacrifice for atonement, though his advisers recognized that God had withdrawn His Spirit and sent an evil spirit instead, they suggested he find a man to play the harp to comfort him (1 Sam. 16:14-23). The young man they found to play was a young shepherd, David. When the unclean spirit would begin to torment Saul, David would play soothing music and Saul would feel refreshed and well. But on two occasions Saul threw a spear at David, hoping to pin him to the wall. His sin so polluted his mind and the wickedness of the demon so influenced his heart that he sought to war against and destroy the one who came only to comfort. In a fitting twist before his untimely death Saul sought the help of a medium to conjure up the dead. Spiritually and literally he fell on his own sword.
So it is with us and the Holy Spirit: God has sent the Holy Spirit to convict men of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-14). In my own life I have found that it is not so often my sin itself that causes me to seek God, but the misery the conviction the Holy Spirit brings which moves me to repent. Sin begins so subtly and secretly, so sweet with desire, that I do not recognize the sin. God must chasten us so we will notice the foothold and legal right we have given Satan in operate in our lives through our willful sin. We are called to administer the "rod of correction" to our children, for a man chastens a son whom he loves. Proverbs 3:11-12 states, "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 does not want us to dread His rod of correction or hate the feelings of conviction, no matter what form it might take: He desires that we hate our sin and repent.
God appeared to King Solomon and blessed him richly with wisdom, peace, prosperity, and abundance. But Solomon's heart became unfaithful to God and was drawn away from walking in obedience to Him through his many foreign wives. His life was filled with idolatry and Solomon built altars to demons and worshiped them. God stirred up adversaries against Solomon, and promised to later rend the kingdom from the hand of his son. 1 Kings 11:14, 23 reads, "Now the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was a descendant of the king in Edom...23 And God raised up another adversary against him, Rezon the son of Eliadah, who had fled from his lord, Hadadezer king of Zobah." Solomon saw his adversaries as a threat, but he didn't see the destructive force of his sin at all. When Solomon's servant Jeroboam was told by the prophet Ahijah he would be king over Israel, Solomon sought to slay him. Even with all his great wisdom, Solomon did not discern his sin as the root cause of his adversaries being stirred up by God against him. He saw the problem as being apart rather than within his own heart.
God would rather our bodies be destroyed by Satan leading to repentance for the salvation of our souls. If all we encountered was refreshment in in midst of our sins we would no doubt run down the broad path leading to destruction. 1 Corinthians 5:4-5 says, "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one (a professing believer in gross sin) to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." We would never dream of such harsh intervention. But God knows the deceitfulness of a man's heart that works to his utter ruin. Unless the LORD builds the house they labour in vain who build it, and unless the LORD chasten a man he would freely choose to make his bed in hell.
Paul writes in Romans 7:21-25: "I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." Only Christ can deliver us from this body of death, the Lamb of God who was made sin for us. As He rose from the dead in victory over sin and death, so we have been granted the victory of Christ's blood by grace through faith. Having been risen with Christ we are to live unto Him and no longer to serve the flesh, sin, or Satan.
Do you have peace with God? You can have it now if you will invite God to search your heart, repent, and trust in Jesus Christ. Instead of seeing your adversaries or unsettled conscience as the problem, understand that the root cause is likely sin. We know that the flesh wars against the Spirit: in your life right now who is winning? If the Holy Spirit convicts you, do not grieve Him by resisting or justifying yourself: repent, believe on the LORD Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.
31 March 2011
A Hymn to Remember
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
by Martin Luther
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.
28 March 2011
Savour the Flavour
Moving to Australia has brought many changes to my life. Some of the changes are huge while others are subtle. One of the differences between Australia and the States is the coffee. I will be the first to admit I am no connoisseur. The quality of coffee is directly proportionate to the size of the mug! If I want a cup of coffee, I want more than a shot of espresso: give me some volume! When it comes to discerning the quality of coffee, however, I might be among the worst. I am like Emile, the brother of the rat-gourmet chef Remy in Disney's Ratatouille. Remy appreciated all the dynamic flavor combinations of food, but Emile would eat just about anything without even noticing. Today's events were proof I still have far to go in appreciating good coffee!
I have a friend who works in the coffee business as a coffee roaster. As we shared a "cuppa" this morning at his bustling shop, he asked a barista to provide a good espresso and a bad one. He explained the principle of making coffee similar to how olive oil is squeezed in a press. The weight of the press alone on the olives makes the extra virgin oil, the purest oil set aside for use in cooking. The last drops from an olive press will be too bitter for cooking and would be used as fuel. The reason why their coffee house is growing in popularity is because of the quality of the coffee, he said. I confess I had a hard time not smiling in disbelief. Is the coffee really that much better than at other places? I mean, isn't coffee coffee?
As we sat down, two small cups of espresso were brought out. I tried one which tasted like espresso I was familiar with. Then I had a taste of the other which literally made me cringe. It had a flavor so pungent, a taste so initially revolting, I wondered how anyone could drink such a thing. "So, which one do you like more?" I pointed to the one that I considered more drinkable, the first one. Guess what? It was the BAD coffee! He took a sip of the rejected brew: "This is the good one. There is more of the flavour of the beans, a hint of peanuts, and some citrus." I sat back in my seat amazed. Here is a coffee professional telling me that I preferred the bad coffee, that my taste buds were telling me wrong! The barista who made the coffee came out and asked which one I liked more. When I pointed to the bad espresso he said without expression, "Interesting." This morning only confirmed my coffee ignorance!
I continued to talk to my friend and sipped from one cup and then the other, comparing the two more carefully. The first one tasted normal; there was nothing so different about it at all. But the second cup was certainly different from any coffee I have ever had. Once I was over the shock of the initial burst of flavour, I found that I actually could taste a hint of citrus. It didn't seem so bitter as I tried it again and again. I came to the conclusion that I initially preferred the taste I am accustomed to. Apparently I make bad coffee! Once I was convinced of my error, with an open mind I gave the good coffee another chance.
But consider the spiritual implications of this coffee experiment: people prefer what they are accustomed to. When I tasted the good coffee, I honestly did not like it with the first sip. Without my friend's direction, I probably would have never tried it again. I would have convinced myself that the second cup was not for me! Because he confirmed that it was actually good coffee, and I trust his expertise as a professional in his field, I gave it another chance. So often that is how it is in the Christian faith. We have our opinions and ideas about what it means to live a Christian life. We are content with our relationship with God. Then someone comes around and tells us that we must repent and be filled with the Spirit and we immediately recoil! This is something new, something unfamiliar to our experience. But if we will just trust God and His Word, we will find that we have simply grown accustomed to our level of intimacy with God and see no reason to progress further.
God is so good to lead us gently. He will never force His Spirit upon us. My coffee-roasting friend decided to treat me to something really special. I could have said, "Well, you can have all the good stuff to yourself. That leaves more of the nasty stuff for me." I can continue to decide I still like my own coffee my way and not learn from the professionals. There's no such thing as a professional Christian, only professing ones by the grace of God. Many believers have discovered a closeness with God that a handful of people ever personally experience. For me, I want to have the closest relationship with God I can. My flesh will resist at every point, but that is the desire of my soul. I want to go for the good stuff, not be satisfied with the dregs.
As the song says, "Just a closer walk with Thee, grant it, Jesus, is my plea, daily walking close to Thee, let it be, dear Lord, let it be." When Jesus turned water into wine, the master of the feast could immediately tell the best wine had been saved to last. Though I am lame at discerning between excellent and poor coffee, may I always go for the highest quality relationship with my Saviour, Jesus Christ. May I daily savour the flavour of a close walk with Jesus!
I have a friend who works in the coffee business as a coffee roaster. As we shared a "cuppa" this morning at his bustling shop, he asked a barista to provide a good espresso and a bad one. He explained the principle of making coffee similar to how olive oil is squeezed in a press. The weight of the press alone on the olives makes the extra virgin oil, the purest oil set aside for use in cooking. The last drops from an olive press will be too bitter for cooking and would be used as fuel. The reason why their coffee house is growing in popularity is because of the quality of the coffee, he said. I confess I had a hard time not smiling in disbelief. Is the coffee really that much better than at other places? I mean, isn't coffee coffee?
As we sat down, two small cups of espresso were brought out. I tried one which tasted like espresso I was familiar with. Then I had a taste of the other which literally made me cringe. It had a flavor so pungent, a taste so initially revolting, I wondered how anyone could drink such a thing. "So, which one do you like more?" I pointed to the one that I considered more drinkable, the first one. Guess what? It was the BAD coffee! He took a sip of the rejected brew: "This is the good one. There is more of the flavour of the beans, a hint of peanuts, and some citrus." I sat back in my seat amazed. Here is a coffee professional telling me that I preferred the bad coffee, that my taste buds were telling me wrong! The barista who made the coffee came out and asked which one I liked more. When I pointed to the bad espresso he said without expression, "Interesting." This morning only confirmed my coffee ignorance!
I continued to talk to my friend and sipped from one cup and then the other, comparing the two more carefully. The first one tasted normal; there was nothing so different about it at all. But the second cup was certainly different from any coffee I have ever had. Once I was over the shock of the initial burst of flavour, I found that I actually could taste a hint of citrus. It didn't seem so bitter as I tried it again and again. I came to the conclusion that I initially preferred the taste I am accustomed to. Apparently I make bad coffee! Once I was convinced of my error, with an open mind I gave the good coffee another chance.
But consider the spiritual implications of this coffee experiment: people prefer what they are accustomed to. When I tasted the good coffee, I honestly did not like it with the first sip. Without my friend's direction, I probably would have never tried it again. I would have convinced myself that the second cup was not for me! Because he confirmed that it was actually good coffee, and I trust his expertise as a professional in his field, I gave it another chance. So often that is how it is in the Christian faith. We have our opinions and ideas about what it means to live a Christian life. We are content with our relationship with God. Then someone comes around and tells us that we must repent and be filled with the Spirit and we immediately recoil! This is something new, something unfamiliar to our experience. But if we will just trust God and His Word, we will find that we have simply grown accustomed to our level of intimacy with God and see no reason to progress further.
God is so good to lead us gently. He will never force His Spirit upon us. My coffee-roasting friend decided to treat me to something really special. I could have said, "Well, you can have all the good stuff to yourself. That leaves more of the nasty stuff for me." I can continue to decide I still like my own coffee my way and not learn from the professionals. There's no such thing as a professional Christian, only professing ones by the grace of God. Many believers have discovered a closeness with God that a handful of people ever personally experience. For me, I want to have the closest relationship with God I can. My flesh will resist at every point, but that is the desire of my soul. I want to go for the good stuff, not be satisfied with the dregs.
As the song says, "Just a closer walk with Thee, grant it, Jesus, is my plea, daily walking close to Thee, let it be, dear Lord, let it be." When Jesus turned water into wine, the master of the feast could immediately tell the best wine had been saved to last. Though I am lame at discerning between excellent and poor coffee, may I always go for the highest quality relationship with my Saviour, Jesus Christ. May I daily savour the flavour of a close walk with Jesus!
Profitable Labor of Love
"In all labor there is profit, but idle chatter leads only to poverty."
Proverbs 14:23
Before I went to bed last night, I read this proverb of Solomon recorded in scripture. I considered how this statement is true on many levels. There are those who cannot speak and work at the same time. Instead of working, they spend much of their working hours talking. Then I thought about how common "chatting" is these days either online, with text messaging, or in person. Not only does superficial chatting waste time that could be spent more effectively, but it leads to poverty in relationships.
We all know marriages and other close interpersonal relationships require a good deal of labor and maintenance. Unless we have conversations of depth where we share our feelings, struggles, and dreams, it is virtually impossible to really get to know someone else. For me personally, when I have conversations of depth it enables me to better understand what I am feeling and thinking as well as others. The labor of putting my feelings into words works wonders in aiding me to know what actions I should take.
Would it be better to have 100 people to chat with or one person to whom you can bare your soul? I say the latter. But such a friendship will have a cost associated with it. It is hard labor to trust someone enough to share your heart. It makes us vulnerable and forces us to invest our love in someone else without any fall-back plan. I will never trade the close friendships I have for a million superficial ones, and thankfully I don't have to. What richness friends bring to our lives!
All relationships I have on earth pale in comparison to the relationship that God has with me and I with Him. He always has my back - and my front - both in the spiritual and physical realm. God understands all I have and will experience perfectly. Jesus is a friend who indeed sticks closer than a brother. I have a younger brother I love very much, and there is hardly a person I am more proud or fond of. But he lives far away in the United States while I live in Sydney, and even when we enjoy time together it is only temporary: we have families, jobs, lives, marriages, children, and ministries which demand our attention. Nothing can separate me from the tangible love and presence of Jesus Christ except my own sin. And even when I fall into sin when I draw near to God in humble repentance He draws near to me according to His Word. What a friend we have in Jesus!
The same principle which applies in marriages and friendships applies to the relationship we have with God. If all our prayers are idle chatter and superficial, we won't know Him very well. Poverty would better describe our relationship instead of richness and depth. Whatever we sow, we will reap. If you plant one row of carrots, you would be a fool to expect the whole field to be fruitful. Unless we are willing to labor in our pursuit of Christ and fortifying our relationship with Him, we will have a poor relationship indeed. Our relationship with God will be laborious if it is healthy and good, and it is wise to invest in this eternal partnership God has offered by His grace to us.
Allow me to encourage you with a passage found in Galatians 6:9-10: "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. [10] Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." This passage is often used to illustrate how we ought to do good unto our brothers in sisters in Christ. But how much more should we do good unto our Brother, Savior, and Redeemer Jesus Christ, who is the HEAD of the Household of Faith! Let us labor for Jesus making use of every opportunity He gives us. There is no one richer than a man who is a friend of God.
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