I had the opportunity to go on Abel's class trip to Bathurst, the site of the first gold-rush in New South Wales, Australia. We visited Hill End, the place where Holtermann's Nugget was found. That huge slab of gold mixed with slate weighed about 235 kilograms! It was a busy few days and a great blessing. We also toured through the Jenolan caves. It was a great introduction to some of the history and sights I have yet to see during my time in Australia. To share that experience with my son and his classmates, teachers, and fellow volunteers was a wonderful privilege.
During the trip we had two opportunities to pan for gold, something I once did on a similar trip with Zed. One of the times we panned each camper received a pan full of sand which had been "salted" with a small amount of gold. The other opportunity was in a riverbed without any planted gold. Needless to say, the gold salted in the pans was far easier to find than the miniscule dust showed us by master miners in the riverbed! The kids found panning for gold very difficult. Since they were not immediately rewarded by large obvious pieces of gold, many of the kids were immediately disinterested. They enjoyed swinging the mattock or throwing things at each other while they were trampling over potential treasure. I found three tiny specks of gold in five pans of sand - not too bad! Gold was there to be found but it took a lot of labour to find it.
Miners are like fishermen, in that they will never on their lives divulge the best spots. Why? Because they reserve the best spots only for themselves! Reading God's Word is like entering a mine rich with wisdom and knowledge. Instead of hiding His truth from the humble, diligent seeker, God's response resembles that of Boaz with Ruth. He looked upon Ruth with favour and love as she faithfully gleaned in his field. He commanded his reapers to intentionally leave a good amount of grain on the ground so it would be easy for her to leave with plenty. God does the same with those who treasure Him enough to study His Word. He gladly leaves some nuggets even laying right on the surface just waiting to be picked up by those who prize and heed them. Have you been faithful to glean the truth God has left for you to find? Keep on looking and remember to thank Him for such treasure! Where else can we find the Word of Life?
17 February 2013
11 February 2013
Golden Bowls Full
"Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."
Revelation 5:8
God's love is so remarkable! He extends His love and grace to all people, despite our flaws and weaknesses. When we were disloyal, untrustworthy, wretched, lost, hateful, and His enemies, God demonstrated His love for us by sending Jesus to die upon the cross and rise again. We can see therefore that God's value for mankind is not dependent upon our performance or perceived "goodness." He values us because He is good, gracious, kind, merciful, and loving. God prizes men to such an extent that He chose to purchase us with the blood of His only Son. When we repent and are born again through the Holy Spirit, He adopts us as sons. Because God values us, He values our prayers as well. Every child of God through faith is a saint in His view.
We see this fact displayed in this Revelation 5:8 passage. The prayers of the saints are sweet-smelling incense held in golden bowls. When I read this last week, I was struck with the idea of these golden bowls. The only gold I own is a small, bottomless hole to put flesh and blood in - my wedding ring! To own even one bowl made entirely of gold would speak of great wealth. If I owned such a bowl, I assure you I would not leave it on the bench or coffee table! I would not use it as a candy bowl or for something to throw my keys in. Because the bowl was made of gold it would be very valuable indeed. I would hire a safety deposit box to keep the bowl protected from theft or damage. Many people buy insurance to protect their jewelery and a large bowl made of solid gold would be worth insuring.
To God, the bowls of gold described are of little value. What God values is the contents of the gold bowls: the prayers of the saints. If we understood how much God values our prayers, how sweet and precious they are to Him as gifts given by His beloved children, how much more would we appreciate this gift of access God has given to us! God has given us all we have and by His grace we are who we are. Prayer is a gift man can freely give back to God. Do you wonder what you can give the King of Kings? After giving Him your heart, give Him the gift of your prayers. That is a fitting gift for the Lover and Saviour of your soul! 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 reads, "Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." God is not like King Ahasuerus of the Medes and Persians who one night had trouble sleeping (Esther 6:1). To help him drift off to sleep, the king had the book of the chronicles read to him - reading so dry he would certainly be asleep before long! Our God does not slumber or sleep. He is not so inundated with prayers that He cannot respond, nor is He so busy He does not care. Even now God delights to hear prayers raise from your heart to His.
Man values gold, but God values the prayers of His people far more. May our prayers indeed be a sweet-smelling savour unto Him! Let us rejoice to fill those golden bowls to the brim!
10 February 2013
Calvary Chapel Melbourne Trip
Late last night I returned from a trip to Melbourne. I was invited by pastor Andrew Russell to preach at Calvary Chapel Melbourne and had the opportunity to share at both morning and evening services. It was a tremendous blessing to meet faithful followers of Jesus Christ and I enjoyed many profitable conversations. Oh how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! There is brotherhood through fellowship in Jesus Christ that is sweeter and closer than mere blood relations. Although we may be separated for seasons, we know we will one day dwell together in the presence of God forever!
As I prepared for the messages, I sensed the leading of the Holy Spirit to include some illustrations I have never used before or even considered. I am thankful that those particular illustrations were among the most thought-provoking and profitable. It is encouraging to know that when God leads us to say something it will be used for His purposes, whether we receive positive feedback or not. Spirit-led preaching requires faith. There is always the potential for offense. Many were offended at the words of Christ: how much more by a flawed man as myself? Sometimes God leads me to say things which can make me feel uncomfortable. I find when I must trust God to merely speak those are the portions God uses most mightily.
I suppose it would be wise to ask ourselves: when is the last time God gave us a message to hold forth which required faith to deliver? I'm sure we have all been guilty to a degree of ignoring or tweaking parts of a message that seemed distasteful, politically incorrect, or potentially offensive. As messengers, we have no right or authority to alter the message. Or perhaps we have delivered the message God has given us but without a heart of love and compassion. In our preaching and speaking with people it is imperative we hear from God, deliver the message faithfully, and do so with His heart of love and grace. Truth is critical, but love is the ultimate imperative. Love is tough and willing to take blows. A man can be technically "right," but without love a Christian is all wrong.
How grateful I am for the love, grace, and truth of God's Word. It is awesome to meet people from all over the world who have been transformed by the power of God through the Gospel. I have returned to Sydney rejoicing in the fellowship and love of brothers and sisters in Melbourne. A day will come when we will always be in the presence of God together, never again to be apart! Stay strong!
As I prepared for the messages, I sensed the leading of the Holy Spirit to include some illustrations I have never used before or even considered. I am thankful that those particular illustrations were among the most thought-provoking and profitable. It is encouraging to know that when God leads us to say something it will be used for His purposes, whether we receive positive feedback or not. Spirit-led preaching requires faith. There is always the potential for offense. Many were offended at the words of Christ: how much more by a flawed man as myself? Sometimes God leads me to say things which can make me feel uncomfortable. I find when I must trust God to merely speak those are the portions God uses most mightily.
I suppose it would be wise to ask ourselves: when is the last time God gave us a message to hold forth which required faith to deliver? I'm sure we have all been guilty to a degree of ignoring or tweaking parts of a message that seemed distasteful, politically incorrect, or potentially offensive. As messengers, we have no right or authority to alter the message. Or perhaps we have delivered the message God has given us but without a heart of love and compassion. In our preaching and speaking with people it is imperative we hear from God, deliver the message faithfully, and do so with His heart of love and grace. Truth is critical, but love is the ultimate imperative. Love is tough and willing to take blows. A man can be technically "right," but without love a Christian is all wrong.
How grateful I am for the love, grace, and truth of God's Word. It is awesome to meet people from all over the world who have been transformed by the power of God through the Gospel. I have returned to Sydney rejoicing in the fellowship and love of brothers and sisters in Melbourne. A day will come when we will always be in the presence of God together, never again to be apart! Stay strong!
08 February 2013
An Everlasting Feast
After preparing messages for the weekend, I was absolutely overcome by the goodness and grace of God. The more I study the Word of God, the more I realise how living and powerful it is. Like the widow's supply of oil and meal in 1 Kings 17, it is an inexhaustible source of life-saving goodness. God's Word is so vivid and exciting. Unlike novels which are quickly consumed and forgotten, the words of scripture have a mind-transforming, life-rejuvenating effect. One would think that after 670 posts to this blog I would have little new to write about, but I feel like there is more fresh material available than ever. That's a wonderful thing about God: He makes all things new. The Word itself is unalterable, but He gives us fresh manna and perspective through it. Even the most well-traveled passages never lose their rich lustre.
The great irony is that when I consider what to post or how to preach from a text I feel I have nothing to offer. I cannot tell you how many times I have read a passage and had absolutely no clue what it meant or how it could apply to my life or others. Yet God is faithful. I rejoice to have a first-hand view of coming to the scripture with empty hands and an open heart and walking away full and satisfied, almost with a dazed euphoria from the spiritual meal graciously provided by God. When I approach scripture content with my current understanding I do not learn much. It is when I confess my lack then God richly supplies my needs and allows me to share with others.
The role of a pastor is not to stand before the people and simply share information he has gathered over years of study, or to share his own opinions concerning the meaning. Preaching is more far reaching than that: it is a child of God in faith holding forth what God declares for His people today. By His grace God uses the foolishness of preaching (and sometimes even the particular vessel He chooses to use!) to reveal His truth with power. When I printed out my message notes for this weekend, I must attribute all the good to the grace of God. I simply shake my head when I consider how empty I was and how richly God supplied me with His fullness. People who only read posts or listen to sermons don't see the whole picture. God uses even the process to accomplish His ends in and through His people.
Do not lean on your own understanding, nor rush to your notes or commentaries when it is the Holy Spirit who has been sent to teach you and lead you into all wisdom and understanding. Helps have their place, but they are no substitute for the Helper. Day by day gather up the fresh Manna as you commune with the Living Bread who has come down from heaven, died, and has been raised victorious and glorified. Let us not be content with the scraps that fall from the plates of others when God has a seat for you at His table!
The great irony is that when I consider what to post or how to preach from a text I feel I have nothing to offer. I cannot tell you how many times I have read a passage and had absolutely no clue what it meant or how it could apply to my life or others. Yet God is faithful. I rejoice to have a first-hand view of coming to the scripture with empty hands and an open heart and walking away full and satisfied, almost with a dazed euphoria from the spiritual meal graciously provided by God. When I approach scripture content with my current understanding I do not learn much. It is when I confess my lack then God richly supplies my needs and allows me to share with others.
The role of a pastor is not to stand before the people and simply share information he has gathered over years of study, or to share his own opinions concerning the meaning. Preaching is more far reaching than that: it is a child of God in faith holding forth what God declares for His people today. By His grace God uses the foolishness of preaching (and sometimes even the particular vessel He chooses to use!) to reveal His truth with power. When I printed out my message notes for this weekend, I must attribute all the good to the grace of God. I simply shake my head when I consider how empty I was and how richly God supplied me with His fullness. People who only read posts or listen to sermons don't see the whole picture. God uses even the process to accomplish His ends in and through His people.
Do not lean on your own understanding, nor rush to your notes or commentaries when it is the Holy Spirit who has been sent to teach you and lead you into all wisdom and understanding. Helps have their place, but they are no substitute for the Helper. Day by day gather up the fresh Manna as you commune with the Living Bread who has come down from heaven, died, and has been raised victorious and glorified. Let us not be content with the scraps that fall from the plates of others when God has a seat for you at His table!
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