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.

The Next Step

God is faithful to not only establish His word, but also confirms it along the way.  This epic walk of faith in Christ forces us to focus on Him alone, not being distracted by all the unknown.  When this vision to serve Christ in Australia began in 2005, I did not know how, when, or where it would happen.  I only knew God had called us and He would make it happen in His time.  This last week has been a great blessing to me and Laura as we see God doing things behind the scenes and fulfilling His purposes in us right now.

A week ago today, I resigned from my job in construction.  I wanted to have at least a week or two to prepare and spend time with family before I head off to Sydney for two months.  My first inclination was to purchase a departing ticket between October 4th-6th (Mon.-Wed.).  But I simply did not feel led to buy a ticket.  The prices were fluctuating greatly and I didn't feel certain it was the right time.  Early this week Laura received an invitation to attend the Calvary Chapel Pastor's Wives Retreat in Murrieta.  Guess what the dates were?  October 4th-6th!  I encouraged Laura to go to the retreat, and I chose to put off my departure for another week.  This would enable her to be edified, strengthened, and enjoy good fellowship while I could take care of the kid's school carpool and flag-football practice.

On Tuesday I received a call on my cell from Mark, senior pastor at Calvary Chapel Alpine.  He was looking for someone to cover the two Sunday AM services at the fellowship.  I had intended to call him to inform him of my soon return to Sydney and that I had accepted the lead pastor role there.  Because I had stopped work I have been able to pray, study, and prepare for the delivery of those sermons and am excited about what God is showing me.  Instead of me asking someone for an opportunity to speak, God saw fit to direct someone to call me and offer that opportunity.  Whether we are on the mountain top, passing through the valley of the shadow of death, or seemingly wandering in the wilderness, God chooses not only to prepare us but actually use us to bring Him glory.  The man who follows Jesus need not wander, because He's leading us every step of the way.  The world laughs and mocks:  "Look at that guy spinning his wheels!  He doesn't even know where he's going or what he's doing!"  It is true!  But all I need to know is God.  And when I remain close to Him and yielded to His promptings I'm where I'm supposed to be.

These two circumstances (and there have been many more like them along the way!) were unforeseen to me, but God naturally brought them along anyway.  He has so many opportunities for us if we will just remain in His will.  I'm no master of this, but I want to grow in this area.  Sometimes we can be so anxious to "do something" or be so focused on our personal role that we forget to look to Jesus.  As Christ walked this earth He was never in a hurry, never spoke out of turn, was always in the right place at the right time, and ALWAYS did His heavenly Father's will.  It is wonderful and freeing to understand I don't have to know everything for God to have His way.  As long as we walk in obedience to God, He will be faithful to show us the next step. 

Ministry for All

One grave misconception which has remained largely unchecked in the modern church is that ministry is to be primarily accomplished through professionals.  Instead of ministering to the needs directly that we see, the temptation is to refer people to the professionals.  For instance, let's say someone is struggling with their marriage.  Mature believers filled with the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of God will without any thought encourage that person to call the church office so they can seek counsel from the pastor.  Here was an opportunity to minister lost by someone qualified and equipped by God to do so.  Is the pastor of the local church gifted and experienced?  Sure.  But we will no doubt answer to God for all the times we pawned off opportunities on others God intended for us to fulfill.

Here is an interesting passage from Love, Acceptance, and Forgiveness by Cook and Baldwin from a pastoral perspective:

"Since it's not my church and I don't have to build it, I also don't have to assume a lordship role over the people in it.  I can release them to serve Christ.  Like me, they simply need to be available to the One who is Lord of the church.  That's all.  They don't have to perform.  They don't have to conform either...Releasing people to minister means setting them free to meet other people's needs whenever and however they can.  There doesn't have to be a hook in their ministry that will get the sinner inside the four walls of our meeting place.

Let's be clear about this.  Ministering is not inviting people to church services.  Inviting people to services is called inviting people to services.  Ministry is serving people.  No doubt you know people who hate church but need love.  Why would you ever invite such a person to church?  What possible sense does it make to invite people who hate church to come to church?  Give them what they need - love.  Love with no strings attached.  If someone is sick, he doesn't need an invitation to church.  He needs a believer to pray for his healing." (pages 75-76)

If only we could realize the power and purpose Christ has for us in Him!  We might not say it, but our actions often affirm we believe that without seminary training, titles, ordination by men, stiff white collars, robes, or years of training we are powerless to serve God like the men and women of the New Testament.  People in those early days were lions - because they were filled with the strength of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah!  Now our strength seems to flow from other people's opinions about us or how we feel at the moment.  We have the God-granted ability to bring Christ into any situation, yet we settle for trying to get people to attend a church function.  I know because I've done it, and it's likely you have too.

The job of the pastor is not to be a super-zealot without any semblance of family life whose life consists of running programs and being tied down to the building 12 hours a day.  Many pastors end up doing what everyone thinks he should do but could actually do themselves.  A pastor is a man with a calling upon his life by God to perform the duty of a pastor, which is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry.  All believers are saints, and they are all to serve together for the glory of God.  Jesus is not a professional:  He is a servant of all.  Jesus never "got paid" for laying down His life, nor did He confine Himself to a certain location to force people to find Him.  He went out into the world and brought His influence right along with Him.  He came to seek and save the lost.  That is how the church should operate today.  If Jesus hadn't come to me, I never would have found Him.

God has things for every part of the Body of Christ to accomplish for Him.  Are we willing to humble ourselves for His glory?  Are we willing to do what we know we cannot?  Can a man do anything for God?  No, but God can do anything through a man yielded and consecrated to Him.  Jesus is our example, and let's follow Him to His end!

My Beloved is Mine!

There are few books I have read which are as poetic, expansive, and thrilling as His Part and Ours by J. Sidlow Baxter.  To meet a man who knows of God is common:  to peer into the heart of a man who knows God is a rare privilege.  Here is a passage which should cause the heart of every follower of Christ to be enraptured with appreciation and love for our Savior:

"My Beloved is mine, and I am His" - this is a complete union.  The bridegroom and the bride have given themselves fully to each other.  Christ has given Himself fully to His mystic bride.  Christ is mine in all His offices and capacities - in His incarnation, in His teaching, in His redeeming, in His resurrection life, in His exaltation, in His second advent and the glory of His coming reign, yea, and in all the blessedness of His eternal glory!  He is altogether mine.  O the wonder of it!  My heart, what of thy present response to all this?  Truly thou art Christ's by unmistakable bonds; but hast thou completed thy part by giving thyself up entirely to Him here and now?

"My beloved is mine, and I am His" - this is a complex union.  Shalamith's beloved is Israel's sovereign.  To be His bride is to sustain a variety of relationships.  So is it with the believer and his royal Lord.  It takes a complexity of metaphors to express such a unique union.  Christ is the head and we are the body - for it is a living union.  Christ is the bridegroom and we are the bride - for it is a loving union.  Christ is the foundation and we are the building - for it is a lasting union.  Christ is the vine and we are the branches - for it is a fruitful union.  Christ is the Firstborn and we are His brethren - for it is a union of joint-heirship.  But we must forbear.  There is no more wonderful study in Scripture than that of our complex union with the Son of God.

"My Beloved is mine" - that word "mine," does it not speak the fact that Jesus belongs to His people individually?  He is not just ours.  He is mine.  I may have Him as though there were none other in heaven or on earth beside me.  Again, when the bride says, "My Beloved is mine," is she not speaking out of a real experience of what she affirms?  And cannot I, too, say that Jesus is mine by conscious, personal experience, by the indwelling of His Spirit within my heart?  O how much more remains to be said about this exclamation of Solomon's typical bride which we cannot stay to say here!  We cannot resist a further glance at that possessive pronoun, however - "My Beloved."  Like a bee which comes back again and again to the same flower, we find our eyes turning back again and again to that word.  O the unutterable sense of blessedness which fills the heart when we take that word upon our lips!  "MY Beloved is MINE" - what a world in a word!"  - quoted from His Part and Ours, Baxter, page 147-148

The Body at Work

There is beauty in a body functioning at a high level.  It is amazing to see the abilities of an athlete on display, whether it be an Olympic diver, a NFL running back, or a cheer captain.  There is control, poise, and grace that most do not naturally posses.  It takes years of practice and refinement to condition a human body to operate perfectly in sync with the mind.  Coaches know exactly what to do, but are typically unable to combine their knowledge with the raw talent required to be world-class athlete.  There is a big difference between knowing what to do and perfect execution of that knowledge.

It is interesting that when a person is born again of the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ, this person becomes part of His Body.  Paul says in Ephes. 4:15-16:  "...speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- [16] from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."  So Christ is the Head and all the true followers of Christ, though scattered throughout the whole world, are knit together in Him and work together.  This is an amazing concept.  This scripture reveals much about how the church Body functions.

The human body is constantly repairing cells, replacing old cells, and generating new cells.  It takes all these cells working together for the body to be healthy, strong, and functional.  Every cell has a distinct function in the body to serve the same purpose:  the health of the body.  In the same way, every Christian is part of the church.  Though people may have distinct functions or roles in the body, the purpose remains the same:  the glory of God.  Consider these points concerning how this principle applies to our lives:

• "...joined and knit by what every joint supplies..."  The degree to which we are united with Christ will determine the closeness of fellowship we have with other believers.  God supplies the strength, and we must willingly offer ourselves to be used by Him in the process.  Though your life God desires to add strength to the Body.  Conversely, we can choose to lead a life which weakens the Body through a poor witness, delight in controversy, or when we allow ourselves to be divided.  Instead of living as peaceably we can with others, we can be at war over petty issues and destroy the unity God intends.

• "...according to the effective working by which every part does its share..."  Every part of the Body of Christ has a role to embrace.  Have you sought what your role is in the church?  I am not talking about a duty placed upon you by men, but a function placed upon you by God.  God has given you unique talents, gifts, and a calling to pursue that His name would be glorified.  The function of the Body is effective when all do their part, just like how the cells of a healthy human body work together.  Do you have a passion which results in God receiving praise?  If the glory of God is your motivation you will not go wrong.  You will make mistakes, but it is no mistake to pursue God's calling upon your life with passion and abandon to His will.

• "...causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."  When the body is working effectively, it will grow properly.  When the church is functioning in tandem with the Head (who is Christ), it will also grow.  Growth occurs in two primary ways:  spiritual maturity in the individual parts which will likely increase the number of true followers of Christ.  As we as individuals grow, we are more apt to be bold for our Savior in seeking to save the lost.  Faith and boldness for Christ go together.  When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will exude the love of Jesus towards all.  When Christ is glorified the Body is edified in His love.  The converse is also true:  when we are edified through the love of Jesus, Christ is glorified.  This is a kind of love we must allow God to cultivate within us and spread to all.

Last night my family and I were the recipients of such love.  My sister Mel and her husband Robert hosted a gathering for us at their house to see us off to Sydney, assisted by seemingly countless people who unselfishly gave of their time and resources to make it an amazing success.  I was so blessed by the love of God shown through the actions of friends and family.  Having a party was not my idea, and frankly I am still clueless as to all that was given and sacrificed by people out of love for God and our family.  But what a great example of the Body of Christ at work!  Some donated items for an auction, others prepared food, chairs and tables were set up, invitations were sent out, and many people came!  Handshakes, smiles, and hugs were plentiful throughout the day.  Interest in our Australia plans was high.  Prayers were offered, encouragement given, and support supplied.  The whole party was not the doing of one person.  If it had been my job to organize and prepare for such an event it would have been shabby at best.

But see the wisdom of God in ordaining people with various gifts, resources, and heart-felt desire to make such an event happen!  How good it is that you do not need to be a wonderful cook to have a place in Christ's Body, nor do you need to be totally organized or financially wealthy.  God wants to use us right where we are for His purposes.  Whether support is given with a hug or a check, both are an acceptable sacrifice in the eyes of God.  My family and I thank every one of you who contributed in any way to yesterday's "bon voyage" party, even those who could only attend in spirit.  Your love was tangible, deeply felt, and appreciated.  Praise God for the love of Christ!

No Revision Required

Among Christian leaders today, there are few books save the Bible that have been more influential or universally appreciated than Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders.  Years ago I read the book and was not impressed.  I am horrified to say that until quite recently I have misjudged Sanders.  Why?  It is because the book I read was not actually written by J. Oswald Sanders.  Was his name on the cover?  Yes.  But I admit that I am indignant of the wretched (my opinion) paraphrase that has been attributed to him by the editors at Moody Press.  The second revision, which are all copies printed after 1994, is a "line-by-line revision."  Why they thought it necessary to butcher the latest edition in the process, I will never know.  What I do know is that this revision is a shadow of what J. Oswald Sanders actually wrote.  The original and first revision by Sanders are powerful, inspired, and dynamic.

You be the judge.  Here is a passage from the 1st revision printed in 1989:

Self-sacrifice is part of the price that must be paid daily.  A cross stands in the way of spiritual leadership, a cross upon which the leader must consent to be impaled.  Heaven's demands are absolute.  "He laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 John 3:16).  The degree to which we allow the cross of Christ to work in us will be the measure in which the resurrection life of Christ can be manifested through us. "Death worketh in me, but life in you."  To evade the cross is to forfeit leadership.  (page 142)

Here is the same paragraph rendered toothless and impotent in the second revision by editors in 1994:

This part of the cost must be paid daily.  A cross stands in the path of spiritual leadership, and the leader must take it up.  "Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down or lives for our brothers" (1 John 3:16).  To the degree the cross of Christ is across our shoulders and over our backs, so the resurrection life of Christ is manifest through us.  No cross, no leadership. (page 116)

Frankly, I am outraged that anyone in the cause of "revising Spiritual Leadership for the Christian living today" (page 9, 2nd revision, 1994) could do such a thing.  You have failed in this instance, Moody Press.  I regret to think of all the time spent trashing a Christian classic.  I am no literary expert, and my meager education perhaps does not afford me the right to say anything on the matter.  But I know this:  classics do not need revision.  The editors write, "Although we have changed the wording extensively, we have remained faithful to the original meaning and intent of each passage" (pages 9-10).  Based upon the examples cited above, I doubt anyone would agree with you.  What would John Oswald Sanders say?

This is a classic example of building on slippery sand.  J. Oswald Sanders built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ and a lifetime of experience following Him.  The editors at Moody built upon the foundation of Sanders.  It is faulty in this instance, and will always remain the case.  I am angry about this injustice.  Worse than this however, think how people have paraphrased the Word of God!  I am not a hard-core "KJV only" man, but with the abundance of paraphrased volumes of "scripture" these days the risk for error is horrible.  Classics need no revision.  The Bible should be translated straight out of the original texts.  I like the fact I can refer to the Strong's Concordance and know the Hebrew or Greek behind the English I read in my Bible.  A single word of God is mightier than all the volumes composed and revised by men combined.

The lesson?  Choose your books carefully.  Pay attention to when the book was written and who revised it.  If you own a copy of Spiritual Leadership printed after 1994, throw it away and buy a 1st edition copy used from Alibris.com or something!  Most of all, make sure the Bible you hold in your hands is the Word of God.  Use the translations which have withstood the test of time, not the remix or flavor of the month.  Don't read versions which intentionally blunt the power of the original.  The Bible is already relevant.  If we are not agreeable to the Word of God, it's not the Word's fault:  it's us.

Walking with Us

I've been working nights this week, and the hours are exceptional to wreak havoc on my daily schedule and writing routine!  I'm looking forward to the weekend when I can spend time with the family.  It's been nice to see Laura a bit during the day, but I have not seen my kid's faces since Monday.  In a word, LAME.

I was encouraged yesterday during my morning devotional time.  I'm in the book of Deuteronomy, and it ranks high among my personal favorites.  Deuteronomy 2:7 reads, "For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing."  Here are the initial impressions God placed upon my heart:

This is not presumption, for God knows His people.  He can say, "Thou hast lacked nothing" because He provided for every need all along the way, never skipping a day.  He does not say, "That's good enough for you!" but "You lacked nothing because I know you and your needs, and I abundantly supplied them."  What kind of God is it who does not know?  No god at all.  Notice that God does not require His people to find Him (for they never could alone) but goes with them always.  This is how he maintains such intimate knowledge of His people, their trials, needs, and desires.  Has not our God said, "I am with you always?"  God does not abandon His people in their time of great need:  He remains with them.  He blesses them along the way, though they are in the wilderness.  He does not leave in times of hardship or appear only at the oasis - He IS an oasis of life, constantly affirming, providing, protecting, and sustaining His own.  While for forty years they walked, God walked among them.  All the works of our hands are blessed when God shines His gracious presence upon us.

I am reminded of the Psalm 23 passage:  "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me."  The world must run to their gods and idols, vainly pursuing what always eludes their grasp.  Religion after religion is filled with the proud trappings of man doing something to obtain favor or an audience with God through suffering or sacrifice.  Christianity is different from them all, because our Savior Jesus Christ has come to us as a suffering sacrifice for our sin.  While people frantically are trying to bring peace on earth through political process, philanthropy, and education, Jesus has become our peace through repentance and faith in Him.  Instead of leaving us alone He has sent the Holy Spirit as our Helper and Comforter, and has set up in our hearts His kingdom.  This is made clear in Luke 17:20-21:  "Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; [21] nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  Christ will one day set up His physical kingdom on earth after His return.  To partake in the glory of that kingdom He must first usher that kingdom into our hearts through faith and the power of the Gospel.

Amazing, to have a relationship with the KING of Kings!  Through technology we can have a semblance of "closeness" or connectivity to those we love.  Phone and video calls bring the face and voice of those far away into our own room.  But the reality is they are still not close.  They remain sometimes thousands of miles away.  That little window of time of communication can provide so much relief from anxiety:  how much more peace and comfort can be received from the indwelling presence of God within our hearts?  The most advanced "smart" phone is as crude and unsophisticated as smoke signals compared to the connection we share with God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.  He will never leave us or forsake us.  Jesus came to seek and save the lost.  Praise God for that truth!  He is with us whether we trudge through the wilderness or through the valley of the shadow of death.  Let us follow Him in wonder!

The Life of Christ

"It was one of the immeasurable evils which the Roman Catholic Church inflicted on Christendom, that it held constantly before the eyes of the Church the exhausted, suffering, agonized form of Christ on the Cross - fastened the thought and imagination of Christian men on the extremity of His mortal weakness - and so deprived them of the animation and the courage inspired by the knowledge that He is now on the throne of the Eternal.  A similar loss may be inflicted on ourselves if our thoughts are imprisoned within the limits of the earthly life of Christ, and if we do not exult in His resurrection and in His constant presence in the Church.  The historic Christ is the Object of memory; the present, the living Christ, is the Object of faith, the Source of power, the Inspiration of love, the Author of salvation.  Christ must be infinitely more than an august and pathetic tradition to us.  He is the Contemporary of all generations."

- R. W. Dale, His Part and Ours by Baxter, pg. 92

I must ask myself:  is my life a demonstration of one who exults in Christ's resurrection and His constant presence in the Church?  This is a subjective question due to the fact my answer depends entirely upon my limited view of the life provided by Christ.  Perhaps I live as if He remains upon the cross.  Christ then is nothing more than one who suffered.  Suffer He did, and more than I can ever know.  But He did more than suffer and die:  He rose glorified, breaking the chains of death which bound His mortal body by His righteous power.  Some would say the cross is the emblem of Christianity.  But there is no sign or representation needed when you can have the substance in the risen LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.  Jesus Himself must be our all in all.

Understand that we cannot receive from Christ unless we first receive Him.  We cannot receive forgiveness, peace, joy, or salvation until we repent and our faith is placed in Jesus alone.  Man is quick to receive from God, but is reluctant to give himself to Him.  The rich blessings and bounty found in Christ cannot be separated from Him.  Yet the misconception that man can enjoy eternal benefits from God without Christ is emphasized weekly from pulpits all over the world ad nauseam.  Preachers rarely explain why we have a need for Christ.  Instead, they focus carefully on what we need from Him.  Receiving is emphasized over believing.  Believing is often limited to our brains where faith does not tread.  We must trust God and give ourselves completely to Him.  We can try to receive things from God all day long, but the offer is only to those who receive Christ first.  That qualifies and enables us to receive from God because we are in Him and He in us.

Every man, whether he regards God or not, is wholly blessed by God.  Yet as followers of Jesus Christ, when we see His perfection we see our great lack.  We are struck with our lack of devotion, confess we are prone to wander and sin, and fail to continually walk in the victory Jesus has purchased with His own blood.  There is a way we can live which is devoid of God's power.  But Jesus is more than a "friend next to ya:"  His power is within us due to the Holy Spirit's regenerating presence.  Can we walk in newness of life if the old man is free to roam?  Can we walk in holiness when we refuse to crucify ourselves with Christ so we too may die to self and live for God?

Galatians 2:20-21 says, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."  On the jobsite the other day I heard two high school buddies reminiscing about their days of youthful hedonistic conquest.  One man kept repeating, "Those were the days, you know?  Those were the days."  The longing was as Lot's wife, whose head turned back towards Sodom.  God offered her a new life outside of that den of iniquity and death, but there was a draw within her that caused an almost involuntary urge to look back with affection.  Our life before Christ was no life at all.  Without Christ our emblem might as well have been a skull and crossbones set aflame by hell.  Now to live is Christ, to die is gain.  Is this just a cute catchphrase or the absolute truth?  Our life is now bound up in our risen LORD and Savior, Jesus.  Let us not seek to simply receive from God, but give ourselves completely to Him.  It is in giving ourselves that we can receive.  It is after we receive that we can walk in His strength and power.

God Laughs

We have a family routine after eating dinner.  Like my family did when I was growing up, we read a portion of scripture from the Bible.  As we read Psalm 2 today, God gave me fresh insight to that familiar passage. The first three verses read like this:  "Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? [2] The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, [3] "Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us."  This is the exact thing man has been doing since Adam's fall into sin:  man continues to rebel against the righteous commands of God.  It used to make news when the 10 Commandments were removed from justice halls, schools, and war memorials.  Not anymore.

With each passing day, the government and culture of every nation seems to drift further and further from Biblical values.  This "drift" is more like an intentional departure!  It has been a slow, subtle, abandonment of godliness and a pursuit of humanism according to godless philosophy.  Those who hold to conservative Christianity tend to either become fierce advocates of political activism, throw up their arms in helplessness, or others wring their hands in fear.  Some simply bury their heads in the sand in willful ignorance.  We know that things will wax worse and worse, and man's departure from God and pursuit of sin will become as in the days of Noah before Christ returns.  Darkness is called light, and light is called intolerance.  What is your response when you see nations and people defy God with their laws?  Many rejoice in their "victory" when Christian values are thrown aside and replaced with outright wickedness.  What is God's reaction?

Psalm 2:4-6 explains:  "He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision. [5] Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: [6] "Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion."  People think they can overthrow the power of God by removing His laws and replacing them with their own.  God laughs at their attempt!  While we cringe in fear of "what this world is coming to," God laughs.  "Ridiculous!  I have already set up my Anointed on His everlasting throne!  He is the KING of Kings!  Your laws are no law!"  He sees the victory parades, the mocking, hatred, and the scorn blasted towards those who cling to righteousness.  The Day is coming when He will do something about it.  He has made a decree, and no law of man can overrule Him!

Psalm 2:7-12 says, "I will declare the decree:  The Lord has said to Me, "You are My Son, today I have begotten You. [8] Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. [9] You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel." [10] Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. [11] Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. [12] Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him."  Those who rebel against God will be smashed into pieces like a clay pot, both in the spiritual and physical realm.  It is wisdom to honor God with our laws and ordinances.  God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance - even those (like all Christians at one time) who once opposed Him in thought, word, and deed.  He tarries now, but He will not tarry forever!

Blessed are those who trust in Jesus Christ.  He is the King of all, the Creator and Master of all things.  Satan is the prince of this earth, steeped in sin and incapable of repentance.  Praise God He has given us opportunity to honor Him with our lives and repent!  Instead of trading barbs with those who oppose God, let us be firmly against their position yet choose to demonstrate God's love toward each person.  No matter what happens on earth, God remains on the throne.  Jesus is worthy to be trusted and obeyed.  He comes quickly, and His reward is with Him!

Accepted in the Beloved

"Then Job answered the Lord and said: [2] "I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. [3] You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?'  Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. [4] Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, 'I will question you, and you shall answer Me.' [5] "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. [6] Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

Job 42:1-6

 

Once a man sees God in truth, his condition becomes a brutal reality.  Job justified himself until God spoke.  When God began to speak, Job had nothing to say.  And after Job heard God and saw Him in His majestic glory, he humbled himself:  "Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."  It was only after Isaiah saw the LORD high and lifted up that he said, "Woe is me!  I am undone, a man of unclean lips among a people of unclean lips!"  God's purity and holiness shine with such radiance that our greatest works in contrast are as greasy soot smeared upon the whitest linen.  Though Job was wrong for justifying Himself, God accepted Job as His servant because he repented.  Verses 8 and 9 of this chapter emphasize the fact that God had accepted Job.  It was not by works Job had done, but according to God's mercy he was restored and accepted.  This is God's grace preserved forever in history, and the promise of His grace extends for eternity to all who will repent and trust in Him.

 

I read a disturbing article the other day.  The author presented many different "philosophical" problems concerning the existence of hell, a place where God's wrath is poured out in eternal fury upon those who practice sin.  In short, the author did not see sin as sinful.  God's wrath only seems excessive to those who see sin as very small and insignificant.  There is no greater evil than sin, for it was for sin that Christ died!  To atone for a single eternity-damning sin the precious blood of Christ was shed once for all.  There is no forgiveness without repentance, and there is no repentance without conviction, and there is no conviction without the commandment as the last part of Romans 7:13 says: "...so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful."

 

The Holy Spirit was sent by God to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.  Though we live in an age of the Gospel of grace, grace has not trumped the necessity of repentance.  God has always been gracious and we are deceived to think we outgrow repentance with age.  It was Jesus who taught His disciples this doctrine after His resurrection.  Luke 24:46-47 reads:  "Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, [47] and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."  If sin was not sinful, the righteous Messiah would not have suffered and died at the hands of man.  The crucifixion is a tangible scene of the horror and death sin breeds without atonement in a soul.

People have always longed for acceptance.  When Cain's offering was rejected and Abel's accepted by God, Cain was upset.  Genesis 4:7 reveals God's perspective:  "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."  Like Cain, we have all sinned.  We have not done well, and for this we have been denied heaven and a relationship with God.  Yet wonder of wonders! God has extended His grace and acceptance to all through Jesus Christ.  Though we were sinners, Christ died for us!  Ephesians 1:3-6 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, [4] just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, [5] having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, [6] to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved."  Though we are feeble and flawed, according to God's will those who are born again through the Holy Spirit by grace through faith are accepted in the Beloved.  We have been accepted in Christ:  us in Him, and He in us.   

May sin be more and more sinful in our eyes as we follow Christ in faith.  Instead of trampling His sacrifice and favor under our feet, let us be examples of holiness, humility, and meekness.  Acceptance is often gained in human circles through conformity, but with God it is not so:  the only way to acceptance with God is transformation!  Repentance paves the way for becoming born again, and only those who are born again will see the kingdom of God.  To be eternally accepted by our Creator is not just a dream, but both a daily and eternal reality to all who humble themselves and trust in Him.

The Tree Story

There is an interesting story behind this tree growing behind our church building.  Near the walls of the structure of Calvary Chapel El Cajon there are many potted trees, and this used to be one of them.  It was over a year ago when this particular tree fell over in the pot due to saturation from rain.  The concrete pot remained firm on the ground, but the weight of the tree caused it to tip.  For about a week it lay horizontal, the root-ball partially exposed.

The falling of the tree coincided with my very first trip to Australia in April of 2009.  Since the tree didn't die immediately, the church staff figured we would try to save the tree.  The assistant pastor and I began a morning hacking the tree from the pot.  At most we were able to salvage half of the root system.  We dug a hole, planted the tree, lashed it to the fence, and waited to see if our efforts would be rewarded.  We had concluded an early morning prayer meeting when a brother in Christ remarked how this was similar to the transplant which God would do with me and my family.  He said something like, "We'll keep an eye on that tree," as if it was an indication of whether this transplanting of our family in the spiritually barren land of Australia could happen.  The tree went into shock, almost all the leaves fell off, and it seemed doubtful the tree could even take root in that barren soil.  I cut off all the dead wood and kept on watering and feeding.  Nearly every day I would go out and soak the tree before starting work in the church office.  I wondered if that tree would ever grow.

I resigned from my paid position as youth pastor in September '09, and I didn't give the tree any thought.  I went to Australia for two months immediately thereafter, and went again with Laura for two weeks this March.  Today when I went into church early with the ushering team, one of my Christian brothers came up at random and said, "Have you seen that tree you transplanted outside?  It's really going off - it's almost too big for the spot it is planted in."  My mind went back instantly to what the man of prayer to God had said.  I went outside and looked at the tree and took the above picture.  There was no dead wood, no bare spots.  The tree appeared healthy and flourishing.  I smiled as I thought about the implications, the LORD speaking encouragement to my heart:  "If I can make a tree grow in soil like this, can't I make you take root and flourish where I plant you?"

At the time I thought my friend could have read a little far into the tree being transplanted, comparing the tree to me and my family.  Today before the service (without my foreknowledge) it was announced that I would be soon moving to Australia with my family to minister at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  No matter what the future holds we serve a God who will supply us with exactly the strength and fortitude we need to glorify Him.  A story from the book His Part and Ours illustrates the point well:

Divine grace is infinite and exhaustless, but it is never dispensed superfluously.  We must not expect that grace will be given for the doing of the needless.  There are some Christians who stir up needless opposition to themselves and then think they are the Lord's special heroes because they have to suffer.  We should guard against this.  Grace is only promised for real need.  God does not give grace for the spectacular heroism of public martyrdom to one who is called to keep an office ledger.  He gives grace to that one to keep patient and gracious amid the tediousness of the office routine.  Somebody once asked D.L. Moody, "Have you grace enough to be burned at the stake?"  Mr. Moody replied, "No."  The questioner pressed him further, "Do you not wish you had?"  "No," replied Moody again, "for I do not need it.  What I need just now is grace to live in Milwaukee three days and hold a mission."  (J. Sidlow Baxter, pg. 15)

God knows how to make trees grow, for He created and designed them to do just that.  He knows they need sunlight, water, and nutrients.  God also understands  what a family needs to grow, what marriages need, what children need to thrive, what a church fellowship needs to flourish, and what every person needs individually to mature into fruitful Christians.  I am not able, but God is able!  God knows all things, and I know Him!  As it says in Philip. 4:19, "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  We serve a God whom through His power has given us ALL things which pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).  Praise God for His great and precious promises.  May we lay hold of every one with unwavering faith by the grace only He supplies.  Won't you trust Him too?

Exerpt from "His Part and Ours"

We all deal with trying circumstances, and this is no accident.  God allows us to face trials and difficulties which are a means to mold our character and build faith in Him.  In reading "His Part and Ours" by J. Sidlow Baxter I have been very blessed by his clear insight.  Because of the trials I have faced and the certain struggles which lie ahead, here is a part I especially enjoyed: 

"His grace is sufficient for thee!  For thee - not just for this present trial of yours, but for you yourself, making you equal to all the trials that come.  See here the Divine method with us.  God does not pledge Himself to be ever altering our circumstances and removing our burdens in answer to our prayers.  Our truest blessings often come through the things that seem most grievous to us.  If God were always leveling down our circumstances to our spiritual condition we should waste away with spiritual dry-rot.  It would be with us as it was with the old-time Hebrews:  'He gave them their request but sent leanness into their soul.'  Christ's way is to make us equal to our circumstances rather than reduce our circumstances to what we short-sightedly think they ought to be.  Dr. Phillips Brooks has a forceful word to this effect:  'Do not pray for easy lives!  Pray to be stronger men.  Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers.  Pray for powers equal to your tasks.  Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle.  But you shall be a miracle.  Every day you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has come to you by the grace of God.'"

- J. Sidlow Baxter, quoted from "His Part and Ours," pages 16-17

Another step in the journey...

When I first visited Calvary Chapel Sydney in November of 2009, I never for a moment entertained the idea that I would be someday invited to serve as pastor there.  It would have been presumptuous, to say the least.  Most people don't take unemployed youth pastors very seriously!  I had resigned from my position as youth pastor in September to pursue the call of God to preach and pastor in Australia and left for a two-month stint.  Of all the places I visited, Sydney seemed the least likely.  I remember going to bed the first night and praying, "LORD, I'm really not comfortable here.  I don't know why.  The people are hospitable, friendly, and welcoming...I can't explain it."  There was oppression from the start.  But God lifted the dread which lay heavy upon me and I thoroughly enjoyed my stay.

Laura and I took a 10 day trip to Sydney and a few days in Brisbane in March of 2010.  This time I had been encouraged to come from a friend at Calvary Chapel Sydney and was offered an opportunity to preach for two Sunday services.  It seemed to be a great opportunity to introduce Laura to the country and friends I had met previously.  This time we would be formally interviewed for the pastoral vacancy.  Things seemed to go swimmingly, and there would be more potential candidates for consideration.  We were told that a decision would be made by the pastoral search team in a couple months if all went according to plan.

In keeping with how this wonderfully tumultuous process of walking by faith in Christ can be, our family remained without a plan.  I kept on working, Laura and the boys kept on with swim lessons, and spending time with their cousins and friends.  During silent days and weeks, our minds wondered and wandered.  To stay sane I would try to not entertain thoughts of Australia, but to no avail.  Prayers for people and hopes concerning to the pastoral position continually washed over my mind in waves.  Then about a month ago we were told the position would be offered to another and scenarios were laid out how we could possibly serve in a interim basis, but without a concrete plan.  Weeks passed as the prospective pastor considered the decision which lay before him.  The warfare must have been strong because there were days when I would be so close to saying, "That's it!  Take my name out of the running - we can't keep going on without knowing.  We've been YEARS without knowing!"  It was only God who kept us going and continually reminded us of the call and burden to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Australia.

When we were reaching the breaking point, the light of God's faithfulness, love, grace, and compassion shone through.  We received an e-mail:  the prospective pastor respectfully had declined and we were back in the running.  But here again we were left without knowing where we stood.  Our hopes were revived yet again that Sydney may indeed be the place God would open a door to serve Him.  Then we received a real, tangible invitation that made us want to jump up and shout:  "We are very glad to call you and your family to our church and to the position of pastor."  YES, without reservation!  God was in no hurry, and I praise Him for His wisdom in how all was orchestrated according to His plan.  He taught us that we MUST look to Him alone for all things.  If our strength or peace rests in anyone or anything but Him, it is a breeding ground of false hope and spiritual shipwreck.  Man does not learn his lessons easily, and therefore the path God chooses to lead us down will be hard and sometimes miserable.  But when the grace of God breaks through we are as the woman who has screamed through hard, painful labor and childbirth.  Yet when that newborn baby is placed in her arms she manages to smile and caress her living treasure borne out of pain and difficulty, and would choose to endure it all over again for the blessing of this little new life she has been given by God.  Yeah, kind of like that.

I never thought I would be a pastor, but God has seen fit to call me.  My wife and I never thought we would be someday moving our family to Australia to minister for His glory.  Who could have known?  Only God.  I thank God for receiving this unprofitable servant into His family and my heart is filled with joy at the thought of being welcomed into Calvary Chapel Sydney in a pastoral role.  I would say that it's been a long strange trip, but that misses the mark:  it has been a long, amazing walk following Jesus - but I believe it is only the beginning of a new stage of growth and maturity that will bring God glory in ways we never dreamed possible.  With God, all things are possible!

The Weight of Sin

Today was the first day of flag football practice for our boys.  I brought a book to read (The Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter) at Abel's practice at Hillside Recreation Center and came upon an amazing passage.  As I looked above the green of the turf and the rushing of cars down Fletcher Parkway, soft clouds billowed overhead.  As I read it was as if a bright shaft of light illuminated a thought never considered before.  The portion I read was this:  "And I must tell you that, as it must be the great work of God's grace to give you such a heart, so if ever he mean to pardon and save you, he will make this change upon you; he will make you feel your sin as the heaviest burden in the world, as that which is most odious in itself, and hath rendered you liable to his wrath and curse; he will make you see that you are a lost man, and that there is nothing for you but everlasting damnation, unless you are pardoned by the blood of Christ, and sanctified by his Spirit; he will make you see the need you have of Christ, and how all your hope and life is in him; he will make you see the vanity of this world and all that it can afford you, and that all your happiness is with God..." (pg. 250-251)

I began thinking of all the people I have known over the years who have made a profession of faith and later fell away, choosing a lifestyle of sin rather than devotion in following Jesus.  Many people claim to be Christians for a season and what seemed to be fire at the onset turned out to be hot air in the end.  Today it is not the incredible burden and unshakable weight of sin that seems to turn people to Christ:  it is often circumstances.  When a man goes through a divorce or dealing with the death of a loved one; when a woman is suddenly incarcerated, or a child faces a life-threatening condition through accident or disease:  that is when people these days turn to God for help.  These are the people who seem to have a superficial temporary relationship with God, more like an affair than a marriage.  How tragic to pursue an affair with God Almighty when the world has let us down!

It is amazing the difference when a man comes to God begging for forgiveness due to his immense guilt, knowing the damnation he deserves and awaits him because of sin.  That is a constant.  Man is born into sin and remains a sinner.  Divorces can be made "final," people get out of jail, and children recover from illness.  Now many people have been soundly saved through circumstances, please do not misunderstand.  God is able to use anything to awaken us to our senses and recognize our desperate need for Him.  But of all the people I have seen fall away, not one was initially drawn to God because they were humbled and horrified by their sin.  It seems God and his loving people were used as an anchor while the seas stormed and were later cast aside when their use was deemed unnecessary because of present calm.

This teaches me that in the presentation of the Gospel we must be very cautious to make sure the potential future-follower of Jesus Christ is fully aware of his condition apart from God:  doomed and damned to the eternal torment of hell.  Even one sin is so heinous and wicked God must visit fierce wrath upon it.  Have you felt the weight of your guilt, O Christian?  Do you know what it feels like to be broken under the weight of your iniquity?  If you have not perhaps you are not yet free from it!  A dog's body is not washed with soap unless it is done for him, and we cannot be forgiven because we are sorry.  We must humble ourselves before the Almighty God, confess our sins, and seek forgiveness in the blood of Jesus Christ.  He must wash us.  I have felt the weight of my sin, and I have felt that burden removed in an instant!  What liberty and joy we have in the grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness of God!  Praise Him for that!

The Cost of Reformation

I'm reading a book written centuries ago from a English pastor to fellow pastors, encouraging and exhorting them to undertake their calling as overseers in the Body of Christ with rigor and dedication.  Two of his strongest exhortations (of which I am in agreement with) are sorely lacking in the model the modern-day church fellowships model:  "catechizing" by the pastor (personal instruction of the congregation) and biblical church discipline.  Though much as changed since 1656, it is amazing how people and their great need for Jesus have remained the same!  Following are paragraphs containing some of Baxter's observations and comments upon reformation.  These words were no doubt as true in his day as ours.

"How long have we talked of reformation, how much have we said and done for it in general, and how deeply and devoutly have we vowed if for our own parts; and, after all this, how shamefully have we neglected it, and neglect it to this day!  We carry ourselves as if we had not known or considered what that reformation was which we vowed.  As carnal men will take on them to be Christians, and profess with confidence that they believe in Christ, and accept of his salvation, and may contend for Christ, and fight for him, and yet, for all this, will have none of him, but perish for refusing him, who little dreamed that ever they had been refusers of him; and all because they understood not what his salvation is, and how it is carried on, but dream of a salvation without flesh-displeasing, and without self-denial and renouncing the world, and parting with their sins, and without any holiness, or any great pains and labour of their own in subserviency to Christ and the Spirit:  even so did too many ministers and private men talk and write, and pray, and fight, and long for reformation; and that they who were praying for it, and fasting for it, and wading through blood for it, would never accept it, but would themselves be the rejectors and destroyers of it.  And yet so it is, and so it hath too plainly proved:  and whence is all this strange deceit of heart, that good men should no better know themselves?  Why, the case is plain; they thought of a reformation to be given by God, but not of a reformation to be wrought on and by themselves.  They considered the blessing, but never thought of the means of accomplishing it.  But as if they had expected that all things besides themselves should be mended without them, or that the Holy Ghost should again descend miraculously, or every sermon should convert its thousands, or that some angel from heaven or some Elias should be sent to restore all things, or that the law of the parliament, and the sword of the magistrate, would have converted or constrained all, and have done the deed; and little did they think of a reformation that must be wrought by their own diligence and unwearied labours, by earnest preaching and catechizing, and personal instructions, and taking heed to all the flock, whatever pains or reproaches it should cost them.  They thought not that a thorough reformation would multiply their own work; but we had all of us too carnal thoughts, that when we had ungodly men at our mercy, all would be done, and conquering them was converting them, or such a means as would have frightened them to heaven.  But the business is far otherwise, and had we then known how a reformation must be attained, perhaps some would have been colder in the prosecution of it.  And yet I know that even foreseen labours seem small matters at a distance, while we do but hear and talk of them; but when we come nearer them, and must lay our hands to the work, and put on our armour, and charge through the thickest of opposing difficulties, then is the sincerity and the strength of men's hearts brought to trial, and it will appear how they purposed and promised before.

Reformation is to many of us, as the Messiah was to the Jews.  Before he came, they looked and longed for him, and boasted of him, and rejoiced in hope of him; but when he came they could not abide him, but hated him, and would not believe that he was indeed the person, and therefore persecuted and put him to death, to the curse and confusion of the main body of their nation. 'The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in.  But who may abide the day of his coming?  and who shall stand when he appeareth?  For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap:  and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver:  and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.'  And the reason was, because it was another manner of Christ that the Jews expected; it was one who would bring them riches and liberty, and to this day they profess that they will never believe in any but such.  So it is with too many about reformation.  They hoped for a reformation, that would bring them more wealth and honour with the people, and power to force men to do what they would have them:  and now they see a reformation, that must put them to more condescension and pains than they were ever at before.  They thought of having the opposers!"
- Richard Baxter, quoted from "The Reformed Pastor," pg. 189-191, first published in 1656

Our views of reformation or revival are often generally outward:  we wish to see revival in our churches, revival in our cities, the power of God sweeping over nations and the entire world.  But what we often miss is that revival must take place in our own hearts or not at all.  Baxter quotes a portion of Malachi 3:1-3 to illustrate the point, and it is revealing.  This cleansing and purifying of reformation is not for the wicked of the world as much for the priesthood.  God wants to save sinners and make them holy through His Son.  But "reformation" deals with a constant refinement, the sanctification of those already being saved.  If God has made us kings and priests unto Him, it follows that it are His disciples whom He desires be purified and holy before Him.  If the church is pure, it will lend itself to making pure followers of Christ.  Where the Body is polluted and diseased, it will only spread death and destruction instead of the life Christ desires.  Like the Pharisees, many misguided men have made proselytes twice the sons of hell as themselves.

Christ wants to purify me.  He wants me to be revived and reformed.  Many pastors have laboured and prayed for revival without effect because they neglected the fact they must be revived first!  It is a personal work by the Holy Spirit.  He will do His part because that is His will for my life.  The question remains:  am I willing to pay the price reformation demands?  Am I willing to lead even if no one follow?  In a way, reformation is all about me.  Yet I cannot reform myself.  I must yield to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, placing my faith in Him.  Following Jesus will cost a man his life.  Is it worth it?  Yes.  Do I want it?  That remains a question for each one of us.  Am I willing?  Our lives will display our answer.

"Why" Questions

I have heard people say there are questions we ask of God which reveal a lack of faith.  Only God knows.  I have been asking a lot of questions lately.  The more we struggle or suffer, the more cause we have to ask God about how all this works together in His plan.  When difficulties persist, the only way to persevere is to rest upon the truth and strength of God.  Those who live according to their own understanding are like King Saul, whom when the battle pressed against him he chose to fall upon his own sword and end his life.  Any question humbly asked of God will not cause our rejection by Him.  There is no question off-limits for the contrite seeker, for God has made all things.  He is aware of our deep longings, fear, confusion, anger, or uncertainty.  It would be better for us to confess everything we know is wrong with us than to quietly ignore our sins and weakness.

Is it a question spawned by lack of faith when we ask God, "Why is this happening?"  If a person had no faith or belief in God, I doubt they would seek Him for advice!  Did David the king of Israel have faith in God?  Yes.  Even when he struggled with all manner of trials, his faith in God never wavered.  Did he have questions?  Absolutely.  Did he question the direction God was taking his life.  Yes.  Listen to his words in Psalm 13:1-32:  "How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? [2] How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?"  I have heard people say, and perhaps in my life I also have said that asking "why" God has done or allowed something reveals a lack of faith.  Perhaps I had not yet suffered enough!  Let us consider Psalm 10:1:  "Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble?  How about Psalm 22:1?  "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?"  Who can forget the words of Jesus on the cross?  Jesus asked God the Father "Why have you forsaken me?"  Certainly this does not reveal a lack of faith, for Christ had all faith.

Let us put away all pretenses and arrogant piety, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ.  Let us not shy away from who we REALLY are.  It is a sad reality that experience in church attending and "Christian" manners are often substituted for true spiritual maturity.  There is a pious dishonesty among people who know what is frowned upon in church circles.  I once went to a church men's BBQ where someone (probably a friend who was invited) brought a six-pack of beer.  The soda went fast, but among twenty or so men no one, not even the man who brought the beer, drank one.  Are we so naive to believe among those men there was not one who drinks beer occasionally or even more than occasionally?  If you bring a drink to a gathering, I don't see why you wouldn't drink it yourself!  But we pull this same nonsense with God when there is cursing and anger in our hearts and we don't confess this before God.  People might buy our act, but God doesn't.  Yet He is gracious and merciful, knowing our feeble and often deluded frame, and continues to teach us with His masterful, unsearchably wise ways.  The Pharisees were no different than any other men, yet their sin was greater before God than the harlots and swindlers because they proclaimed their own righteousness and condemned others.

Sometimes we do things we know are sinful and ought not do, and sometimes we think and feel contrary to the example provided by Christ.  Instead of confessing these sins, we try to repress them.  We do our best according to the flesh to quash the source of these fleshly tendencies and thus doom ourselves to futility.  The only way to overcome the sins of the flesh is to be purified by the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence and power.  The sooner we admit and confess how we really are, the sooner we are willing to ask the questions which seem almost irreverent, the sooner we will see ourselves in God's truth.  "I know I'm not supposed to fear or doubt, so I'll just ignore those bad thoughts."  Too late!  We condemn ourselves by our hypocrisy.  Even if our questions reveal a lack of faith, are we too ashamed to ask them because we want to keep up appearances of having all faith before God?  Doesn't He know our faith is weak?  Doesn't He know we are complete failures in ourselves?  Yes.  It is only when we admit our lack God will supply our need.  Ask Him and rejoice in His answers!

Infinity Personified

"He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. [5] Great is our Lord, and mighty in power His understanding is infinite."

Psalm 147:4-5

 
I've been thinking about the magnificence of our God, the Creator of all things.  God has made amazing things on earth, but His glory and grandeur displayed in the heavens is beyond words.  A song comes to mind:  "My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty.  There's nothing my God cannot do."  The earth is a pretty big place compared to us.  Flying about 7,300 miles from Sydney, Australia to Los Angeles, California takes about 12 hours.  The airbus I have flown averages around 600 miles per hour.  But how does that speed compare to the speed of light?  The speed of light (a constant) is 186,000 miles per SECOND, or about 700 million miles per hour.  Because our galaxy and space is such a gargantuan place (much too small a word!) a mile is so insignificant we would have to use hundreds of zeros!  A "light year" is the distance light travels in a calendar year at 186,000 miles per second, a total of just under 10 trillion kilometers.  In fact, the largest measurement used is a "Gly," or gigalight year, which equals one billion light years!  A Gly is not even a measurement God would use, because He is infinite!

Our galaxy is one of billions of galaxies in the universe, and is estimated to be about 100,000 light years wide.  Scientists estimate there are two to four hundred billion stars in our galaxy alone in a universe of billions of seen galaxies.  The deeper we see into space, only greater is the expanse.  Below is a picture taken by the Hubble telescope.  Take the size of the moon while looking at it from the earth and separate it into thirty tiny parts.  This is the view beyond that 1/30th of the moon's relative size as seen from earth - and look at the galaxies!  If you want to see more, go to the Hubble website from which this shot was downloaded.

Stretching out farther than the eye can see in every direction, God's creation glimmers and shines.  The Milky Way galaxy in which earth resides is not the biggest either - the Abell 2029 galaxy is 6 million light years across with 100 trillion stars!  A seven-foot human is considered a giant:  how about the God who fashioned the universe?  Words cannot adequately describe our God.  We are limited in our feeble longings to praise the one from whom all blessings flow.  May we with the angels shout, "Glory to God in the Highest!  Psalm 19:1-3 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. [2] Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. [3] There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard."  Like David we can echo Psalm 8:3-4, "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, [4] what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?"

Our God is infinite, absolutely limitless.  He is wisdom, power, glory, strength, love, and righteousness without degree.  There are many gods people serve, but only one worthy of worship:  the Almighty God, Creator, Maker, Sustainer, and Savior of the World, Jesus Christ.  Without Him was nothing made that is made.  He is our All in All, and may we never forget how blessed we are to have Him as LORD.

Let Our Light Shine

During a conversation today a co-worker of mine remarked, "It seems like the world is running away from what it really needs."  I told him that statement is more true than we can know.  The world is on a rampage of rebellion against God.  Christians are not called to be highbrow "goody goodies" who stand in judgment of the world.  Whoever is of the world has Satan as father, ruler, and master.  Those who have been born again through faith in Jesus Christ are now alive to God.  One thing that will mark a true believer in Christ is that we no longer walk according to the model of Satan's self-seeking rule.  Ephesians 2:1-3 says, "And you He (Christ) made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, [2] in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, [3] among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others."

I saw a Verizon commercial about their new phones accompanied with their new catchphrase:  "Rule the Air."  It is an ironic phrase, seeing that Satan is called the "prince of the power of the air."  I am not suggesting that Verizon is satanic or cell phones are the devil's playground in themselves - though an argument could be made that they can become an idol.  With the internet connection, camera, video, texting, movies, live TV, games, calendar, contact lists, e-mail, tweeting, and countless applications, there are many things to distract us from seeking God and heeding His voice.  The commercial focuses on the consumer, the Verizon customer who has the ultimate power of telecommunications, not to mention the coveted internet hot spot!  It's funny that we can be duped to think that we are the center of the universe!  The world trains us to focus on us, our abilities, resources, power, and status.  Satan wants us to focus on ourselves so our view of God becomes fuzzy, dim, or even lost.  He has the entire world system under his sway as it says in 1 John 5:19:  "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one."

Christians are in the world but are not of the world, even as Christ was in the world but not of it.  This does not mean that we cannot use the technology of the world.  It means that whatever we do, we must do for the glory of God because He is our Master and King.  It is not a cell phone that is evil:  it draws to the surface the evil rebellion within a teen who texts and chats in secret after his parents tell him to stop.  The camera feature is not evil, but it reveals the wickedness in the hearts of those who take lewd photos of unsuspecting women in changing rooms.  Satan is all about promoting self.  "Do what you will.  No one is being hurt, and there's nothing wrong with a little fun."  Recognize justification of disobedience as Satan's voice!  We are our biggest hindrance to a loving, eternally long relationship with Jesus Christ.  We must be born again and be purged from our sins filled with the Holy Spirit.  God must open our eyes so we might see.

Instead of mounting frustration over the blindness of the lost and their perversions, let us remember that we were once under the same sway.  Let us consider ourselves that we walk above reproach, honoring God with what we do and say.  Cultivate compassion by the grace of Jesus Christ so we may become a beacon of the Light of the World that people may live.  A lighthouse does not have wheels to chase ships at random.  It is planted firmly in the same shore that it may provide light and guidance for the lost or direction for those seeking safe passage.  Many Christians are like mobile lighthouses that shine their lights into the equivalent of the eyes of insensible drunks passed out from trying to satisfy the lusts of the flesh.  In doing so we are like a man who screams into a tornado, "Shut up!"  What will it profit?  The tornado will not yield, my voice will be drowned out, and I will likely be swept off my feet!  But if we are like Christ - stable, personable, accessible, loving, gentle, compassionate, gracious, and merciful - and carefully build upon the solid foundation of Christ, God will bring searching people naturally to our shores so we might direct them to safe harbor in the everlasting arms of Jesus.  The storm may rage but our light can still shine.

No matter how far people may drift, no matter how fast or far the world may run from God, God remains near.  Praise God that if we desire Him He will be found by us.  If any in the world come to Christ, He will receive them for He has said in John 6:37, "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out."  Instead of living after the world's model, let us follow Jesus.  It is He who holds the keys of Hell and Death, and only Jesus has the Words of life.

All of You

Sometimes I hear "Christianese" which causes me to wonder if we comprehend the doctrines of scripture.  A song commonly sung in evangelical circles repeats, "I want more, I want more of you Jesus" and people often pray, "Lord, we need more of you in our lives."  A foundational truth of Christianity is that Jesus Christ has become a sacrifice for sin and has risen from the dead so we might be born again through the Holy Spirit's power.  When we confess our sins, repent, and trust in Jesus as Savior and LORD, He sends the Holy Spirit without measure who regenerates us and dwells within us.  Technically therefore, we have the same Spirit who dwelt in Jesus Christ to the full.  We cannot have more of Him because He has given all to us.  John 3:34 says, "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure."  We see that we have all of Christ as the song goes, "All of you is more than enough for all of me..."

That being said, there is a measure of truth to the cliche statement about needing more of Christ in our lives.  The fact remains that we can limit the work of God in our hearts through disobedience, refusal to yield to the leading of Christ, and obstinately seeking after our own will.  This spiritual principle is outlined in Luke 6:38:  "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."  If we do not give our all to God, we will not be able to operate in the fullness of the Holy Spirit's power because we hinder our own progress.  If we carefully measure out our service or giving unto the LORD, His blessings and empowerment will be rationed back to us.  Though God has given His all, unless we give all back to Him our spiritual maturity and growth will remain stunted, anemic, and nominal at best.  Often the Luke 6:38 verse is applied in the way of financial giving but it is not limited to monetary blessings.  Isn't the Holy Spirit Living Water who flows through us as an everlasting fountain?  Why choose a cistern when a fountain is available?

I am convinced the Christian who complains that God doesn't speak isn't listening as he ought.  It is never a problem with God's voice but with our ears and the hardness of our hearts.  God is never to be blamed when we do not live a life of victory, or do not walk in the Spirit, abide in the Vine, and remain well-founded upon the Rock who is Christ.  The dock is not to be blamed when the rope tethering the ship slips free and allows the ship to drift.  The dock remains intact, stable, and immovable though the tides flow in and out.  It is the negligence of the crew who did not properly secure the ship that would cause it to drift away.  When we drift from God, and seeing our need for God's further intrusion into our daily lives cry, "I need more of you, God!" we know for certain He has not been slack in our care:  we have been lax in seeking Him; we have drifted because of our negligence; we have lost the wonder through familiarity; we have stopped regarding Him as LORD and only imagined Him as a casual acquaintance.  Our reading of the Bible becomes stale, our times of prayer lacks passion, vision, and closeness, and our life has been caught up in cares rather than the Creator.

Do you recognize your need for more of God in your life?  This only means we need to give more of ourselves to Him.  Yesterday's manna will not sustain you today, nor will yesterday's victories aid us in the battles we face today.  We need Jesus, and we have the Holy Spirit without measure.  Let us freely give all of us that we might receive and walk in all of Him.