The Gates of Righteousness

"Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the LORD. ²⁰ This is the gate of the LORD, through which the righteous shall enter. ²¹ I will praise You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation."

Psalm 118:19-21

Only those with clean hands and a pure heart will see God (Ps. 24:4).  The Law of God proves beyond any shadow of doubt that there is none good, no not one.  Solomon stated rhetorically in Proverbs 20:9, "Who can say, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?"  If man's only hope for righteousness was through his own effort, he would have no hope whatsoever.  But by the grace of God, the righteousness of Christ has been imputed through faith to all those who believe.  Paul stated his fervent desire in Philippians 3:9-11 to "...be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; ¹⁰ that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, ¹¹ if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."

Jesus Christ has been revealed as the Gate of Righteousness, the Way, the Door through whom man is invited to enter and receive eternal life.  The Psalmist wrote, "Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the LORD."  God has opened the gates.  God has made a way of salvation, and our response should be eternal praise for God's glory.  As important as it is to receive Christ's righteousness imputed through faith, it is imperative we walk in it.  God did not make us righteous only so we could be granted entrance to heaven.  When we decide to walk through the Gate of Righteousness, the implication is we will also are choosing to continually walk in the path of righteousness.

Every day we remain on this earth we face the choice of walking in righteousness or seeking to satisfy self.  Peter wrote of Christ being our righteous example in 1 Peter 2:22-25:  "...who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth"; ²³ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴ who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed. ²⁵ For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."  Those lives of those who have received of Christ's righteousness should be marked by the practice of it.  In choosing holiness and righteousness, we walk in true worship and praise of the God who loves us and gave His life for us.  One person's deliberate act of choosing righteous obedience to God is worth more than all the songs and raised hands of those who walk unrighteously.

Have you chosen the Way of Righteousness to receive salvation?  That is good!  Be mindful and intentional to take the necessary step of choosing to live righteously every day.  Through God it is possible!

The Healthy Perspective

This morning I asked God to provide something for me to post on the blog, and today He saw fit to provide in a way I did not expect!  God speaks through times of prayer and scripture reading, but He also reveals Himself in the mundane.  When a man knows God, it changes his perspective of everything.  Even in accidents God's grace and goodness is revealed.  In a little booklet I read the other day written by Ken Ham, he stated all students of science use the same facts but their worldviews dictate how the facts are interpreted.  It is God in a person who opens our eyes to His gracious benefits even when things "go wrong."

In between studies this morning, I went to the kitchen to prepare a coffee for myself.  After tamping the grounds in the portafiller, I pulled the stainless steel milk frothing jug from the strainer.  Unknown to me (at first!), the blade attachment for our blender was stealthily tucked inside!  Before I even looked down or felt the sting, I knew what had happened:  the blender attachment had fallen - face down - into my toe.  It didn't bleed right away, but I kept my eye on it.  It wouldn't be long...yep, oozing blood began to slowly outline the small incision.  I grabbed a paper towel and spent the next few minutes looking through the house for Band-Aids!

As I cleaned the wound, I marveled how close the point of the blade came to hitting the leather strap on my Rainbow thongs.  A couple of millimetres to the left and all the discomfort could have been avoided!  But my mind did not settle on that point, because had the tip of the blade entered a couple millimetres to the right, I would have likely damaged the tendon on my big toe and also sliced through a vein!  Given the situation, instead of lamenting the injury I praised God it was not more severe.  As it was I would relegate the cut to a mild inconvenience and hardly worth mentioning.  But it is worth mentioning that God is worthy of praise whether we manage to avoid injury or if a flying cleaver chops off an entire toe!  Even should the body of a child of God be ruined or destroyed, we have been promised by God a new, resurrected, and glorified body we will use to dwell with God and praise and serve Him forever!

Keeping our eyes on God is a healthy perspective that leads to the grateful praise of God with all thankfulness.  Psalm 118:28-29 concludes with, "You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. ²⁹ Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."  God's goodness and mercy does not hinge on the condition of my toe, but what grace He showed me today in protecting me and opening my eyes to see His providential hand for my God and His glory.  Turn your eyes to God and praise the One worthy of all glory and praise for He is good, and His mercy endures forever!

Authority and Control

A follower of Jesus Christ has the assurance of scripture that God has authority over all and is in control.  Matthew 28:18 records words Jesus said to His disciples:  "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."  Under Christ's authority, we can therefore go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptising, and teaching them to follow God's ways.

A funny thing happens when people are given positions of authority.  It changes the way people think and relate to others - and often for the worse.  Many become overbearing and harsh.  In the words of Agur in Proverbs 30:21-23:  "For three things the earth is perturbed, yes, for four it cannot bear up: ²² for a servant when he reigns, a fool when he is filled with food, ²³ a hateful woman when she is married, and a maidservant who succeeds her mistress."  A common worker without training would likely be unprepared for the responsibility of managing the business affairs of a global corporation, and probably struggle to efficiently manage employees at a local business.  How much more difficult would it be to suddenly have free reign over a country!   We have all witnessed people given authority without adequate preparation, and their newly acquired power is easily abused.

Regardless of the scope of your authority in a family, relationships, business, or ministry, the persuasive temptation is this:  you have authority, so therefore you should be in control.  The question is, can a man truly be "in control" when God sits on the throne?  Self- control is a fruit of the Spirit, and therefore our flesh is simply incapable of the standard of self-control which only comes from God.  If man cannot even control himself, how much less control does he wield over others!  What great lengths people in authority take to seize control or maintain control!  Much effort can be given to worry, schemes, fears, or labour to influence or manipulate to keep our grasp on even the illusion of control.  Authority is inevitably abused when removed from God's guiding control.

Can we change the hearts of other people?  Can we transform our own hearts?  Can we through effort change our sinful, selfish ways?  No!  God has complete authority, but He gives us freedom to choose whether we will submit to Him or not.  Isn't that amazing?  God is indeed "in control" - as far as His plans will be brought to pass, even redeeming circumstances outside of His perfect will for good - yet He does not "control" us.  There is a humility in His governance which requires faith in God for us to imitate.  We must be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking because we have authority given by God, our efforts are wisely used in a vain attempt to control others.  Jesus demonstrated love, gave abundant mercy and grace, and humbled himself.  That was how Jesus utilised and revealed all the authority in heaven and earth given Him by the Father.  For His glory may we exercise any authority we have in the same way:  not through attempts to control others, but in submission and obedience to God!

King Eglon Must Die!

One of my favourite Bible passages growing up is found in Judges 3, when Ehud assassinated King Eglon of Moab.  For 18 years the children of Israel had been oppressed by the corpulent Eglon, who rallied the people of Ammon and Amalek against them.  God heard the cries of His people and raised up Ehud as a deliverer, a left-handed man.  He fashioned a two-edged dagger - too short to be considered a sword - and smuggled it under his clothes.  After giving a payment of tribute, Ehud sought an audience with King Eglon, saying he had a secret message for him.  Judges 3:20-23 contains the gruesome details:  "And Ehud came to him (now he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). Then Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." So he arose from his seat. ²¹ Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. ²² Even the hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the dagger out of his belly; and his entrails came out. ²³ Then Ehud went out through the porch and shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them."  Ehud escaped, gathered the people together, and subdued the Moabites.  God saved His people from their enemies, and they enjoyed peace for 80 years.

As a kid, I confess I wasn't looking for a spiritual application to this passage.  Maybe I led a sheltered life (which I did, no doubt!), but it was exciting reading.  There are many spiritual truths in this passage to glean and profit from.  As the passage came to mind yesterday, it occurred to me Ehud knew who his enemy was and how to defeat him.  This is huge.  He wasn't content with attacks on a Moabite garrison, or to hurl insults from a distance.  He would not be pleased to sabotage equipment or boast a large body count from his assaults:  he had his sight set on the king!  Ehud devised an effective strategy to defeat his enemy, and knew his weak spot.  King Eglon was powerless to attack or resist after the sword was plunged home.

The Word of God (the Bible) is called the sword of the Spirit in Ephesians 6:17.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 also says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."  Ehud was a man who carefully picked his shots.  He was not going to attack lackeys, village elders, or servants when he could end oppression once and for all by killing the king!  Eglon is a good representation of the flesh and its excesses.  Too often we can wage war on symptoms and neglect to deal with the heart of the matter.  Eglon had many servants, and to attempt a fight against them would have been fruitless and incited greater oppression.  Making our personal battles focused on mere behaviour will lead to eventual and certain defeat.  The enemy is enthroned within the stronghold and well-fortified!  The sword of the Spirit is effective at revealing our motives, and the Holy Spirit is able to wield it masterfully to expose hidden sin in us.  The razor-sharp cutting edge of the Word must be applied to our hearts and only when we repent will Eglon fall.

At this very moment, the Eglon in all of us is plotting his revenge.  Silently and subtlety he rallies his forces so he once again can rule. Thankfully we have the wisdom of God and the sword of the Spirit to finish him off.  The only way to defeat the flesh is to kill it, and Jesus was crucified so we might experience life abundant and everlasting.  Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, "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."  When the sword of the Spirit is applied faithfully to our hearts, we experience the peace of God and fulness of joy.  How good it is to be free!

The Refinery of God's Word

God's ways are truly higher than man's ways, and His thoughts are beyond our wildest expectation, imagination, or explanation.  The life of Joseph is a good example of this.  As a young man, God revealed the future to Joseph through a couple of dreams.  God showed him the end, but did not reveal the time frame or the process.  His brothers hated Joseph because of the special treatment he received from his father Jacob.  Fueled by bitterness and envy, they sold Joseph to traders heading to Egypt.  If you think Joseph was at peace to be sold because "it was all in God's plan," you are incorrect.  Tormented by guilt years later his brothers said to one another in Genesis 42:21, "We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us."

In anguish of soul, Joseph was brought to Egypt and sold as a slave.  After being promoted in Potiphar's house, he was falsely accused of rape and imprisoned.  As the years passed, I am sure at times Joseph questioned the reality of God's word given to him in his youth.  He found favour with the warden in prison, and was placed in charge of the inmates.  But was this role the fulfillment of those dreams?  I am sure he wondered.  Being an imprisoned slave in a foreign country because his brothers hated and sold him was no doubt a grievous trial.  Yet Joseph continued to trust God and sought to be used by Him.  A butler and baker were troubled by dreams they had on the same night, and with God's guidance gave them a true interpretation.  When the butler was restored to serving Pharaoh, he forgot all about Joseph.  Not only was Joseph imprisoned, but also forgotten!

Two years after interpreting the butler's dream, Pharaoh had a series of dreams which troubled him.  There was none in Egypt who was able to interpret them.  The butler was reminded of Joseph and recommended him to come before Pharaoh.  After crediting God for any ability to interpret dreams, Joseph proceeded to give a correct interpretation and offer counsel concerning the future.  That same day Joseph was permanently released from prison and made second in command to Pharaoh.  The life of Joseph was far more than a fortuitous series of events, but a life God ordained from the beginning.  Joseph was instrumental in saving the nation of Egypt from starvation, and also providing food for his family who later came to stay in Egypt during the famine. 

Hundreds of years later, it was written in Psalm 105:17-19 from God's perspective:  "He sent a man before them-- Joseph--who was sold as a slave. ¹⁸ They hurt his feet with fetters, he was laid in irons. ¹⁹ Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him."  What Joseph's brothers intended for evil, God intended for good and to save many people from death.  Joseph being sold was God's way of sending.  His time in prison was not pleasant, nor should we think it was not a time of suffering and affliction.  His feet hurt from the iron leggings he wore as a prisoner.  But God's Word - spoken to him through a dream and no doubt confirmed through solitary talks with God - tested and tried the faith of Joseph.  In the dungeon a man was prepared for the palace, and God's Word was ultimately fulfilled.

Do you know that it is the same for all who trust in God?  Perhaps God has revealed something of your future to you, yet at the moment it seems impossible!  We can be easily tempted to doubt that we heard God in the first place and it was wishful thinking.  During the trials and difficulties, in spite of unexpected turns and apparent setbacks, God's word is being fulfilled.  Do you believe that?  Are you willing to trust God no matter your situation?  Many faithful followers of God were proved by God's Word long before they were promoted.  God uses the difficult situations of this life to refine us for future use according to His divine plans.  What man intends for evil, God redeems for our good and the good of others.  Give glory to God for His marvelous works!

Regarding the Presence

Tonight our family read the account in 2 Kings 3, a testimony of God's grace in providing victory for His people.  The chapter begins by explaining how Jehoram was a wicked king over Israel, and after the death of Ahab the nation of Moab rebelled against Israel's rule.  Jehoram sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, a righteous man who feared God.  Jehoshaphat agreed to help reign in the rebellious Moabites, and they traveled together for seven days through the land of Edom.  The text says the king of Edom came along in support.  Despite their planning and collaboration, they faced defeat before even meeting Moab in battle because of a severe water shortage.

Jehoram blamed the lack of water as a sinister plan of God to destroy them.  Refusing to accept such a suggestion, the faithful king of Judah said in 2 Kings 3:11, "Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD by him?" So one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, "Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah."  Jehoram remained unconvinced, but in the end they decided to seek the assistance of Elisha.  2 Kings 3:13-14 says, "Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother." But the king of Israel said to him, "No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab." ¹⁴ And Elisha said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you."  Isn't that amazing?  Jehoram and the king of Edom served idols, but Jehoshaphat feared the true God.  God regarded the presence of Jehoshaphat because he feared Him.  Not only that, but God provided water abundantly and allowed all three kings to be victorious over Moab for the sake of Jehoshaphat.

God does not regard the presence of those who hate him, but to those who trust Him God will look.  He seeks to show Himself strong on behalf of those who fear Him.  Laban realised God had blessed him as a direct result of Jacob working for him.  Pharaoh promoted the incarcerated foreign slave Joseph to second in command because the Spirit of God was with him and gave great wisdom.  Daniel and his companions were tested and found ten times wiser than the other wise men in Babylon because God was with them.  God dwells in unapproachable holiness, yet He sent Jesus Christ His Son to be the Saviour of the world.  Isaiah 66:1-2 says, "Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? ² For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist," says the LORD. "But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word."  Those who highly regard the presence of God will be regarded by Him.  Through the Gospel Christians are made the temple of the Holy Spirit, and He dwells within us.  At all times we can commune with the Father through the prompting of the Spirit, and Jesus stands at the Father's right hand interceding on our behalf.

This world for millennia has reaped the rewards of God's answers to the prayerful intercessions of Christians.  A day will come when the church will be taken, and the kings of the world will suffer.  In Jesus we find rest for our souls, and in our hearts His Spirit finds rest too.  Do we meet God's conditions so we might be recognised when we come before Him in prayer?  Are we contrite, broken, and tremble at His Word?  Our God is the God who sees, indwells, empowers, and glorifies.  He is worthy to be sought and praised.

Go Through Open Doors

When your church plans trips, activities, or courses, how do you view them?  For a lot of my life I used to see all church-related activities or service as optional.  Unless I felt specifically prompted to go or be involved, I would usually pass.  But as I have continued to mature in the LORD, my views have changed.  I see opportunities to preach or go on mission trips as open doors that I should aim to go through unless God closes the door.  Do you see the difference?  Many people have a consumer approach to offered church activities rather than seeing it as an opportunity to serve.

How would your perspective change if you saw an upcoming mission trip as an open door, swung wide by Jesus Christ Himself for you to enter?  Jesus said in Revelation 3:7, "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens..."  It is of great importance to realise what your call is as a Christian, and specifically what Jesus has called you to in the Body of Christ.  We are exhorted to be diligent to make our calling sure (2 Peter 1:10) - not only concerning justification, but sanctification.  Once you are convinced of God's call upon your life, it is an indispensable tool of the Holy Spirit to guide us through open doors we may have never noticed before.

In my own life, it was revealed to me in prayer, the Bible, and confirmed without solicitation by a praying friend that God had called me to be a pastor.  It was not my plan, but God convinced me that I would preach, and I would be sent.  Believing this indeed to be a call upon my life, whenever an opportunity to preach or teach was offered, I viewed it as an open door.  I figured if God had opened a door which lined up with my calling, it was not for me to decide if I liked the look of the door or what potentials laid behind it.  My role was to go through every door He opened, and not to concern myself with doors He shut.  Do you realise that God does not open doors before you unless He intended you to enter them?  Should it be evident to you He has closed a door, there is no need to strain at the handle or wonder if God knows what He is doing.  It is wise to see every opportunity as an open door for you to walk through.  When we seek Christ and examine our motives, we will know the way because Jesus IS the Way.

I encourage you to open your heart and consider the many open doors God has opened to you.  Instead of asking, "Why should I go?" or "Do I feel like going?" or "Can I afford it?" ask, "Has God specifically told me not to walk through this open door?"  Money is never an issue for God, and neither is time.  It very well may be there have been thousands of open doors God has set before us which were veiled because our vision was clouded by self.  We often already have plans, and the open door Jesus bids us enter was not part of that plan.  Are you willing to walk through doors Jesus opens?  Be open to open doors, and boldly walk through them in obedience!

The Path of Restoration

Three months have passed since I underwent ACL replacement surgery on my knee.  When I first talked to my specialist concerning the procedure, it was not without warning.  "The surgery has a high success rate," the doctor said.  "But the highest probability of re-rupture occurs at the three month mark.  You're getting stronger, you're feeling good, and you overdo it.  You need to do the things I tell you to do, and not do anything I tell you not to do."  No problem, I said.  With a clear conscience, I can say for the most part I have kept my word.  I may be out of the woods, but a long road to full recovery stretches before me.

Recovery from knee surgery is similar to what happens when God heals broken parts of our lives.  Maybe we think that because we have been forgiven, reconciled, and restored, we can pretty much do whatever we want!  But that is far from reality.  Suppose I hadn't been warned to take precautions concerning activities to do or to avoid, and all my specialist did was give me a new ligament?  I certainly wouldn't want or even think to do painful exercises.  Restoration can hurt!  If I avoided important exercises, flexibility and strength would be poor, and no doubt I would engage in potentially dangerous activities for the healing ligament.  My ligament was fixed in a matter of minutes, but I still need to daily take intentional, practical steps to benefit the healing process which can take a year!

God forgives sin and says, "Go and sin no more!"  After Jesus healed a lame man John 5:14 tells us, "Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."  Healing of the body matters little if the heart has not been transformed.  When God has delivered our souls from sin and death, it matters how we choose to live.  Are we avoiding sin and living righteously?  If I use my leg however I want or feel at the moment, I run the risk of severely damaging the ligament.  But if I use it in accordance with the recommendations of my specialist, strength will be restored and healing promoted.  The Holy Spirit guides those who are born again and reconciled to God.  God's Word is not a series of recommendations, but the words of life we do well to heed!  As we live out our days, may we take the steps necessary for restoration! 

In the Cool of the Day

On Thursday I volunteer for the Pyjama Foundation, a organisation that seeks to provide friendly mentoring and boost literacy for kids in foster care.  Today was a bit strange, in that we did not read at all!  It was a learning and growing time for me as a living parable played out before my eyes.

As I turned right at the roundabout, I saw two kids playing down by a creek.  I suspected one of them was Nate (name changed), and upon entry to the home my thoughts were confirmed.  We enjoy spending some of our time outdoors and I was early anyway, and after greeting everyone I headed outside.  Yesterday it had rained heavily and the creek was higher than usual.  The boys had noticed!  Nate was skipping stones with a friend and for a while we threw rocks into the water.  That didn't last for long.  All that water and mud was simply too interesting, so the boys headed down for a closer look.

Nate and his mate hopped down into the waterway, only to bury their school shoes to their ankles in mud.  This was very exciting, I mean, who could have expected that?  Since they were muddy already, what was the harm in trying to wash off their shoes?  For these boys, "cleaning" those shoes and socks was more of a novelty than a necessity.  Besides, their shoes cleaned up so well (as long as you don't mind brown socks which once were white!), there was little motivation to stay out of the mud.

As they waded through the murky stream they were engrossed with their new environment.  Pieces of broken glass were like discovered treasure, and discarded bits of wood became bridges.  Then there was a vain attempt to build a dam to stop the flow of water.  It was amusing seeing those two muddle around, trying to hold back the flow of water with a couple rocks and handfuls of sand.  As time passed their clothes grew increasingly wet and muddy.  "Do you think I should wear this shirt to school tomorrow?  I can wear a jumper over it!"  It wasn't long before they were trying to find the softest mud to sink into, and Nate sunk almost halfway to his knees.  He slurped out of the mud with a laugh, amazed at the qualities of mud.  My, who could have thought this could be so fun?

After about a half hour I told Nate it was time to head to the house and clean up so we could read and do some activities together.  Nate started moving in my direction when suddenly his friend found a lizard, and they were on the hunt.  It was a particularly aggressive lizard, the kind that runs away and hides in rocks when you walk closer to it.  I was having a good time watching Nate have fun, and I wasn't going to make him do anything he didn't want to do.  "Ben, Ben!" he would shout, and I walked closer to appreciate his latest discovery.  Once it was a large drain pipe; another time it was a deep pool with slippery mud around the edges.  Further upstream they travelled, finding more treasures and lizards among the sandstone rocks.  It was lovely to hear the boys laughing and feel the cool afternoon breeze as it rustled through the gum trees.

I was suddenly reminded of when Adam walked with God in the cool of the day.  There I was, pacing slowly back and forth, waiting for Nate.  I was not in the least bit impatient.  If Nate would rather play in the creek, I was fine with that.  My time with him is a gift I rejoice to give because I am his friend.  I was struck with an idea:  how many times has God come to visit me with His presence and I was busy doing other things?  To think that I could be like that little boy, running around trying to stop a flowing river with a rock and handfuls of sand!  It was a sacred moment as I stood by a gum tree, watching those kids.  There I was, and God was walking with me.  He was talking with me.  In the stillness of my heart I was blessed with the knowledge God visits His children who are precious in His eyes, even when they don't expect or call Him.  He wants to spend time with us in mornings and evenings, and even if you happen to stand for an hour watching kids play in mud.  Men's best efforts are about as useful as those distracted boy's attempts at building a dam out of sand, and they were beyond hopeless!  I confessed sin and asked Him to cleanse me.  The LORD knows I am no more clean or pure than those muddy, water-logged children in my flesh.  This filth of this world sticks easily to us.  I quietly sang a few songs of praise as I watched from a distance, drinking in my Saviour's love.

We never made it inside the house to read today, but it was a sweet time of fellowship with the LORD and good time spent with a couple of delightful boys.  After I told Nate my time was up and I was heading off he said, "Boy am I going to be in trouble for this.  I already have an early bedtime as it is!"  He was a frightful sight.  His face was streaked with mud, his once white shirt was half brown, his socks permanently stained, and his shoes were a disaster.  "Well, what did you think would happen when you jumped in the mud?"  "That's just the problem," he said with intensity, running over to jump in a dirty puddle.  "I never think about what's going to happen later because I just think about having fun now!"  Well said, Nate.  Those are words even adults who try to stay out of the mud can learn from if taken to heart!

Hearing God's Voice

God speaks to us in ways we may not expect.  When we think of God speaking, perhaps we think of dreams, visions, or perhaps an audible voice from heaven.  While God can certainly use any means to speak, a primary way which He speaks to us is through His Word, the Bible.  Closely connected with the scripture is the presence of the Holy Spirit who dwells inside every Christian.  Jesus says His sheep hear His voice, He knows His sheep, and we follow Him.  The Holy Spirit enables us to understand what Jesus says and apply it personally to our lives.  Instead of a booming, amplified voice from the sky, most often God speaks in His still, small voice.

God did not place the Holy Spirit in every believer for the sake of convenience.  Instead of spelling out the future to us or speaking with an audible voice to satisfy our fleshly curiosity, God has wisely linked faith with the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Through Christ we have a firmer foundation than the fact we heard audible words or saw a heavenly vision.  God is speaking:  the question is, are we seeking Him and listening?  God speaks to us way more than we credit Him for.  Often we can know when God is speaking when it is something we do not expect.  While we value directives, much of what He says is corrective.  We ought to rejoice that God speaks to us, whether it is to call us, speak of future events, or correct us.  What joy is ours even when God speaks to correct us!

The other day I enjoyed a conversation while driving with a mate.  We both enjoyed the short, delightful discussion as we caught up with current events in our lives.  After we parted ways, immediately a thought popped into my mind - and it was completely unrelated to my current line of thinking.  "Your words in a part of that conversation were rude and unkind.  Pull this car over, apologise, and ask for forgiveness."  Thinking it over, I had to agree.  There had been no offense, but I knew I had offended God by my words.  I was trying to be funny, but God has shown me many times how humour can a masking agent which disguises sin's bitterness.  Because this impression placed upon my heart was fully in line with God's Word, pointed out my sin, bid me repent, confess my faults, and ask for forgiveness, I knew it was God speaking directly to my heart.  Through the Holy Spirit, the still, small voice of God speared my heart.  After I pulled over and sent a text message admitting my sin and asking for forgiveness, what joy filled my soul!  I rejoiced, for God had clearly spoken to me!

When God speaks to you, rejoice!  Whether His words are predictive, instructive, comforting, corrective, a rebuke, or thought provoking question, choose to delight in heeding and obeying His voice in faith.  Thank God that He is the God who sees and speaks!

A Dignified Death

Lately it seems there has been an uptick in talk over assisted suicide, deemed by some as "death with dignity."  To me, there is nothing "dignified" about death, nor is there dignity in the foreknowledge of it.  Whether someone dies of old age, in an accident, by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, or through drugs ingested or injected, the spectre of death remains hideous.  The Bible teaches death entered the world through sin.  The fact our bodies die shows we are indeed infected with sin in a fallen world.  The soul that sins shall surely die and face eternal torment and separation from the God who loves all.  God will someday kill Death forever by casting it into a lake of fire (Revelation 20:14).

"Dignity" is defined in The American Heritage Dictionary as, "1) The quality or state of being worthy of esteem or respect; 2) to raise the status of something unworthy or lowly, make honourable."  Planning your death secretly or publicly does nothing to make death itself more worthy, nor does a lack of physical pain afford person honour.  Many honourable men and women have died, and in many cases the circumstances of their deaths are noteworthy as they provided proof of their character, love, and sacrifice for others.  Years ago I learned the story of Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean.  His extraordinary valour, bravery, and sacrifice deserves remembrance.  At the cost of his own life, he fought to his end to save his fellow soldiers.  When our lives are used to the end for the glory of God and the good of others, it is a dignified expense.  Yet our greatest sacrifices are a mere shadow of what Jesus Christ did on the cross for us sinners. 

Romans 5:6-8 says, "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Jesus died on the cross in a dignified manner because He sacrificed Himself for the salvation of others.  His entire life was and continues to be a testimony of everlasting love, compassion, mercy, and grace.  Jesus died the most humiliating, excruciating, and horrific death imaginable for the sake of sinners - most of whom have mocked and slandered Him to this day.  He did not avoid pain or suffering, but embraced it so He might redeem us, become one with us, and hold us in His arms in heaven.  He paid a price no one could ever pay for themselves, and He rejoiced to do it.

No one dies on their own terms.  They die because they must, even if they willingly choose to expedite the process.  The immortal, righteous God laid down His life so all who repent and trust in Him can live.  He defeated death, rose from the grave, and bids all to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.  Apart from Christ all face the second death, far more sinister than our minds can fathom - unspeakable pain, suffering, and torment forever without intermission.  But Jesus has made a way to overcome the power of sin and death through faith in Him.  John 11:25-26 says, "Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶ And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"  Our answer to this question will be revealed not by words alone, but by our lives.

I do not know the day, means, or circumstances of my future death (I am a sinner and deserving of death) - but I know the One who kills and makes alive.  He has given all the opportunity to live a worthy, honourable, dignified life every day for His glory and in service to others.  The death of my body will be a fleeting moment in eternity, and it is not my focal point to "die well."  In Christ we are called to die daily as a sacrifice for others, and in this God is glorified.  There is nothing more honourable than honouring the worthy God and bowing our hearts before our exalted Saviour.  That is a truly diginfied death.

Hold Your Peace

At Bible study last night we read Proverbs 17:28 which says, "Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive."  As we discussed the meaning and personal application, it dawned on me yet again the common tendency to make Christianity more about behaviour than the condition of our hearts.  A superficial application of this passage would be, "I want to be wise, or at least appear wise to others.  Speaking less is the key to other perceiving me as wise!"

The meaning of the phrase "holds his peace" basically means to remain silent.  But there is a deeper meaning revealed in scripture.  Ephesians 2:13-14 says, "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation..."  Understanding that Jesus IS our peace puts a completely different spin on this verse.  Because Jesus is our peace, "holding our peace" is more than the discipline of keeping our mouths closed.  Having been born again through faith in Him, the Holy Spirit has provided self-control we rejoice to walk in.  Holding Jesus as our dearest treasure, clinging to His promises, even in silence Christians can take a conscious step of faith.

What do you treasure most in life?  What do you hold dear?  Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and when we hold Him close we can hear clearly the small, still voice of the Spirit.  Whether we speak or are silent, we can faithfully do so for God's glory.  Forever we are to hold our Peace, the One who upholds us and with a word calms the storms we face.  Our tongues ought to confess Jesus as LORD, and even our silence can proclaim the same!  No matter what occurs, let us hold our Peace!

God Has Already Revealed Himself

"Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth."

Proverbs 17:24

The book of Proverbs is packed with verses which compare and contrast wise and foolish.  Jesus said a wise man hears His words and puts them into practice, but the foolish man hears His words and ignores them.  A fool says in his heart, "There is not God" and lives accordingly - as if he is god.  According to the biblical description, a wise man is one who has humbled himself before God and has chosen to adopt His ways.  He is circumspect, conscious of God's sovereignty, provision, and love.  He seeks, heeds, and obeys God's guidance.  A fool may be wise in the wisdom of the world, but it is foundation of shifting sand.  Jesus said those who build upon man's "wisdom" embrace certain destruction.

Once a person is born again through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit takes up residence inside them.  An inner transformation takes place which opens up man's understanding to receive and apply spiritual truth.  God's wisdom is revealed in everything He has made.  The Bible is a treasury of God's wisdom.  Those who are in Christ have had the bonds of sin and unbelief broken, the fog cleared from their minds, and their eyes opened to the reality of God and eternity.  Those of understanding do not know everything, but they are convinced God has spoken, is speaking, and is the true source of all wisdom.  Our identity as a new creation is in Christ, for the old has passed away and all has become new.

A fool, having rejected the Word of God, is on a never-ending search for truth, purpose, and satisfaction.  The eyes of those who know not God look to the ends of the earth seeking greater understanding.  Some lift their eyes even higher and monitor sound in space, hoping to discover the secrets of our origins from unknown extra-terrestrial beings when the first sentence of the Bible expressly, objectively states the truth!  Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  Those who reject that statement must keep looking for alternatives.  The unseeing eyes of unbelievers scan distant horizons when God has revealed Himself already!  For instance, the SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) institute has been “listening,” scanning the far reaches of space for decades with telescopes and high-powered aerials, seeking to receive communication from extra-terrestrial aliens.  Foolish man scans the dark void of space hoping to discover intelligent beings out there, whilst the eternal God who created all things has given us His Word, became a man, and spoke to us as a man in Jesus Christ who walked among us.  Ironic, isn’t it?  The intelligence of God is revealed in the designs in creation right here on earth, even by DNA and complex processes within the cells of our human bodies - yet for most these days that is not admissible evidence of an intelligent Creator.  More time is spent by some theorising on how we will deal with aliens we might encounter than how to rightly relate  and respond to the God who created all things, loves us and has already revealed Himself to us.

I am in no way suggesting there is not value in scientific exploration, or that such efforts have not been worthwhile.  The fact is, men have been listening for "pings" in space since 1959 and have not perceived anything that qualifies as scientific proof of intelligent extra-terrestrial beings.  God has already provided us with more than faint unintelligible pings, hissing gibberish, or mechanical whirring.  God's Word says in Psalm 19:1-3, "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."  Talk about seeing but not perceiving!  We can be looking and listening in a vacuum when God has already revealed Himself, has spoken, and is speaking.  Both simple folks and those with multiple doctorates marvel over the beauty and order in the cosmos.  The well-educated scientific researcher researches because he or she realises there is much still to be learned.  Instead of fields of research being exhausted, more and more potential areas of research could be pioneered with exciting new discoveries being made all the time.  The more we know the more we discover there is more to know than we ever imagined.  Scientific study and research teaches the believing more of the Creator and enlightens us to His phenomenal creativity, power, and beauty.

Jesus Christ has become for us wisdom, and those with eyes to see and ears to hear will believe and understand.  Through God common fishermen confounded the doctors of the Law of Moses, and the humble Son of a carpenter put to silence the questions of unbelieving lawyers.  Simple plants, animals, and insects defy any naturalistic explanation.  Single-celled organisms, more efficient than engines - which are actually crude in comparison even after decades of development by experts - continue to reproduce after their own kind.  As it is written in 1 Corinthians 1:26-31:  "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. ²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence. ³⁰ But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption-- ³¹ that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."

Pour Out Complaints to God

As we trek along in our walk with Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit our eyes are opened to see aspects of our lives that are contrary to God's ways.  In our flesh dwells no good thing, and it is only natural to persist in fleshly attitudes, thoughts, words, and deeds in varying degrees.  The fact it is natural does not mean it is beneficial or permissible.  In this body of flesh we need to be supernaturally transformed, and only through the Holy Spirit with our full cooperation is it possible.

I have been teaching through 1 Corinthians at Calvary Chapel Sydney, and much of the epistle addressed and sought to correct sin in the Corinthian church.  Paul affirmed the Law was written for our sakes as well as the Jews (1 Cor. 9:10).  He cited many examples of sinful behaviour in the children of Israel that lead to their destruction, despite being blessed and privileged by God.  One of the sins was particularly impressed upon my heart was that of complaining.  The million corpses which fell in the desert are absolute proof we ought not to lust sinfully, embrace idolatry, fornicate, tempt God, "...nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer."  I don't know about you, but complaining is a common part of life.  A definition of complain is, "to express dissatisfaction or annoyance about something."  Have you ever expressed dissatisfaction or annoyance about something?  This is common to humanity - fallen, self-focused, judgmental, foolish, and often deluded beings that we are.

Complaining reveals we are self-focused and not trusting in God's sovereignty, provision, or control.  Even as anger is not evil in itself, neither is complaining.  It is entirely biblical to pour out our complaints to the LORD in faith, believing He hears and will answer our prayers.  The psalmist wrote in Psalm 77:3, "I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah."  Paul wrote in Romans 14:23 that whatsoever is not of faith in God is sin.  We are exhorted in 1 Peter 5:6-7 to humble ourselves before God and be casting our cares upon Him because He cares for us.  Unless our complaints are yoked with trust in God and sincere humility, our complaints are sinful.  Habitual complaining is a window to pride-darkened spots in our hearts which only God can cleanse.  Thankfully, if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

We don't see complaining as a big deal, but the fallen corpses of God's people in the wilderness say otherwise.  I exhort all to examine yourselves in this matter:  what annoys you?  How do you express your feelings when annoyed?  Do you bring your complaints before the Father who can do something about them or do they spill out on others?  How desperate is our condition apart from God, unable to do good and persistent in evil, unbelief, and selfishness!  We cannot hardly begin to fathom how deep our need for deliverance and forgiveness goes.  When God opens your eyes through His Word to see the depth of your sin, immediately confess it and take practical steps to correct it.  As you fellowship with other believers, ask others to keep you accountable and pray for one another.  Encourage family members to do the same.  May our complaints be turned to trusting praise in the God who loves us and gave Himself for us.

A Cut Above

Whilst driving, I saw the name of a local company written on a truck:  "A Cut Above Constructions."  Immediately I began chewing on an idea:  isn't that what everyone is looking for in anything?  We are always open to a better deal, and nothing is better than the best deal!  We want the best prices, service, quality, and value for money.  This same approach can be brought to the search for a home church.  There are people seemingly doomed to be church vagabonds, never connecting, always open to a better deal.  Wouldn't you want your church to be "a cut above?"  Who wouldn't?

I started thinking about my home growing up.  The idea of looking for a better deal doesn't work when it comes to "home."  I didn't have a choice who my parents or siblings were, where we lived, the design of our house, menu, what appliances we owned, or if the lawn mower had a bag attachment.  Now that would have been nice!  But seriously, I never thought of looking for a "better" family, house, or toys.  My parents loved me and I loved them.  I loved my brother and sister.  Even though we ate a lot of oatmeal for breakfast, there were always special mornings where we had waffles or pancakes.  It was only after planning to be married and to live with my future wife that I gave the thought of moving any earnest thought.  My motive in moving wasn't because I wasn't happy with my parents, siblings, or the food.  I had arrived at the time of life when God was giving me a wonderful wife and the responsibilities that come with starting a new family.

It occurred to me that I approached my home church in a similar way.  Since I was a child, I attended the same church my parents did.  After marriage, there was a season of change at the church and a new pastor came.  Some of our friends in the following years left for other churches, and there was a real temptation to go where they went.  But my wife and I were in agreement.  Until God specifically directed us to leave, we were called to stay.  Was everything perfect at our church?  Not hardly - just like at every church!  Wherever people are, problems are there too.  Were there some youth programs that were bigger or could boast more "dynamic" worship?  Sure.  There were churches with better floor plans, located closer to home, with stronger emphasis on a particular ministry or doctrine which may have seemed important at the time.  Had I checked in with you 5 or 10 years ago, I suspect what was important to you then was different than now!

Looking at church from a home perspective, how ridiculous it seems for people to leave their home church - the fellowship of believers with whom they worship and serve - seeking a cut above!  That would be like leaving your home because it does not have a pool or the TV is a bit small.  You might as well give up now if you are looking for perfection.  "Better" can always be found - that is until you discover better still!  Like those who are ever learning but never coming to the truth, people who are ever looking for a church to tick their arbitrary boxes never seem to land anywhere for long.  I am humbled and privileged to say I grew up in a home where people loved me, and I can say the same about church.  Yet even if your home situation is rough, God still loves you.  Instead of bailing from a tough situation, God would have you faithfully share His love right where you are until He specifically directs you to move - and the same is true of church.

No matter where God has you, as a Christian God has a divine purpose and plan concerning you right there.  Say your church has issues - what family doesn't have them?  Through the Holy Spirit you have the ability to endure and be part of what is vital, healthy, and strong in the church.  You cannot blame the pastor, people, or anything for your lack of growth or usefulness.  Those supernaturally occur when we submit ourselves to God and the authority He has placed over us, choosing to love even our enemies in obedience to His Word.  As Christians, we are not to have a "consumer" mentality always on the lookout for "a cut above," but seek to give, forgive, and love others even as God loves us.

1 Corinthians 4:1-2 says, "Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ² Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful."  I encourage you to show yourself faithful in attending and serving at your home church.  Regardless of what others are doing or how you feel, remain faithful to Jesus.  Trust and obey Him, praying for each other.  What joy God gives those who obey Him in not forsaking the assembling with other believers!  It is in Christ - not in a ministry or different church - where we discover the life that is a cut above all others.  It's not even close.

Law Written for Our Sakes

Do you realise God gave the Law to His people and also to you?  Because it is often said "we are not under the Law," a devaluing of it has occurred.  Whilst it is true those who are in Christ Jesus have entered into a New Covenant in Christ's blood through faith, the Law is completely relevant to us today.  We are not obligated to "keep" the letter of the Law, but the principles are just as true and righteous today as ever.  We are no longer under the authority of the "schoolmaster" of the Law (Galatians 3:24-25), but we can still learn much from that teacher.  The Law focused on external righteousness, but Jesus came to establish righteousness within us through faith in Him.  Instead of outward conformity, God desires inner transformation leading to outward godliness through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-18, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. ¹⁸ For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."  Jesus did not come to destroy the Law or lessen its relevance to us, but to fulfil it.  To fulfil means to "complete."  Comprehension of the Law works to increase our appreciation of God's grace.  Righteousness was never intended to be obtained through external acts, but through faith.  The Law proved the complete inability of man to keep the Law, and exposed the perverse nature of his heart which denies the spirit of the law whilst creating a facade of keeping it.  Romans 3:19 says, "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."  The Law reveals our sinfulness, and therefore is still righteous and good.  Perhaps some have diminished the value of God's Law in these last days, but Jesus never did.  His commands extended beyond the reach of the Law, and are only accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit.

When you realise the Law was not only for the Israelites way back when but for you, what wonderful truths open up to us!  Did you know verses in the Law actually address the days in which we live specifically.  In the New Testament, Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us we are in the last days:  "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ² has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds..."  Last night I read in the Old Testament Law a message to Jews living in these last days in Deuteronomy 4:30-31:  "When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice ³¹ (for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them."  If God only intended this passage for the Jews who were under the Law in Moses' day, why would God mention the trouble they would face in the "latter days?"  It is clear God wanted people in the last days to read and believe them.  The verses were for the people in Moses' day, but they are also for people in the latter days - even after Jesus established a New Covenant with His own blood.  Until Jesus returns in power, God extends a gracious opportunity for all people to turn to the LORD and obey His voice.

The New Testament also confirms the valid application of principles in the Law for our lives today.  Paul quoted from the Law in his epistle to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 9:8-10:  "Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? ⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." Is it oxen God is concerned about? ¹⁰ Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope."  Without a doubt, Paul says the command in Deuteronomy 25:4 was written for the church, for us today.  As Warren Wiersbe used to say, that command was obviously not written down for oxen, because they can't read!  It is for men!  God certainly cares about oxen, but He cares about people most of all.  In the Law, God laid down a righteous, eternal principle which involved oxen which remains applicable today.

The Law is filled with principles, examples, warnings, and truth completely relevant to our lives today.  Don't be put off by genealogies, words tricky to pronounce, or look at the Law as less important than other scripture.  It has been written for our sakes, and it will endure forever!

Osmosis or On Purpose?

I was raised in a generation of Christian believers who emphasised the grace of God and I am most grateful.  Looking back, perhaps this strong emphasis was in response to legalism and the error of a works-based salvation.  I remember many times being taught the fruit of the Spirit is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit within a born-again follower of Jesus Christ.  This is true.  Whilst it is true that striving to do through the flesh what only God can do through the Spirit is futile, the opposite error can creep into the hearts and minds of Christians:  we do not need to be intentional or sometimes take drastic steps in obedience to the Holy Spirit or God's Word.  Paul subjected his flesh under the Holy Spirit as a slave driver, and then he disciplined himself to live a holy life of obedience to God.  I see in Paul an intentional approach that for much of my early walk might be better described as "passive carelessness."  I suspect I'm not the only one.

Inner transformation does not occur without being intentional.  No one is "born-again" by their proximity to Christians, but through an identity received by a conscious decision made to repent and believe in Jesus Christ as LORD and Saviour.  If this is true of our justification, then also our sanctification progresses through intentionally humbling ourselves before God, repenting, obeying, and putting into practice what God is teaching us through His Word.  As convenient as it might be, it is folly to think I will bear fruit for God's glory without any intentional action or effort on my part.  I suppose you could say in my youth I unwittingly ascribed to an "osmosis" model of Christian living.  The New Websters College Dictionary defines osmosis in these ways: "1) the tendency of a solvent to pass through a semipermeable membrane, as the wall of a living cell, into a solution of higher concentration, so as to equalize concentrations on both sides of the membrane; 2) the diffusion of fluids through a membrane or porous partition; 3) an apparently effortless absorption of ideas, feelings, attitudes, etc."

The concept of "Christian osmosis" (though only through looking back can I see it) basically goes like this:  the Holy Spirit living inside of me will make me so holy, loving, and kind that the world will notice a difference.  Into the void of their empty lives the power of the Holy Spirit will flow from my life, and they will be drawn to salvation in Jesus - without me needing to do or say anything practical or intentional.  After all, it is God's work, right?  The problem with the "osmotic" approach to fruitfulness is it is unbiblical.  There is nothing effortless about the Christian walk.  It is a narrow path, an upward call, a battle, something we must intentionally discipline ourselves to faithfully continue.  In 2 Timothy 2, Paul compared the walk of a Christian to a soldier, an athlete competing for the prize, and a farmer who labours in the sun.  It takes time and effort to examine our lives and motives according to scripture.  It is work to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus.  It's true we can only do these things through the power of the Holy Spirit, for in our flesh dwells no good thing.  But it's also true that we will not be changed or be fruitful until we make sacrifices and take practical steps to put off the old man, be renewed in the Spirit of our minds, and put on the new man (Ephesians 4:20-24).  If you have any doubts concerning this, read the New Testament.  The fact God has given us grace does not mean He is unworthy of our labour!  There are countless exhortations for us to do things which only God can do, but they won't be done unless we agree and take practical steps to cooperate in submission to the Holy Spirit.

I went to Awanas as a kid and memorised Ephesians 2:8-9.  Because the verses were printed in our workbooks separate from the Bible, it was not until adulthood that I learned and began to put verse 10 into practice!  Many Christians hold fast to an Ephesians 2:8-9 theology, but have not fully embraced an Ephesians 2:8-10 lifestyle.  Ephesians 2:8-10 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. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."  Salvation is a free gift from God Christians receive.  Yet we have been saved for a purpose, created in Christ Jesus for good works.  These works are done only when we submit ourselves to God and walk in them.  Walking (aside from the odd sleepwalker here or there!) is an intentional action.  It involves us struggling to our feet, deciding where we will go, and then putting one foot in front of the other until we reach our destination.  Blessed are those who endure to the end and purposefully perform the good works God has created people to do.

There is nothing passive or osmotic about the Christian walk.  It is a life defined by identity in Christ, intentionality in obedience, and persistence in discipline.  It is a labour of love that is the most fulfilling existence, satisfying beyond comprehension.  Have you entered into the good works God has prepared beforehand for you to walk in?  By His grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can!

Explorer or Pioneer?

I have always been impressed with pioneers who embraced the risk of the unknown and uprooted their family in the hope of a better life.  Many sold their land, packed everything into a wagon, and started a new living from scratch.  It was a hard life, and many of the early pioneers in the States were on their own.  They faced dangers from wild animals, prairie fires, freezing winters, and hacked an existence out of the bush.  I enjoyed reading the Little House on the Prairie book set as a kid, amazed by the diligence of the hard-working Ingalls family.

Something I have been thinking about lately is the relatively recent emphasis on "church planting."  I believe being led by the Spirit is a critical factor in seeking to fulfill your calling.  It is important to examine our personal motives through the lens of scripture.  It is interesting all Christians are called to make disciples, yet I do not see any specific call in the Bible to plant churches.  Paul went spreading the Gospel, sowing the good seed of God's Word, and churches grew out of those divinely inspired efforts.  I do not think his motive was to "plant churches," but individual fellowships grew from disciples being made.  Jesus is the foundation upon whom the church is built.

Sometimes efforts to plant a church before making disciples can presumptuously place the cart before the horse.  The church is in need of pioneers who are willing to invest themselves making disciples in an existing church, family, friends, co-workers, or in people they meet.  I think some church planting could be compared to explorers who are keen to go to distant lands and claim territory for their denomination, church, or even themselves.  Like explorers who land on a beach and claimed  territory with a flag pushed into the sand, people can approach starting a church in the same fashion.  They fire up a website, develop a vision statement, establish a meeting place and schedule, have a faithful  few, but after a short while head off for a new conquest.  History is filled with explorers who became famous, but it is countless unknown men and women who committed themselves to settle who did an enduring work.  Explorers and pioneers had different motives, and so do Christians today.  God can use both, and only God knows our hearts.

Are you willing to be a pioneer for Christ?  You don't even need to leave your church to do so.  Every Christian can follow Jesus make disciples right where we are, and to that end we all ought to labour until God moves us to a new claim.  It won't be our claim, but His.  God will build His church, and what a blessing it is to serve and be part of it.

Doing Concealed Work

I worked in mechanical insulation for over a decade and have experience in commercial, marine, and industrial applications.  My career was spread across three San Diego companies, and I enjoyed working with many fine men and women of various backgrounds and skill-sets.  As I continued to mature and develop as a skilled tradesman and began running work as a foreman, there were basic qualities I looked for in my crew.  It was pretty simple:  I wanted people to show up on time ready to work, be teachable, work diligently, and finish each task before moving on to the next one.  One of my "pet peeves" was when people started a job - choosing the exposed, easy parts of the task - and leave the difficult or concealed parts unfinished for others to do.  It was never fun discovering I was given a job to complete where someone only partially completed the chilled water or steam.  The pipes were live and far more difficult (and hot and painful if steam!) than if it had been done completely the first time.  Some journeymen relished the job-starting role, and some were the finishers.  For whatever reason, I finished way more jobs than I started!

Every job I have done has parts which are harder than others.  In my trade, there was a phrase to describe people who jumped on the easiest work first:  "gravy grabbers."  Thinking about their own comfort and ease, they quickly took for themselves the easiest jobs and left the hot, tricky, or undesirable spots for others.  I believe serving God is hard work we must work hard at, and a kind of "gravy grabbing" mentality can exist even within the church.  There is certain aspects of ministry or authority which seem to have an appeal - like being a pastor.  Many people all over the world aspire to pulpit ministry, not realising there is a huge difference between preaching and pastoring.  A preacher preaches, but a pastor preaches and also ministers to people as a shepherd does the flock.  A pastor must be hands-on, and much of the role requires dealing with hungry, wayward, sickly, parasite stricken or obstinate sheep - and he has his own faults to reckon with as well!

Being a shepherd is hard work, and to those who are called is a great joy.  It is a great shame when a pastor decides to move on to another flock because people do not seem to be flourishing under his care as he hoped.  People love to see progress.  It makes them feel good about themselves and validates the amount of labour they are doing.  Just like an insulator who loves those long, clear runs of pipe-covering from the convenience of a scissor lift, Christian workers love to see more people coming to the church, more people committing their lives to Christ, physical healings, and expansion of ministry.  Yet when people don't see much "fruit" from their efforts, they grow discourage, even disillusioned.  They decide it's time to "go in a new direction" or "take a new step of faith."  Whilst God may direct you to work in a field for a short or long season, sometimes I believe there is another way to put it when you leave for the wrong reasons:  you are a quitter.  You aren't interested in moving rocks so the ground can be tilled, planted, and harvested years from now.  Some people have itching ears, and others have longing eyes.  They want to see immediate results.  People don't seem to be willing to invest their entire life in working the soil in tough conditions so the next generation will be fruitful.  It may take decades to simply lay a foundation.  Are there any willing to do this?  Or are we a bunch of gravy-grabbers who give up when things are hard?  It was a shame in Jesus' day when a man began planting a vineyard and building a wall only to leave it derelict.  The same tragedy happens in churches all the time.

This morning I read Psalm 66:8-12:  "Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard, ⁹ Who keeps our soul among the living, and does not allow our feet to be moved. ¹⁰ For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. ¹¹ You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs. ¹² You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; but You brought us out to rich fulfillment."  Our circumstances are often the crucible God uses both to test and refine us.  Look at what God chooses to do to His people:  he brings them into the net, lays affliction of their backs, causes them to be trampled, puts them through fire and water.  Yet the consolation God brings is greater than any trial or suffering we endure for Christ's sake.  Our human tendency is to try to jump out of the crucible when the fire is put to it.  We won't even go in water because it is too cold, but God throws us in the deep end.

Think about this:  God causes men to ride over our heads!  I have never been trampled by a horse, but it is not at all pleasant.  It is an experience one could describe as shocking, sudden, painful, and something which leaves lasting scars, memories, and injuries.  It is something no sensible person would ever want to happen to them, much less repeat.  God causes men to ride over our heads because it provides Him an opportunity to lift us up, restore and heal us, and make us whole - more whole than we were before!  Sometimes injury, tragedy, even deformity or mutilation is the strange ingredient God uses to complete a person so they might be usable.  We are always looking for an easier test.  We don't want to do the concealed work, but it must be done first.  Jumping from the crucible when the heat is applied means we have failed the test and failed to be completely refined as God desires.

There is a great blessing to those who endure:  Psalm 66:12:  "Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place."  No matter the difficulty or suffering we face in ministry or in this life, God will ultimately bring us through into a wealthy place and rewards.  Those who endure will be richer for it.  There is no place more fulfilling than remaining in the place God and role where He has called you.  Some people think they will be fulfilled when they have a spouse, more money, or a different career.  Some Christians think they will be fulfilled or more satisfied at a different church or to even be the pastor of a church.  But true fulfillment and wealth is not found in any of these things:  it is found only in Jesus Christ and obedience to Him.  Bless our God, you people!  He puts us through fire and water - even causes men to ride over our heads - but brings us forth as refined gold.  How great is the consolation, joy, and peace found in our God  Let's not just start the job, but remain diligent to finish!

Confess Your Faults to One Another

This morning I read a Bleacher Report article about Ken Caminiti, a baseball player I cheered for growing up as a San Diego Padres supporter.  The article spoke of how after finishing his career Ken was transparent and confessed steroid use and drug abuse.  There is little doubt his candor cost him dearly.  Instead of cheers for his honesty, he was ostracised by many both in and outside of baseball circles.  Some of his fellow players felt betrayed, and fans were angry their hero had been a cheat.  The fallout from his admission freely provided created a fire-storm of controversy.  Quoting the article:

Two years later, in 2007, Caminiti appeared on the baseball Hall of Fame ballot for the first and only time. A record 545 voters cast ballots. Two people voted for Caminiti.  "I took a lot of crap for that vote," says Gwen Knapp, then a sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and, of course, one of the two who voted for him. "I think he did a service to the game. I had covered so many doping scandals in the Olympics. Everyone doesn't tell the truth until they get caught. And people who do tell the truth are ostracized, as I believe Ken was.  I don't know if he did it for noble reasons. But I'm sure baseball wouldn't have implemented testing that quickly without him. I think that was a big motivating factor. He went on the record, which maybe wasn't the wisest thing for him to do for himself."

I wonder:  why do people sometimes feel the need to punish others for simply being honest?  Some might say Ken was ostracised because of his poor decisions, but then he made another mistake to admit it.  You know what?  I am more a fan of the late Ken Caminiti for his honesty than the fact he switch-hit homeruns in a single game, or the fact he was the league MVP.  When Ken passed away from a drug overdose, I was deeply saddened.  As I read the article, I again grieved for him and his family.  Like everyone, Ken had his flaws.  The fact that he freely admitted them publically should not provide cause for his memory to be tarnished.  No one knows how many baseball players are in the Hall of Fame who cheated and said nothing, happy to receive praise, millions of dollars, lifetime status, and job security with a smile.  Men hate to see their idols come crashing down.

One reason why I found this article so compelling is the tendency of people in church to hide their struggles and cover up their sins because they fear what happened to Ken will happen to them.  Maybe it has already happened so they have told themselves, "Never again!"  Every church where people gather in Christ's name has people who are hurting and struggling.  More are mired in sinful habits than you know.  Some are afraid they will be punished and pushed away if they admit they had an affair.  People are scared to be transparent or vulnerable because they have exposed their issues and others were offended or spread the word behind their backs.  There are people in ministry right now - in full-time service to God and the church - who know if they reveal they are not perfect and struggling with sin in some area, they will be rejected, fired, or hated.  A culture can exist in a church that a cry for help through confessing sin is cause for hypocritical indignation and punishment.  My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be!

Should a church deal firmly with fellow Christians who are overtaken by sin?  Yes.  But a sinner who freely admits their guilt should be loved and shown grace and mercy - not ostracised.  Should a sinner walk into church off the street and confess his sins and receive Christ, his admission of sinfulness and repentance would be celebrated.  But if a professing Christian or leader should admit struggles with sins, man's judgmental streak flashes brilliantly.  We feel we need to "teach them a lesson," thinking that conviction and consequences God allows are not enough!  Or we feel compelled to "protect the ministry" by making a statement through harsh discipline that we do not in any way condone such behaviour.  How common is our tendency to see the sins of others as personal betrayal!  If we are personally offended and angered by the revelation of sins of others beyond the initial shock, and not grieved for the sake of God and the glory He has been robbed of through sin, our hearts are likely not pure before God.  In love we are to seek the restoration of such a one who has fallen.  Galatians 6:1 says, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted."  James 5:16 says we ought to confess our faults to one another and pray for each other that we may be healed.  When is the last time you obeyed this command to confess your faults to someone at church?  I'm talking to you, Christian, ministry leader, fellow servant.  Likely it's been quite some time, but hopefully this will change.

In all things, Christians are called to live according to God's Word.  If we are in sin, we must confess our sin before God and those we have wronged.  When someone confesses sin to us, we are to pray with them, bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  We are called to give mercy and grace to sinners, to those downcast souls who have wandered.  Let us not forget that the social or church culture we might despise or criticise has been at least partially formed by our own hands.  God has given all people the power to be an influence for good or evil.  Will you go on the record as someone who will speak the truth, even if it costs you something?  In obedience to God, are you willing to confess your sins to a brother or sister so you might pray and be healed?  God isn't asking us to air our issues in national publications or on a blog that reaches across the globe:  He tells us to confess our faults to one another - personally, discretely, and honestly.  Then we can have true accountability and discipleship.  Then we will begin to grow in love and grace.  Then there will be healing and deliverance.  Then we will become a church that promotes health, growth, fitness, and victory - not one that cuts off its own hands, fingers, toes, and feet whilst ignoring the fact we have cancer, heart disease, and we are dying.

The Peril of Misrepresentation

Sometimes the biblical knowledge of a Christian can inhibit growth.  This may seem strange, but it is a common malady.  Our familiarity with a passage may lead us to gloss over key details which could greatly broaden our understanding.  For instance, I have heard people describe God's love with the word "unconditional."  Whilst it is true God's love is freely given according to His grace - no one deserves or could earn such love extended to all - I believe people can love unconditionally without God.  I suggest there are people in the world who are die-hard, loyal until death supporters of sports teams which have never won!  If our understanding of God's love is merely as "unconditional", we miss the richness of the depths of the knowledge of how deep God's love goes.  I remember well my attempts to find the word "unconditional" in the Bible and was surprised I could not.  I discovered God's "agapao" and "agape" love is unconditional, but that is an incomplete definition.  Agapao is "the active love of God for His Son and His people, and the active love His people are to have for God, each other, and even enemies" (Strong's Concordance).  1 Corininthians 13 contains a great passage which describes God's love in detail.  It is unconditional, but much more still!

Last night I read the passage where Moses struck the rock in Meribah.  I thought about times I heard people limit their interpretation and application to how Moses "misrepresented" God.  Because that is what some have taught, perhaps this is also what you think too.  Did Moses "misrepresent" God?  Frankly, I don't know that Moses ever intended to be a "representation" of God to the people.  He was God's representative, but there is a difference.  Anyways, I have always scratched my head over that interpretation of his actions because God lists several faults of Moses as reasons for him and Aaron being denied entrance to the Promised Land - and "misrepresentation" is not one of them.  Moses was not denied the Promised Land because of losing his temper.  As convenient as this application may be, the scriptures do not support it.  I assure you my aim is not to take shots at anyone who has taught this (for no doubt I did at one time too) but to encourage all to be good students of scripture.  We should not bring our oversimplifications, generalisations, or neatly bundled theology to the Bible and miss what the Bible says!  If the Bible only exists to confirm our prior beliefs, we will not learn anything.  Generalisations can be comfortable or convenient, but they are not always accurate.

Numbers 20 tells of how the people complained and murmured against God for their lack of water.  They claimed they had been misled, expressed their distrust, and questioned God's wisdom.  Moses and Aaron went to the tabernacle, fell on their faces, and God spoke with them.  Numbers 20:7-12 reads, "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁸ "Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals." ⁹ So Moses took the rod from before the LORD as He commanded him. ¹⁰ And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?" ¹¹ Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. ¹² Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them."  Moses disobeyed God by striking the rock as he had once before (Exodus 17:6).  His disobedience was a product of unbelief, as God said in verse 12.  In addition to unbelief, God rebuked Moses and Aaron because they did not "hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel."  If we look Exodus 17:6-7 passage at Massah, water from the rock was undeniable evidence God was among the people.  In the Numbers 20 passage, Moses did not hallow God.  He did not even mention God directly.  One might think the power was within him:  "Must we (Moses and Aaron) bring water for you out of this rock?"  It would be preposterous to suggest Moses included God in "we."

If you were to read in other portions of scripture, more light is shed on the specific reasons God refused to allow Moses and Aaron to enter the Promised Land.  Numbers 20:23-24 says, "And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying: ²⁴ "Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah."  This is the third reason given for Moses and Aaron being denied entrance:  rebellion and disobedience.  God repeated this to Moses when he was told of his death by God in Numbers 27:12-14:  "Now the LORD said to Moses: "Go up into this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel. ¹³ And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered. ¹⁴ For in the Wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation, you rebelled against My command to hallow Me at the waters before their eyes." (These are the waters of Meribah, at Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin.)"  Again, the rebellion of Moses was the issue God cited - not misrepresentation.  The Bible never says God punished Moses because he messed up His typology.  Moses affirmed in Deuteronomy 1:37 and 4:21 that God was angry with him for the sake of the people and he would die and not cross over the Jordan.  God deserves glory, and Moses did not sanctify Him in the eyes of the people.

Moses was a faithful servant of God, but to whom much is given much is required.  In Hebrews 11, Moses was not remembered by his faults but according to his faith in God.  In Acts 7, Stephen compared Moses with Christ in his statement before the Jewish rulers and high priest.  The grave of Moses has never been found, but God spelled out his offense clearly for us:  unbelief, he did not sanctify God in the eyes of the people, and rebellion.  God made Moses great and used him mightily, despite his flaws.  In this I find great comfort.  Should we relegate the sins of Moses to misrepresentation, we generalise something God clearly spelled out again and again.  Let us be cautious to ensure we open the scriptures with minds ready to be changed, hearts willing to be confronted, and theology longing to grow.  Instead of the sweet candy of catchphrases or oversimplification, let us feed on the milk and meat of the word.  The Bible ought to be our authority, not a means of bias confirmation!

Help for Cast Souls

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God."

 Psalm 43:5

Have you ever wondered why a good shepherd will leave 99 sheep in the wilderness to seek one sheep that is lost?  In Philip Keller's classic, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, this is explained in detail.  A sheep missing from the flock could be lost, injured, trapped, or cast.  A cast sheep is one that has fallen over and is unable to stand back up.  All sheep are susceptible to being cast, and factors such as heavy wool, uneven terrain, and pregnancy can play a role.  What looks funny or pathetic to us is a dire condition for a sheep!  When a sheep is cast and wildly struggles to regain its footing, gasses quickly build in the stomach which cuts off the blood supply to the limbs.  A cast sheep can die in a matter of hours.

A good shepherd, seeing a sheep he loves is missing from the flock, will set out on an urgent search to find the wayward sheep.  Should he discover the sheep is cast, he will roll the sheep to its stomach and gently lift from the ground.  Because the blood supply is cut off to the legs and rendered them useless, he is patient to massage the legs, support the sheep, and wait until the sheep can stand on its own.  Before too long the sheep will be feeling good and grazing, likely not even realising minutes before it was perilously close to death.  Jesus spoke of how a shepherd would gather his friends and urge them to rejoice, for he had found the sheep that was lost.

The Bible compares people to sheep.  All we like sheep have gone astray, and the LORD has laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all (Is. 53:6).  Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and rejoiced to redeem our lost souls from hell.  Jesus has promised us fullness of joy and peace that passes understanding, but like sheep there are many factors which can easily lay us low.  We can be depressed and down, physically drained and without the spiritual ability to lift ourselves up.  Sickness, circumstances, trials, persecution, sin, and our fleshly nature can throw us off our feet.  A sheep needs a shepherd to keep watch over him to be healthy and strong, and Christians are those who have answered the call for Jesus Christ to be their good shepherd.  David was a man who experienced perilous trouble and severe tests of faith, but God was with him.  There were many days where David resembled a cast sheep in spirit, flailing around and becoming increasingly numb.  Always the Good Shepherd found Him, put him on his feet again, and saved him from his enemies - even when that enemy was himself.

After David fled from Absalom his usurping son, he penned Psalm 3:1-8:  "LORD, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. ² Many are they who say of me, "There is no help for him in God." Selah ³ But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head. ⁴ I cried to the LORD with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. Selah ⁵ I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me. ⁶ I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. ⁷ Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. ⁸ Salvation belongs to the LORD. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah."  God is the lifter of our heads when we cry out to Him.  When our souls are cast He will support us and lead us into good pasture.  Even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we will fear no evil, for He will remain with us.  Surely goodness and mercy will follow God's people all the days of their lives, and they will dwell in the house of the LORD forever!