March 29, 2018 - - Father You increase the strength of my soul.

On the day I called, you answered me;

my strength of soul you increased.

Psalm 138:3 ESV

First I imagine Jesus praying this whole psalm to His Father. The timing would be this: praying in the Garden of Gethsemane just before the betrayer (His own disciple of 3 years Judas Iscariot) led Roman soldiers to that place to arrest Jesus.

God the Father strengthened the soul of Jesus. We see His strength of soul displayed when Jesus was betrayed, flogged, mocked, tried in a court and found innocent and yet sentenced to a cross. He not only endured it, according to Hebrews 12:2 saw through the agonies just ahead of Him to the joy of knowing:

~the Father is glorified,

~Satan the accuser is disarmed,

~dead and ruined sinners are raised to life in His Name.

Because of the accomplished work of Jesus, I know God hears my cries and pleas. The Father's response to my prayer is this: He strengthens my soul to endure all things, and every single thing--until that glorious day when I shall see Jesus face to face.

King Jesus, I praise You for Your great love and steadfast faithfulness to me--a repeat offender in sin. Thank You for the gift beyond all value and measure--Your condemnation and death in my place! Pour out Your Spirit so that the strength of my soul is increased. Break the strongholds of repetitive sin and for the glory of Your Name and the great praise of the Father help me to walk in newness of life. Amen.

March 27, 2018 - - Mark 4:35-41 Jesus: Blessed Rescuer

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Mark 4:35-41 ESV

While I served as a hospital chaplain, I was often called upon to comfort families after the death of a loved one. The one who had just died would be laid out on the bed, or a stretcher, or an examining table and the distraught family was nearby.

Many families in that community were Roman Catholic and when a death occured they'd ask me to stay with them as a chaplain until their priest could come and read with them pray with them. I so clearly remember the unexpected death of a middle aged man. His bewildered family was milling around the stretcher and wandering the hallways, confused and pained. Then their priest showed up.

What relief showed on their faces when the family and friends of the deceased saw their priest! They gathered to him. He opened his Bible and read to them this passage from Mark 4. Even as I write this now, I feel the impact of the comfort of these words.

Jesus is greater than any storm in our lives. Jesus stills the waves, tempestuous seas and even the winds which had stirred them all up. What power is at His command. The disciples feared Him--literally: they feared with Him great fear--no longer was their dread focused on wind, waves and sea, but their awe filled fear was for the Majestic One among them: Jesus.

The beautiful point was made. Jesus slept in the boat near His disciples because He was perfectly at peace in the care of His heavenly Father. No harm could come to Him that was beyond His Father's ability to save. Jesus is the Saviour to Whom we cry, He is greater than the storm, greater than the raging seas, and yes, Easter shows us, He is greater even than sin and death. He has brought us the victory. He brings us into the care of our Father in heaven where no one and no thing can snatch us out of His Hand. Cry to Jesus and bring Him your fears.

Blessed Rescuer, Jesus, You are greater, stronger than any storm in my life! Spirit of Jesus, take my focus from the waves and surges I am experiencing and fix my eyes on Jesus, the Storm-Stiller and Wave-Whisperer. Thank You, Jesus, that You have raised me from death and given me new life so that I am called a Child of God. Blessed be Your Name, My God and My King. Amen.

March 26, 2018 - - Matthew 25:31-34 You a sheep or a goat?

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Matthew 25:31-34

The Son of Man is Jesus. One day soon He will be revealed as the Glorious One, the Ruler of all nations with the right to judge the actions of all people.

The life of Jesus is the standard by which Christians must measure themselves. We fail. We fall short. And we cry out to God the Father for His Spirit to give us new strength to overcome our sin and gain the victory over it. We confess our sin and seek to be reconciled in all cases of offense.

There well may be hypocrites in church. But there is a measure by which these can be judged: are they faithful to the Word of God and do they humbly receive correction when their sins are pointed out?

In the world, those whom the parable calls goats, are those who are consistent in their rebellion against God. Such persons act as if Jesus will not judge their actions. The culture we experience now is one ruled by goats. Here is a defining characteristic of this: what is good is called evil and what is evil is called good (Isaiah 5:20).

Those who do not submit to the Word of God and its clear teachings will face Jesus not as Saviour, but as Judge with the right to cast the rebellious into the fires of hell.

Now is the time to repent. Now is the time to turn to Jesus as the Saviour. All of us--rich and poor, famous and unknowns, leaders and followers, from all lands and places and peoples--will face Jesus in His Splendor. Before His throne we will either receive the crown of life, based on the fact that Jesus bore the punishment for our sins and we have followed Him or we will be thrown into hell, receiving the just punishment for our sinful life and rebellion against God.

Father in Heaven, thank You for the Saviour of the World, Jesus, given as the sign of Your great love. Jesus, Friend of Sinners and Ruler of the Nations, thank You for the inestimable gift of Your life given to ruined sinners. At the cross Your righteousness is given to us while You have taken on Yourself our sin and the punishment for it. As the world posts pictures of Easter bunnies and egg hunts, may the true meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection be the clear call sounded by Your Spirit to summon sinners to the only safe refuge: Jesus. Ah triune God, receive the reward of Jesus' great sacrifice--many, many people who finally recognizing their sin will cry out to Jesus and be numbered among the sheep, who inherit the blessing of life in Jesus joyous and stretching into eternity in His presence. Amen.

March 25, 2018 - - Psalm 119:25,32 No point shouting for action in a cemetery.

My soul clings to the dust;

give me life according to your word!

I will run in the way of your commandments

when you enlarge my heart.

Psalm 119:25,32 ESV

Our human nature always clings to death and dust. It is the effect of sin. Our Canadian culture has a Prime Minister who celebrates death--exporting abortion funding to other countries; encouraging the killing of the elderly and calling it "dignified death". Christianity is the religion which our culture seems to be allowed to 'hate on'.

People, do not be fooled. It is not just our Prime Minister. It is easy to point fingers here and there and rant and rave. The fact of the matter is this: without Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives all of us would cling to the dust and death. The stranglehold of sin will drive us to our own destruction.

The psalmist recognizes this and urgently prays: 'enlarge my heart.' This means the following--Enlarge my heart

~by giving me a heart that is brought to life in Jesus Christ

~by increasing my capacity to love You, O God

~by increasing the presence of the Spirit so I will hate sin

~by increasing my love for others so I will pray for them and

speak to them of the life that is found in Jesus alone

~by moving me to do and to act according to the greater life and

love You have put into my heart

Many secular humanists are calling on people to love one another, to put away violence and hate. They might as well be shouting in a cemetery. Just as the dead in the cemetery can't do anything to help themselves, so those who are dead in their sins cannot act or help themselves. Only Jesus Christ can bring dead sinners to live by His Spirit. The Spirit breathes life, the Spirit pours out forgiveness given us in Jesus Christ and then enlarges our heart so that it is a compassionate heart--echoing the compassion and mercy and love of our Father in heaven.

Get to church today. Hear the message of life. Ask God to enlarge your heart. Be prepared for the adventure that will follow!

Spirit of God, thank You for the life You have given believers in Jesus Christ. Thank You that our sins are forgiven and our whole way of seeing the world is transformed. Enlarge our hearts. Give us an ever greater capacity to love You, serve You and bless the people You have put into our lives. Spirit of God stir in the hearts of those who do not yet know You the desire to get to church, to explore Who Jesus Is--especially in view of the fact that Easter Sunday--the Sunday when Jesus rose from the dead--is almost here. Let His life bring life to many. Let our life as Christians be a powerful incentive drawing others to join us in worship at church. Great are You Lord and worthy of glory; great are You Lord and worthy of praise! Amen.

March 23, 2018 - - James 5:16 Powerful Confession

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

James 5:16 ESV

A day or two ago a radio preacher gave some wonderful insight to accountability--that is confessing our sins to another. First there needs to be honesty--yes, I have sinned. I am a sinner in need of the healing and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ alone. This is the start and honesty is good.

Then the next level is the "why". Ask why have you sinned? Lamentations 3:40 "Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD." The point here is to ask: how am I placing myself in situations which will lead me to sin? What void am I trying to fill in my life with sin, rather than filling it with faith in God and cultivating confidence in Him?

The third step is critical--if you are seeing a pattern that leads you to sin, what steps are you taking to break this pattern and walk in obedience? I John 5:4 "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith." Ask your accountability partner to help you break free from the sin that is tying you down. Offer the same help to him.

Finally--pray. At every step pray. We know that God has chosen to work through the prayers of His people. The very Spirit of God is in believers, prompting you, leading you to powerful, effective prayer. Trust the gift God has given you: prayer--intimate conversation with Him.

Sometimes God, it feels like I'd weary You with my repeated recitation of sin. But the fact is, I am wary of confessing and more likely to want to hide my sin rather than confess it. Thank You for the path of victory You give to believers--confession, examination, and repentance which leads to new obedience. In Jesus Christ I am a new creation, and I confess the old me is dead and I am rising to newness of life. Spirit of the Living God, continually work this new life into every part of my being for the glory of God. Amen.

March 22, 2018 - - Psalm 109:4b How are you using your borrowed breath?

...But I give myself to prayer

Psalm 109:4b ESV

The alternate reading for this line is: "But I am prayer." The psalmist is describing a situation where enemies and troubles are all around. Rather than falling victim to this and moaning, the man is a pillar of prayer.

Why? The answer is given towards the end of this psalm: "For He stands at the right hand of the needy one." God is as near as our most recent prayer. Let me rephrase that: God is always near; our awareness of His nearness is communicated to our soul and mind by our most recent prayer. Sometimes we think God is absent when in fact it is our praying awareness of Him that is lacking.

Yesterday I was singing a hymn and it had this line: "I will praise You while You lend me breath". What a stunning truth--song and prayer, blessing and cursing, encouragement and rancour--all these flow from our mouths and require the very breath loaned to us from God.

Since our very breath is on loan to us from God, let me ask you what you are using your breath for right now? Is it prayer? Is it blessing?

Father in heaven, the urgent prayer of this psalm-writer was answered by the arrival of Jesus Christ. All enemies have been vanquished and defeated so that anyone who calls on the Name of Jesus will be saved and know You, O God, as our Father. While we live as believers we will face threats to our faith and many trials, it is Your Spirit, Father in heaven, Who gives us the words to sing, to pray and to speak--as long as You lend us breath here on earth. May You receive the glory and may our words call many others to faith in Jesus Christ, in Whose Name I pray: Amen.

March 20, 2018 - - Psalm 102:11-12 Call Canada to fasting, mourning, prayer!

My days are like the evening shadow;

I wither away like grass.

But you, O LORD, sit enthroned forever;

your renown endures through all generations.

Psalm 102:11-12 NIV

Christians across the land of Canada ought to consider a national day of mourning, fasting and prayer. Yesterday our federal government has reaffirmed an evil commitment to require any organization applying for federal student grant money to include in this application affirmation of LGBTQ rights and support of abortion--even if this is in direct violation of the values of the charity, church or organization. Freedom of religious thought and expression is mocked in Canada.

First and foremost, pray for our government. They are ordinary people with huge responsibilities and they are withering away like grass. Unless the LORD blesses them and the Spirit changes their heart and conscience nothing will move them.

Pray Christians! Pray for your own heart and for the hearts and minds of believers across this land, that the eyes of our faith will see Christ, enthroned as LORD. His renown--His fame, His splendour, His majestic glory--fills our thoughts and vision to such an extent that we will challenge our government with respectful, persistent and forceful protests.

Third--the murder of the preborn children is not acceptable. The land and government and people--WE ALL of us--are polluted by this sacrifice of the children to the fire of abortion. More than this alone, in the current political climate where the government promotes confusion of genders, what is evil is being called good and what is called good is evil, then our nation is defiled and filthy. We as believers must repent. We confess our land is guilty of great sin in abandoning the clear teachings of the Bible: murder is wrong. God created people male or female.

Know that the Day of Judgement is near. Those who are reckless in sin and perpetuating shame will face Jesus as the Judge of the great and small, the rich and poor, the unrepentant and those who have no other hope but His forgiveness. Pray that God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit will rescue ruined sinners from the judgment of hell. The delay of Jesus' return is that many will be called from sin and brought unto salvation. Plead with God for the salvation of many!

The angels of heaven who are before Your throne, veil their faces before You, God of Splendour and Renown and cry: Holy! Holy! Holy! Great men and saints throw down their crowns before Your throne and acknowledge You alone to be worthy of praise and adoration. Restore to us, believers across this land of Canada, a deep, renewed sense of Your Dreadful Majesty. Inspire us Spirit of God to urgent prayer for our leaders, for our land, for repentance, for the glory of God to rise among us. Our lives are short and fading, and in tremendous contrast we see the grace of our Compassionate God rise up to eternity. The enemies of Your Great Name are imprisoned by their sins and their strength will be broken, but You remain from generation to generation. You are the chain-breaker and the restorer of the ruined--bring many daughters and sons to the glorious knowledge of You and obedient, joy-filled living. Amen.

March 17, 2018 - - Psalm 87:1-3 Most amazing destination EVER

On the holy mount stands the city he founded;

the LORD loves the gates of Zion

more than all the dwelling places of Jacob

Glorious things of you are spoken,

O city of God. Selah.

Psalm 87:1-3 ESV

One of the interesting facets of Facebook is that you see all these vacation pics of your friends. Before the trip the traveller to be speaks in glowing terms of the great place and all the adventures in store: sun, sand and surf; or perhaps food, fun and friends. People will tighten their belts in order to afford this trip of a lifetime. They are willing to forego any extras before the trip so that there will more spending money on the trip. Others watch their diet so that they'll fit into their bathing suits...or at least not be embarrassed to be photographed wearing one.

The point is this: the writer of this psalm is looking forward to the ultimate destination: the City of God, the New Jerusalem. A place where the nations will meet without hostility or war, because Jesus Christ is their peace. Zion is so wonderful that the people of God would rather forego anything here on earth than lose their opportunity to enter the gates of this beautiful city.

The light of that city is God Himself. There will be neither church nor temple there because the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God, merciful and good, is there and He will rule the city of glory. Our strength for obedient living now is drawn from the fact that Jesus Christ has opened the way to the New Jerusalem. The Spirit of God inspires our imagination and captivates our thoughts with the goal of spending eternity in the light of His splendour.

Selah--it means: pause, re-read, and reflect.

Better, O God my Father, is one hour in prayer with You, than a winter week of vacation in a sunny locale. Better is a life-time of foregoing futile pleasures and living in obedience to Jesus Christ in exchange for the promised reward of glory, splendour and the magnificence of the New Jerusalem, where You are near to Your people for all eternity. Spirit of God, continue to capture my heart and my imagination so that I will live for Jesus now having the wondrous expectation of seeing Him face to face in Zion. Amen.

March 16, 2017 - - Hebrews 12:21-25 "Brilliance, death and warning."

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven,

Hebrews 12:22-25 ESV

Stephen Hawking was credited as having the highest IQ of our time. He was brilliant and able to cross freely back and forth from academia to pop culture. He made pronouncements on the need for people to be united and unified...but he had no basis for this call to unity. He did not think there was an afterlife and rather than trust in the Living God, he put his faith in humanity. It is tragic. It is the way of one who is wise in the ways of the world and foolish in the sight of God.

The Bible clearly teaches the God Who created the heavens and the earth has appointed the Judge of All. While we live we are called to yield to God and submit ourselves to Him. Our standard against which we measure of our life is not a person we can pick. The measure of our life is taken against the standard of Jesus Christ, the perfect One.

The Father has given us Jesus, the One Who was punished in our place for our sins. Because Jesus was without sin, He alone is the sacrifice that takes away the sins of the world. Those who refuse to acknowledge their sin and their need for Jesus as Saviour in this life will find at the end of time that Jesus is the Judge Who has the right to cast the unbelieving into the eternal fires of hell.

Death, of famous persons, unknown persons, or of our own family members, is the warning from heaven that our lives are not our own. We will, at the end of our lives, give account to God for our actions, our every word and thought. Today is the day of warning, today is the day to seek God while He may yet be found. Talk to a Christian whose walk with God you admire and learn how to follow Jesus. Read the bible and pray.

If this is intriguing you, it is the Spirit of God Himself Who is prompting you to seek God, the very God Who is ready to receive the mightiest and the weakest--any person who cries out to Him.

God, Source of all Truth and Wisdom, thank You for scholars and those who can probe deep mysteries. Judge of All, give to our scientists and biologists, our chemists and geologists, all our scholars, the profound awareness that whatever they study, they are in fact learning from You and about You and Your creation. As they read the book of creation, may they be drawn to know Jesus Christ, the perfect revelation of knowledge and truth and understanding. May the Word of God show the most excellent mysteries worthy of many life-times of examination and study. To You alone, O God, be the glory and praise, the honour and renown forever and ever. Amen.

March 14, 2018 - - Psalm 69:6, 9a Zeal for God

Let not those who hope in you

be put to shame through me,

O LORD God of hosts;

let not those who seek you

be brought to dishonour through me,

O God of Israel.

For zeal for your house has consumed me...

Psalm 69:6, 9a ESV

In order that believers, followers of Jesus Christ, may be presented blameless before the Father in Heaven, Jesus endured scorn, mocking, beatings, and finally crucifixion. He died in our place. He never wavered in His devotion to the Father in Heaven and never faltered in His love for us. This convicted me today, especially after reading today's text.

How easy it is to make small compromises rather than seem fanatical in service to Christ--according to the text this is dishonouring His Name. Without much mental waffling we can neglect to mention we are church-goers, or more importantly, in our regular conversation never tell others that we are committed to following Jesus. It is shame brought to Jesus' Name and discouraging to those who look up to you and watch how you live out your faith.

Zeal means: passion, fervor, enthusiasm, energy for. The house of God today are the people of God. In the hearts and lives of believers that is the place where God makes His home. Are we zealous to help fellow believers? We show our love for God in our love for others. Are there Christians around you, fellow Christian, in need--help them. Your co-workers, your friends, your neighbours are in need of the Saviour. Speak up for Jesus and know the joy of seeing others come to follow Jesus Christ because of your words and actions.

Jesus, I confess how feeble my faith has been and how rarely I talk to others about my walk with You. Forgive me. Thank You, Father in Heaven, that while I was still lost in my sin, You sent Jesus to pluck me from the path of death and hell. Thank You Jesus for all You endured so that I would be Yours. Spirit of God, prompt me to speak, show me the many opportunities in each day where I can testify to the hope that is mine in Jesus. In my heart, in my mind, in my words and in my actions Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be glorified. Amen.

March 12, 2018 - - Fighting the devil

Our avowed enemy, Satan, is relentless. In order to be prepared for his onslaught, recognize these five tactics of the Devil, the Liar. (All the bible quotations are from the ESV)

1. Woe to those who call evil good

and good evil. Isaiah 5:20

Consider the fact in our culture it is okay to be passionate about sports, all kinds of sexual perversion, but it is not okay to be a passionate Christian in public. Satan tries to make good into evil and evil into good.

2. He will try leading you from lesser sins to greater sins. "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to si, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." James 1:14-15 Those sins which we consider to be "small sins" leach away our fear of God and hatred of sin.

3. Sometimes the enemy is simply, doggedly persistent. Consider Delilah with Samson, constantly, relentlessly pressing him until he yielded (Judges 16:16). Think of a child, wearing down a parent's resistance by begging for a cookie.

4. “Satan attacks the conscience and assurance of believers with false reasoning. He might use a false syllogism such as, ‘This sin cannot remain in a true child of God. But it remains in you. Therefore you are not a true child of God.’” The fact is, sin is in us as the Spirit of God is purifying us by the blood of Christ, it is ebbing away. Sin is no longer our master. "Let not sin reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions." Romans 6:12

5. You know you shouldn't do something, but you feel you can do it anyways and repent later. This is deadly. "...like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears." Hebrews 12:16b-17

These notes from Pastor Stephen Richardson's sermon of Sunday March 11th in the AM. I have added to them as well.

As we are reminded in Ephesians 6, the way to fight the devil is: to pray to God to discern the attacks of the enemy and for God's protection, to go to the Word of God, and to stand with fellow believers in the work of God.

God You alone are the Source of All Truth. Thank You for the accomplished work of Jesus Christ, in Whose Name there is forgiveness for sin.Thank You for the fact that Jesus disarmed the enemy at the cross and made a public spectacle of him. Spirit of God, root out sin from my heart and motivate me to walk with integrity as I follow Jesus. Thank You for the powerful Word of God--Spirit, make the reading of the Word sweet to my soul and a delight to my heart. Amen.

March 10, 2018 - - Titus 2:1 What is your life teaching others?

But as for you teach what accords with sound doctrine.

Titus 2:1 ESV

This brief text opens with an adversative conjunction. What it means is this teaching here is opposite in meaning to the unit that came before it. As in Paul's day, so it is today, people claim special knowledge of God. A quick examination of the life of one making such a claim will show he doesn't know the Bible, and his actions betray his ignorance.

Our life's work is to know God. And from this place of rich joy we are to instruct others. First and foremost this begins with those in our own household. Worship God and delight to speak of Him and all He is doing with those closest to you.

Second, being a follower of Christ means we will be out of step with the world around us. The people of this world are in rebellion against God. Even those who claim an acquaintance with God will reveal by their words and actions the beliefs and doctrines they hold are, in fact, pagan.

Third, Look to the Bible. Study it. What does it teach about marriage? What does it teach about the sanctity of life? What does it teach about the origin of life? What does it teach about knowledge? What we believe is not an isolated part of our life--what we hold as doctrine and truth touches every part of how we view the world and how we act.

What does this mean? As a follower of Christ, my business practices and my marriage, my family and my social times, my studying and my free time, my view of government and science, all things in my life are infused with the knowledge of Jesus Christ and the desire to serve Him. This is the practice of sound doctrine which emanates from the believer. It is what the believer speaks and how the believer lives.

God of glory and wisdom, thank You for the wonderful gift of life. Thank You for Your instruction manual, the Bible. Thank You for the Spirit Who guides believers into ever deeper understanding of the truth. Spirit of God, in my own heart and mind, in my words and actions may Jesus be shown as the King and rightful ruler of every part. Help me to be faithful in living, and then teaching, sound doctrine. Amen.

March 9, 2018 - - Genesis 8:22 What is God's promise re: climate change?

While the earth remains,

seedtime and harvest,

cold and heat,

summer and winter,

day and night,

shall not cease.

Genesis 8:22 ESV

            To those who believe that the heavens and the earth were designed and created by a                   "higher" power, there is ample reason to expect that earth's temperature will remain in              a range to support life. In fact, God gives us that promise in Genesis 8:22.

             Within this worldview it makes perfect sense that the earth would have a temperature              control system just like our bodies do, since God designed them both.

            Dr. Alan White

Thank You God for Your rock-solid promises. Thank You for life that You give to believers in Jesus Christ, life that is abundant and free from needless fears. Spirit of the Living God, deepen my faith, and may the confident joy that is mine in Christ shine forth in my words and actions. Amen.

March 8, 2018 - - Psalm 39:11-12a Shocking simile about God

When you discipline a man

with rebukes for sin,

You consume like a moth what is dear to him;

surely all mankind is a mere breath!

Hear my prayer, O LORD,

and give ear to my cry;

hold not your peace at my tears!

Psalm 39:11-12a ESV

Are you finding losses in your life? Perhaps something you treasured was stolen. Perhaps cherished family ties, once dearer to you above all else, are now strained. Maybe your investments have tanked and you find yourself in tighter circumstances than you'd ever imagined. Maybe a job you dearly loved was taken from you. Maybe your health is faltering. Maybe friends have deserted you.

It is easy to say the devil has done it. But the Bible points to a more shocking source--the LORD. The shocking simile here compares the LORD to a moth that eats up what is dear. The point is this: anything that is dearer to you than the LORD, is an idol that needs to be toppled.

We are not to cry tears over what is lost. We are to cry tears of sorrow for our sinful ways which have tarnished our greatest relationship ever, our walk with God.

We are to cry tears of joy, at the fact the LORD Himself cares enough to upset our lives so that He will not allow us to run head-long into hell clutching onto our sins rather than His mercy.

We are to cry out to God, reaching out to Him until His peace takes hold of our hearts. The point is our longing for Him must be greater than the longing for our sins. At that moment the peace He offers in Jesus Christ will be fully ours, applied to us by the precious presence of His Spirit.

God it has been easier to rage against the losses I've experienced than it has been to do the hard work of trying to understand what You have been doing. It is hard to be disciplined by Your Hand. Yet, wavering as I do on this, I am praying do not withdraw Your Hand of discipline until I am wholly free of the sins that would pull me away from You. Do not stop until the longing for You is greater than the lust for sin. No matter my circumstances, my hope is in You alone all the day. Cleanse me and make me fit for holy service for the sake of Jesus' Name. Amen.

March 6, 2018 - - II Corinthians 7:8-12 What is godly sorrow?

For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God.

II Corinthians 7:8-12

Paul wrote an earlier letter to the Corinthians, calling them out for allowing a very public sin to continue. The people were grieved. This is the difference between the sorrow of a Christian and a non-Christian. A non-Christian will feel bad about things, or behaviours, but this feeling does not produce a change. The Christian sorrows or grieves over his sin and repents: turns from the sin and turns toward God asking forgiveness and the strength to change.

Pastor Stephen Richardson this past Sunday noted there are seven things to be observed:

1. Godly sorrow leads a person to rush to make things right.

2. There is a full apology, no excuses or speaking of mitigating circumstances, or self-justifying.

3. Fear of the LORD--aware of His wrath against sin, God is not mocked, we can't 'get away with our sins'.

4. Indignation against our sin--we are angry enough to make a lasting change, putting sin behind us.

5. Vehement desire God creates in us for change.

6. Zeal--having the picture of the goal in mind and the God-given strength to go after it no matter our circumstances. Picture an athlete in training who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal.

7. Vindication: accepting the consequences of our sin and having a heart change that refuses to wallow in self-pity but with a view to the glory of God walks in newness of life.

Spirit of God, thank You for the gift of a conscience that produces godly sorrow. Jesus, thank You that our sins are wholly covered by Your finished work at the cross. Father in heaven, forgive me my wrong-doing. Thank You for showing me the hindrances and entangling things which would keep me from serving You with my whole heart, mind and strength. Now, give me the zeal to serve You. Amen.

March 4, 2018 - - Psalm 18:25-26 Do you see God as pure or tortuous?

With the merciful you show yourself merciful;

with the blameless man you show yourself pure;

and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.

Psalm 18:25-26 ESV

Interesting isn't it, how a hardened criminal will hate an honourable judge? The criminal will call the judge unjust, too strict...probably using other unprintable epithets as well.

We have in Jesus the Just Judge. The Father has ruled us sinful, not worthy to stand in the presence of His glory. This same Good Father, has sent Jesus His Son to bear the punishment for our sins. Jesus willingly took our place at the cross. Whenever our sins are confessed to Jesus, He brings us to the Father and declares us forgiveness because of the cross.

The Father was right to condemn us. If He forgave some and not others, He would be crooked and not just to all. However, the Father, Who is utterly holy and without sin, in Whose presence the sinful would be incinerated, provided the way to find mercy and release. Jesus took on the Father's punishment against sin. Those who admit their sin-steeped existence and need for a cleaning that goes right down to their flesh, and bones, and DNA prove the Father right in His pronouncement against sin.

As such a sinful man, I see God as merciful. His Spirit has sifted through my thoughts, my actions, my words, and my in inaction in the times when I knew the good I should have done and didn't do it. I deserved punishment. When, by the Spirit's revealing my sin sodden heart to me, and I confessed it, I received mercy (not punishment! nor the crushing sentence that should have been mine) mercy! from the King of Mercy.

The blameless man, in the Hebrew this word means "the man who perceive things as they are according to the facts", see God has pure, blameless. Think of it: the fact is all people are sinners and all live in rebellion against God unless His Spirit moves us to seek Him Who is already seeking us. The sinful man who confesses his sin and by his confession, of the sin in his life and in his thoughts, makes a statement that is in agreement with the witness of the Bible. Such a man is blameless because he is shielded by the blood of Jesus, shed to take away sin and purify the heart of the believer.

The crooked man is the one who remains stuck in sin. The man who sees God as tortuous (which means: deceptive, or untrustworthy) sees God through the lenses of his own sinfulness. His own heart condemns him but he blames God instead and never owns up to his sinfulness.

I go to church because I need the preached Word to hold up to my heart a mirror. The preacher, inspired by the Word of God and led by the Spirit, shows the congregants the depths of our ability to self-deceive and continue on in sin, ignoring the mercy and holiness of God. When I am convicted of my sins such a sermon also leads me to the one place I can find relief: to the cross of Jesus Christ. Often dragged unwillingly, it is the Spirit who scrapes away the layers of unconfessed sin and brings to my heart, my mind and my soul, the healing of the Gospel--the Good News of Jesus.

God of Mercy, I confess I am like one of the people I see on those shows about hoarders--I am buried alive in my own sinfulness and make little tunnels and pathways here and there. People who meet me would, if they really saw me as I truly am, would be as horrified as the friends of the hoarders are when they see inside the hoarder's house for the first time.

Your Word is true. Your Word speaks directly to the condition of my heart. Spirit of God, back up the dump truck and purge my heart of these layers of accumulated things that weigh me down and the sins that keep me from honestly knowing God.

Thank You for the mercy You hold out to me! Thank You for the healing that is in store. Prepare me for the struggle of this purging--which will last my whole life. Empower me to see the progress You are making so that I will always declare You pure and right. Keep me humble in prayer. With every room that is cleared and every victory You bring, do not allow me to view others with haughtiness or pride, rather, as one sin-hoarder who is being transformed by the Spirit to another who has not yet begun, let me pray with urgency and with understanding for the soul of the other so that in ALL things, You O God, are glorified and proved right in Your judgements. Amen.

March 3, 2018 - - Proverbs 3:33 Is yours a home of curse or blessing?

The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked,

but He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.

Proverbs 3:33 ESV

Recently a friend and I visited a family from my church. After the visit my friend said, "There is a peace about that house." When I read this text this morning I thought of that observation.

Understand this, the household we visited was and is busy. There are growing boys. There are busy schedules. People were going in and out while we were visiting. There are the ordinary squabbles which are common in a house with children. But there was a peace that passes understanding.

It is the peace of Christ. Where Jesus is honoured as Lord and King, the household has the blessing of His peace.

Whatever our ultimate allegiance is will be reflected in our homes. Even a home that seems to step right out of the pages of a best homes magazine will not have peace that emanates from it if Jesus is not Lord of that family and household. It will be a place that is cursed.

When someone enters your house, what is it that is in the air of your apartment or condo or house? Is it the curse of the LORD that is in the very brickwork of your dwelling? Or does your dwelling display the peace of Jesus that passes understanding?

Mighty God, in Whose power are curses and blessing, splendour and dreadful Sovereignty, help me and the members of my household to serve You only. By Your Spirit, cause us to grow in the righteousness that is ours by the mercy of Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus the Blessed One. May ours be a household of peace where Jesus is highly honoured and many are drawn to Him. Amen.

March 2, 2018 - - Genesis 9:16-17 The Rainbow's Warning

"When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth."

Genesis 9:16-17 ESV

It is called the rainbow covenant. The LORD vowed He would not send a flood to cover the whole earth as He did in the days of Noah. If you look at a rainbow, the arch of the bow is pointed to heaven, as if God would let an arrow fly against Himself rather than flood the whole earth once again.

The flood was sent as judgement against the wickedness of humanity. It is beyond ironic that the sexually immoral of our age use the rainbow colours as the rallying flag for their sinful cause. The LORD will one day judge the heavens and the earth and all peoples. When Jesus returns all the wicked, the immoral, greedy, idolaters, any who willfully break God's commandments will be thrown into hell, the lake of fire, where they shall be punished for eternity and never die.

Just as God sent Noah and gave instructions for the life-saving Ark, so God has sent His Son, and now the life-saving Ark is the Church, the Bride of Jesus Christ. Those who are aware of their sins can cry out to Jesus. The Father will cleanse the guilty sinner of his sins. The Father and the Son will send the Spirit to guide the believer in the paths of life and what is good.

The rainbow is God's covenant sign. The whole earth was judged by the flood waters. One day, the whole earth will be judged before King Jesus. Do not use the rainbow colours mockingly for the celebration of immorality prohibited in the Word of God. Understand that the rainbow colours point forward to the judgement that will soon be here. God has provided the way of refuge in Jesus. Turn from evil ways and walk submitted to God.

Believers, do not knowingly, smugly nod, as your heart consigns the sexually immoral to eternal hell. Instead, pray! All of us, every single one of us, is in need of the mercy of Jesus Christ. All of us were thieves, idolaters, sexually wicked and greedy--and Jesus gave to us His righteousness at the cross when He endured the punishment of God for our sins. We have no right to boast or brag in ourselves or our goodness. Christ is our Shield! He is the source of our being judged good, He is our very great Reward.

Thank You, Father in heaven for rescuing me for the sake of Jesus. Thank You, Father in heaven, that while I was still a sinner, You sent Your Son as the perfect sacrifice for my sins and the sins of the world. Jesus, You are my boast and my song, You are my salvation and my hope. Spirit of the Living God, humbled by the fact that unless You had cut down my stubborn pride and wilful sinfulness I'd still be as guilty as any under the mocking rainbow flag, therefore move me to pray urgently and repeatedly for those lost in sexual sin. Spirit of God, bring honour and renown to the work of Jesus Christ by rescuing many lost and ruined sinners. Father in heaven, You are the giver of every good gift. You are the One Who offers the way out of the prison of sin--be glorified by bringing many lost sons and daughters to the glory of knowing and following You! Amen.

March 1, 2018 - - Proverbs 1:33 When storm-tossed where is God?

but whoever listens to me (wisdom) will dwell secure

and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.

Proverbs 1:33 ESV

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.

Mark 4:35-38a

Let's face it, we all can identify with the disciples. Here is this massive storm, why is Jesus sleeping? Doesn't He care what happens to us?

Jesus is the Son of God--fully God and fully Man. In the Gospels He is shown as the only man ever in the history of the world to be fully obedient to God the Father in heaven.

Jesus could sleep during the storm because He knew His Father would not let Him die before His appointed time. Jesus slept because He knew Proverbs 1:33. Wisdom, which has been built into the very foundation of creation and given to those who have faith in God, means the believer can trust the Father in all circumstances.

Spirit of God, I confess my eyes are on the storms in my life more often than they are fixed on my Father in Heaven. Give me such faith so that I know in Christ my sins are forgiven and because of Jesus I am secure and no thing or circumstances can ever rip me out from my Father's care. Amen.

February 28, 2018 -- Proverbs 28:26 Toddler steps in wisdom

Whoever trusts his own mind is a fool,

but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.

Proverbs 28:26 ESV

One British comedy series from years back had an outlandish female character who had strong opinions. When there was a debate and a decision to be made, no matter what anyone else said, she would give her decision and say: "And I am unanimous in this!" It is funny because we know how wrong it is.

Our minds fool us all the time. We make New Year's resolutions and break them (usually within a day or two, if not within hours!) We take a hard stance on something and a single piece of information given to us after the fact can make us sheepishly realize how wrong-headed we were.

In every single human endeavor, we need a standard outside of ourselves. The Bible is this unchangeable standard. It is the wisdom from God and trustworthy to the utmost.

God You imbued creation with Your wisdom; wisdom is woven into every part. God You have given Jesus Christ, Who reveals You and Your work perfectly, so that all who follow Him walk in wisdom. God You and Your Son Jesus have given believers the Spirit Who opens the minds of Jesus-followers so that wisdom will be perceived and received in the pages of the Bible. I confess how stubbornly I cling to my pig-headed ways and foolish ideas. Humble my heart and purify my thoughts so that I long for the wisdom that is God-given. As a father takes the up-stretched hands of a toddler into his own, bend over me, take my hands and steady me by Your Word and Spirit so that in the confidence of Your presence I learn to take stronger steps in the way of wisdom. Amen.