February 26, 2019 -- Hebrews 5:11 - 6:1 -- Bottled fed Christians?

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

Hebrews 5:11-6:1 ESV

Imagine going to a nice restaurant, seeing the women wearing dresses and the men attired in business casual wear and feeling almost out of place because of how well-turned out everyone is. And then you sit down and notice the waiter bringing the food to the people at the table next to you. You do a double-take, they are getting big baby-bottles! No one in this fancy restaurant is eating solid food! Grown men are leaning back on their chairs, tilting their heads back in order to get a good swig of formula. Women are dribbling formula onto their chins. You’d be a bit creeped out, right? I sure would.

The author of Hebrews is painting this sort of picture for the readers. Imagine going to church and having people be fed baby food over and over again. Big baby bottles all over the place. It is not reasonable. As Christians mature, we need to take on food appropriate to our age.

Brian Borgman, in his sermon on this passage, notes that the issue here may have been between Christians who came from the Jewish faith and were now trying to compromise with their still Jewish family and friends. The expression: “Judeo-Christian” is a nice way of explaining it. Judeo-Christians are comfortable being conservative politically, arguing against abortion, seeking protection for the vulnerable, but distinctly Christian doctrines, well, being far less vocal about such things.

As Christians we are aware Jesus Christ is Lord over all. We are to declare His Name. We realize that no political power, no regime will last. Only Christ will reign in power. We are to speak of Him and honour Him with our lips and actions, with our thoughts and our deeds. What we preach and live is not compatible with Jewish persons or Muslim persons because we lift Jesus Christ up as the only way of salvation. No other Name saves, there is no other path to our Father in heaven. We dig into the Bible in order to know more about Jesus and grow in our mature faithfulness and love for Him. Eternity is our anticipated delight, because we will see Him face to face. What a day of rejoicing that will be.

Father in heaven, thank You for elemental truths which even the simplest people can understand and so know they are loved by You. Father in heaven, thank You for the Bible and the Holy Spirit Who trains us in holiness and wisdom so that we can know Jesus Christ and find in Him our joy and strength. Let our thoughts enthrone Him as King of our lives, let our words and actions be in conformity with all that is appropriate for mature, soldiers of the cross. God we pray, deepen our faith, bring us to maturity in Jesus Christ. Amen.

February 25, 2019 -- Ephesians 1:3-4 -- Wisdom or weeds?

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

Ephesians 1:3-4 ESV

What a glorious teaching we find here in Ephesians 1. God is pouring out on believers every spiritual blessing. These blessings are anchored in Jesus Christ, who is seated at the Father’s right hand in heaven. These blessings are communicated to us by the Holy Spirit, Who by His Presence in us and the beautiful Word of Truth, keeps us connected intimately with Jesus.

To my shock I have heard parents, who themselves claim to be Christians, say things like: “We are not forcing our children to go to church, we are letting them decide what they want.” Why rob them of the inheritance which can be theirs?! Listen to this magnificent quotation from John Flavel:

If you neglect to instruct [your children] in the way of holiness,

will the devil neglect to instruct them in the way of wickedness?

No; if you will not teach them to pray, he will to curse, swear and lie;

if ground be uncultivated weeds will spring.

John Flavel (1630 - 1691 a clergyman, puritan and author)

Ah, Dearest Father in heaven, how great are the riches You lavish on us in Jesus Christ. Great Father of Mercy, thank You for the Spirit Who unites us in Christ and keeps us near the spout where Your blessings pour out and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is brought to fruition. Forgive us for the times we have lacked vision. Forgive us for our lazy attitudes. Forgive us for our blasphemous thoughts of “letting our children decide”. These little ones are made in Your image and You love them! Today, once again, let us renew our zealous commitment to instruct our children, and by extension, ourselves, in the fullness of the knowledge of Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ Name and for His glory we pray: Amen.

February 23, 2019 -- I John 3:1; 5:3 -- Grasping God's Love

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

I John 3:1 ESV

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

I John 5:3 ESV

By cognition we grasp the love of God

by faith the love of God grasps us and melts us.

Tim Keller

Keller’s words offer great insight to our texts today. We can intellectually know the love of God. We can recite “For God so loved the world” and other passages. In fact in James we can read that even the demons know about the love of God and shudder. Intellect, cognition, does not necessarily stir the heart.

It is the heat of faith, warmed by the fire of the Spirit of Holiness, fueled by the truth of Scripture that moves us, melts us and ignites in us such a response towards God’s love that it is a joy and it is our heart’s desire to serve Him with our mouths, our hearts, our thoughts and hands.

Get to church. Worship the LORD. Join in with the people of God who experience the heat of faith, warmed by the fire of the Spirit of Holiness, fueled by Gospel preaching. In view of His great love your heart will be moved, the icy cold you had towards the things of God will thaw and melt.

Those of you who are Christians already: pray for your preacher. That he will speak the Truth of God will passion—as one who himself has already been warmed by it and melted and shaped by it.

Christians, as you prepare to go to church, be ready to encourage others. Weep with those who weep. Know their joys and their needs well enough to do this. You are proof of the Bible’s transforming message which is centred on and anchored in Jesus Christ. Go to church with the intention of blessing others and being blessed—all because of the great love that the Father has lavished on us.

Father of steadfast, lavish love—thank You for the people who attend church. Thank You for the family You are gathering by Your Spirit. This family made up of people who are washed by the blood of Christ and called to be saints. Give us love that responds to the fiery warmth of Your love. From this great molten flow of Your love poured out and being poured out on us, let us be a people who bless others and love them with the fervor that only Christ can give. In Jesus’ Name and for His glory we pray. Amen.

February 22, 2019 -- Genesis 6:5 -- Is there such a thing as evil? A wicked question

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Genesis 6:5 ESV

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.  For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.  These are what defile a person.

Matthew 15:18-19a ESV

Is evil a reality? Strange question, isn’t it? Yesterday afternoon I was listening to a program on CBC Radio where Dr. Julia Shaw was discussing her book: “Evil: the Science Behind Humanity’s Dark Side.” She argues that evil is all culturally relative. She herself does not even like to use the word ‘evil’. What a load of dreck that is. Romans 1 tells us that people are seeking to become wise [without Him, Who teaches knowledge and wisdom], and in so doing they go deeper and deeper into folly, abandoning the very reason God has given them.

The Bible is very clear. God made Adam and Eve to be without sin. In the Garden of Eden they rebelled against Him and ate of the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. Every single person is a sinner. Every single person is descended from Adam and Eve and bears their guilt and increases his or her own guilt by their words, actions and inaction. The heart is churning with evil thoughts, the mind figures out ways to implement evil and the tongue is like a fire setting off huge conflagrations of trouble and conflict. The greatest evil is for a man or a woman is to say there is no god. It is the deny their own existence, for God made us in His image. God sustains us by His power nanosecond by nanosecond. God has given us an awareness of Himself and to deny God is to suppress the testimony of creation, the witness of the Bible, the Glory of Jesus Christ and the prick of one’s own conscience.

The only Person Who ever lived and was completely without sin: Jesus Christ. He was born of the virgin Mary. She was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, so that Jesus’ human nature was supernaturally kept perfect and Jesus the Very Son of God His divinity was joined to humanity. Jesus lived in this world full of sin, steeped in wickedness and violence and He Himself fully served God. Jesus kept Himself from sin and consistently did the good that was required of Him so that in all things He alone acted in perfect obedience to the will of His Father in heaven.

Is there such a thing as evil? Oh yes!

Is victory over evil possible? Oh yes! In Jesus Christ, those who believe in Him are a new creation, the old nature and stronghold of sin pass away and new life takes hold. Christians begin to hate evil more and more. Christians long for the beauty of Christ to fill their thoughts, words and be the impetus for all their actions. They fail. They confess. They read the Word and fervently pray for the Spirit of God to renew them and empower them in holy living until that great and glorious day they shall see Him face to face.

Is there a time when evil will fully and finally be ended? Oh yes! Jesus is returning soon. He is bringing all His holy angels with Him. All people, living and dead, shall be assembled before His throne. Jesus will separate all people: those who heard His voice and obeyed Him will be rewarded with life everlasting in His glorious presence. Those who heard His voice, saw His splendour in creation and rejected the Lord of Life will be punished in hell. They will be punished for suppressing the truth they know now: God is real!

What should we do now? In response of Jesus’ call which is stirring your heart now: repent of your sin. Turn away from sin and turn to Jesus. Obey Him. Read the Word. Find Christians to walk with, talk with, and grow with so that Christ will be your vision and joy.

Father of Splendor and Wisdom, thank You for the glory of creation which declares Your divine attributes, Your wisdom and the reality that all things depend on You. In this day, if there are people in my circle of family or friends who are hearing Your voice, and are being stirred by Your Spirit to respond to You, give them the will and the mercy they need to learn more about and become obedient to Jesus Christ. Father of Heaven, let Your Spirit so rule Your people that we will welcome sinners fleeing from the wreckage of their past and who find refuge in Jesus. Let our welcome be generous and abundant. Spirit of God, make us an army that moves forward on our knees in prayer, asking the very things for which Scripture promises will bring You honour and bring salvation to Your beloved ones. Amen.

February 20, 2019 -- Hebrews 2:1 -- Set your Soul's GPS

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, let we drift away from it.

Hebrews 2:1 ESV

The opening verses of Hebrews 1 give a gorgeous and sweeping view of Who Jesus is. One phrase that I go back to again and again: “He is the radiance of the glory of God” and what about this: “He upholds the universe by the word of His power”. When the believer reflects on, meditates about and speaks with Jesus, then his heart’s capacity for worship is enlarged—as Psalm 119—I run in the path of Your commandments for You enlarge my heart (v. 32).

Many people are drifting away from their deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ. It begins with the neglect of bible reading, once in a while. Church attendance slips from twice a Sunday, to once, to once in a while. Churches themselves accommodate this by shuttering their doors for second services. In fact, many church leaders themselves have lost touch with the radiance of the glory of Jesus, and therefore really have nothing to say in one service, let alone two! Conversations are no longer adorned with the glory of Jesus and the radiance of His majesty. Sad substitutes are proffered until Jesus’ Name and work are far from one’s thoughts and daily experience.

Wake up! O church of the Living God sing the glory of His Name, make His praise glorious. The more you think on Jesus, the more you realize you can never come to the end of your contemplations. There is always more to consider. More that is wondrous. More that causes you to hate your sin and want to draw near to Him. Correct your course today—set your soul’s GPS on Jesus.

Today’s prayer is the familiar William Featherstone hymn, “My Jesus, I Love Thee”. It was written in 1864 and remains powerful and relevant for us today. If you have a few minutes, put the title of this hymn in your search engine, look it up and listen to it. You will be blessed.

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

1. I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,
   And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
   I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
   If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

2. I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
   And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
   And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
   If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

3. In mansions of glory and endless delight,
   I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
   I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
   If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

February 19, 2019 -- Psalm 2:1-6 -- When the LORD laughs

Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart
    and cast away their cords from us.”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
    the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
    and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King
    on Zion, my holy hill.”

Psalm 2:1-6 ESV

Single Sara had several old aunts who would always tease her at weddings. They’d lean over and give a stage whisper, “Well, Sara, do you think you’ll be next?” Sara settled this quickly. At the next funeral, she leaned over to those same aunts and loudly whispered “Well, aunts, do you think you’ll be next?”

The LORD in heaven laughs at the plans of plotters and violent people; holds them in derision who think their raging schemes will in any way unsettle King Jesus and His rule. To laugh in the face of those who set themselves up against you is a sign of power. The LORD’s power is infinite. King Jesus’ rule is without challenge.

When Satan thought he had Jesus on the ropes, crucifying the Son of God, Jesus broke the power of Satan and dashed his works to pieces like a fragile clay pot. In fact, from time before the earth was formed it was the plan of the Father and the voluntary sacrifice of the Son with the power of the Spirit enabling Jesus’ humanity which had been determined to show the great glory of God and His steadfast love to claim ruined sinners as His Own. So God laughs in derision against the feeble plans of those who plan against His unmatched strength.

What power in your life is making your service to God seem too hard? What sin’s creeping tendrils coil around your heart or mind undercutting your ability to keep the faith? Sinner, turn to Jesus! Jesus the Anointed King will burst all your chains, He will smash into pieces all the hosts of hell which conspire against you. Jesus is strong enough to break your chains, for Him it is a simple matter. He has defeated hell itself and death. Jesus is wise enough to tear out the deep roots of sin from your heart and brain. He can perform the delicate surgery needed so that you can with your whole heart, mind and strength serve Him. Jesus is willing to rescue wounded and weary sinners: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. Those are the glorious words of Jesus. No wonder God laughs in derision against any who plot or plan against Him. Any plan is already defeated before it started.

But why do we wrestle against sin at all? God made the heavens and the earth, the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden were created good with the capacity to obey God. They rebelled against God and brought all of humanity—all their descendents under the curse of God. And all of creation was entangled by the sin of Adam. We can look at this world and see all the evil and note all the inhumanity people are capable of, hurting, killing, and destroying and wonder: “God, are You strong? Are You loving? Are You willing to help? The answer is: Yes! He is allowing evil to grow, just like a boil, so that it gathers its pus and poisons into one place so that it can be lanced once and for all. Jesus is bringing about the defeat of sin, hell, and even death itself. Blessed are all who take refuge in Jesus!

King Jesus in our hearts and even in the secret places of our minds, bring Your victory and break every chain that seems to bind us. Spirit of God, by Your presence in us and by the Truth of the Word, assure us that evil is already broken. We confess our eyes fail us and our confidence shudders sometimes because we feel ourselves so helpless against sin. Spirit of Holiness, apply the cleansing of Jesus to every place of our need so that we will rise up in renewed strength as soldiers of the cross of Jesus Christ, beloved sons and daughters of the Father in heaven. Give us holy confidence in Jesus Christ which allows us to laugh in derision against any sin and snort about all former patterns of sin knowing in His Name we are more than conquerors. Amen.

February 17, 2019 -- Exodus 20:4-6 -- The Jealous God

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,  but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

Exodus 20:4-6 ESV

One thing have I asked of the Lord,
    that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
    and to inquire in his temple.

Psalm 27:4 ESV

The Second Commandment is very clear: our worship belongs to God alone. We are not to gaze adoringly, to kneel before, or give our highest to praise to anything we have made, or desire, or to anything that is in heaven above or on the earth or in the seas. Seems pretty basic. Yet how easily we fail.

The hockey fan who knows all the stats of his fav player—admires him—defends his honour and stats and salary etc. He is an idolator. The man who looks longingly and lustfully at pornography is giving himself in worship to an idol, invoking the just jealousy of God. The alcoholic gazing at his desired poison and the junkie tenderly pouring out a line to snort, are giving themselves in worship to their god. The foodie, relentlessly snapping pics of her amuse bouche, boasting of her fortune to be eating of that chef’s bounty is giving food the place of honour which should be reserved for the Living God alone.

With the psalmist we are invited to gaze at the beauty of the LORD, to look longingly to Him alone. We praise Him and dedicate ourselves to knowing more and more about Him because He is the Captain of our Salvation. He is the Rescuer of our souls. He has fed us with every good thing. We are not drunk on wine, but we are filled to overflowing with the Spirit Who gives us greater joy than any earthly experience.

Examine your speech patterns. Consider what your mouth praises the most. Where do your eyes go when you think no one is looking. What do you think of and contemplate when there is “nothing particular on your mind”? Such introspections will reveal your true god. Repent. Turn from your sinful waywardness and honour God alone. Bring Him your praise. As Oswald Chambers so eloquently named the devotional book he wrote, “My utmost for His highest”. Let us give our utmost efforts in dedication to bringing Him the highest praise. For the Living God alone, the LORD, is worthy of our praise.

Blessed be Your Name, O God our Father.

Dominion and power, honour and glory belong to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed are You, Spirit of the Living God, Who leads us again and again to Jesus—the Fountain of Life— through the riches of Scripture. Amen.

February 15, 2019 -- Romans 6:17-18 -- Slaves set free

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,  and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Romans 6:17-18 ESV

The writer of these verses, Paul, is not pulling any punches! He is writing to group comprised of slaves and former slaves, slave owners, Jews and non-Jews, rich and poor. The idea of being a slave would be offensive to so many of them. It is a concept offensive to many of us as well. The party-er is a slave to the party scene and all that goes with it. This culture eats our children—the movies, the music, t.v.s shows, the video games and the public schooling are all designed by fools who deny in their hearts the existence of God. No wonder children are rebellious against their parents (a sign of the end times). And our children become slaves to the culture and angry with their parents should their parents try to act like parents pulling them away from its evil influence. Gluttons are slaves to food. The lustful are slaves to pornography. The bitter are slaves addicted to anger. The fools, those who deny the existence of the God they know exits, are slaves to their folly. They would prefer to believe nothing exploded and formed all we see today, rather than believe the universe was created in six days by the God Who so loved the world that He gave us His Son Jesus that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, knowing better and enjoying this Creator. You get the picture.

It was pointed out to me that all slaves know the Master of Heaven and Earth exists. The heavens declare His glory and the earth shows forth His power. And the ones who are slaves to Jesus, obedient to Him, are aware we are called to be “correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” II Timothy 2:25-26. The first step of freedom is to repent from not believing in the God Who exists. It is acknowledging one’s slavery to anything other than the Living God. In such repentance, turning away from the sin of not believing in the God of the Bible, one finds the knowledge of the truth. Oh what joy there is in truth, Jesus Christ.

God, You are the source of all Truth. As believers we pray for our friends and family members who are enslaved to any ideology, or anything which suppresses the Truth of Your glory. Help us to be gentle, but persistent, in pointing to the Scriptures which clearly reveal You, complementing creation’s witness of Your mighty acts. Help us as believers to grow in our faith and glad-hearted obedience to Jesus Christ and all He has revealed by His Spirit in the Bible. Amen.

February 14, 2019 -- Romans 14:18-19 -- Uninstalling 'buttons'

Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Romans 14:18-19 ESV

My wife and I were watching a mystery. The main character, a troubled man with a very difficult family life, periodically narrates background information. One sequence of narration stayed with me: “Family can really push your buttons. And you wonder, ‘why is that?’ Because they are the ones that installed those buttons.” It is painfully funny. Only those who really know you well can really wound deeply and at will.

Paul was writing the church in Rome. He was encouraging believers, whom he called family by the accomplished work of Jesus, to bear with one another. Some are weaker in faith, some are stronger in their faith; rather than having the stronger ones treat the weaker brothers disdainfully, he was calling on them to live at peace in Christ.

In Christ Jesus we have had our sins washed away. In Christ Jesus people who are very different from one another are brought together as brothers and sisters. Look, in Rome the congregation was comprised of former slaves and the slave owning class. Some were Jews and others the very people the Jews formerly thought were unclean: the Gentiles (non-Jews). All kinds of potential for pushing of buttons and divisions. What brings them together? It is not what, but Whom. In Jesus Christ these divisions of hostility are overcome and He makes them to be brothers and sisters who can live together in peace.

Christ gives us His Spirit and His Word so that believers have the strength we need and the guidance we need to truly live in the peace He has given us. The most powerful tool in the Christian’s kit is forgiveness. As we are forgiven in Christ so we are empowered to forgive. It is costly. It is difficult. But forgiveness is the pathway of peace in the household of God. Where conflicts and disagreements arise, it is possible for peace to be restored as the brothers and sisters turn to Jesus Christ—Him Who is our peace.

Father in heaven, how it must grieve Your heart to see Your beloved sons and daughters in conflict. Thank You for the way of peace You have given us in Jesus Christ. Thank You for that fact that in Jesus’ Name You no longer hold our sins against us—what glorious grace. In view of this, help us as members of the household of God, so far as it depends on us to make every effort to live in peace. There are long-standing wounds and conflicts among some of our family members, and You have promised, O God, that You are the Healer. We beg of You, for the honour of Your Name, bring the healing which only You can effect in Jesus’ Name and for His sake. Amen.

February 13, 2019 -- Romans 1:16 -- Shameless proclaimers

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Romans 1:16 ESV

What a bold proclamation: “I am not ashamed of the gospel!” Paul would go to jail for this bold faith. He would influence jailors and guards, house churches and cities because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel means: “Good News”. The Good News is that we, who are steeped in sin and unable to climb out of our sinfulness on our own, are cleansed of our sins at the cross of Jesus Christ. In Christ we have newness of life so that old sins and patterns are thrown down and we are lifted up with Him from death and the pit of sin to life. Obedience to Jesus and His Word is our new joyful adventure.

Unfortunately, I think many of us, are ashamed of the gospel. We are working with those who hate Jesus’ Name and use it like a curse-word, and we are silent. We are afraid to speak up because we know we’ll be ridiculed. We are excited by a sermon we have heard and a truth that finally become clear to us, but we dare not share it with family members, because we know they’ll roll their eyes and be impatient with all that Christian stuff. We will talk about the count-down to our vacation. We will talk endlessly about our absolutely adorable grandchildren. Sorting out our taxes. Opinions, even violently clashing and differing views, are exchanged without reservation. But our lips are silent about the most important topic of all: eternal life in Christ.

Working at a car rental company as a driver, I realize how I’ve lived most of my life in a “Christian bubble”. Surrounded by Christians at home at church and in my circle of friends, there has been very little opportunity to learn how to share the good news of Jesus. The last year has given me a great appreciation for how challenging it can be to make my voice heard and my joy in Jesus widely known—and to do so in such a way that His precious Name is not even more reviled!

Precious family in Jesus Christ—do not lose heart! The gospel is the power of God. He Who fills our hearts with joy because of Jesus and His great work of salvation is also giving us the strength, the power of His Holy Spirit so that we will have the intestinal fortitude we need to declare this good news no matter what.

What a glorious gospel it is. I remember 15 years ago or so I was at a huge church meeting where leaders of this big denomination were debating whether or not the gospel of Jesus Christ had to go to Jews. What a crazy question! Here in Romans (and throughout all the Bible) it is obvious that Jewish people are saved by no other work or Name but the Name of Jesus. In Christ, Jews and Gentiles (non-Jewish people like me!) are put on equal footing. We are sinners who need the Savior, Jesus. There is no other way of salvation. There are no works any one can perform to make him or her acceptable to God. There are no sacrifices we bring. The gospel is the good news about Jesus. He alone lived a sinless life. He alone is the sacrifice (to which all the Old Testament sacrifices pointed) that can take away the sin of the world. This good news comes wrapped as dynamite—blasting through the hard shell of our old worldview and belief system and brings to us new life.

God of power and glory, blast out the hard places of ours hearts so that sin will have no hiding places. Thank You that the Good News of Jesus Christ comes with the power and strength of Your Spirit to fully implement salvation to every part of our life. Forgive our timidity and unwillingness to talk about Jesus in our workplaces and over coffee with friends. Pour out Your Spirit on us, in us, so that we are filled to overflowing with confident hope in Christ and that this hope will spill out into our everyday conversations. God, bring glory to Your Name, rescue many from the clutches of hell by through the great salvation of Jesus Christ, in Whose Name we pray. Amen.

February 12, 2019 -- Job 38:22-27 -- The God Who Is

“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,
    or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,
 which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
    for the day of battle and war?
 What is the way to the place where the light is distributed,
    or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?

 “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain
    and a way for the thunderbolt,
 to bring rain on a land where no man is,
    on the desert in which there is no man,
 to satisfy the waste and desolate land,
    and to make the ground sprout with grass?

 “Has the rain a father,
    or who has begotten the drops of dew?
 From whose womb did the ice come forth,
    and who has given birth to the frost of heaven?
 The waters become hard like stone,
    and the face of the deep is frozen.

Job 38:22-27 ESV

A few days ago I was listening to a Christian apologist debating an atheist. It was fascinating as the Christian pointed out humans cannot be the judge of whether or not God exists. He exists. The heavens declare His glory. It is not the place of mere people, the dust of the earth, to determine whether or not there is enough evidence to believe in God.

Today busses are cancelled through-out a huge portion of South-Western Ontario. I thought of this passage from Job, where the Powerful LORD of heaven and earth is questioning a mere mortal. Do you know the answer to these questions? Have you entered the storehouses of snow? Great question. People believe they are powerful—a few millimetres of snow and freezing rain brings all traffic to a halt. Hail, just a few minutes of it can wipe out a farmer’s crop. We really are helpless creatures and dependent on the kindness of God and His great provision and protection.

Romans 1:18 reminds us that God is known to all people of the earth. They know He exists by the wonder of creation and even His divine attributes are known. Men suppress the truth of the knowledge of God. Yet, every now and again, a simple winter storm will remind us of His Presence and His power.

Repent, turn away from the sin of suppressing the truth of God’s existence, power and divine attributes, and believe on Jesus Christ. Learn of Him in the Word of God and by the instruction of the Holy Spirit. For the Day of Judgment will be terrible for those who have suppressed the truth. God will not punish people for being good or bad, He will punish them for knowing He exists and denying Him and His glory. At the judgment the foolishness of men who refused to believe will be revealed and they will kneel and confess Jesus Christ as Lord as they are thrown into the terrors of hell. And believers will kneel and confess Jesus Christ as Lord as they are ushered into the new heavens and the new earth. Now is the day of salvation. Now is the day to believe and confess God as King!

Blessed be Your Name, Steward of the storehouses of heaven, Master of the planets and Giver of life! Thank You that the heavens declare Your glory and the earth shows forth Your power. Break stubborn hearts and penetrate closed minds so that the truths men suppress will be revealed to them while there is yet time for them repent and worship You. Jesus, move us to great compassion for those who realize their need for You so that as Christians we will welcome them, instruct them and joyfully walk with them in the paths of obedience. Amen.

February 11, 2019 -- I Peter 1:13-15 -- Prepared for action

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 

I Peter 1:13-15 ESV

We are always preparing for this or that. In a few minutes I need to prepare my lunch and snacks for work. Company is coming and we prepare by getting the house picked up and ensuring there are things to serve, like coffee or beer, cookies or pretzels. Rent is due and we are prepared by having sufficient monies in the account to cover it.

As those who are awash in the grace of Jesus Christ—the punishment for our sins was fully meted out against Jesus at the cross, the righteous life of Jesus is credited to us in exchange for our sinfulness, Christ is at the Father’s right hand, praying for us—we are called to prepare our daily lives so that they are fixed on, conform to, the grace that is ours in Jesus Christ.

In response to His grace, prepare your mind for action—read the Word. Make sure there is time in your schedule each day to be alone with God and get to know Him better.

Prepare your mind for action—know that there will be push-back against believing in Jesus Christ. Be ready to answer your critics and those who mock you. Pray that the Spirit will direct your response.

Prepare your mind for action—being ready in every circumstance to be obedient to Him. You know at work there is always the boss who pushes your buttons. You don’t want to get fired, so you control your reactions and keep a tight rein on your tongue. As followers of Jesus Christ, we do not want to discredit His Name or His reputation—so as those who bear His Name (Christians) we keep a tight rein on our tongues and are prepared not to fall for any temptations. We need to be prepared, knowing temptations will come.

Holy God, we praise Your Name. Thank You for the love You have shown us in Jesus Christ, by Whose blood we are called Your sons and daughters. Spirit of the Living God help us to prepare our minds for sober actions and joyful obedience so that in all things we say and do those around us will see Jesus Christ and know we are His followers. In the times we stumble and fail, give us the humility we need to confess our wrongs to You and those we wronged. The day is dawning, work and school, coffee times and idle conversations are all ahead of me—keep us alert and prepared for holy service. Amen.

February 9, 2019 -- Hebrews 6:19-20 -- Hold the Rope

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,  where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 6:19-20 ESV

When the missionary William Carey went to India as a missionary, he told his friend Andrew Fuller: “I will go into the pit, but you must hold the rope.” Carey was prepared to endure hardship, suffer for the sake of the Name of Jesus Christ, that many would hear and believe. Those who stayed behind, life his friend Fuller, had the important work of holding the rope—that which anchors our souls to Jesus Christ. The rope which is anchored in the promises of Jesus and His faithfulness.

Did you know that for every line of duty death in police services and in fire fighting services, there are at least four suicides? Experts who study such things, such as Dr. Robert Douglas, note many of these suicides go unreported. Our police officers and our firefighters go into the pit. They go into danger every day, putting their lives on the line so that we, as ordinary citizens may live at peace. Many of these men and women have severe trauma arising from the things they have heard, smelled, seen, touched and investigated. They encounter evils that are rivaled only by what soldiers witness on the battlefield. They battle in the pit, at the front lines of evil. Hold the rope.

Believers, hold the rope for these men and women by praying for them. Regularly, faithfully, pray. When you see a media report of a line of duty death, or a suicide, or a report of the work of their work—hold the rope by praying for them so that they are anchored in Jesus Christ.

Hold the rope for the firefighters and police officers by providing for counselors and chaplains. Encourage your city councilors and police boards to make sure the firefighters and police officers have access to spiritual counsel as well as psychological counselors. We are spiritual beings waging war against evil, many of these men and women need spiritual help to overcome what a secular counselor will not acknowledge. Hold the rope that anchors these men and women to Christ in Whom we have victory.

Hold the rope for them by offering encouragement wherever you see them.

Hold the rope for them by countering the media’s all-too-often negative reports of our firefighters and police officers. Get informed on their work.

Hold the rope for them by regularly asking your church members and pastors to pray earnestly for the police officers and firefighters. These men and women have chosen to go into these difficult professions because of the gifts they possess, their strong desire to help others and out of passion to keep their communities safe. Hold the rope for them and honour such lofty desires!

God of Glory thank You for the Spirit Who gives to men and women tremendous gifts of service, help and mercy. Thank You Spirit of God for the men and women who serve as police officers and firefighters. Lord Jesus, thank You that You are the anchor for our souls when the times are troubled and the battles of this life rage at their fiercest. Thank You for the intercessors who go to Your throne room, holding the rope on behalf of men and women facing dangers and keeping our communities safe. Thank You, Lord Jesus Christ, that at the cross, You disarmed evil and You are the way of healing and life. We pray today for the men and women who have nightmares, anxiety, stress, and other symptoms which are a direct result of their hazardous work. Bring them the relief and help only You can provide. Thank You for the many, many who serve with mental and spiritual resilience. Keep them safe and cause them to be a caring presence to their fellows who are struggling. Bless the chaplains and the psychiatrists, the counselors and the doctors who use their gifts and talents to help our wounded warriors. Help us, as ordinary citizens to hold the rope which anchors others to the throne of grace where Jesus is seated in compassionate glory. Amen.

February 8, 2019 -- Isaiah 40:21-23 -- Real Life

Do you not know? Do you not hear?
    Has it not been told you from the beginning?
    Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
    and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
    and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;
 who brings princes to nothing,
    and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.

Isaiah 40:21-23 ESV

Recently I was reading an issue of National Geographic. There’d been a discovery of many human-like bones in a hard-to-reach portion of a cave in South Africa. The authors were breathless spelling out how these might fit into the “family tree”. All kinds of “just so” stories were spun. It is sad to think how far godless scientists will go to deny the creation and deny the work of God, the Creator, Who in six days made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. These false prophets of our age—secular scientists—seek any explanation that does not involve the Living God or His creative work.

The earth is not billions of years old. There was no evolution from non-living chemicals to single-cell life that eventually becomes human beings over hundreds of millions of years. The earth is around six thousand years old. The LORD Who made the heavens and the earth, put the very first humans—Adam and Eve—in the Garden of Eden. They rebelled against God and brought all of humanity and all of creation into the ruin of sin. God in His mercy gave to us His Son, Jesus Christ, the final Adam, in Whom all who believe have the forgiveness of sins and new life. What is truly amazing is that this God of Wisdom had Isaiah speak of the circle of earth. Those who believe in God have His Spirit by Whom we can interpret creation, understand its purpose and our purpose—to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

There are basically two views. First view: nothing coalesced, nothing became something, exploded and formed planets and stars and comets and galaxies. Then lifeless rocks and chemicals came together and sparked life. In this scum all the information for all life was already written. By the way, this contradicts materialism which states all that exists is mass and energy (matter). There is no place in materialism for understanding information. True view: there is mass and energy and information. God Who is eternal, with no beginning and no end, is all-powerful and all-knowing, created the heavens and the earth. He put into creation the fundamental entity of information. All men and women bear His image and our very DNA testifies to His glorious works. We cannot understand the beginning nor the end, unless we encounter Him Who knows the end from the beginning and sustains all of creation by His great grace and mercy.

God of creation—Great are You and worthy of praise. Thank You that the heavens declare Your glory and even our DNA pronounces Your magnificence. Help us, we who believe in Jesus and by Your Spirit know the Truth of the Word, to speak against the myths and lies of our age which deny Your Splendour in creation and Your Omnipotence through-out the ages. Make us bold witnesses for the truth which is found in Jesus. By Your Spirit make us worthy students of the Word and soldiers of the cross who disarm the false claims of this age. In our words and our lives, Lord, be glorified. Amen.

February 7, 2019 -- Psalm 119:11 -- Remember your resolutions?

I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:11 ESV

It is early February and I must admit, my New Year’s Resolutions are so hard to keep. The first is to lose a pound a week. Seems simple enough, until the evening comes and I want to snack. (Right now I am off by half-a-pound.) The second resolution is to memorize one bible verse a day (six verses a week and Sundays is supposed to be the day to review). This second resolution is challenging my memory banks. But the fact that throughout the day I have flash cards and am reviewing Scripture is a blessing.

The Word of God stored up in my heart directs my conscience.

The Word of God stored up in my heart keeps me from asking for things I know are wrong.

The Word of God stored up in my heart reminds me of the nearness of God.

The Word of God stored up in my heart means that my mouth speaks of God to co-workers and fellow Christians. As the Word promises: from the overflow of (what He has stored up in my) the heart the mouth speaks. If we are only storing up wickedness and empty TV dramas, then our hearts are echo chambers for emptiness. (Though I confess here that I am not always faithful in this either. Help me God to be far more faithful in declaring Your goodness!)

The word of God stored up in my heart shows me the condition of my heart and my great need for Jesus.

Blessed are You, O LORD, You know what Your people need. Help me in my efforts to memorize Your Word. Forgive me for the times I have been less than faithful in declaring Your goodness to my co-workers. King Jesus, thank You for being the Savior of my soul and for giving to me the righteousness of Your perfect ways. Spirit of God, help me to keep my resolutions faithfully that I may grow in grace and integrity as a man of God. Amen.

February 5, 2019 -- Romans 12:16 -- Live in harmony

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.

Never be wise in your own sight.

Romans 12:16 ESV

At my workplace there are two men who will ALWAYS scrap about politics. If you didn’t know them, you’d think they are serious and quite angry with one another. What is far more subtle is the disagreements between people who won’t work together. It is sad to see this in the workplace. They quietly move things around so that they won’t have to work together. They duck out of certain responsibilities—and it is an open secret. Such actions undercut smooth operations. However, it is not unexpected. People who are not Christians do not have a standard by which to measure their actions.

It is inexcusable when, in church, brothers and sisters do not live in harmony. Paul is writing the house churches in Rome. The people in these churches are former Jewish people and non-Jewish people, Gentiles. Historically, the Jewish people would NEVER associate with the Gentiles—they are considered unclean. In Rome you have slave owners and slaves in the SAME house churches. You can imagine all the challenges these race and class divisions must have presented. Yet they are called to live in harmony.

How is this possible? Because at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ there is no one higher or lower. All persons are debtors to the cross of Christ. There is no status, no rank, no social class, no race—only sinners in need of His mercy. When we are truly aware of this, we can live in harmony with all people.

Lord Jesus Christ, how vast is Your love and incomprehensible the depths to which went in order to lift sinners from the hell we deserve to the undeserved glory of salvation. Forgive us for our squabbles and in-fighting. Forgive us for the times we have brought shame to Your blessed Name by our actions or inactions. Help us to live in the shadow of the cross in such a profound way that Your Name is honoured and adored in the communities of believers. Amen.

February 4, 2019 -- Luke 6:46-49 -- Rock-solid Faith

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.  But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.” Luke 6:46-49 ESV

It is important to note both of these men called on Jesus. Both of these men built houses. Both of these men would encounter storms and floods. Trials come to all people. Such trials and floods can be: cancer diagnosis, death of a loved one, financial loss, family in-fighting, betrayal by a friend, flooding, burglary and the list goes on and on.

The man who built on the Rock, trusted in Jesus. When the flood and trials hit, his faith remained. Think of Peter. He betrayed Jesus. He denied Him three times. When the horror of what he’d done overcame him, he turned to Jesus. He had nowhere else to go. And Jesus received him and forgave him. No wonder Jesus is the Rock of our Salvation!

The man who built on the ground, claimed to trust in Jesus. He may have attended church regularly. But when he encountered the flood and trials of life, his faith crashed to the ground. When Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus and the horror of what he’d done overcame him, he turned away from Jesus. He did not believe Jesus could forgive him. Judas killed himself.

Ask yourself: am I building my life on Jesus?

Has the recent storm in my life drawn me away from OR closer to Jesus?

Jesus is the sure foundation for our times. If you find you are wobbling in your confidence, talk to a Christian whose faith you admire.

Jesus, thank You for being the sure foundation for ruined sinners. When everything else has been taken from our lives, You cannot be taken from us. Indeed, You are the sure foundation for our times and the rich treasure of wisdom and hope. Help us by Your Word and Spirit to be a strong community to help those who have encountered flooding and storms which have brought great ruin and destruction. Amen.

February 3, 2019 -- Proverbs 3:1 -- Heart attitude

My son, do not forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commandments

Proverbs 3:1 ESV

In this chapter of Proverbs, it depicts a father instructing his son in the way of wisdom, the way of God. There is a tenderness in this, a father loves his son enough to teach him and be persistent in these lessons. If you read on, you’ll note that the entire section, 3:1-12 are the father’s instructions to his son concerning the way of wisdom and the benefits of following wisdom.

For our purposes, I wanted to note this important phrase: let your heart keep my commandments. Our hearts govern our attitude. You have no doubt seen a co-worker receive instructions from the boss. Maybe you have witnessed a scene where he nods politely, but as soon as he turns away, his eye-rolling is seen only by the watching co-workers. His heart’s bad attitude leaks out in his expression of contempt.

Our hearts determine the purposes for which we do or choose not to do this or that. Either our heart is committed to the way of the LORD, or our heart is committed to serving ourselves. Our hearts ultimately lead us to God or lead us away from Him.

Ezekiel 36:26 shows us the heart surgery which God performs: He removes our heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh. A heart that is softened and inclined to listen to Him and serve Him. Why should we bother with this? In Jesus Christ, God has become our Father. Those who remember the teaching of God and wholeheartedly live it prove themselves to be sons and daughters of God. Those who refuse His teaching prove themselves to be children of the devil and by their every heartbeat show their allegiance to evil.

Get to a bible-believing church this Sunday. Decide to go. Examine your heart and see if you are in need of the heart surgery which only God can perform. He has given us the greatest invitation ever: “come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest”. Rest from the devil’s hounding. Rest from the insecurity of a stone heart.

Father in heaven, refresh our hearts in worship this day. Remind us of the great and glorious promises that are “yes” and “amen” in Jesus Christ. Move us greater acts of obedience and service in Your Name: the fruit of which is to show our love for and allegiance to You. Let Your Spirit continue to make Your teaching powerful to us and inspirational so that it is our heart’s desire to honour You in our words, our actions, and in the depths of who we are. Direct us to welcome newcomers to church and offer hearty blessing to those who hearing the Spirit’s call, have returned once again to their heart’s true home. Amen.

February 1, 2019 -- Proverbs 28:23 -- Accountability

Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
    than he who flatters with his tongue. Proverbs 28:23 ESV

Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
    let my head not refuse it. Psalm 141:5 ESV

To be corrected by a righteous man is far better than flattery. It is a blessing to have a man of integrity tell you where you are going wrong and what needs to be fixed in your life. Who in your life have you given permission to tell you hard truths? Do you have an accountability partner who knows you well enough to know when you are telling the truth or when you are self-deceived?

The fact of the matter is that Christ has been punished in our place for our sins. We are to confess our sins and root them out of our lives. It is all too easy to think “I’m good” and have our standard of comparison be someone other than Jesus Christ Himself. When we compare ourselves to the perfections of Jesus, we are aware of our glaring sins, our neglect of doing good and our unwillingness to change. On our own we might still be too lethargic to change or too overwhelmed to know where to begin.

In our marriages we might be tempted, for the sake of peace , not to be as forthright and as bold as needed in pointing out the other’s sins and failures. Those who are among who are single and are part of the family of God have much to offer in true community. Only when sin is exposed as sin do we confess it. Only when we grow in devotion to the Saviour and follow Him as the Captain of Salvation do we realize how lax we can be in our training for holiness. Men need other godly men to hold them accountable. Women need other godly women to hold them to account. Who in your life tells your hard truths? Who has permission to do so in your life?

Faithful Father thank You for the gift of Christian community. Thank You for the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses us from all our sins. Thank You for the Spirit Who takes the accomplished work of Jesus and applies it to our lives. Father of all mercies, we confess how perverse we really are. Hiding sins which are plain before You. Lord, You discipline us, You teach us out of Your law. Give to us men other men with whom we can be honest and open so that sin is rooted out. Give us to women other women with whom we can be honest and open so that sin is rooted out. In all things it is our desire to be conformed more and more to the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. Spirit of God, by the Word and Your presence in us and among us, give us an ever deepening love for our Savior and our King. Amen.

January 30, 2019 -- I John 4:1-3 -- Not Just Tidying

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.  By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,  and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

I John 4:1-3 ESV

All I had to type was “Ma” into my internet search engine and Marie Kondo popped up as the first suggestion. She is that popular. Her books are trending. Her movie channel show is wildly popular. While driving for work one day, I heard an interview with Ms Kondo. What stopped me cold was her advice to “tap the object you are holding to wake the spirit of that object.” Suddenly her organising and clean-up protocols went from folksy advice to a revelation of dark spiritual forces. Her self-effacing manner, high twittering voice and seemingly-harmless advice are a sheep’s clothing covering for a very demonic understanding of the world. Ms Kondo shows herself to be a false prophet and worse than this. People unknowingly walk into her demonic worldview and toy with her understanding of the world. Do not be fooled and do not welcome demons.

Inanimate objects are just that. Dead. Inanimate. Jesus Christ is Lord over all of life, and all who believe in Him are soldiers of the cross. When one plays with the concept of spirits in inanimate things and possessions, one is welcoming the enemy, Satan. He is already defeated by the cross of Jesus and therefore he is a wounded lion, seeking whom he may devour by his lies, with his demonic fallen angels and with deceptions such as Ms Kondo puts forward. It all seems so innocent. Such a simple, fun way to organise and tidy up—but it is neither innocent nor fun. By her methods one puts oneself under the charge of very real, very demonic forces, asking an object “does this spark joy”?

What is truly funny-sad to me is that the very same people who mock Christians for believing Satan spoke through a snake in the Garden of Eden, have no trouble tapping an object to awaken its spirit and thank it.

Jesus, Captain of our Salvation, by Your Word and Spirit lead us through the battlefields of this life. Make us wise to the potential ambushes of the enemy. Forgive us for the times we have toyed with things wicked or dangerous and so taken our eyes off the splendour of Your Majesty. Jesus, You alone have the power and the right to bring us without spot or blemish into the Presence of our Father in heaven. Help us to set aside every weight and whatever might hinder us from being strong and faithful soldiers of the cross. Amen.