March 23, 2019 -- I Timothy 4:8 -- Work-outs in Faith

for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

I Timothy 4:8 ESV

Recently I heard someone say “my body is my life-long project”. This is a person who struggled with periodic weight gain and weight loss. As the person talked it was obvious there were all kinds of fad diets and yo-yo dieting. What really grabbed me in this morning’s text is the thought that our spiritual health is our life-long project. Training in godliness is the project of our mind, our soul, our heart and our bodies. The athlete trains physically and mentally, the godly engage everything in every part of life bringing it all into submission to Christ.

The athlete has to overcome excuses for not training; the godly also have to overcome excuses for not training. The motivation for the godly is the awareness of Who Christ is.

The athlete has to be careful with his schedule so that he plans his training; the godly must also guard their schedule so that there is time for Bible reading, prayer, and reflection on the Word of God.

The athlete has to know the rules of her sport; so the godly must know the righteous rules God sets down for holy living.

The athlete willingly gives up certain activities in order to stay “fighting fit”; so the godly choose what to do and what not to engage in so that the heart and the mind, the soul and the reputation are fit for Jesus, the Captain of our Salvation.

The athlete trains in order to get a gold medal, or recognition in a sport; the godly train being coached by the Spirit Who directs us by the Bible with the life-long focus of one-day seeing Jesus Christ face-to-face and knowing Jesus will bring us to our Father in heaven. This is what sustains the godly in this life and motivates us for the life to come: Eternity in the presence of God, in Whose presence already now and infinitely more fully then, is complete and perfect joy.

Tomorrow is Sunday. Plan of going to church. Plan on busting through the excuses and inertia which for so long have kept you from God. Decide now that you will join in with the glad-heated who seek God and worship Him on Sunday and delight in Him all through the week.

God, the Joy of all who seek You, thank You that You reveal Yourself in the Bible. Thank You for the Spirit Who directs us in training for godliness. Thank You for Jesus Christ by Whom believers are new creatures, the old has passed away and the new has taken hold. Thank You that in Jesus each day is a new start, a new opportunity for training in godliness. Thank You that You, O Father, take ruined sinners and totally remake us in Christ. Thank You that as long as we have life and breath, Your Spirit can train us in godliness which has such value now in every way and leads to the blessing of eternity in glorious Presence of the God of Joy. King Jesus, reap the reward for which You came to earth: sons and daughters who belong to God. Amen.

March 22, 2019 -- Hebrews 8:1,13 -- Jesus the Final High Priest

Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven…

In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete.

And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Hebrews 8:1,13 ESV

Jesus is the High Priest—the last one ever needed. It is made clear in the last verse of our reading today. The Mosaic Covenant is obsolete. It is ended because Jesus Christ is the full and final sacrifice Who takes away the sins of the world. We still follow the Ten Commandments, because they are the Moral Law. The Ten Commandments show us the way of holy living, as followers of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews was written a few years before the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. Even though Jesus Christ had come. Even though Jesus Christ had taken away the sins of the world. Even though Jesus Christ was the last priest ever needed. Still the Jewish people were sacrificing at the temple. Still the Levites and priests were going through the rituals prescribed in the Old Testament as if these were needed. Soon even the empty forms would be wiped away and there’d be no more temple, no more priesthood, no more sacrifices: these were becoming obsolete. Hebrews makes it clear why this is so: Jesus is the fulfilment of all of these things and the work of all these people.

The Jewish faith is obsolete. As it currently stands it is an insult to the work of Jesus Christ. They refused the very Messiah they had waited for all those centuries upon centuries. And the Jewish people today refuse the very Messiah they claim they await.

Today, pray for the Jewish people, that they will receive Jesus as the True Messiah, their long-awaited King.

Pray for the Jewish people, that they will not look backwards at all that was, but embrace Jesus Christ, Who is now seated at the right-hand of the Father—the very righteous One Moses foretold would come. Jesus Himself when He walked on this earth said to Jewish leaders, “If you had believed in Moses, you would have believed in Me, for Moses spoke of Me. (John 5:46).

King Jesus blessed are You. Our High Priest, thank You for Your sacrifice. Thank You that by Your accomplished work believers are called sons and daughters of the Most High God. Thank You Jesus, for Your Holy Spirit given to believers to lead us in all truth! Thank You for the rich truth of the Bible illuminated by the Spirit, the same Spirit Who inspired the original authors, so that we can know Your will. Thank You Jesus for Your love for all people, and Your special love for the Jewish people. This day, may the knowledge of Who You are, the Messiah of the Jews and the Gentiles, become ever clearer and ever dearer especially to the Jewish people. May the longing of every Jewish heart finally be fulfilled in You, Jesus. Amen.

March 20, 2019 -- Proverbs 19:3 -- Empty raging or fulfilled peace

When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin,

his heart rages against the LORD.

Proverbs 19:3 ESV

It is the fool who says in his heart “there is no god”. So the foolish person lives suppressing the knowledge of God. It is that very same knowledge of God which once-in-awhile pricks his conscience and pushes against the periphery of his self-awareness—denying the very God he is fighting against. This very same foolish person will, as we all do, encounter life’s challenges and troubles and at that moment he will become furious with the very God he claimed doesn’t exist. He is angry because he knew all along God does exist. His heart rages because his folly has caught him out. He rages because he was caught out—the very God he knew all along existed, Whose creation has built-in consequences and outcomes, this God has proven His Word true and the foolish man feels resentment and spite towards God.

A bit later in this very chapter of Proverbs one reads: “The fear of the LORD leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm” (verse 23). A man who fears the LORD lives desiring to please the LORD, he does not want any of his actions to betray that love he has for God. When troubles come, as they do to all people, it will not harm his faith in God or shake his relationship with Him. God reassures us: “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28 ESV). This means health and sickness, plenty or poverty, war and peace, disaster and calm, all circumstances, life and death even, God works all things together for the good of those who love Him. His goodness will shine through no matter what. The fool rages because he is living, trying to deny this. The wise man looks to God and like a child who sticks up his hand to his father is confident that his father will take his hand and bring him through whatever a blustery storm threatens.

Even here, at the point of the fool’s raging, God shows His mercy. Jesus invites him: “Come to Me all you who are weary and burdened (who are raging and getting spent) and I will give you rest.” Jesus extends His hand, the hand that stilled the water and quieted storms, and says find peace in Me. What a glorious invitation. If you want to know how to walk in such peace, find a Christian whose walk with God you respect and admire and ask him about Jesus. If you need the raging to stop, speak with a Christian who you know and ask her to lead you to Jesus.

With the prophet Jeremiah and the long-ago hymn-writer we declare to You: Great is Your faithfulness, O God my Father. Thank You for giving to us Jesus Christ, the Rock of our Salvation and our Shield in every storm. Thank You, Spirit of the Living God, for making the truth of scripture white hot to our hearts as “yes” and “amen” on every page. Giver of Every Good Gift, we pray for our dear friends and family members who are raging against You and needing You more than ever. Help them to find their heart’s home in You. Give to us, who love You and trust in You, hearts that are sensitive enough to discern when a weary loved one needs to meet with You, Jesus. Thank You for the gift of this day. Thank You, Faithful God, for every reminder of Your nearness in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

March 8 2019 -- II Corinthians 1:8-11 -- Combating Lifeless Prayers

8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

II Corinthians 1:8-11 English Standard Version (ESV)

Are you plagued by lifeless prayer? You want to pray, but it seems so, I don’t know, dull and small? Today’s reading is a powerful reminder of the great need for and the explosive power of prayer. Paul and his companions were so stretched and exhausted in the work of the Gospel and under so much persecution they despaired of life itself! Why would God allow this?

So that these men would rely on God alone.

So that those praying for them would know that God chooses to work through the prayers of His people.

So that all involved would know it was God Himself Who saved them and gave them the power they needed to endure. Their human strength had failed. When they triumphed then all their boasting would be in Him alone!

So that the community of faith would know the urgent necessity of prayer.

Perhaps so many of our prayers are lifeless because we do not see the needs others have, their desperate situation and urgent need for relief. Our love for our friends and family would drive us to our knees banging at the doors of heaven’s throne room of mercy and help IF we really understood others are relying on our prayers to God on their behalf.

Perhaps our prayers are lifeless because we are so self-absorbed. Our prayers will explode into life when we see the vast spheres of influence He gives us in Christ when we take our eyes off ourselves and pray, earnestly and truly pray, for others.

Perhaps our prayers are lifeless because we hear the needs, but do not tell others the victories. When we were in the pit of despair we asked for help. When the help arrived did we take the time to praise God and tell the other prayer warriors: “See what God has done for me! Listen to how God answered!” As prayers have been answered, those united in prayer would have ever increasing reasons to bless the Name of God.

Perhaps our prayers are lifeless because we do not truly see where Jesus is. King Jesus is seated in power next to God the Father. Jesus directs the life of believers by His prayers on our behalf. Jesus helps believers in response to their prayer by His Spirit and His Word. Jesus brings to bear our Father’s great love by pointing to His nail-scarred hands and feet and reminding His Father—for these I suffered, Father, so that You would receive the honour and glory and Your beloved children would be lifted from death to life.

O God, our boast is of You, all the day long. Give us ears to hear the cries of our friends and neighbours. Give us softened hearts so that we will pray with greater urgency and love. Give us clarity of sight so that we can discern Your answer to prayer. In all this, we pray, Lord Jesus Christ, may Your Name be praised. In all this, King Jesus, may our faith increase. In all this, we pray, that we may join together in giving thanks to You O God Who Hears Prayer, for all the blessings You have granted. Amen.

Note, I am on hiatus for Spring Break (March 9 - 19) so that I too may be refreshed and prepared afterwards to continue blogging for His glory

March 6 2019 -- Revelation 3:5-6 -- Too busy to not pray!

5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Revelation 3 English Standard Version

These are the words written centuries ago to the church in Sardis—a church that had a reputation of being alive, looking like they really followed Jesus—but in fact, were dead. The grace of Jesus Christ is found in these things: He sent a prophet, John to rouse them from their slumber; He is giving them ample warning; He promises He has already supplied all their needs by His Word and Holy Spirit so that they could conquer the inertia and deadness that was causing them such internal rot.

Those words, written to Sardis so long ago, have been preserved because we need to hear them as well. We need to wake up. We are called to walk in the New Life only Jesus can give. It is hard work.

Do you find yourself struggling to pray and keep a regular time of Bible reading? You are, unfortunately, not alone! The moment we make a commitment to do this, the battle is on. In his book, Prayer, O. Hallesby writes: “Instinctively and automatically it [our old, sinful nature] will mobilize all the reasons it can conceive of for not praying now: You’re too busy; your mind is too preoccupied; your heart is not inclined toward prayer…”

What a glorious image is given to us in Revelation 3. The one who conquers, fighting against his own sinful nature will have Jesus Himself stand and confess his name in the presence of the Father! It is almost too beautiful to contemplate! The woman who will not cave in to putting anything before Jesus, things like: social media, or friends, or family, work or money, but will give her first and best thoughts to Jesus Christ in prayer and scripture reading and lives her life in obedience to Him will hear Jesus say: “Father, welcome this daughter with the crown of life.”

Let me be clear, we do not, we can not earn our way to heaven! The work is always Jesus’ work. He lived a perfect sinless life. He was punished in our place. The sins we commit because of which we should spend eternity in hell have been placed on and punished upon the Person of Jesus. When the Father declared us guilty, Jesus stepped up and said, “I will bear their guilt and their punishment!”. And in exchange we receive His righteousness. What a glorious Savior!

Then why do we live for Him? Why do we strive to conquer our sinful, old nature? Because we love Him so intensely we desire to live for HIm and show Him our thankful hearts by our words, our thoughts, our actions and our refusing the old patterns of sin. What if we fail? What if we slip up? Confess it. Remember the context of our passage today. Jesus was warning a church that had gone off the rails and was not acting or living like Jesus-followers should live. So, in His mercy He warned them and called them back to Himself. That is the time we live in now—we hear Jesus’ warning and His invitation: “Come to me. Lay down the burdens of sin and the chains holding you down—leave behind your sinful nature.” In Jesus Christ we are new, a completely new creation—the old has passed away, and look, the new has taken hold.

One of my favorite pastors, Rev. Timmer, used to say: “My old, sinful nature was drowned at my baptism. But he is such a strong swimmer, I have to hold him down under the water again and again.” Our old nature will always lead us to sin. We use our freedoms for sin and evil only. We cannot chose what is right. So how is this scripture passage at all hopeful? If it is stirring your heart, and causing your soul to respond, then know this: Jesus’ words are for you. He is calling you to wake up and live for Him. He is also promising He will give you the strength you need, the Holy Spirit, so that you can make it, every step of the way.

Charles Wesley wrote the hymn “And Can It Be?”. The third verse reads:

He left His Father’s throne above—
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For, O my God, it found out me!

Refrain:
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

C. Wesley, published 1738

God of infinite kindness and patience, with King David of old, we cannot help but pray: “who am I Lord? And what is my family that You should bring us so far?!” Though we sin a hundred times, Your forgiveness over reaches it a thousands times. Help us to walk in Your amazing love. Help us to set aside our schedules and our excuses and live for Jesus. Revive us so that what was dead can now be raised to life for the glory of Jesus Christ, our King. Amen.

March 5, 2019 -- Proverbs 3:1-2 -- Heart check up

My son, do not forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commandments,

for length of days and years of life

and peace they will add to you.

Proverbs 3:1-2 ESV

“I honestly don’t know why I just did that.” Ever say that to yourself? Perhaps you’d promised not to overeat and you find yourself at the family potluck eating your third dessert. “Why’d I just do that,” you wonder. Or maybe you’d said you were not going to join in with the office gossipy group and, technically you didn’t join in, but you didn’t object, and you didn’t leave when it started and you laughed at others with them. And you left the reputation bruising conversation feeling guilty saying to yourself “I wasn’t going to do that, why did I?!”. Maybe you’d wanted to get more organized but three days later the laundry is unfolded, the room isn’t cleaned and the dishes are still in the sink and you didn’t put out the trash for garbage day. So much for getting organized. “Why don’t I do what I say I’m going to do?”

The writer of Proverbs is calling us to go deeper. Examine your heart. The narrative that your heart tells is the script your thoughts and hands actually follow. With regards to overeating, perhaps you are telling yourself you deserve this, just this once. And you say the same later in the day. Finally the day is wrecked anyways, and you feel the familiar prompt: “go ahead, indulge and tomorrow, or next Monday will be different and the start of something new.”

The passage of scripture is teaching us to keep God’s commandments in our heart. The centre of our being, out of which flows all thoughts and actions, is our heart. By this text we invited to store up and ponder the commandments of God at the very source of our doing: in our heart. When the knives come out at the office, it is the commandments of God that guards you by having your conscience shout at you “Do not murder”. Jesus’ teaching reminds us that we are always to seek the good of others. So, when the knives come out at the office, call people on it. Or walk away. Let the words stored up in your heart guide your actions. This accords with the Word of God.

No one can do this perfectly. I know I’ll fail. There will be a few days of doing better and then failure once again. You have touched the nerve of the issue. At the centre of this whole teaching is not “try harder”. That is a recipe for discouragement, more failure and hardening in the pathway of sinfulness. Instead, note that the commandments add peace to your life. Christ Himself is our peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. What does this mean?

The commandments of God show us the rules for holy living. Since God made us, He has the right to determine how we are to live. The commandments show us how far we are from living as He directs. And with the commandments as our mirrors we go to God and cry out: “who will save me from this body of death?” Thanks be to God in our Lord Jesus Christ—in Jesus we have our sins, failings and shame completely forgiven. Jesus was punished at the cross for our sin. Jesus took our place. He also lived the perfect life, never sinned. The commandments of God were always stored up in His heart and always guided His every word, thought and deed. This right way of living is credited to us, to all who believe in Jesus Christ. What a glory and what a blessing can be ours.

So, what difference does this make? We go to God and thank HIm for this teaching, this truth that Jesus is our peace. In Jesus we become completely new. We no longer live for ourselves, we live for Him. As the hymn-writer teaches us to sing out: “O Jesus, Lord and Saviour, I give myself to Thee, for Thou in Thine atonement, didst give Thyself for me. I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne. My life I give henceforth to live, O Christ for Thee alone.” (Thomas O. Chrisholm, 1917) Suddenly the mountain of laundry and the dishes piled up are not insurmountable. In each piece folded and every utensil washed, we are declaring our love for our Savior. We are in our daily living, giving ourselves in service to Him. Whether or not the family is grateful or ungrateful, whether or not you are thanked, your work is offered to Him Who is seated at the Father’s right-hand, King Jesus.

Again, will there be times we fail? Yes. Will there be times we don’t want to try? Of course. So what do we do? We bring this to our Savior. We do not forget His teaching that it is not our efforts that save us. We are saved by the accomplished work of Jesus Christ. He grew tired in His flesh, but never gave up. He was weary and without a permanent home or place to rest His head and despite this He served His Father without flinching. It was by the Spirit, given to Jesus without measure or limit, that Jesus was able to live so wholeheartedly and perfectly in obedience to the Father. It is the gift of Jesus to every believer, that we should have the Holy Spirit. In the strength of the Spirit we can serve, live, and obey sacrificially.

Blessed are You, O LORD, our Father. You give wisdom and You give life.

Blessed are You, King Jesus, our Life and our Peace.

Blessed are You, Spirit of the Living God, source of the believer’s strength and Giver of all good instruction.

At the start of this new day, give to us, Your true servants, hearts that treasure Your commandments. As these new inclinations of our hearts work their way into our thoughts and actions, let the glory of God shine out in all we do. Amen.

March 2, 2019 -- Proverbs 2:1-15 -- No easy believism

 My son, if you receive my words
    and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you call out for insight
    and raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasures,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 guarding the paths of justice
    and watching over the way of his saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice
    and equity, every good path;
10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 discretion will watch over you,
    understanding will guard you,
12 delivering you from the way of evil,
    from men of perverted speech,
13 who forsake the paths of uprightness
    to walk in the ways of darkness,
14 who rejoice in doing evil
    and delight in the perverseness of evil,
15 men whose paths are crooked,
    and who are devious in their ways.

Proverbs 2 ESV

Notice the hard work it takes to gain wisdom. One must receive wisdom from an experienced believer in Jesus Christ. One must treasure up wisdom (which is contrary to the ways of the world). It takes great intentionality to make the ear attentive to wisdom, and it is hard-ground-bone-breaking work to soften the sin-gripped heart so that you will be seeking understanding. Notice the writer is telling the seeker: cry out for it, seek it like seeking silver, search it out. This is all active language.

One of my “guilty pleasures” is watching those weight loss shows. A very overweight person is given the chance of a lifetime to lose the weight. A personal trainer comes to help. A nutritionist gets involved. The family members are told to chuck all the junk food. The trainer pusher the person further than he’d ever thought he could go. The trainer helps the woman overcome the mental barriers that she’d set up. It is a great illustration of the overweight Christian. It is a harsh, but true portrayal of the one considering seeking God. We are lazy. We want to pray and instantly get what we prayed for. We want it all with no effort. I include myself in this brutal assessment!

My New Year’s resolution was/is to lose a pound a week and memorize one verse of scripture a day (reviewing the six memorized verses each Sunday in order to cement these verses to memory). There is no personal trainer. The trainer has not thrown out all junk food in the home. No host of the “Help Richard memorize Scripture and lose weight show” has gone to family and friends and said: “Stop placing temptations in his path”. I realize there is no easy path to achieving my New Year’s goals. Stil, they are worthy goals. I am currently not doing well in these goals. However, it is worth redoubling my efforts and pressing on. But if you see me, please encourage me!

In the same way, as we recognize our spiritual failings in searching out the highest, most important goal ever: to know Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection—it is worth redoubling our efforts. The spiritual goal is not just to have us escape the fires of hell. The goal of knowing Jesus Christ means we find in Him a shield to guard our integrity. In Jesus Christ we find fullness of life, exactly as God created us to live it. By the Word and Holy Spirit, we are protected from the ways of cheating, of compromise—all of which are the pathway straight to the fires of damnation and hell. Hell is reserved for those who know God but live like He doesn’t exit. Romans 1 tells us every single person knows God—the creation declares His glory and His eternal attributes. No one has any excuse before God.

Knowing Jesus Christ does not mean we will never fail. It means we examine our lives against the mirror of His excellencies and grace and admit our failures to Him. We know our failures have been punished on His Person at the cross. So we search for His strength as we press on to know Him better. It is our growing desire to obey Him truly and love Him more fully. It is Jesus Himself Who is prompting us to seek Him. C.S. Lewis described God as: the hound of heaven chasing down the most reluctant convert.

Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.

Tomorrow is Sunday. Plan on going to a Bible-believing church. Find a friend to go with you. If you know a person whose faith you admire, get to church with her or ask to join him. Be prepared to struggle and wrestle for what is true and excellent. Anything worth having is worth fighting for. Know this: God has sparked in you this desire to know Him. How can I be sure? You have read this far. Do no doubt He will give you the tools you need and the strength to push through any obstacle.

God of Heaven—You are worth all the best efforts we can muster! You are excellent beyond all our imagining. You are greater than any picture we’ve ever had of Who You Are. We admit to feeling the pin-pricks of conscience. We know the promptings that irritate our hearts and spoil our comfortable sinfulness. Thank You that You will not leave us in the pig-slop of our sins and shame. Thank You for pushing us, giving to us the Personal Trainer called the Spirit of Holiness Who hounds us and chases us and encourages us to achieve the greatest goal ever: knowing Jesus Christ. Today, God of Kindness, if we hear You knocking on the door of our hearts, help us to respond to You. Let the seeker find. Let the sinner confess. May the lazy Christian get up and act in the way of wisdom. And let all of us, tomorrow in worship, welcome each one in Jesus’ glorious Name. Amen.

March 1, 2019 -- Psalm 27:14 -- Waiting

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Psalm 27:14 ESV

I hate waiting. Right now I am in the place of waiting. My resume is out and in the hands of a number of potential employers…but things seem, to me, to be stalled out. I can be so impatient! How urgently I need the wisdom of this verse.

The sense of the Psalm is to wait with anticipation and eagerness. The sense of waiting here is that the LORD will unfold His purposes and those who did not waver in their waiting will be rewarded. What will be their reward? Great question. Look over Psalm 27. The prayer requests have been: to dwell in the house of the LORD; to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD; to inquire in His temple. Then the next stanza of the psalm intensifies the request: he will seek after the face of the LORD, he is asking that God will not hide His face from him.

How does one get strong and take courage while eagerly waiting for the LORD?

The Psalmist begins the Psalm 27 with praise. The LORD is my light and my salvation. Praise honours God. Praise magnifies God in our own hearts and minds so that we see the LORD in His rightful place, above all the storms and questions of our lives. And the LORD, in the glory and splendour of Heaven is willing to help, powerful to bring His grace.

The Psalmist prays to the LORD—The Covenant/Promise-Keeping God. Though his situation seems dire, the psalmist having praised God is assured of God’s ability, willingness, and desire to help and bring about the change needed in the life of David—the writer of this psalm.

The praise and prayer changes in the third stanza. Suddenly the psalmist isn’t so much seeking deliverance from enemies and troubles, he is asking to know God better. The enemies and threats have resulted in waiting which makes David reflect on the eager expectation of knowing God Himself. Not merely salvation from trouble, not just relief from enemies—in the middle of the storm, his prayers have become focused on something entirely new: to know God Himself better.

Our life’s purpose is not to be happy, or get rich. A life well-lived is not a life in which we have a wide circle of friends of perfect family life. Our life’s purpose is to know God and serve Him alone. This life is the waiting room wherein we learn either to love the Living God or we grow to hate Him and in our puniness try to rebel against Him.

Those who rebel against Him will be judged when Jesus returns. The price of rejecting the God of Glory is to receive the declaration of guilt. People are judged guilty for rejecting the God they know exists. The heavens declare His glory. People are judged for refusing to serve the King of Glory and offering their lives in service to the Devil. There is no neutral ground—one either serves God or one serves the Devil. To be judged guilty is then to be cast into hell with the Devil and all the demons. In hell the torment and punishment never ends. It is a frightening and terrifying prospect.

Those who have learned to wait on God, who desire to see His face and obey Him will be rewarded. Their heart’s desire will be fulfilled and at the judgment the Judge will declare: your sins have been punished upon the Person of Jesus Christ. You are therefore declared righteous, clothed in the goodness of Jesus Christ—enter into the rest of God! What a glorious day that will be.

Waiting for a job. Waiting for biopsy results. Waiting for justice. Waiting for healing of the heart. Waiting for enemies to be stilled. Waiting for anything ultimately is the training ground of the heart and mind—learning to eagerly expect God and thereby to break ranks with the Devil and serve the Living God of Might. For the LORD alone is worth the wait. In fact, in the waiting, He reveals Himself to us as Good, Loving, and Beautiful.

We confess, O God, we think ourselves to be so self-sufficient, until there is a cancer scare. Or our boss at work refuses to acknowledge our hard work. We are shaken by a small tear in our reputation or a financial set-back. Let the storms and trials of this life accomplish their important work: to cause us to turn to You and wait on You. Truly, King Jesus, give us the strength and courage we need to wait on You in joyful obedience. Let Your Word and Holy Spirit instruct us in this life so that for all eternity it will be our soul’s great rapture and bliss to know You better and better. Answer the deepest longing of our heart and soul, the longing we often don’t even realize is prompting all our restlessness and urgent dissatisfaction: the longing to know You, our Maker and King. Amen.

February 27, 2019 -- Luke 18:7-8 -- Will God find faith?

And will not God give give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?

Luke 18:7-8 ESV

This morning I was scanning some great quotations from many august scholars and great churchmen, luminaries of past decades and centuries. Words that might stir us up from our lethargy and waken the soul. The great soul-stirrer and luminary is Christ Himself. He taught us to pray without ceasing. He gave the parable of the unjust judge who refused to help a widow. Repeatedly she went to this judge until, finally, in exasperation, he grudgingly granted her request. The point Jesus made is this: we serve the Good Father, Giver of every good gift. Will we persist in prayer until He grants us what is just and good? Then the clincher: when the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on earth?

Jesus’ warning is this: the faith of many falters and will not persist. Prayer is evidence of our faith.

Prayer that is faithful looks to Jesus asking Him to keep His promises. Continue the work You began, Jesus, to seek and save lost sinners.

Prayer that is urgent sees the world through the lens of the Bible—ruined, hell-bent, sinners rushing towards the flames and never-ending punishment of hell—all getting there by dodging Christ, ignoring His nail-scarred hands. Urgently Christians pray that Jesus will stop them and reach them and teach them of His love so that they repent and find in Christ alone life that is full and free.

Prayer that is focused will not fail. Jesus promised: ask and you shall receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door shall be opened to you. By this teaching, coupled with what we read above, we are focused on believing what Jesus said and praying back to Him these promises and persistently asking until we see His answers. It is the glory of Christ to redeem sinners. It is the assured faith of redeemed sinners that prompts us to pray for the glory of Christ to be shown in the lives of those we love, in the lives of co-workers and friends, and in this world.

Prayer that is victorious is prayer flowing from the knowledge that God is not reluctant or impatient with those coming to Him. God is loving. God is willing. God is able to act and answer. He responds to the prayers of His people. The Spirit of God Himself lives in us. The Spirit of God prompts such victorious praying. The question is: are we praying? Do we listen to and obey the urging of the Spirit and the instruction of the Bible? Are we persisting in faithful prayer?

King Jesus forgive our lifeless prayers and our prayerless life! By Your Word and Spirit re-awaken in us a living, fiery passion that loves You and joyfully obeys You. Move us to prayer that is faithful, urgent, persistent and victorious—all that Your Word promises our conversation with You can be. Thank You, Jesus, that You have opened up to us the way to our Father in Heaven! In Him we have both mercy and justice. Thank You that You have our Father’s full attention and love and that You, Lord Jesus, bring to our Father all our needs and all our prayers, fumbling and feeble as they are. God of Glory move us from milk and baby foods, to hearty meals and the meat of truth that will fuel growing faith among Your people here on earth. Amen.

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.