July 29, 2022 -- Ephesians 4:25-32 -- Taking out the trash

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:25-32 ESV

The picture here is of human lives, formerly erratic and disordered by sin, made into orderly hearts and minds ruled by Christ. Consider all the effects and trouble caused by our sins. Falsehood, the chaos of the tongue which seeks to disorder truth and dishevels workplaces and upends trust, must be cleared away. It must be put away, like the trash it is and thrown to the curb. Anger opens the mouth to release a firehose of rhetoric that bowls people over and causes damage that can take years to mend. Thievery upsets relationships, trust, community, peace and a sense of safety. Corrupting talk while enjoyed for a moment when the venom is poured out on others, leaves participants in a conversation wondering, when I get up to go, will this group of vipers be trash talking me? (Yes. Yes they will, corrupting talk is contagious and spreads faster than the latest variants of viruses).

Reading this list of sins makes me shudder. I have a live example of chaos all around me. There are books left open on the desk, used for the latest sermon. A few on the floor, closed, but not put away back on the shelf. There are three piles of papers, one for the studies at one prison, another for the studies at a recovery centre, and a third pile for a different study at another institution. Unfortunately, when I set down my carrying case, the three piles shifted, fell, and scattered. I had to leave before the mess was cleaned up. There is yarn, donated by friends, which is unsorted, and cluttering up the study—I crochet blankets, sending the completed ones to a seminary in the Ukraine—and an unfinished project in the centre of the floor. It is a mess. To me, the study as it is, is a living depiction the text—all kinds of things open, upended, cluttering, not sorted and bagged up to be put away. It is an overwhelming mess and I fell like I don't even know were to start.

Thankfully, even if I don’t know where to begin, God does. The Spirit has been sent by the Father to believers in Christ. The Spirit who can be grieved by our anger, corrupting talk, thieving, and all the chaos sins brings with it into our lives that is spilling into the lives of churches and workplaces contaminating many places, is All-Mighty. The Spirit begins the project of massive clean-up and renovation. The Spirit of God applies the healing work of Jesus so that our lives are purified, cleansed from top to bottom, inside and out. It is too overwhelming for us to do on our own. It is not something we want to do, unless Christ is front and centre in both our faith and our desires. It is the Spirit Who revives our faith. It is the Spirit to renews our desires. When we see the mess we have made of our life, family, community, work and future, do not despair. Recognizing the mess that is the first step. Confess your need to God for His renewing work. Ask for new life which is based on the work of Jesus. Know that the renewing holiness which the Spirit of God has the power to effect in your life, will be brought to completion. Yield yourself to God. Pray for this clean-up work in your life, your family and your church.

God, the Mighty One, Who brought order at the start of Creation, thank You for the cross. Thank You for Christ, the Holy One, Who faced the ruination brought by Adam’s sin and the devil’s manipulations and for the fact that at the cross Jesus defeated all the powers of sin, death, the Fall and all its consequences. Thank You, Jesus, for taking my place, bearing the anger of God against all my sin. Blessed are You, gracious God, for giving the Spirit, Who is taking the finished work of Christ and applying it to every aspect of my life. I freely acknowledge the ruin of sin. I see the chaos of my own actions, and inaction, where there are so many piles of things and strewn things I don’t even know where to begin with the clean-up. Thank You, that You, in Your power, love and kindness, will bring the order. I yield myself to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Forgive me for work undone. Forgive me to getting in the way. Forgive me for trying to fix things on my own and making greater tangles and messes. Thank You, Triune God, for the miracle of salvation and the depths and width and breadth and height of Your loving kindness poured out on those who have been brought to faith in Your great Name. As Your forgiving work is kneaded and pressed into every huge crevasse and each tiny corner of our lives, may we in turn, be a people set apart for Christ, who show Your work in us this by the kindness we show to others. May we shine with Your forgiving love. May we, having been cleansed, seeing the trash taken out of our own lives, be patient with those around us, people who are now themselves awaiting garbage day and the mighty work of Your Spirit. Father, renew us, by Your Spirit, make us, individually and all of us together, pure and ready witnesses to Jesus work even as now we excitedly anticipate Jesus’ return. Amen.

https://youtu.be/px-eU1QjQiU
 

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 27, 2022 -- II Kings 16:2-3a -- Will They Do What Is Right in the Eyes of the LORD?

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God, as David his father had done, but he walked in the way of the things of Israel.
II Kings 16:2-3a ESV

The father of Ahaz was Jotham. King Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. It is strange how regularly the sons of godly kings do not do what is right in the eyes of the LORD. In fact, a godly father does not necessarily have a godly son to follow him. So often that terrible phrase is recited in the Books of the Kings, “and he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God".

Faithful and faithless leaders are accountable to the Ruler of Heaven and Earth. Just because a leader refuses to acknowledge the LORD of God that doesn’t mean his life and all his actions will be exempted from the LORD's judgment! He Who made the heavens and the earth has the right, in fact, He is obliged, to uphold the standards of perfection and holiness which are in accord with His nature.

Fathers and mothers, raise your children and grandchildren to know the LORD. It is not something they will naturally turn to on their own. The heart is wicked and deceitful, inclined to all kinds of evil. It will take years of patient, godly instruction to raise up children who know and love the LORD.

Church members and extended family members, bless the children and young adults whom God has placed in your life. Speak to them about the love of God. Tell them of His justice and His right to command holy living. An artist has the right to do what he wishes to with his canvas. An intruder is accused of defacing the art work if he applies paint, lines, or colours that the original Master didn't. The LORD is the Mighty Artist, the Creator-Genius—true wisdom is to acknowledge His artistry and to align one’s life so that every step is in keeping with His design. It is joy and wisdom to teach others to admire Him, worship Him and to help them to walk every step according to His awesome design.

Creator God—how beautiful and masterful is Your handiwork. The heavens declare Your glory. The earth is filled with evidences of Your goodness. The bright plumages of the birds display Your genius. The deep ocean creatures, hidden from the eyes of man, are made for Your delight. Teach us, LORD of Glory, to walk according to Your grand design and to submit both will and life to You. May many see in us a dedication to doing what is right in Your eyes, so that they too will rise up and bless You. Forgive us, when our words say one thing and our actions make our words meaningless and empty. Forgive us for the way in which this brings the Name of Jesus into disrepute. Renew in us Spirit of the Living God, joy and an abiding, sustained endurance to walk the path of righteousness. Mighty God, guard our children and young adults from the temptations of the world and the wiles of the devil. Give to our children and the young adults within our Christian community the example of saints who love You and the ability for these same children and youth to ask questions, to imitate and to grow in rich storehouse of blessings you have prepared for all who love You. This we pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

https://youtu.be/2Ahhc182jkg

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 25, 2022 -- Deep cleansing confession -- I John 1:7-9

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I John 1:7-9 ESV

What blocks your walk with fellow Christians and blocks your walk with God the Father? According to John, the one who walked with Jesus Christ during Jesus’ earthly ministry, it is unconfessed sin. Such sins make believers walk in darkness, stumbling around. Struggling to see the point of anything. Sin is like a cave-in where boulders and dirt cascade down blocking the entrance to the light, leaving the sinner in a dark tunnel, starving for light, air, water, and food. Confession is the dynamite the Spirit uses to blast through all the detritus, which is too much for the believer to clear away on his own. It takes the All-Mighty power of the Spirit to clear the heart. What a promise is offered today, confess you sins, for He IS faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

MERCIFUL LORD,
Pardon all my sins of this day, week, year,
all the sins of my life,
sins of early, middle, and advanced years,
of omission and commission,
of morose, peevish and angry tempers,
of lip, life and walk,
of hard-heartedness, unbelief, presumption, pride,
of unfaithfulness to the souls of men,
of want of bold decision in the cause of Christ,
of deficiency in outspoken zeal for his glory,
of bringing dishonour upon thy great name,
of deception, injustice, untruthfulness
   in my dealings with others,
of impurity in thought, word and deed,
of covetousness, which is idolatry,
of substance unduly hoarded, improvidently squandered,
   not consecrated to the glory of thee, the great Giver;
sins in private and in the family,
in study and recreation, in the busy haunts of men,
in the study of thy Word and in the neglect of it,
in prayer irreverently offered and coldly withheld,
in time misspent, in yielding to Satan’s wiles,
in opening my heart to his temptations,
in being unwatchful when I know him nigh,
in quenching the Holy Spirit;
sins against light and knowledge,
against conscience and the restraints of thy Spirit,
against the law of eternal love.
Pardon all my sins, known and unknown,
felt and unfelt, confessed and not confessed,
remembered or forgotten.
Good Lord, hear;
 and hearing, forgive.
"Sins" The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions,
ed. A. Bennett. Carlisle, PA: THE BANNER OF TRUTH
TRUST, page 158.

https://youtu.be/9wyEyszZ_s8

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 23, 2022 -- II Corinthians 8:16-18 -- Not jealous of others but together zealous for Jesus

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power:  Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. 17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. 18 With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel.
II Corinthians 8:16-18 ESV

In past devotions I have remarked on the richness of Scripture. It is wonderful, the creative work of God, that very familiar passages can sparkle with new brilliance by the appointment of the Spirit. This morning’s reading is one such passage. Here is why it stood out to me. Paul, a preacher-apologist, is commending the work of another preacher. By the grace of the Spirit he is so fixed on the good of the Corinthian congregation that he is not jealous of the gifts Titus has been given. Paul  gives thanks to God for those gifts, recognizing Titus will use them to minister to the Corinthians.

Paul had spent a lot of time among the Corinthians. Many preachers and evangelists can suffer from a sense of self-importance—thinking in their heart "only I can help this particular group of people, I know their needs." Paul has humbled himself before Jesus, the Lord of the Church, and rejoices that the Savior has, by His Spirit, appointed a gifted (even famously gifted) preacher to work among the Corinthians. What does this have to do with you?

Bless God and thank Him, as a parent, for those in your circle of family and friends who are ministering to your children. It is the kindness of God to have others who are earnest for your children’s salvation and that He should bring them into your life to walk alongside of you. Give thanks to God for the areas in your life where you serve God and when He shows you others who are co-laborers. For their presence and their work, honour God and thank Him. In the places where you serve and you have not discovered other Christians there, pray that God, the LORD of the Church, will raise up fellow Christians, so that His influence will be felt through your ministry. A Christian can be used in any setting, serving there by God's appointment Humble yourself before God and ask the Spirit where in your life you are jealous with a world-infected envy of the gifts of others rather than rejoicing in their talents. Where are your thoughts and comments sharp and cutting because of jealousy that spills over. Confess such sins. It is the LORD Who will extend His Church, He is bringing in the saints, through your labor and theirs, so that all of us, empowered by the Spirit should honour the Father for the tremendous privilege of being a workers in vineyard who name the Name of Jesus wherever we go.

The prayer today is the wonderful hymn "From Ocean unto Ocean". It is hard to find a video version of this. I hope you can listen to the music and read the prayer, or sing it! At the link, there is a place where you can click in order to listen to the audio files of this hymn. If not, be blessed by the poetic prayer as you read it.

1 From ocean unto ocean our land shall name you, Lord
and, filled with true devotion, obey your sovereign Word.
Our prairies and our mountains, the forest, fertile field,
our rivers, lakes, and fountains to you shall tribute yield.

2 O Christ, for your own glory and for our country's weal;
we humbly plead before you: yourself in us reveal.
And may we know, Lord Jesus, the touch of your dear hand,
and, healed of our diseases, the tempter's power withstand.

3 Where error smites with blindness, enslaves, and leads astray,
proclaim in loving-kindness your joyful gospel day,
till all the tribes and races that dwell in this fair land,
adorned with Christian graces, within your courts shall stand.

4 Our Savior King, defend us and guide where we should go;
forth with your message send us, your love and light to show,
till, fired with true devotion and kindled by your Word,
from ocean unto ocean our land shall name you Lord.

From Ocean unto Ocean | Hymnary.org

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 22, 2022 -- Proverbs 28:9 -- Prayer and bible reading are tightly connected

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

If one turns away his ear from hearing the law,
   even his prayer is an abomination.
Proverbs 28:9 ESV

If your law had not been my delight,
   I would have perished in my affliction.
Psalm 119:92 ESV

How is prayer connected to the Word of God? These two passages show us the strong link between the believer’s interest in the Word of God and the believer’s prayer life. More than this even, these verses graphically reveals how God reacts to the prayers of the believer who refuses to submit themselves to His Word.

Here in the Old Testament 'the law' refers to the all that God has to say to His people. It is His instruction. It is the pointer to Christ. It is the instruction in holy living. When one neglects the Word of God, then even his prayers are an abomination. That is very strong word!

In the Bible God the LORD calls the sacrifice of a wicked man an abomination (Proverbs 21:27). It is counted as a vile or disgusting thing. Unchastity—sinning sexually—that too is an abomination to the LORD (Leviticus 18:22). It is critical to know what God hates. Those who know God and love Him are compelled by love to honour Him with their lips, life and language.

Ask yourself, what is blocking your prayer life? Is there unconfessed sin? Is your prayer hindered because you are not reading the Bible? Is your prayer life hindered because you have not prayed and the prayerless days have accumulated? Then start once again today. Pick up your conversation with God. Have formal times of prayer and informally, through-out the day, remind yourself He is near, and bless Him, speak to Him, thank Him for whatever is going on in your life.

O LORD, sustain me under my trials
   and improve me through them.
Give me grace to rest in You
   and by Your Word and Spirit
   assure me of Your deliverance.

May my imagination always combine
   Your majesty with Your mercy,
and connect Your goodness with Your greatness.
Then my heart will always rejoice in praise to You! Amen.

https://youtu.be/a6LC8cu03Ig

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 21, 2022 -- II Corinthians 6:1-10 -- The weapons of righteousness

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,

“In a favorable time I listened to you,
    and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
II Corinthians 6:1-10 ESV

Notice the weapons of the Christian who works for God, declaring His salvation to anyone he meets and in whatever circumstance he encounters the one to be evangelized: righteousness. Both the right hand and the left hand are to employ the weapons of righteousness. Righteousness in the life of the Christian is the hour by hour, day by day work of making God’s way his way in every circumstance and at every opportunity. When others slander you, utilizing truthful speech is the weapon of righteousness. When others falsely praise you, flattering in order to make gains for themselves, genuine love is the response of righteousness. Making God’s way one’s own way means to be prepared for a long struggle, so one must have, as verse 4 puts its, great endurance. It is a battle. It is the life-long battle of the Christian to declare the Name of the King of Kings and LORD of lords to a world that hates Him and defies Him.

In the eyes of the world believers have nothing—no position, no power, no wealth, no honour. But as those wielding the weapons of righteousness Christians have everything—life that is secure by the Spirit right now and such life will become eternal life in the New Heavens and the New Earth and this because of the blood of Jesus Christ! There is no greater possession. This is what emboldens Christians to speak. And it is the righteousness of God which covers believers. God’s righteousness is a protection for believers, His goodness poured out in Christ and every divine gift ensured by the Spirit’s presence in the believer. God’s righteousness means judgment and hell for those who oppose God and His people. That is why today is a favorable time. Those who had long fought against Christians, those who were once wicked, are now given an opportunity to lay down their arms and forego their opposition and take up righteousness, in the right hand and their left hand. They would do so because of the persistent testimony of Christians who will not give ground, no matter the hardships, because these Christians had within them the power of God. The day of Jesus' return is very near. When He returns, the Day of Salvation will be gone and every enemy of the King of Glory will be thrown down. Fellow Christians, press on, declare Jesus' goodness. Appeal to the people in your life  so that they will receive the grace of God given in Christ Jesus and this by the power of the Spirit. 

MIGHTY GOD,
I humble myself for faculties misused, opportunities neglected,
words ill-advised,
I repent of my folly and inconsiderate ways,
my broken resolutions, untrue service,
my backsliding steps, my vain thoughts.
O bury my sins in the ocean of Jesus’ blood,
and let no evil result from my fretful temper,
unseemly behavior, provoking pettiness,I
f by unkindness I have wounded or hurt another,
do thou pour in the balm of heavenly consolation;
If I have turned coldly from need, misery, grief,
do not in just anger forsake me:
If I have withheld relief from penury and pain,
do not withhold thy gracious bounty from me.
If I have shunned those who have offended me,
keep open the door of thy heart to my need.
Fill me with an overflowing ocean of compassion,
the reign of love my motive,
the law of love my rule.
O thou God of all grace, make me more thankful,
more humble, inspire me with a deep sense of my unworthiness
arising from the depravity of my nature, my omitted duties,
my unimproved advantages, Thy commands violated by me.
With all my calls to gratitude and joy may I remember
that I have reason to sorrow and humiliation;
O give me repentance unto life;
Cement my oneness with my blessed Lord,
that faith may adhere to Him more immovably,
that love may entwine itself around Him more tightly,
that His spirit may pervade every fibre of my being.
Then send me out to make Him known to my fellow men.
"Humility in Service" Valley of Vision: Carlisle, PA: THE BANNER OF
TRUTH TRUST, 2020, page 326

https://youtu.be/_4W7GjzVwBY

July 19, 2022 -- Ephesians 1:15-16 -- Grace and peace which affect all dimensions of life

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you…
Ephesians 1:15-16a ESV

One of the great privileges of teaching others is the preparation time which is required beforehand. While preparing to teach Ephesians, I have been reading Sinclair Ferguson’s “Let’s Study Ephesians”. His insight on these two verses is this gem: “Authentic Christianity always transforms both the Godward and the manward dimensions of life. Otherwise our professions of faith are hollow” (page 22).

It is something I have witnessed among the new believers in both prison settings and in recovery settings. When men have had their hearts gripped by the blessings which are poured out in Christ Jesus, these men begin to pray and read their bibles. Faith results in a real and true relationship with God (the Godward, or towards God dimension of life). Similarly, and usually around the same time, those who are gripped by Jesus’ grace and who have been given peace with God are kinder to the people around them. So faith impacts the man-directed dimension of life when a man is transformed by Jesus Christ.

Prayer for others has been descried as “love on its knees”, that is, love which bows before God and asks for the blessing of His salvation to be poured out into the lives of others. Dear family in Christ, those gripped by grace and given peace—are you experiencing such a radically changed attitude towards God and others? If so, praise Him. If not, seek the Spirit’s guidance as to what is holding things up for you in that regard. Confess it when it is revealed. And be prepared to be deepened in your walk with God and with others.

Thank You, Father of Glory, that You have raised Your people up in Jesus Christ. Thank You, mighty God, for the presence of Your Spirit within us, so that the grace and peace of salvation, are intermingled with every part of our being and brought out into every part of life. Amen.

https://youtu.be/AG3OZoSXmt0

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 18, 2022 -- Psalm 50:16-23 -- The Merciful Warning of God

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

But to the wicked God says:
    “What right have you to recite my statutes
    or take my covenant on your lips?
17 For you hate discipline,
    and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
    and you keep company with adulterers.

19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil,
    and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
    you slander your own mother's son.
21 These things you have done, and I have been silent;
    you thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.

22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God,
    lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
    to one who orders his way rightly
    I will show the salvation of God!”
Psalm 50:16-23 ESV

Can God the Judge of all the earth be more direct in His accusing?! The words at verse 22 are particularly chilling to the soul—the Almighty One of Heaven and Earth is prepared to tear apart all those who forget Him. Why does He declare this? So that the slanderer and the liar, the wicked and undisciplined, will hear and turn from their wicked ways. The words of warning are in fact mercy-filled so that now is the day of salvation. Now is the day to hear the words of God and turn to Jesus, abandoning sinful ways and as one prayerfully seeks the power of the Spirit he will be made more and more like Jesus.

LORD JESUS,
I sin –  Grant that I may
never cease grieving because of it,
never be content with myself,
never think I can reach a point of perfection.
Kill my envy, command my tongue,
trample down self.
Give me grace to be holy, kind, gentle, pure,
peaceable,
to live for thee and not for self,
to copy thy words, acts, spirit,
to be transformed into thy likeness,
to be consecrated wholly to thee,
to live entirely to thy glory.
Deliver me from attachment to things unclean,
from wrong associations,
from the predominance of evil passions,
from the sugar of sin as well as its gall,
that with self-loathing, deep contrition,
earnest heart searching I may come to thee,
cast myself on thee,
trust in thee, cry to thee,
be delivered by thee.
O God, the Eternal All, help me to know that
all things are shadows, but thou art substance,
all things are quicksands, but thou art mountain,
all things are shifting, but thou art anchor,
all things are ignorance, but thou art wisdom.
If my life is to be a crucible amid burning heat,
so be it,
but do thou sit at the furnace mouth
to watch the ore that nothing be lost.
If I sin wilfully, grievously, tormentedly,
in grace take away my mourning and give me music;
remove my sackcloth and clothe me with beauty;
still my sighs and fill my mouth with song,
then give me summer weather as a Christian.
"PURIFICATION" The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions. Carlisle: PA. The Banner of Truth Trust, 2020, page 146.

https://youtu.be/px-eU1QjQiU

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 16, 2022 -- I Kings 11:9-10 -- God has spoken through His Son, the Radiance of His Glory

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded.
I Kings 11:9-10 ESV

This may be one of the most sobering and difficult passages because it cuts through a romantic, and wrong-headed notion that is so prevalent in the church today. The notion goes something like this: “If God just spoke to me, then I’d have a stronger faith and greater confidence in serving Him!” The LORD of heaven and earth appeared to Solomon twice. Twice the LORD gave great blessings and tremendous promises to King Solomon. Even so, Solomon turned from the LORD and clung to his wives. He built temples and high places for the gods of his wives. Such practices and worship are called “an abomination”. His heart did not remain true to the LORD despite two, no, three visitations.

Perhaps an even greater a tragedy is revealed in the fact that God’s anger and final appearance to King Solomon did not bring him to repentance. Having heard the judgment of the LORD, King Solomon didn’t turn to Him on his knees, repenting in sackcloth and ashes.

The LORD has now spoken to to us in these last days through His Son, Whom He appointed heir of all things. Jesus is the radiance of the Father’s glory (Hebrews 1:2,3). Do you want to know the voice of God? Don't ask for appearances. Don't spend your time longing for visitations--you will miss the avenue He has prepared for you. Listen to the Word of God. Read it. Study it. Humble your heart before the Word, asking for the Spirit's direction and wisdom.

For now this is how God speaks most clearly. The Word of God is made clear to us by the ministering presence of the Holy Spirit. Do not think you are wiser than God, looking for signs or visions. Asking for dreams and visitations is not evidence of a greater faith or more intense believing. It is willfully looking to God and expecting Him to conform to what you want, rather than humbly submitting to Him and receiving from Him the great gifts of His bounty. The radiance of the Father's glory shines forth, are you receiving Him, directed to you in the Word?

God You are perfect of speech and great in giving Your revelation. Thank You for the Word, Jesus Christ, Your perfect revelation, the final Word of glory and Your radiance. Through Jesus, O God, Your throne and the scepter of Your kingdom reveal Your love to the righteous and mete out punishment upon the wicked. Triune God, help Your people to submit to You, reading the Word in reverent awe and humble trust.

Your Ways are highest and most perfect. Let the Word dwell in Your people richly, that believing and walking out such faith, Your people may be anointed with the oil of gladness, and be agents of Your peace as they witness to Your great Name. Amen.

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July 14, 2022 -- John 4:13-14 -- Drawing water from the wells of salvation

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 4:13-14 ESV

Why is it Christians are so haphazard in sharing their faith? Look at the text and see how Jesus describes what happens to the believer who receives the water He gives,. What a description it is! Jesus is a spring of water welling up to eternal life. His life-giving goodness is a fountain that flows through every part of the believer's life. It is the fulfilment of the promises anticipated in Isaiah “the LORD God is my strength and my song and he has become my salvation. With joy you will draw waters from the well of salvation” (Isaiah 12:2b-3 ESV).

Perhaps one of the reasons Christians are not sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ is they are not drawing up the waters of salvation. They are not reading their Bibles regularly. They are not spending time in prayer and seeing how God is so good and so faithful. If one feeds his enthusiasms, the conversations about it will naturally flow. Consider how proud parents show off pictures of their children, talk about their children’s accomplishments and activities and post a procession of pictures on social media. They are constantly drawing on this so that they have much to say and share. Dear fellow believer, could it be that you are not enthusiastic about sharing Jesus in every part of your life because you are not drawing on Him, filling your heart, imagination and soul with His goodness? It is not too late to start. Draw from the well of salvation--with joy, with persistence and find in Him eternal pleasures.

Hear my prayer, O Lord;
    give ear to my pleas for mercy!
    In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
2 Enter not into judgment with your servant,
    for no one living is righteous before you.

3 For the enemy has pursued my soul;
    he has crushed my life to the ground;
    he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit faints within me;
    my heart within me is appalled.

5 I remember the days of old;
    I meditate on all that you have done;
    I ponder the work of your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to you;
    my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah

7 Answer me quickly, O Lord!
    My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
    lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
    for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
    for to you I lift up my soul.

9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord!
    I have fled to you for refuge.
10 Teach me to do your will,
    for you are my God!
Let your good Spirit lead me
    on level ground!

11 For your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life!
    In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
    and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
    for I am your servant.
Psalm 143 ESV

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July 13, 2022 -- Matthew 28:18-20 -- Equipped and Sent

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey all I have commanded you. And surely I am with you even to the end of the age.

Matthew 28:18-20 NIV 1984

Did Jesus qualify this statement by saying, ‘when you have reached a certain
maturity, then you have earned the right to be involved in discipling others’?
We need to remember whom Jesus was talking to. How mature were they?
Judging by their behavior they still had a long way to go. Only weeks before,
they’d all abandoned Jesus and Peter denied Him vehemently.

The verses above contain the clue. We disciple not because we are
especially mature or competent, but because Jesus commands us to make
this our priority. We are able to do so because Jesus gives us all the
resources we need…Over and over Christians who trust God will be amazed
by the words that they hear themselves speak in tough situations. Our wisdom
is limited but God graciously speaks His wisdom through us.
1-2-1 Discipleship. Christine Dillon,
Sevenoaks, Kent, UK: OMF Publishing, 2009 p.42

Dillon’s words are powerful and cut through the many, lame excuses Christians make as to why they are not witnessing or making disciples for Jesus. What you experience right now, where you are in your walk with God, these are of critical importance to someone around you. Be prepared to be used by the Spirit so share your struggles and God’s grace so that others will be drawn to Jesus Christ.

Almighty and everlasting God, the Brightness of faithful souls, fill the world with Thy glory, we pray Thee, and show Thyself, by the radiance of Thy light, to all the nations of the world, through Jesus Christ, our Lord--Amen.
Gregorian Sacramentary, A.D. 590

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July 12, 2022 -- Psalm 51:10-14 -- Healed teachers of transgressors

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
    O God of my salvation,
    and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

Psalm 51:10-14 ESV

This is a well-loved Psalm. It has been set to music in a wide-range of musical styles—yet it seems to me that so many of the settings of this psalm focus on one part of the psalm. Yes, there is a longing and desire for a clean heart. Yes there is a yearning prayer for a clean heart and joy in the presence of the LORD, but that vow to’ teach transgressors Your ways’—somehow that seems to be underemphasized.

Someone who has been healed and restored by God will naturally be a disciple-maker. This happens in the world. A week ago I stopped in a little country store. Wonderful place with a learning centre, teaching about the life-cycle of bees. You could see an active hive, where one wooden side of the hive was replaced with a plexiglass window. Visitors could see the work of the bees in a living, active hive. The store also had all kinds of honey. Then I noticed there was bee pollen. I asked the clerk about it. With the zeal of an evangelist she explained to me the health benefits of bee pollen. What a strong impression this made on me. And it is a helpful illustration, highlighting the point the passage makes.

When the salvation of God has, by the Holy Spirit’s work in the believer’s life, made the forgiveness and healing of God real the newly restored Christian cannot help but share this. The sharing of such Good News is discipleship. It is more than saying “Jesus healed me”, though that is important, the next step is saying, “And I know that He can heal you too”. Here are the benefits of full-life in Christ.

Ever notice how often you meet people who are going through sins right now, the very sins from which the LORD has delivered and cleansed you. Your testimony is especially relevant to the one struggling because you have first hand experience of the healing power of God.

When you explain His healing work you are living as a disciple-maker. This meeting can be a one-time conversation which the Spirit coordinated. Or it can be something formal, like recovery groups. You may meet one on one with the person many times in order to explain more fully the restoring work of God. The point is this: those who are truly healed express it and call others to come to Jesus, the Restorer and Healer. Those who are healed by Jesus are disciple-makers for Christ who make disciples.

Thank You, O LORD, God of Steadfast Love and Mercy, for the healing You have effected in my life! Thank You for the people who regularly pointed me to the Savior, whose testimony was powerful precisely because they had already experienced the healing in the exact areas where I was longing for healing. O God, creator of the clean heart and renewer of the soul, help me to teach transgressors Your ways. Give me a heart quiet enough to be teachable, discerning enough to see, and bold to seize the opportunities to share. Such appointments which You, by Your Spirit, have prepared for the glory of Christ and the healing of sin-weary people. Truly, You are the God of Salvation; the joy of Your people, the Righteous One. Amen.

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July 11, 2022 -- I Corinthians 10:26-27 -- God, Have Your Own Way!

People loved by the Father, by the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body nd keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
I Corinthians 10:26-27 ESV

After the sermon yesterday evening, the minister chose as the hymn of application “Have Thine Own Way, Lord!” Immediately after the service a friend came up to me and noted, "I sang that hymn and my whole being protests. Will I really yield myself that fully to God?"
What an awesome comment. As Christians it is easy to just “go through the motions”.

Paul warned his readers about “just doing churchy things”. He gave two illustrations of how silly that is. You cannot imagine that in the middle of the Olympics one of the marathon runners would just suddenly decide what course he is going to run—you can’t make it up as you go. Either you follow the strict rules of the race, or you are a fool. When two boxers get into the ring, with a huge audience watching, you don’t expect one boxer suddenly turn his back on his opponent and suddenly begin dancing around and making a show of himself. He’ll be knocked out right quick and mocked as a show-off with no brains. The very crowd he was trying to entertain would boo him as a fraud, not a boxer.

Therefore, fellow Christian, keep your body and your mind, your thoughts and your actions under strict control. Merely zigzagging and making a show of the faith is not acceptable. And before you say, well, I’m not a preacher so I don’t have to be worried about being disqualified. Nice try. We are all ambassadors for Jesus. Our lives are a sermon preached to the people around us. Our every action is judged by God and weighed by the people who see us and know us. Get your head and heart into the faith marathon and live for Jesus. May your life cause many around you to see Jesus living in you.

Mighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we candidly confess how readily we follow the impulses of our hearts and go our own way. Forgive us. Redirect us, Father in heaven, by the powerful presence of Your Spirit so that our word and actions reflect our whole-hearted commitment to Jesus Christ. Thank You, O Captain of Salvation, that You do not give up on your people. Amen.

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Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 9, 2022 -- Psalm 46:10 -- Internet outages and stillness

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Be still and know that I am God.
I wlll be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
Psalm 46:10 ESV

On Thursday the internet was intermittent and the phone was unreliable. On Friday morning I was able to send one text and a get on FB, briefly….then everything went down. No phone. No texting. No cable. No TV. No internet. Many credit card transactions and interact transactions failed as well. And who carries cash anymore? What a mess.

Earlier in the day I had been leading Bible study in one of the prisons and noted how all our plans are “if the LORD wills”. One small thing can upset everything. As I drove away from that morning Bible Study I had no cell phone reception, no internet connection and I realized again how true it is—all things human and all the strength we think we can count on are completely unreliable.

So, last night, in the wonderful quiet, I wrote letters and at one point, had a time of singing hymns in praise to God. The stillness, forced upon me as it was, became a precious time. I realized how much time I do actually spend listening to things, scrolling through things, checking the news etc. What a reminder—to be still—to turn off all noises and all distractions and cultivate the awareness of the One Who is all-powerful, Who is worthy of praise.

What a reminder the last 24 hours have been, the LORD will be exalted. When Jesus Christ returns all the man-made things will be thrown down and the terrible splendor of the Savior will be fully revealed. The LORD of Hosts will be exalted! Those who have already stilled and quieted their hearts and enthroned Him as King will shout and dance for joy as they fall to their knees in reverent wonder. Everyone who had tried to drown out the evidence of His majestic splendor, will in the presence of His quiet, dreadful majesty fall to their knees in terror and exalt Him!

This recent outage is a perfect conversation starter about the nearness of Jesus and the frailty of man-made systems. I know anything made-made will be undone. Everything God has done will stand and His glory will be revealed. Are you ready?

God, You are our Refuge and Strength;
You are the very present Help of Your people through-out every day, 
Therefore we will not fear in the day of trouble, 
and we will continually bless and praise You in ordinary times.
Though the world around is limping and tottering to its final end
though nations rage at You
we know there will be a day when You utter a word and all things will be swept away.
Jesus will return on the clouds with all His holy ones
and You, Triune God, will be exalted in the earth, 
You will be exalted among the nations!
Teach us the stillness of heart and peace of mind
which increases such holy anticipation and 
emboldens us to speak of Your glories which are, even now,
all around us.
Amen.
 

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Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.

July 6, 2022 -- Proverbs 3:5-7 -- Trust in the LORD with all your heart

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 3:5-7 ESV

Since I am regularly meeting and mentoring folks who are new to the Christian faith, I often encounter some form of a question that runs along this line: would God really judge my neighbour-lady? She doesn’t go to church (read here, she is not a Christian) but she is so kind and looks after the new immigrants to our community and she has nursed her ailing husband for four years already. The answer: yes, God’s judgement will be measured out against her.

The call placed on every person, near and far, through-out the whole earth is to trust in the LORD with all one’s heart. The only service in life that truly matters is service to the LORD God, the Creator, Sustainer, and King. Anything less than a whole-hearted commitment to Him, as verse 7 bluntly names it, is: evil.

This question of how God can judge good people who do not know Him or serve Him, vexes many people precisely because they are apt to lean on their own understanding. Such people think they understand how the world should function, and impose on it their twisted sense of right and wrong. That is itself a sin, taking some of God’s glory for themselves, as if in this particular area they are gods and it is up to them to decide right from wrong. There is no morally neutral stance, either one relies on his own logic, which is marred and perverted by sin or one relies on the truth of God’s word and examines the world through that lens.

To trust in the LORD is a consuming, life-long activity. To ask the Spirit of God to expose the flaws in your own understanding is part of what it is to be a Christ-follower. When you do so, immediately what follows is the recognition God’s ways are so much higher than the ways of man. Interestingly, it is the LORD’s work to make a man’s life easy or difficult—all with the express purpose of making His glory known and giving every person, every opportunity to turn and recognize Him alone as the Source of all Good.

What a high command has been placed before us at the start of this day: “fear the LORD and turn from evil”. In all things, in every scrutinizing of life, consider what God teaches by the Word. Let the Spirit light up your thoughts so that false or arrogant thinking is exposed and renounced. Be fearful of the insidious, subtle machinations of pride which would infiltrate your thinking and keep you from truly understanding a circumstance or situation—do not rely on your sense of right and wrong, which as past experience has shown you, so often lead you astray. Turn from evil. Confess the places in your life where you have been evil in your words, actions, thoughts, or have been evil by your inaction. Ask the Spirit to reveal the things you don’t want to consider. Know this: it is the delight of God to bring sons and daughters to Himself, reconciling them to Himself on the basis of Jesus’ accomplished work.

Mighty God, even as Your word is laid out for us, we are already wandering in our thoughts, looking for loopholes and different interpretations so that we do not have to scale the impossibly high requirements You set out. Forgive our waywardness and all the crookedness of our thoughts. Thank You, Faithful God, that Your divine power has granted believers all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Christ. Thank You, Spirit of God, for the restraining work You exercise in our lives so that believers' lives will conform more fully to the image and likeness of Christ--our Savior, Example, and King. 

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July 4, 2022 -- I Samuel 21:8-9 -- The LORD's Victories Celebrated

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Then David said to Ahimelech, “Then have you not here a spear or a sword at hand? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.” 9 And the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the Valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it, for there is none but that here.” And David said, “There is none like that; give it to me.”
I Samuel 21:8-9 ESV

Long before David was King of Israel, he served in the court of King Saul. Saul’s heart was turned against David and there were several times when Saul tried to hunt David down in order to kill him. Our reading today is a brief account, when David and his men visit a priest, in order to get some refreshments as they run from Saul. He left the royal court with such haste he had no sword. He kept his business from the priest so that the priest would not be punished for helping David. (Saul later exacted terrible vengeance against the priest and his whole family for helping David--I Samuel 22:6-23. But that is for another time.)

In the past, when David faced a mighty opponent, the LORD had given David great victory. Every single time. One pertinent example: the giant Goliath taunted King Saul and the Israelite army. They’d forgotten the glorious truth, revealed to all Israel at the Exodus, the LORD is a man of war (Exodus 15:3). Every victory is His. Those who follow Him trust in Him and know they are saved. David, trusting in the LORD, faced the giant in battle, and with merely a sling and a stone, the LORD gave David victory over this heavily armed, and armored man.

Now you understand why David rejoiced to see Goliath’s sword. David was reminded of the great victory the LORD had given him when he faced Goliath. Humanly speaking it was a stacked fight. A huge giant against a teen-ager—no contest, the sword-bearing, armor-wearing, battle-hardened giant should have it hands down, the winner. Spiritually speaking, it was a stacked fight, the LORD of Glory, Who spoke creation into being, can with a word uncreate or tear down. No power, no domination, no enemy can stand against Him. David was reminded, at a critical moment in his life that it is the LORD, He triumphs gloriously., “in the greatness of Your majesty You overthrow Your adversaries” (Exodus 15:7).

All of this points to Jesus’ great victory at the cross. There He disarmed the enemy. There all of Satan’s accusations against Christians lost their power because Christ was punished in the place of His Own. No enemy, no opponent, no matter how powerful, has any traction against a Christian, for the Christian to live is Christ and to die is gain.

What trophies of God’s grace and victory do you see in your life? You might be facing a very hard time right now. Maybe you are rattled in your battle against evil and old sins. What sign of God’s victory do you have near at hand that makes your rejoice? Perhaps you see the certificate of your profession of faith nearby. God drew you to Himself, conquering all doubts, so you boldly declared Him your King. Maybe you see a Cannabis Store, and you are reminded God has given you victory over all your addictions. Maybe today you look at the wedding band on your finger and know, the LORD preserved you, both of you actually, so that you are on solid ground. The LORD will reign forever and ever! Blessed be the Rock of our Salvation.

O LORD,
Bend my hands and cut them off,
for I have often struck thee with a wayward will,
when these fingers should embrace thee by faith.
I am not yet weaned from all created glory,
honour, wisdom, and esteem of others,
for I have a secret motive to eye my name
in all I do.
Let me not only speak the word sin,
but see the thing itself.
Give me to view a discovered sinfulness,
to know that though my sins are crucified they are never wholly mortified.
Hatred, malice, ill-will, vain-glory that hungers for and hunts after
man’s approval and applause,
all are crucified, forgiven, but they rise again in my sinful heart.
O my crucified but never wholly mortified sinfulness!
O my life-long damage and daily shame!
O my indwelling and besetting sins!
O the tormenting slavery of a sinful heart!
Destroy, O God, the dark guest within
whose hidden presence makes my life a hell.
Yet thou hast not left me here without grace;
The cross still stands and meets my needs
in the deepest straits of the soul.
I thank thee that my remembrance of it
is like David’s sight of Goliath’s sword
which preached forth thy deliverance.
The memory of my great sins, my many temptations,
my falls, bring afresh into my mind the remembrance of thy great help,
of thy support from heaven,
of the great grace that saved such a wretch as I am.
There is no treasure so wonderful
as that continuous experience of thy grace toward me
which alone can subdue the risings of sin within:
Give me more of it.
"The Dark Guest" ed: A. Bennett, The Valley of Vision: Puritan Prayers and Devotions. Carlisle, PA: THE BANNER OF TRUTH TRUST, 2020, page 126

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July 2, 2022 -- Matthew 22:35-40 -- Wisdom and soul-winning

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:35-40 ESV

When you argue a point of Christianity on FB, do you argue as one who loves God and earnestly loves your readers? I fear this has been a failing of my own recently. It is the hallmark of Jesus, that He loved the people He spoke with and always told the truth. C. H. Spurgeon, in his book The Soul Winner gives this challenging illustration:

One fellow asked, “Did he preach a good sermon?”

The person replied, “What he said was very good.”

“But did you benefit from the sermon?”

“No, not in the slightest.”

“Wasn’t it a good sermon?”

Again the person said, “What he said was very good.”

“What do you mean? If what the preacher said was very good, why didn’t you benefit from the sermon?”

The listener explained it this way. “I didn’t benefit, because I didn’t believe in the man who delivered it. He was simply an actor performing a part. I didn’t believe he felt what he preached, and I don’t think he cared whether or not we felt or believed it.”
C. H. Spurgeon, The Soul Winner, page 59

What a heart-piercing illustration. Are we merely winning an argument? Are we merely making a point, so sharp you don’t care who is cut or hurt?

The God of Salvation sent Jesus, True God, True Man, to put flesh on His love and appeal to His people in deeply personal ways. This same God has poured out His Spirit so that believers will, like Jesus, make a flesh and blood, gracious, urgent appeal, leave your life of sin and follow Jesus. Do people hear your testimony and see you are living what you are saying what. Believers are called to live Gospel truth with deep love and compassion for their hearers. You are the only Bible many people will read—are you portraying the love of the Triune God so souls are won for Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, so the glory of the Father?

God of Perfect Justice and Perfect Love, You have declared,
   “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life;
    and he who is wise wins souls”.
Triune God, help us, Your children in Christ, to be both righteous and wise.
   May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
   be pleasing in your sight,
   LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Prayer based on Proverbs 11:30 ESV and Psalm 19:14 NIV.

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July 1, 2022 -- II Timothy 4:1-5 -- Evangelism and Canada Day

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
II Timothy 1-5 ESV

Happy Canada Day!

The focus of my week has been to read books that will help me sharpen my skills as a disciple-maker who makes disciple-making disciples for Jesus. One of the books I just read is Greg Laurie's Tell Someone. He notes that when people are fishing they “chum the waters”. I'll let him explain:

Make a spiritual point, and see if they respond.
In fishing terms, it’s calling “chumming”.
That’s when you
throw some bait or other things
into the waters to attract fish.
G. Laurie, “Tell Someone” page 57

You’ll note from our text today Christians are commanded to speak the Good News of Jesus wherever they are. In this celebratory season, spiritually chum the waters. Today offers all kinds of rich opportunities to do so. Here are some conversation starters, that allow you, fellow Christian, to chum the waters for Jesus.

Did you ever consider the fact that our National Anthem is overtly Christian—”God keep our land glorious and free”? Discuss

Did you know that the fourth stanza of the poem which formed the basis of our national anthem is a prayer? Stanley Weir wrote four stanzas for his poem, O Canada. The last stanza reads:

Ruler Supreme Who hearest humble prayer
Hold our dominion within Thy loving care
Help us to find, O God, in Thee
Our lasting rich reward,
As waiting for the Better Day,
We ever stand on guard.
You can see the Christian hope for a new heaven and a new earth and the appeal to the Living God of glory to guard our land and her people in His Sovereign care.

Stanley Weir, the author of the English version of the Canadian National Anthem, was born in Hamilton (November 15, 1856) and later moved to Montreal. He was an acclaimed judge, recognized for his skills in municipal law, and a poet (he died August 20, 1926). Hearing what you just have about the background to this well-loved poem, do you think Canada is more open to such overtly Christian themes, or less open? Is this good or bad? Why?

No doubt there are a few spiritual conversation starters there.

Lord, never let us fall into the trap of thinking
it is ever too late.
That we have done anything so wrong,
that we have said anything so hurtful,
that we have sinned so boldly
as to miss the opportunity to be known and loved by You.
Teach us to not argue with our neighbors,
but to love them the way Jesus loved.
You’ve modeled the way;
now give us strength to imitate You.
In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.
G. Laurie, page 70

https://youtu.be/AUdMMUUYXKs

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June 29, 2022 -- I John 3:8 -- Conversion

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
I John 3:8 ESV

Many of you are likely aware that this week is, for me, a reading week. I am focused on the theme of “making disciples who make disciples”. It is wonderful, refreshing and very challenging. Right now I am reading Charles H. Spurgeon’s classic “The Soul Winner”. Spurgeon is making a strong case for the fact that one who is in Christ is a new creation—sin is thrown down.

One of Spurgeon’s illustrations is very sharp, and appropriate.
   A Christian professes to renounce his sin. If he doesn’t do so,
   his very name is a deception. A drunken man came up to
   Rowland Hill, one day, and said,
   “I am one of your converts, Mr. Hill.”
   “I suppose you are,” the shrewd and sensible preacher replied,
   “But you are certainly not one of the Lord’s, or you
   would not be drunk.”
   We must practically test all our work this way,”
C. H. Spurgeon, The Soul Winner, page 24

Those who have been Christians for a long time must not become lax in their fierce dedication to the holiness of the Living God. We are commanded to be pure, not giving any part of our life back to the slavery of sin. Those who are new converts show their radical change by the in which old sins become abhorrent. The Bibles does not pull punches on this score. Those who are in Christ, no longer toy with sin. When Christ takes of a man by the Holy Spirit, the man leaves sinful ways and follows Christ the King.

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
    and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Today's prayer is Psalm 51:1-7 ESV

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June 28, 2022 -- Philemon 4-6 -- The blessings given to believers who witness

People loved by the Father, in the power of the Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.
Philemon 6

How many times have I read the little letter to Philemon (it is only 25 verses long) and never had verse 6 stand out to me like it does today? Look at it again. As believers share their faith, this act of obedience to Jesus in the power of the Spirit, has the effect of increasing our knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. If you find your faith is lacking, perhaps one reason is that you are not sharing your faith. As you declare to others the truth of Jesus Christ, He makes Himself more fully known.

1. Those you are witnessing to will have questions. As you answer their questions you may find your own faith enriched, you are putting things together by the gracious presence of the Spirit and on the spot you see things you had not seen before.

2. As you witness, you realize how much you believe and how precious is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

3. As you witness, the Spirit shows you how the Word of God is sharp as a two-edged sword, cutting through lies and excuses and exposing sin. The one who is hearing your witness will have much exposed, and you, as the one witnessing, will be reminded of the holiness of God. This may even result in your examining your own life, finding areas and things which need to be expelled so that in your thoughts and actions God is honored and praised.

4. Witnessing comes as a result of praying—are you praying for your unsaved co-workers, neighbours, salesmen, family members and friends?

5. Sharing your faith is an act of love. Hell is real. The eternal punishment of God against sinners is a dreadful thing to contemplate. Consider these words: “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon).

6. Not all whom you speak to will believe. Do not be discouraged. The point is your obedient love to Jesus, not notching your belt with adulation, as if getting people to believe were a conquest. It is not your conquest, it is the victory of Christ, through the power of the Spirit and such who believe bring honor and glory to the Father. Do not be discouraged by a “no”. It takes multiple invitations for a hard-heart to become yielded to Jesus. You may be the first or second person, in a chain of many, prepared by the Father so a wayward sinner will come home to His open arms.

Thank You, Faithful Father, for those You raised up in my life who overcame their fears and witnessed to me, sharing their love of Jesus with such boldness and joy, that I too became His follower. Father, forgive me for the times I have been prayerless, not sharing my faith, not taking hold of the full knowledge of Jesus Christ offered to believers who in obedience to You, witness, sharing their love of Jesus and confident hope in all His promises. Direct me, by Your Spirit in obedience to Your word and in view of the promised blessings in store for those who share their faith, so that I will both fervently pray for and actively witness to those whom You bring to heart and mind. In my life, in Your Church, in this world, Triune God, be glorified, now and always. Amen.

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