Epitome

Encountering God

2012-01-28T20:41:00.004+08:00

“From one ancestor God made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us.”

~Acts 17:26-27 (NRSV)

As a sequel to The Nearness of God, where verse 27 above is poignant, we need to seek the Lord and find him, continually.

We find the context, of course, with the Apostle Paul making his speech at the Areopagus in Athens, regarding the altar with the inscription, “To an unknown god.” His intention is to boil all their myriad deity down to one God—the Creator; of all things.

Isn’t it revealing to compare that day with ours—with the prevalence of horoscope, New-Age faiths, tarot, Feng shui, etc. Our society, as far as religion is concerned, is really no different to Athens or any other learned society. The more self-sufficient we get, the harder it is to ‘attain’ God.

God will not be found anywhere other than by faith that’s truth-based. The only ‘god’ worth seeking and finding is one steadfast in love and abounding in grace; the God of truth and all wisdom.

What It Takes To Seek And Find GOD

The Greek equivalent to the word “grope,” which Paul uses, has a philosophical association—“to reach out for God”—that goes back to Plato; it has the sense of vague guesses at the truth. We might liken this to how we viewed God before our first encounter and, indeed, to the many experiences where God feels absent. Our groping feels in the dark, but we must continue to grope.

For most people to encounter God there is the need to grope in order to find; though, as Paul mentions, the Lord is never far from each of us.

The Lord is close and closer than we can imagine, but central to revelation is in understanding our Place. Where we struggle with Place we struggle with finding God.

Understanding Place

In inside-out form (in discussing verse 26 after verse 27) it is, perhaps, necessary to understand and accept that proof of one Creator—as was Paul’s mission to convince his contemporary hearers—centres on the fact that we have been placed in our lives, geographically and to familial ends, and there are boundaries.

That there is a system in place to check, and control, our way in this world, and that no one is beyond such a system, reveals a divine order sacrosanct to life itself. We are here, at this time, in this place, by no accident.

Understanding and accepting our Place—by steering clear of envious comparisons, discontented complaint, and resisting moral compromise, whilst reconciling our states of discord—is truly a nucleic condition for encountering God.

The Lord of All Glory cannot be known to anyone unrepentant of heart—truthful to the core of their being.

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Pivotal to encounters with God is the humble acceptance, however painful it may be, of our Place in life right in the instant. When we are on such terms for truth, the Lord comes close, providing strength and grace and light for hope.

General Reference: David J. Williams, Acts – New International Biblical Commentary (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers/Paternoster Press, 1985, 1990), p. 307.

The Nearness of God

2012-01-28T10:34:00.001+08:00

“God is always ready, but we are very unready. God is near us, but we are far from Him. God is within, and we are without. God is friendly; we are estranged.”

~Meister Eckhart

The easiest thing in the world, we make the hardest. The closest thing to each of us, personally, might as well be eons away. There is a polar dissimilarity between the nearness of God and the distance we have with ourselves. Something so abundantly close evades our attention because we either look too deeply, too scientifically, or we don’t look at all.

Yet, even believing ones can, and often do, miss the point of God: the nearness of God.

Trusting What We Already Know

Somehow, deep within our spirits, nestles the secret fact of God, one we’ve been searching for.

Perhaps the questions of life have plagued us to such an extent, we’re riddled with doubt or frustration with God or fatigue has beset us—it seems too hard, too meaningless, or too tritely bemusing, to continue this search.

God seems never more distant. The more we look, the less we find.

Despite what we might think, these feelings have a viral commonness about them; many people, indeed most, have significant periods where God failed to show up. We are not alone. Our Lord

Could it be we’re making the search more onerous than it needs to be?

Our Lord hides in such a way so as to be found by those who earnestly seek him; he remains hidden to all others.

Trusting what we already know is nothing about the knowledge of God we’ve learned from books or sermons or speeches or the devotional life. As we read Meister Eckhart’s quote again we know God already; the Deep Mystery belongs within us. All the uncertainty, vacancy, hurts for betrayal, jealousies, and confusion (and suchlike) reveal our need of God, and the Lord is there to assuage all these things and more; to help us redeem our moments—those moments only the Creator can give.

All the things that are wrong about us, and life, lead us to God; simply the fact that we are frustrated by what is wrong is the intention of Divine allure. We’re being led by these difficulties toward the solution—a solution none without God can find.

‘Proving GOD’ Is Ridiculous

Anyone setting out on a journey to prove or disprove God is found in themselves a person running away from their very self. They are like a dog deluded by the threat or the game involved in chasing its tail.

We can suppose some will make a sport of proving God—some maliciously, like the atheist on mission, and some benevolently, in evangelistic pursuit of souls for God.

But the ordinary person has no role, unless they would waste their lives, chasing after proof, for or against. They would be better served getting to know their inner selves—for, in that, a most fruitful spiritual search, they will find God. The Lord will prove Divine existence.

No One Makes Life Easier Than GOD

When we ponder the vastness of life outcomes, those deliciously fine to those horrendously broken, and the infinite nuances between—within the mix spoken of above—we find God makes life easier for each one who believes.

There is nothing else known or unknown in this world that does this, and does it, with truthful veracity, with our best interests at heart. Whatever our circumstance, the Lord can make it easier, better, more meaningful and fulfilling.

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God is near, always. Ready to help, to love, to forgive, to ease our burdens, making sense of life: these are found in a God ever so near as to be within us.

Psalm 101 – The Prayer of Recommitment

2012-01-27T06:34:00.003+08:00

“I will sing of loyalty and of justice;

to you, O Lord, I will sing.”

~Psalm 101:1 (NRSV)

Perhaps a dozen or more times I have recommitted my faith before God; once so seriously it literally upended my life—from nearly 13 years of trying hard to live faithfully (and failing dismally in that) overnight I discovered grace. The difference between before and after was like chalk and cheese. Yet, there have been other times when the process of recommitment was just as significant, albeit less sweeping change took place; they were nudges along my journey.

Reading Psalm 101, which is a Royal psalm, we get the distinct impression that David has had enough of his own double standards—repulsed as he is, it seems, by his sin—and takes the direct and desperate step to start afresh with God in this prayer.

The Nature Of David’s Problems

It is necessary before we plunge into discussion regarding prayers of recommitment that we learn a little of the King’s distressing context.

David, with little doubt, was beset by a political world frequently beyond him—having court and duty with many he found he couldn’t trust, as well as dealing with other monarchs and political leaders that didn’t share David’s faith and allegiance to the Lord. It might have been like a recovering alcoholic having to enter a bar every day in order to do their work. It is difficult to lead a pious life in a secular world.

We can therefore sense this was probably not the first recommitment David made and it wouldn’t have been his last.

David’s Recommitments And Ours

We might reasonably ask, what is the substance of recommitment?

David commences no less than eight lines of the psalm with the promise, “I will.” Nothing is more of a recommitment than such a plain pledge. There are also three other direct vows (verses 3b, 7-8), bringing the total of renewed caveats to eleven.

We might get the impression, though, that such an exhaustive list of pledges reveals many things from the depth of David’s self-enquiry, to the extent of his repugnance for his sin, to the sheer weightiness of such a list of promises—if we made eleven such promises we might be daunted by our ability to carry through and deliver on each promise.

The latter issue is the key; ardent recommitments, when prayed ultra seriously, carry the burden for change. We would only despise ourselves if we failed to keep the strength of the recommitment. One recommitment is enough for anyone. Yet, with God, anything is possible (Luke 1:37).

The burden of recommitment is supported only by practical changes in our modus operandi. We can only presume that David implemented sweeping change, at a Kingdom level, having stated so fervently his recommitments.

Understanding The Role Of Grace Within Recommitment

Whilst burden is our portion of the work within recommitment, our Lord runs forward of us by his portion of grace.

Sanctification is the process we speak of here; the gradual refining of our characters in order that we might meet the will of God within the lives God has placed us in. Not all the real work is borne by us; grace is the ever-powerful component sponsoring the ardency of our efforts.

The Lord, here, looks to the sincerity underpinning our recommitment and adds grace in proportion. God is not hard to please here—there will most certainly be an abundance of power that will go with us into this next part of the journey to the extent of our earnestness.

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Recommitting to God empowers faith by our sincerity combined with God’s grace. The power within grace will not delay—and it is great, that power! New life flourishes amid recommitment.

The Shelter of the LORD

2012-01-26T18:57:00.001+08:00

“Seek the Lord, all you humble ones of the earth

who are determined to do as he decides;

seek righteousness,

seek humility.

Perhaps you may be covered in the day of the Lord’s anger.”

~Zephaniah 2:3 (Moyter)

We tend to gloss over such Scripture as Zephaniah, where the descriptions of the Day of the Lord conspire against happy-clappy praise and veiled thanksgiving.

Sometimes we are seduced by a feel-good Christianity that serves no purpose at all in lauding God to the ends of face-down devotion. The church, it seems, has many apostates proffering the message of cheap grace—a one-sided, glorious salvation with little emphasis on Judgment. It is easy to understand; it’s an unpopular message.

This is why the Minor Prophets have a key, ongoing role in correcting our rose-coloured theology.

As a collective, they highlight an irrevocable truth—we fall short of God and must, thereby, repent. Where we forget such a truth, we are unprepared for the Day of the Lord.

There are three invocations in preparing for such a calamitous reality:

Seek The Lord

The target of this prophecy is, no doubt, the people of God—but they are called, particularly, to the adornment of their souls in both true lowliness and consummate determination: in certitude for the impending Day of the Wrath.

Determination of obedience—the aberrantly patient seeking of God’s face—is to be priority-one, motivated by honest reflection: barring reconnection in Jesus, we are a long way from the holiness of the Lord. We are to be ardent in our faith.

Desiring God is realised in seeking righteousness and humility.

Seek Righteousness

What is a seriously misunderstood concept will lead inevitably to the most adroit humility expected of the saints of God.

Having sought the Lord with a devotion unparalleled to prior personal experience—implicit perhaps for fear of the Day—and taking no chances regarding allegiance—God’s Spirit implicates and convicts the heart. True righteousness before God, nothing like self-righteousness, is the terrible though liberating realisation of the personal human condition. The sinner needs saving and they know it.

Seeking righteousness is walking out on apostasy—it takes all of our lukewarm ambivalence toward God and replaces it with the sharpness of true understanding; then enters humility.

Seek Humility

Fundamental truths need to be magnified; the Lord will not destroy the broken and contrite (Psalm 51:16-17). On the Day of the Lord the humble will be saved; not those who proudly parade their humility, but the lowly ones who know their place.

Humility is not thinking of ourselves less, per se, but agreeing to see ourselves truly in the light of God. It is not thinking of others more, but seeing all of life as much as it truly is.

When we see life in the light of God, and as much as we can in the way it truly is, again we are compelled to see our sinfulness, God’s perfection, and the enormity of Divine grace. We have been saved!

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Combining these three imperatives—to seek God, his righteousness, and true humility—provides a wonderful backdrop to the protection afforded the genuine follower of the Lord.

With eyes only for their God, and truth as a Spiritual witness, they are led into the humility that draws God’s blessing. Together these three speak of drawing ever near in Shelter.

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When we humble ourselves before God, seeking truth and humility, we procure Divine Shelter of the Lord. Let us ensure we are alert; the time is at hand when we will need it.

General Reference: J. Alec Moyter, “Zephaniah” in The Minor Prophets: An Exegetical & Expository Commentary – Vol. 3 (Ed. Thomas Edward McComiskey) (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House Company, 1998), pp. 913, 925-28.

The Spirit’s Gentle Whispers – Part 1

2012-01-26T08:48:00.002+08:00

This, below, is the first part of a new monthly series; a collection of ideas received from God and faithfully taken down.

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Stay close to the middle. Humanity has a way of straying from the path of wise accord. It’s good to remember this, daily, moment by moment.

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Life has a natural pace. Find it as it makes itself known. This pace is not deceptive. When we slow down we detect it.

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Do things properly, first time, because shortcuts are the long way around.

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Wisdom is deciding now, by our actions, what we wish to be reciprocated to us later.

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Don’t let others force the pace when it rushes things unnecessarily.

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We lack wisdom by the things of God that don’t even enter our minds because our hearts don’t discern them. The heart is ever close to God or far away; this is either very good or very bad.

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Pick only those fights that can be won. Getting anxious over unwinnable contests is a waste of time, emotion, and effort, and it’s upsetting for everyone, barring the enemy.

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We learn once, or we learn again and again. The best thing is it’s our choice.

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Make this moment work now; there’s no winding the clock back—the inevitable human curse; the clock cannot be wound back!

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What’s the hurry? The world doesn’t change that quickly. Control the imagination.

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What point is there in enabling negative behaviours in others? Why be just as much to blame?

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Hard work outsmarts talent.

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Pray daily; more if the need prevails. Prayer is the only way to ask for God’s help.

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Making a contribution means adding value every step... that opportunity abounds, today.

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Don’t make comparisons or you will always be ahead or behind. Winning and losing are both lies. Prefer truth—compare self with God. That is sure to redeem thoughts for humility.

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Find moments for reflection. The best of the personal life is found in such moments.

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Truth or lies—it’s a momentary choice.

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Look around you for what might actually be seen.

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Extending respect allows opportunities and freedom for such love to be returned.

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Peace is secured when we think at depth about others’ lives—and that aloneness engenders humility which, in turn, promotes learning.

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Our biggest problems emanate from the things we hold onto. We can let go of these any time; God has promised to help us. Letting go is a universal and constant human need. There is no shame in it; only liberation of spirit. Claim freedom: let go.

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Want improvement? Make a list; get in queue.

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Add to the vision of any of your goals that you plan to still be alive ten years from now—the work done now is worth it.

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Starting, however daunting, is always better than ending—as birth is better than death. But death is also the birth into life eternal. Don’t be afraid of starting things.

Abiding the Fire of Refinement

2012-01-25T08:01:00.003+08:00

“... everything that can withstand fire, shall be passed through fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless it shall also be purified with the water for purification; and whatever cannot withstand fire, shall be passed through the water.”

~Numbers 31:23 (NRSV)

We might uncommonly experience the rousing of the Lord to the extent of the waking terror of fear, the reproach of trial, or the dryness of his absence; these, and more, are indicators of the fire of refinement, and those times we cannot withstand fire, the Lord knows; we are passed through the purifying water.

This sort of theology—the portions of refinement resplendent in faith—are crucial to our belief, because God will not save us from trial; indeed, it is central to our development in growth, and in relationship with him.

Real Reason For Faith

Those given to atheism, and varying degrees of unbelief, have no idea what they are missing out on when belief in God converts to strength in polarising weakness.

We might contend with them that the existence of God—scientific proof of same—is irrelevant when we have the tools for life: strength and hope in place of weakness and despairing; grace to forgive because we have been forgiven; knowledge of eternity, not merely this passing human world, etc.

The list goes on regarding reasons for faith.

One repeated reading of Romans chapter 8, even to the uninitiated, sparks the level of intrigue regarding the victorious life—not because we have no trials, but because we do!

The real reason for faith is first true resilient survival—to embrace life, accepting many things will not be to our liking; that God loves us still, and helps us, in the groaning of our spirits. This stowed, we thrive.

Water And Fire

Within the context of our living circumstances, we face our triumphs and tragedies with water and fire; water will purify the gleaning of faith in the presence of blessing, and fire will serve as a vehicle through which our faith is grown—despite our reticence to be there, for no one likes being burned.

This spiritual fire that we run through will not condemn us nor kill us, but it will burn off deficiencies—if we will let God have access. Trials are opportunities. If the fire is too much, at any time, we are spared and purified with water.

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Faith is urgent in this. It presses us through many challenges and it takes us through the fire of refinement until we are strengthened. Weakness is what we should bear through the fire. Weakness, before God, will gain for us, strength.

Psalm 66 – God Has Listened To Prayer

2012-01-24T18:23:00.002+08:00

“Come and hear, all you who fear God,

and I will tell what he has done for me...”

“... truly God has listened...”

~Psalm 66:16, 19a (NRSV)

To the redemptive genre this psalm belongs. The exhilarated mood of the psalmist ripples throughout as they consider what they’ve been brought through. Proof of God is never more poignant than through the answering of prayer—especially that which is bellowed from the depths of Sheol.

As with Psalm 65, the praise felt through this psalm elicits the supreme sense of thankfulness.

Singing Praises To God

The first four verses issue the imperative for the whole community of God to proclaim aloud: “How awesome are God’s deeds...!”

The psalmist commences in the most general way; that praise and worship are utterly befitting, almost as if there is excitement beyond reason—for the reason will follow as the psalm continues, at the psalmist catches his breath.

As a song this psalm is so majestically pristine it demands a lengthy audition to find music worthy of the delicacies of classical passion for the Divine evoked.

Praises are sung, most fundamentally, because of the faithfulness of God—to execute power in the midst of enemies and, in this way, prayers have been listened to and answered.

Come And See What God Has Done!

Following the urgent call to worship come the first of the direct invitations to get nearer and see, to behold no less, that which God alone has done.

The Exodus is remembered (verses 5-7). Our contemporary way is to forget the importance of the Exodus to the people of Israel; it was as important to them, in recalling the faithfulness of God, as Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection is for us. See what God has done!

God’s Faithfulness Involves Testing

A false teacher of God either dismisses testing, highlighting the bliss of Christian living to the exclusion of trials, or they major too much on it. The truth is somewhere in the middle.

The psalmist takes a breath here (verses 8-12) to reconcile before the throng that God does test his people for faithfulness. Whilst we have been tested, tried as silver is tried, the Lord has not let our feet slip. He has allowed us to be burdened, to be submitted to the fire and raging waters, and still we have found our way out to a spacious place.

Cognisance of testing is actually replete with blessing; that God qualifies us as worthy (Acts 5:41) to be tested—for the demonstration of our obedience and the growing of our faith.

Bring Sacrifices Of Praise And Thanksgiving

Upon reflection of the deeds of God to save us when our existence led the peril, there is the mood of sacrifice—no burnt offerings, per the psalmist, just praise and thanksgiving; to experience the exhilaration of spiritual victory.

Truly, God Does Listen – God Does Answer Prayer

The psalm has continued to reduce from the general call to worship, to recollection of national redemption (the Exodus), to personal reflections of faith.

Faith, again, never becomes more relevant or more personal than via the sincerity of prayer in the case of dire need—where physical or spiritual life depended on it.

God is thanked for two facts: the Lord has not rejected the psalmist’s prayer, or removed his steadfast love in any way.

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When God answers prayer, and it’s a fact he does, we feel buoyant beyond belief. This is a spiritual experience of salvation; nothing can explain it and nothing can beat it.

Psalm 65 – Song of Joy for God’s Blessings

2012-01-23T20:50:00.002+08:00

“Praise is due to you,

O God, in Zion;

and to you shall vows be performed,

O you who answer prayer!”

~Psalm 65:1-2a (NRSV)

Psalms like this brighten our darkest mood. They furnish the soul with life-giving buoyancy when otherwise we are sinking. They engage our hearts for passion and joy, replacing dolour and numbness, even for one relieving moment. God speaks through them, singing to our hearts: the Song of Salvation.

The Plain Deeds Visible In Creation

Much of this psalm is devoted to lauding the majesty of Divine action within the corpus of creation. These deeds of the Almighty—that mean, for us, life—are seen for their saving nature:

Verse 5 speaks of the triple-horn: deliverance, salvation, and hope. It is a beautiful introductory verse for the rest of the psalm that sets about praising the Lord for the wonder and might of Divine work in creation.

God shows Divine strength in creating the mountains; the roaring waves are silenced, as are the groans of the people, by a peace-placating God; much of humanity, those living all over the earth, are awestruck by the everyday signs of the Creator; this Creator provides all the earth’s needs—including humanity’s; even the smallest of cares is considered and catered for; the brilliance of the meandering hills and valleys, and the pastures of the wilderness, overflow.

Living decadence is the gracious manner of the land—and all because of God.

The Song For Joy Is The Bout For Praise

When we revert back from the end of the psalm and read the beginning over again, we find annotations of praise abounding in, and implicit within, this Song of Joy. The psalmist is on no fancy of intoxication, other than having been filled to the brim by the Spirit of Life.

The singing of joyous praises from verse 5 onwards was generated by the first four verses.

And why is this so? God answers prayer (verse 1) and he forgives our transgressions when they overwhelm us (verse 3). The Lord makes those happy that he brings near; within the courts of God is satisfaction (verse 4).

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Finding hope within God’s Word is not such a challenge when we stumble across this psalm. It will help us see the majesty of God in creation; as the Lord provides.

When we trust God to provide all we need we will also see how this Lord provides to the extent of the entire creation. Praise is due to God for all this. The level and detail of Divine provision is astounding; the depths of which cannot be plumbed.

Indebtedness – Elixir for Self-Pity

2012-01-22T19:00:00.002+08:00

“Self-pity in its early stage is as snug as a feather mattress. Only when it hardens does it become uncomfortable.”

~Maya Angelou

It’s a sneaky thing; pity of the personal kind. Beyond the empathy expected of genuinely caring others it’s taken along the continuum of calamity and strains respect for common rapport. No sound-minded person enjoys a pity-party in full swing.

Indebtedness, on the other hand, is the heart heavy amid not concern but thankfulness.

It is a generous portion of life, full of hope and poise. Indebtedness is solemnity at the darkest hour and it is also ready to run fully braced with conviction in the race for moral unity. It has the sacrifice of others ineradicably front of mind.

Indebtedness is a mood beyond the insult that is self-pity.

Excused for Self-Pity

Of course, we’re all excused for motives and acts of self-pity. It will happen. We will fall for it. And, indeed, it will even be consciously undertaken—more times than we’ll be able to count.

Temptations to seek for ourselves are wired into the temperament of the human spirit.

It’s forgivable that normal persons are given to behave in ways that they feel. The brain, such as it is, is capable of so much more, but alas it’s most instinctively given to the ease of self-pity, to guilt, and to flash responses that are usually regretful.

Nobody is immune. All are imperfect and stand before God blemished if not for the love of a Saviour who imputes perfection over them. And still we will sin. The indebtedness we might strive for will constantly elude; but we must continue to chase hard after it, not becoming frustrated and overwhelmed, just accepting of our innate flaws and continuing to strive anyway.

Sowing into Indebtedness

The more we invest ourselves into the gravity of life, the more God will bless us with reflections warranted of truth, light, hope and maturity.

Never will we be healed of our selfish desires; they so creep up when we’re unconscious of them. This is why it is all the more important to be determined to do better—to not be perfect—just to do better.

Rather than spinning our wheels in frustrated impotence, jaded at instances where self-pity gets the better of us, it’s better to sow positively into a gentler indebtedness. That is, learning the depth of capability available to human thought and experience in a realm of existence created by God.

In indebtedness we have a word that will resound through space and time, to capture a flavour of capacity knowable to humankind. There are no depths that can be plumbed, but the deeper we go the farther consciousness of self-pity is.

Running the Race of Redemption

2012-01-22T07:34:00.004+08:00

“Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.”

~1 Corinthians 9:24 (NRSV)

As Christians, we run to receive a prize which we have already won—our salvation that was won, and is continually so, by grace through faith.

So, why would we need to run in a race where only one would receive the prize?

The short passage of 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 is motivating us not to be in competition against others, as if heaven were a place only for one “winner,” but to be in competition with ourselves—by the moral portions of self-control for the Gospel’s sake.

Living Life In Live Time

It may be so clichéd it loses its impact, but really life is no dress rehearsal, though some people have referred to it as a dress rehearsal for heaven—which it may very well be; that life is about perfecting our imperfect characters, here while we can.

Life is real and we bypass so many opportunities to be obedient when we lack self-control.

The Apostle Paul’s only goal was preaching the gospel—and to that end he enslaved his body that it might serve him and that purpose. He chose weakness and paucity and otherwise to win a position best placed to preach, openly, the good news of Jesus Christ our Lord.

We may not be preachers of the Gospel as Paul was, but we have the same aim.

When that is our goal, our very aim—to live for Christ—we do inordinate things that might be deemed eccentric, but are willed of God, in order that we would remain qualified, as we would discern qualification, for the heavenly prize.

Living life in, what I term, live time, is about understanding even a fragment of the scope and capacity of present time and our ability to act in it. We have been given this God-anointed Power to live and breathe and work and enjoy and love people. We have total freedom in that—freedom enough even to reject fanciful lifestyles in order to self-qualify-in-obedience for salvation living.

Running The Race Against Ourselves

Could it be that we run this race not against other people as competitors, but against ourselves? That we are competing on a race track called “control.”

We run in a way to be winning when we wrest control from external means, choosing for Power—provided by the Holy Spirit—and reduce that external control to nothingness for God. That is, we take the worldly extravagance in the lifestyles we lead and we make such elements of extravagance null.

In this, we gain Power. Such self-control remits a persuasive God-weighted self-confidence; that we are on track, on time, to qualify for the moment’s salvation.

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We are running the race of the moment and self-control is our key.

Life is but a string of moments and each one of them can be saved—lived in such a way as to represent salvation. That is our race and those moments are our prize.

We ought to run the race of life to win—getting the most from ourselves, not in busyness, but in alignment to the will of God—to live for Christ.

Believing God Authored The Bible

2012-01-21T07:28:00.003+08:00

“... our faith in doctrine is not established until we have a perfect conviction that God is its author.”

~John Calvin

Can we agree that, though Moses, the Prophets, and the Apostles etc wrote the Bible, God is its author?

That is John Calvin’s thesis. It is a thesis shared by much of the Christian world, though there might always be a significant number of believers who cannot fathom God actually authoring anything through human writing. Their faith may be in God, but it’s not in doctrine. But such a believing premise falls flat. The reason for this lack of conceptualisation, according to John Calvin, is there has been no testimony of the Holy Spirit to that effect in these people.

In other words, believing the Bible is God’s Word is a condition of true Christ faith: the self-confirming evidence of the seal of the Holy Spirit on the mind, heart, and soul of the individual in question. It is self-confirmed because it is a matter between one individual and their God. No one else could know.

Faith Is Beyond Reason

The reason the many cannot find sense in faith is simple: they want a reasoned argument, proof no less, regarding the veracity of God, and the Bible is a key target source for their questioning. They may even believe Christians ‘pretend’ their faith.

They cannot come to terms with a situation that looks like faith for faith’s sake alone.

Reasoned arguments fail in the court of God, just as reasoned explanations fail in much of life. Why is there suffering? Can we reason it? If we do—and we claim the Fall (Genesis 3)—the naysayers claim gibberish or offence. And if we do attempt to reason such a thing as suffering by saying it’s inexplicable—one day we will know—it’s not good enough an explanation.

Plain and simple, explanations do not work in the field of faith. Where people require convincing the secret testimony of the Holy Spirit has not yet been made. We would only provide our explanations because we are genial, not to convert them, because until the reasons for faith become self-evident they will not believe.

They will not see God evident in every form of life—as Creator. They will not see God’s perfectly created world having once been, and now still, corrupted by humanity. They will not be convicted of their sinfulness, which is in sharp contrast to God’s perfection. They will not see the need for salvation. And they will not see the Bible as exemplifying God in real life—a Word able to consistently and indelibly change lives of believing ones.

Faith beyond reason ‘explains’ all this—but only via the personally-received testimony of the Holy Spirit, the seal of faith, on the believing person.

Consideration For Evangelism

Much evangelistic effort can be, and is, wasted. Not that God’s wrath would rest upon faithful servants this way; but it may be akin to some sense of folly and, therefore, frustration. Many will argue, however, that seeds need to be sown—and they do; no disputing.

An undercurrent to every effectively-ventured evangelistic witnessing effort is the knowledge of the critical testimony of the Holy Spirit that has to be made, first—by God—in order for true faith to emerge, born, with hope for new life.

***

Believing God is the author of the Bible, that God inspired human writers directly with his thought, can only be established as a belief by the testimony of the Holy Spirit. It is a condition of true faith.

The Spirit’s Motivating Voice

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“The voice of the Lord is powerful;

the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.”

~Psalm 29:4 (NRSV)

The Spiritual Voice of the Lord: Otherwise a force that convicts us to act; any action besides the action convicted by the Spirit is probably forlorn because willpower without God’s Power promises much but in the end delivers little.

The Spirit’s motivating Voice is generally inaudible other than what might be heard as a canticle to our hearts.

All change for transformation’s sake is at the behest of this Voice, for, where the Voice may not be heard there is precious little life-engendering Power to sustain change. This is effort in trying; even trying too hard—and frustration and/or fatigue are typically the results.

Temptations to Putting The Cart Before The Horse

We all do it; take on some significant challenge, perhaps the adoption of a new habit or the breaking of an old one, and we leave Divine Power—the only way there—behind.

Maybe for every time we have heard the Voice and have prayed obediently for Divine help, and hence have then been given Power to achieve our goal, we have had numerous other occasions where we heard the voice of the flesh calling us to a goal empowered to no real power other than that which we can muster of ourselves (without God).

Remember that the Voice is connected with conviction. When we are convicted to do something, we can do no other thing but succeed.

Temptations to doing things under our own steam, however well-intentioned they are, have no true lasting conviction about them—this explains why there have been innumerable times of failure to change. And on the few times we have changed, we acceded to the Spirit’s Voice. Change was easy because conviction was there.

Truly Listening For The Voice

One of the troubles we have is we have grown accustomed to hearing the voices—the incessant voices of the flesh and the world, and the infrequent Voice of the Spirit. The True Voice is heard seldom compared with other noisy voices. The True Voice invokes within us the requirement for patience to wait on it and patience in these matters is difficult because it wrangles with the fleshly desire to have what we want when we want it.

The easy portion, however, is acting on the call of the Voice. It both convicts and empowers.

***

Living the best life requires Power; to avail ourselves to conviction by the Holy Spirit. No change, on a personal level, can be sustainably maintained without collusion with the Spirit’s motivating Voice. Only that Voice is the voice of conviction; to do, miraculously it seems, what could never be done before.

Psalm 118 – This Is The Day

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“This is the day that the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

~Psalm 118:24 (NRSV)

In a life of oft-struggle to make effective headway, and despite the blinding rays and beating waves of tumult and indifference, God has provided us with encouragement when hope fades.

Psalm 118 is such a bright word brimming with confidence-building truth, but it is not without its testimony of distress. It commends to all who would read it: “This is the day that the Lord has made—let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

We have nothing else, ultimately, than the day... the present moment.

When insurmountable challenges, and the weight of life itself, threaten to condemn our spirits to the abyss, we may have gotten ahead of ourselves. We only have the present challenge—and that is easily turned to opportunity when there is no fear for failure.

Why would we fear the world or humanity when, in the rationality of God’s truth as revealed by his Word, we are only to be rightly fearful of God?

Refocusing On The Right Outlook

It is easy to be confused and overwhelmed in life, and if we don’t have enemies in person it can seem circumstances or our environments conspire against us—even intermittently. We call it bad luck or misfortune.

The psalmist, of course, identifies, and we can with him—God’s Word attests to the difficulties; to the enemies of environment and circumstance. The Bible brims with emotional responses of real people throughout.

But the psalmist has learned something about life that compels attention. He has discovered that everything shifts on the outlook; he has discerned the right outlook for true success.

Take Refuge In The LORD

This psalm’s structure plays like a motion picture that features the flowing confidence of celebration (verses 1-4), before stepping back in time when life ebbed in distress, and faith was ordered to rely on the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6) and, so, not fail for the horridness of human counsel not disposed to Divine wisdom (verses 5-18).

Such wisdom got the psalmist through the middle, intervening years. The fact they were “encompassed” (verses 11-12) by evil compounded their need of faith all the more. And on the day of recognition that faith redeems the day, that day is sanctified to freedom for the psalmist, in the Lord.

Making Today The Lord’s Day

Even though today, and all days, are eternally God’s, they can only be the Lord’s Day for us if we choose for the freedom that the Lord’s Day provides.

When we, by choice, make today the Lord’s Day—by aligning to that Divine truth—we agree we want, and will take and enjoy, the best and godliest of outlooks, because we know who sponsors our efforts. We know we are blessed.

***

When we agree today, and every day, is the Lord’s Day we live with the best of hope for freedom. Joy is ours at faith to take God’s counsel over humanity’s. Our confidence is founded in the truth of God’s steadfast love.

Isaiah 11 – The Peaceful Kingdom

2012-01-18T22:52:00.002+08:00

“A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch shall grow out of his roots.”

~Isaiah 11:1 (NRSV)

This particular offering from Isaiah—the eleventh chapter—is no period piece of its own exclusive right, despite the melody of hope it would have rung for the Remnant. The Assyrian invasion would sweep through the land, but the remnant of Israel would be born again of salvation: the hope out of a branch; a new branch—the stump of Jesse—from which the Messiah would come.

The peaceful kingdom was a prophecy of an existence not too far off—one that’s now been realised in Jesus. It is also the prophecy of the time furnished in fulfilment; an occasion yet to come. In both realms it is a glorious hope.

The Divine Destination Of Peace

We may all connect with exilic imagery; our lives a plunder from an enemy.

Many of us came to faith that way. Perhaps there was sufficient disobedience in God’s sight for there to be sent a divine or not-so-divine actor (probably a circumstance) that would turn us over in our sin. Maybe we were almost entirely innocent and grief got us into the kingdom because we were so desperate for God; for divine help. Possibly it was that we were found here—peace: the legacy of our parent’s wisdom.

How we actually entered the kingdom may not be important; we are here now.

As we look around we notice about our world, with this new kingdom sight, there is much more peace than we could ever have imagined. All sorts of different beings cohabit at joy in the Lord.

To know Jesus, our Saviour, is a commonality above all commonalities. In him is fellowship connected by the deepest love that has saved one and all, equally. To belong in the Remnant—Christ’s church—is to know this fellowship and a hope of salvation, here and to come.

Assurances For Peace Evermore

From the two divisions of Isaiah 11—verses 1-9 and 12-16—we get quite different poetic images of the saving grace of God. The first speaks of the Messiah’s coming and the global peace upon which it is both brought and, over the earth, borne. The second reassures the Remnant that the Lord is the Mighty Avenger who will destroy every nation set upon his anointed Remnant, the church.

Both for the positive and negative—in harmony (verses 1-9) and for war (verses 12-16)—God is providing peace.

As we imagine the 16 verses being read aloud in the synagogue we can envisage the inspirational stir such a reading would have created—hope for a not-so-distant future the Remnant hoped for.

***

We have a taste of it here and it will become more fully known. We belong to a peaceful kingdom—those who know Christ. Still a little way off is the full geography of that reality. We are not there yet, but we are vouchsafed in this Divine Hope. It is abundantly enough for now.

Being Beyond Backsliding

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“Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”

~Philippians 4:9 (NRSV)

What the book of Hebrews majors on, and what was a major theme in Christian spirituality in the First Century, is just as much an issue today: backsliding. Hebrews vacillates through warnings for disobedience and exhortations to go on in faith, beyond temptation to believe in old things, practice old practices, and turn backwards away from God.

The Apostle Paul commends the Philippians to just that: to focus on his solemn, unrelenting example. Today it is no different. We must continue to commend ourselves to the example of Christlike stewards-of-faith, those exemplifying humility, peaceable joy, faithfulness, and love in the Holy Spirit.

The Boldness Of The Apostle

I cannot, for one minute, imagine putting myself up as the godly example to an entire region of believers, lest the whole world—yet, Paul has.

Indeed, as we are challenged to get over our spiritual pride—which shudders in response to such a calling toward example—we recognise the courage it takes for an apostle, and nowadays ministers, to take hold of the tenuous spiritual cauldron and abandon timidity such that the Lord could use our example. Beyond our sinfulness, piety must be our sole objective.

To such an extent we who would respond to God’s call, to be examples, will put ourselves up for criticism. And if we aren’t called to such account we ought to thankfully encourage those who are; it is no easy call. It is a perilous undertaking, but one required all the same.

Back To Backsliding!

Besides the infilling of the Holy Spirit, the spiritual presence and discernment of divinity, we are left to godly example and Divine Word in our quest for a fervent, continual spirituality that takes us forever beyond any thought of backsliding.

Our godly examples, our pastors and spiritual mentors, have spoken into our lives for truth and for the justice of eternity; they were compelled to do so, perhaps, and now it is up to us to grow forward along the journey—for, without travelling forward we select reverse gear.

We connect everything we see and saw in them with the testimony of the Word—they, in their minds and hearts and skin, bring and brought the Bible alive. Through such example we now must exemplify godliness—humble, just, merciful godliness.

***

The testimony of those stalwarts of faith that have shown us the way to Jesus must remain in our consciences. God has used them to speak into our hearts. Being beyond backsliding is honouring that example. Being beyond backsliding is searching for opportunities where we might become and be that example.

When we do such things as follow good example, peace will be ours.

Believing the Spoken Power in Prayer

2012-01-17T21:52:00.002+08:00

“When God lays a burden on our hearts and thus keeps us praying, He obviously intends to grant the answer.”

~J. Oswald Sanders

“Prayer moves the arm

That moves the world

To bring deliverance down.”

~Author unknown

Prayer is that spiritual art and practice that anybody who seriously wants something engages in. Not all prayers are subject to God, however. Some prayers are prayed to the god, luck; to the god, greed; to the god, idolatry, etc.

But prayers, rightly framed, out of a heart desiring God, are blessed, will be blessed, and are sure to meet with God’s will at the appropriate time. And that term—“appropriate time”—is the nexus replete of faith, for we will not grant requests-of-permission to give up something important if we fully believe God will answer and we fully believe God wants this thing for us.

Believing What God Has Said

One of the biggest challenges any praying person is faced with is to believe without doubt. There are always intermittent times of doubt. Faith wouldn’t be or require faith without it. But the prayer we can be sure is to be answered has been spoken deeply into our hearts—it has become our driving purpose.

Whether the prayer has been vocalised to us through a Word from the Bible, or by a prophet, or has been discerned by ourselves, personally, matters little. Only we can know ourselves that it has been spoken.

And when the Word has been spoken, and we can do nothing but believe it, we ought to believe it. Are we to treat God as a liar?

Never Undermine The Power In Prayer

What might be a subtitle is also an imperative statement and it’s basically a command. So many biblical references could be found, but why would we cite them when we know it’s the truth.

God has spoken into your life and mine; the Lord speaks, continually, fervently, and without relenting, until we sharpen up and listen to that which our lives are telling us.

What an enormous confidence it is to know that guilt for praying for something rooted deep in our hearts is a lie spoken by the devil—anything to dissuade us from enjoying the abundant life: an existence that is so centrally ‘us’ we are compelled by God to seek, to find, and to knock—beyond listening to the enemy’s voice; beyond doubting; beyond the flesh-weakness of giving up because it’s too hard.

***

Prayer agrees with God that he, alone, is the Giver of all good things. It believes that God feels we are worthy of these good things. It is the faith to travel beyond doubt, in continuing to pray, by believing the Word adhered to our hearts. Prayer merely aligns our own desires with God’s. Only prayer can move such living mountains.

Psalm 75 – The Humble Will Rejoice Forever

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“We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks; your name is near. People tell of your wondrous deeds.”

~Psalm 75:1 (NRSV)

This psalm could just as easily be titled, The Boastful Will Be Judged.

What more fundamental a theme could we find as an undercurrent through all divinity and Scripture than that of rebuke over boasting—the setting up of a personal exaltation? It is an abomination of the first degree; the replacement of God, against the First Commandment; the placement of one creation over the Creator.

That is, in effect, what we do in our boasting; for even in that moment there is no need beyond the self. It is, of course, a lie of calamitous proportions. And the genuine humble know it; they shrink from boasting—their own or others’.

This psalm advises, by first-hand example, thanks for all things be given to the Lord.

The LORD Judges – Quietly And Otherwise

Casting our minds back to the great tsunamis of 2004 and 2011, ideas of God’s role of judging the earth came to bear, however forlorn a thought. We do not think, however, how, as the tectonic plates shifted, the Lord God held the whole world steady—steady that it did not shift to the point of breaking apart (verse 3).

Selah—we ought to pause thankfully on that!

There is much safety in knowing our wholly good God will not ordain any judgment against the earth that would condemn the people of God. But the Almighty will judge.

The humble psalmist senses the judging nature of his God and he respectfully fears him. Such awe is found rending his heart he is compelled to warn the proud of their foolishness in verses 4-5.

Nothing allowed on earth is such forth despite God. All is because God ordains it.

The LORD Holds The Cup Of Judgment

Unsuspected by the wicked is the bountifulness of the cup of judgment that God holds in one hand.

They (we) even reject defiantly any mode of judgment for ‘bad luck’, blaming innocent parties, the circumstance, the day, the weather—you name it; anything but responsibility for their (our) actions. There is anything but the sight of a righteous God judging unrighteousness. And it is only unrighteousness—to the extent of all humanity—that cannot comprehend all of the judgments of God. Even the spiritually adroit will periodically sit condemned in their consciences; there is a reminder to rejoice in thankfulness and, thereby, return to humility. God cannot be wrong.

This can be a hard word to receive and it is nevertheless true; when we broaden our minds, though, to think not like a human but like the Divine, we enjoy the possibility that all judgment is right—for it is; the Lord ordains it.

***

This spiritual principle of Jesus’ abides all through life: “All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). One way meets with peril, while the other meets with undeserved grace. Those who boast will be judged, while those who lift up their Lord will rejoice forever.

Image: Francisco de Zurbarán, St. Francis in Meditation, c. 1635-39.

Why Religious Intolerance Has No Place

2012-01-15T18:21:00.001+08:00

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

~Matthew 12:34b (NRSV)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

~Matthew 7:21 (NRSV)

The will of our Father in heaven is for us to love others just as we seek to be loved (Matthew 7:12). That is, and always will be, Christianity’s principal means and end.

When all the liquid of religious distraction is boiled away, and we are left with the precious sediment of our love-proven faith, the ore that matters most is the gold of forbearance for our fellows—beyond differentiating doctrine, polarisation of opinion, and religious right and wrong.

There is a test and an underpinning protocol required of the true believer—for there are many false ones, who virulently go against God’s will—and that is the overriding mandate for tolerance; love speaking a language all its own, beyond any sense of competition; high above carnal predilection.

The indifference of loveless ‘faith’ is detected most often by debates and fighting. It should seem obvious; this goes against the gospel imperative, though many who are self-anointed continue to disagree.

Why There Can Be No Fighting

Journeying back to our childhoods, our minds are quickly refreshed; think of the innocently-borne play-fight that started jovially and ended in tears. For every successful play-fight there were always a few that ended badly.

We find almost identical scenarios at the attempt of genial debate—simply putting our views forward—views that are so unique we couldn’t agree with the next person, let alone adequately ‘represent’ God.

Quickly someone emerges who doesn’t know how to fight/debate appropriately, or isn’t in the appropriate mood, and just as suddenly what started as an edifying and stimulating venture for truth finishes in frustration and offence.

Just like the play-fight many debates finish off-track and derailed.

Debating and fighting seem at the outset as appropriate; to discharge one’s ‘responsibility’ of response. But it so often turns out as a poisoned chalice, especially as we discover afresh the tenuous challenge of communication that doesn’t cater for what hearts are really saying. We hear the words and don’t listen to the heart behind them.

Love – The Only Sensible Modus Operandi

There is a reason why love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8).

Taken beyond human sense, love tolerates even the intolerable, not so much to the point of injustice or unfairness, because crudeness is hardly the point, but because it knows it’s the only universal language for survival.

Love finds a better way for defeating evil. It commends it, with grace, to God. And God is known to judge, is he not?

The Way True Believers Are Known

What may sound like a differentiation between believers is really sorting true believers from those who may be revealing themselves as pretenders—their words are sent into-play from an uncircumcised heart (Jeremiah 4:4); there is no surrender before God by acting in obedient love. This may be a hard word, but it is, after all, what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-27 regarding hearers and doers.

The true believer is not known by their words of fury, by their point-making, or by their winning of the argument. Arguments, as a Christian objective, are pointless if there are winners and losers.

Love can be the only allowable, tolerable winner.

***

Intolerance has no place in the Christian’s armoury of opinion. What people believe, regarding God or any other thing, is up to them. A Christian’s love respects such a space as another person’s belief-realm. That is the unconditional Christian premise.

The Deafening Silence Of Praise

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“Praise therefore, and praise worthily, so that to the utmost of your power there be in you no charge, no drought, no contemplation, no carefulness of mind that is void of the praise of God.”

~Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109)

There is no self-assessed holiness that comes from the heart of praise; only sincere, heartrending thankfulness for a most incomprehensible gift; a prize of intellectual means and an affectation beyond all measure.

And what is the likeness of the mood we discuss? How might it be declared?

No thought for self-righteousness; none for worth without from God; precious little, it is hoped, for what we might bring to the altar of sacrifice prior to due penitence; a pittance for that which our lives are devoid of; and, certainly none for pride, greed, anger, lust, sloth, gluttony, or envy—the seven deadly sins.

Connecting Praise With Thankfulness

The shape of praise is formed by thankfulness; it might be considered the product of gratitude. Being thankful forms the ever-mouldable attitude of heart as it conjures thought for what might be praised. Praise and thankfulness, therefore, are a chicken-or-the-egg scenario; which comes first, and why, are irrelevant. They must just be entered into for the best of life to be achieved.

Importantly, though, we necessarily understand praise and thankfulness complement and work with each other such that all of life could be a gift offering of worship back the Lord.

At any deceptive or indifferent mood we thrust praise and/or thankfulness; holy combatants worthy for replete spiritual warfare.

Praise In All Seasons

Because battles come insidiously, vigorously, or by stealth, and often with hidden worth as to their actual threat value, we are frequently tricked—found without praise or thankfulness. Such a state of heart and mind attacks us when we are at either ease or peril—and any state between, really.

We come, therefore, at the ready, at all times, to hear the reminder of the Spirit, calling aloud within us, to convert attitudes of annoyance, complaint, and unhelpful comparison—to the ends of any spiritual compromise—into annotations of God-conformed delight, no matter the circumstances (with quick exception, only, for genuine grief).

And such annotations will not digress into dilutions of pride manifest in words, but they will stand alone in the God-anointed strength of silent action. Words betray the blessings of God that afford praise. Actions, on the other hand, keep faith with the power within, present always for disposal via the adroit sacrifice of love.

***

True praise is rarely, if ever, vocal—by our illicit shouts of “Praise the Lord.” A God-converted praise is first and foremost silent by sound and raucous by action.

Praise is the demeanour of solemn mindfulness that disciplines the body toward action that loves others and pleases God.

What Fear For Death?

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“For if we reflect that this our tabernacle—unstable, defective, corruptible, fading, pining, and putrid—is dissolved in order that it may forthwith be renewed in sure, perfect, incorruptible, in fine, in heavenly glory, will not faith compel us eagerly to desire what nature dreads?”

~John Calvin, On the Christian Life.

If there is even one finalising fear within a human being it is fear of death; so awesome a reality, no end of reflection will demystify it.

Death does not simply affect us; others’ deaths impact us as our death should impact others. Life has its meaning in this: whilst we are here we can affect life, love, and family members, and all sorts of differences we feel compelled by God to make. Once death comes, however, besides any legacy of bequest, we have no further positive impact.

But fear of death manifests itself in so many ways, from the pain we might suffer, to uncertainty over eternity, to the finish of our lives, amongst a plethora of others.

Now is when faith comes into its own. Faith, alone, answers all fears in the only acceptable way; why should we fear something so inevitable?

Believing In The Heavenly Vision Given Us

Bellowed from the heavens into the living Word of God, faithfully taken down by the Prophets and Apostles upon the anointing of the Spirit on them, is the indelible promise of completion upon bodily death.

We may believe this at theory, yet the practice of it via genuine belief—beyond any semblance of real fear—could still be unattained.

Hearing what the Bible says, knowing we are told to believe it, may mean little when we struggle with what appears as a reasonable fear. Why not fear death when we fear most other change?—and death is the consummate, non-returning change.

So, we understand and empathise with mortal and carnal fear disposed to thought of death, yet we come back to the insistent truth of the ever-trustworthy Divine Word.

The Post-Death Vision Gives Meaning To Life

Seen back to front—the vision of our lives looking back, as we may, from eternity—we are now driven to make the best of life, whilst at the same time we spend little time for regret.

Knowing the inevitable shall take place at a time we do not know, we press on. Nothing is going to happen to us that won’t happen to every other soul.

The wisest of all people will view life through the lens of eternity—death is its avenue.

***

There is no rational fear for death when we know God. Residential eternity is where perfection finally takes place and all things wrong are made right, again. Faith convinces us that the inevitable is preferable; fear can then be consequently dispelled.

Psalm 143 – Hope In The Winter Place

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The Psalmist to their Lord: “I remember the days of old, I think about all your deeds, I meditate on the works of your hands. I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.” Selah

~Psalm 143:5-6 (NRSV)

Marrying someone and promising to be with them, with unwavering commitment, in sickness and in health, is fine until the winter of disease or malevolent misfortune strikes. That is when, as they say, the rubber hits the road. But such rubber doesn’t want to be worn to the point of baldness; many winter seasons of the soul, however, can take us there.

This psalm, the last of the seven penitential psalms, is found perfect for the disconsolate mood that is, also, home to the subdued heart of humbly honest reflection. In such a mood, we just read; allowing the words, the lines, and indeed the whole psalm, to seep into our spirits; God speaks.

God Is In The House

Right throughout the 12 verses there is the underpinning virtue: God is near and present by knowledge of the psalmist, but God does not always feel near. This prayer acknowledges many truths about God, present, in the midst of humanity, but frank distance is the pervading sentiment connoting desperation for the one in lament.

It is no different for us.

Despite all knowledge resident in God’s Holy Word, the ceaseless sight of the works of God in creation, all witness of others blessed spiritually in the Lord, or for any other evidence, we have times of farness from our living God.

However inexplicable these winter seasons may be, we still know God is in the house—the Holy Spirit dwells within.

We resolve to hold on for the emergence, and new growth, of spring.

Patience In The Shifting Seasons

Just that the days of winter vary in the cool and cold, the drizzly outlook and brisk clear, in darkness and pale, so too this psalm ebbs throughout.

From acknowledgement of God, through scolding anxiety, and through recollection, before a moment’s illumination, followed by periods of dryness, and then re-direction, we traverse the season. Each day is different; bad follows good and good follows bad.

When we battle for spiritual consistency we are blessed to humble ourselves before God as the psalmist does, here, in Psalm 143. Ups and downs need to be endured and, so, honed for the coming leaves of spring and then the extravagant growth of summer.

Patience is the practice driving the soul from the grips of oblivion into the hands of grace; and seeking the Lord, lifting our souls high to his stead, is the way there.

***

Periods of winter, chastening away at our spirit of hope, make their way into our experience at some stage. They are ours, however agonising, for the learning. In such a seedbed grows true character.

The Unjust Rewards of Heaven

2012-01-13T06:06:00.003+08:00

“Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?’ [Jesus replied]... ‘And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life’.”

~Matthew 19:27, 29 (NRSV)

At this part of Matthew’s gospel we enter territory, for the disciples, akin to that of John 6:60-68, where Jesus’ message of the kingdom and eternal life begins to stretch the disciples’ faith. The teaching is difficult; the flesh cannot receive it, only the spirit.

Many, many people in the world may feel disposed to seek the message of eternal life, to hear it, and then to walk away—the true message will be too hard for many, including the rich young man of Matthew 19:16-22; weighed down by his many possessions.

Though the Holy Bible is the most bought document in the planet’s history, the life-saving message of the gospel is not, and may never be, on the true bestsellers list; it is too truthful; it reveals humanity’s darkness to us—much too many people cannot handle such truth.

No Cheap Grace

It comes as somewhat of a surprise to all of us, and the Lord is known to surprise the most mature of believer as an infant, that the costs of entry to the kingdom—as they are intermittently required of us—are soul-absorbing. St. John of the Cross knew of such cost as chronicled in his The Dark Night of the Soul.

What Jesus achieved on the cross was no cheap sacrifice—and the depth of sacrifice implicit of going to the cross is to be exemplified by each and their own. Jesus himself says, “... whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:38)

This is a hard word. Who really relishes the opportunity to behold and carry their cross? Jesus did by example, so we can, too. And we, to follow Jesus’ example, will need to be ready to be crucified to our crosses. That is an awesome thought in the worst way imaginable.

Yet, the cost of belief is minuscule in comparison with the unremitting glory that is still ahead.

Considering The Matter Of Glory

It is a fact that what happens at and after death we have all our lives to ponder. Indeed, many of those we loved have traversed the life divide—they sit on the other side. What did they go through and where are they now and what is it like for them?—these, fairly, may be our questions.

In trusting the gospel message, and choosing to be discipled by the Holy Spirit, inclusive of heavy cost—which is to choose, continually, the kingdom imperative over the worldly imperative—we stand to receive our crowns of glory. True faith may not be an easy thing, but such costs pale into insignificance compared with the riches in glory.

Even here we are likely to gain some understanding of the blessings remitted in heaven connected with the costs of true belief. St. John of the Cross knew not only of such costs, he knew of intimacy with the Lord, also. One begets the other.

***

Many things we will never understand about God, life, and faith—particularly in the realm of suffering and injustice in this world. One thing we should always trust, however, is the promise of incomprehensible reward at the believer’s final destination: Heaven—splendour one hundredfold more than we can imagine.

In comparison with what is asked of us, via our faith, those heavenly rewards are unjust to the side of God. We get far more than we deserve.

The Majesty of Creation

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“O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”

~Psalm 8:1, 9 (NRSV)

Pod of dolphins swims on past,

Grace with which commands our stares,

Rare the sight it makes us gasp,

Mystery by which abounds our cares.

Elegant eagles glide high in the sky,

Sight of which we sense giddy awe,

Fear of ignorance we must decry,

Beautiful majesty instead to draw.

Any number of wonderful things,

Seen adorned on nature’s step,

About which humankind clings,

One for sure to grow adept.

Creation’s existence we do but hope,

Maintains its height of admirable poise,

Beyond the realm of evil’s scope,

The faintest declaration – the Lord deploys.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

How peculiar that we’re awed by things commonly seen in nature. It’s like God’s got the distinct ability to wrest our attention. As I gazed from my office window at the call of a colleague on a sunny summer’s day there in front of us was a pod of eight dolphins in the harbour. Their display—to do just what dolphins always do—was stunning. We were awed beyond normalcy.

God in nature is a feast for the senses. How much more visible can the Lord make himself than via the created works of his Divine hand?

Getting in Amongst Nature Every Day

This is our opportunity—to take part in the living of the unadorned life at the heart of nature.

In the case of the eagle close up—or the crocodile, typhoon or humble cricket—we’re tempted into a fury of fear for the expected dangers (or eeriness) presented by each. In that, too, is awe; for what might happen to us at the hand of such dangers.

Still, wonder it is that presents.

Captivated in our imaginations, the mind soars at the majestic beauty of things that just are. Each day of our thousands spent here on a sanctuary called “Earth” there are bountiful displays of God’s creative miracle; much more than the mind can begin to fathom.

Divine Balance – Called At Some Stage to End

Nothing in evil’s domain stops the creative venture. Only by God’s faintest whisper does creation continue and through it ‘til the end.

Facts of the dolphin and eagle just propound the fact of the Lord’s skill at succouring our understanding of just how special it is to be alive—yes, right now!

We don’t know when it will end—for ourselves as individuals or the cosmos at large—but whilst it prevails, this earthly life’s to be enjoyed.

Live and let live.

The Treasure Chest of Holy Joy

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“Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live.”

~Isaiah 55:1-3 (NRSV)

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty’.”

~John 6:35 (NRSV)

“... conversion to Christ is what happens when Christ becomes for you a treasure chest of holy joy.”

~John Piper (1983)

The greatest favour, unto the receipt of every redemptive blessing, any professing Christian can do for themselves, is ask, frequently, questions such as these:

þ Do I really delight myself in the Lord?

~and~

þ What are the symptoms, from within, and the signs, from without, that assure me of my answer to the first question?

Symptoms And Signs Of Holy Joy

In medical terms, symptoms are reported by patients and are, hence, felt within. And signs are those things the doctor or nursing staff might easily observe from without the person.

As we answer those key questions above, as the self-assessment of our spiritual fervency for God, we need to look for both things.

From within we are looking for attitudinal evidence of: a sense of knowledge of God’s will in situations; constant Divine dialogue; and, continual sight of the plight of humanity and the mercifulness of God in the world.

From without we are looking for behavioural evidence of: active signs our hearts are convicted enough to act; at least a handful of recent examples, as we reflect, of mindful good works; and, a foundation of prayer to God for action opportunities where our obedience would come to the fore.

If these symptoms and signs do prevail in our lives there is good reason to feel we are living the converted life under the Lordship of Christ—salvation is and never was a once-off reality. True conversion happens one day at a time.

Going Only To God For Reward

In a message on Christian hedonism—from the series Desiring God—John Piper makes the impassioned point: we are to be pleased, first and foremost, by holy allegiance to the Lord—to the Almighty God we go for any and all reward. He is to be our pleasure!

This surely runs against the grain of our humanity, and God knows it. This is why conversion could never be an event, unless by a series of events experienced continually through life; our fervour for God tends to ebb and flow; we were always destined to need to reconnect.

If the Lord truly is our treasure chest of holy joy we shall satisfy ourselves in no other reward than him; having not nearly enough gratitude to give, we do give what we have, and we are pleased to do this.

***

We have nothing to give God apart from our gratitude: Christ is our reward—he, alone, is our bread and drink of life. He is our treasure chest of holy joy.

The John 3:16 Dream

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“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

~John 3:16 (NKJV)

Imagine, if you will, being there at your birth—at a place and time where you were clearly not consciously aware of the personal gravity of the situation at hand: you, alive; the genesis of life begotten via the provision, alone, of God.

No one could possibly argue—besides the person with no will to live—that such a moment we ought to be undeniably thankful for. Others around cared for us before we could care for ourselves; watering the seed that God, through our parents, had sown.

Some Of The Facts Of Life

These, above, are some of the facts of life; such facts don’t end with the birds and the bees—they don’t even begin there. The beginning and the end of our lives is God. That’s a fact of life.

We all came into being with many facts of life stowed aboard; hardwired into our biological and spiritual DNA. These facts of life stand up for our attention and the more we dismiss them the more life will be confused for us. In the senselessness of life it is the facts of life that make sense—the facts of God.

The facts of life reveal, most fundamentally, a dream; one sown so deeply.

The Dream Sown Into The Heart

The resonant echo of eternity has been beating like a tom-tom within our souls since our very first breath. This is because we live in the realm of time and our fascination with the past and the future—realms eternal—is forever beyond us (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

The dream beckons. Forever, from within ourselves, we grapple and struggle and contend; we are people searching for a Saviour.

The dream, though it is a secret to be discerned, is the easiest thing on earth to make real. It is irrevocably unlike other dreams; we achieve this dream at the turning of our hearts back toward God. It’s never simpler.

It is our dream; yours and mine. It is recurrent through eternity and it resides, somewhere and somehow, within each human being’s soul.

This dream is the John 3:16 dream: fully revealed in real life; to experience an encounter with God that compels us to understand the everlasting plan of saving love and grace in Jesus Christ our Lord.

***

If ever we feel lost, or even if we never do, Christian faith is made alive in deliberate meditation over the words of John 3:16. It will resonate with our hearts. It is God’s message of everlasting love to all humankind—every human being—in 25 words or less.

Acknowledgement: this article was inspired by Tim Tebow and his John 3:16 messages.

Achieving a Truth-filled Thankfulness

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There is an eternal dimension that we all span — and from one to another we go.

There are times when we give way to the truth of how we feel; times when we’re given to complaint. Other times we’re indebted to God in thankfulness, knowing the theory that at all times are we to be thankful (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

But being thankful is not that easy a disposition to maintain — even going against the grain of many of the so-called mature, infuriating them onto further challenges to emotional growth.

Honesty becomes us, despite our desire to show how tough, or faithful, we are. Our feelings have a way of permeating our worlds. Least of all can we hide these from our loved ones, friends and work colleagues. Our sleeves get filthy very quickly.

Bridging an Enormous Chasm

There is a great deal of difference between the truth of horrendous feeling and the thankfulness that comes from a heart-glad sigh for knowledge of God in life.

The former is a reality we cannot ignore. The latter is different. It’s supposed to be a sign that we’re genuinely surrendered to God — obedient in the faith — for those not thankful surely have still much to learn.

Truth be known, that is naïvely stated.

Human beings will be ungrateful from time to time. It’s a fact of life. It’s the flesh bearing its way again (and again) over the person. We’re all blighted.

Nobody who’s spiritually inclined is going to be happy with their position in spiritual growth, however, until they bridge the chasm between truth and thankfulness.

What is it that will bridge the chasm? How will we abide to the truth whilst also being thankful? The answer is the character trait of humility. To wallow yet become thankful is one part of being humble.

Model for Prayer – Lament Leading to Thankfulness

Jesus never said we’re not to lament.

The psalms show us the blessings enfolded to the person who’s truthful about their emotions. The way we deal with the truth, then, is we take it to God, finishing these prayers of bitterness or complaint in some version of thankfulness.

Bringing the two concepts together is about being rigidly committed to the truth at a personal level — so much so that the slightest cringing epoch of complaint or fear or want is listened to and heeded.

Feelings occur for good reason. We’re encouraged to get to their source, and from there reach a landing of peace — for it is possible — and then go on in thankfulness.

Storing Treasures In Heaven

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“... store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

~Matthew 6:20-21 (NRSV)

We can reasonably expect a strong motivational pull toward the gaining of reward in this life. After all, it’s not only how the world works—people lining up in order to get what they deserve—rights argued for, even in church settings—it’s our sense of natural justice coming to the fore.

But human bestowed rewards—those which we take receipt of—are short-lasting; the blessing gets buried, there, in the moment. The unseen Spirit has no further license to work blessing into these situations.

The power of God works in secret. This is saliently illustrated in the project for change we initiate in the patience of faith—that which will allow God to bless us and others via kingdom-related results, whether here or in eternity; usually both.

Truly Hidden With Christ In God

There is a promise of golden investiture by the incorporation of a way of thinking and acting that permits God to hide us within the Lord’s own ends.

Whenever we read a passage like Colossians 3:1-4, noting what the new life in Christ looks like, we begin to understand, afresh, that all motives other than the divine are short-lived, perilous, and not worthy of God, other people, or ourselves. Such motives bequeath short payment—they bring a swift end to any power flowing via divine action.

An example of this is in the body of work; done for love and, therefore, for no other reason at all. Such a body of work is done for other people, sure, but the real motivation is pleasing God, for no other motivation is worthy of our divinely-sponsored acts of love; which all work can be powered by, in joy.

Getting Beyond Guilt And Selfishness & Onto Love

Those treasures we’re storing in heaven may be actual things or rewards we receive when we reach heaven, which is what Jesus has said (Matthew 6:4, 6, 18), but it’s what happens here that is of Jesus’ main concern.

When we are able to forget ourselves and our needs and wants, whilst we work, God is providing for those needs and wants. Our Lord rewards no one better than the cheerful giver.

A great blessing it is to ask these questions before, or whilst, we do anything: What am I really doing this for? Is it to please another person, myself, or God?

As we start asking these questions we may quickly find the first two are our default reasons; we have learned to operate out of guilt or selfishness and, in effect, we have negated the power of God in and through our lives via the things we can do for God, without thought of reward, in our day-to-day.

Pleasing God allows the process of spiritual blessing to take place; selfless acts procure for the giver the experience of spiritual harmony within: the love of God. The love of God loves us hardly better than by our witnessing the power of the Spirit resplendent in works done for God alone. We see the difference the Lord makes in people’s lives, each of which is a miracle.

***

The secret life of love, where our actions are motivated to please God, and not others or ourselves, is the manner of storing treasures in heaven. These are even redeemed here, where untold powers for spiritual joy unfold to the will of God.

The Focused Christian Life

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“Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”

~Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (NRSV)

“On the day of judgment, surely, we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done; not how well we have spoken but how well we have lived.”

~Thomas á Kempis, The Imitation of Christ

What is Christian discipleship other than knowing the Lord more and more intimately by the way of living well as possible—in God’s sight—the struggles of life? This is a serious adherence to the discernment of the will of God.

What has the exorbitant consumption of knowledge have to do with such an endeavour? Why do we fill our minds and lives and living rooms and, not less, our focus with that which cannot help us on the Day of Judgment, but only hinder?

The quest for knowledge, for the gain of resource, for education at the hand of humanity, endless degrees and corpuscles of human endorsed achievement will be rendered null. If it has no practical benefit in this life, why do we engage in it?

A great many Christians have won their self-control over substances and vices, only to lose it in the cherished chase for wisdom—a knowledge-based wisdom. They have the Spirit’s provision over one, yet have relented to the replacement of God in the other. What good is knowledge if it becomes the source of worship? We can know that it has become a source of worship when we not only see it as the halcyon grail, but when we also stridently (and blindly) cling to truth (our truth) over God’s will in situations, through pride. Our devotion always impacts our action.

That is the test for the knowledgeable—for the one who may have decided for knowledge over application—the one lost in love to doctrine.

No, there is more to life.

The Christian Life As Revealed In The Gospels

Jesus railed hard against the Pharisee. God incarnate could condemn nobody but the one condemning everyone, and, in the process, not least themselves. It was the Pharisee who had lost the plot in life; the one that put discernment of the Scriptures above morality, the one that ‘perfected’ the Law, was themselves an abomination of the godly life.

The Pharisee is revealed here, today, in churches all over the world, and indeed everywhere humanity congregates. He and she are revealed by the fervent ardency of their opinions. Pharisaic thinking infiltrated humanity, as the temptation to self-righteousness, from the Fall.

Jesus revealed the living God to us in his being, by being present here with us, in humility, in the modelling of Christian life—his life. And the Lord revealed this not only to Christians, but he revealed a life that is credited to us as righteousness when it is lived by faith, recalling the story of Abraham (refer to Galatians; Romans 1:16-17).

Endless chatter and opinion have nothing to do with the godly life; they take us away from that which God has for us—the focus on need that can be served, here, today. And there is never less need in the present day than at any time in history.

It is perhaps worthy, for the sake of the present discussion, to end with another Thomas á Kempis quote, this time at the reverse of the first one:

“What good is much discussion of involved and obscure matters when our ignorance of them will not be held against us on Judgment Day?”

***

In a world where so much can be said, we ought to live for a higher purpose regarding that which can be done. In a world with so much wrong about it, we have just as much opportunity to do right; especially the small things. In a world of endless distraction, we are much more adept to focus on loving God before all other loves.

Psalm 148 – All Creation, Praise The LORD!

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“Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.”

~Psalm 148:13 (NRSV).

Think of the entire compilation of creation—the heavenly creatures and features and the earthly creatures and features—blocking out not one from conscious thought—and we begin to comprehend the composition of praise the psalmist calls for in this psalm.

The structure of Psalm 148 is uniform: the angels and heavenly host are called to praise the Lord in verses 1-4, before substantiating reason is given for such praise in verses 5-6; the formula is then replicated in verses 7-12, where this time the things of earth are called to praise, with substantiating reason given in verses 13-14.

The Heavenly Creatures And Features

From a human perspective, thought for praise from a nonhuman source seems inordinate—we think praise is an expression exclusive to thinking-feeling humanity, until we read the Bible and it reminds us what occurs in the heavens. And just the very existence of the constituents in the heavenly realm compels praise (Psalm 19:1).

This section of the psalm harkens us back to the creation story in Genesis 1 and 2. God called these heavenly things into being and assessed them, in Divine knowledge, as “good” or, equivalently, perfect.

One reflective look at the starry host on a clear night commends us to agree with verses 1-6. Wonder there must be in abundance!

The Earthly Creatures And Features

If the heavenly realm can be called to laud God for the finery of creation, the subordinate of creation—the earthly things—must count it privilege to be called in the same way.

Things nearer to humanity’s sight—sea monsters, all the deep, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind, mountains, the tallest trees, wild animals and cattle, creeping things and birds; kings and all peoples, young and old men and women alike—must address God replete with the respect Divinity deserves: Praise Him.

Of all creation, humanity has most reason to form its existence around praise, for there is no rationality anything close to God as humanity is; we have minds to conceive praise, and hearts upon which to base such awed thoughts.

***

Praise for God is the emotion of awe in consideration of the nature and works of the Creator. All praise is due such Divine entity, for which all things exist. Everything that is, and ever was, and ever will be, has reason to praise the Almighty God.

The Perfection Of Love In Glory

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“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face.”

~1 Corinthians 13:12a (NRSV)

“He who loves cannot be satisfied if he does not feel that he loves as much as he is loved.”

~Saint John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle of the Soul and the Bridegroom Christ

Re-reading the above Saint John of the Cross quote sufficiently to understand its eternal truth, upon serene rumination, helps us understand the love-gap we experience in this earthly life.

We cannot love God as God loves us; not here, not now.

Only at Glory will we reach the perfection of love that is, at last, the equal of God’s love for us. Then, and only then, will we be eternally quenched in worshipping the Lord aright.

The perfection of love in Glory means all things, not simply love, and the Hope to which all of this pertains, hardly captures a minnow of measure, here.

An Illustration of Human Love

If we consider the nature of this love-gap—us and our ever imperfect devotion before God, in mortality—it may be hard to fully reason it. An illustration helps.

When we contemplate the overtures of love sent forth our way by those that love us, we, of a normal moral capacity, wish to meet them at their level of love or clearly exceed it, upping the ante. Inwardly, we’re not happily content to leave the manner of someone’s blessing us at that—the law of reciprocity, common in social psychology circles, kicks in and, even subconsciously, we want to bless them back. Such as this is, love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8) and it continues on to the blessing of all in that relationship.

If, in our human relationships, we have no way of repaying the love bestowed, we might find that an incredible frustration. Such is the grace of God, though, we are blessed in that our inability to love God back according to the way God loves us is not a constant inhibition to us. Life is made tolerable despite the existence of such a divine love-gap.

Love for God – Like Looking Through a Mirror Dimly

This love-gap is, according to 1 Corinthians 13:12a, covered beautifully as a metaphor for looking into a mirror that is enticingly impossible to see reflections through. We are enchanted by love, never escaping its tantalising grasp, yet we have no way to its perfection. In other words, with such love in focus we cannot help but gaze longingly into the inscrutable mirror.

Looking into the mirror itself is known as a riddle—such love (and other things of God) cannot be known in their reflective perfection this side of eternity.

These facts beckon us toward patience; we will enter Glory soon enough. There, all processes of love, grace, and maturity of character will combine unto spiritual perfection. And though we will never be on equal terms with God we will be able to love God, by our worship, as God loves us.

***

Oh the Hope of Glory! At last, home, having been away seemingly so long, we will have full capacity to love God. Such perfection awaits, and this is hope beyond any living fear for death.

Is Belief In God Reasonable?

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“Profane men think that religion rests only on opinion, and, therefore, that they may not believe foolishly, or on slight grounds, desire and insist to have it proved by reason that Moses and the prophets were divinely inspired. But I answer that the testimony of the Spirit is superior to reason.”

~John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion

The evergreen topic of dissension between believers and nonbelievers has been and will always be reason and relevance for, and faith in, God.

Between religions, even, there are incessant arguments and philosophical and theological debates over nuances of God. Moreover, the Christian faith, the church and its denominations, is split in numerous chapters of belief in the differentiating minutia of all things that may be true about God and faith and, therefore, held up for disputation.

By this, there is the foretaste of indifference and the aftertaste of competition on all things of divinity.

But what is proposed by Calvin above makes the issue irrefutable—indifference and competition will become silence; a retort may be considered, yet it will be discounted.

The Irrefutability Of Belief In God

The testimony of the Spirit, as read through the biblical Word, it is argued, is superior to human reason—God may not be ‘explained’; God, in fact, has censured that all things of belief are to be secured by faith, and by faith alone.

God may not be known unless by deliberate means of belief—the state of deciding an allegiance of heart and mind, in this case absent of visible evidence to support the decision. That may be faith.

The reasonable man and woman will think the decision for faith is madness; thus, we need to remember that this God has revealed himself to the believer in irrefutable, most relevant ways. Nobody believes in something untrue or irrelevant to them, personally.

If we may consider that belief in God is irrefutable—given the majority of human beings do actually believe—then we might find a test for true belief.

Truth Is The Friend-Of-God’s Ally

One of the best ways to challenge anybody regarding their God-faith or their rejection of God or faith, altogether, is by the majestic test of truth.

Truly, the person who is called a friend-of-God has learned to love the truth; their belief is, therefore, set by the truth in the manner of understanding and the acceptance of life as it attends. And balancing such love of truth is grace which tempers the oft-hard-crudeness of truth remitted in loveless ways.

It may be no coincidence, the person disbelieving God, and rejecting faith, wants no part in such grace-evident truth—they might typically kick-against-the-pricks of life, dispelling the sense of natural justice in life as unfair. They blame others for their own mistakes and when others are at fault they find such things unforgivable and grudges are borne. This is the character of the unregenerate person.

***

The existence of God, and faith in God, are undeniable in this: the testimony of the Spirit is superior to reason.

And if that isn’t enough, try this: we have. Yes, by the fact we possess life, things, hopes, and love, demands we have a Provider; the fact that we have necessitates faith for handling, with aplomb, all these possessions. The Provider—God—has engineered life to require faith.

Psalm 62 – For God Alone My Soul Waits

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“Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.”

~Psalm 62:11-12a (NRSV).

This psalm is a resolution of secure silence in reflection of many throngs of would-be assassins (if not by actual means, then my character assassination) that have been met. The psalm reads like a song, complete with a chorus in verses 1-2 and 5-6.

The chorus is the resolution:

“For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.”

This Psalm of David’s is typical of his genre: in the presence of persecution by an enemy there is an inner strength and confidence prevailing through David’s heart as we read, with encouragement, his unenviable situations that are met with poise of faith. Yet, there is no absence of vulnerability.

As with a lot of Scripture, because it has been rewritten in a different language, in this case from Hebrew, there can be translation issues, as we read meaning into English words that perhaps weren’t there in the original. There are those issues here in the chorus.

The Psalmist’s Hope And Salvation

The writer of the psalm makes his confessions, again, with sound resolution. There is not much quiver to the voice, little hesitation as the words leave the mouth; as the letters are written on the page. Clearly there is confidence that God delivers (verse 7).

Although he has felt assailed, perhaps in this case by memory of battles gone by, little real impact is made for the changing of his mind. Indeed, so resolute is David he not only believes, but is an advocate to others for the hope and salvation that is in God (verse 10).

The hope and salvation of God, truly, is one stayed on the right path, not defeated by one’s enemies, circumstances, or even the greed of one’s own covetous heart. Our Rock and our Salvation saves us from all these, and more.

The Confessional Value Of Hoping In God

There are several direct references to the sovereign character qualities, and names, of God: my Rock, my Salvation, my Fortress, my Mighty Rock, and my Refuge.

As we call on these names of God, our psyches recognise the confessional value of hoping in God—we are affirming to ourselves our beliefs, the strength of our confidence, and even venturing beyond any evidence of situational disbelief. We prefer, at these times, to rest in our confidence for God to deliver us, than explore any presence of despair that intermittently underpins our humanity. And to rest in this confidence we are well advised.

***

Quietness of soul and rest beyond compare characterise the heart prepared to observe the safety resplendent in God. The Lord’s faithfulness reaches from eternity to eternity and has covered our whole lives. This is what we are now able to see.

Clothed In The New Self

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“You were taught to put away your former way of life... to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

~Ephesians 4:22a, 23-24 (NRSV)

“God is pleased to strip them of this old person and clothe them with the new person... He strips their faculties, affections, and feelings—both spiritual and sensual, both outward and inward...”

~St. John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul

The most common experience of coming to faith in Jesus Christ is that of blessing and emotional anointing—to be counted privileged and to witness great personal miracles, as God proved himself to us. We fell in love with this God. The baby believer is swept up in all manner of emotion for the Lord.

Then, eventually, our understanding is morphed after we have come in and landed. Life, once it has normalised beyond the emotions-of-blessing, what St. John of the Cross might call the “unperfected” phase of salvation, then becomes a testing ground for the refinement and purification of our faith. And we’re tempted to think God’s Presence has left us, because life feels, again, like it did before we were saved.

Yet, this is merely evidence of transition into the truer faith-life.

The goal of this truer faith-life is somewhat a tongue-in-cheek experience, admitting, in the Presence of God, there is now no desire for personal control over circumstances that would neither aid nor hinder us, as well of those that might.

We ought to be beyond the placating of our circumstances; reliant on them to feel good.

Problems For The New And Older Believer, Alike

Christian maturity has nothing to do with the years one has been saved.

There are some believers saved five decades that have less malleable Christian maturity than a two-year-old tried and tested by their circumstances and application of faith. But the years of applied faith approve our growth toward perfection.

The truer faith has everything to do with straight submission under the purposes of God in the living of one’s life beyond triumph and tumult. The truer faith is home to the dry life as much as anywhere.

The differences between being clothed in the new self and not are, for instance, the source and manifestation of complaint, what we might argue about, even what we might choose to discuss. It is a test of worldliness.

In our everyday life we have grown used to comfort and beauty all around us; we naturally want to attract more of God’s ‘goodness’ and we can grow accustomed to requiring it.

When a severe testing time comes we’re not ready for it—as I was personally concerned, my faith was still infantile; but it soon grew. And that is the purpose of the testing time; to prove our faith worthy of accepting life however it comes—the process of maturing.

Accepting Life However

The great difference between Christian living and the unregenerate life is the manner of acceptance—those who will not and cannot accept their real-life circumstances are still living the unregenerate way; they are clothing themselves in the old self. This is a hard word but it is nevertheless true.

Accepting life however it comes compels us to imagine a place of possible circumstances that may cause fear and trembling.

Anything that comes—good, bad, or indifferent—is for our growth. Again, thinking of the possibilities, we ought to be thankful for the things God is saving us from, and has saved us from.

***

Christian living is the purpose of life in that it focuses us on being clothed in a new self that is patiently resilient whatever comes. This is about not living as little children anymore, but agreeing to partner with God to the acceptance of life on life’s terms.

Make Heading for Joy!

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“My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.”

~James 1:2-4 (NRSV)

As with all voyages, we’re steering to a land beyond the present horizon—our gaze is set solely for a destination explicit of the next purpose that drives us by faith.

And though we may be clearly short of joy right now we’re headed there if we wish it so; a bearing has been made and a commitment to travel the full course of the blessed sojourn is resolute.

When we make heading for Joy, we know the destination also as Maturity; the navigation through tremulous waters, the testing of faith, in producing patient stillness resplendent in the Lord, despite trials of any kind.

Joy – The Power In, And For, The Journey

It is hard to pinpoint one single virtue as providing antecedent value on the pilgrimage to joyous lands, but could it be that the destination is found throughout the tumultuous meandering of, and along, the journey?

Here we picture joy as the prevailing energy inflating our sails, giving the craft that is our spiritual-state the ingenious grace to cut through the waves of struggle and even burgeoning despair. No longer are we robbed of the vision of joy because it is too far off. It is part of daily experience—or can be.

Such a thing as hope is buoyed by faith to know that the inward attitude and outward demeanour of joy is proving the serenely majestic way through all seas destined for our bow; whether choppy, heavy at swell, or calm.

Joy is hence characterised in resilience; to keep chiselling through those waves of impending doubt, indifference, frustration, and everything else, as each one is met. This is because it knows that a greater prize stands for the winning at the arrival of that cherished destination: the calm sophisticated port of Maturity.

Joy – The Final Frontier Of Spirituality

Now we come to joy—the final frontier and ultimate destination of an essential spirituality; the true Fatherland of faith.

But such a joy we arrive at to a paradox: what promised as a destination was no less than a promise of so many more destinations of joy—and, no less, trial—to come.

Weighing anchor at port, setting sail for the unknown horizons ahead, we have stowed the precious provisions that will carry us to the next ports along the course to Maturity. For we know that such a place is no end in itself—in this lifetime—but a continual pilgrimage and destination to be enjoyed each moment.

***

Joy is where life is at. So, climb aboard Joy and weigh anchor with Faith at the helm for the land that promises no opportunity at peril, just resilience of hope to the building of spiritual maturity one sailing moment at a time.

Hope In And Beyond Life

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The Apostle Paul: “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer.”

~Philippians 1:21-22 (NRSV)

Opening the letter to the Philippians we might imagine Paul gushing with joy upon a theophany of spiritual grandeur; he is in a no-lose situation—entirely happy however life is or is to become (see also Philippians 4:11).

He imagines both scenarios—to die now or to live for Christ in the body—as being of equally intriguing proportions. He willingly goes either way at the special behest of the Lord. The simple obedience is the best obedience, and Paul delights in the pleasure of doing it.

The Christian Contentment

We ordinarily associate with Philippians a joy that is insurmountable unless by Christian opportunity; our argument is the non-Christian cannot understand what appears to be so logical. Spiritual sight must first be gifted the person—the willingness of open eyes and ears to imagine God by faith.

Yet, the gift is freely available, as is the contentment that goes with the gift—that rare ability to take life, however painfully or awkward it may be, and simply accept, with a casual spirit-smile, ‘whatever’ for whatever it may be.

In this way the Christian contentment agrees with God to let God be God.

Dead or alive the Christian is happy. And though there may be more wins and more losses, either way, such gains and losses are counted a trifling pittance in comparison with the knowledge of God, which comes despite life in the body.

The Christian contentment, then, is the envy of those confused regarding God and life, in their living without hope, yet pretending to be hopeful. A Christian’s contentment is just as it is, because when life is taken just as it is, contentment there is abounding.

Then it can be seen, also, by those magnificently discontented with life, such a contentment is both maddening, ridiculously surreal; an uncommon insanity.

This same Christian contentment worries not about the losses and sees mainly only benefit whenever the permeation of multiple options are explored.

Committing to Joyfulness

Many of us have had seasons of joylessness, and, as a consequence, when we at last found joy—at the bosom of God, by salvation in the Lord Jesus—we sprang forth with incredible and inspiring hope that knew no bounds in our mortal beings.

Committing to joyfulness is the Christian way.

Just like Paul, the Christian takes life truthfully to its core, yet still there is joy, despite all willing recognition of sorrow.

Committing to joyfulness is about finding life as it is, accepting same, and biding with every sense of possibility and, in that, letting God be God. We are readily fitted with joy at our request. This way, life is a constant prayer of praise.

Discerning the Ministry Motive

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“For such boasters are false prophets, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is not strange if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness. Their end will match their deeds.”

~2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (NRSV)

There is surely one central test of any minister of Christ—the want implicit of motive toward self-gain will mark the minister as not just a sinner, as all ministers are (because they are imperfect people), but a thief of the worst kind: one who would gain the trust of impressionable ones and lead them as if lambs to the slaughter at the shepherd-ship of a ravenously cunning wolf, hungry for success.

Such false prophets are about in every age, to every walk of life, as opportunists.

They are just as big an issue today as they were in the Apostle Paul’s day regarding ministerial deceit in Corinth. And the humbling thing is every minister will relate regarding the battle over motive. This is enough to cause each of us to repent in fear and trembling in the Presence of God. Finding the presence of this sin is divine awakening; that which we should be thankful for.

Portrait Of The (Situational or Career) False Minister

A predominant sign of this age is the prevalence of what I call the market-motive. It appears so many so-called servants of God have voraciously cloned themselves on well-known Christian leadership personalities and their practices. The market-motive has cornered their thoughts, their focus, and has blurred their rationale. They want success more than they want God.

Instead of being Spirit-centred and Spirit-surrendered vessels, usable by the living God, they have sold out to the gospel of success, which equates to power-in-numbers, as much Christian community influence as possible, and the esteem of human beings and not God.

And if we’re being honest, every living minister will relate that part of their ministry motive has been falsely wrought; they have been wise to repent when the Spirit has revealed the worldly market-motive as a situational driver to the expense of love and the message of salvation, where Jesus has been crucified afresh. To be convicted is blessing.

The Urgent Need to Repent

Jesus makes it clear in John’s gospel (see 12:31; 16:11) that a swift end is coming to the “ruler [or ‘prince’] of this world,” and Paul extends that here to the false prophet, for judgment will condemn them in the end, even to the point where they may be foreseeably pitied.

The Lord’s judgment of those agents of Satan is particularly severe and the genuine believer will be given even to compassion, despite the severity of the false prophet’s apparent sin. Yet again, when we’re honest in the Presence of God we will identify, at least partly, with the false minister’s motive. We battle with the flesh in our preferred Spiritual world.

***

Whilst discussing such subjects as this invites suspicion over many a good minister, for the majority are pure enough of motive not to be suspected, suspicion is still a worthy caveat before an otherwise vulnerable faith. And faith does need to be vulnerable.

The keyword for us out of the passage profiled is deceit—the motive of.

Any such motive, without comprehensive repentance on the part of the minister, should qualify them for immediate dismissal from a humbly noble service which can never be a denigrated to the worldly practice of trade.

Postscript: for more on this subject, please feel welcome to read, False Prophecy and True.

The Time Draws Near

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“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it; for the time is near.”

~Revelation 1:3 (NRSV)

“From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near’.”

~Matthew 4:17 (NRSV)

The Apocalypse of Jesus Christ is written down for us in word pictures, the best the Apostle John could describe in the book of Revelation: a New Testament work without compare.

It speaks of a time to come, a time drawing ever nearer, indeed close, today.

Of course, the naysayers are in the majority. It is worthy for us to look at the difficulty of apocalyptic writing through the eyes of William Blake, who said:

“You say that I want somebody to Elucidate my Ideas. But you ought to know that What is Grand is necessarily obscure to Weak men. That which can be made Explicit to the Idiot is not worthy my care. The wisest of the Ancients consider’d what is not too Explicit as the fittest for Instruction, because it rouzes the faculties to act.”

~Letter to Dr. Trusler, 23 August 1799.

Idiosyncratic William Blake may have been God’s perfect selection to elucidate such ideas as the Apocalypse. Such ideas are not availed ‘sensible’ men—from the world’s definition of sense (go right to 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 on God’s wisdom versus humankind’s). The logical thinker will be stumped by the concepts expounded in Revelation.

Confused But Still Open-Minded

The true servant of God, as they read the book of Revelation, the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ, will often be confused by the concepts arranged in horror-movie scale. But, they will also deflect temptation to judge too easily or too quickly.

The Lord’s angel supplied John with the prophecy of the Apocalypse, an eternal event, and even the Apostle struggled to come to terms with how to describe such calamitous splendour.

The book of Revelation was not given for the sense of analysis, or diatribe, but for plain experience regarding the holiness and might and wisdom of God. It is believed by the person not demanding proof of God—the one to walk by faith, not sight.

Such a person, in William Blake’s estimation, will revel in what is “not too explicit”—seeing it as “the fittest for instruction.” Such a person willingly chooses for an open mind in the realm of things which cannot be explained, only believed or experienced.

Time Will Close Soon

What the common person can find laughable—an apocalyptic prophecy for imminence two millennia old—the believing person can see from the aspect of eternity: a concept itself not explainable with ease in human terms.

God is not goaded by the gargantuan corpus of delay; to the Lord there is no delay. The apocalyptic vision has been given and that timeline is now in play.

***

The final things may seem distantly off; but time draws near to a close. The saints and servants of God anticipate keenly for that end to come and for all things to be made right. The kingdom of heaven is near and has been eternally so. Now is the time to make things right and ready; the time is near...

Image: William Blake’s, The Last Judgement.