A Sequence to Receiving

Matt 4:23 - And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 

    Jesus was a man anointed and sent on a mission by God. That mission was all about people and those people were what He referred to as, the lost sheep of the house of Israel. So, He went where the people were; He went to their gathering place and took advantage of every opportunity to teach. If we take note of how many times, in the Gospels, it is recorded that Jesus taught, we would come to the conclusion that He taught more than any other one thing. He was anointed to bring healing, to be sure, but He did not put the healing ministry ahead of His teaching ministry. People can be healed but then not necessarily have a change in their thinking and mindset and consequently, they will not have any lasting change and they may also lose what they have gained. If we want to help people we must teach the Word of God, thus we connect them directly to the source. It’s basically the same principle as the old saying, ‘Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime’. And that is why we see Jesus instructing people first; He wanted to feed them for a lifetime.

    Jesus’ ministry consisted of these three primary things: teaching, preaching, and healing. The language used in our verse could imply a sequence; that one led to the other. Teaching clears the ground of any obstacles and hindrances which are almost always present. Scripture speaks of the importance of the renewing of the mind, and when it comes to people being healed, the need to deal with misinformation and lies is paramount. We must get our thinking clear and in line with God’s Word, which is the truth. Jesus brought God’s truth to God’s people; He taught them first; He taught them often.

    At the risk of being too simplistic and general, we could say it like this: teaching brings information, while preaching brings inspiration; teaching is explanation and preaching is proclamation. We need both of these elements of God’s work in our lives. The proclamation of God’s Word is similar to the old town crier who came announcing news; ‘Hear ye! Hear ye!’ In Jesus’ case, He didn’t come with just any news; He came proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom and the Gospel is good news that the kingdom of God is here. The roots of the word translated kingdom give us the connotation of basic or basis, signifying, that it is always dealing with foundational things. Healing and health are basic to the kingdom because in God’s kingdom sickness and disease is outlawed; it is simply not the will of the King.  

     There is something about the teaching and preaching of God’s Word that creates an atmosphere of expectation and anticipation in people. The Holy Spirit works in an assembly when there is a certain type of mood or atmosphere. We know there were times in Jesus’ ministry when the Holy Spirit was hindered from healing people; a tone of unbelief actually restricted him from working. The opposite is also true; an environment of faith conducts a flow of power and releases healing from God. I believe it would do us well to follow the example of Jesus when it comes to the healing ministry of the church. We need to take time with people and patiently teach the Word, which will build their faith and position them to receive their healing.

    There is no sickness or disease that can be considered incurable with God. Every type of sickness and disease was healed under the ministry of Jesus. It did not matter what it was; all manner of sickness; any kind of disease; whatever ailed people was completely healed. That would mean that what we might call small and insignificant ailments or large and life-threatening conditions were all taken care of by Jesus.

    The good news of all this is that God is no respecter of persons; what He does for one He will do for all. He does not discriminate between us; all are equally valuable to Him. Jesus came to do the will of His Father and to demonstrate the heart of God toward suffering humanity. He exemplified the will of God completely; He healed people then and He continues to heal people now. He is the unchanging God; He is the God who heals and He is the God who heals you. I want to encourage you, regardless of past experiences, to continue to seek God for healing, but begin with His Word. Let the Word of God unveil to you the will of God. Let the Word of God instil in you the mind of God. Let the Word of God establish in you the heart of God and let the Word of God impart to you the power of God. The precedent has been set; this sequence can be trusted; Jesus is still teaching, preaching and healing. Amen!

Correction is not Rejection

Prov.3:11, 12 - My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loves he corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights.

    A.W. Tozer once wrote, ‘The bias of nature is toward the wilderness, never toward the fruitful field’. Our verse today is encouraging us to have a certain attitude when it comes to instruction and correction. Just as the fruitful field does not become that way naturally, so we, too, need regular and methodical outside help on our journey toward maturity and productivity. And, by the way, it is good to realize that that journey is a life-long one. Hopefully, we are always on the path of growth.

    To despise something has the inference that it is deeply hated and loathed, and that would be true, but the word actually carries more of the idea of treating something lightly and without importance. If we treat something flippantly we do not place any value on it. ‘Do not treat lightly the chastening of the Lord’. If He is chastening us then, obviously, we must need it and a wise person is going to pay heed to it. Chastening is an old English word that we do not use much today but it is full of meaning for us. It has to do with the raising of children; their instruction, discipline, education, and the training of their overall outlook and attitude. Some have regarded sickness and different tragedies as the chastening of the Lord but as a loving Father, He would never chasten us that way. Chastening is patient instruction and calm correction for our good. Our Father may deal with us very firmly, but He is always loving and He has only His child keenly in mind. No good parent would harm their child to teach them a lesson; we have laws against that.

   Overcoming weariness will be necessary if we are to achieve or accomplish anything in life. The athlete that pushes himself to the limit and doesn’t quit is the one who crosses the finish line. The student who stays up late at night and says no to many other good activities is the one who will get the high marks. The businessman who works hard and perseveres when it looks like all is going to fail will be the one who reaps the reward. ‘Do not be weary’. If we get tired of God’s correction we basically reject it and quite often we reject it because of who the correction comes through. It takes a heart of humility to continue to receive and welcome correction.

    Correction is normal to life. When we drive our vehicles we do not keep the wheel in a fixed position; we make constant adjustments. When a pilot flies an airplane, he makes constant and usually quite small corrections; only this will ensure that the passengers get to their destination safely. Correction is an opportunity to make changes and improve what we are doing. The problem with our society today is our children have not been properly corrected and because they were not raised that way they do not know how to receive correction from their boss or anyone else. Many times we interpret correction as meaning rejection, and this is not the case.

    The only reason that God corrects us is that He wants us to benefit. He loves us and wants the best for us but, we will not be able to receive His best if we do not go through the proper processes of correction. As a parent you want your child to have everything that you have and more, but they have to be ready to receive it and be a good steward of it. They have to be able to sustain what they have been given. I read in one of Andrew Murray’s books that we may be preparing an inheritance for the child but are we preparing the child for the inheritance? Our heavenly Father is perfect and He has a perfect love and motivation towards us. We as natural parents may have other motivations. Maybe we do not want to be embarrassed, so we correct our children. Maybe we want others to think we are the ultimate parents, so we correct our children. There may be any number of wrong motives for correction. Correction is good but the why of correction and the way of correction also have to be right.

    One of the primary ways that God will bring instruction and correction into our lives is through His Word. A consistent reading of the Bible gives God access into our hearts and minds to bring us His wisdom. Read the Word, that is, receive it. Feed on the Word, that is, reflect on it. Heed the Word, that is, respond to it. As we do these things over a process of time we will grow in knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. We will make new and better choices. We will listen more closely to those whom God has put in our lives. We will foresee things that may be coming and make proper preparation for them.

Guidance Through Mourning

1 Samuel 16:1 - How long will you mourn for Saul?

    The world is not as it was created to be in the beginning; God's plan never included heartbreak, tragedy, loss or sorrow. Sorrow is a product of Adam’s sin; it is a product of our fallen condition and the current state of things. However, even though they were never part of God’s original intention for us, sorrow, loss and grief are some of the emotions that we will inevitably experience in this life and we must know how to navigate through them because the process of recovery is very important.

    God came to Samuel and asked him how long he was going to mourn. The mourning was not wrong. God knows that we must acknowledge loss and recognize grief if we are to overcome it. We must grieve appropriately. When we lose a loved one, we realize there must be a time of mourning. The mourning shows respect for the one you lost, it indicates the value that they held in your life. They were a vital and integral part of your life and now they are gone. There needs to be a process of coming to terms with the reality that life will never be the same. Change has come and we must move forward for there is a life to be lived and a destiny to fulfill. We sometimes feel guilty about moving on in life after the loss of someone so important and so very close to us. How can we be happy and still grieve the loss? There is a necessary thing called closure. A door unlocked is one thing but a door left half way open doesn’t seem right, especially if it’s your front door. One of the basic things we were taught as a child was to close the door on the way out. An old preacher once said that there are only two things that we do in life; we enter and we leave, and how you leave one place determines how you enter another. Seasons come and seasons go and we cannot grieve the loss of each season forever. There is a time of mourning and then there must be a time to accept the loss and adjust our thinking and renew our hope for the future. The mourning is necessary, the mourning is important, the mourning is real but, the mourning must eventually lose its paralyzing grip on us, otherwise, we will be held in the past forever.

    According to our verse, the time frame of mourning is somewhat in our control. How long it lasts may be determined by our choice. How long? Should we mourn for a month? Or should we mourn for a year? Is there a fixed amount of time that someone should mourn? No! Everyone is different and every situation and circumstance is also different. There are no formulas for mourning. Mourning is not mechanical, it is biological. It is organic, it is alive and it is a very personal process. We must walk through it step by step, trusting God to lead us into a place of healing and restored hope. We will know when the time is right.

    We should also realize that loss is experienced in many different ways. We do not always have to lose a loved one to experience loss. There are many other forms of loss which should also be grieved appropriately. There is the loss of employment which issues in many other challenges. There is the loss of friendship. There is the loss of innocence. There is the loss of a sense of destiny. Likewise we can lose the ability to dream. We can lose the ability to laugh. We can and do lose all kinds of things in life and we must acknowledge the loss, mourn accordingly and then move on.  If we do not recognize loss, we will never recognize the new things put in front of us. New opportunities await all of us but if we are stuck in the debilitating and overwhelming effects of sorrow we will not be able to see them when they come. 

    When we know that what we have lost was originally given by God it becomes harder to leave it in the past and go forward into our future. Saul was the man chosen by God but because of his choice he forfeited the honour of continuing as king. Many times we have difficulty with letting go of something that was initiated by God and was such a blessing to us. However, there are always going to be transitions; change inevitably comes; nothing in this life lasts forever. We intuitively know this but it is not easy to live out. A wonderful lady said to me once, when we were going through a very difficult season, that a big part of the role of a pastor or spiritual leader is to help people say hello and to say goodbye. That statement rings true to me. Just think of our lives; we say hello to elementary school and we say goodbye to it; we say hello to a job or career and we say goodbye to it; we say hello to our thirties and we say goodbye to them; we say hello to people we love and we say goodbye to them. That actually sums up our lives; we say hello to the world in birth and we say goodbye in death, and in between, there are many hellos and goodbyes.

    Life is a series of transactions and transitions; entrances and exits; beginnings and endings; saying hello and saying goodbye. Like a trapeze artist, there is a time to hang on and a time to let go, and the timing for each is all-important. Be encouraged, friend, you may feel alone and even lost, but, you are not. Take your time, we cannot force the process. Choose your counselors wisely and let your Heavenly Father wrap His arms around you. Let all the heaviness go and rest in His everlasting arms. He will guide you through this season of life and His powerful grace will prevail. Amen!

Alternative Medicine for Your Health

Pro 4:20-23 - My son, attend to my words; incline your ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 

    One of the primary things we see in this opening verse is that God is always, first and foremost, concerned about our relationship. ‘My son’. Just think about the fact that God affirms us as His sons; He acknowledges that He is our Father. Any parent immediately understands that their son, particularly, a young son, is entirely their responsibility. As a parent we are constantly thinking of our children; we are constantly planning for their future; we are constantly aware of where they are at and what influences are coming into their young minds. We are vigilant and diligent about their safety, their education, and their well-being. Jesus said that if we as fathers know how to give good things to our children, how much more does our Heavenly Father?       

    We probably know some very good fathers who live among us. They may be hard-working and loyal; they may be generous and loving; or, they may be strong and protective. However good they might be, the Heavenly Father is infinitely greater. He desires the absolute best for us. He wants us to be blessed and healthy in every way. He has an unlimited heart of goodness toward us. One prominent theologian has said that the only limit to God’s goodness is our capacity to receive it. If only we could open our hearts a little wider and embrace our Father’s perfect love for us. ‘My son’. It’s as if God is saying, ‘You are mine. I take responsibility for you. I am your Provider. I am your answer. You belong to me. I am your personal Physician’.

    We are exhorted to give our attention to God’s words. Whatever has our attention has our focus and whatever has our focus, has our time, our heart and our energy. If we are giving the Word of God our attention then we are giving it our interest and our concentration. Everything in life is attempting to get our attention and something will inevitably have it. God says we are to ensure that His Word has our complete attention. If I am a student in the classroom and the teacher tells me to pay attention then that means I am going to have to listen intently to what is being said. I do not have to come up with my own solution to life’s challenges; I just simply have to be alert and listen for God’s solution.

    There are many words that compete for our attention but it is the words of God which are to be prominent in our thinking and in our lives. ‘My words’. Someone has once said that words are containers; they carry whatever is put into them. Man’s words carry fear and insecurity; they carry doubt and discouragement; they carry hopelessness and despair. God’s words, however, carry faith and security; they carry confidence and encouragement; they carry hope and expectation; indeed, they carry healing.

    Have you ever noticed how easy it is to believe all the negative things that could happen? We have been raised in a culture of fearful unbelief. Our schools do not promote faith in God and our government certainly does not as well. We have been trained to accept whatever comes our way without considering what the Word of God has to say. ‘Incline your ear’. An inclination is a leaning toward something and if we are already leaning toward it then it only takes a little push to go all the way over. If we are inclining our ear then, half the battle is already won. What do we hear all day long? A quick listen to the news on the radio tells us that it is definitely not good news. What am I inclining my ear to? God says we are to give our attention to His words and a big part of that is to consistently hear the Word of God. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Faith does not necessarily come by reading silently, or by praying. No! Faith, which is confidence in God, comes by opening up our ears and listening intently to the Word. Years ago I read something that D. L. Moody wrote, ‘…I prayed for faith and thought that some day faith would come down and strike me like lightning, but faith did not come. One day [I read Rom.10:17 and] realized that I had closed my Bible and prayed for faith, but now I open my Bible and begin to read and my faith has been growing ever since...’

    Isn’t it true that things which God has said to us may be important at one time but they do not always stay in their place of priority? It is a sad reality that we naturally tend to neglect or forget crucial things. It takes intentional and purposeful steps to ensure that we do not lose what we have gained. ‘Let them not depart from your eyes’. The very fact that we are told to not let the words of God depart strongly infers that they will depart if we let them. One version says to not lose sight of His words. If something moves away from us we will eventually lose sight of it; we can only see so far. That is why we must stay close to the Word of God, and if we do, we will never lose sight of it. ‘Your eyes’. The eye is an amazing part of the body but the eye is simply a gate or, a door through which information comes. We don’t actually see with the eye; we see in our minds because of the image that the eye has projected there. That is why we hear the phrase, ‘I can see it in my mind’s eye’. We need to allow the Word of God to form the image of blessing and health in our mind.

    If someone is a gate-keeper then that means they are to guard the gate; they decide who goes in and who goes out. ‘Keep them in the midst of your heart’. We are keepers of the precious Word. We are guardians of this treasure. To be an effective guardian or gate-keeper, we must always be aware that there are enemies trying to enter in and destroy who we are and what we have. On the other hand, we must also realize that there are allies who are trying to come in and help. We must be discerning and selective about what comes in through the eye-gate and the ear-gate.

    The heart of a thing is the center of it; it is the hub around which all revolves. ‘My words, your heart’. God’s words must amalgamate with our heart in a similar way that the seed must unite with the ground. No matter how strong any one of us is, our heart does not have what it takes, in and of itself, to withstand the forces of disease; we are all in need of a greater and separate power. That power is God’s Word and when His Word gets rooted in our heart it will control and direct our life.

    All that we have been told so far has told us what to do but now we are being told why. ‘They are life to those who find them, and health to all your flesh’. The benefit of the pursuit is the finding of life. Life is what everyone wants but not everyone wants to seek and pursue the Word of God until it dominates the heart. ‘Find them’. If we knew that there was a treasure buried in our backyard we would dig up every inch until we found it. The use of the word find means that this vital life and strength does not fall randomly on people. In fact, there is nothing random or impulsive about God; He gives us His Word with the instructions and laws contained within it. Then, as we follow those reliable laws, we find life. His words contain His life and His life is the source of our life. Life is organic and biological; it is a living entity if you will.

    His words are life and health to the actual, physical flesh of those who find them. Apparently, the effect of this is not only spiritual. ‘Health to all their flesh’. The word translated health could also be translated medicine. So we could say God’s Word is medicine to all their flesh. Our Father is the Great Physician and He has medicine for all that ails us. If we went to the doctor and he prescribed medicine we would gladly follow all his instructions for taking it. If the Word of God is medicine then that implies several essential things. It must be taken according to the prescription, most likely at regular intervals. It must be absorbed into your system; it cannot stay in the bottle. It must have a time element connected to it; we cannot force it to work.

    Everything about this section of Scripture emphasizes vigilance and diligence; watchfulness and faithfulness. ‘Keep your heart’. We are strongly exhorted to maintain the guard over our heart because our very life flows out of it from God back to us. As we give the Lord’s word our utmost attention and heed closely to what He says, absorbing His word into our hearts and keeping His thoughts within us, our inner man receives life. That life then emanates out into our flesh, thus driving away any sickness and disease. The key to receiving and then staying in a place of health is to guard our hearts. It is so easy to allow thoughts to come in that are not from our Father, therefore, we must continue to exercise diligence as the gate-keeper. Guard your heart. Protect your spirit. Shield your inner man. Do this above all else that you do.

    Remember, it is your Father who loves you and has made provision for you. He longs to bring relief from needless suffering. He is a compassionate Father and He is your Father. You are His child. He is actively watching over His word to bring it to pass for you. He has a wise and loving Father’s plan for your life and disease and harm is not part of it. Listen to Him, focus on Him, yield to Him and the life that is in His words will spring up within you and impart strength and health to you.  

    

Old, Strong and Productive

Act 21:16  There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge. 

    Only the Word of God could use a simple phrase from an obscure verse to teach unending lessons and powerful truths. While reading this verse two words spring to life; old disciple.

   Our world, with its never-ending fight against aging and its perpetual quest for the fountain of youth, certainly does not value the old. Even the very mention of the word conjures up images of decrepit things; an old car, dented and rusty, burning more oil than gas; an old house, with a leaking roof and weathered siding, that has long since become a bottomless money-pit; or maybe an old computer; with its out-dated technology demonstrated by memory measured in kilobytes and containing a floppy drive. However, in God’s economy old never means decrepit and worn out; it means time-tested, valued, seasoned and so much more.

    Our culture worships the new; be it a new car, a new philosophy, new hair or, a new mate. And lest we should point our finger at society, the Christian church has not fared much differently; we seem to always want the new as well. We want new songs with new instruments because the old ones were those of our parents. We want new books with bright new covers because the old ones were much too plain. We want new ambiance complete with modern lighting and decor because the old just wasn’t attracting others to our assembly. Don’t misunderstand me, I do believe that methods and tools need to be updated but new for the sake of new is not wise. Many years ago I read a quote from G. K. Chesterton which went something like this; ‘Weak things must boast of being new, but strong things can boast of being old’.

    In the light of that quote, our man named Mnason, wasn’t simply an old disciple, he was vastly more, he was a strong disciple. He was old and strong like the tree with roots reaching deep into the soil, absorbing the much-needed nutrients while simultaneously maintaining stability and ensuring permanence. He was old and strong like the river whose waters bring life to every living thing while carving and shaping a path for succeeding generations to follow. He was old and strong like the buildings and bridges which were constructed in times past; built to last using materials that were proven to weather the harsh storms of life and stand upright and tall as a testimony to the Architect.

    Scholars tell us that this word old in the Greek language means original and according to several commentators this could very well imply that Mnason was one of the original disciples who lived as a contemporary of Jesus. We can imagine the possibility of him being one of the many who sat and listened to the life-changing truths contained in the Sermon on the Mount. Maybe he was there that day as the woman pushed through the crowd and touched the garment of Jesus receiving healing and restoration of dignity and purpose, or perhaps he was present when the outcast leper came and asked for the touch of Christ and was mercifully cured and reunited with family and friends. If only we had eyes that were opened to see the old disciples, like Mnason, sitting among us; what stories we might hear, what lessons we might learn, what impact we might experience.

    Not only is our brother said to be old but he is noted also as a disciple. An old disciple. Some people simply grow old but they do not do it gracefully. Many times they grow old and bitter, or old and despondent, or old and more prejudiced than ever. We value long life but we don’t want to simply live for a long time, we want to continue on the path of a disciple. We have many believers in Christ but relatively few disciples of Christ. A disciple is a student; one who remains engaged and active, continually learning, perpetually growing, consistently giving. The outward man is perishing and aging but the inward man need not diminish but can be renewed daily.

    Paul, himself an old disciple, wrote to Titus and instructed him to speak to the older men and women of Crete, reminding them to finish strong. Wisdom is cumulative and spiritual power can actually amass as we walk with the Lord through our youth and into our fifties, sixties and seventies. Experienced disciples become extremely valuable to God and others; hence the exhortation to the older ones. We all need to respectfully remind the older generation, encouraging them to not forget how valuable they are as they age. We are not to take our identity from what the world says about us, we must get our identity from God; we must remember who we are; remember whose we are, and remember who is looking toward us for hope and support. The world may forget our seniors but God does not and wise people also do not. The idea of retirement is basically a new and Western concept but the truth is that in the kingdom of God there is no such thing as retirement; our roles and responsibilities will surely change as we age but the fact that we have a responsible role will never change. It is interesting too, that we sometimes think that if we just have enough time we will become mature and we will have attained a certain level of spirituality, however, this is not true. Time is a necessary element of growth but time, by itself alone, does not bring maturity, which is why we see some men who are well into their seventies yet still acting very foolishly, they may be old but they are not a disciple.

    Can we look afresh and see that an old disciple, like Mnason, is a seasoned warrior, a tempered weapon, an experienced intercessor, a veteran of church and family life, can we see, indeed, that each one is a priceless treasure?

His Plan, Our Purpose

2Timothy 1:9 - Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

    God has saved us, that is, He has rescued us, delivered us, and brought us into a place of safety. Thank you, Lord, for this salvation. God is the original ‘Search and Rescue’ team; He is ever seeking and ever desiring to rescue people from danger and destruction and to bring them to a place of protection and wellbeing. It is impossible to rescue those who don’t believe that they need rescuing; so our first prayer for all those who do not know the Lord would be one that would open their eyes to the vital need that they have. We do not save or rescue ourselves, in fact, if you were in a tight situation and you got yourself out of it, you would never refer to that as being rescued; you may instead boast of how you got out of that hazardous place by your own strength and ingenuity. Being rescued implies a Rescuer, a Saviour; someone other than yourself and someone stronger than yourself who has come alongside of you to help.

    Not only has God saved us but He has also called us; He has spoken and voiced His desire for us to respond to the call and come to Him. Years ago, as children, playing in the orchards behind our house, we would hear the call to dinner. Once the call was given it was then incumbent upon us to respond and to come and seat ourselves at the table. If we went hungry because we did not respond to the invitation that could never be our parents fault. A call is something that another must initiate; we can never call ourselves. If you were informed at the office that you have a call holding on the line, at the very least it would be rude not to answer the call. It may also be very foolish because the one who is calling could be a person of great wealth and ready to purchase your wares. These examples of earthly calls pale in comparison to the Heavenly call; God, Himself, has called us, and that call is a call to fellowship and partnership with Him. It is also a call to holiness, which is a life set apart for use by Him. It is a sacred calling. It is a special calling. Indeed it is a noble calling.

    I once heard someone describe the tour that they took through a museum where they were shown Abraham Lincoln’s desk and office paraphernalia. The curator of the museum informed the visitors that the artefacts were extremely valuable and even the pen of Abraham Lincoln was worth a vast amount of money. Granted, the pen was simply an ordinary pen, it was not made of gold or special and rare jewels. It was not valuable because of the pen itself, it was valuable and even priceless because of the one who used it. The call of God is a call to be used by Him, to become an instrument of blessing in His hands. In the light of who is using the instrument, His call adds a great deal of value to our lives.

    The idea of a call or a calling needs to be scripturally re-examined. We have often heard it used in reference to those who are ordained ministers or to those who have a full time job in ministry type work; indeed they do have a calling. However the Scripture is very clear that all people are called. If we believe that He has saved us, all of us, then we must likewise believe that He has called us, all of us. All people have a unique and essential calling. Just as the members of our bodies do not all have the same function, yet all are absolutely designed with a purpose that another cannot fulfil.

    God initiated a relationship with us; He made the first move; He pursued us. The reason that He pursued us was not because we had an amazing track record of impeccable living, or that we had so much to offer; No! His call was not according to our works. None of our good works would qualify us and equally so, none of our sinful works could disqualify us. It was not because of our actions or our efforts, it was initiated because He had a purpose for us and He wanted to instil His destiny in our lives. He called us, He chose us, He had a plan. God had a purpose for each one of us, He intended for us to enjoy great fulfilment and a life of accomplishment and satisfaction by aligning ourselves with His purpose. However, He also foreknew that we would not naturally or, automatically walk in that purpose so He ensured that we also have His grace which empowers and enables us to follow His purpose and plan. God’s grace is too vast to define but one aspect of it is His willingness to use His resources on our behalf regardless of our personal merit.

    All of this; His salvation, His calling, His purpose and His grace was all given to us before the world began. God in His perfect foreknowledge saw that mankind would fall and would need redemption. Even before there was a problem God provided the answer, in fact, there is no problem that His answer won’t meet. It was all decided upon ages ago; before the creation of man; before the rebellion of man; it was given freely to all of us in the person of His Son; it was given to us in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Father God, for the origin of the plan. Thank you, Jesus, for the execution of the plan and thank you, Holy Spirit, for the unveiling of the plan. Oh! What purpose we have and what grace we’ve been given!

God is Close to the Broken-Hearted

Matt.27:46 – And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying ‘Eli, Eli lama sabachthani?’ that is to say, ‘My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?’

    This is one of the seven things that Jesus said while he was hanging on the cross in excruciating pain. These few, sacred statements from Jesus have proven to be a rich heritage of blessing, strength and comfort to us. Many sermons and books have been written about them and what a powerful and enlightening study it is.

    This cry of Jesus has been called the cry of anguish or the cry of despair and it was indeed a haunting cry. A cry is something deeper than words; it is an expression of the heart which surpasses language. Every person on the earth knows what a heart cry is. It is a cry of instinct more than one of intellect. It is a cry of longing more than one of logic. This heart cry transcends all language barriers; it transcends all belief systems; we can immediately identify with anyone who suffers no matter their culture, speech or nationality. The book of Romans tells us that the entire creation is groaning; suffering under the burden of sin and suffocating from the weight of wickedness. That groan is this very cry which we are considering. Jesus, being the most spiritually sensitive man ever, was acutely aware of this period of abandonment, and he cried and groaned in total identification with forsaken mankind.

    I have heard it pointed out that if you read through the Gospels carefully, you will never see Jesus address the Father as God. He always tenderly addressed him as Father, but in this dark hour of his life He cried out to the God of the universe. Mankind is fallen and has lost his filial relationship with the Father. He cannot truly be called Father by anyone other than His children. He may be God to the entire world but He is Father only to the family. Something mysterious was transpiring within Jesus that was so terrible, so sacred, so beyond description that we must be very careful how we tread here. A thick darkness had covered the land for three hours restricting the onlooker's sight; it may be that God mercifully hid the eyes of humanity from catching sight of things which are beyond our ability to fully understand.

    To ask the question 'why' is to ask the basic question of the fallen race. Why me? Why is this happening to me? Why is life so difficult? Why do I keep repeating destructive patterns? Why are all these terrible things happening in the world? Why? To pose the question 'why' is to inquire about causes; reasons that things are the way they are. We want to make sense out of our lives and circumstances. We want to find meaning and purpose in the midst of suffering. Someone has said that a man can put up with almost any ‘what’ as long as he has a ‘why’. Jesus knew why he had to suffer; he had told his disciples ahead of time that he was going to be killed and rise again, but darkness had encircled the land; darkness had come heavily upon him; darkness had enclosed his heart and now darkness was coming out of him. Why, God, why?

    The question of why that comes from the inside of any man always comes with his own limited perspective; he doesn’t see the big picture and therefore he doesn’t understand. Perspective is what one sees from their point of view; from their standpoint. I read years ago that discussing Bible truths is like climbing a mountain; if you climb up one side you see one view, but if you climb up from another side you see a different view. There are always a variety of views to look at from man’s partial perspective. However, there is God’s unlimited viewpoint and His infinite perspective. There was a specific reason that Jesus was forsaken on that day; the purpose of God was being fulfilled. God was carrying out His great plan of redemption in this sacred and horrific moment. There was a definite and meaningful why.

    Fallen man is forsaken man; he is forlorn man; he is forgotten man. Why have you done this to me? Jesus is representing the entire race of lost humanity who blame God for all their loss and agony. Why did you not protect me? Why are you allowing this to happen? The sense of forsakenness and abandonment is what stands between God and mankind. We sometimes have heard the phrase, ‘a God-forsaken world’, but maybe it is actually the Father God who is forsaken by the world. Maybe He is a ‘world-forsaken God’. The Father God is truly the ultimate sufferer; he loves much, therefore he suffers much. This moment of forsakenness was equally difficult for both the Father and the Son. The Son’s heart cried out in deep distress as He represented every terrible and tragic thing that man has ever experienced as a victim and committed as a culprit. The Father’s heart suffered in silent pain as He watched His Son carry the burden and the crushing weight; the culmination of every wrong choice; the sin and the hurt of the entire world.

    Tragedy, atrocity, calamity, brutality and heartbreak are the sad realities of life on earth. One doesn't have to look very far to see that there is sorrow on every continent, pain in every country and grief in every home. Our deepest consolation comes to us as we understand that Jesus suffered these same things, he experienced the complete range of human emotions and he continues to suffer with us. He understands you, he understands me. Jesus was forsaken, deserted, abandoned and rejected so that we could be fully accepted and lovingly embraced; included in the family and affirmed by the Father. No matter what you may be facing today, however dark and heavy your heart may be, however many questions may be in your mind, I pray that you would cry out to the Father and receive His peace, His strength and His assurance that He is right there, walking with you through it all. He is there, as close as a whisper and He is ready to answer. Amen!

    

Whom Do You Say That He Is?

Mark 8:29 – But whom say ye that I am?

    The life Jesus lived on Earth, though quite short, has had and continues to have an innumerable and unsurpassed influence on this world. He made a lasting impact on all those that came in contact with Him. His name, His words, His demeanor, His miracles stirred up an immense amount of interest and piqued the curiosity of a nation. There were diverse and assorted opinions of Him. Jesus had just asked His disciples what some of those opinions were. Who did people say He was? Some, apparently, said that He was the forerunner, John the Baptist, raised from the dead. Others said He was Elijah the confrontational prophet who challenged the false religion of his day. Then there were those who thought he resembled Jeremiah the one who felt the pain of Israel’s condition and wept over the people of God. A large number of things were said about Him. Some people loved Him and some despised Him. Some gave their all to Him in worship and others tried to accuse Him and destroy Him. Many were impressed with His wisdom and teachings and there were also those who thought He had lost His mind and was insane. Without fail, the mention of Jesus never left anyone the same. He became a controversial figure, a person about whom many rumours and false truths were circulated. There were a multitude of opinions about Him then and there are equally as many about Him now. It really does not matter though, what the world says about who Jesus is. It does not matter what the current view of Him is, it only matters what you and I believe personally.

    Who do you say that I am? Jesus’ question is not simply for those to whom it was first posed but it is for each of us today. It is a personal question. It is a penetrating question. It is a probing question. It is a paramount question that has eternal ramifications. It is a question that demands an answer. Who do I say that He is? Who is He? The question is not what Jesus has done for me, although He has done so much, the question is who do I say He is? Eternity rests not on what but on whom; not on a thing but on a person. Who is He? We have no doubt heard the phrase that it is not what you know but who you know that counts. This idea suggests that to get the right opportunities and to get ahead in life depends not upon your education or your skills but upon who you are in relationship with. It is not what but who. When we apply this thought to Christianity it actually rings true. I may have all kinds of knowledge, even a thorough Biblical knowledge and yet not truly know Jesus. There are those who even have positions of leadership in churches and other organizations but may not necessarily know Him. A relationship is not based on what you know about someone. I may know many things about a movie star or a famous athlete. I might be able to quote their list of films and maybe even know their career stats but never actually met them. Who a person is, not what a person does, is the essence of relational intimacy. I can learn much about a person indirectly but I can never learn who a person is second hand. It must be a first hand and face to face encounter.

    The question searches even deeper than simply recognizing who He is; it asks us to say something. What do I say of Him? What do I say to Him? What do I say to myself? What do I say to others? It is not enough to merely think about who He is; there must be a statement. If someone witnesses a crime and then reports it to the police, the police will require a statement. If two people are deeply in love and decide to get married the love alone will not suffice; the minister will require a statement. We are committed to what we confess. Christianity has been called The Great Confession and rightly so because it is based on a verbal statement of our faith in Jesus. Words are the formulation and expression of what is in our hearts. When our children are struggling or hurting we want them to have the freedom to say what it is that is bothering them. When a counselor is trying to get to the root of inner trouble they need to hear what is in the heart. Many times the simple act of saying something out loud takes it out of the vague and gives it tangible meaning. This applies to both the negative and the positive. Stating things verbally not only brings solutions to problems but it also enhances and strengthens our faith and our love. I tell my wife that I love her not only because she needs to hear it but because I need to hear it; it reinforces my love and adds power to my commitment. Jesus knew this about human nature. He knew those first disciples would need to have a strong commitment in order to pioneer and forge a path for succeeding generations and He knew that we would, likewise, need much help in our journey through life and in our walk with Him.

    Who is He? Who do you say He is? Who do I say He is? I say that He is the Christ. He is the Son of God. He is the Saviour of the world. He is the Lord of all and He is my Lord and Saviour. He is my Redeemer and Rescuer. He is the Beautiful and Worthy One. That’s who He is and that’s my statement! I encourage you also to go ahead and make a statement. Who do you say that He is?

Three Life-Changing Words: God With Us!

Matt.1:23 - Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

    Christmas means many different things to many different people; some say that it bears no real significance, that it is a great family time, just simply a cultural tradition, or maybe a time to show goodwill and kindness towards people. Others would just rather skip the whole thing and have nothing to do with it. Whatever one’s stance is toward the celebration and meaning of Christmas, the fact that the whole world takes notice of this season is a testimony to the historic reality of Jesus, the actuality of His birth and the impact and influence of those few years that He lived among us on Earth.

    The meaning and significance of Christmas is wrapped up in those three very potent and compelling words: God with us. Just think of it; the All-Powerful God chose to be with us. He came to be with us. He made the initial move toward connection with us. He reached out and touched us. God with us. He identified with us in every aspect by becoming a man. As we ponder the fact that Jesus was born into this world as a little babe, a picturesque word comes to mind: embedded.

    A journalist might be sent to a war-torn nation to cover the story closely, and in order to cover it closely and effectively, that journalist might actually live with the soldiers; eating, sleeping and walking with them into battle. He then would be present when the active fighting occurs; bullets whizzing by, explosions too close for comfort and wounded soldiers at every side. He is with the unit; he is accompanying their every move and experiencing what they are going through. We call that an embedded journalist. In a much more powerful way God literally embedded Himself into the womb of humanity. He could get no closer; the Seed of God was implanted and organically united to mankind. God with us.

    God submitted Himself to the process of gestation and birth without giving up His Heavenly identity. He became a man. God with us; Divine with human; Perfection with imperfection; Uncommon with common; Light with darkness; Strength with weakness; Hope with despair; God with us. And not only was He born as a babe but He grew as a child and developed into a man. He lived with us; He walked with us; He cried with us and He laughed with us. Jesus experienced the complete gamut of human emotions and circumstances. He knows what it is to be full of energy and He knows what it is to be exhausted. He knows what it is to be hungry and He knows what it is to enjoy a meal with friends. He was loved by many and hated by many. He was trusted and He was tested. He was believed and He was accused. He knew joy and He knew sorrow. He had friends that loved Him and then He had those same friends betray Him. He absolutely surrendered His right to defend Himself. God with us.

    Many of us will spend the next few days with family and with friends, enjoying the blessing of close relationships; food, drink, laughter, hugs. However, many will also be alone, and some who are not necessarily alone may still be lonely. Sometimes this season brings to mind what we may not have or maybe what we once had but have since lost. No matter what difficulties we may be experiencing this year, whether it is a sickness, a loss of employment, a broken marriage, or a betrayal of trust, I hope that we can be reminded of this amazing truth; Jesus is the same as He always has been. He will never change. He came to be with us and He has never left. He is with you and He is with me. He remains eternally the God who understands; the One who never leaves us nor forsakes us; He is the Embedded One: God with us!