Hoisted upon my own petard

It’s an idiom from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, and it essentially means "to fall into one's own trap.” It's relevance to me, is that I feel I was set up by what I am blogging, and challenged to live up to what I am writing! He does that you know!


 In a recent post for example, I blogged about the silences of the Christian community. Now I have tended to avoid politics my entire life. You see there’s no such thing as a perfect political party. Well you knew that! It’s the same with church really, but I don’t avoid church for that reason! And I have said it before (but done nothing about it), that Christians are needed on all side of the spectrum.

We are admonished in Isaiah 60:1 to “Arise shine for your light has come.” Now up until this point the imperfectly received light shining through me has being restricted largely to the Christian community. However, long story short, through a series of “coincidences,” I was alerted to an issue at a policy meeting of the PCs that was close to my heart. and I found myself, me the apolitical animal, prodded and challenged to respond to what I am saying in my own blogs. So, not without some resistance, I join up so I could vote on the issue, and then to write some letters!

Father, thank You that the light I have received, though imperfectly received has nevertheless lightened my darkness, and been a huge transforming experience. It’s both scary and exciting to be challenged to live up to my own standards. I mean who knows where this will lead? But You have reminded that I must not hide my light (Your light really) under a bushel (Matthew 5:15), and You also promised to lead and guide me, to never never to leave me nor forsake me, and You are a very present help. So I once again commit my life to You and say “Here I am use me as You please” In Jesus Name Amen

Take the plank out of your own eye

There are two scriptures on my heart this morning (well three really). The first is “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness” (Isaiah 5:20). The second is “unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:5).

Those who say that documents 2000 years old and older can have no relevance for today, really do not know those documents (the Bible). And our first Scripture is indeed relevant, even if you think, as many do, that it applies to Christians (but see Matthew 7:16). From my point of view it is the propaganda of the Evil One which is behind it all, for he has blinded the eyes of those who do not believe. And like Nineveh of old, our culture does not know its left-hand from its right. In other words the lies of moral relativism have left us without discernment, and ultimately without an anchor for the soul.

Related to the “woe” of the first Scripture is the “repent” of the second. But this one is talking more to me this morning, than to my culture. You see in the third Scripture from Matthew 7:5 Jesus is telling me to first take the plank out of my own eye, before I can see clearly to take the speck of dust out of the other person’s eye. In other words I need to set my own house in order, before I set out to change the world. And like the Lord with the Nineveh, I need to have compassion on those whom the Evil One has led astray. And part of setting my house in order, is to make sure I have climbed down from any high horse I might be tempted to ride. After all “The wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God” (James 1:20)!

Father, the Scripture from Matthew 7:5 does not tell me after I have taken the plank out of my own eye to live and let live. No, it tells me that only after I have taken the plank out of my own I will I be able to see clearly to start to change the world. I am hearing you telling me this morning Lord, that I have been silent for far too long. I confess that I have been afraid, and once again I pray for the wisdom and courage to be your man in this wicked and perverse generation among whom You call me to be a light. Who is sufficient for these things (2 Corinthians 2:16)? I pray these things in Jesus Name Amen

Where do wars and fights come from among you?

The context of this quote from James 4:1 makes it clear that he is talking about the internal civil war that so often rages within each one of us. The scriptural answers given to this question are however, equally applicable to wars between nations, various groups and in fact to the cultural wars raging in North America and elsewhere. Scriptural answers include anger, wrath, bitterness, resentment, jealousy, selfish ambition, pride, a loose tongue, greed, envy etc., etc.

“It takes two to tango” (Hesitations 3:24)! it’s a joke of course, there is no such book in the Bible. The meaning though is that both parties involved in an argument are responsible for it. There is Biblical support for this “A soft answer turns away wrath” (Proverbs 15:1). As I think about this, there are two things that concern me this morning. The first is the overemphasis on rights. The second, and related to the first, is over the top demands to compensate for victimhood.

Human rights are violated all the time. I mean why should your right to a peaceful night’s rest trump my right to play drums at 3 o’clock in the morning? Of course some rights should indeed trump others, but should we all have to pay for injustices done in the past by other people we don’t even know? I’m not saying that there are no victims, nor that there are not times when compensation should be given, nor that there is not a collective responsibility for the sins of our ancestors. But in fact at some level, we are all victims, and if victimhood is always deserving of compensation, then at some level we should all have the right to compensation. So where does it all end? What is very clear to me, is that all too often, and all too easily the victim becomes the oppressor.

Our dilemma as Christians it seems to me, is to know how to deal with these things in a way that honours the Lord. Scripture tells me “As much as is possible within you, live at peace with all” (Romans 12:18), and I need to know what this means in practical terms!

Father, I come to you this morning confessing that many times my motives have been far from pure, and my reactions far from Christlike. But also Lord many times I do not know how to respond. Lord I pray for myself and and all people of goodwill this morning, that we may know the what and when and how to speak, and and when we do, to have the grace and the courage to do so in love. But also Lord we need to know when to let go of our rights, and our own sense of victimhood. Please bring clarity to these things, in Jesus Name Amen

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem

For anyone who has followed the conflict in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinians, a prayer for the peace of Jerusalem must seem like asking for the moon! But sooner or later, in God’s timing, it will happen. I know this for two reasons. The first, is that this has to be in His sovereign will, or He would not ask us to pray it (Psalm 122:6). This does not mean that there will not be an Armageddon type war before it happens. The second reason for my confidence, is that He has already fulfilled many aspects of His stated plan and purpose for Israel.

Few believed 100 years ago, that the Jews would ever again dwell in their ancient ancestral homeland. It was however prophesied (Isaiah 11:12). In addition He asks and answers in the affirmative “Can a nation be born in a day” (Isaiah 66:8)? It happened in 1948. For me, these things constitute some of the greatest evidences for the divine inspiration of the Scriptures.

Talking recently with a friend, he asked why we can’t we share Jerusalem (Judaism, Christianity and Islam). Well for one thing, it’s not an easy thing because the two sons of Abraham (Isaac and Ishmael) have been fighting on and off for over 3,000 years. The current plight of the Palestinian people is truly horrendous, but certainly there are grave provocations and injustices on both sides! However after many failed attempts at peace, the thing that stands out to me is the question: “How can you make peace with someone who continues to be committed to your extinction?” It’s not as if it hasn’t been tried!

Father, You have promised to bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel (Numbers 24:9). I don’t pretend to understand this, and it’s scary Lord, as increasingly the whole world is being drawn into this ancient conflict. But I want to affirm this morning that I know that You are in control, and You will have your way. So I continue to pray this prayer for peace, if only because You ask me to. Thank You also for your promise to bless those who bless Israel, and though Israel like Canada is far from perfect, I do ask you to bless her (and Canada) this morning. Only You can bring peace Lord, in Jesus Name Amen

To shut up and say something different from what you think, is to warp your soul

Being an oversensitive individual, I am the very last person to be advocating deliberate insensitivity. However sooner or later, we will all be faced with the question “How far am I willing to go to avoid offending people who, with a thinly disguised political agenda, are looking for ways to take offence so as to silence any and all opposition?”

According to Wikipedia, The Human Rights Code of Newfoundland and Labrador has no provision for "emotional damages.” Well not yet! This is not the case in Ontario, Jordan Peterson, a professor at U of T and the author of the quote at the head of this post, tells of class a reaction to a video of a tall white man in his 30s who asked students how they would react if he told them he identified as a woman, as black, as short and as a 5 year old. The reaction was mostly accepting, but students were not engaging in discussion. And when asked why, it became clear that it was that they were afraid to speak their minds. There is such tyranny in the doctrine of political correctness!

Peterson relates that he has had hundreds of letters saying similar things. He also said that he had had conversations with a number of lawyers including one who has been counsel to a number of prime ministers. This lawyer told him that if he was brought up before the human rights tribunal, it would cost him $250,000, he would will lose and he would pay the legal costs for his opponents. The lawyer then told him to go back to his safe little life, and shut his mouth. Peterson has been branded as a far right extremist, but in my mind, this is all part of the war for our minds. Check it out for yourself on YouTube. I thank God this morning for the balanced wisdom and courage of this man. I am praying for him, please do the same!

Father, I cannot and must not close my eyes to the signs that the assault has already begun here in Newfoundland. And I need to figure out the how, the when and the what of how You want me to respond to it all. So I pray the serenity prayer again this morning “God give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference” in Jesus Name Amen

I know too much science to believe in God - Not

It never ceases to amaze me how many people have the impression that science has disproved God. But I know that part of it, is that highly intelligent and knowledgeable people say confidently and persistently things like “We believe that only natural (as opposed to supernatural) laws and forces operate in the world." In fact this statement could easily function as a definition of scientific naturalism.

And at some level it makes perfect sense. Certainly in the past things we did not understand were attributed to God, and then it turned out later that they had perfectly reasonable natural explanations. But there is a big problem if we try and apply the definition to origins. I mean we now know from the theory of relativity, that the universe had a beginning. Before that, there was simply nothing there, no matter, no time, no energy, absolutely nothing. So to say that there is a natural explanation for the beginning of the universe, is to say that nothing created everything that is out of nothing. And this clearly contradicts the scientific notion of cause and effect.

In particular since there was a time that the material universe did not exist, then something outside of the universe must have caused it to come into existence! So there is a problem with the far-reaching implications of the word “only” in the definition of scientific naturalism. In fact when you include the word “only” in the definition, then you can only hold it to be true by faith, and by a faith that defies logic and experience. In particular, rather than knowing too much science to believe in God, a person who says such things does not know enough science!

Father, how polarized is your world. And how easy it would be to take the truth of what we are saying here today and hit others over the head with it. “This truth has just struck me, let me strike you with it!” Lord we need, I need, Your help here to speak the truth in love. Thank You that I can be confident of the help I am asking for here, because it is so very clearly in Your will (Ephesians 4:15) in Jesus Name Amen

To know the love of God that surpasses knowledge

It is no wonder that the wisdom of the cross is foolishness to unbelievers (1 Corinthians 1:18), to those for whom existence consists of the rational/material and nothing more. In particular the above quote from Ephesians 3:19 must sound totally foolish. But if the God who reveals Himself, the very same One whose very nature is love (1 John 4:8), if this God exists, then it can make perfect sense.

In order to say more, I need to point out that even in the secular, knowledge it is much more than rational knowledge. In fact, we know in three different ways. Certainly we know by rationality and logic, but we also know by intuition, and experience. So part of what it means to know the love of God, is that we experience Him, that we feel His love for us. God’s love, and in fact human love too, transcends rational knowledge. We can’t even define love for goodness sake! But we know when feel loved!

You may have noticed that I said above that it “can make perfect sense.” It is by no means automatic even for the Christian! Many of us, because of abuse etc., etc. have damaged emotions. I remember one man saying that it took him 40 years to wipe his father’s face off the face of God. In other words for the longest time he was still confusing God with his father. And that made it very difficult for him to trust God, let alone allow Him close enough to feel His love!

Father, this prayer of Paul’s from Ephesians 3 is important, because we will not even begin to fully live the Christian life until we begin to know Your love in the way being asked for in this prayer. And part of our loving You with all our heart, mind, soul and strength (Mark 12:30, 31), is to come to You in prayer, and to ask for Your courage, strength, wisdom and Grace to cooperate with You in dealing the life issues we all have, the issues that keep us from experiencing Your life-changing love. And Lord I pray this, and the Ephesians prayer (Ephesians 3:16-19) this morning, both for myself and for those reading these posts in Jesus Name Amen

‘Tis mystery all the immortal dies

While simultaneously recalling a conversation last night and asking the Lord where He wanted me to go this morning, the above line from an ancient hymn came to mind. And with it came two seemingly contradictory verses. The first talks about ever learning but never arriving at a knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 3:7). The second admonishes that he who thinks he knows something, needs to admit that he knows nothing yet as he ought to know (1 Corinthians 8:2).

What I see, is that the gospel is simple enough that even a child can understand it. Jesus died in my place, so that a holy God can let me into His heaven, and as I trust Him, to give me the abundant life in the here and now. At the same time that same gospel is deep enough to drowned an elephant in, and we will spend eternity fathoming it’s depth!

Our problem, is our tendency to think that because we understand something, we understand everything. It’s part of the Western overemphasis on the rational. I see it over and over in discipline after discipline. I see it in science, philosophy in many other disciplines including theology. And when we allow this overemphasis, what we have essentially done is to throw out mystery. When we do this, it inevitably leads us to give pat and shallow answers to complex questions.

Father, it never ceases to amaze and delight me, that there is so very very much to learn from others. Thank you Lord that You have provided Your Spirit and Your Word to keep me from gross errors (2 Timothy 2:15). Help me Father to have the right balance in holding firm to the truth you have clearly shown me, while still being very, very aware that I have done little more than scratch the surface of the glorious mysteries of You, Your world and Your Word. In Jesus Name Amen

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked whatsoever a man sows that will he also reap

If you will permit me an oversimplification, there are two expressions of Christianity which are both wrong. In the first, a sermon is not regarded as a good one, unless you come out feeling guilty. In this expression, it’s all about keeping rules, it is legalism. In the other, love trumps truth, so there are no rules, and right and wrong are what you (or society) choose them to be!

As we are starting a new series in the penitentiary this morning, we decided to study the book of James. And I am very aware that it would be easy to fall into the first trap, communicating that it’s all about rules! But James is writing to counter the second trap, and it is my intention to start the study by reminding the men that salvation is a gift, that it is not of works (Ephesians 2:8,9). But having said that, it’s important to know how life works. In particular if we plant potatoes, we do not get carrots. Likewise with our choices. Good choices produce good fruit, and bad choices bad fruit. And the principles of Scripture are there to help us make good choices, with the accompanying good life!

To say a little more, God cursed the earth for our sake (Genesis 3:17 NKJV), redesigning reality for a fallen world. In this way our choices, both good and bad, have consequences. And both are designed to draw us closer to Him! The Scriptures then go on to help us to understand, and to discern what the good choices are. It is for this reason that Jesus says “If you continue in my word, then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31).

Father, thank You that when we turn to You in repentance, we become Your children (John 1:12). So then You treat us as beloved children, and you discipline us when necessary because "whom the Lord loves, He disciplines" (Hebrews 12:6). In this way You are not mocked (Galatians 6:7). Thank You Lord for the wisdom of the ancient Scriptures, and that they and You, are a very present and practical help. I give you all the honour and glory and praise this morning in Jesus Name Amen

Setting the Lord free to act

I awoke this morning from a dream that reminded me of an old injustice perpetrated in the distant past. I had dealt with it, and had, in my not always humble opinion, gone the second mile in seeking to live at peace with this person. I had long since given them a gift (again in my not always humble opinion) that they did not deserve, the gift of forgiveness. But with the memory, I found resentment beginning to rise again in my breast!

I knew what to do, and I did it immediately, and as I did so I was given in my mind’s eye a picture of a situation where an older sibling was seeking to correct a younger child. And in this situation the mother had to deal with the older child first. In other words the older child had to be gotten out of the way, before the mother could deal with the younger one. So it is with us, and this is what I mean by the title of my post, that the Lord needs to get us out of the way before He will deal with the other person. He puts it this way “Vengeance is mine says the Lord, I will repay” (Romans 12:19)!

So what I did, was to do it again, to give myself (for my part) and them a gift neither us deserve, the gift of forgiveness. And as I did this joy and peace returned. In fact my joy overflowed as I was able to share with the cleaning lady with the Monday blues, the practicality of these amazing truths.

Father, thank You for your patience both with me and others. Thank You that You are a God of justice, and that I can trust You to do what is right. Thank You Lord that obedience to Your Word sets me free, and I pray this morning for the freedom of the other party in Your precious Name Amen

Except a seed die it abides alone (John 12:24)

There are many things that can trip us up in life, things we cling to that actually sabotage the fullness of life we are promised. Demanding our (perceived) rights when it’s not going to happen is one of them, but the thing that’s on my heart this morning, is the myth that we are in control of our reputation.

Being slandered, misunderstood and falsely accused is no fun, and in the past when this sort of thing happened, it would put me into a tailspin of obsessive thinking. You know, where thoughts of the injustice of it all or worse, go around and round and round in your head! And in this, as with many other things, I had to learn the hard way that I needed to let go, and let God deal with it. In particular, I had to die to the myth that my reputation was in my hands.

In fact this was just one aspect of many things that had to die within me, that led to a crisis. And these moments of crisis are Crossroads. As Einstein once said “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over in expecting a different outcome.” And freedom came as I sought to follow my Lord who made himself of no reputation (Philippians 2:7), who was despised and rejected of men (Isaiah 53:3) and whose response was to commit Himself to Him who judges righteously (1 Peter 2:23).

Father, it’s not that I don’t care about what other people think of me anymore, but part of the process of being rooted and grounded in Your love, is to learn to care more about what You think about me, than what others think about me. And You think I’m terrific, because You see me in Christ. And each time it happens, and I choose to commit myself to You, then more and more the need for approval from others dies, and out of that death comes Your resurrection life. I praise you this morning Lord because Your ways are higher than my ways, and Your ways bring freedom in Jesus Name Amen

Rooted and grounded in love 2

I should have known I would be tested, after all to teach or blog on a certain subject is to actually invite a test. After blogging yesterday on the above subject, I encountered two separate incidents in which my impatience was in grave danger of showing. The first through an impediment not of my friend's own making, the second through obfuscation. I like this word, it means making something obscure, unclear, or unintelligible. This is often simply a way avoiding having to 'fess up," trying to wriggle off the hook of responsibility!

We have likely all done this at times through rationalization and blame. I know that I have, but I was aware this morning that the Lord was putting His finger on my impatience. After all “love is patient, love is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4). And in the midst of frustrated impatience, it is very hard to be kind. But how to overcome this?

Well the first thing, is not to beat myself up, to receive His forgiveness and cleansing, and to allow these things to remind me how very much I need Him. And if, as I know He intends, I am to be a channel of his love flowing through me to this wicked and hurting world, then I need to stay vitally connected to or Him moment by moment throughout the day. Surely this is a huge part of what it means to be rooted and grounded in His love!

Father, thank You for Your patience with me. Please help me in this ongoing struggle to do my part in allowing You to ground and establish me in Your love, and so to allow You to love others through me. I choose to surrender again this morning, for I know that it is only in Your love, Your strength, Your mercy and Your grace that I can live the life you call me to. As a friend of mine says “incomplete but accepted!” It’s hard on the pride, but this is a good thing! I love you Lord in Jesus Name Amen

Rooted and grounded in love

Many of the people to whom I minister, people in prison and/or those who are brave enough to admit that they need help, and so enter recovery from life’s hurts, habits and hangup, had home lives as children that left much to be desired. A stable and loving childhood can set you up, and give you confidence and the wherewithal to navigate the problems and difficulties of life. But when that is missing …

And part of the good news of the gospel, is that the multi-dimensional love of Christ, a love that is meant to be experienced, is designed by God to replace that which was lacking, and to bring us into a fullness of life. The title at the head of this post, is part of Paul’s prayer (Ephesians 3:17), that we would increasingly enter into an experience of this love, that it would establish and settle us, and give us even more than those with the advantage of a stable and loving childhood.

Now while this is available to all, it is my observation that this fullness of life is found by only a few! And part of the reason for this, is that unless and until we come to the end of ourselves and so become desperate enough to surrender everything to Him, we can simply miss out by default (Matthew 13:44). But when we become desperate enough in this way, then we know that He is our best and only hope, and so we drink deeply from the wells of salvation (Isaiah 12:3). And in so drinking our roots go deep, and this gives Him permission to do what we cannot do, and what He does is establish and settle and ground us in His extravagant healing love.

Father, though I have by no means arrived, nevertheless it is my fervent prayer as I continue this journey, that the ongoing process of my being transformed by your reckless and extravagant love, will provoke to jealousy those who have not yet entered in. And I pray that this may lead them to seek so to enter. It’s not about salvation, it’s about finding fullness of life in You (John 10:10b). I pray these things in Your precious and holy Name, and for Your glory Amen

Those who wait on the Lord 2 – Will mount up with wings like eagles

I think it is Bob Storch who describes the period between the promise given and its fulfilment, as a fire. The image of course is God’s refining fire, and the verse comes to mind “When he has tried me I will come forth like gold” (Job 23:10). We should not be surprised, if we find ourselves in such a fiery trial (1 Peter 4:2), since most of the heroes of the faith only became heroes after having come through their own personal fiery trial (i.e. Joseph, David, Paul).

The word translated “wait” literally means to bind and twist together. The inference is that what is bound and twisted together, is essentially forged into one so that you cannot separate the one from the other. Our waiting on the Lord, is thus intended to forge the unity between us and him, that is very unlikely to be forged outside of the said fiery trials. I remember somebody somewhere reporting on a conversation with a refiner, I think it was of silver. The refiner was asked how he knew the refining was complete. The answer came back “When I can see my reflection in it.”

In fact, there are only two outcomes of our fiery trials. We either become disillusioned and bitter, or trusting Him and cooperating with Him, we allow the trials to mold us more and more into the character of Jesus. And as we take on His characteristics through this binding and twisting together with Him, then we also take on His strength, His joy and our ability to rise above the circumstances, to mount up with wings like eagles, to run and not be weary to walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).

Father, with Your help, I am learning and will learn to wait in hope on You. Thank You that Your promises are true, that what You have promised You will perform (Numbers 23:19), and in the meantime like the eagle I choose to learn to ride the updraft of your Spirit, and so to soar on wings like the eagle. In Jesus Name Amen

(Those who wait on the Lord 1, August 18 2107)

If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

As someone who is now in their fifth decade as a Christian, and who is not only forgiven, but has also been substantially set free, it is too easy for me to take for granted the enormity of the cost, grace, mercy and love that made it possible for a Holy God not only to forgive us, but also to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

And along with taking all this for granted, it is also too easy for me to forget the peril of those who have not yet received His forgiveness. And it is also too easy for me to forget the pain of those who have received it, but have not yet found the fullness of life and freedom in Christ that is their birthright. And the Lord brought this verse from 1 John 1:9 to my attention this morning, reminding me that in it is the kernel of the gospel. When we confess and admit our sin and turn in repentance to Him for forgiveness, we are immediately rescued from a Christless eternity without love, peace, hope or joy, from the default eternity spent with the author of hate, lies and every negative thing. If this is you this morning, all you have to do, is to admit your sin, turn from it and receive His forgiveness (John 1:14).

But the gospel, the good news, does not end there, it’s not just about heaven when we die, it is about freedom, peace and joy etc. in the here and now. Because of what He did on the cross, He is not only just to forgive us, He is also just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So we no longer need to live in guilt and shame, and we no longer need to struggle alone in the trials and temptation of life. He has sent His Holy Spirit, the same Holy Spirit that enabled Jesus as a Spirit filled man, to do all that He did. And if we do not yet even started to have that fullness of life, then we need to cry out to Him and ask for Him for the fullness of His Spirit. After all has He not compared His own willingness to give the Spirit, to a son asking his earthly father a fish, declaring that he will not be given a scorpion? That same Scripture says “How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:13)!

Father, there are many both in and out of the kingdom who are on my heart this morning, and there are many blocks to my sharing with them what I have written. Lord please bring them to this post this morning, and help them to believe, to open their hearts and to receive all that You so fervently desire to give them. I pray this morning Lord that they and I may be filled with all the fullness of God. And I give you all the honour, glory and praise in Jesus Name Amen

There is no pit so deep, that that God's love is not deeper still

This is a line from the movie “The hiding place,” which is the true story of the Ten Boom family who were sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp for hiding Jews during the Nazi occupation of Holland. Just before she dies one of the daughters Betsy, speaks this to her sister Corrie, and prophesying that she will be released, tells her to go and tell it to the world, and that the world will believe, because of where they have been.

The reality of God’s love it is so clearly demonstrated in the way He helped these two sisters not only to endure the hell of the concentration camp, but to be a strength and a witness to other inmates. Perhaps even more remarkable is that Corrie returned to Germany after the war with the message of forgiveness. She tells the story of her encounter with one of the crueler guards from the camp, and how though she struggled, she chose to forgive him, and as she did so God filled her heart with His love for him!

I watched this movie again (after a long time) over the weekend, and it helped me to realize again just how little, in comparison, He has asked me to endure over the years. And I am inspired again to trust Him, and to seek to love, as He has loved me. Betsy and Corrie, and other heroes of the faith, are part of a great cloud of witnesses that God has used, and is using, to motivate me to lay aside the weight and the sin that can so easily beset me, and to run with endurance the race He has set before me (Hebrews 12:1).

Lord, You never promised that we would not have trials, but You did promise to be with us in the trials, to give us grace to help in time of need, and that Your grace would be (and it is) sufficient. Lord You have proved Yourself faithful over and over! Help me Lord in times of trials both to look back at Your faithfulness, and to look to You the author and finisher of my faith. Thank You Lord that You always lead us in triumphant procession in Christ, and that I am learning to rest in that in Jesus Name Amen

The Pharisee in me needs to die

It’s not that long ago, that the Lord convicted me of judging those who judge! You know those blankety blank judgemental people! But whenever we separate ourselves from others by behaviour, we are essentially becoming like the Pharisee who prayed “I thank God that I am not like other men, even this miserable tax collector…” (Luke 18:11). Think about it, what I was essentially saying was “Thank you Lord, that I am not like others who judge!” The Scripture tells me not to judge, because those who judge do the very same thing (Romans 2:1). Ouch!

The Scripture also tells us, that when we compare ourselves with ourselves, we are unwise (2 Corinthians 10:12). Part of this is our propensity to maximize the other person’s faults, and to minimize our own. And in this way come out smelling like roses! For this and other reasons, I am convinced, that the Pharisee is alive and well and living in each one of us. And it’s not enough just to stop doing it, these thoughts, attitudes and our expressions of the same, need to die!

The necessary repentance we make in the process of becoming a Christian, essentially gives the Lord permission to start the process of changing us. And we do need to be changed! There can be no Pharisees in heaven, no judgementalism, no rejection etc. etc. and since God will not violate our self will, we need to give Him permission to start this process of change in us. Otherwise we exclude ourselves from His kingdom, and by staying in denial are, by default, choosing to spend eternity with the other fellow! And the truth is, there is no middle ground!

Father, how well You know us, and how little we know ourselves. Thank You Lord that You have not finished with me yet, and that ultimately I will be like You. Hallelujah! In the meantime please continue to put to death the deeds, desires and attitudes that are displeasing to You (Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:24). Lord it is my fervent desire that my life be a living testimony to Your transforming power. Teach me Lord, to be sensitive to the early promptings of Your Holy Spirit, and I will give You all the honour, all the glory and all the praise in Jesus Name Amen

Do unto others 4 – Taking appropriate responsibility

“The woman you gave me…” This is the beginning of the response that Adam gave to the Lord when he was asked if he had eaten of the fruit from the forbidden tree (Genesis 3:12). In essence Adam was saying that it was the woman’s fault, and actually it was God’s fault too, because it was God who gave the woman. As we continue talking about what we would have others do for us, and hence what we should do for them, we are dealing this morning with taking appropriate responsibility.

The woman was deceived (1 Timothy 2:14), but Adam was not, and so in many ways he was more responsible for his choice. He could have said “We are not supposed to do this, and now that we have, we need to go to God and ask Him to sort this out.” The point I am making is that we are not responsible for the sin of others, but we are responsible for our response to the sin of others. This is true be it with the temptation to give in to peer pressure, or in our response to being sinned against. This can be very hard, especially when grievous sin has been committed against us. Nevertheless we do need, for example, to forgive. Not to do so is to poison ourselves and those we love with bitterness (Hebrews 12:15).

In talking about appropriate responsibility, there are situations where it is possible to take too much responsibility. In the “peace at any price” mode of operating, we can get to the place where we are expected to apologize for the sins of others. Though this makes no sense, it does happen! For example Eve could easily have blamed Adam for not protecting her from the beguiling snake. This sort of thing is called codependency. Such behaviour is not good for either of us, and the loving thing, the right thing for us to do for others, is to take appropriate responsibility! The teaching of Cloud and Townsend on boundaries is a useful tool in dealing with this sort of thing.

Father, how easily we get out of balance either not taking enough, or taking too much responsibility. I have been in both places, and I am convinced that working through these issues, is an essential part of sanctification. I am also very aware this morning that though I am on the journey, I still have a ways to go! Help me Lord to take appropriate responsibility in all that I think, say and do. Thank You Father for Your patience with me and with others with whom I am in relationship. Thank You that You have promised to complete the good work that You have begun in us (Philippians 1:6). In Jesus Name Amen

Do onto others 3 – Quick to hear, slow to wrath

There is a reason that these two admonitions from James 1:19 come together, and that is because anger is often triggered by something somebody says. Without saying too much about being angry and sinning not (Ephesians 4:26), there are times when, at the very least, anger is understandable. Such times include verbal abuse, manipulation and the like. But there are also times when the reaction to the truth spoken even in love, is anger. At such times, our rationalization and denial is likely in danger of being exposed.

Bill Hybels says that when we speak the truth in love we are likely to enter into the tunnel of chaos, and because of the resulting anxiety we are likely to exit posthaste from the direction we came. In other words, we can almost expect the response to speaking the truth, to be anger. But part of being quick to hear, before, during or after we are being triggered by something somebody says, is to do a self examination, and to ask ourselves why we are angry. As mentioned above, anger can be a legitimate, and it can be the very thing that gives us the courage to address abuse manipulation etc.

On the other hand, it is easy to dismiss truth we don’t want to hear as manipulation. So we need to bring these things both to the Lord and to an appropriate mentor or accountability partner, and ask if there is any truth in what is being said. And I say “any” truth, because truth may be spoken to us too strongly, or in inappropriate ways, but still be truth! We need to weigh carefully what is said, and when we are wrong promptly admitted it, and then to initiate appropriate change. The context of this series of posts, is about how we want others to treat us. And what I want, is for you to love me enough to risk my negative reaction (be it anger or hurt), and to speak the truth in love when, using your best discernment, you feel that I need it (Galatians 6:1).

Father, most of us don’t even have a clue how easily we can rationalize our behaviour. I know that I didn’t, and even now I only have a glimpse of how wicked is my heart (Jeremiah 17:9). Lord, help me to be a doer of what I have just written, not a writer only in Jesus Name Amen

Do onto others 2 – Speaking the truth in love

"I would like to give him a piece of my mind!" 'No no, you can’t afford to give any part of your mind away you need it all!' There are two ways to get this admonition from Ephesians 4: 15 wrong. The first way, under the guise of being honest, is to speak the unvarnished truth, not caring how what we say affects the other person. The second way it is to fail to speak when it is appropriate to do so. In fact both ways lack love. Likely we have all experienced the failure to be loved in both of these ways, though we may not recognize silence in this way!

Correction, even when spoken in love, can be very hard to receive, especially if we have a history of it that came out of a critical spirit. However, as the context of this admonition from Ephesians implies, our relationships will not mature until we learn to both give and receive healthy correction. The Scriptures are very clear that the attitude behind what we say, and how we say something, is every bit as important as what we say. There must be absolutely no trace of judgement. And in order for this to work, we need to know ourselves, we need to know our propensity to fail. So our approach needs to be not only in love, but also in humility and with grace (Galatians 6:1; Matthew 7:1; Colossians 4:6: James 3: 2).

As you are no doubt well aware, the spirit of the age demands that there be absolutely no criticism, no correction period. On the other hand, in a close relationship, silences can be a means of punishment! If somebody won’t speak to you for days, you are likely being punished! It’s interesting to note, that the admonition to speak the truth in love is given in the context of relationships, and of growing up in love. And part of this, is that we need to earn the right, by walking in love, to speak into another’s life. And part of this is to know them well enough to know how much, or how little, they are able realistically to hear at this point in time.

In order for all this this to work, likely both parties will have to do a lot of forgiving! In fact this morning’s admonition to do this, is part of the wider context of this morning’s verse (Ephesians 4:32).

Father, we are all so fragile. So many times we take criticism personally, feeling undermined and unaccepted even when the truth is spoken in love. Help us Lord to distinguish between criticism of what we do, and who we are. And Lord help us to get our security, and acceptance from You, not from people pleasing or anything else. Thank You that Your love for us is deep and powerful an unconditional. You demonstrated this so clearly by the cross, for which I thank You this morning Lord in Jesus Name Amen

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Luke 6:31)

If I ask myself what I would have others, with whom I am in relationship do for me, three categories come to mind, speaking, listening and taking responsibility. So firstly then I would like you to speak the truth to me in love. Having said that, I cannot guarantee that I will always receive well what you might have to say to me in love. And this has certainly been true of others with whom I have sought to speak the truth in love. Conflict avoidance can play a huge role in all of this, but there are certainly times when speaking the truth in love, is the only loving thing to do. And while as I say, my first reaction may not be positive, I do promise to consider what you say. This brings me to the second and interrelated point, because the Scripture admonishes me to be slow to speak and quick to hear and slow to wrath (James 1:19).

So secondly, I would like you to receive, as in consider, think and pray about, what I feel is necessary for me to speak to you in love. Listening is not necessarily agreeing with what I say, but it is about understanding and giving due consideration to what is spoken. Listening seems to be a lost art, and I don’t feel heard until the other person can say back to me in their own words, what I have been trying to say to them.

Thirdly I would like you to take responsibility for your part in what may go wrong in our relationship. It seems to be much easier to blame, than to admit that we are wrong when we are (Genesis 3:12)! Sincere apology seems to be very rare, but it is implied in the command to confess our faults one to another. And certainly without it relationship breaks cannot be healed (James 5:16).

Father, if in this way I am to do to others what I would have them to do me, then I need You to help me. So Lord grant me the serenity to keep my mouth shut when to speak even in love, would be counterproductive. Grant me the courage and the grace to speak the truth in love when You call me to do so, even if I know it will not be well received. Lord grant me the ability to hear even when what is said is not spoken with the right words, or with the right attitude, or at the right time. I have certainly been there, and I ask for your and others forgiveness! Lord help me to discern accurately what is and what is not my fault, and so take appropriate responsibility. And Lord help me, at the right time and in the right way and with the right attitude, to make amends for my part in what goes wrong. And give me the wisdom to know if and when doing this would harm them or others in Jesus Name Amen

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace … (2)

Have you ever noticed how patient Siri is with you, I meant no matter how many times you screw up, she simply and patiently says “recalculating!” But of course God is even more patient, and I am thinking this morning, that if He is so patient with me, I need to be just as patient with myself. As a young Christian I learned the promised at the head of this post from Isaiah 26:3 in the King James version, and I need it just as much today as I did back then. The new King James version has “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in to You.”

I woke in the night, and in my semiconscious state I was fretting about the leak in the roof that I can do nothing about until the spring. But I knew what to do. It is my habit to rise early, invite the Lord into my day by asking Him to fill me again with His Spirit, and then spent some time soaking in the His presence listening to worship music. I have to confess, that 99% of the time I fall back asleep. But the point is that what this is doing is essentially rebooting my system, recalculating if you like. I may have to do this several times, depending on how stressed I have allowed myself to become!

There are two things here in this recalculation. First of all I need to choose again to trust Him, because if I don’t trust Him I won’t have any kind of peace, let alone perfect peace! This gets easier as I do this over and over, and I can look back and see how He brought me through previous trials. This morning I am remembering the bedbug situation. It was not a lot of fun, but He brought me through it, and I am still alive! The second thing, is that I need to take authority over my thought life. I need to cast all my cares upon Him (1 Peter 5:7), and to steadfastly replace my worrying thoughts with memories of his faithfulness, and of His precious promises. This is quite different from suppressing my thoughts and worries. The former practice works, the latter does not!

Father, though sometimes it takes numerous recalculations, I do know it is possible to come into Your peace, because if it was not, Your whole Word would be a lie. Thank You that that peace becomes more and more perfect, as I increasingly learn to trust You, and I increasingly learn to set my mind steadfastly on You instead of on the circumstances. Thank you Lord, that these little victories give me confidence for the greater ones I am still waiting on You for. Thank You Lord that Your promises are true, and that all things are possible in Christ, in Jesus Name Amen

Rescue 5 - will be saved 2 – Behold I am coming soon (Revelation 22:12)

At the end of his life, Paul tells us that he has fought the good fight, and that a crown of righteousness is laid up for him and for all who love His appearing (2 Timothy 4:6- 8). “His appearing” of course refers to the promised second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has indeed promised to return, for example in John 14:3 He says “I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” and the question I am asking myself this morning (and you through this blog) is “am I a lover of his appearing?”

Perhaps all of us experience moral outrage at times. I mean we feel that the Hitlers, Pol Pots and Stalins of this world are deserving of so much more than death. We feel that death somehow is just too good for them, there needs to be a judgement day, a day of justice where every wrong is put right. In fact there is such an day, for "We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, to receive according to what we have done, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10). The Christian will either receive or lose his reward, but in any case he will be saved, though some will only be saved as through fire (1 Corinthians 3:12- 15)! As for me, the thing I desire most on that day is to hear Him say “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matthew 25:23).

In Ephesians 3:17-19 Paul prays that we would know the multi-dimensional love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. In other words he prays that our knowledge will be so much more than an intellectual knowing that we are loved, but rather that we would have a deep intimate experience of it. It is a deep experience of this love I believe, that enables us to fight the good fight of faith, that leads us to be desperate for more of Him, and to yearn for the fulfilment of the promise that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is (1 John 3:2). That is we will be changed, you and I will be like Jesus, the super hero of all heroes. What a glorious thought!

Father, thank You that on that day, in the twinkling of an eye, You will complete your sanctifying process in me, removing from my life every sport, wrinkle and thing it is displeasing to You. For this reason I welcome Your judgement, Your final refining fire. At that time Your work of the cross will be fully complete in me, because as You have promised I will be like You. Hallelujah! Even so come Lord Jesus Amen

Rescue 4– will be saved. Our hope – an anchor for the soul -

In many ways life can get more difficult after you are saved. In some places you can loose your life just for becoming a Christian. In fact Paul tells us that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). And perhaps our lack of persecution here in the West, reflects the default lack of godliness. On the other hand the persecution is there, only is it more subtle.

But if this is the case (and it is) why would anyone want to become a Christian? Well, as someone joked “The retirement benefits are out of this World.” But actually the alternative is not worth thinking about. We are in effect in a war to the death with the enemy of our souls, and after we are saved our job is to live a life that demonstrates the reality of “Christ in us the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Since the World is going to hell in a hand basket, to live any other way is the height of selfishness. Having said that I am aware that in many things we all fail (James 3:2) #me too!

And this is another reason why we need to know that our ultimate destiny is sure. If we were ever left wondering if we were going to make it, it would be too easy to be discouraged. But our hope is sure, certain and in times of great difficulty we need to cling to this, and when we do this hope becomes an anchor to the soul (Hebrews 6:19). And then it is comforting to know that we follow our forerunner Jesus who “For the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2).

Lord Jesus, it is my desire that I do all that I can to adorn the gospel so that You may acquire all who You came to save. But Lord even as I meditate on these things this morning, I am aware of how often I want to give up. But thank You Lord that when I do and I come to You, You always fill my heart with songs of deliverance. And the anchor holds, indeed it does! In Your precious Name Amen

Rescue 3: sanctification 2 – am being saved –

One of the objections I hear to the gospel, is that if salvation is free, then you can do what you like. But if there is no intention to change, then you have to doubt the sincerity of the conversion. After all it does require repentance (Mark 1:7?). But in any case, you cannot fool or mock God, since as the Scriptures say, we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). If we plant potatoes, we don’t get carrots, and I often tell the men in our prison ministry “What you get out of this, is directly proportional to what you put into it.”

In fact, God takes a great risk in offering salvation as a gift. And I have to admit, that at least in the outward appearance, a large part of Christianity in the West can at best be described as mediocre. And as if to confirm this possibility, two verses after the above Galatians reference, Paul instructs us do not grow weary in well doing. Likely we have all been there, I know I have! I mean the battle is strong betimes, and in our own strength we are weak. There are however, resources which when tapped into, enable us to become partakers of the divine nature, and to experience life in all its fullness (2 Peter 1:4; John 10:10b).

In order not to miss out on this, Paul tells us we are to work out our own salvation (sanctification) with fear and trembling. In other words, we need to give it our all (Romans 12:1, 2), and to be aware (to fear) how easily we can be deceived (Jeremiah 17:9). When we do this, the promise is that God will work both in our desires, to make them right, and to give us the wherewithal to do His will. In this way we can more fully to enter into His life in the here and now (Philippians 2:12, 13).

Father, You have told us that if we delight ourselves and You, then You will give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4). For when we delight in You, our desires are holy. Lord we are all week, I am. But with Paul I can say “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9?). I can say this because when I admit my need of You and turn to You, You fulfill in me what is lacking. I praise and thank You this morning Lord that You will bring to completion Your work in me (Philippians 1:6). In Jesus Name Amen

Rescued 2 – am being saved – sanctification

I always used to wonder why the halt and the blind and the lame, emotionally speaking, were drawn to me like flies to a paper. You know who I mean, those deeply, deeply wounded by life, who act out of of that woundednes, and who are or have been stuck in that acting out. I knew that part of it was that they somehow knew that if they came to me, they would not be judged, but the bigger thing I think, is that I have come to realize that I am one of you!

And it is here, that we begin to see depth of the the love, mercy and compassion of the Lord. In particular, because the struggle to escape addictive tendencies can be intense, we need to know that we will be forgiven seventy times seven and beyond (Matthew 18:22). And to know that it is not of works (Ephesians 2:9) is liberating. But it is work to get free, hard work, often very hard work! And it’s not just about getting free of our addictions, it’s about dealing with the things that causes us to take up the addictions in the first place. This is the real work of sanctification, in other words it’s not just about getting rid of our bad habits! And it is here that in some strange way those of us who have been deeply, deeply wounded, have an advantage.

And the advantage is this, the deeper the hole we and others have dug for us, the greater the potential we have to enter into fullness of the abundant life that He has promised (John 10:10). We catch a glimpse of this for example in the spectacular testimonies of those who have come out of the occult and other destructive lifestyles. But again, none of this is automatic. Salvation is free, but sanctification, the hard work of dealing with the issues that we all have, will cost us everything. More to come on sanctification.

Father, though I have far from arrived, I thank You that You have brought me out of the way of operating where I was getting my self-worth from what I was doing for You. Thank You too that You brought me out on denial that my obsessive thinking was an addiction. Thank You that I can now testify that as I continue in Your word, I progressively know the truth, and the truth progressively sets me free. And I give You all the honour, glory and praise this morning in Jesus Name Amen

Rescued 1 (of 5) – was saved – assurance

The story is told of the salvation army girl who asked the Anglican Bishop if he was saved. His response was to ask “Do you mean was I saved, am I being saved, or will I be saved?” Indeed there are three aspects to our salvation and we will be looking at them briefly over the next few days. So this morning, “was saved.”

It never ceases to amaze me, how few people really understand the gospel. At a recent Memorial service for a friend who died I was hearing “I hope she is in heaven.” Ruth knew she would go to heaven when she died, not because she was good, not one of us is that good deserving of heaven! No, she knew because she had received God’s salvation as a gift. In the words of Paul “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8, 9).

There are many things to say about this, let me mention a couple. Since a holy God has to be just, He can be both just and merciful by sending Jesus to pay the penalty for our sin by dying on the cross (1 Peter 3:18). One of the reasons He does this is to set us free from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15), and to set us free to do our very best (see tomorrow's post). It seems worth mentioning that many of us are in denial about our fear of death, but I digress!

In order to be set free from this fear, we need assurance. John tells us that many of the things which are written in the Scriptures are written so that we may know that we have (present possession) eternal life (1 John 5:13; John 20:31). The one who has received Christ has in effect, already passed from death to life (John 1:12; 5:24). Part of what this means is that even in the here and now, we can begin to experience His life within us. But of course, this “was saved” is just the beginning. And in order to enter into the experience of His life in the here and now, we have a part to play. It is not automatic! Stay tuned.

Father, I thank You for reminding me again of these foundational truths. When life gets hard, remind me again and again that my name is written in the Lamb’s book of life (Luke 10:20), and also that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8: 18). Lord, I too often lose this perspective, but thank You that You bring me back to it again and again in Jesus Name Amen

To continue in atheism, I would need to believe…

Make no mistake about it, the atheist needs every bit as much, if not more, faith than the theist. I can state this no more clearly than by quoting journalist and former atheist Lee Strobel who tweeted "To continue in atheism, I would need to believe that nothing produces everything, non-life produces life, randomness produces fine-tuning, chaos produces information, unconsciousness produces consciousness and non-reason produces reason." He wrote "I simply didn't have that much faith.”

But it’s not enough, it’s not enough to know that He is up there and I’m down here and never the twain shall meet. What was needed was a rescue mission. In particular I needed me to be rescued from me, you to be rescued from me, me to be rescued from you and the whole world to be rescued from it’s self-centred, hell-bent path of destruction. And that’s what Christmas is all about. As Paul puts it “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save (rescue) sinners, of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15). And the Judeo-Christian God has not left Himself without a witness as to the truth, reality and the effectiveness of this rescue mission.

Unfortunately, it can be said of a great deal of Christianity in the West, that it has “a form of godliness, but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:5). This was me for the first 20 plus years of my Christian walk. Like many others, though I had glimpses of freedom, I relied largely on my own strength to live the Christian life. And this made me no different from anyone else trying to be good! However, through a major crisis I had come to the end of myself, to a place of desperation, a place where if God did not come into my life in a powerful way I would not have survived. And I see so much of Christianity on the wrong side of this turning point, and having experiences so much more, it breaks my heart as I believe it breaks His!

Father, though I would never have chosen to go through the trials, difficulties and temptations that brought me to my breaking point, I have come to the place where I can actually thank You for them. For if I never had problems I would not know that You could solve them. And Lord You have shown me that there is always so much more. Help me Lord more and more to tap into Your incredible love, joy, peace and intimacy so that I may show the way to this wicked and hurting World. In Jesus Name Amen

in humility receive the implanted Word

Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16 that the Scriptures are profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. Rick Warren says about this that the Scriptures show us the path, they show us how we got off the path, how to get back on the path and how to stay on the path. But as implied by the above extract from James 1:21, it is not automatic, the Word has to be implanted, and it has to be received with humility.

James, the (half) brother of Jesus, gives many subtle references to His teachings. Here the “word implanted” has echoes of the parable of the sower, where when the word is sown in good soil, it produces much fruit. In fact when the soil is good, the increase is automatic, because “the earth yields crops by itself” (Mark 4:28). In other words, the Word is living, active, powerful and transformative. It cuts through the lies and the propaganda of the world, and brings life and discernment (Hebrews 4:12).

Our part, has to do with receiving the Word, and receiving it with humility. Of course, the Word will not be transformative, if we are not feeding on it regularly. One man who ministered to me in my early Christian days used to say “Get your nose into God’s feedbag Phil.” And part of what James means by his admonition comes in the very next verse where he says “Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” So then we need to allow it to correct us, to admit it when we are wrong, and to confess to God and to those we have wronged. In other words we need to be real!

Father, thank You for Your word this morning, thank You that when we do our part you are more than ready willing and able to complete what is lacking in us. Thank You Lord that my part is doable, and that it brings life and health and peace and joy, and I give You all the honour and glory and praise for this, this morning in Jesus Name Amen

If you abide in Me and My Words abide in you, you will bear much fruit

I was reminded in the last few days, of how difficult Christmas is for many, many people. For some, it’s the first Christmas without a loved one, for others it’s family drunkenness and the anxiety and tension that accompanies that. For others, even without these things or the like, there is tension in the family get-togethers which always seems worse because it is supposed to be the season of goodwill. And even if this is not you, it is likely true of someone you know and love, and so you grieve for them.

So with some of these things on my heart as I came to the Lord this morning, He reminded me of His promise at the head of this post from John 15. And without in any way dismissing the power of my prayers (see yesterday’s post), I am also reminded that I am the only one I can change!

And with this promise I realize again, that the very best thing I can do for those I love is for me to show them the way by being changed by abiding in Him and His Word. And for me over the last few months, my aid in doing this has been to ask Him morning by morning for a Word first and foremost for myself, but also for others. And I need to write it down, since then it cements it more firmly into my heart and mind.

Father, the aspects of the fruit of Your Spirit that I need most this morning, are love, joy and peace. And I find these in Your presence as I come to You and Your word morning by morning. Thank You Lord for these things in Jesus Name Amen

My prayers are powerful, and so are yours, or at least they can be!

Around the time we were transitioning from the old to the new year last night, I was informed of an answer to prayer that I had prayed to be honest, without a lot of hope. And the Lord reminded me this morning, that my prayers are powerful. I say this, not because I feel that my prayers are powerful, but because of a Biblical principal. And the principal is “The fervent prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective” (James 5:16).

Now most of us (including me at times) will disqualify ourselves from this principle for two reasons. First of all we disqualify ourselves because we tell ourselves “I am not righteous.” Of course we do not have a righteousness of our own, but the Christian has a righteousness imputed to him or her from God by faith (Philippians 3: 9). So God sees me as righteous, because he sees me in Christ. And His opinion is more important than mine!

The second reason we disqualify ourselves, is that we tell ourselves that our prayers are anything but fervent, meaning with a sense of urgency, or of desperation but filled with hope. And there is a kind of Catch-22 operating here. Our prayers are not fervent, because we don’t believe they are powerful, and we don’t believe that they are powerful, because we either don't know this powerful Biblical principle, or if we do, we disqualify ourselves from it because we do not embrace our righteousness in Christ.

Father, thank You for taking me deeper into these things this morning. Lord I repent of my unbelief, I choose to believe that I am righteous in You, and that my prayers are powerful. I believe, help my unbelief! Lord please help to remember to tell myself these things over and over until I truly believe them, and then to tell myself these things because I believe them in Jesus Name Amen