Because I have not shunned to declare to you

.... the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). Paul had just testified that he is innocent of the blood of all men, and he know this because he had not shunned .... etc. (26). He had warned the Ephesian elders night and day “with tears,”  that “after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (29-31). About his innocence, no doubt Paul was recalling the Lord warning to us as watchmen, that if we do not warn this wicked world the guilt of their blood will be upon us (Ezekiel 3:18). His advice in light of these things Paul commands the elders to “take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers” (28).

We would also do well to not shun declaring the whole council of God either out of fear, or timidity, or the desire to be popular. But what is the whole council of God?  Well doctrinally we tend to be creatures of imbalance. There is a divide for example,  among those who emphasize the primacy of the Word,  and those who emphasize the primacy of the Spirit. It is not one or the other, it is both the Word and the Spirit.  Part of the whole council of God is missing from those who preach the gospel of riches,  or of cheap grace, that is once saved,  you can do what you want!  For sure we are not saved by works, but we are called to good works and  to take up our cross daily and follow the way of the cross (Ephesians 2:8-10; Luke 9:23). Some emphasized love at the expense of truth,  others truth at the expense of love. But in Christ steadfast love and mercy have kissed (Psalm 85:10).

This last part is particularly relevant to the issues of the day.  The gospel is eternal and unchangeable, in  the application of it to the  changing issues of the day, we need to search the Scripture  anew for wisdom. In declaring the whole council we need to heed Peter's warning that the scriptures “contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, ....  to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16). We are not talking here about such things as denominational distinctives,  or of church governance. Rather,  about how the Bible councils us in the issues of the day such as the scantily of life from conception in the womb,  to the final breath (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:14-16);  about our sexuality and the consequences of permanent deviation  (1 Corinthians 6:9; Hebrews 10:26 NIV);  of the mercy on those who have done such things, but have repented  (1 Corinthians 6:11).  In order to declare the whole council of God, we need to know the Word of God!  And the ignorance of it,  even among Christians is appalling! We need to study to show ourselves approved unto God (2 Timothy 2:15, 16). 

Father, as Paul knew well it costs to be obedience in this area. But You gave Your life for mine, I need to give my life for others too.  Please give us Your courage, wisdom,  grace and endurance,   and Your love for this world that rails against all sound judgement.  And we will give you all the honour,  glory and praise in Jesus Name Amen

Jesus I know, and Paul I know

.... but who the devil are you? This is my vernacular translation of Acts 19:15.   God was doing unusual miracles through Paul (11).  And seven sons of Sceva, “Jewish exorcists,  took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches” (13, 14). The evil spirits answered as above answer,  “then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, and they fled out of that house naked” (16). You need to catch this, one man overpowered seven,  tearing their cloths from their backs. This of course was supernatural strength. Another way to say what I am saying, is that daemons are real, and they do have power.  But they don't have authority, well I need to explain that, they don't have authority, but they do have power.

Jesus said “all authority has been given to me” (Matthew 28 ), so how much authority do the daemons have? None! Also Jesus told the disciples, “I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19).  Note, all the power of the enemy, not just some.  Clearly the sons of Sceva did not have the authority the disciples had. So what about disciples today, do we have authority,  or was it just for first century believers?  Well,  Jesus told the first disciples to teach others,  to teach others to teach others etc., etc  “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.”  And what He commanded them (and hence us)  was to “heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons” (Matthew 28:20; 10:8). So yes,  He has give us authority, we just need to learn how to exercise it.

Well what is involved in that? The clue comes in what the evil spirit asked  the sons of  Sceva “who are you?”  In other words it starts with who we are in Christ. If we are His disciples,  walking in obedience and in love and charity with Him and our neighbours  (Mark 12:31) then we know Him and are known by Him, and apparently by the daemons too.

It is interesting to me to note that the very first temptation the Devil brought to Jesus after His baptism, concerned His identity. He starts with “If You are the son of God ...” (Matthew 4:3).  Since it is about knowing and being known, the Evil one also targets our identity. Is it any wonder we live in the most orphaned age ever?  And it's not just fatherless homes, the orphan spirit is alive and well (or not so well) in the Church.  But note “to those who believed, He gave the authority (same Greek word as in Luke 10:19) to be the children of God (John 1:12). So then if I am a believer,  I have it on the authority of the Word of God that I am His child, thus known by Him and by the daemons too. And You can be sure the Devil will do  everything in his power (power not authority)  to cause us to doubt. Remember we are in a war to the death,  with the enemy of our soul.

Father, greater are  You who is in me, than he that is in the world. I believe Lord, help my unbelief in Jesus Name Amen

Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help

....  whose hope is in the LORD his God (Psalm 146:5).  There are two things in this single verse that stand out to me this morning. Firstly our God is not some distant deity who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmity. Rather, He  is gracious, full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy.  Indeed He is a very present help in time of need (Hebrews 4:15; Psalm 145:8; 46:1).  “Happy” does not quite cut it for me, the NIV has “blessed.” In Hebrew to “bless” meant to fill with benefits, with which He daily loads us down  (Psalm 68:19).  Furthermore, He will withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11). Verse 3 warns us not to put our trust .... in a son of man, in whom there is no help. Which one of us,  has not been let down by “a son of man?” So happy, well yes, but so much more, blessed truly blessed.  When we forget,  perhaps we need “count your many blessings one by one!” It will change your perceptive for sure and we will feel blessed if not happy!

But the blessings don't stop there, and the second thing, is the blessing of Hope for the one who trusts in the Lord. For some reason I am remembering the Tienanmen massacre this morning. This followed  student-led demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in Beijing,  China during 1989. The protests started on April 15 and were forcibly suppressed on June 4,  when the government sent in the military to occupy parts of  central Beijing.  Troops armed with assault rifles and accompanied by tanks fired at the demonstrators.  Estimates of the death toll vary from several hundred to several thousand, with thousands more wounded. I remember this well, because I was actually there in the square during the early part of the demonstrations. I had a friend in China who came out because of these things and he told me “The Christians are the only ones with hope now in China.  Blesses is he whose hope is in the Lord. In the Lord  there is hope when there is no hope.

I don't think we study either the Works or the attributes enough, but perhaps I am simply making a confession. Verse 6 tells that the one who helps us,  and gives us hope, is the very same One who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and who  remains faithful forever (verse 6).  I don't know if you like art, I am not that much into it myself, except that I have some paintings my mother painted of scenes in Australia. They are remarkable, and I admire this talent of hers. How much more should I admire the One who created the scenes she painted?  What I am trying to say is that it is too easy to read that He is the creator, without it really touching us. But the point is, that this One who created everything, He is the One who invites us into relationship, who blesses us, helps us in times of need,  gives us hope where there is no hope, and who remains faithful forever. 

Father, we need to take lessons from the Psalmist who praised You, who instructed his  soul to praise You, and determine to praise You no matter what, as long as he had breath. Truly You are worthy,  and we worship You this morning in Jesus Name Amen 

Praise the LORD!

.... For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful. The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.  He heals the brokenhearted. And binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars;  Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite  (Psalm 147:1, 3, 4). Praise and worship is much more than singing Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. It has to do with being filled with the Spirit (as opposed to wine),  making melody in our hearts to the Lord, giving of thanks for all things and submitting to one another in the fear of the Lord (Ephesians 5:18-21). It's about being right with God and each other.

I remember visiting some friends years ago, and going to their church. I connected deeply to a lady there, and we worshiped together and it was indeed beautiful (verse 1). The next time I visited largely I believe because of the pastor,  I felt myself being pressured to agree with some overly simplistic theology. It felt like control. We had promised each other this lady and I, that we would record our worship, but it was empty, and I came away grieved.  What I am saying is that the beauty (or not) of our worship, is reflected in the beauty (or not) our walk with God and each other. It is so easy to quench and grieve the Spirit.

Another thought that came to me as I meditated on this Psalm was the title of a bool “Your God is too small” by J.B.  Phillips.  A primary concern of the Hebrews was Jerusalem, and David speaks prophetically of two regathering. But the LORD will perfect that which concerns me (and you Psalm 138:8). We need to see that God is bigger than our problems, well able to heal our broken hearts, no matter what has gone wrong, and that He will withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11).  When we are overwhelmed we need to look to the rock from which we were formed. Our God is the one who spoke,  and starts were flung into space. He is great and awesome and worthy of our praise, and there is nothing that is too hard for Him.

Father, worship is about giving worth to something. If we do not worship You Lord, we will worship someone or something (idolatry), for we were made to worship. True worship, the worship we are talking about, worship in spirit and in truth,  this worship is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.  And in doing it,  we find our hearts healed and the abundant life.  And we find that You are our exceedingly great reward. We praise and bless You this morning Lord in Jesus Name Amen   

Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked

.... but now commands all men everywhere to repent,  because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30, 31). Paul is in the middle of his first missionary journey, he has received some very mixed reviews, and he has adopted a variety of approaches to sharing the gospel. In the beginning of the chapter we see Paul entering the synagogue reasoning from Scripture that Jesus was the expected Messiah, that He should suffer and rise from the dead. I have to wonder if he used different Scriptures than I would to this, but I digress. Here in Thessalonica while some believed, while those who did not stirred up and troubles the whole city saying Jesus was a rival king to Caesar.

The brethren sent Paul and Silas to  Berea. where the Jews were more  more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so (10,11). We can learn from the Bereans, in that when God does something new to our understanding,  we too need to keep and open mind and search the scriptures to see if it is of Him. We don't know what we don't know. In this morning's title verses, Paul in in Athens where he has the opportunity to reason in the market place. He begins his presentation from an observation about the city, where there is an alter TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. He proclamations Jesus and speaks the quote. I am put in mind of Paul's statement that he is all things to all men “that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:2).  The gospel does not change, but our approach  to sharing it needs to. Paul's methods and approaches are worth studying.

Our Western world tends to see Christians as self righteous and  judgemental. James 5:16 talks about healing being connected to  confession openness and transparency, the Church has a long way to go in this!  But we can go too far in that we can compromise truth. Some emphasize  truth over love others love over truth. But notice that Paul does not compromise.  Turning from our modern idols and our homegrown relative morality is not suggested it is commanded.  Compassion is wonderful, truth is liberating, but compassion without truth enables destructive behaviours, and truth without compassion denies the gospel in that it was because God so loved the world that He gave ...

Father, we are such creatures of imbalance. Help us here Lord. In  world without meaning, helps us to live meaningful lives and point the way to meaning. In a world without hope, helps us to live hope filed lives and share the hope that is within us.  Give us revelation of these things and how to share them and we will give You the honour glory and praise in Jesus Name Amen

“These men are the servants of the Most High God

.... who proclaim to us the way of salvation: (Acts 16:7). Paul, Silas and Luke had just that moment planted a church in Philippi (verses 13-15). We read  “a slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us (hence Luke), who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.” She was the one speaking the words in the title,  and she did this for many days (16, 18).  Paul greatly annoyed cast out the spirit.  This  greatly annoyed her masters,  now being deprived of their profit seized Paul and Silas, brought them to the authorities. The multitude rose up tore off their cloths,  beat them with  rods and  “many stripes,”  and thew them into prison. The jailor put them in the inner prison with their feet in stocks (18-24).

Too much to say, many things to ponder. Was the girl crying out because she hoped for deliverance, or was the spirit  crying out of torment (Mark 5:7)?  Why was Paul annoyed?  Was he annoyed with the spirit,  or with the girl?  Was the annoyance based on compassion for the girl, or was he afraid there would be some association of the gospel with demons (see Matthew 12:24)?

When Paul and Silas prayed and were singing  hymns at midnight there was a great earthquake and all their chains fell off (25, 26). So here is another question, would the earthquake have happened if Paul and Silas were sitting sucky in the cell? “Lord we followed Your ways, and look what it got us?”  May the Lord give us the grace to be like them and respond to undeserved pain with joy (James 1:2). The jailor,  supposing they had all escaped and knowing he would be held responsible,  was about to kill himself,  when Paul assured him they are all there. Shortly afterwards the Philippian jailor cried out “What must I do to be saved?” Paul told him “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (27-31).

The phrase that jumped out at me from this last bit was “you and your household.”  If ever there was a confirmation of the importance the Lord puts on families (households) it is this.  Over and over, for a number of reasons,  even in the last few days,  the promise has come to mind “raise up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Many of us have grown children that are not following the Lord, and I am grateful that it says “when they are old,” not saying anything about in between. As one having the oversight I also declare over and over my family  “as for me and my house,  we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).  I remember a dear old saint (lady) saying of grown children “leave them alone, and they will come home!”

Father, thank You for both the depth and  the simplicity of the gospel “ Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” Thank You too that You are so very, very interested in the reconciliation of families, and that You promised in these last days to turn the hearts of the fathers (and mothers) to the children and the hearts of the children to the mothers and fathers (Malachi 4:6 ).And we praise You again for these things  in Jesus Name Amen

I pour out my complaint before Him

....  I declare before Him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk  They have secretly set a snare for me (Psalm 142:2, 3).  No one cares for my soul (4d). Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me,  For You shall deal bountifully with me (v.7).  The occasion of this Psalm and its companion (57) is when David fled from Saul to “the cave.”  Saul  was seeking David's life. Psalm 57 is upbeat full of faith, but here it is as if  reality had set in, yet the Psalm ends with hope “You will deal bountifully with me.” It starts with “I cried to the Lord with my voice, with my voice” i.e out loud, his agony so great that silence can no longer contain it.  The sense then is of deep anguish, his spirit is overwhelmed, his soul is in prison.  Perhaps you too know the sense of being trapped in your thoughts, thoughts that go round and round and round and there is no rest. 

It is the almost universal testimony of Christians in trouble that they find hope and solace in the Psalms. David certainly knew the ups and downs of life. He knew what it was to feel alone, abandoned and  unappreciated “no one acknowledges me” (4b).  The longing for freedom is universal, even if we don't know what it looks like, though we may think we do.  And when this is at the sage where we are overwhelmed and brought low, then it feels like we are in prison, even if there are no visible bars.  I love the brutal honesty and reality of Scripture. Back in Psalm 57 there is faith and assurance.  Here the pendulum has swung and David is in agony. Yet he knows what to do, and we can learn this from him in this.

I see David starting of as Jesus would do later,  in that he offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death (verse 1; Hebrews 5:7). Paul in his afflictions would also would cry out with many tears (2 Corinthians 2:4). Sometimes our words might not be terribly edifying (Psalm 137:9),  but God is big enough to handle it.  David knows that God knows all about his situation (verse 1b), and He knows and declares 
“You will deal bountifully with me” (verse 7). In this last verse of the Psalm we see that faith had once again risen in David. Not that he had ever entirely lost it, he just needed to wrestle thought again to peace.  We need to follow his example,  being real with God, and pressing in, not to his feelings, but rather into the character of the One in whom he put his trust.

Father, Your Word tells us that You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You (Isaiah 26:3).  Thank You Lord that we can be real with You, I often see myself beating on Your chest as You hold me in Your embrace. When we are overwhelmed it can be a process to come back to peace, but Your are faithful,  and I declare You will deal bountifully with me. When we find ourselves there Lord, please let hope and faith arise in Jesus Name Amen

A cheerful heart is good medicine

.... but a crushed spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17:22). I am told that the first part of the proverbs is rendered better as “works a good healing.” The  proverb confirms something that I have observed.  I particular I  noticed that when someone is diagnosed with cancer,  they either give up and die almost immediately,  or they fight to the death. In fact I told myself and others,  that attitude  is essentially life or death. It's like this in all of life. As I meditated on this Scripture this morning,  I was reminded of the  “Stockdale paradox.” Admiral James Stockdale was a prisoner of war in Vietnam from 1965 to 1973. He  was tortured  over 20 times, had no  prisoner’s rights, no release date, and no idea of whether he would survive to see his family again. 


He survived when many of his fellow prisoners did not. I quote “I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade.” He says that paradoxically may of his fellow inmates were optimists. They would tell themselves “We'll be out by Christmas.” Christmas would come and go with no release date, and they would proceed to set deadline ofter deadline. In the end they lost hope and essentially died of a broken heart. Stockdale again “You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

Peter admonishes us “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to test you, as though some strange thing happened to you”  (1Pet. 4:12). Likewise Job could declare “He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). There is nothing that befalls us that He does not either send or allow, the only question is how are we going to respond?  These things are crossroads. Will we respond in faith, or will we allow the Evil one to defeat us.  James again tells us to count it all joy when we meet such trials know that these things produce the character He desires to produce in us. We can choose with His help to have a cheerful heart, or we can allow Satan to crush us. This is not just the power of positive thinking. With Stockdale we must confront the brutal facts of reality, and with  the power of positive thinking can actually be actually be telling ourselves lies!  We can't do it many times without Him, I can't,  but God gives more grace when we draw near to Him and refuse to give in to despair and despondency (James 4:6-8).

Father, Stockdale's sustaining thought was this was this life's defining event, which, looking back, he would not trade.” I know firsthand that on the other side of my most significant trail (so far), though I would never have chosen it, neither would I now change it. In other words  our  trails only come to make us strong, fruitful and more like Jesus (Romans 8:29). I pray this morning Lord, that You would give us a revelation of the sustaining hope of our calling (Ephesians 1:17, 18), and the grace to endure with a cheerful heart,  and to never, never, never give up,  in Jesus Name Amen

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made

....  Marvellous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret,  And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them  (Psalm 139:14-16).  Secular reasoning has tried in vain to explain the wonder of humanity. I remember one mother saying of her newborn,  that she loved him more than evolution required. Mechanistic and or reductionist views give some sort of credence to certain aspects of who we are as a species. However  there is no secular explanation that even begins to explain all and more of  our moral,  social, intellectual, biological, psychological, sociological, relational, volitional and sinful aspects etc., etc. “Fearfully and wonderfully made” is not the half of it!

Our days were fashioned with an individual  purpose and destiny  even before conception. Part of this,  according to the Westminster confession,  is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Part of glorifying God is to receive the free gift of salvation and  to walk in the good works, which God prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:8-10). We are not puppets however, and God has given us free will.  We mess up from time to time.  This too was known before the foundation of the World. Our great salvation includes the provision of  forgiveness and cleansing when we fess up (1 John1:9). And when we have totality screw up, beyond what we would imagine is redeemable, He fashions us a new destiny as seems good to Him (Jeremiah 18:4). 

I have hesitated to share the exposition that follows, but I would ask you to do a couple of things, firstly to test all things, and to exercise your own judgement about these things. Secondly please see my heart to know there's no condemnation with me, I am in no position to judge anyone (Romans 3:23).  Thirdly I would  also ask you to see that my heart is for those who have messed up in this area, both male and female. And if this is you, please see my heart in the above paragraph,  and a sound exposition of Jeremiah 18:1-4. Having said that we see from verse 16 that the Lord has plans for the unborn, even before  conception.  It's even clearer in Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”  In particular, and with a different emphasis, you are not a mistake, and even if your parents did not want you, you are still precious and valuable in the sight of the Lord, and in fact,  in all those who truly love the Lord!

 Father, I thank You that You knew each and every one of us before we were even conceived. We are not a mistake, we are truly and dearly,  loved. Lord something, or someone's worth,  is the price  someone is willing to pay. And You paid for us with the precious Blood of Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Peter 1:18, 19). That makes us of infinite value. Thank You too Lord for mercy, and that as long as we have breath we have neither gone too far,  nor left it to late to be covered by His blood. And we give You thanks and praise in Jesus Name Amen

The LORD will perfect that which concerns me (Psalm 138:8)

It is easy to see from this Psalm of David, why the Lord calls him a man after his own heart (Acts 13:11).  It starts off, for example,  by David declaring his determination to praise the Lord with his whole heart (verse 1). But David had reason to love and praise God. “In the day when I cried out, You answered me, You emboldened me and strengthened my soul” (verse 3).  David  drew close to the Lord in his troubles, and as troubles are intended to, they caused his strength and love to grow. And though David were King,  he had lost neither  his humility,  nor his sense of place before God. “Though the LORD is on high, yet He regards the lowly” (verse 6). Furthermore, he wants to boast in the Lord, not in himself, and he wants the Nations to praise the Lord and sing of His wonderful ways (verses 4, 5). For David it's all about Him, not about self.

Leading up to the title verse, David declares “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me” (verse 7).  I am reminded of a line from a song by Andraé Crouch “If I never had a problem, I'd never know that He could solve 'em.” David had had many troubles, and the Lord had deliverer them from them all. And what that did,  was to strengthen his relationship with the Lord, build his wall of faith,  and give him the confidence that what God had done in the past, He would do in the future. This is how the Lord works in you and me too, if we will let Him!

Coming to the title verse,  other versions have the Lord will fulfill,  and accomplish His purposes for me.  I was immediately reminded of Philippians 1:6 “He who has begun a good work in you will keep right on working in you, until the day of Jesus Christ.”  In and through the ups and downs of life, through the struggles and difficulties,  the toil and the pain, the joys and the sorrows,  God is accomplishing His perfect work in us, conforming us to the image of His Son, making us too men and women of God own heart, and in the process bringing us true fulfillment,  while glorifying His name.

Father as I read verse 7 in the different versions that You will preserve, nourish, revive, refresh, cause to grow, I want to thank You that You are no respecter of persons, that  this is exactly what You want to do with each one of us. Lord please bring us into the same confidence David had.  Please  use the issues of our lives to bring us deeper into relationship with You, that relationship which is the essence of fullness of life,  and of life eternal (John 17:3). And we too will praise You with our whole heart, in Jesus Name Amen

Happy the one who dashes your little ones against the rock (Psalm 137:9)!

The modern reader is rightly repulsed by the sentiment expressed here by the Psalmist. But let us first, without excusing or approving of it,  understand the background. The Psalmist is grieving in Babylon with  the rest of the exiles, who are being taunted by their captives “those who plundered us requested mirth” and “a song of Zion” (Jerusalem verses 1, 3).  The Psalmist is appealing for retribution to the Lord as divine Judge (verse 7). Historians tell us that what is described in the title was a common practice for conquering armies back then. We don't know explicitly if this was done to Israel, but we do know they slaughtered Zedekiah's sons before his eyes, put out his own eyes (so that their slaughter was the very last thing he saw), then took him bound in chains, to Babylon (2 Kings 25:7).

If we believe that ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16), and that as New Testament believers we are to love the Lord with all our mind (Mark 12:30), then we can neither eliminate  nor ignore this Scripture.  I have to say that there are many things, especially in the Old Testament that cause me pause, and this is one of them. But let me share some thoughts. Not saying this is the last word! Again without saying it's a good thing, I think we can say from what had happened to Israel, that from a human point of view it is understandable.  We need to remember too, that this is old covenant, where,  though mercy and forgiveness are mentioned in the Old Testament,  the primary emphasis there is justice.  So the rule is eye for eye and tooth for a tooth (Exodus 21:24).  And in case you think this is barbaric, understand that it was given to prevent escalation.  It is only after we can understand the concept of justice and adhere to it, that Jesus would come and tell us to love our enemies. Try telling the rioters in the States to love the police. Actually the Law was given to help us see our need of something greater than mere justice.  In fact it shows us our need of Christ (Galatians 3:24).

So then we must neither cut these things out of the Scripture, nor ignore them. They show us,  both then and now,  what man is capable of. They also show us why the substitutionary death of Christ was so necessary for our salvation. Some say that man is basically good, but both theologically and in practice “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” and “there is no difference, we are all basically the same (Romans 3:23).  This is a huge part of the offense of the cross (Galatians 5:11).  These things also remind me this it is precisely because of our Judaeo-Christain heritage, that we too easily take for granted, that we do indeed find these things repulsive.  We throw this heritage out,  at our peril!

Father, thank You for the help I receive from commentaries in trying to come to terms with some of the more difficult things, especially in the Old Testament. And I come back this morning Lord the the radical nature of Your sacrifice “My life for yours.” Please give me the grace and the wherewithal to follow Jesus in this Lord, and to pray for,  and do,  the Kingdom work of reconciliation, and I'll  give You the all glory in Jesus Name Amen

But the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice

The Lord had sent a strong wind that had broken the rocks in pieces, then an earthquake,  followed by fire.  But the Lord was in none of them,  He was however in the still small voice (1 Kings 19:11, 12).  Elijah had been very zealous for the Lord “for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life” (verse 10). Indeed Elijah had executed the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal with the sword (18:19, 19:1). In response, Queen Jezebel had threatened Elijah with the same fate, and he had run for his life (verses 2,3). Elijah had been sulking “I alone am left,” who could blame him?

We are such creatures of imbalance, and we too easily concentrate on the one hand on God's strange and terrible work of judgement,  symbolized by thunder, earthquake,  noise, windstorm,  tempest and flames of a devouring fire (Isaiah 29:6). Our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). On the other hand is God's goodness and Mercy. It is not one or the other, the God of the Old Covenant is the God of the New.  And with God,  there is both goodness and severity,  severity on those who fall, and goodness to those who continue in His goodness (Romans 11:22).  God is a consuming fire, but He is also the author of gentleness (Psalm 18:35). The God who thunders from Mount Zion with thunderings and lightenings,  also speaks in the still small voice, literally in "a sound of soft stillness."

God deals with us differently under the Law and under Grace. The emphasis under Law is judgement, under Grace it is mercy.  But both are present in both the Old and the New covenants. God is a consuming fire is New Covenant ( Hebrews 12:29). But when James and John wanted to copy Elijah,  and call down fire from heaven, Jesus rebuked them “You do not know what spirit you are of” (Luke 9:54, 55).  When people oppose us it is easy, like with James and John,  to operate out of the wrong spirit. When Jesus was reviled, He reviled not again (1 Peter 2:23).  And when we operate out of the wrong spirit, we too tend to get sucky, but also self righteous “I'm the only one who really follows You Lord.” And when we get there, as we all likely do from time to time,  the Lord would say to us, what He said to Elijah “I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal” (1 Kings 19:18).

Father, it is so easy to get into the wrong spirit when there is opposition. We need to be imitators of You Lord in Your goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering. You who admonish us to  bear all things, believe all things, hope all things and endure all things, is the One who does these things in spades. Your goodness is designed to lead men to repentance, and as the saying goes, you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.   We need Your help Lord to be the Ambassadors  You call us to be. So we ask for this help again this morning Lord in Jesus Name Amen

Idols .... have mouths, but they do not speak

... Eyes they have, but they do not see; They have ears, but they do not hear; Nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them (Psalm 135:15-18). We tend to laugh at the ancients,  who made idols of silver and gold, but in the end our modern idols are just as foolish. So what is an idol? Well for a start we are told in Colossians 3:5 that covetousness is idolatry.  So what exactly is idolatry,  according to Wikipedia,  idolatry connotes the worship of something or someone other than God,  as if it were God. As in this morning's reading, it's about putting our trust in anything other than God.  The Scripture admonishes us  for example to “put not your trust in princes,” and “it is better to trust in the LORD, than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 146:3; 118:8).

Of course the Scripture is not telling us that we should not trust people. I think if this in terms of comparison. For example compared to my love of God, my love of Father and mother is to be like hate (Luke 14:26). This is hyperbole, extreme exaggeration,  used for emphasis or effect. Similarly, my trust of others in comparison to my trust of God needs to be like distrust.  So in who or what do we put our trust? “Some trust in chariots and some in horses” (Psalm 29:7), so then in military might, in finances,  in Science, in isms,  denominationalism, socialism, in the self made man, in no one but myself etc., etc. I was caused to recall this morning of a time when what other people thought of me was, in practice, more important than what God thinks of me. And He thinks I am awesome (you too). I would not have described this as an idol, but what what else was it?  The verse above from the last Psalm ends with “but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”

A couple more thoughts from the title Psalm. Firstly concerning, neither ears, eyes, mouth nor breath. The Hebrew word translated breath here often refers to the Holy Spirit.  And the thought I have is that if we put our trust in anything other than God, we will neither  hear,  nor see what God is wanting us to hear or see, and our speech, our breath, our influence,  will not be Kingdom oriented.  The second  thought concerns the statement that those who trust in them are like them. If we put our trust in money,  we are likely to be cold,  unfeeling and calculating.  If we put our trust in logic and science alone, we will be rational, but unemotional, missing out on the emotional side of life. Of course you can be logical and still wrong, as when your presupposition do not reflect the Biblical reality of truth. Not my opinion, God's!

Father, please reveal in me any area of thought or ism,  where I have misplace trust or value. You have promised Lord that if I acknowledged You in all my ways, You will direct my steps and make them straight. There is no God but God, and I thank You this morning that You have revealed Yourself, and keep revealing Yourself,  to me. In Jesus Name Amen.

The bin of flour shall not be used up

.... nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth (1 Kings 17:14).   The Lord had sent Elijah to the widow of Zarephath,to escape the wrath of King Ahab of Israel after he (Elijah) had prophesied that “ there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except at my word” (17:1). The brook to which God had originally sent Elijah to hide had dried up because there had been no rain. And we learn that the drought had extended to Sidon to which Zarephath belonged. Elijah had asked for a morel of bread, and the widow had told him she had only had a little four and oil and she was about the make a last meal with it for herself and her son.

 Elijah's responds “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son” (17:13).  Elijah's then prophecies the title verse, and  she  “did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days.  The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry (verses 15, 16).  Heidi Baker tells the story that on more than one occasion, the Lord had multiplied food. The first occasion was in Mozambique,  when the government had closed the orphanage she and her husband were running. She had taken the many children with her,  and they had no food. Some friends had provided a meal, but just enough for Heidi and her immediate family.  Heidi however, had shared it with them all,  and it had been enough. The friend in telling the story over and over,  brought the pot, “this very  pot,” as a prop for the story!

What are we to learn from this story? I see two things. In explaining that a prophet is not without honour except in his own country, Jesus uses this story to tell that there were many widows in Israel but Elijah was sent to none of them (Luke 23-26). We are told in the New Testament, that we are to seek eagerly, the gift of prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:1), and  not to despise prophesying (1 Thessalonians 5:20 ).  Yet in only a very small portion of the church is it accepted and practiced, we despise it by neglecting it and are the poorer for it, for it is intended to build us up,  edify, comfort and strengthen us (1 Corinthians 14:3). We learn a second thing by noting that the instructions to the widow were to give food to Elijah first. What if she had refused? So what I am saying is the we need to respond to the prophetic word by stepping out in faith, whatever that looks like.

Father, Your Word tells us that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10).  What this tells me, is that when we hear a testimony, the testimony itself is prophesying that You want to do it again. After all You are the same yesterday, today and forever.  Help us to be bold Lord,  and to step out in faith in circumstances of dire need, believing You are prompting us to bring heaven to earth (Matthew 6:10). What You have done once Lord,  You will do again. And we give You the glory in Jesus Name Amen

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

.... for brethren to dwell together in unity. For there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forevermore  (Psalm 133:1, 3)! If the brethren (and sistren) dwelling together in unity is good and pleasant,  then allowing our differences to separate us is the exact opposite.  But do we have to saying/believing be exactly the same thing before we can dwell, live together,  in unity?  The world would say yes.  Too often in the world disagreement is equated with disloyalty.  I have to wonder if the world learned this from the church which (at least the Protestant church) has united around it's version of the truth, and has divided over what it sees as error, or sometimes even the colour of the new carpet! Part of what I am saying, is that the basis of our unity seems to be conformity, all being the same. But as Kris Vollotton puts it,  within the Kingdom of God, unity has nothing to do with conformity.

In verse 3 above,  we  read that unity and the blessing of eternal life, are related.  In His hight priestly prayer, Jesus equates eternal life with relationship with the Father and Himself (John 17:3). Jesus and the Father are one, and His prayer it that we likewise may be one (verse 21). But Jesus is not the Father, and the Father is not Jesus. Their oneness, their unity, is unity in diversity, not unity in conformity. Likewise if we are to be one as they are one our unity is to be unity in diversity, not conformity. And the context makes it clear the basis of our unity (the unity of the brethren) is relationship, relationship with God and each other. 

Please do not misunderstand me, I am not saying that truth is not important. The unity we are talking about here is the unity between the brethren (verse 1).  The brethren are believers, those who know the one true God (John 17:3 again).  We must not have some narrow understanding of what it means to be a brother, such as being a member of my denomination (“we are the people of God”). This is uniformity not unity. It is difficult of course, for we are to contend for the faith (Jude 3). I have found the faith statement of para church organizations helpful here (InterVarsity, Operation Mobilization etc.). These doctrinal statements have been forged and refined in respectful,  prayerful,  interdenominational debate. Note that we are to contend for the faith, but not to be contentious. We need to be respectful and loving in the determination to discover what are the non-negotiable essentials, and what are the denominational distinctions, places where we can agree, agreeably to differ.

Lord, You have given the World the right to judge if we are true believers by the love that we have one for another (John 13:35). And so Lord I want to repent for myself and on behalf of the Church for the way we have not been eager to preserve the unity that You purchased at such great expense to Yourself (Ephesians 4:3). Lord Your primary purpose is to unite all things together in You (Ephesians 1:10). Forgive us Lord, please give us the Grace we need to love one another as You have loved us, it is good and pleasant when we do so. We love Your Lord, even in our weakness, please command the blessing in Jesus Name Amen

Children’s children are the crown of old men

.... And the glory of children is their father (Proverbs 17:6). The picture this evokes for me,  is of three generations of the ideal Jewish family gathered to celebrate shabbat on a Friday evening. In this ideal family there is mutual love, respect,  harmony and  shalom peace. In the midst of the chaos,  and the godlessness of these last days (2 Timothy 3:1, 2), you could be forgiven for wondering if such a family ever existed.  But I think about this in the same way I think about,  and seek to deal with,  a personal prophetic word.  Suppose you had a prophetic word “I see you as a business woman,  who uses her business to touch people,  and lead them  to Christ.” Such things have to be tested of course, but the point I am waning to make here, is that is she was convinced this was of the Lord, it would be something she  would need to press into.

I see such prophetic words,  as the Lord showing us what is possible, not something that automatically happens. So such a woman might have had a dream about a certain kind of business. And the prophetic word should be seen as encouragement to go ahead, and to be proactive in pursuing it. She might want to improve her person skills,  and  perhaps go to business school.  Likewise this morning's proverb is something God desires for all of us, and in spite of the chaos of many of our situations, He is telling us that this ideal family us something we should aim for,  and be proactive in pursuing.  It is a principle that God will move heaven and earth to reverse generational family dysfunction when, in radical obedience,  we turn to love Him with all our heart,  mind, soul and strength (Exodus 20:6; Mark 12:20).   When we do our part, we can claim the promise that He will restore the (often many) years the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25).

If I am a parent of young children,  and there is still time, I need to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).  If that time has passed,  the very best thing I can do,  is to be in the process of being changed (2 Corinthians 3:18). In this way we show them the path to freedom! The Lord has raised up many resources in this hour,  to help us to deal with the issues we were handed down,  and which we likely also handed down. It's called Christ centred recovery. If I am a young child,  I need to obey my parents, and at any age to honour them.  We do not honour them for their faults, but because they gave us life. We honour them for the good things they did, and if we don't know of anything,  we can ask the Lord to show us.  Most parents do the best they can with the hand they were handed down. We also need to realize,  that if we do not honour our parents, our children will likely not honour us.

Father, once again this morning I make the prophetic declaration “As for me and my house,  we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Help me to do my part Lord, in bringing this to pass by radical obedience,  and by my loving You with all my heart, mind, soul and strength,  and my neighbour as myself,  in Jesus Name Amen

Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?

..... And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”  Then the Lord said “I, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”  (Acts 9:5 NKJV).  Saul was on the road to Damascus with letters from the high priest authorizing him to take  believers in Jesus, both men and women bound,  back to Jerusalem (verses 1, 2).  A light had suddenly appeared from heaven, and he heard voice asking the question in the title. Saul was blinded by the light,  but not his companions.  They did however hear the voice but saw no one (verses 7, 8).  By addressing the voice as Lord, We are to understand that Saul had an instantaneous conversion. However,  by asking who his Lord was,  we are also to deduce that he did not yet fully understand.

It is easy to miss and essential part of what Jesus is saying in His reply. The 'Aramaic Bible in Plain English' makes is clear, translating it as  “I AM THE LIVING GOD, Yeshua the Nazarene.” In other words the force of the Greek points us back to God's revelation to Moses as the Great I AM (Exodus 3:14), and the claims of Jesus to be He,  in His “I am” statements in John. The response of the Jews (and Saul) was that Jesus was blaspheming  (i.e. John  8:58; 10:36).  Saul would later tell us that he now understood that it was he  Paul (formerly Saul),  who was the blasphemer, and that he was also  a persecutor, and an insolent man (1 Timothy 1:13).

Though the phrase “It is hard for you to kick against the goads,” is absent from some manuscripts here in Chapter 9. However it is undisputed in Acts 26:15,  where Paul recalls this incident.  The picture is of an ox receiving pricks that goad him into doing his work. When in ignorance the ox  kicks back, he will get more of the same.  We seem to be being told that the Lord had been at work iSaul for some time (i.e goads not goad). It is as though he had been  resisting the revelation, increasing his  blasphemous zeal until in one of His  “suddenly,” the Lord broke though.  Part of what we are being told, is that when the resistance is fierce, it is often because the Lord is at work. In addition, it seems to be part of our fallen human nature, that we accuse others of the very same things we are doing. It is called projection in Psychology. And it strikes me again, that this Bible knows us!


 Father, I am undone this morning as I meditate on this passage, and as You just showed me that the kick back I have been receiving recently,  and in the long term,  is often others kicking against the goads. It's not that I am always right, but that when I am, it's not me they are opposing Lord, it is You  And what I need to do Lord, is to allow You to use it to take me deeper into the fellowship of Your suffering (Philippians 3:10). Bring me to the place Lord Jesus, where I can count it a privilege to suffer for You and with. And I will give Your the Glory and praise in Your precious Name Amen

Does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?

..... Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him (Acts 8:34, 35). The  Scripture the Ethiopian eunuch (verse 27) was asking about begins with “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer ....  He opened not His mouth (verse 32; Isaiah 53:.). This passage is an excellent platform from which to launch and exposition, and the truth of much orthodox Christian theology. Part of this centres around the complex and fascinating interplay between the Old and New Testaments. Jesus told the Jews that the Old Testament “speaks of me” (John 5:40). This,  and the current passage together confirm the claim “In the Old Christ concealed, in the New Christ revealed.” Scripture is its best own interpreter, and this passage settles it firmly,  that  Isaiah 53 is is speaking of Jesus.

I haven;t counted them, but I am told Jesus fulfilled 356 Old Testament prophecies. There are several here in the context of these  passages.  In summary Isaiah's prophecy refers to a Servant of God who suffers all kinds of humiliation (Isaiah 52:14 -53:4). It tells us that  His suffering is redemptive  “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”  Also by knowledge of Him, My righteous Servant shall justify many (53:6, 11b). And the Servant is finally vindicated by God (verse 12). There's even a subtle reference to His resurrection, for after He had “made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich at His death” (verse 9), “He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied” (verse 11a).

The confession that Philip required from the eunuch before he was willing to baptize him,  gives us a clue that of what else Philip preached following  “beginning with  this Scripture.” The eunuch declares “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:37). It can be no coincidence that the very scroll he was reading from contains Isaiah 9. This chapter talks about the child born, the son given. In particular one of then names of this child is “The Almighty God” (verse 9). The  passage is universally accepted as messianic, that is it is predictive of the coming messiah,  the anointed one (the  “the Christ” (in Greek). In addition,  verse 9 is one of the strongest proofs of the deity of Christ.  I have no doubt that Philip's preaching included an exposition of these things.  How else could the eunuch declare Jesus as both Christ and Son of God? It strikes me that theses things may well be some of the infallible proofs,  that we have not believed cunningly devised fables (Acts 1:3; 2 Peter 1:16).

Father, these things remind me again of the tremendous care and planning that You took  before the fullness of the time had come, and You sent forth Your Your Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, in order that we might receive the adoption as sons (Galatians 4:4, 5).  No wonder John could tell us to observer carefully the manner of love You lavished upon us that, giving us the right to be called the children of God (1 John 3:1). We are grateful this morning Lord,  for so great a salvation. Help us never Lord to loose the wonder and  Glory of it all in Jesus Name Amen.

Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You

.... How much less this temple which I have built! In the first part of this verse (1 Kings 8:27) King Solomon asks “But will God indeed dwell on the earth,” and the title is Solomon's answer. I remember as a young man,  still far from God, going into one of the magnificent Cathedrals in England and gazing in awe at it. Some of these cathedrals had supporting pillars 27 feet in circumference and they supported stone roofs hundreds of feet above.  And the size and splendour of the stain glass windows were breathtaking. But, although I did not get this sense in all of them by and large, they were tombs, empty monuments, devoid of the Lord's presence.  But from the Biblical description of Solomon's temple, their  splendour paled in comparison.  Solomon had commissioned seventy thousand who carried burdens, and eighty thousand who quarried stone in the mountains for the purpose of laying the foundation of the Temple. Perhaps some of them remain at the wailing wall, I don't know!

Solomon's temple was destroyed of course (2 Kings 25:8–10), and a second Temple built.  Its size and grandeur was clearly regarded as inferior however (Ezra 3:12).  In spite of this, the disciple stared in wonder at it,  wondering “what manner of stones and what buildings are here” (Mark 13:1). So how glorious must the original have been? Much of its interior was covered in gold!! Nevertheless as Solomon declared “The heaven of heavens cannot contain You, how much less this temple.”  God is so much bigger than we tend to think of Him. And with this morning's, readings,  the Lord is challenging me to once again meditate on the greatness, the Glory and the Majesty of our God.

The heavens referred to in our quote are the earth and the starry heavens, the heaven of heavens is the seat of the divine Majesty of God and the habitation of angels and glorified saints. But, as we read,  even this cannot contain Him. Indeed  heaven is His throne, and earth His  footstool (Isaiah 66:1). Clearly the throne and footstool, are but a tiny, tiny fraction of a King's Kingdom, so how great and how marvellous must our God be?  Stephen in his provocative speech at his trial declares  “The Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands” (Acts 7:48). And yet, and yet,  my body is the living Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).  Do we even begin to comprehend the apparent contradiction in these things. No earthly structure, not even the Heaven of heavens can contain Him, yet He has condescended to dwell in me and in you! Words fail me to even begin to express the enormity and the glory of  this!

Father, thank You for the ancient hymns that scratch the surface of my inadequate words. “Oh Lord my God when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds thy hands have made .... see the stars....” Thank Your Lord for the amazing and beautiful worship songs You are inspiring in this season. But Lord we have hardly begun to appreciate or even see the beauty and the glory of Worship in the heaven of heavens. Open our eyes Lord to begin to comprehend the greatness of You our incomparable God,  and we will give You the Glory in Jesus Name Amen

He who is slow to anger

... is better than the mighty warrior, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city (Proverbs 16:32).  Here is a perfect example of Hebrew poetry, where the second stanza essentially repeats the first,  but with subtle variation and possible clarification.  A mighty warrior of course can take a city, and one who takes a city can rightly be thought of as a mighty warrior. A mighty warrior however may be able to do far more than take a city. But this is not the main point of the Proverb.  We may be slow to anger because the situation provokes fear rather than anger.  So the second stanza clarifies that what is meant here, is one who is able to control his or her spirit.  But there is more, because it says something about anger, it implies that anger under control is not necessarily wrong. In many Christian circles, anger is regarded as sinful period.

Jesus was angry at times (Mark 3:5). The Scripture does not tell us not to be angry period.  It  tells us that  we are to be careful not to sin in our anger (Ephesians 4:26). We are however, to put away anger associated with bitterness (Ephesians 4:31). And the implication of the  Proverbs, is that even when it is appropriate to be angry we are to be slow to come to it (see also James 1:19).  The second stanza tells us that this is about self control.  Putting the two things together the Proverb is talking about strength (might) under control. Jesus demonstrated this when He cast the  money changers, who were cheating the people,  out of the temple. In particular,  He took the time to make a whip of chords, and (I think) also calm Himself so as not to sin, in what He was about to do.  

One of the commentators on this morning's verse suggested that it is about suppressing anger, and I could not disagree with him more. When we suppress anger,  rather than bringing it to the Lord to help us in our self control, that suppressed anger will come out somewhere, and likely inappropriately. Self control is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23). It comes  when we have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires, and as we as we make a habit of bringing every though and emotion captive unto obedience of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Father, I was reminded of the original meaning of the English word meek, and of  the verse “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5 KJV).  Meekness in English  has come to mean weakness and timidity, but Jesus was meek when He cast out the money changers. Some translations talk about humility. The original meaning of meek fits in exactly with this morning's verse, for it it all about strength under control. Lord we will not exhibit  self control,  unless we make a habit of practicing it. Unfortunately  the only time we can  practice it is when we are provoked, and we need Your help Lord. So please give us Grace for these things. We ask in Jesus Name Amen

Unless the LORD builds the house

.... they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows. Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward (Psalm 127:1-3). Attributed to King Solomon, the first part of verse one is reminiscent of Ecclesiastes 1:14 which says “I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.”  The phrase “under the sun”  has to do with what is purely natural, done without reference to the unseen World, to God,  to eternity.  Whatever we build,  be it houses, or businesses,  or ministries,  or reputation,  or fame,  or fortune or glory, unless the Lord is behind it, it is futile.

It is interesting to me to note story after story,  of those who have climbed the ladder of success,  or fame,  or fortune, that they  have arrived at the top,  only to find it empty and meaningless. And if we do not find our meaning,  and in fact our identity in Christ, in being sons and daughters of the living God, we will likely either lapse into hopelessness, or seek to find significance and meaning in all the wrong places.  Solomon had it all,  fame,  fortune,  wine,  women and song.  But in the end would  declare it meaningless and empty.  The Lord through Isaiah asks “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?” He invites us to  “eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.” And what is good is to “come to Me; hear Me, that your soul may live”  (Isaiah 55:2,3).

Verse 2 of the Psalm speaks of workaholism and “the bred of sorrows.”  Paul telling Timothy about those who love money says that some “have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10). Of course it is the love of money, and our hanging onto it that's the problem,  not money itself.  Concerning guarding the city (or our treasure), Jesus tells us not to lay it up on earth where it is vain,  because of moth, rust and thieves (Matthew 6:19). Verse 3 of the Psalm tells us that the true treasure, the true heritage,  is in our Children. Is it any wonder our society which places such little value on them,  is so lost? On the other hand, we must  remember they are our heritage, on loan from the Lord, and we are  to raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), not to try and live our lives vicariously through them.

Father, Your Word instructs us that whatever we do in thought word deed,  to do it all to the  glory of God.  The Hymn  writer tells us “only one life,  it soon be past, and only what’s done for Christ will last.”   Help us Lord this morning,  to live life for You and for You alone.  Prompt us Lord by Your Holy Spirit when we are building in vain, or being over anxious about what is not eternal. Help us Lord to get our priorities straight, to put You first, then family. Forgive us Lord when we have put our career or any things else  above these things in Jesus Name Amen

Those who sow in tears, shall reap in joy

.... He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him (Psalm 126:5, 6). The Lord has used this Psalm,  and in particular these two verses,  over and over to encourage me to keep pressing into,  and believing a particular promises, though it be long  delayed.  The Psalm opens by recalling the joy the return of the exiles from the captivity of Israel in Babylon, “our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongue with singing.” I am reminded of the night the United Nations voted for the Partition of Palestine on November 29 1947, there was dancing,  laughter and singing in the streets.  The original prophesied return from the captivity in Babylon was a mere seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11, 12). The promised return of Israel to the land was close to two thousand years. However “In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from .... (Isaiah 11:11-12). Note “the second time, ” indicating that this is not the Babylonian captivity, see also “many days” (Hosea 3:4-5).  

As indicated by the word “doubtless” in verse 6, God is faithful to His promises! He is not a man that He should lie, what He has said He will do, He will do.  However, many (but not all) of His promises come with a condition. I keep coming back to the “If my people ..” promise (2 Chronicles 7:14). We have a part to play. The Psalmist's part in whatever it was He was contending for, was to sow in tears. Perhaps he was pressing into the promise that if we delight ourselves in Him, He will give us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4). In any case it's a promise that I'm tapping into. Note the condition here, to “delight yourself in the Lord.”  You see we cannot delight ourselves in Him while we still have issues He's calling us to deal with.  And part of delighting ourselves in Him is seeking to please Him, seeking His will,  and following His ways. When we do this our desires are right and He can and will answer. 

The part “continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed ..” is important too. We need to realize that part of His way is to refine us in the process, or as James put it we need to  “let patience have its perfect work” (James 1:4). And so when we have received the promise, we should never, never,  never give up. I like to hold Him to His promise “Lord You promised, and You are not a man that You should lie. And part of letting patience have its perfect work is to ask Him “continually” to search me and see if there be any wicked way in me, and to lead me in the everlasting way (Psalm 139:24).

Lord Jesus, You are the same yesterday, today and forever, and You were,  are and will be,  faithful.  Thank You Lord for all that You have done in the past, not only in fulfilling Your promises to Israel, but also in fulfilling many of the promises You have given me. Thank You too that every times I have wanted to give up,  You have done something to encourage me to continue and to strengthen me as I wait.  And I give You honour, glory and praise Lord in Your precious Name Amen

Rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name

Jesus came to bring life in all it's fullness (John 10:10b), but the tendency to preach the gospel of a better life if you come to Christ, though true, is not the whole story.  The context of this morning's title verse (Acts 5:41), is of Peter and the other apostles preaching the gospel in Jerusalem, even after they had been told not to by the religious authorities (4:18). The Apostles had pulled no punches accusing the authorities of murder (verse 30). To say they were not pleased,  is an understatement, in fact they plotted to kill them (verse 33). However they were persuaded by Gamaliel, a teacher of the law to let them go saying  “if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God” (verses 38, 38).  They had them beaten first however (verse 40).  The title verse follows.

We read earlier in the chapter that none of the rest (unbelievers) dared join them, though the people esteemed them highly (verse 13).   Their fear,  no doubt,  stemmed from the incident with Ananias and Sapphira who were eliminated for lying to the Holy Spirit (vv, 1ff), but also from the fear of man.  Becoming a Christian in that environment was not something you did lightly.  Jesus speaks about us counting the cost, telling us  that we cannot be He disciple if we do not take up our cross and follow Him (Luke 14:27).  Taking up our cross is about dying to self, putting to death the deeds and the desires of the flesh,  and no longer living for ourselves, but for Him who died and rose again (Romans 8:13, Galatians 5:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15).

But rejoicing in the suffering, and counting it a privilege to do so  (Acts 5:4 again), seems to take this one step further.  There are two things here. Firstly if He is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.  There is little true rejoicing in a half committed Christian. I mean you can't even enjoy your sin! The second thing, is that it is only on the other side of surrender,  that we have the joy,  peace and the promised fullness of life (John 10:10b). While we are still resisting, it all feels like a huge and enormous sacrifice, but when we have fully surrendered and are committed to surrendering everything that comes up we will be able like the heroes of the faith who joyfully accepted the plundering of their  goods, knowing that they  have a better and an enduring possession for  in heaven (Hebrews 10:34). I know times in my own life  when the Lord has put His finger on something and I have wrestled and wrestled with it before I let go.  But then afterwards  in the joy of entering deeper into  His presence,  I would I wonder what all the struggle was about,

Father, I am remembering again today that You told Abram that You are his exceedingly great reward (Genesis 15:1). Lord neither he nor we can know the reality of that,  until we come to the place of absolute surrender. And Lord when You ask us to let go, it is only because You want to give us something better, and many times that something better is Yourself.  Give us grace Lord to surrender daily,  and take up what ever cross You call us to bear. We will be the better for it, and You will receive the Glory in Jesus Name Amen

Whether it is right in the sight of God

.... to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard (Acts 4:19, 20). Peter and John had been hauled up before the religious leaders. In the Name of Jesus they had healed the man at the beautiful gate,  who had been lame for forty years from birth (Chapter 3).  In the aftermath of that, they were  preaching the resurrection of Jesus,  and the religious leaders were greatly disturbed. They could not however, deny that a notable miracle had taken place. What they did then, was threaten them and command them not to speak or teach in the Name of Jesus (Chapter 4). And the title verse is Peter and John's reply.

In addition to obeying God rather than man, there are a number of things here that we need to emulate, in being ready to give an answer of the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:15). And many,  if not all of them,  need to be part and parcel of our turning from our wicked ways in order to claim God's healing of our land (2 Chronicles 7:14). First and foremost they were all together in one accord (Acts 1:14; 2:1, 46; 4:24). Note the repetition,  denoting importance! Without this, all the other things I am about to mention are blunted. So next this was  witness to what they had seen and heard, it was under the anointing and fullness of the Holy Spirit (verse 8, 31), it was accompanied by prayer (4:31), it was reasoned from the Scriptures (Chapters 2 and 3), and was delivered with boldness (4:13, 31).  And the results of all this, was that the gospel came not in Word only,  but in power and love and the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:4).

To come back to obeying God rather than man, it needs to be said that this does not give us cart blanch to disobey either the religious or the civil authorities. Paul has some sobering words in this regard.  “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.  Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves” (Romans 13:1, 2).  Even Caiaphas High Priest who delivered up Jesus,  was used of God to prophesy that it was expedient that  one man should die for the people (John 11:49-52). And then there was Cyrus!  The point here, is that Peter and John were being given a command that directly contradicts the command of Scripture.  We see this  for example in 2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.” In view of Paul's comment “those who resist will bring judgment on themselves,  we need be careful to otherwise obey.

Father, heavy on my heart this morning is the need for Your church to be unified. We are not talking about uniformity, with no differences, but rather that differences are held in love,  producing a rich and complimentary harmony.  Forgive us Lord, forgive me where I have not been eager to maintain the unity that You purchased at such great cost to Yourself. Help us too Lord to obey the ordinance of man where they do not contradict Your law, and give us discernment where there is doubt in Jesus Name Amen


Nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God

.... with that which costs me nothing (2 Samuel 2:24). In verse 1, though we are not told why,  we read that the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel. There is some doubt about who (God or Satan) moved David to commit the sin of numbering the people, but he did (verses 1, 2; 1 Chronicles 21:1). It is also something of a puzzle as to why numbering the people was a sin, we are only told that it was. Afterwards David's heart condemned him (verse 10). Our conscience is a precious thing, since it can bring us to repentance and reconciliation with God. It can be over active,  or under active (seared with an iron when we deliberately ignore it - 1 Timothy 4:2).  There is much to say about these things, but this is not the thrust of where the Lord is leading me this morning.

Though in Israel's case we are not told the sin (verse 1), note that it was both David and Israel that had sinned. The Lord gave David a choice of punishment,  and He had chosen to allow himself and Israel to fall into God's merciful hand, rather than to fall into the hand of  man (verses 13, 14).  And God had sent a plague which had killed seventy thousand. The angel of death was about to stretch out his hand over Jerusalem, but the Lord intervened.  Through the prophet Gad He told David to erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.  Araunah had offered to supply everything free of charge,  including a yoke of oxen for the sacrifice. David's response is this morning's quote.  This was no superficial repentance on David's part.

The sacrifices of the Old Covenant had to be perfect, the best of the heard, animals without spot or blemish. In other words the sacrifice was costly. Anything less was not worthy of  being presented to God. In light of all of who God is, and all He has done for us, if it's not costly,  neither is our sacrifice worthy to be presented to Him. In the midst of Abram waiting for the promised son, the Lord appeared to him and told him “I am your exceedingly great reward,” but Abram's focus was on what he did not yet have  (Genesis 15:1, 2).  In requiring our absolute devotion,  and our very very best,  God is not some egotistical maniac looking out only for Himself. No, no He knows that when we give our all, our very very best, it is then that we find the reward is everything and more that, in our more sober moments, we desire.  And unless and until we are willing to give our all, we will not experience Him for what He is, our exceedingly great reward.

Father, You are not some Scrooge in the sky wanting to deprive us of satisfaction.  No, no You always desire the very, very best for us. And this is only found when we give You our all, loving You with all our heart mind soul and strength and our neighbour as ourselves. Lord it sounds like such a sacrifice, and it feels like it  until we let go. Then on the other side of letting go,  we discover it is what we wanted all along, for You are indeed our exceedingly great reward. Thank You Lord for this truth, help us to live it in  Jesus Name Amen

Know assuredly that this same Jesus, whom you crucified

....  God has made both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36).  Peter was speaking to devout Jews dwelling in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven. These were those who had all heard the disciples speaking to them in their own tongue  on the day of Pentecost  (verses 5,6). It was not a sermon for  itchy ears.  Pulling no punches, He had been speaking to them of “this same Jesus” who “being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it” (verses 23, 24). Likely, since they were those who were dwelling in Jerusalem (verse 5), many of them had been among those who had been insistently calling for His crucifixion at the Passover  (Luke 23:21).

But even if they had not been actively calling out for His crucifixion, they had done nothing to intervene. “But what could they have done?” you ask.  The saying all that evil needs to flourish,  is for good men to do nothing, comes to mind. Imagine the guilt, of those who one way or another had consented to His death, believing the elders that He was blaspheming. But now all that He had said was vindicated by God by raising Him from the dead.  And then the accusation coming personally “You with wicked hands, crucified this same Jesus” (KJV).  No wonder they were cut to the heart (verse verse 37).  Some of us needed and need a similar rude awakening before we,  like the three thousand (verse 41) who got saved that day, also cry out to be saved.

The Jewish elders,  and likely mostly all that were there that day, and been (and some still were) deceived.  The Scriptures tell us that Satan has blinded the minds of those who do not believe (2 Corinthians 4:4). The thing about being deceived, is that you don't know you are deceived, and the virtual reality that you live in, in your deception,  feels real. It was the Scriptures that God used to open  the the eyes of the three thousand (verses 25-36),  and it is the Word of God that opens ours. What I am feeling the Lord wants to say to us this morning (me too), is that at some level we are all still deceived. If this were not the case, we would be living life to the full, experiencing life in all its fullness (John 10:10b). Part of what I am saying, is that no matter how far we have come, there is still ground to be gained (Exodus 23:29, 30), and revelations to be received.

Father, the verse “Let he who thinks he stand take care lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12) also comes to mind. Lord please help us never to be content with the status quo, but with zeal according to knowledge keep on keeping on,  and pressing in toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14). And we will give You all the glory in Jesus Name Amen

Pride goes before destruction

....  and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18).  Peter in declaring that if all others fell away he would not (Matthew 26:33),  was setting himself up for a fall (Jesus told him “before the cock crows you will deny Me three times” - verse 75). And we were talking about that yesterday.  Hebrew poetry, the essential repetition of a phrase with a subtle differences,  can help us to understand what is being said. This morning's verse is such an example. The pride that the Bible is talking about here and a haughty spirit,  go together. The dictionary defines haughty as scornfully and condescendingly proud, arrogant. But words are inadequate, because there is a pride that is not sinful,  as when we take pride in our work,  or we tell our children we are proud of them.  The pride we are talking about in this  sense, is  about taking satisfaction in, or highly valuing someone,  or something one owns. 

But even that can turn into the wrong kind of pride,  as when we arrogantly boast to others,  implying that “my children are better than yours,” or “look at what I have accomplished you inferior mortals.”  Paul would ask “What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it (1 Corinthians 4:7)?  Pride was the Devil's sin.  He told himself  “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14). It was behind the first temptation, and the first sin. In particular, in tempting Eve to eat the forbidden fruit,  the Devil told her "God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). 


The Corinthians were acting out of pride in their knowledge that there was essentially nothing wrong in eating meat that had been offered idols. But they were causing their weaker brother to stumble. Paul told them knowledge puff ups (with pride like a peacock), but love edifies (1 Corinthians 8:1ff). So then pride is the opposite of love.  Pride says “it's all about me!” But love constrains us  so that we  should  no longer for ourselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again (2 Corinthians 5:14, 15). Finally,   Paul tells each of us “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3). It's a good yardstick, I mean how much faith do you have, do I have? 

Father, I am remembering this morning,  that on my journey to being found by You,  I got angry when someone told me pride was a sin. What that tells me,  that pride disguises itself, it hides,  and when exposed it is denied (attack is the best form of defence). I suspect Lord,  that we are all susceptible to pride, but I guess I should speak only for myself. I do see a lot of it though, and I know that You hate it. So Lord please expose any vestige of it in me, so that I can confess and forsake it,  and I'll give You thanks and praise in Jesus Name Amen

“Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me

.... more than these” (John 21:15). It is easy to miss some of the details in this story of Jesus recommissioning Peter who, as Jesus had predicted he would,  had denied Him three times (Matthew 26:75). Peter had told Jesus  "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will" (verse 33).  Peter seems to have given up and had gone fishing.  Echoing Peter's three denials, Jesus is recommissioning Peter by asking him essentially the same question three times  There are some subtle differences however.  Only the first time does He add “more than these,” recalling Peter's words above in Matthew 26:33.

Also, the first two times Jesus used the word agape for love, asking if he loved Him with God's unconditional love. Peter replies all thee times that he loved Him with affectionate,  friendship “phileo” love. The third time Jesus asks Peter do you even phileo love me, and Peter is grieved. “You know that Lord” he replies (verse 17).  Jesus had earlier told Peter “When you return strengthen the brethren” (Luke 22:32). And Jesus recommissions Peter to do this three times ,  telling him feed His lambs, His sheep (verses 15 - 17). Don't you love it that Jesus knows the worst about us, what we will do (have done), yet still loves us with agape, unconditional love.  And He is always ready to recommission us, even when we have totally blown it (Jeremiah 18:1-6). What an awesome God we serve!

You might ask if Jesus could not have recommissioned Peter without reminding him so vividly of his successive failures. But Jesus was wanting to teach Peter something. Peter had essentially been saying “I love you more than these. ” Jesus needed Peter to know two things, firstly that he is exactly like the others. If we don't know this, we will not be able to effectively feed His sheep, we will not be able to feel the feelings of others infirmities (Hebrews 4:15). It was important for Peter, and for us too, to know something of the depth of our depravity. The vast majority of Christians don't seem to know this. They, like Peter, are in denial about it! The Bible tells us that our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked, if we say we believe the Bible, we will need to acknowledge this (Jeremiah 17:9). The second thing Jesus needs us to know is that however many times we fail (three or more) when we return He will always recommission us (three or more). We need to know both these things not to camp in depression about the first thing, giving up like Peter, but rather knowing also that we are loved unconditionally, we will allow the Lord to recommission and strengthen us no matter how many times we fail.

Lord Jesus, we need to know that we are dust, not to be discourage, but rather so  that we will not, in self deception and overconfidence,  open the door for the Evil one to trip us up (1 Corinthians 10:12).  We (I)  also need to know that we are loved and accepted warts and all, and that You love us exactly the way we are, but You love us too much to leave us that way. I want to thank You this morning Lord for the amazing and sure  hope that when we see You,  we will be like You, changed in the blink of an eye. And we  give Your praise and glory in Your precious Name Amen

“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven

.... if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”  Just before this Jesus had said  “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” He breathed on them and said  “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:21-23). We who are ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20),  who are sent,  and have received the Holy Spirit, we have been given authority (here in verse 23, but also,  for example,  in Luke 10:19). But since we will have to give an account of every idle word (Matthew 12:36),  we should be very careful how we exercise that authority. And in terms of the more controversial commands,  such as here in verse 23, we should do so with fear and trembling (1 Corinthians 2:3; Philippians 2:12).  In particular we need to take the whole council of God (Acts20:27), comparing scripture with Scripture, not base things on a single verse, and  of course asking Holy Spirit!  Having said that,  there are times I would not hesitate to tell someone “You are forgiven!”  If memory serves me, I think I probably already have!

Firstly,  it is helpful to me, to see how the Apostle Peter handled this authority. He told the crowd on the day of Pentecost  “Repent, therefore, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out” (Acts 3:19). So then repentance is required.  Secondly ultimately only God can forgive sins, but He has given us principles in His Word that should give us confidence.  I have mentioned repentance, but then there is also confession “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9). Under what circumstances then, might I have said “You are forgiven?” Well if someone said to me that they did not see how God could possibly forgive them  for doing something, I would ask them if they have repented,  and if they had confessed their sin. If they had and it seemed to me they were sincere I would, as I said,  have no hesitation in saying “On the authority of God's Word, you are forgiven.

But what about me telling someone “You are not forgiven?”  As hinted about above, the authority we have in this regard is designated authority,  and we had better get it right. But by analogy know that when a lower court makes a declaration,  it can be overruled by a higher authority, and we have a higher authority.  It's also important to note, that it's not only what we say,  but how we say it. So if some Christian, for example, said to me “I will not forgive so and so,  for something,” I might say “Do you realize that Jesus told us that if we do not forgive, neither will He forgive us (Matthew 6:14, 15). So you might want to reconsider that decision!”  We should also note that Jesus said nothing He did not hear the Father saying  (John 5:19; 15:15), and this is where hearing Holy Spirit comes in (John 10:27).

Father,  You call us Your ambassadors Lord. Help us to grow into this and be more like Jesus in that we do,  and  speak,  only what we see and hear from You. And help always us to keep in mind, especially in this passage that Your mission is about the reconciliation of the World. And let us serve You in this way with joy Father, in Jesus Name Amen