Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us …

In a conversation with someone who makes no claim to be a Christian we were discussing miracles. “If they occurred today” he was saying, “we would hear about them.” My response was that well we do hear about them, but we don’t believe. It is certainly true that there are fakes out there, and we should not be naive, but there are certainly authentic miracles out there too. I know that because I have received a number of miraculous healings myself in my own body, and I have seen many others within the circles in which I move.

In addition to this, and no less miraculous in my view, are the heart healings I observe in those who are willing to deal with their issues (and we all have issues) in a Christ centred way. Jesus told us that He came to heal the broken hearted and I personal know several people who were sexually abused as children but who now live lives that are no longer impacted by that abuse.

The above partial quote from Hebrews 12:1 goes on to tell us to “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..” The witnesses referred to in this verse are of the heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11 (the whole chapter), but to a greater or lesser extent, we also have the witness of the faithful in Christ in the present. There is no condemnation here (Romans 8:1), but we are being exhorted to let the reality of the Christ behind these witnesses together with others we know, to let it sink in, and so to motive us to endure and persevere.

Lord I have needed to repent of not allowing the reality of You work in the lives of others to sink in. Thank You Lord that when I do my part, You more than make up what is lacking in me. I need Your help Lord to even do my part. Thank You for Your amazing grace, love and encouragement in it all. In Jesus Name Amen

Good morning son, I love you

When my grandson was younger, I used to regularly ask him “Did I ever tell you that I love you ?” His response would be that I told him all the time, which I did. I got into a conversation with a lady on the plane coming home from Deer Lake this weekend. I’m not quite sure how I got there, but I finished up telling her that God loved her. She wasn’t sure, but I was that He loved her! As is my habit, I journaled this morning asking the Lord what He would say to me today, the response came back in the few short words at the head of this post. I was a bit puzzled.

I usually get more than this, but it does usually includes something along the lines of He loves me, or He is here for me. It seemed just a bit stark, so I waited, but nothing else came. And as I talked to Him about it I felt Him saying that I skip too easily over Him telling me that He loves me! And with the memory of the delight of the lady on the plane this morning, I realize that at some level, I had been taking this for granted, not appreciating the fact that I am loved by Almighty God, the creator of the universe. And I needed to be reminded again that His love demonstrated on the cross, has qualified me to be an inheritor of the saints in light making it possible for me to spend eternity with the Him whose very nature is love (Colossians 1:12; 1 John 4:8).

Knowing that I am loved, and experiencing His love, His forgiveness, His grace, His mercy and His joy, has changed me over the years. This was brought to my attention quite clearly again over the weekend. I had received through Facebook, something that years ago would have put me into a tailspin of hurt and obsessive thinking. But I have learned, to care much more about what He thinks about me, than what anyone else thinks about me. And He thinks I’m the best thing since sliced bread! And He feels the same way about you, and perhaps you, like me this morning, need to stop and consider and feel and receive the fact that you are loved by the nicest person in the universe our Trinitarian God.

Father, Son and Holy Ghost I want to thank You again this morning that You loved me so much that You found a way at incredible cost to Yourself to be holy, just, merciful and loving all at the same time. You loved the world so much, You loved me so much, that You sent the Son of your love in order that I might not perish, but make it possible for me to have life in all its abundance in the here and now, and life with You for ever in the hereafter (John 3:16). And I give You all the honour and glory and praise again this morning in Jesus Name Amen

Do not be anxious about anything Part 2

I should have known that I would be tested on what I wrote yesterday. Morning by morning as I write these blogs, I ask the Lord for something that is relevant to my life. So yesterday I was in danger of being anxious, and as I usually do at such times, I started to work through the passage in Philippians 4:4-7, repenting for where I had failed to follow through. So I was seeking to replace my anxiety with thanksgiving, and all kinds of prayer and supplication. At some level, I was successful. However, in the middle of the night, I found myself wrestling again in my spirit.

So I re-read yesterday’s blog and prayer, and the phrase “all kinds of prayer”stood out to me. I remembered a book by Merlin Carothers called “Power in praise.” His point is essentially that you can praise your way out of inner struggles. And there is always much to praise Him for. In my own life, there is much answered prayer, and many times that the Lord has intervened on my behalf. The Lord delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt, and over and over He told them to remember this deliverance. To Israel in that day, Egypt was the place of bondage, the place of slavery. And we all have our own “Egypts.”

And as with Israel, the Lord has done many, many amazing things in my life, He has performed many miracles and done things that at the time I thought I would never forget. But but is easy to underestimate our capacity to forget. So this is why it’s important for me to journal, to write down the wonderful works of God that He has performed in my life. And what that means is that at times like this I can look back and remember His works, and his promises. And as I did this this morning, as so many times in the past, He lifted me up, set my feet up on a rock and reestablished my peace (Psalm 40:1-2).

Father, I praise and bless and magnify and worship Your name this morning. Thank You for the many times You have delivered me in the past. These experiences of deliverance and the promises of ongoing deliverance help to keep my feet upon the rock of the Lord Jesus Christ. I don’t know how the World manages without You, but I suppose many times they are simply existing rather than having life in all its fullness. As for me, I am not prepared to settle for anything less than all that You have for me, and I pray for others and myself for tenacity and faith to hold You to Your promises. I praise You again this morning Lord in Jesus Name Amen

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving ...

Nobody seems to need to teach us how to worry, it seems to come quite naturally! I was thinking about this this morning, as I was tempted to second-guess myself over some things that took place last night. The tendency I have had in the past to obsess over things, was threatening to raise its ugly head again. But I knew what to do. For a start, I needed to stop being anxious. Easier said than done I hear you say!

You cannot stop worrying by willpower alone, at least I cannot. I have to replace it with something. That’s what the “but” is all about in this quote from Philippians 4:6. The but indicates that we need to replace the worry with all kinds of prayer and supplication, and to do it with thanksgiving. I need to start with the thanksgiving. If I don’t do this, my prayer will likely not be in faith. So I remind myself of His Sovereignty by thanking Him that He is in control. I often go on to thank Him that He has promised to be actively at work in all things for my good (even the thing I am worrying about), because I love Him and I’m called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

For me then, when I catch myself worrying, the first thing I do is to seek to reconnect with Him in this way in prayer; to be thankful at the very least for the availability of His grace, and for my relationship with Him. And it is out of this, that I bring my requests (supplications) to Him. I then go on to claim the promise of the next verse, the promise that His peace will guard my heart and my mind. And as I do this for the relatively little things, it is all practice for me to be able to do it in the bigger trials.

Father, You are not a man that you should lie (Numbers 23:19), and I claim this promise of Your peace this morning. And I ask You to overrule anything that was said or done, or was not done last night. And I pray for Your kingdom to come, and Your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. And I thank You that I can leave the outcome to You in Jesus Name Amen

Answer a fool … (Proverbs 26:4), do not answer a fool… (Proverbs 26:5)

So to answer or not to answer? The full texts of these two verses read “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him,” and “Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.” Many would see this as an outright contradiction, but if you think that’s the case, then you need to look a little deeper. Proverbs are pithy sayings, sayings that need to be unpacked to be understood. And the clue here, is to be found in the second part of each of the two Proverbs, which are set side by side for a reason.

In particular, there are two dangers here. The first is the danger of becoming like the fool, and the second, that the fool continues on his way uncorrected. Consider the following two scenarios. In the first you are a new believer, you are easily swayed not yet being established in the truth. The fool has the gift of the gab, and as the saying goes can talk the rear end of a horse. Best to stay away until you are more established. In the second scenario, the fool is your son. You love him and you know how to gently show him the error of his ways, and you do it!

There are many things in the Bible that I still don’t understand, but my experiences is that as I continue to read I have many clarifying revelations. So I learned to not quickly jump to conclusions when I see something what appears to be a contradiction, or something I don’t understand. And time after time, these clarifying revelations have just pointed me to a deeper truth. In particular I learned to hold apparently contradictory topics together in tension and to ask the Lord to show me how two things that appear to contradict can both be true at the same time. And as I say time after time, He has given me clarifying revelation. In this particular case the clarifying question to ask is when to answer and when not?

Father, having spent my entire career in the university setting, I have needed Your wisdom many times, to know when to answer or not, the apparently wise. It’s relatively easy to be humble with those who are humble, but to be humble with those who are arrogant? That’s a different kettle of fish! Thank You that I am starting to discern when I needed to cease and desist because I am becoming like them. And that means Lord, that there are times I need to allow them the last word, even when there are still a bunch of things that I could say! But You didn’t chase after the rich young ruler, You let him go (Matthew 19:22). And I need your wisdom this morning Father, to know when to let go, and when to pursue. Thank You that You promise wisdom when we ask You for it (James 1:5) in Jesus Name Amen

I am not responsible for what others have done to me, I am responsible for my response to what others have done

“You make me mad!” No! What others have done may well have triggered your anger, and your anger may well be out of control, but nobody can make you mad, you are responsible for your response to whatever has happened, and whatever will happen! I am not saying it is easy, it clearly is not, but ……

There was a poem we had to learn at school hundreds of years ago, that started “If you can keep your head when all around are loosing theirs and blaming it on you ….” It ended with “Then you will be a man, my son!” It is talking about maturity, about growing up, about self control, about accepting responsibility for our lot in life. When I first came to Canada in the late sixties, the sort of thing that could be seen on TV often had life lessons along the very same lines I am talking about here. Now the TV, and in fact our whole culture, seems to celebrate immaturity, to wear victimhood as a badge of honour, and as a card to be played to demand rights that oppress others with the tyranny of what is considered to be politically correct.

But it is not the path to life and health and peace. In fact it is the very opposite. Proverbs 25:28 tells us “A man without self-control is like ta city broken into and left without walls.” In the culture of that time, a city without walls was defenceless, and open to attack by all. In the same way, when we do not rule our spirit, the Evil one can manipulate us at will, simply by reminding us of this or that injustice. Joy and self control are two components of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), but they are not independent components. You can’t have one without the other! No wonder joy is withered away from the sons of men (Joel 1:12).

Father, as I say self control is not valued so much in our culture, but also as I say it is an essential part of the path to the abundant life. Open up our eyes Lord to see the rewards of doing things Your way, and then help us to be doers of Your way and not seers only. Lord I so want my walk to adorn the gospel so that many can see and fear and put their trust in You. I am am the only one who, with your help I can change. Help me Lord in Jesus Name Amen

Do not fear, for I am with you …. I am your God

The first step in any 12-step program, is coming out of denial. Many times, it takes a major crisis to come to the point of admitting that there is a problem. This is particularly true of the major addictions for example drugs, alcohol etc. But we can be in denial over a whole host of lesser issues. Jeremiah 6:14 in TLB puts it this way “ You can’t heal a wound by saying it’s not there!” Part of what I am trying to say here, is that all of us have inner wounds from the past, and many of us for better or for worse, have simply learned to live with them. But the thief many times uses wounds not dealt to rob us of the abundant life we are promised (John 10:10).

Wounds not dealt with can keep us stuck. And it is subtle, because the victim or the martyr mentality can have its own rewards as we can get a certain sympathy from others. We can be stuck in the past, or stuck in the future. We tell ourselves when this or that happens, then I will be happy. There is a recovery saying that is so relevant here it is “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.” Perhaps denial is not the right description of this type of scenario but either way wounds not dealt with fester. And the fact of the matter it that we will not attain fullness of life with unaddressed wounds.

There seems many times, to be a strong resistance to dealing with wounds from the past. And part of this is that it is scary, I mean revisiting the past can be painful, even causing us to be re-traumatize. But it is the past that needs to be healed, and the past cannot be healed unless we revisit it in the right way. And the right way is to revisit the past with the Lord so He can heal, to revisit it, not to get stuck there, but to allow the Lord to redeem it. Yes it is scary, but as this morning's verse from Isaiah 41:10 tells us, we do not need to fear for He is with us, and He has promised that when we go through the waters, we will not be overwhelmed (Isaiah 43:2).

Father, I want to ask You this morning to show me anything in my life that I am not seeing, that is robbing me of moving to the next level of the abundant life. I know Lord that there is always more, more of Your abundance, and more that needs to be dealt with. Thank You that You are with me, that You are my God and I am your child. Thank You that as I put my trust fully in You, life unfolds as it should. In Jesus Name Amen.

I can’t do that!

Words have power, the things we tell ourselves have power. I remember it taking years to convince a friend that he is not a loser. And part of what he was telling himself, was that he could never hold a job down. When I eventually did convince him that his lie had become a self-fulfilling prophecy, his response was “That’s evil isn't it?” He has now been holding a job down for several years!

The part about the self-fulfilling prophecy, is that if you believe your are a loser and that you can never hold a job down, then you are not likely to give your all in any job you do land! The point is, if you are going to lose the job anyway, why bother doing your best? It’s subtle, since we don’t realize the lies we are telling ourselves. The point is that if we knew we were believing a lie, we wouldn’t believe it. Initially my friend kept telling me “But it’s true.” And he could give me all kinds of evidence in terms of the jobs he had not been able to keep.

I came to this post because of a lie I had been believing. I have had a love-hate relationship with the computer for years. And I was telling myself “Every time I try to do something on the computer, it goes wrong.” At some level this was a good thing, good for the humility when you need to ask help from a 5-year-old! But what I was telling myself had become a self-fulfilling prophecy! It came to a head this week. After about four hours of total frustration on my part, in spite of all the help I was receiving from others who were more savvy than I, we were still unable to get the USB camera to work on conference video calling. With help I came to the realization that I had allowed my frustration to interfere with my ability to problem solve! After this realization I solved the problem afterwards all by myself (aren’t you proud of me :) )?

Father, who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? I thank You Lord, that in You all things are possible. I am wondering this morning Lord, just how many of us, and how often we limit ourselves because of the lies we believe. I want to thank You this morning Lord, for bringing things to a head this week. It enabled me to see that what I was experiencing was inconsistent with the abundant life You call us to. And in seeing this I came to You to help me figure it out, and You did! Truly Lord in You, all things are possible. And I give You all the honour and glory and praise again this morning in Jesus Name Amen

Part 2 of “The king’s heart is in the LORD’s hand … He moves it like the watercourse ..”

I mentioned last day, that those of us who are waiting for Him to effect reconciliation in broken relationships can find comfort in this verse. But many of us (me too) have this tendency to do the Lord’s work for Him, especially when He seems to be taking his jolly good time in changing the hearts of our loved ones!

A dear friend of mine tells the story of when she first got saved of bubbling enthusiastically to her husband about the Lord. At one point, her laid-back husband suddenly exploded, banged his fist on the table, and told her never to mention His name again. She fled to her room, and told the Lord “It’s all up to you now!” In fact, she should have been leaving it to Him in the first place. And she did and he did get saved Hallelujah! I know of other situations, where those waiting for reconciliation have blown it, getting angry with the other person because it wasn’t happening soon enough. And when we do this, it only delays the answer.

In fact, I myself have had to resign as the keeper of the universe a number of times! The picture I have of this tendency, is of an older sibling correcting the younger ones. Since this is not his job, the mother has to deal with his interfering first, before she can deal with the younger ones. And when like him, we become impatient, trying to do the Lord’s job for Him, we need to realize that we too are interfering. And when we are interfering, as with the above illustration, the Lord has to deal with us first.

Father, I want to thank You again this morning Lord, that You are in control, even when we have blown it! And You have promised that You are at work in all things for our good (Romans 8:28), even in this! And a big part of it, is the transformation You affect in our own lives as we wait. This transformation is an important part of the reconciliation. It’s not that we never have to speak or act, but we need to know the how and the when, and also when to zip our mouths. Thank you that You have promised to give us wisdom when we ask (James 1:5) in Jesus Name Amen.

The king’s heart is in the LORD’s hand; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases (Proverbs 21:1 - Part 1)

The watercourses were irrigation canals under the farmer’s control, while the king was thought to be able to do anything that he wanted. There are examples of foreign kings doing the Lord’s sovereign will unbeknownst to them. Cyrus for example (Isaiah 41:2–4) and Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:21). So in the end, it is the Lord who does what He likes, not the King! And if the hearts of kings who do not know Him are in His hands, how much more does He have the hearts of our unsaved loved ones in His hands, and even more so the hearts of those in whom we are in broken relationship!

in fact all of our hearts are in the Lord’s hands, and the good news is that the Lord’s hand can be moved by prayer. I meant the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective (James 5:16). Of course, we are not righteous in our own righteousness, but we stand in the imputed righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:9). So when we are walking with the Lord, we can be assured that our prayers for the Lord to change hearts are powerful and effective.

The non-biblical proverb “the mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly small,” comes to mind. In this age of the quick fix, there is a great tendency to be impatient and expect God to work immediately if not sooner! But if our cause is just, or if we are praying for the salvation of a loved one, we can be sure that He is working on our behalf. And we can take comfort in “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise … is not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). We can also take comfort in this morning’s verse for those of us who are waiting for Him to effect reconciliation in the kings and queens of our broken relationships.

Thank You Father, that You are far more interested than we could possibly be, in directing the king’s or queen’s hearts in to making peace, and into ways that please You. But we need patience this morning Lord to wait on You, to trust, and to keep on praying. We need Your help in this Lord, I need your help. Thank You that You are ready and willing and able to give it! I praise You again this morning Lord in Jesus Name Amen

Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, As do stripes the inner depths of the heart

The stripes talked about in this quote from Proverbs 20:30, refer to lacerations on the back left by a whip. So the proverb is talking about punishment. The proverb reveals the Lord’s intention for discipline, namely that it is intended to be redemptive, to cleanse away evil. In reality, punishment can actually harden the heart, especially if it’s not given in love! We are told “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens” (Hebrews 12:5, 6). And it is more than possible to despise and be discouraged by discipline, even when it is given in love. But He does want us to know, that He disciplines us because He loves us. This is how a loving father deals with his son.

The blows talked about here can be physical as in incarceration, or they can be emotional caused by rejection, the consequences of our own sin, or the pain caused by the sin of others etc. Whichever, we will not live a pain-free life! The Scripture says of Jesus “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through the things that He suffered” (Hebrews 5:6). And part of what we can learn from His example, is that it is our reaction to suffering that is important. In terms of discipline we read “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:7). So the question we need to ask ourselves is “Are we willing to yield to the training the Lord either allows or sends, so that we may learn the intended lesson from our suffering?”

Sometimes, we may need to suffer many “blows” before we are willing to yield to His discipline and his training. In the prison ministry in which I’m involved, I see some of the men coming back time after time. I have asked them which of you wants to come back again after you get out? So far no takers! In my own life I know that I had to come to the end of myself before the emotional toil, the inner stripes of the heart, led me to repentance, true repentance. True repentance is much more than being sorry that I got caught, sorry that I have to suffer the consequences of my sin. Indeed, the Scripture talks about a godly sorrow that leads to repentance. True repentance involves a change of heart and mind, along with a willingness to change. When faith is added to this, it leads to salvation without regret (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Father, I can no longer regret my past. I regret neither the pain of the consequences of my own sin, nor the pain of the consequences of the hurt I received at the hands of others. I now know myself well enough to know that it took all the above to bring me to my senses, and to keep me coming back! And I did need to be brought to my senses! Thankfully, Just like the prodigal son, I came to myself, I came to moments of clarity where I could see things clearly. I saw my need, I repented and continue to repent. I turned to You and in You I found life and health and peace. And I thank and praise You again this morning for the many, many blows, that brought me to You in the first place, and then kept me coming back to You. You are truly great, and truly loving. Thank You, thank You, thank You in Jesus Name Amen

He who rules his spirit is better than he who takes a city

The tendency to go along with the things our culture values is not new. In ancient days in the Middle East and elsewhere, war was just something you did. This is shown by the phrase “In the spring, at the times kings go out to war…” (2 Samuel 11:1). In that culture war was glorified, and the victor was a hero. So then the taking of the city was something to be greatly desired. But whatever our present culture values be it success, or wealth, or fame or fortune, this quote from Proverbs 16:32, points to something that is better, greater, more to be desired. In his sight, it is not the one who rules over the city who is great, but the one who rules over his or her spirit. Self-control is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23), but it is hardly the spirit of the age!

Solomon is said to be the wisest man who ever lived, but he was not obedient. The Lord had told him not to multiply foreign wives or horses, but he did both (Deuteronomy 17:6; 1 Kings 10:26; 11: 1, 2). And these were his downfall! When we develop appetites for things forbidden, be it for food, or money, or success, or for sexual conquest, the appetites don’t simply go away when we want them to! How many marriages have fallen, because one or the other did not learn to rule his or her spirit in these areas.

And the spirit of the age is instant gratification in whatever area your heart desires. Well, that’s not new either, there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Solomon tells us “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure” (Ecclesiastes 2: 10). I have heard people say “How could anything that feels so good be wrong?” But as the Scripture says “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end leads to death” (Proverbs 14), and as I keep saying, we do reap what we sow!

Father, I had to learn the hard way that Your ways are best. If it were not for Your mercy, grace and for the provision of the cross, there would have been no hope! Indeed You rescued me out of a desolate pit, most of it of my own making! It has not been easy Lord, your salvation is free, but getting free, coming into the abundant life you promised, cost everything I am and have. It’s all about absolute surrender and obedience ( Luke 9:23). But I thank you Lord, that in You all things are possible. Thank You for my increasing freedom as I progressed from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). And I praise and thank, and glorify You again this morning Lord, in Jesus Name Amen

The LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

We are starting to see a pattern emerge here in these readings from Genesis. The Lord had asked Adam where he was, if he had eaten the forbidden fruit. Here after Cain had murdered Abel, the Lord was asking him where his brother was. God is not looking for information here, He already knows the answers. What God wants more than anything else, is relationship with his creatures. And there can be no meaningful relationship without honesty and integrity. As we saw earlier, Adam was not willing to take responsibility for what he had done. And what we see here, is Cane lying to the Lord. He answers “I don’t know, am I my brother’s keeper (Genesis 4:9)?”

Since we are to be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1), then we can learn something from this passage about God, and about how to deal with those who have wronged us. So first of all, the Lord is respectful in the way that He approaches those who have wronged Him. He brings no railing accusation, but in line with His desire for relationship, asks a question which if answered honestly would go a long way to restoring the relationship. He does this even though He knows that he will not receive the desired response.

Secondly, He implicitly affirms his fairness in dealing with us when He asks “If you do well, will you not be accepted” (Genesis 4:7)? It is evident that Cain did not think that he had been dealt with fairly, nevertheless with this question he can either see the truth, or refuse to see it. Thirdly, God speaks the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), when He warns Cain that sin lies at the door, and that its desire is for him (also verse 7). Paul reaffirms these three aspects of the way that we are intended to deal with others in Galatians 6:1 when he says “If a man is overtaken in a sin, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” He adds the last phrase, since we are not perfect like God!

Father, thank You for the gracious way that You deal with us. As Cain did, others have massively misunderstood You. But in order to understand the good news, we first need to understand the bad news. You are just and You must punish sin. But You are also merciful and in what Jesus Christ did on the cross, You have revealed that You can be just to forgive (1 John 1:9). In this way You can, if we are willing to receive it, restore us to right relationship with You. Nevertheless, as the Scriptures say, You cannot be mocked, we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). Knowing that there are consequences to my sin, helps to stay on the right path. I seem to need this. Thank You Lord in Jesus Name Amen

With unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord… being transformed from one degree of glory to another

After they had sinned Adam and Eve, and the rest of humankind with them, were kicked out of paradise. And like they did, we hide from ourselves and each other (Genesis 3:7,8). We hide because it’s not safe, others are not safe, you are not safe, I am not safe. It can look safe for a while, but for example in a moment of weakness after years of marriage one or the other commits adultery. Clearly some are safer than others, but the safest people I have found, are those who are in the process of being radically transformed into the glory that was lost at the fall. It is unfortunately rare even in Christian circles, where it is supposed to be the norm!

Scripture tells us, that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). It seems to me, that none of us realize just how very far short of His glory, that we fall. It’s all part of hiding from ourselves. Nobody likes to think of him or herself as a villain. It’s called rationalization and denial, and coming out of this denial, is the very first step of all twelve-step programs. It’s not just about sin, it’s about our wounds! And we have all been wounded! For many of us, many of our wounds are open and festering. Some of us are stuck in the past in victimhood, others will not go there, because to go there is to relive the trauma. But there is another way, a better way, the Lord’s way. And His way is to help us revisit the past, not to stay there, but to allow Him to redeem it. Indeed He came to heal the brokenhearted (Luke 4:18), but we have a part to play, we need to push through the pain to the other side where there is joy (Hebrews 12:2). But how to do this?

There is a reason, that twelve-step programs tend to be more successful than programs that do not acknowledge a higher power, a power greater than ourselves. For the Christian, that higher power is Jesus! When we have Jesus as our higher power, it opens up to us to the principles and promises of Scripture, and to the healing presence of the Lord in our lives. It is not well known, that twelve-step programs, are based on Scripture, but it’s how they got started. The steps are designed to help us to revisit the past in the healthy way described above. It is part of the unveiling referred to in this morning’s verse from 2 Corinthians 3:18. And the more we incorporate the biblical principles and promises in the twelve steps, and the more we embrace His presence, the more we are healed and transformed into the glory that was lost when we were kicked out of Paradise!

Father, it seems to me, that the church has radically misunderstood what sanctification is all about. And while it certainly includes getting rid of the sin in our lives, getting rid of the sin in our lives is not enough. In AA they talk about being a dry drunk, that is no longer drinking, but still having all the dysfunctional living patents that drove the alcoholic to drinking in the first place. And these things will not change, without an unveiling. In particular, the wounds that we have received from our own and others’ sin, need to be cauterized. In entering into one of the many Christ based recovery programs seems to me to be the most efficient way to do this. But it’s hard Lord, recovery is not for cowards. So I pray for courage for myself and for those reading these posts this morning, and I thank you in advance for the answer to this prayer in Jesus Name Amen

Sin is crouching at your door, it desires to have you but you must master it

As part of a hospital visitation ministry years ago, I remember talking to a man who had just had a heart attack. The doctor had told him that he had to give up smoking, and he told me “I’ll be alright as long as I don’t get the craving!” Good luck with that! I was reminded of the saying of Oscar Wilde “I can resist everything except temptation!” In this morning’s quote from Genesis 4:7, the Lord was warning Cain that he needed to master his anger. The metaphor of sin as a lion crouching at the door ready to pounce and master us, is meant to show is that sin cannot be dealt with passively. It necessitates a strong response. We cannot just “let her slide,” that will not cut it!

In Cain’s case, if he did not take strong measures to curb his anger, it would, like an aggressive weed in the garden, blossom out of control. But it’s not just anger that needs to be dealt with aggressively, it’s any sin. I find it helpful to think of our doing the wrong thing, as the default mode. If I do nothing, sin’s grip on us multiplies. For example, it is much easier for the alcoholic to stop before the first drink (not saying it’s easy), than it is to stop after the ninth! How many times in a single night can you have “just one more?” Perhaps it’s infinity!

What I am saying, is that is so much easier to catch these things early on. The picture that I have of this, is of it being like like a giant whirlpool, in which if you swim at the outer edges it is relatively easy to escape. But the longer you stay in the pool, the closer you get to the vortex, and at some point you will be dragged down into it. In particular it is a true saying that he who sins is a slave of sin, but thankfully it is also true that if the Son shall set you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:34, 36). Indeed when we have blown it, there is help. In fact He has promised that He will work in us both in our desires (the cravings) and the wherewithal to do what needs to be done. The premise to this promise is that we “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12, 13). His part in this, is to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. But he will not do what we can do for ourselves, and you can be sure that He will stretch us in this area (Philippians 4:13).

Father, in the recovery circles in which I move, I have seen instant delivery from destructive habits, and I have also seen others struggling for years to overcome those same habits. But those who have received instant deliverance, inevitably have gone on to struggle with other things. We are individuals Lord, You know our individual needs, and You act accordingly. I thank You this morning Lord for the victories of the past, and for the ongoing victories of the present as I take one day at a time. I know that You who have begun a good work in me will bring it to fulfilment on the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). And I give you all the honour and glory and praise in His precious Name Amen

Why are you angry?

In this quote from Genesis 4:6, anger is mentioned for the first time. And according to the law of first mention, the context gives the kernel of the Bible’s teaching on this topic. In particular we see here that anger is not condemned outright (sin is crouching at your door), but that it needs to be mastered (both points in verse 7). This teaching is confirmed later for example by “be angry and sin not” (Ephesians 4:6), by the fact that Jesus himself was angry at times (Mark 3:5), and by His mastery of His anger (John 2:15).

In some Christian circles, there is strong disapproval of any expression of anger, and the disapproval is signalled one way or another. In such circles, even to raise one’s voice is considered unspiritual! But I know of at least one situation where the brother has high blood pressure. And it seems pretty obvious that it is precisely because he does not allow himself to acknowledge when he is angry. Now we all get angry at times, and we can stuff our anger, but it will come out one way or another. It can come out in a judgemental attitude, or in putdowns, or simple avoidance. And the avoidance can be of the person, or of subjects that are taboo. It is interesting to me to recall that recently, after raising a taboo subject with someone I love, the situation started to resolve itself when I asked “Why are you angry?”

It is an important question to ask ourselves, since part of the process of mastering one’s anger, is to switch from the emotional side of the brain to the cognitive side. In particular the mind and the will need to drive our decisions rather than our emotions. We need to bear in mind, that God’s question to Cain had the intention of restoring the relationship. And that needs to be ours too. But because we play complex, often unconscious games with each other, the process of unraveling what is going on is not easy. For example I have never had someone who is seeking to manipulate me say “You do realize I’m trying to manipulate you don’t you?” As I say, they may not even know they are manipulating you, it’s called rationalization and denial!

Father, it seems to me that is impossible to have a close relationship without there being times when both of us get angry. And the closer the relationship, the more anger is likely to be generated. It’s important in those relationships, to acknowledge that we are angry when we are, to master our anger, and as much as possible within us, to live at peace with each other (Romans 12:18). The process of working through these things works best when we are both willing to come to the foot of the cross, and in humility to acknowledge and confess our faults one to another (James 5:16). We need Your help to come to this place and to stay in this place, and I’m asking for it for me this morning Lord, in Jesus Name Amen

The LORD looked with favour on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favour

Cain and Able, the sons of Adam and Eve, had brought offerings to the Lord. Cain, the first born who worked the soil, had brought fruit, Able on the other hand, a keeper of the sheep, had brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat (Genesis 4:2-4). We must not, I think. read into this as the main point, the later revelation of a preference for animal sacrifice. In particular, it is worth noting that Abel’s offering was of the firstborn and was extravagant (i.e. the firstborn and more than one - their fat). Of Cain’s offering we only read it was “some fruit.” Also of note, is that it was not just the things offered that received favour or not, it was, as in today’s quote, the offerer themselves who received favour or not (Genesis 4:4,5).

Cain’s negative response, which we will look at next day, gives the clue as to what is going on here. Even if I am wrong about the preference for animal sacrifice, was it not the Lord’s prerogative to teach Cain that perhaps he needed to barter with his brother for sheep. But of more import of what perhaps needed to be taught, was a lukewarm attitude to the Lord will cause Him to vomit us out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16). What the Lord requires, is a humble, contrite, teachable heart and spirit (James 4:6; Psalm 51:17).

We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength (Mark 12:30). Anything less is not worth of Him and the sacrifice He made to purchase our salvation. Even to us humans, a love affair without passion is not worth having. Nobody wants a limp lover, it’s like kissing a wet sponge, yuck!

Father, forgive me for the times I have given less than my all, less than my very best. You gave Your best for me, and Your passion for me is boundless. How can I give You less than all I am, and all I have. I repent this morning of the times of apathy. Lord I can only love You with passion when You give me Your passion. So then I am loving you back with the love You have given me, for You are love (1 John 4:8). I choose to give You my all this morning Lord in Jesus Name Amen

the Lord God made tunics of skin and sent them out of the garden (Genesis 3:12,23)

As we have already said, the fig leaves were an inadequate covering for Adam and Eve’s guilt and shame. In order for the covering to be adequate, something had to die. The Scriptures tell us “Almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). In fact, the tunics of skin God provided for Adam and Eve foreshadowed the temple sacrifices. and these in turn foreshadowed the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross. This covering did not of course, restore Adam and Eve to their former glory. This would only happen the other side of the cross, and even then (now) it is a process which is not automatic (2 Corinthians 3:18).

It was a new beginning for Adam and Eve, yes God had covered their sin, but at the same time they were thrust out into a hostile world. An as in any new situation, there were lots of things they would need to learn. So it was then, so it is now. When we turn to the Lord, and our sins are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ, we are nevertheless still in a hostile world, and we need to learn how to navigate it. We are to be wise as serpents, and as harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16), we are to be in the world but not of the world (John 17:16), we are to be salt and light Matthew 513, 14), we are to be ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).

This is a process, we will not reach majority overnight. When we are new to the faith, we need to desire the sincere milk of the word (1 Peter2:2). We need to grow in grace and love. We need each other, Satan loves to isolate us, he is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). In particular, we must not neglect to fellowship with the saints (Hebrews 10:25). Within the fellowship we can be nurtured, and yes at times, as we stick with it, engage in the often painful process of being sharpened as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). We are soldiers in a war to the death with the enemy of our souls. We need persistence, overcoming joy. We need to take up our cross daily and follow Him ( Luke 9:23). We are called to die! And so yes indeed we need Him, we need His Word, and we need the fellowship of the saints!

Father, salvation is a free gift, but our sanctification will cost us everything we have. Thank You that You have not left us alone, You have given us Your Spirit, You have given us Your Word, and You have given us the fellowship of the saints! Thank You that You have promised never to leave us nor forsake us. Thank You that the joy of the Lord is our strength. Praise the Lord hallelujah Amen

Cursed is the ground for your sake

Sin had to be dealt with, there can be nothing less than perfection in paradise, or it wouldn't be paradise. So Adam and Eve would have to leave Genesis 3:24), but it was not God’s desire that this would be permanent. Some of the translations of our quote from Genesis 3:17 have “because of you,” in place of the NKJV “for your sake.” This latter translation has the sense that God was cursing the earth for redemptive purposes. On the other hand “because of you” seems to be simply punitive, and the NKJV is preferred.

Even before the fall, it was true that we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). Before the fall this was always good, and after the fall it is still true that when we sow what is good, then we reap what is good. But in a cursed world, when we sow the wrong, we reap the wrong. And this is for our sake. I mean just as a child may need to learn not to touch the hot stove the hard way by receiving a burn, so in the same way the consequences of our sin can lead us to repentance. Of course it’s not automatic, but “for your sake,” clearly shows that this is God’s intention. In other words it is is his intention that the pain of our sin lead us back home to the shepherd and guardian of our souls (1 Peter 2:25)

Within the principle of sowing and reaping, is the principle of multiplication. When we sow, we reap thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold, be for good or evil (Mark 4:8; Galatians 6:7). As for me, I sowed to the wind, and I reaped the whirlwind! But like the repentant prodigal son returning to his father, I was welcomed with open arms, restored to sonship, and started on the journey of being transformed into the intended glory of an image bearer of God!

Father, I know for sure in my own life, that if there had been no consequences for sin, I would have continued to go my own rebellious way. But the sorrow that followed my poor choices, was a godly sorrow. It was more than sorry I got caught, and it led to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). I cannot regret my past Father, because that is what let me into Your embrace. Thank You Lord, thank You, thank You, thank You in Jesus Name Amen

Adam replied “The woman you gave me—she gave me and I ate”

After having been asked if he had eater the forbidden fruit, Adam shifted blame. It can have done nothing for the already fractured relationship between Adam and Eve. Now to the feelings of guilt and shame springing from what she had done, was added the sense of betrayal she would be feeling for being blamed for Adam's part in what went wrong. How typical of human nature! They say that the breakup of the marriage both parties typically blame the other for 100% of what went wrong! But it’s not just in marriage relationships!

As image bearers of God, Adam and Eve had fully reflected His Glory. But now that image was tarnished. And all it had taken was one transgression. It’s diabolical actually, but it does reflects reality. I mean if you add one thimbleful of fine old scotch to a barrel of sewage, it remains sewage. But if you add one thimbleful sewage to a barrel of fine old scotch, it becomes sewage! The one transgression is the fly in the ointment, the smudge on an otherwise perfect canvas. No wonder the Scriptures can tell us that all have fallen short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23).

But how to restore that glory? You can’t unscramble eggs, but God can! But He could only do this at incredible cost to Himself on the cross. And the cross not only brought about forgiveness of sins, as important as that is. No, the cross made it possible for the Lord of Glory to begin the transformation of those who would fully cooperate with his character polishing, to restore us to full glory on that day. In particular, “When we see Him, we will be like Him” (1 John 3:2). Hallelujah!

Father, many of us have massively underestimate what needed to happen in order for us to be fit for heaven. Thank You Lord that You loved us so much You were willing to pay the incredible price to make it possible to restore us to glory. And thank You Lord that as we gaze intently on You then we with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the Glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into Your image image from one degree of glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18 AMP). For this I praise and thank You this morning Lord, in Jesus Name Amen

Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree ….?

Adam has told the Lord that he had hidden because he was naked and afraid. There would’ve been no need to fear if he had done nothing wrong, so the Lord has the above follow up questions. God is not seeking information here, He already knows what Adam did. He always knows! But part of what is happening here, is that He is giving us a model of how to confront. We know from the rest of Scripture, that His goal is always for reconciliation. And He is respectful here and gentle. We do need to confess and forsake our sin however (1 John 1:9), and this is what the Lord was hoping to accomplish in asking these questions.

I learned the hard way, that there is a big difference between telling someone in an accusatory tone, that they are a manipulator, and saying in a gentle and respective tone “I feel manipulated when …” After my blunder, it took a long time to even come to the place where there was a cessation of hostilities. There never was the shalom type peace that was the goal of the Lord’s confrontation with Adam. But if we are to be His disciples, this needs to be our goal in relationships too!

But I don’t always screw up, and I particularly remember an incident with my son. I must have done it His way, because the response was “Guilty as charged.” The result was that we both experienced the joy of reconciliation! Because this can be very hard, because it always takes two, because some are not willing or because the wounds goes so deep, many have never experienced the full joy possible in reconciliation. It does take work, hard work. As for God, as I have already said, He went the 2nd mile sending Jesus to the cross to effect our reconciliation. And when we do turn to Him come there is joy, even a party in heaven (Luke 5:17)!

Father, part of why it is so hard to do it Your way, is that we are too often far more willing to see the fault in the other, then to take responsibility for our own part in what went wrong. We need Your help Father to be kind and compassionate, forgiving one another just as in Christ, You forgave us (Ephesians 4:32). Thank You Lord that when we see You we will be like You (1 John 3:2), and so then we will be fully reconciled both to You and to each other. Praise the Lord in Jesus Name Amen

Where are you Adam (Genesis 3:9)?

Because of their sin, Adam and Eve had hidden themselves from the Lord. Pretty silly really, because “nothing is hidden from the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). You might even think that God’s question is silly too, but from where I am sitting this morning, I can hear the angst, the longing and the love in that call. And part of the reason I can see this, is that I have experienced the pain of broken relationships and separation from those I love. And I’m sure you have too!

We will shortly we talking about the measures that God would take in response to Adam and Eve’s sin. And I am sure that the Lord knew that He would be misunderstood in this. It’s not exactly the same, because I’m not God, but I understand this at least in part, because I have had to distance myself from people who were not safe, and in doing so, I have been massively misunderstood. Perhaps you have too. But I do know for sure, from speaking to people, that many see the God of the Old Testament as a punitive, unloving God. But Jesus tells us “if you have seen me, you have seen the Father” (John 14:9), and indeed those who see Him in any other way have massively misunderstood Him! Perhaps this is you this morning?

As we saw last day, sin separates us from each other and from God. In order to be reconciled with each other, each of us needs to take responsibility for his or her part in what went wrong. But in terms of separation from God, He is never at fault. Nevertheless at incredible cost to Himself, He went the second mile and beyond in taking the initiative and providing the way by which we could be reconciled to Him. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Nevertheless, unless we take responsibility for our sin, turn to Him in repentance and turn from our sin, we will remain unreconciled.

Father, in order to be reconciled with each other, we do need to take responsibility for our part in what went wrong, and we need to confess to each other and asked for forgiveness. And this is hard Lord, because it’s so much easier to see the other person’s faults than it is to see our own. And this is compounded by our often willingness to be blind to these faults (Jeremiah 17:9), but also because of pride, stubbornness and a reluctance to admit it when we are wrong. We may need to hear or speak the truth, remembering that we need to speak in love. It is not easy Lord, we need your help Father, I do. And our reconciliation with each other works best, when we are first and foremost fully reconciled to You, and seeking to walk Your paths. For Your part, You are more than ready, willing and able to receive us back into the extravagant healing love of Your embrace. So I surrender again this morning Lord. Search my heart and see if there be any wicked way within me and lead me in the everlasting way (Psalm 139:24). And I will give you all the honour and glory and praise in Jesus Name Amen

Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees

As we progress through this chapter (Genesis 3) and indeed the rest of the Bible, we see the continuing unfolding of the consequences of Adam and Eve’s transgression reported in verse 6. The consequences are, in some ways, like ripples on a pond, they go on, and on, and on! It’s worse actually, because as we shall see, the ripples don’t get smaller, they get larger and larger, quickly becoming huge crashing waves, and all this from a single transgression. Here in Genesis, as early as the next generation, we already see murder (Genesis 4:8)! As we saw last day, the first things Adam and Eve did, was to sew fig leaves together to make garments, essentially to hide from each other. Today we read that they hid themselves among the trees when they heard the voice of the Lord (Genesis 3:8).

What we are seeing so far, is man’s alienation from God, man’s alienation from man, and man’s alienation from himself. Later when God curses the ground, we also see man’s alienation from creation. God desire was that mankind would be with Him forever in Heaven. But now, after the transgression, there was a problem. I mean since He is perfect, and heaven is perfect, how on earth could he let sinful man into paradise. If he let sinful men into paradise, it would no longer be paradise. In fact he kicked Adam and Eve out as we read in verse 23 of this chapter.

Yes God had a problem, I don’t mean that He was taken by surprise. He had a problem, but He also had a plan. As we shall see, there are glimpses of it in this chapter, and the unfolding of it in the rest of the Bible. Ultimately though, His plan is that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him (Ephesians 1:10).

Father, the analogy of reaping what we sow (Galatians 6:7), speaks of multiplication of fruit, be it good or bad. If we plant an apple seed, we will eventually reap a multitude of apples! So help us Lord, help me, not to take our (my) sins and iniquity lightly. Each and every one of us has incredible potential for good or for evil, and this goes down through the generations (Exodus 20:5). We need (I need) Your help and Your mercy. In Jesus Name Amen

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they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings

When I was diagnosed with prostrate cancer, which by the way is now in remission, I had to undress in the presence of female nurses. I was told a number of times “I’m not seeing anything I haven’t seen before!” Well, this was certainly true of Adam and Eve too, but after they had eaten of the forbidden fruit, they nevertheless felt the need to cover themselves. And fig leaves were likely the only thing at hand! But why? Well, when we are covered in guilt or shame, the natural thing seems to be the need to hide. Before the fall they were naked but not ashamed (Genesis 2:25), but now? In Revelation 6:16 we read that on that day, the unbeliever will say to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!” But as we will see in the verse following the one quoted above (Genesis 3:8), they were not yet hiding from God. So from what or whom were they hiding?

Well, they were hiding from each other, and actually from themselves. Somebody once jokingly wondered what would happen in the autumn, when the leaves were falling. But behind the joke is the truth, that anything with which we (as opposed to Him) try to cover ourselves, is inadequate. The Scripture tells us for example “He who covers his sin will not prosper” (Proverbs 28:13). There is a recovery saying to the effect that we are only as sick as our secrets. The point is that in the darkness of hiddenness shame, guilt and the like simply grow and grow. But it cannot be hidden forever, since sooner or later, our sin will find us out” (Numbers 32:23). It was soon to happen with Adam and Eve, and it will happen with you and me!

But what is the cure for that debilitating feeling that if anyone ever found out what I did, or what happened, I would simply die? As we shall see, there are early glimpses of the solution in this very chapter. But jumping ahead, the cure for guilt, is to be forgiven. And the means by which God could be still be just and forgive us (1 John 1:9) was to be found in the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. But the work on the cross, was not restricted to purchasing our forgiveness (the cure for guilt). In particular, as part of the process of crucifixion, the victim was stripped naked. Shame and humiliation was part of the punishment. And part of what it means that He cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9 again) is another substitution, it is the substitution of our shame for His full acceptance with the Father.

Father, the second part of Proverbs 28:13 quoted above says “but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.” Thank you Lord, that there is now therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). And thank you Father that included in Your redemptive plan, is the provision for our healing, for the abundant life, for life in all its fullness (John 10:10b). As I know full well Lord, this is not automatic, and I ask You to continue to help me on this journey of recovery to fullness of life. And I will continue to give You all the honour and glory and praise in Jesus Name Amen

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Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked

The tempter had come, he had made the forbidden fruit look desirable (Genesis 3:6). She had yielded and eaten of the fruit, given some to her husband and he had eaten. And now they had the devil to pay! The honeymoon was over, their eyes were opened, and the realization that they were naked suddenly dawned on them (Genesis 3:7). As we said earlier, the nakedness that is being talked about here, is not so much physical nakedness, it is the nakedness of openness and vulnerability which, in a fallen world, can be very, very scary!

Before their eyes were open to know good and evil (Genesis 2:17), they had let each other into the deepest places of their hearts. They knew each other’s vulnerabilities well. He knew she thought her nose was ugly, she knew he needed to be respected. He knew she like to be touched in a nonsexual way, to be cherished, to be shown much affection. She knew that when she stepped back, he would come running. There had been no walls separating them. There had been no shame in their vulnerabilities, there was nothing hidden, there had been no need to hide! There had been nothing but open loving, respectful, intimate communion. But now the honeymoon was over.

Since they knew each other’s vulnerabilities, they now knew how to hurt each other. He could hurt her by telling her what an ugly nose she had. She could withdraw respect, and punish him with distances and silence. But not only could they see the others vulnerabilities, they could also see their own!. As we shall see next day, this caused them to go into hiding, to build high towering walls cutting themselves off from each other and from God. Eve had been deceived into thinking that eating the fruit would make her wise, and while certainly she gained knowledge, it was very far from something to be desired (Genesis 3:6). Likewise for us, the pleasures of sin for a season (Hebrews 11:25) looks so tempting, so desirable, but always, always, always there are undesirable consequences. As we said earlier, sin takes you further than you want to go, keeps you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more and you want to pay! It is never worth it!

Father, I keep coming back to the thought that when You say no, You do so for our provision and protection. And though we know it is not worth it, still the tempter knows our weaknesses and our vulnerabilities. And it delights him when we sin, because sin separates us from each other and from You. But he doesn’t know everything! He did not know that when he provoked the crowd to cry out for the crucifixion of the Lord of glory (Luke 23:21; 1 Corinthians 2:8), that this was the very thing that would purchase our redemption. I want to thank You again this morning Lord that You so loved me and the world, that You sent your One and only Son so that those who believe in You should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Hallelujah Amen

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She took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband and he ate

On my journey of transition from being an unbeliever to becoming a believer, I decided after I was convicted of sin, that I need to turn over a new leaf. But I still had my old ungodly appetites, and I wanted to do what I wanted to do! I remember asking myself in a journal entry, if what I wanted to do was going to harm anyone. I was still trying to figure out right and wrong all my own. I was shocked when I came back to the Journal entry some months later, when I realized at that point in time I could care less whether it hurt anybody or not. But quite apart from my rampant selfishness, I had yet to realize that we do not sin in a vacuum, and that in one way or another what we do affects others for either good or for evil.

In the lead up to this quote from Genesis 3:6, we have been talking about the temptation that Eve was encountering (verses 1-5, see also the last 2 days posts), and to which we now read she succumbed. We are told later that Eve was deceived but Adam was not (1 Timothy 2:14). But when Eve offered him some of the fruit, Adam had a problem. In particular the choice to accept or reject the fruit had implications about his relationship not only with Eve, but also with God. So he was not only choosing to eat or not, he was choosing sides. We can think of this as the very first peer pressure. And if we are to resist our own peer pressures which we will encounter sooner or later, even if we haven’t already, then it is helpful to understand the dilemma Adam was facing, and to feel his pain!

This first mention of the idea that our sin negatively affects others, is expanded on throughout Scripture. In particular, we read over and over that when this or that king did evil in the sight of the Lord, the people inevitably followed his lead. It seems to me, that the reason that Paul could think of himself as the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15), was that he realized that in his position of incredible influence, his smallest sin had repercussions that went on, and on, and on! Saying something similar, James tells us that we should not be many teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment (James 3:2).

Father, I am well aware this morning, of my responsibility while writing these blog posts. Help me father, to take this responsibility seriously. And please Lord, nudge me by your Holy Spirit whenever I am in danger of saying or writing something that is not of You. And have mercy upon me Lord for my mistakes. In Jesus Name Amen

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in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die

The “it” in this quote from Genesis 2:17 is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the single unique prohibition God gave Adam and Eve. In the 24 hour period following the fall however, neither Adam nor Eve died, at least physically. So if you come to the Bible thinking that the Bible contradicts itself left right and centre, you will look no further. But if you take the Scriptures seriously, you will look for a plausible explanation. I have to confess that I have heard many implausible explanation of apparent contradictions from Christians. But I have found as I keep an open mind and continue to think, pray and study, I find many apparent contradictions simply disappear.

For me, the resolution to this particular conundrum comes in realizing that the Hebrew word “yom” is translated differently in various places. Most translated it here as “day,” but a number of translations, including the NIV, have “when you eat it.” In 1 Kings 1:1 yom is translated “years, ” and eight times in the Old Testament it is translated “age.” In fact after much thought of this and other considerations, I have come to understand the verse to mean “When you eat of it, you will enter into the season where you will start to die spiritually immediately, and where you will eventually die physically, and, if we reject the gift of His salvation (Ephesians 2:8,9), the torment of eternal separation from God (Revelation 21:8).”

With a similar meaning James, in talking about the end result of yielding to temptation says “Sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” Sin is all about falling short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), or failing to live up to his standards. So often, we think we know better, and make up our own rules, our own morality. Good luck with that! I had to learn the hard way, that when God says “no,” He does so for our provision and protection. We cannot break His laws, His laws finish up breaking us. You cannot break the law of gravity, try jumping off the roof! But the consequences of trying to break His moral laws though equally serious, are not quite so immediate. We reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). And be it vegetables, fruit trees, or the consequences of sin, it takes time for these things to grow to maturity. Similarly it is only when sin is full-blown, that it brings forth death in all the ways described above.

Father, the more I know about Your Word, one more I am in awe of it. It shows us the path we need to take, it shows us when we are off the path, it shows us how to get back on the path, and it shows us how to stay on the path to (2 Timothy 3:16). I am aware this morning Lord, that because consequences are delayed (Ecclesiastes 8:11) it is far too easy to lose the fear of God (Romans 3:18). And I need Your help this morning Father to consistently walk Your paths. At the end of my yom I so want to hear “Well done good and faithful servant.” Even so You will deserve all the honour, glory and praise in Jesus Name Amen

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Did God really say ....? You shall not surely die!

In this first picture we are given of the tempter in this extract from Genesis 3:1,3, we see that he is subtle, and that he is a liar. And in this first temptation, we see the basic three types of temptation, the lust of the flesh (food here representing all bodily appetites), covetousness (it pleased the eyes) and it involved pride (it was desirable to make one wise (all this in verse 6 see also 1 John 2:16). But as with all temptations, there are consequences to yielding, that are totally undesired. Someone once said that sin takes you further than you want to go, keeps you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay!

Satan also comes to confuse and to plant doubts which we all have at one time or another, and the evil one plays on them. The antidote, is to hear and believe the Word of Truth, the Bible (John 17:17). We can then answer "Yes God really did say!" But also as here, before the temptation is yielded to, the consequences are minimized or dismissed (you shall not surely die!). As we shall see, afterwards our yielding to temptation allows the devil to do what he does best, that is to be the accuser of the brethren and to plague us with guilt and shame (Revelation 12:10). However, as we shall also see in the days to come, the seeds of our redemption, of our deliverance, are also found here in this chapter. In particular God does not leave us without hope!

Some have found the fact that Adam and Eve did not immediately die physically, as something of a puzzle. But there are many forms of death. In particular they died spiritually on that day. We read for example, that before salvation we were dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). They also begin to die physically on that day. The good news however, is Jesus came in order that we could enter into the life of the Kingdom. That is life in all its fullness in the here and now (John 10:10b), and life with Him forever in the hereafter (John 11:25, 26).

Father, thank You that He who is in us (the Holy Spirit) is greater than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). And we cannot be good if we do not resist the temptations of he who is in the World. Thank You too that as long as we have breath it is not too late to turn to You in repentance and be forgiven. Thank You for the reckless love You showed in sending Your Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 2:2). Let me never take this for granted, and help me live for You in Jesus Name Amen

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They were naked and they were not ashamed

Many years ago now, I had it in mind to write a book with the title “Thy kingdom come on earth, you’ve got to be joking!” My thinking was that we have been praying this prayer (Matthew 6:10) for almost 2000 years, and nothing has happened. So we need to get on with making it happen. Secondly I was thinking that in order to understand what the Kingdom on earth would look like, we need to look back to the pre-fall situation described in Genesis 1 and 2. I came to see that my thinking was problematic in two areas. Firstly, I was still thinking it was all up to to us to make the Kingdom come. And while we certainly have a part to play, the lion’s share of the work has to come from Him. Secondly, since you cannot unscramble scrambled eggs, it is naïve to think that on earth we could return to the pre-fall innocence. Nevertheless there are still things to say.

The discussion of morning’s quote from Genesis 2:25, follows the discussion on leaving, holding fast and becoming one flesh (see URL of archived posts below). Nakedness here is a picture of innocence, openness and vulnerability, no hidden agendas, no manipulation, no power struggles no selfishness etc., etc. Post - fall, there is much work to be done to keep these things out of our relationships. And we may not even know we have them. Our hearts are deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), and we are likely to hide these things even from ourselves. Someone I know and love told me not that long ago “I did not realize how selfish I was until I got married.” There is much hope for a marriage like that, especially when both parties come to such a realization and want to deal with it!

I said earlier that for Christians, marriage is God’s primary tool to make is more like Christ. And we will never enter into the promised fullness of life (John 10:10b) if we do not cooperate with Him in dealing with the issues. We will also need to learn to negotiate, to establish good and healthy boundaries, and in humility learn to think more highly of the other than we do of ourselves (Philippians 2:3). None of us can do that without Him, not one of us! But I am fully convinced that in mutual respect and submission, we can with His help, move closer and closer, even in the here and now, to that pre- fall state of innocence, peace and joy. It’s hard work, incredibly hard work, and it will not happen overnight.

Father, though it is unfortunately quite rare, I have seen what I described above in relationships in others. And I am provoked by such examples to seek these things in all my relationships (Hebrews 10:24). I am fully convinced, that it is worth all the tears and hard work! Help me Father, to do my part as I pray Kingdom of God come, will of God be done in my life and in my relationships, on earth as it is in heaven in Jesus Name Amen

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Therefore a man shall leave, hold fast to his wife and the two shall become one flesh (3 of 3)

I am very aware this morning, that what I need to say is out of sync with most of the world. However, In accordance with the importance of the Biblical principle of the importance of first mention, we see here in Genesis 2:24 (a) God’s intended partner for our sexuality (his wife), (b) the intended time for the opening of the gift (you leave, you hold fast only then do you become one flesh) and (c) the intended place (the safety of the marriage bed).

An unbelieving musician friend of mine told me years ago, that to get any of the above three things out of sync was akin to the symbols being played in the wrong place in a symphony. The symbols are only appropriate as the music builds to a crescendo. I thought it was quite an insight! In particular in an age of instant gratification, we have lost the value of delayed gratification, of periods of longing, of the joy of anticipation and hence of the deeper appreciation of the gift that these things bring when opened in the right setting, God's intended setting. In addition, every time we make and break such a union, we weaken the intended bonding mechanism of this incredible gift. As a result, we have debased, devalued and twisted the precious gift of sexuality. I and many others have learned the hard way that when God says “no,” He does it for our provision, and our protection. We cannot go against His laws without consequences!

There is a tendency to think of the phrase “becoming one flesh,” as being restricted to the physical act. But whether we acknowledge it or not, we are made in the image of God, and for better or worse, sexual union unites us in body soul and spirit. In other words in all sexual unions, in all three of these areas of our being, something is taken and and something received from the other person (see 1 Corinthians 6:16). When this is outside of God’s intention for us (i.e. outside of marriage), such unions are described in Christian circles as ungodly soul ties. And part of the process of becoming whole, is to confess and forsake such unions, and in prayer give back what was taken, and take back what was given.

Father, increasingly our culture is believing the lie that we can jump in and out of bed with others without consequences. And it’s happening even in the church! Wake us up Lord. Thank You Lord for redemption, thank You that with You we can start over again even when we have so completely blown it. Even so Lord as I know full well, consequences remain, and I need Your help to continue to work through the wreckage of my sinful past. Thank You that I know that You who have begun a good work in me will bring it to completion (Philippians 1:6), and I give You all the honour and glory and praise this morning in Jesus Name Amen