I know the plans I have for you says the Lord … good plans … to give you a future and a hope

Though I have known this verse from Jeremiah 29:11 for many years even memorized it, it was only last night that the Lord illuminated it for me. I was sharing how to contend for our promises, and for our destiny. It is a battle, because the thief wants to seal this and more from us (John 10:10a). After waiting for over 20 years for a promise given to me by the Lord, it was suggested at the meeting, that this might only be fulfilled in heaven. Since this compromise would undermined the very “here and now” nature of my promise (Psalm 27:8?), I resist it with every fibre of my being, and I responded with a resounding “NO!”

The context of this quote from Jeremiah, is of Israel in exile in Babylon, and the Lord instructing them to be productive during the long duration of their captivity (verses 5-7). The default, when the Lord gives us a promise, is often to wait passively for its fulfillment. Our focus tends to be on the end result, but for the Lord it is the journey that is important, and in what He can accomplish through it when we fully cooperate with Him. Waiting has been described as a fire, and indeed it is. Indeed waiting is perhaps the most difficult lesson of all. But the harder the lesson, the more the Lord can accomplish through it. In particular in His hands waiting is a major tool to burn the character defects out of us. The defects that He knows are detrimental to the ministry, to the plans He has for us.

The Lord, in His Word, has given us many examples and encouragements to wait. I think of David in his cave hiding from Saul who wanted to murder him. I remember Joseph sold into slavery, falsely accused and thrown into jail before the prophecy of his brothers bowing before him came to pass. In each of these examples, the man that emerged at the end, was not the same man he was before the Lord started working on him. I’m not saying I have done this perfectly, but I do know in my own life, that I am not the same man that God started with over 20 years ago now.

Father, as You know I have wanted to give up many times. But You have always done something to encourage me to continue to believe and to trust that You will do what You told me You will do. You are not a man that you should lie. I could not have waited this long Father without great grace from Your throne of grace. But with You, I can run through a troop and leap over a wall (Psalm 18:29). In other words I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). And the glory is Yours Lord, all of it, not unto us but unto Your name be all the honour, glory and praise for ever, and ever, and ever in Jesus Name Amen

Are summer funding and charitable tax receipts in danger of becoming an idol?

As most of you know, the liberal government has outrageously tied summer funding for students to the requirement that you agree with their policy on abortion. It is totally against the charter of rights and freedoms the senior Trudeau introduced way back when. He must be turning in his grave for what his son is doing! From our side, it has grieved me to hear that some local Evangelical Churches have simply ticked the box indicating their agreement. I don’t have a problem with them ticking the box if they really do agree, but it’s not my understanding that they do, and the passage comes to mind that tells of Esau selling his birth right for a mess of pottage (Genesis 25:29ff).

I am guessing that the summer funding goes somewhere, and it is my hope and prayer that faith based students do not suffer. In any case, God is the great provider, and has told us that if we trust Him and do things His way, He will provide all of our needs according to his riches in glory (Philippians 4:19). In another place, after telling us to bring the full tithe into the storehouse He says “Try Me now in this … If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it (Malachi 3:10). Nobody is saying that this will not stretch us! But all this raises the question as to how far we willing to go before we make a stand and/or start to push back. I think sometimes, that we Christians have confused timidity and humility!

On the other hand it is very clear to me, that if things keep going the way they are, that Bible believing churches are going to lose tax exempt status on our tithes and offerings. But there was no tax relief on the tithes the Bible talks about. So if we loose tax exemption are we going to keep on giving? If not has all this become an idol? I think that we need to start to face such possibilities and questions now.

Father, I remember someone remarking that a man’s faith can be seen in what he does with his pocketbook. It’s easy to get caught up in worry about money, and indeed many other things. Lord you have promised to provide for Your children. And Lord I ask especially for those who will not get summer jobs this year because of the hypocrisy of this edict. Have mercy on them and us Lord in Jesus Name Amen

The heart is deceitful above all and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9)

Let me start by saying that there is absolutely no self-righteousness in me in this post. In fact close to a half century ago, at the breakup of my first marriage, being fully convinced that she was 100% responsible for what went wrong, I had murder in my heart. This self righteous 100% blaming it is apparently very common. The scary thing for me, is that I’m not at all sure that if I thought I could've gotten away with it, that I would not have gone through with it. So when the Holy Spirit convicted me of sin and righteousness and judgement (John 16:8) I was devastated, and I threw myself on the Lord’s mercy (see also the prayer at the end of the post). Please feel free to share this post (or not).

I was blind to my side of the equation, and had jaundiced eyes for the other side. This also is very common. Bernard Nathanson, M.D., practising in the mid-to late 20th-century, was a product of his “enlightened age,” and became a leader in the Pro-Choice ranks. Nathanson was responsible for some 75,000 abortions. But with the advent of fetology and the then newest EKG and ultrasound imagery he could see what he was doing. And what he saw was the silent scream of the unborn as he was tearing children with fully functioning nervous systems apart, limb from limb, crushing their heads etc., etc., and all this without anesthetic. Not that anesthetic would have made it right! Because of what he saw, he changed his beliefs and his ways -- and sides. He produced a video we all should see “The silent scream.” It can be seen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gON-8PP6zgQ). Actually we need an update!

Nathanson saw as I did, his ability to call evil good, and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). Here in Canada, in order to qualify for Summer funding for students you have to agree with the government position on abortion which allows abortion up to and including the day before birth. It is hard for me to describe what I feel about about this evil and the blindness of it all! Jordan Peterson, a man who is on the left but who is rapidly becoming a hero of mine, says in effect that if you don’t know that you are capable of the most heinous and dastardly crime, then you know nothing about yourself! Sadly I find that many Christians, who should know better, are in this camp!

Father, I thank You that there nothing we have done that is outside of Your mercy and forgiveness. I have seen Lord, that there is such a need for people to be able to mourn for what they have done, and for what they and I are capable of. One of the beautiful things about the word image of the new birth, is that in Your eyes we can start over brand-new! Thank You for forgiveness, thank You for healing, thank You that when we turn to You in repentance, You take our sins and cast them into the deepest sea (Micah 7:19) and post a “no fishing” notice. I thank You Lord, that Jesus bore my guilt at incredible cost on the cross, and now I bear it no more. Hallelujah Amen

Grace builders are everywhere

As a young Christian I committed to memory the following verse given here in Philip’s translation (mine) from 1 Corinthians 10:13. There is no trial that you will encounter that others have not also encountered. But God is faithful and will not allow you to be tested above your ability to endure, but will in the midst of the trial provide the means by which you will be able to stand up under it.

The first thing to notice here, is that God is in control in what He allows (see also Job chapter 1). He has a purpose in allowing what He allows, and ultimately that is to make us more like Jesus, and thus to be more fruitful in Him (Romans 8:29). One of the more common ways that He does this, is to allow annoying people into our lives. There is a particular kind of Englishman that really gets under my skin. I was thrown together with such a man in seminary years ago. In midst of my ongoing irritation with him, he said to me one day “You know when I don’t remember somebody’s name, I call them brother, brother.” Rightly or wrongly I received this as his way of saying "I don't remember your name, and I have no intention of trying to remember it!"

I call such people “grace builders.” These are the people God allows in our lives in order to build grace (His power to overcome) in us. In particular in such circumstances, the way of escape that God in His faithfulness provides, is for us to throw ourselves on Him. The point is that when we do so, His promise kicks in to give us grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). There are many things I cannot do without His help, loving my enemies for one, or dealing graciously with my grace builders! But I have also come to realize, that I am a grace builder in the lives of those He sends to build grace in me!

Father, there seems to be an unusual number of grace builds in my life at this point in time. In a way I’m encouraged, it means I am growing because I know there was a time this would have swamped me, grace or no grace! I thank you Lord that one of Your primary goals is to make me more like the Lord Jesus. And I so want to cooperate with You in this, so that my life may bring honour and glory and praise to Your lovely Name Amen

….. the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort

Our God is the father, the source, the initiator of many good things. He is a source of love, mercy and grace. In this quote from 2 Corinthians 1:3, we are being told that He is the source of compassion and comfort. The word translated here as compassion, is the same word used for one of the descriptions of the Holy Spirit, namely the One called alongside to comfort and equip.

Paul makes it clear in the verses that follow, that it is the Lord’s intention that we receive these gifts, and that having received them, we should be a channel of the same to this wicked and hurting world.

I am very aware this morning of my need for my Father’s compassion, and of my need to be compassionate with others. In the midst of conflict, it is not my default position! And so again and again, especially at such times, I need to drink in His comfort and compassion. I mean I cannot pass on what I am not receiving!

Father, as I meditate upon these things this morning, I am very aware of my need to be vitally connected to You moment by moment. Your mercy comfort and compassion cannot flow through me unless I am connected in this way to You, the very source of these things. Forgive me Father for the times but I have let anger, pride and other things disconnects me from You. Cleanse me again this morning Lord and continue to work Your compassion and comfort in and through me. And I give You all the honour and glory and praise in Jesus Name Amen

Be diligent to add to your faith goodness and to goodness knowledge…

It is my observation that the connection between knowing the truth and living the truth it is not well understood. In this quote from 2 Peter 1:5, we are not told to add goodness to knowledge, but rather to add knowledge to goodness. In particular knowing truth follows doing truth, not vice versa. Paul speaks about this in Romans 1:18, where he says that truth is suppressed in unrighteousness.

For example if we want to commit adultery, then we are likely to rationalize or at the very least minimize the effects of our behaviour. But it’s not just head knowledge that is compromised, it is our experiential knowledge of being close to the Lord. In describing the process of yielding to temptation, James (chapter 1, in verse 13) informs us that it starts with being drawn away. And what we are drawn away from, is both the truth in our head and the experience of Him who is truth incarnate (John 14:6).

In the context of our quote from 2 Peter 1, Peter tells us that if among other things we lack goodness followed by knowledge, then we are not only blind (verse 9), but we will also fail to enter into the divine nature (verse 4). In other words there will be no difference between us and the world, and we will fail to bring honour and glory and praise to the one who at incredible cost to Himself secured our salvation.

Father, Peter also tells us that when a we lack these things, we have forgotten that we were cleansed our sins (verse 9). So in essence we have forgotten what is perhaps the main difference between us as believers, and the rest of the world. In other words we have forgotten that as believers we are forgiven and cleansed, but unbelievers are not. So I ask You this morning Lord to assist me in being diligent to add to my faith the things You called me to add. I so want to glorify You Lord, and this is the only way it will happen. Thank You again for Your truth this morning in Jesus Name Amen

Sticks and stones, and broken bones and hearts

The title is of course referring to the old saying “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me!” But it’s not true, it’s really not. Words spoken in haste or in anger can go deep, especially in what were once loving relationships, or in what should have been loving relationships. In these scenarios, where we know each other well, we also know what will hurt the most, and words once spoken can never be fully retracted.

I am thinking of wives or husbands, parents, siblings and the like, and in the recovery circles in which I move, I see the devastation that cruel words have caused over and over. In particular there is so much damage done to self-worth, and this can go down through the generations. The saying, that people who are hurt in turn hurt others, is very true, as we all tend to act out of our inner wounds.

And the anger this causes, can turn either outward or inward. Some of us say things to ourselves, that we would never say to someone else. For example people tell themselves that they are losers, and that they will never amount to anything. Others are only too willing to turn their tongue loose on others (James 3:6). In my own case for many many years, I tended internalize the hurt, and this resulted in obsessive thinking and being many times, unavailable to the world. There is however, a cure for all of this, but it’s not being told “Get over it!” This when spoken to someone who is traumatized by the past, will likely be perceived as total lack of compassion and understanding, and can be the cruelest jibe of all! How very different from our instructions (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 4:6).

Father, though I had to learn this lesson, and though it took a long time, I did learn it in the end. Or perhaps I should say I am learning it! And what I am learning, is to embrace Your opinion of meover what others think and say about me. In particular I am learning to rest in the fact that I am a deeply love favourite son of Yours. We all are (or daughter)! I pray this morning Father, for those who have not yet entered, or fully entered into Your extravagant healing love, that they would increasingly find hope and peace and joy in Your embrace as You heal their broken and wounded hearts. In Jesus Name Amen