Jesus came to heal your broken heart, and to set you free

Either we have believed cunningly devised fables (2 Peter 1:16), or there is so very much more that we have yet to experience! And yes I am talking about the here and now. Why else would the Lord tell us to pray “Kingdom of God come on earth as it is in Heaven?” In relation to this, Peter could speak about “Joy unspeakable and full of glory” in the here and now (1 Peter 1:8). In my observation however, that most of us (even in the Church) seem to have settled for quiet, or perhaps not so quiet desperation. Wherever you or I are at in our journey, it is settling for it, that is the problem. And in one of the may paradoxes of the Kingdom, is we are to contend for heaven on earth from a position of rest (Hebrews 4:11). Since “the kingdom is within you” (Luke 17:21) what we are praying for might not look like what we expect. And certainly we should not let the Word define freedom for us. I mean I know of people in prison who are free!

This morning’s title is a short summery of what Jesus told us was His mission (Luke 4:18). The expanded version comes in Isaiah 61:1ff, from which Jesus is quoting. Valid New Testament application of the eternal truths and promises in the Old Testament tend to be spiritual, rather than physical. In particular when we read the promise, concerning the devastation in Jerusalem “And they shall rebuild the old ruins ….. the desolations of many generations” (verse 4a 4d), we can claim this promise as applying to the current breakdown of the structures of marriage and the family, and of governmental justice and righteousness. Now “Kingdom come on earth” needs to start with the individual, with you and me, then with the church. It is intended to extend to the spiritual transformation of our cities, provinces (Canada) and ultimately the nation. We are seeing first fruits of all of this, even as I write this morning.

But if, as I say, it needs to start with the individual, what does rebuilding our our individual foundations look like? Drawing on the analogy of the physical, the very first job is to deal with the rubble (Isaiah 61:4). As I said earlier, the Lord is raising up many resources to help here. One such resource, through which I personally have received substantial healing from a broken heart, is called “Restoring the foundations” (Google it). It is an integrated approach to inner healing dealing with the sins of the fathers and resulting curses (Exodus 20:5), ungodly beliefs (lies we have believed John 8:44), soul/spirit hurts (broken hearts) and demonic oppression (Acts 10:38). There is a great deal to say.

Father, I come against the lie that many of us have believed, even if we have not verbalized it, that what we have now is all there is, and we just have to suck it up. Father, many of us are afraid to deal with the baggage, and likely for good reason, it is hard and it is painful. But again Lord, as I keep saying, You are seeking us through the pain and wanting to bring us into joy unspeakable. It is no coincidence Lord that Peter in the context of this phrase is talking about out being testing of our faith by fire (verse 7). Help us this morning Lord not to be content with anything less than all You have for us in Jesus Name Amen

Bear one another’s burden, each should bear his own load

These two admonitions, that come together in close proximity in Galatians 6:2,5, may at first seem to be either contradictory or confusing. I mean what is a burden, and what is a load? The first admonition (in verse 2) comes immediately after the command for the spiritually mature to gently come alongside those who are overtaken in a fault. The fault in question may have come as a wrong response to a burden that was just too heavy for that person to bear. If someone has stolen to feed their family, it is no good to simply tell them not to do it again (see James 2:14-16). We can be crushed by many things in life, and we were never intended to be alone (Genesis 2:18). The first admonition is to help bear the burdens of those being crushed by them.

The second is about taking appropriate responsibility. It would be inappropriate to expect the child to run before it could walk. On the other extreme (in most case) it would be inappropriate to be still tying the child’s shoelaces for him, when he was ten. The principle seems to be that, within reason, we should not do for others what they can do for themselves. And what that is, is likely a function of maturity. And maturity can have very little to do with age. The Scripture tells us that comparing ourselves with ourselves we are unwise (2 Corinthians 10:12), we may also be lacking compassion. Expecting someone who was abused as a child to be as mature as one who grew up in a stable loving home is comparing apples to oranges.

And what I want to say this morning, is that unless we are engaged in that aspect of sanctification that deals with our issues, then the above types of inappropriate comparisons are inevitable. But what are we to do with sixty year olds whose maturity was stunted because they medicated their pain year, after year, after year. In the words of a famous Bishop who seeing the drunk in the gutter was reported to say “There, but for the grace of God go I.” But it is not just about understanding, it is about this morning’s topic, and it's messy. And we need incredible wisdom to know what is burden and what is load (James 1:5). And we also need a lot of grace, and we likely need to learn good boundaries. Thankfully the Lord is raising up, and has raised up, many resources in these areas.

Father, it is messy. If we are finally coming out of denial about our addiction, we may still be in denial about the habits we formed trying to get our fix. We may be resentful that we are no longer able to manipulate others to take our share of our load. So Lord I am asking You to continue to help us this morning. Help us Lord to come out of the different aspects of our denial, to bear one another’s burdens (and so fulfill the law of Christ), and to recognize and carry our own loads. Yes it is messy, but it is Kingdom work in Jesus Name Amen

A smoking wick he will not quench

There have been times in my life when I felt I could take on the world. But there have also been times when a more apt description was “the good or want to do I don’t do, and the evil I don’t want to do that’s the very thing I do in” (Romans 7:19). In this morning’s partial quote from Isaiah 43:3, the Lord is really assuring us (me), that we are still His even our weakest moments. When it’s doing its job, the wick would be in full flame. When the flame is quenched, there is no light. And there are times when, in the battle against good and evil, the enemy seems to be winning, and our light feels like nothing more than a smoking wick, but a smoking wick can still be fanned into flame!

He does not give up on us, for “He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he has established justice in the earth” (verse 4). The line from an ancient hymn comes to mind “and though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.” In fact the Scripture tells us that there is coming a day when God will ride in on a white horse to bring justice and make war on all His enemies (Revelation 19:11). But in the meantime, He calls us into significance through partnership to with Him in bringing the Kingdom to earth as it is in heaven.

In the process of a little child learning to walk, the muscles in the legs first need to be strengthened, and this is accomplished bit by bit, by the child first of all pulling himself up on a piece of furniture, and still holding on, simply stand. The role of the parent is to encourage the child. Then as the child lets go of the furniture, wobbles and falls down, the parent encourages the child to try again. Eventually the first step is attempted, the child will fall, and again the parental role is to encourage, to applaud, to tell the child good job! And this is what the Lord does with us too in our stumbling progress. When we fall He tells us He will never leave us, nor forsake us. And He encourages us in and through His Word, by his Holy Spirit and the fellowship of the saints. And bit by bit as we cooperate with Him, He strengthens and equips us until we are strong in Him, and can do great exploits (Daniel 11:32).

Father, looking back on at least some of those times I felt I could take on the World and then shortly afterwards falling unceremoniously on my rear end, I quickly realized I was operating in my own strength. It is through our weakness Lord that we see our need of You. And then when we learn to operate in Your strength, we can say with Paul “When I am weak then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Thank You Lord that through Your Grace, Your strength is made perfect in us through weakness (verse 9). In Jesus Name Amen

Unless the Lord ….. (IV) Children, spiritual and natural

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Psalm 127:3), “Sing, O barren ….. for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married says the Lord” (Isaiah 54:1). The assumption in both of these verses, is that the Lord is very much involved in the lives of the (spiritual and natural) parents. And it matters not whether you came to Lord early in parenthood, or late. In particular, the promise of fruitfulness is to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28,29). Now whether for good or evil, the spiritual “DNA” of the parents is visited (as in deeply influences) the DNA of the Children.

We will need to revisit this spiritual principle from Exodus 20:5,6), but for this morning I want to say that the “Unless the Lord” of Psalm 127:1 makes all the difference. In particular when at any stage, we turn to the Lord in repentance to love and obey Him, then we are in essence standing in the gap for our (spiritual and natural) children (Exodus 20:5,6 again). And the difference is that in this scenario we can claim the promise that “He will restore the years that the locus have eaten” (Joel 2:25). There were four different kinds of locusts bringing ever increasing devastation. About this, we read in Joel 1:4 that “What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; What the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten; And what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten.” But God …, “unless the Lord ….”

Though none of us is perfect (James 3:2), nevertheless most parents do the very, very best we can with “the hand” we were dealt. When we see our children ill for example, most of us would gladly take their place if it were possible. In addition, we do our best to raise up our children in the way we think they should go. And again when we turn to the Lord, be it early or late, we can claim “when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Many times, in the meantime we see the very opposite. But it strikes me again this morning, that whether our current influence be great or small, the promise still stands of His steadfast love to them, and to the generations that follow (Exodus 20:6). And it also strikes me this morning, that it was knowing how we feel about our children, knowing it would motive us to make the necessary changes that the Lord initiated this reality.

Father, it seems to be very common, that we either take too much responsibility or too little. Some of us need to speak more, and some of us need to speak less. Also Lord for those of us who have the gift of the gab the latter scenario is hard, so please help us. But in any case Father, I pray again the prayer I have often prayed that I may speak every word that You want me to speak, neither one word more, nor one word less. And when we do speak Lord, let it be full of grace and seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6) in Jesus Name Amen

Unless the Lord …… (III) Security and provision

The Lord brought me back this morning, to a memory of being in the States years ago, and loosing my passport the day before I was due to fly out to Australia. In the rushed process of trying to obtain a new passport and necessary visa, I was to say the least, somewhat stressed. But when I had done all that I could do, I was able to relax and to absorb what my friend was telling me about a new publication he had been reading while making my rounds. My calm immediately after the stress surprised him. But my philosophy of life at the time, which at some level was working, was that you do what you can in situations like that, and then you leave it to the Lord. What I had yet to learn was not to stress while doing everything reasonable that can be done. It all worked out by the way, my passport had been found on the bus and turned in.

In this third post on Psalm 127 we are looking first at “Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (verse 1b). The Psalmist is not suggesting that the watchman should not be posted, but rather that when we do our part the Lord will do His. The next part is brought out well in the Message translation “It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone” (verse 2a), fretting about never having enough. The same principle applies. He is not suggesting we don’t do our fair share of work. Rather, as Jesus put it “Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met” (Matthew 6:33 Message).

When I am starting to feel anxious as, for some inexplicable reason, I am this morning, I start by acknowledging my anxiety, and talking to the Lord about it. I think that is why He reminded me of the above incident. The festivals of Israel served much the same purpose in that they were reminders of His faithfulness. He is also reminding me how foolish, destructive and unnecessary is our (my) fretting (Psalm 37:8). But also that I have a choice to dwell on my thoughts and anxieties, or to replace fretting with joy, praise, and with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. We may need to practice, practice, practice this, but He has promised will give us peace and rest and sleep (Philippians 4:4-8; Psalm 127:3). And I suspect that He allows these things, because if we do things His way, they will draw us deeper into His embrace.

Father, I am needing to cling to you this morning, but with Your help I will fear neither irrational night terrors nor the noisome pestilence etc., etc. Thank You Lord that You have promised that when we choose to dwell in the secret place and to make You our refuge, then no plague will come near our dwelling (Psalm 91). Thank You Lord that You give Your beloved sleep and rest, and I receive this now, in Jesus Name Amen

Unless the Lord build ……(II) The Church

In an overheard conversation one man remarked that he thought we should bring the church into the 20th Century. The reply came “Don’t you mean the 21st Century?” Quickly recovering the reply came back (a little unkindly) “One century at a time!” It is easy to criticize the church, especially that part to which I don’t belong. And yes the invisible church (consisting of all true believers) and the visible institution are not the same thing, but Jesus loves the World (and so the visible church) and I need to love it too! And when a particular church or denomination is moving away from Biblical truth, I have learned not to judge those who feel called to stay seeking to reform it, nor those who simply need to leave. “It is before his own master that he stands or falls” (Romans 14:4).

Having said this, it is clear to me (discerning without condemnation) that much of what the visible Church has built, has been built in vain (Psalm 127:1). As with interpersonal relationships, it is so much easier to see the faults in others rather than in ourselves. Thinking “I am right and everybody else is wrong,” has a long history. The Pharisees certainly thought this way, and the danger of this morphing into an obnoxious attitude of superior orthodoxy, is great. But what are we supposed to do when we see errors? The tendency has been to immediately form a new Church or denomination, and I am not saying that this is necessarily wrong. What I am saying is that unless the Lord is in it, all that will happen, is that we become one more reason for the world to shake it’s head and say “These guys talk about truth, but they cannot even agree among themselves what it it is!”

It would be very easy for me to think the Church is all about the inner healing ministry which is a passion of mine, and to form a new church around it. What could easily happen then, is that the truths behind this point of view become isolated from the very people who need it the most. Someone has wisely said that rather than asking the Lord to bless what we are doing (or want to do), we should ask what the Lord is blessing. And when we discern what He is blessing, He may in fact call us to build centres of excellence “wineskins,” structures, around what He is doing with a particular lost eternal truth. I see several areas He is blessing that have been lost to the church through atrophy or abuse. I am thinking of the houses of prayer movement, of prophetic cultures, of centres of the miraculous etc., etc. And perhaps our discipleship programs should incorporate some, all, or more of these elements.

Father, thank You for reminding me this morning of the verse “if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know” (1 Corinthians 8:2). When I stray from this, please bring me back to the understanding that I am but a little boy paddling in the vast and infinite ocean of Your eternal truths. And Lord remind me and all these reading these posts to periodically ask You to search our hearts to see if there be any wicked way within us. Thank You Lord that You have promised, in spite of it all, that You will build Your church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. For this and many other things we praise and bless You Lord, in Jesus Name Amen

Unless the Lord build the house ……(I) In four areas of life

The verse continues “they labor in vain who build it.” This Psalm (127) deals with the issues of life. In this quote, verse 1a, it is talking about what we build, what we create. It is about ministry and how we spend our time. In 1b it is about security (guarding the city). In verse 2 it is about anxiety over our ability to provide, and in verse 3 about family. And if it is all in vain if God is not in it, then surly it is important to know if and when He is! I was talking with a friend one time, who has some really good ideals about ministry. At the time he was wrestling with should he follow through with his ideas. It involved some risk of course, and he was bouncing his ideas off me. I asked him “What is the Lord saying about it?” Now I regard my friend as a mature Christian, and his response surprised me a little, because what he said was “How would I know?”

In these last days, the Lord is restoring many things to the church that, at various levels, have been lost. And what stuck me about this conversation, was that the kind of relationship with God, where we expect to hear His voice, seems to be something that is largely missing from the wider church. And if building (or the other three things) is in vain if the Lord is not in it, and if the church has no idea what is of God and what is not, then is it any wonder that much of what we do is not bearing fruit (or worse)? It is not meant to be this way. I mean if the essence of eternal life is relationship with God (John 17:3), then surly communication with the God who speaks, has to be a big part of that relationship! In fact God has spoken throughout history, but supremely in these last days, He has spoken and does speak in and through His Son (Hebrews 1:1, 2; John 10:3, 4, 27). Two of the ways He is speaking today is through prophecy and hearing His voice. Because these things have largely been lost to the church, there is much to say about them.

The “in vain,” twice repeated in verse 1, underlines the the importance of bringing everything to to God. It is part of being childlike (Matthew 18:3). This certainly goes against the grain of our rugged North American individualism, but there is a promise to those who do things God’s way and it is “ and whatever he does shall prosper” (Psalm 1:3e). The “and” points to what is perhaps the clearest prerequisite for hearing Him and discerning His guidance, namely turning from the council and the paths of the ungodly, refusing to sit with the scornful and meditating on His Holy Word (verses 1,2). The thing about the gift of free will, the ability to choose, is that it involves our needing to take responsibility for our choices. And one of the things we stress over and over in recovery (true sanctification) is that what we get out of life, is directly proportional to what we put into it. Salvation (I mean the justification aspect of it) is free. Becoming free and entering the abundant life will cost you everything you are and have. But it is the only way to prosper in all we do!

Father, You do not command us to love You will all our hearts, minds, souls and strength because You are some megalomaniac demanding total capitulation. No Lord, adherence to Your commandments bring us life (Psalm 119:35). And as someone once put it “If all else fails, read the instructions.” And Lord in so many ways Your Word is an instruction manual for life. Help us Lord to get our noses into this, Your feed bag, in Jesus Name Amen