It is not good to give the children’s bread to puppies

Jesus on earth was human (1 John 4:2), and Jesus got tired. And had gone outside the borders of Israel to get away, but He could not be hidden (Mark 7:24). A Syro-Phoenician woman comes to Him, begging Him to cast the daemon out of her daughter. The title (verse 27) is what Jesus answered. Dogs (kuon in the Greek) was a derogatory term the Jews used for the Gentiles. Jesus uses the word kunarion (little dogs or puppies) in this verse, softening His rejection with this term connoting endearment. This action seems out of character with the Jesus we know. Some have suggested He was testing her, and perhaps He was! But He had gotten away for a reason, and the saying itself seems to convey that He had only so much to give, and that He was called to the house of Israel, not to the Gentiles (verse 7). Jesus was human, and in His humanity he had limitations. If not then we can applaud Him, but we can never be like Him!

This point is important, and is one of the verses used to suggest that we need have healthy boundaries. There is much to say about this, and I recommend the book “Boundaries” by Christian authors Cloud and Townsend. Boundaries are about when to say yes, and when to say no. Sometimes saying no is the Christian thing to do. Saying yes when the person could do the thing himself, is teaching them that they don't need to take responsibility for their lives. Sometimes we need to say no, like Jesus did because we have given and given, and we need to come aside a while and rest (Mark 6:31). We cannot do everything, and if we try, we will do nothing well. The Lord has specific ministries for us, things that He has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). We need to learn to do only those things which we see the Father doing (John 5:19). Seeing what the Father is doing is something we need to learn, not fully there yet! And we need to realize that business can be an idol!

The response to Jesus “no” is interesting. She says “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs” (verse 28). The interesting thing about ministry is that sometimes it is draining, and sometimes it is empowering. Ministering to those who are not yet ready to fully submit to God can be of the first type, if we let them. And this shows again the need for boundaries! But I believe what this woman said to Jesus thrilled His heart, and that this response of faith empowered Him. For sure there are times when He tests us seeking to draw out our faith. And there are time when like Jacob, we need to wrestle with God and refuse to let Him go, until He blesses us (Genesis 32:26).

Father, Your Word tells us that without faith is it impossible to please You (Hebrews 11:6). Lord, I want to thrill Your heart like I believe the Syro-Phoenician woman did. I also know that the testing of our faith is what causes it to grow and for us to stand up under trial (James 1:3). So teach us Lord to be patient in trail, and teach us to “see” what You are doing so that we may do only those things in Jesus Name Amen

This people honours Me with their lips ...

... But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. (Mark 7:6, 7). The Scribes and the Pharisees complained that the disciples ate food without the traditional ritual cleansing of their hands. And Jesus quotes this saying from Isaiah calling them hypocrites. Tradition and ritual are fine in their place when they serve their purpose, to remind us of the truths of the faith and to turn out hearts to true worship. And the heart of the matter is the heart, and the problem comes when the ritual and the traditions become just as important, or more important than the truths of which they should be reminding us. This was the case with the Scribes and the Pharisees. And the problem was that it was not just about the ritual washing of hands, no, it went much, much deeper. When it is more, or all about keeping the traditions than it is about heart connection with God, it has a form of worship, but ti is empty, vain, futile, and without profit (the force of the Greek).

I remember years ago getting some serious backlash for a similar thing. Church structure is there to serve, to give a framework to hold things together, not as an end in itself. And when the structures become rigid and prohibit progress, or when structure becomes more important than pastoral concerns, there is a problem. My defence to my detractors was “I was naive enough to believe you would prefer truth to tradition.” Perhaps I could have found a gentler way to say it. But then Jesus was blunt at times too, I mean hypocrites? Part of the problem here, is that the Lord is, shall we say, rather demanding. He tells us “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). I mean how do I know when I am holy enough? It is easier if I can reduce His demands to a bunch of rules that it is possible to obey, then perhaps I can be confident of His acceptance. But the problem with this, is that my heart is then likely to look down on others because they don't keep the rules I think they should keep. And if I am not very careful I will earn the same rebuke (hypocrite) that the Scribes and the Pharisees engendered.

It is this sort of consideration that likely cause Paul to say that the Law is there to teach us our need of the salvation that comes through Christ (Galatians 3:24). Then there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). Jesus does not want to improve us, He wants to kill us, kill the old heart out of which flow “evil thoughts, sexual immorality, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit etc., etc. (Mark 7:21, 22). I am thankful for the new heart that I received at salvation (Ezekiel 11:19). You see it is not a matter of maturity, of having arrived, it is a matter of being transformed from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Father, I am thankful for the lives of believers who are young in the Lord. Frankly some of their lives are a mess, reaping what they have sown in their before conversion activities. But Lord though in may ways they have a long way to go (as do I), they are in the process of being transformed, and it is exciting and thrilling to watch. Help us Lord, help me, not to sit on our (my) laurels, but rather be provoked to love and good works by their gratitude and passion for You, in Jesus Name I pray, Amen

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins

Peter tells us that those of us who lack love, among other things, have forgotten that we were cleansed from our sins, and we are blind and far off (2 Peter 1:9). So then it is not just hatred that is blind, but lack of love! I am grateful this morning that there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). I mean who can say they have enough Christ like love (Ephesians 5:23)?  And what the Lord is doing in my heart this morning is calling me up to the high calling in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). Hatred bitterness and resentment warp our spiritual seeing, and defile many (Hebrews 12:15). This morning's verse from Proverbs 10:12, speaks about hatred stirring up, awakening, or reawakening strife.

Hatred is blind, refusing to see the good in the other person, and we are all a mixture of good and evil. Hatred goes further than this, hatred sees things that are not there, casts suspicion on motives, and jumps to unwarranted conclusions. Hatred interprets even the good in a bad light, saying for example they are only doing that to manipulate me into forgiving them, or for some other reason. And all this is infections, it draws others into the suspicion and the name calling and the false accusations. And we need to know that the Lord hates the one who sows such discord among the brethren (Proverbs 6:16, 18).

But there is a sense in which love is willingly blind. In 1 Corinthians 13:7 Paul tells us that love believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. In other words love believes the best of a person until the evidence dictates otherwise. At that point love hopes the evidence wrong, and when even that is no longer possible, love endures. But please do not confuse this with allowing someone to abuse you. Allowing someone to abuse you is not good for either of you. We need healthy boundaries for both our sakes. Nevertheless we are to love one other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).

Father, I am grateful this morning that love is a verb, because I don't always feel lovey dovey. It is good when I do, but love is an action. Your Word admonishes us to not love in word only, but in deed and in truth. And part of loving in truth, is to speak the truth in love at appropriate times. I need Your Grace and Your wisdom to do this Lord. And it is one more reminder for me that without You I can do nothing (John 15:5). Give me the wherewithal Lord to love in practical ways that cause no harm. Give me grace to not take offense, and to be willing to overlook offenses in Jesus Name I pray, Amen

LORD, make me to know my end ....

... what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am (Psalm 39:4). The fear of death, acknowledged or unacknowledged, keeps us in life long bondage (Hebrews 2:15). We tend to push it down, out of (spiritual) sight, out of mind! It keeps is from praying this prayer. But the believer does not need to fear death, because perfect love casts out this fear (1 John 4:8). We are intended to know that we have eternal life, and that we shall not come to the judgement (John 5:24). But we too can be grieved by the wickedness of the world, and when we are, it can cause us like David to remain silent, and refrain even from the good (verse 2). I mean what is the use?

But in his silence David continued to muse on the wickedness of the wicked, and it caused his heart to burn hot within him (verse 3). And as I mediate on these things this morning, it is causing me to ask myself if I too and silent in the fact of the wickedness that is all around me. Am I intimidated into silence by the knowledge that anything I say is likely to be received negatively? David's reaction was the prayer of this morning's verse. Even though in Christ I have passed from life to death (John 5:24 again), I will be called into account for every idle word spoken or not spoken (Matthew 12:36). Davis response is to ask first, that he might know his end. When David observed the wicked, he become aware of his own sin (verses 8-11), and he asks the Lord to help him embrace the fact of the end of life, and to learn its lesson well. When we do not face the often unwelcome fact that we all have an end, we will not likely live with it in mind. Steven Covey in his book “The seven habits of highly effective people,” suggests that we imagine our funeral, and ask ourselves what would we want people to say about us at that time.”

In the second part of the verse he asks that the Lord would make him aware of the measure of his days, and how frail he is. Most of us live our lives according to the adage “Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow.” When we know how fleeting is our life, we will not do that. And how fleeting is it? It is a vapour (vv. 5, 11), even a vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes away (James 4:14). So then in light of all the wickedness that surrounds us, we need to redeem the time (Ephesians 5:16). And we also need to know how frail we are, knowing that without Him we dan do nothing (John 15:5). We are totally dependent on God, and what we do, needs to be done in full cooperation with Him.

Father, on that day I will not be wishing I had sinned more, I will likely be wishing I had redeemed the time. I want on that day to hear “Well done good and faithful servant enter into the joy of your Lord (Matthew 25:23). So I pray with David this morning “make me to know my end, the measure of my days, and how frail I am.” And help me to live my life accordingly in Jesus Name Amen

He permitted only Peter, James, and John

I remember a cartoon on facebook talking about a man who had died. The comment was that he had 576 friends on Facebook, but nobody came to his funeral. To me it was not really funny, because it speaks a truth about our culture, the truth that we are connected at some level superficially with many, but sometimes with none deeply. To put is another way we can be lonely in the midst of the crowd. Jesus had twelve disciples who He called friends (John 15:15), and of the twelve Peter, James and John were somehow special. You would think that the other nine might be jealous, and in fact they likely were (Matthew 20:24). But Jesus makes no apologies for singling out the three!

I have more questions this morning than I have answers. The quote is from Mark 5:37, where Jesus was about to raise Jairus' daughter from the dead (vv 22ff). My question here is was it because the three had faith, I mean he shut out those with unbelief (verse 40)? I know myself I find it hard when I ask for prayer and somebody prays doubting it is God's will. I would rather they did not pray. I mean if it really is not God's will, He can say “no.” “No” is an answer. The Lord told Paul “no,” and yet he prayed again twice for the same thing (2 Corinthians 12:8, 9). I would rather bring Him my desires and be told no that to come with feeble faith. We are told to come boldly before the throne of Grace (Hebrew 4:16).

But it was not because of possible unbelief that Jesus took the same three on the mountain of transfiguration (Matthew 17:1). And so back to the friendship theme. God knows no favourites, or perhaps it is better to say we are all His favourites. But Jesus does not try to have the same relationship with everyone. Research has shown that it not possible to have close relationships with more than about twelve people, and it is probably not possible to have really close relationships with more than three or four. And we don't need to apologize for that, Jesus didn't. And this emphasizes for me again the humanity of Jesus. He came as a Spirit filled man, and as a Spirit filled man He is our example of what a Spirit filled man (or woman) looks like.

Father, I am not God and I am not responsible for the whole of the universe. In fact I have had to resign that position several times! Jesus was, and is God, but He laid aside His Godhead (Philippians 2:7) and so He is our example. Lord I cannot please everyone, and I cannot be everyone's best friend. Show me Lord how to navigate this, I want to be more like Jesus. I have a ways to go Lord, we all do, but I want to thank You this morning that You have promised to keep on working on us until that day when we will see You as You are because we will be like You (Philippians 1:6; 1 John 3:2) in Jesus Name Amen

Peace, be still

The storm had threatened to sink the boat,  and Jesus was asleep on a a pillow. They had woken Him, He rebuked the wind, and gave this command, and “the wind ceased and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39) . The thought that keeps coming back to me again and again as I read the gospel narratives is that everything that Jesus did, He did as a Spirit filled man. The disciples were afraid and marvelled, and I would have too. In fact I do, but the verse that is coming to me as I type is “He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” (John 14:12). I like what Bill Johnson says about this incident “You have authority over every storm that you can sleep through.” Apparently puzzled, Jesus asks the disciple “Why are you so fearful? Do you not yet have faith” (verse 40)?

Not every translation of verse 40 brings out the force of the Greek. Other passages amplify what He is saying, for example “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you” (Mark 9:19). I ask the Lord morning by morning not for  something not to just write in the blog, but for something that is applicable to my life. Well here it is. Over the years I have seen miracle after miracle and yet though at some level faith has taken,  I am not yet where I want to be. The Lord has used me to heal other, and I have had healings in my own body, yet I am a long way from seeing the grater things in my own ministry. What I am saying, is that once again the example of Jesus challenges me. Since there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1), the Lord is not calling us (me) out, He is calling us up. And the prayer that comes to me again is “I believe help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).

It's not that He has not already given all that we need, but like all things that are given,  they need to be received, appropriated. He tells us “I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy” (Like 10:19). The enemy came to kill steal and destroy, and Jesus came to destroy the works of the enemy (1 John 3:8).  And He has left us as His hands and feet to accomplish this,  in our generation. I know this, and you know this,  and we need to rise to our calling. We need more that the prayer I believe help my unbelief, I do. We need revelation, the opening of our eyes to see the reality of what has been given,  so we may embrace it. Pray with me

Father I pray for myself and all reading this blog that "You would give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You, that the eyes of our understanding being enlightened; that we may know what is the hope of Your calling, what are the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of Your power toward us who believe, according to the working of Your mighty power which You worked in Christ when You raised Him from the dead (Ephesians 1:17-20). Help us to see and embrace these things Lord, in Jesus Name Amen"

For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed

We are into the parables in  Mark 4 in our daily reading. The conventional wisdom that parables are only earthly stories with heavenly meanings is inadequate. In particular they are for those inside the Kingdom to understand, but also so those outside will not hear (v. 11, 12). The “For” in the title quote (v. 22) was puzzling to me, since in the previous verse Jesus was saying you don't put a lamp under a bed. And the “For” acts as “because,” i.e. you don't put a lamp under a bed, because all will be revealed. Jesus is not saying here, as He does elsewhere, that we are to let our light shine before men (Matthew 5:16). And it is in this same context, that He says (twice) “If anyone has ears, let him hear” (vv. 9, 23). You know, the Lord gave us two ears and one mouth, but we don't listen very well! Two verses come to mind, firstly that in Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” secondly  “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the glory of kings to search it out” Colossians 2:3; Proverbs 5:22).

We are responsible for what we hear, so it is His mercy that conceals things from those outside. But God wants to fascinate those of us on the inside. Little children love hid-go seek. It has to do with the joy of discovery. But too often we become “dull of hearing” (Hebrews 5:11), but our fascinating God wants us to pursue Him. We are kings and priests (Revelation 5:10), and it is glory to pursue Him and His Word. After all He is the Word (John 1:1). So let me ask us (yes you and me) a question this morning. Am I stuck, have we settled, in and are content with where we are in Christ, or are we eager for the more of God? In verse 24 He tells us “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.”

As I meditate on these things this morning, I am feeling that the Lord is stirring my spirit and inviting me to pursue Him afresh again. I don't want to be a casual Christian, I don't want to loose my child likeness in the joy of discovery in my wonderful fascinating God. I need His help of course, but He also wants me to pursue Him. Nobody wants a limp lover, neither me nor you, nor the Lord. So what is He saying here? Tyndale commentary gave me a clue. God has not hidden His light under the bed, but is revealing it to those who keep on seeking, and keep on knocking (Matthew 7:7). And indeed, there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, but it is for joy and glory that we can keep on seeking it out. But only if we have ears to hear!

Father, thank You that when I seek,  more will be given. I confess to laziness at times this morning Lord. Please continue to draw me to not be satisfied with anything less that all the fullness of God. It dwelt in You Lord Jesus as a Spirit filled man, and because it was in You as a man, it is available to us. Give us ears to hear Lord, in Your precious Name Amen