Regulated Chastisement

"I will correct thee in measure" (Jer_30:11)

To be left uncorrected would be a fatal sign: it would prove that the LORD had said, "He is given unto idols, let him alone." God grant that such may never be our portion! Uninterrupted prosperity is a thing to cause fear and trembling. As many as God tenderly loves He rebukes and chastens: those for whom He has no esteem He allows to fatten themselves without fear, like bullocks for the slaughter. It is in love that our heavenly Father uses the rod upon His children.

Yet see, the correction is "in measure": He gives us love without measure but chastisement "in measure." As under the old law no Israelite could receive more than the "forty stripes save one," which ensured careful counting and limited suffering; so is it with each afflicted member of the household of faith- every stroke is counted. It is the measure of wisdom, the measure of sympathy, the measure of love, by which our chastisement is regulated. Far be it from us to rebel against appointments so divine. LORD, if Thou standest by to measure the bitter drops into my cup, it is for me cheerfully to take that cup from Thy hand and drink according to Thy directions, saying, "Thy will be done."

Whereby shall I know?

I thank Thee, O Father, . . . because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Matthew 11:25. In spiritual relationships we do not grow step by step, we are either there or we are not. God does not cleanse us more and more from sin, but when we are in the light, walking in the light, we are cleansed from all sin. It is a question of obedience, and instantly the relationship is perfected. Turn away for one second out of obedience, and darkness and death are at work at once.

All God’s revelations are sealed until they are opened to us by obedience. You will never get them open by philosophy or thinking. Immediately you obey, a flash of light comes. Let God’s truth work in you by soaking in it, not by worrying into it. The only way you can get to know is to stop trying to find out and by being born again. Obey God in the thing He shows you, and instantly the next thing is opened up. We read tomes on the work of the Holy Spirit, when one five minutes of drastic obedience would make things as clear as a sunbeam. ‘I suppose I shall understand these things some day!’ You can understand them now. It is not study that does it, but obedience. The tiniest fragment of obedience, and heaven opens and the profoundest truths of God are yours straight away. God will never reveal more truth about Himself until you have obeyed what you know already. Beware of becoming “wise and prudent.”

Keep My Commandments

John 14:15.
 If you love me, keep my commandments.

Christians often limit their obedience to "churchly" things. Those who are willing to be obedient in matters of ritual and worship, but consider that Christ's commands can be excluded from some parts of their lives, are all too numerous.

Consider, then, that obedience to Christ is nowhere restricted in Scripture. There is absolutely no thought that you can obey him in part of your life, but not in all. Why?

• First, because all authority is His. All legitimate authority on earth is derived from him.
• Second, because faith without works—isn't.

So the authority is there. Christ has spent three years with these men; why does he mention this now? He is comforting his disciples with regard to the fact that he is about to be crucified. So let us consider obedience in the light of Christian comfort:

These men are in anxious tears over his imminent departure. They don't understand everything, but they know he is leaving, and they are saddened. They offer their tears as proof of this. But if obedience is better than sacrifice (and it is), then it is certainly better than feelings. Obedience is a way of loving and worshiping Christ.
 
More than that, obedience is the path for the puzzled Christian. These men don't quite understand what Christ will be going through. They are saddened, but they are also puzzled. When puzzled, and you don't know what's best, obey the command you know is right. The Lord will honor that.

Do you see that obedience is the natural fruit of the love of God? We love him because of the great love he showed us in going to the Cross for our sins. Knowing who He is, knowing the authority he has and the love he has for us, the natural reaction should be to do what he wants us to do—to obey.

"I delight to do your will," said Jesus. It is essential to his relationship to the Father that he delights to do his will. It is not a relationship of force and submission, but of love.

Every morning my wife brings her grouchy husband a cup of coffee. This is not written in the marriage vows; nor have I ever demanded it. It is an act of love; she knows how much I cherish that first cup in the morning. She delivers it with a smile.

It is a small example. Surely our love for Him should be much greater; surely its fruit should be obedience.

The “go” of renunciation

Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest. Luke 9:57.

 

Our Lord’s attitude to this man is one of severe discouragement because He knew what was in man. We would have said—‘Fancy losing the opportunity of winning that man!’ ‘Fancy bringing about a north wind that froze him and turned him away discouraged!’ Never apologize for your Lord. The words of the Lord hurt and offend until there is nothing left to hurt or offend. Jesus Christ has no tenderness whatever toward anything that is ultimately going to ruin a man in the service of God. Our Lord’s answers are based not on caprice, but on a knowledge of what is in man. If the Spirit of God brings to your mind a word of the Lord that hurts you, you may be sure that there is something He wants to hurt to death.

 

v. 58. These words knock the heart out of serving Jesus Christ because it is pleasing to me. The rigour of rejection leaves nothing but my Lord, and myself, and a forlorn hope. ‘Let the hundredfold come or go, your lodestar must be your relationship to Me, and I have nowhere to lay My head.’

 

v. 59. This man did not want to disappoint Jesus, nor to hurt his father. We put sensitive loyalty to relatives in place of loyalty to Jesus Christ and Jesus has to take the last place. In a conflict of loyalty, obey Jesus Christ at all costs.

 

v. 61. The one who says—‘Yes, Lord, but . . .’ is the one who is fiercely ready, but never goes. This man had one or two reservations. The exacting call of Jesus Christ has no margin of good-byes, because good-bye, as it is often used, is pagan, not Christian. When once the call of God comes, begin to go and never stop going.

 

 

 

The unblameable attitude

If. . . thou rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee . . . Matthew 5:23.

 

If when you come to the altar, there you remember that your brother has anything against you, not—If you rake up something by a morbid sensitiveness, but—“If thou rememberest,” that is, it is brought to your conscious mind by the Spirit of God: “first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” Never object to the intense sensitiveness of the Spirit of God in you when He is educating you down to the scruple.

 

“First be reconciled to thy brother. . .” Our Lord’s direction is simple—“first be reconciled.” Go back the way you came, go the way indicated to you by the conviction given at the altar; have an attitude of mind and a temper of soul to the one who has something against you that makes reconciliation as natural as breathing. Jesus does not mention the other person, He says—you go. There is no question of your rights. The stamp of the saint is that he can waive his own rights and obey the Lord Jesus.

 

“And then come and offer thy gift.” The process is clearly marked. First, the heroic spirit of self-sacrifice, then the sudden checking by the sensitiveness of the Holy Spirit, and the stoppage at the point of conviction; then the way of obedience to the word of God, constructing an unblameable attitude of mind and temper to the one with whom you have been in the wrong; then the glad, simple, unhindered offering of your gift to God.

 

 

The Sacrifice Has Been Accepted

"If the LORD were pleased to kill us, He would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would He have showed us all these things" (Jdg_13:23)

This is a sort of promise deduced by logic. It is an inference fairly drawn from ascertained facts. It was not likely that the LORD had revealed to Manoah and his wife that a son would be born to them and yet had it in His heart to destroy them. The wife reasoned well, and we shall do well if we follow her line of argument.

The Father has accepted the great sacrifice of Calvary and has declared Himself well pleased therewith; how can He now be pleased to kill us! Why a substitute if the sinner must still perish? The accepted sacrifice of Jesus puts an end to fear.

The LORD has shown us our election, our adoption, our union to Christ, our marriage to the Well-beloved: how can He now destroy us? The promises are loaded with blessings, which necessitate our being preserved unto eternal life. It is not possible for the LORD to cast us away and yet fulfill His covenant. The past assures us, and the future reassures us. We shall not die but live, for we have seen Jesus, and in Him we have seen the Father by the illumination of the Holy Ghost. Because of this life-giving sight we must live forever.

God’s Compass

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.  Psalm 119:105

During World War II, small compasses saved the lives of 27 sailors 300 miles off the coast of North Carolina. Waldemar Semenov, a retired merchant seaman, was serving as a junior engineer aboard the SS Alcoa Guide when a German submarine surfaced and opened fire on the ship. The ship was hit, caught fire, and began to sink. Semenov and his crew lowered compass-equipped lifeboats into the water and used the compasses to guide them toward the shipping lanes closer to shore. After three days, the men were rescued.

The psalmist reminded God’s people that His Word was a trustworthy “compass.” He likened it to a lamp. In that day, the flickering light cast by an olive oil lamp was only bright enough to show a traveler his next step. To the psalmist, God’s Word was such a lamp, providing enough light to illuminate the path for those pursuing God (Ps. 119:105). When the psalmist was wandering in the dark on a chaotic path of life, he believed that God, through the guidance of His Word, would provide direction.

When we lose our bearings in life, we can trust our God who gives His trustworthy Word as our compass, using it to lead us into deeper fellowship with Him.

Heavenly Father, it is difficult to navigate life. I drift sometimes, but I will trust in You. Lead me and guide me by the faithfulness and reliability of Your Word.

Brighter and Clearer

But the path of the [uncompromisingly] just and righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines more and more (brighter and clearer) until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day [to be prepared]. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.  - Proverbs 4:18-19
 
Maybe you're still thinking to yourself, Joyce, I'm a timid and shy person, that's just my nature. I don't think I can change. You may feel timid and shy, but you can choose to walk boldly through life. The main thing I want you to remember is that you can feel afraid, you can feel timid, you can feel downright cowardly, and yet you can make the choice to walk boldly and as if fear did not exist! Your free will is stronger than your feelings if you will exercise it.

You may be like thousands of others who have catered to their fearful feelings for so long that the fear has taken control. Your will, like a muscle, becomes weak if not exercised. As you begin to ask God to help you and exercise your willpower against your feelings, it will get easier and easier to be the person you truly want to be, the person God has designed you to be.
 
Lord, there are certain feelings that control my life and tear down my confidence. I trust that as I exercise my willpower, You will strengthen me and make my path brighter and clearer and easier to walk. Amen.

We are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ

We are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:15

Every time I get close to a rosebush or a bouquet of flowers, I’m unable to resist the temptation to pull a flower toward my nose to savor the fragrance. The sweet aroma lifts up my heart and triggers good feelings within me.

Writing to the Christians in Corinth centuries ago, the apostle Paul says that because we belong to Christ, God “uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere” (2 Cor. 2:14). Through His strength we can live a victorious life, exchanging our selfishness for His love and kindness and proclaiming the goodness of His salvation. When we do this, we are indeed a sweet fragrance to God.

Paul then switches to a second image, describing Christians as a “letter from Christ” (3:3). The letter of our lives is not written with ordinary ink, but by the Spirit of God. God changes us by writing His Word on our hearts for others to read.

Both word pictures encourage us to allow the beauty of Christ to be seen in us so we can point people to Him. He is the One who, as Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:2, “loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Lord, let Your splendor fill my life, that I may draw people to You. Help me walk in the way that spreads the fragrance of Your love to others.
 

Our actions speak louder than our words.

Make Love a Habit

And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities.
- Hebrews 10:24

If we intend to make love a habit, then we must develop the habit of loving people with our words. The fleshly (lower, sensual) nature points out flaws, weaknesses, and failures. It seems to feed on the negatives in life. It sees and magnifies all that is wrong with people and things. But the Bible says in Romans 12:21 that we are to overcome evil with good.

Walking in the Spirit (continually following the prompting or leading, guiding, and working of the Holy Spirit through our own spirit instead of being led by our emotions) requires being positive. God is positive, and in order to walk with Him we must agree with Him (see Amos 3:3).

It is easy to find something wrong with everyone, but love covers a multitude of sins: Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others]. (1 Peter 4:8) Love does not expose faults; it covers them.

Refusing to Strike Out

What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?]
- Romans 8:31

The story is told of a little boy who was overheard talking to himself in his backyard. He was wearing a baseball cap and carrying a ball and bat: “I’m the greatest hitter in the world,” he announced. Then he tossed the ball into the air, swung at it, but missed.

“Strike one!” he yelled. He picked up the ball and said again, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world!” He tossed the ball into the air.

He swung again and missed. “Strike two!” he yelled. He straightened his cap and said one last time, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world!” He tossed the ball up into the air and swung at it.

He missed. “Strike three! Wow!” he exclaimed. “I’m the greatest pitcher in the world!”

A thankful, positive, never-give‑up attitude will change your outlook and change your life.

Prayer of Thanks

 Father, help me to see life in a new way. I thank You that because You are with me, I never have to feel like a failure again. You have a plan for my life. If I swing and miss, it just means that You have something better in store.

Love Locks

Walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. Ephesians 5:2

“Love Locks” is a growing phenomenon. Thousands of people in love have attached these love padlocks to bridges, gates, and fences around the world, including France, China, Austria, Czech Republic, Serbia, Spain, Mexico, and Northern Ireland. Couples engrave their names on a padlock and then attach it in a public place to symbolize their everlasting love. Authorities of some landmarks frown upon them because of the danger they can cause if too many are attached. Some think they are acts of vandalism, while others view them as beautiful art and a picture of committed love.

The Lord showed us true “everlasting love” in a public place. He displayed His love on the cross when He gave His life to provide forgiveness of sin. And He continues to show us His love on a daily basis. Salvation is not only a promise that we’ll have eternity with God, but it is also a daily experience of forgiveness, assurance, provision, and grace in our relationship with Him. Jesus’ love for us is the basis of Paul’s challenge to “walk in the way of love” toward others (Eph. 5:2).

The love of our Father enables us to be patient and kind. In His Son He has given us the ultimate example and means of loving one another—forever.  

In what ways have you learned to love others? What action could you take today to grow in love?

 

 

Jesus shows us how to love.

 



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Stay Out of Strife

He who is of a greedy spirit stirs up strife, but he who puts his trust in the Lord shall be enriched and blessed.  Proverbs 28:25

Probably 80 percent of the places we visit in our ministry have church members who are riddled with strife. Strife is the devil’s tool against us. It takes personal self-control to stay out of strife.

If you want to keep peace, you can’t always say everything you want to say. Sometimes you have to control yourself and apologize even when there is nothing in you that wants to do so. But if you sow the godly principle of harmony and unity today, a time will come when you will reap the blessings of all it can bring to you.

The Chair of Moses

Mat 23:1-12. KJ2000
(1) Then spoke Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
(2) Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
(3) All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not according to their works: for they say, and do not.
(4) For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
(5) But all their works they do to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
(6) And love the uppermost places at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
(7) And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
(8) But you be not called Rabbi: for one is your Teacher, even Christ; and all you are brothers.
(9) And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, who is in heaven.
(10) Neither be you called masters: for one is your Teacher, even Christ.
(11) But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
(12) And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
This passage is often passed over as applying to the Pharisees only. Or, for the more rabid species of Protestant, it is the prohibition of calling a priest, "father." As for that, we would have to give up "teacher" as well. 

This passage is much more about us. Consider it this way: suppose you are taken in by some pompous, self-serving teacher of the Gospel who is in love with the sound of his own voice. Does this excuse you from living as a Christian? It may condemn your teacher but it does not excuse you.

The military had an expression for it: you salute the uniform, not the wearer. You may think the lieutenant is an idiot, but he's a commissioned idiot—and you salute him. Your teacher may indeed be pompous and self-serving, but you are to learn from him what you can, and follow Christ in doing it.

Jesus does not leave the matter at what the ordinary disciple must do. He brings out a series of examples for teachers and ministers of all types which should serve as warning.

We are not to "call" - we are not to presume that our teachers and ministers are so like God as to be worshiped. Indeed, we are to see that they are human like us. We are to honor them for the service they perform, not the title they wear.

We are not to "be called" - not to seek the titles. We are not be "rabbi" - Chrysostom translates this word as "guide." We are certainly not to be master, and indeed teacher is out of reach. Servant is the preferred role, whatever we are called.

Well, then, how does an ambitious teacher succeed in this? By service.

If you pursue greatness in the church, you will never achieve it. It's like being a hypochondriac: the more often you take your malady to the doctor, the sicker you are. You cure hypochondria by not going to the doctor.

If you pursue service, you will find greatness in the church. Status and position are not the goal; service is. Status and position will follow as the church needs; reward will flow from your Master.

For those who are accustomed to business life and climbing the ladder, look at it this way: service is the key. Therefore, there is unlimited opportunity in the church, for there is no limit to the service Christ can receive from us.

By What Authority?

Luke 20:1-8 KJ2000

(1) And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,
(2) And spoke unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority do you these things? or who is he that gave you this authority?
(3) And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:
(4) The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?
(5) And they reasoned among themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did you not believe him?
(6) But if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.
(7) And they answered, that they could not tell from where it was.
(8) And Jesus said unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.


For some time in our state, politicians ran for office on a platform of "law and order." They vied with each other to see who could promise the most vigorous (and harsh) prosecution and treatment of criminals. People expect our government to deal with crime swiftly and severely.

That was true in this day as well, and the "law and order" types have come around to Christ to check his credentials. After all, the man has been cleaning out the Temple of some "honest" merchants; so it would be best to see if this man has the proper authority to do so. At least, that's the cover story. His righteousness and their hypocrisy have conspired to prevent an arrest—so far.

Jesus takes up the question of authority somewhat obliquely.

He brings to their mind the late John the Baptist, and asks about his authority.

John, of course, testified to Jesus. So if John's authority is valid, then (by implication) so is that of Jesus.

This was not the answer they wanted. If they say John had authority from God, then so does Jesus. If not, the people will stone them. They're caught between the fear of stoning and the fear of the truth. They take neither.

It is still true: who you are determines how you see Jesus. As David said in Psalm 18:26, "To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd." Their reaction to Jesus shows us what they were. And our reactions to Jesus show us what we are:

Some of us are in denial. It can't be true, therefore it isn't true. Miracles can't happen, people don't rise from the dead, and therefore no evidence will convince me. I don't want to hear the truth.

Some of us are fence-sitters. Maybe it's true, maybe it's not, but I'm just going to sit back and wait, hoping for something else to come along. No commitment, no glory.

But some take Jesus in the honest man's embrace. An honest man, confronted with the facts, takes action. Even if the facts don't fit his preconceived notions, he does what is right. And when that honest man finds Jesus, he knows the pearl of great price when he sees it.

Completeness

And I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28. Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once and ask Him to establish rest. Never allow anything to remain which is making the dis-peace. Take every element of disintegration as something to wrestle against, and not to suffer. Say—‘Lord, prove Thy consciousness in me’, and self-consciousness will go and He will be all in all. Beware of allowing selfconsciousness to continue because by slow degrees it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is Satanic. ‘Well, I am not understood; this is a thing they ought to apologize for; that is a point I really must have cleared up.’ Leave others alone and ask the Lord to give you Christ-consciousness, and He will poise you until the completeness is absolute.

The complete life is the life of a child. When I am consciously conscious, there is something wrong. It is the sick man who knows what health is. The child of God is not conscious of the will of God because he is the will of God. When there has been the slightest deviation from the will of God, we begin to ask—‘What is Thy will?’ A child of God never prays to be conscious that God answers prayer, he is so restfully certain that God always does answer prayer.

If we try to overcome self-consciousness by any commonsense method, we develop it tremendously. Jesus says “Come unto Me and I will give you rest,” i.e., Christ-consciousness will take the place of self-consciousness. Wherever Jesus comes He establishes rest, the rest of the perfection of activity that is never conscious of itself.

Choosing the Right Church

But [as for] you, teach what is fitting and becoming to sound (wholesome) doctrine [the character and right living that identify true Christians].  - Titus 2:1

I went to church for years and years and never heard a message about the power my words had on my life. I may have heard something about my thoughts; but if so, it wasn't enough to make any impact on my life because it did not change my thinking.

I heard about grace and salvation and other good things. But it wasn't everything I needed to know in order to live in the righteousness, peace, and joy God offers to all who believe (see Romans 14:17).

There are many wonderful churches that teach God's Word in its entirety; and I encourage you to make sure that wherever you choose to go to church, it is a place where you are learning and growing spiritually. We should not go to church just to fulfill an obligation we may think we have to God. We should go to church to fellowship with other believers in Jesus Christ, to worship God, and to learn how to live the life Jesus died for us to have and enjoy.

Have you ever been expressionless with sorrow?

And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. Luke 18:23.

The rich young ruler went away expressionless with sorrow; he had not a word to say. He had no doubt as to what Jesus said, no debate as to what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow that had not any words. Have you ever been there? Has God’s word come to you about something you are very rich in—temperament, personal affinity, relationships of heart and mind? Then you have often been expressionless with sorrow. The Lord will not go after you, He will not plead, but every time He meets you on that point He will simply repeat—“If you mean what you say, those are the conditions.’

“Sell all that thou hast”—undress yourself morally before God of everything that might be a possession until you are a mere conscious human being, and then give God that. That is where the battle is fought—in the domain of the will before God. Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His hard sayings that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is hard, it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His disposition. Beware of allowing anything to soften a hard word of Jesus Christ’s.

I can be so rich in poverty, so rich in the consciousness that I am nobody, that I shall never be a disciple of Jesus; and I can be so rich in the consciousness that I am somebody—that I shall never be a disciple. Am I willing to be destitute of the sense that I am destitute? This is where discouragement comes in. Discouragement is disenchanted self-love, and self-love may be love of my devotion to Jesus.

We Would See Jesus

And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired of him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip came and told Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone: but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. He that loves his life shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serves me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serves me, him will my Father honor.

Joh 12:20-26 KJ2000

It is one of the curiosities of the New Testament. We don't know who these Greeks were; we're not even sure if the answer given here was actually delivered to them. They are standing just outside the Temple in the Court of the Gentiles—as far as a non-Jew could go. Jesus is most likely teaching in the next court, the Court of Women. So these Greeks catch a disciple with a Greek name (Philip) and ask for an interview.

The traditional history of the church tells us that these men were ambassadors from the king of Edessa, bearing an invitation to Jesus to visit that country. (Edessa was in what is now eastern Turkey). If so, Jesus declines their invitation in a magnificent way. In doing this, he lays out three principles for us:

Sacrifice for God brings great fruit. Christians often ask why they have to sacrifice. After all, God doesn't really need whatever it is we are offering, right? But our Lord makes it clear that God takes that sacrifice and multiplies it. As a father will push a child in a swing, so our Father pushes us to greater heights. He's just waiting for us to get started.

Sacrifice to God brings honor. We understand this from our earthly experiences. We honor those who sacrifice for the good of others. We award medals to soldiers who sacrifice. Is it so surprising then that God honors those who sacrifice on his behalf?

There are no half-way Christians. The temptation for those facing sacrifice is to do the job half-way, keeping back a portion for personal pleasure. Our Lord draws us a picture here: can you plant the grain of wheat half-way into the ground? If you do, it is neither fit to eat nor will it grow.

There is an old saying: you cannot jump the canyon in two leaps. The Christian life is just that: a leap across the canyon of this life into the table land of heaven. Some of us have a wide canyon to leap; others are fortunate enough to have a narrow one. But all of us must leap it in one bound. If you do not commit your all—heart, soul, mind and strength—to your Lord, it is not worth the time and trouble to commit anything. He will accept nothing less than all of you. In return, you will receive all of Him. His love, His life, His grace—all these are yours when you commit yourself entirely to him. But do not be timid about it. You don't want to change your mind half-way across the canyon. 

House of Prayer

And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but you have made it a den of thieves.
Luke 19:45-46 KJ2000

One of the chief tactics of Satan is to attempt to deny the church either space or time in our lives. From those who insist that a church building would ruin the neighborhood (think of the evil influence it would have on the sales of the nearby adult book store) to those who know the best time to schedule an event is on Sunday (too much competition on Saturday), the world knows it must deprive the Christian of time and place to worship. Satan's objective is to see that you have no place to be with other Christians, and no time to spend with God alone.

We see an earlier version of this here. In all the planet there is one spot—and not all that large—where God has placed his Name. In that spot we find (for the second time in Christ's ministry):

The merchants of religion are working happily—selling "approved" sacrificial animals, changing common money into sacred money. It's quite profitable, and look how convenient it is! Right there in the Temple; one stop shopping.

 

Indeed, the Temple itself has broad plazas. Traffic is thick in old Jerusalem, and this is a convenient shortcut.

They, like so many of us, had forgotten the simple meaning of the phrase, "house of God." It means simply that the Temple is God's own possession, and subject to his command. You can no more lead your donkey cart through it than you could through my house.

Time moves on. Paul tells us that we are God's temple (1 Corinthians 3:16). So it seems fitting to ask if we, as the temple of God, are suffering from the same conditions:

Is our religion for sale? We usually think of this in terms of a money-grubbing TV evangelist, but it applies to all of us. Do you give up the command of Christ to make a buck?

 

Is your temple a shortcut for earthly desires? If the church is nothing but a good place to meet girls, or to make business contacts, then you're leading that donkey through God's house.

Be warned: If you do not make him the sacred center of your life, you are risking the scourge of Christ. He will come to you and drive out all that does not belong. How much better that you should examine yourself, and throw out what does not belong in your temple! Then when your Lord returns, he will come to his temple and, finding it in order, praise the one who kept it that way.

 

Cursing the Fig Tree

And on the next day, when they had come from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if perhaps he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of you hereafter forever. And his disciples heard it. 
(Mark 11:12-14 KJ2000).

This incident provokes a simple question: Why? Why would Jesus curse this tree for its failure to provide figs—which were not in season? There are some interesting answers:

The power of God

Remember that Jesus has, up to this point, cursed no one. He's pronounced much woe upon the hypocrites, for they pretend to be the agents of God when they are not. But up to this point he has never pronounced doom upon anything else. You can almost hear some theologian arguing, then, that only the hypocrites will go to hell—for Jesus never actually did anything to anyone else. By this simple act, Jesus saved us from a great deal of poor theology.

It is fitting, however, that the act was performed not upon a man, nor even an animal (used in the Old Testament as a sacrifice), but a plant. In his first coming, our Lord came to seek and save the lost, and it is his Father's will that none should perish.

The disciples' faith

Jesus is proceeding to his death. It is important for the disciples to know that he has the power to crush those who would crucify him. It is also important that they know he is capable of the willpower to crush and destroy such evil. Knowing this, no other conclusion is possible: Jesus went to the Cross willingly, in order to make atonement for our sins.

Symbolism

Perhaps the most significant way to see this is symbolically. Jeremiah made the fig the symbol of the nation of Israel (Jeremiah 24). We know that Adam and Eve made coverings of fig leaves to hide their sin. So if we see the fig tree as the nation of Israel, and the leaves as covering for sin—we should expect to see figs, the fruit of the tree. Fruit is often used by Jesus as a metaphor for righteousness. Jesus is telling the disciples that the nation of Israel will soon be withered and gone, for it failed to produce righteous fruit.

Know this, then: our Lord wants all to repent and be saved. But if we will not, he has both the power and will to destroy. He is patient for a time, waiting for us to repent. But his patience will end. Will we show the fruit of righteousness by then?

　 

Chastening

Despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him. Hebrews 12:5.

It is very easy to quench the Spirit; we do it by despising the chastening of the Lord, by fainting when we are rebuked by Him. If we have only a shallow experience of sanctification, we mistake the shadow for the reality, and when the Spirit of God begins to check, we say—‘Oh, that must be the devil.’

Never quench the Spirit, and do not despise Him when He says to you—‘Don’t be blind on this point any more; you are not where you thought you were. Up to the present, I have not been able to reveal it to you, but I reveal it now.’ When the Lord chastens you like that, let Him have His way. Let Him relate you rightly to God.

“Nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him.” We get into sulks with God and say—‘Oh well, I can’t help it; I did pray and things did not turn out right, and I am going to give it all up.’ Think what would happen if we talked like this in any other domain of life!

Am I prepared to let God grip me by His power and do a work in me that is worthy of Himself? Sanctification is not my idea of what I want God to do for me; sanctification is God’s idea of what He wants to do for me, and He has to get me into the attitude of mind and spirit where at any cost I will let Him sanctify me wholly.

 

What About Me?

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
- 1 John 4:8 NIV

God is love, and His nature is that of a giver. He gives, He helps, He cares, and He sacrifices. He does not do these things occasionally; they represent His constant attitude toward us. Love is not something God does—it is Who He is. He always offers us love, generosity, grace, and help. God does chastise His children when they need it, but He even does that out of love and for our own good to teach us the right way to live.

Everything God does is for our good; all of His commands are intended to help us have the best lives we can possibly have. Because God's love has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (see Romans 5:5), we can love and be kind to others, which means taking the focus off of ourselves, silencing the internal voice that asks, What about me?, and learning to follow Jesus' example of being kind, generous, and loving toward others.

He Lowers to Raise

"Thy LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: He bringeth low, and lifteth up" (1Sa_2:7)

All my changes come from Him who never changes. If I had grown rich, I should have seen His hand in it, and I should have praised Him; let me equally see His hand if I am made poor, and let me as heartily praise Him. When we go down in the world, it is of the LORD, and so we may take it patiently: when we rise in the world, it is of the LORD, and we may accept it thankfully. In any case, the LORD hath done it, and it is well.

It seems that Jehovah's way is to lower those whom He means to raise and to strip those whom He intends to clothe. If it is His way, it is the wisest and best way. If I am now enduring the bringing low, I may well rejoice, because I see in it the preface to the lifting up. The more we are humbled by grace, the more we shall be exalted in glory. That impoverishment which will be overruled for our enrichment is to be welcomed.

O LORD, Thou has taken me down of late and made me feel my insignificance and sin. It is not a pleasant experience, but I pray Thee make it a profitable one to me. Oh, that Thou wouldst thus fit me to bear a greater weight of delight and of usefulness; and when I am ready for it, then grant it to me, for Christ's sake! Amen.

Batter in the Bowl

My daughter and I consider brownies to be one of the seven wonders of the culinary world. One day, as we were mixing the ingredients of our favorite chocolate treat, my daughter asked if I would leave some batter in the bowl after pouring most of it into the baking pan. She wanted to enjoy what was left over. I smiled and agreed. Then, I told her, “That’s called gleaning, you know, and it didn’t start with brownies.”

As we enjoyed the remnants of our baking project, I explained that Ruth had gathered leftover grain in order to feed herself and her mother-in-law Naomi (Ruth 2:2-3). Because both of their husbands had died, the women had returned to Naomi’s homeland. There Ruth met a wealthy landowner named Boaz. She asked him, “Please let me glean . . . after the reapers among the sheaves” (v. 7). He willingly consented and instructed his workers to purposely let grain fall for her (v. 16).

Like Boaz, who provided for Ruth from the bounty of his fields, God provides for us out of His abundance. His resources are infinite, and He lets blessings fall for our benefit. He willingly provides us with physical and spiritual nourishment. Every good gift we receive comes from Him.

Dear God, thank You for the blessings I enjoy! You minister to Your children out of Your limitless abundance. I worship You as my provider.
 

Our greatest needs cannot exceed God’s great resources.

God commanded His people to be generous and to allow the poor to gather food from their lands at harvest time (Lev. 19:9-10; Deut. 24:19-22). God is the defender, protector, and provider of the poor, the helpless, and the oppressed (Deut. 10:17-19; Ps. 9:9-10; 146:5-9). Sim Kay Tee
 

Wisdom and Revelation

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
- Ephesians 1:17–19 NIV

Rather than focus on negative things in life, the Bible teaches us to see good things in Christ with the “eyes of your heart.” Ephesians 1:17–19 says that the Spirit of wisdom and revelation are important so we may:

• Have knowledge of God, or know God Himself. This is not knowledge gained through education, but revelation.
• Know the hope of our calling, the eternal plan of God and how we fit into it. We can be thankful that God has called us to be His sons and daughters, and as such, we have an inheritance.
• Know that revelation knowledge of God’s power is available to us. We can do anything God asks us to do because of the greatness of His power.

Give thanks today that you can know God, have hope, and live in His power!
Prayer of Thanks
I thank You, Father, that You have given me hope in Christ Jesus. Today, I will focus on the good things in my life and listen for Your voice. Thank You that You lead and guide me in the wisdom and revelation of Your Word and Your Holy Spirit.

The Invitation

What I have forgiven ...has been for your sakes ...to keep Satan from getting the advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his wiles and intentions.  2 Corinthians 2:10-11

Suppose we receive a package from an overnight carrier. After we open it, we stare at a beautiful, oversized envelope, with our name written on it in exquisite calligraphy. Inside, the invitation starts with these words: You are invited to enjoy a life filled with misery, worry, and confusion.

Which one of us would say yes to such an outrageous invitation? Don't we seek the kind of life that keeps us free from such pain and distractions? Yet many of us choose such a life. Not that we blatantly make that choice, but we sometimes surrender even temporarily to Satan's invitation. His attack is ongoing and relentless-the devil is persistent! Our enemy bombards our minds with every weapon at his disposal every day of our lives.
 
We are engaged in a warfare, a warfare that rages and never stops. We can put on the whole armor of God, halt the evil one's advances, and stand fast on the Word of God, but we won't put a complete end to the war. As long as we are alive, our minds remain Satan's battlefield. Most of our problems are rooted in thinking patterns that produce the problems we experience. This is where Satan triumphs. He offers wrong thinking to all of us. This isn't a new trick devised for our generation; he began his deceptive ways in the Garden of Eden. The serpent asked the woman, Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every tree of the garden? (Genesis 3:1a). That was the first attack on the human mind. Eve could have rebuked the tempter; instead, she told him God would let them eat from the trees, but not from one particular tree. They couldn't even touch that tree, because if they did, they would die.

But the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die, For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing the difference 'between good and evil and blessing and calamity (vv. 4-5). This was the first attack, and it resulted in Satan's first victory. What we often miss about temptation and the battle our enemy levels against us is that it comes to us deceptively.

Suppose he had said to the woman, "Eat of the fruit. You'll bring misery, anger, hatred, bloodshed, poverty, and justice into the world." Eve would have recoiled and run away. He tricked her because he lied and told her what would appeal to her. Satan promised, "You will be like God. You'll know good and evil." What a marvelous appeal to the woman. He wasn't tempting Eve to do something bad, or at least he phrased it in such a way that what she heard sounded good.

That's always the appeal of sin or satanic enticement. The temptation is not to do evil or to cause harm or bring injustice. The lure is that we will gain something. Satan's temptation worked on Eve. And when the woman saw that the tree was good (suitable, pleasant) for food and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she gave some also to her husband, and he ate (v.6).

Eve lost the first battle for the mind, and we have continued to fight for it since that time. But because we have the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we can win and we can keep on winning.

Victorious God, help me resist the onslaughts of Satan, who attacks my mind and makes evil seem good. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Live with Purpose

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose].

 1 Corinthians 15:58

Life without purpose is vanity. Webster's definition of purpose is "something set up as an object or end to be attained." Christians ought to be people with purpose. We are all purposed to seek the kingdom of God, which is His righ¬teousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (see Ro¬mans 14:17).

Today is an opportunity to willfully and deliberately seek God with the intent to know Him better than we knew Him yesterday. Today we can deliberately move forward with the intent to accomplish good things for the Kingdom.

The Rich Young Ruler

Mark 10:17-22.

(17) And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
(18) And Jesus said unto him, Why call me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
(19) You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor your father and mother.
(20) And he answered and said unto him, Teacher, all these have I observed from my youth.
(21) Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing you lack: go your way, sell whatsoever you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
(22) And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

Suppose you had the chance to ask Jesus one, and only one, question. What would it be? It might depend upon your circumstances; if you were ill, you might ask for healing, for example. But what if your circumstances were high and good indeed?

That's what we have here. The man is rich in the things of this world. We may conclude from the fact that Christ does not rebuke his presumption but instead loves him that he indeed has kept the commandments. In short, he is a man who has been blessed by God with all earthly blessings, one who is righteous under the Law of Moses—and still he has a question. "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"

If you want the right answers, you must ask the right questions. Jesus points him to the Law, but only to bring out the fact that something is yet to be fulfilled. Jesus is that fulfillment of the Law. He makes that point to the young man by pointing out that only God is good. It forces the question: who is this man Jesus? If he is indeed God in the flesh, then he is lord over all who worship God. It is that lordship which is at the center of this tragedy. Many of us are willing to accept Jesus as a great teacher and moral authority—but that is not his claim. He claims to be God. If he is, then he should be your Lord. If he is not, you should despise him.

The matter becomes even more radical in Jesus reply. Note that it says that he loved this young man. And why not? God loves those who keep his commandments. Why then did not Jesus simply commend him? It is precisely because he loved him that he challenged him—on the issue of lordship. Either the man's money was his master, or God.

Like Nicodemus at night, the ruler was looking for the last small step. As Nicodemus was told to be born again, this man is also told to renounce his life and turn about radically. One thing stands between him and eternal life: his money. Get rid of it; then follow your Lord. The issue is not the money; the issue is lordship.

How about you? Is there something in your life which stands between you and your Lord Jesus? Is there anything which causes you to put Christ "on hold" while you deal with it? Many things can do this; a job, your stocks and bonds, your hobby, your spouse (or the one you are pursuing), the new house, the new car, or just the everyday cares of this world—how will I make it until the next paycheck? One Lord—the question is, which?

　

Little Children

Mark 10:13-16.

(13) And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
(14) But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Allow the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
(15) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
(16) And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

Have you ever asked a baseball player for an autograph? We all have the feeling that, somehow, something of another's "greatness" will rub off on us if we can make physical contact. Something of that is seen here in these mothers who brought their children to Jesus.

The drama comes from the disciples. They try to hold the children back. The great man is busy, there are huge demands on his time, children this small are unimportant, he can't be bothered with such things. It is not respectable!

And it isn't respectable. It's righteous. The Creator of time itself has time for these little ones; who more? He does what polite society thinks unreasonable: he loves the least. In their society children were not possessed of "high marginal incomes," and thus courted by advertisers. They had nothing, and therefore the world considered them as nothing.

Consider the least of our society today. Take, for a specific example, a young woman who is addicted to drugs, has a baby, no job and is single. How does the body of Christ, the church, treat her?

Do we shoo her away lest her terrible example rub off on decent Christian teenagers?

Or do we take her in our arms with the love of Christ?

Such a person resembles a child of that time. Spiritually, they are often completely uneducated. Economically, they're at the bottom of the heap. Their burdens are greater than they can bear, and like children they need a lot of help, encouragement, counsel and even wisdom.

Christ tells us that "of such" is the kingdom of heaven! Why would God welcome "such" into his kingdom? Is it not so that his mighty power and great love might be displayed?

Power? Yes, even the worst of sinners can be redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

Love? Yes, no matter how undeserving, God looks upon the sinners of this world as his children, and has compassion on them.

Christ does not just "put up with" these children—he welcomes them into his arms. He blesses them so that we might see that no one is too low to enter the kingdom. We, the church, need to open our arms to the wayward children of this world, so that we might bring his blessing to them, too.

Till You Are Entirely His

         Let your endurance be a finished product, so that you may be finished and complete, with never a defect. James 1:4 (Moffatt).

 

Many of us are all right in the main, but there are some domains in which we are slovenly. It is not a question of sin, but of the remnants of the carnal life which are apt to make us slovenly. Slovenliness is an insult to the Holy Ghost. There should be nothing slovenly, whether it be in the way we eat and drink, or in the way we worship God.

Not only must our relationship to God be right, but the external expression of that relationship must be right. Ultimately God will let nothing escape, every detail is under His scrutiny. In numberless ways God will bring us back to the same point over and over again. He never tires of bringing us to the one point until we learn the lesson, because He is producing the finished product. It may be a question of impulse, and again and again, with the most persistent patience, God has brought us back to the one particular point; or it may be mental wool-gathering, or independent individuality. God is trying to impress upon us the one thing that is not entirely right.

We have been having a wonderful time this Session over the revelation of God’s Redemption, our hearts are perfect towards Him; His wonderful work in us makes us know that in the main we are right with Him; now, says the Spirit, through St. James, “Let your endurance be a finished product.” Watch the slipshod bits— ‘Oh, that will have to do for now.’ Whatever it is, God will point it out with persistence until we are entirely His.

 

The Discipline Of Disillusionment

        Jesus did not commit Himself unto them. . . for He knew what was in man. John 2:24-25.

 

Disillusionment means that there are no more false judgments in life. To be undeceived by disillusionment may leave us cynical and unkindly severe in our judgment of others, but the disillusionment which comes from God brings us to the place where we see men and women as they really are, and yet there is no cynicism, we have no stinging, bitter things to say. Many of the cruel things in life spring from the fact that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as facts; we are true only to our ideas of one another. Everything is either delightful and fine, or mean and dastardly, according to our idea.

 

The refusal to be disillusioned is the cause of much of the suffering in human life. It works in this way—if we love a human being and do not love God, we demand of him every perfection and every rectitude, and when we do not get it we become cruel and vindictive; we are demanding of a human being what he or she cannot give. There is only one Being Who can satisfy the last aching abyss of the human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Why Our Lord is apparently so severe regarding every human relationship is because He knows that every relationship not based on loyalty to Himself will end in disaster. Our Lord trusted no man, yet He was never suspicious, never bitter. Our Lord’s confidence in God and in what His grace could do for any man was so perfect that He despaired of no one. If our trust is placed in human beings, we shall end in despairing of everyone.

What do you see in your clouds?

Behold, He cometh with clouds. Rev. 1:7.

In the Bible clouds are always connected with God. Clouds are those sorrows or sufferings or providences, within or without our personal lives, which seem to dispute the rule of God. It is by those very clouds that the Spirit of God is teaching us how to walk by faith. If there were no clouds, we should have no faith. ‘The clouds are but the dust of our Father’s feet.’ The clouds are a sign that He is there. What a revelation it is to know that sorrow and bereavement and suffering are the clouds that come along with God! God cannot come near without clouds, He does not come in clear shining.

It is not true to say that God wants to teach us something in our trials; through every cloud He brings, He wants us to unlearn something. God’s purpose in the cloud is to simplify our belief until our relationship to Him is exactly that of a child—God and my own soul, other people are shadows. Until other people become shadows, clouds and darkness will be mine every now and again. Is the relationship between myself and God getting simpler than ever it has been?

There is a connection between the strange providences of God and what we know of Him, and we have to learn to interpret the mysteries of life in the light of our knowledge of God. Unless we can look the darkest, blackest fact full in the face without damaging God’s character, we do not yet know Him.

“They feared as they entered the cloud. . . .” Is there anyone “save Jesus only” in your cloud? If so, it will get darker; you must get to the place where there is “no one any more save Jesus only.”

 

The way to know

If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine. . . John 7:17.

 

The golden rule for understanding spiritually is not intellect, but obedience. If a man wants scientific knowledge, intellectual curiosity is his guide; but if he wants insight into what Jesus Christ teaches, he can only get it by obedience. If things are dark to me, then I may be sure there is something I will not do. Intellectual darkness comes through ignorance; spiritual darkness comes because of something I do not intend to obey.

 

No man ever receives a word from God without instantly being put to the test over it. We disobey and then wonder why we don’t go on spiritually. ‘If when you come to the altar,’ said Jesus, ‘there you remember your brother hath ought against you. . . don’t say another word to Me, but first go and put that thing right.’ The teaching of Jesus hits us where we live. We cannot stand as humbugs before Him for one second. He educates us down to the scruple. The Spirit of God unearths the spirit of self-vindication; He makes us sensitive to things we never thought of before.

 

When Jesus brings a thing home by His word, don’t shirk it. If you do, you will become a religious humbug. Watch the things you shrug your shoulders over, and you will know why you do not go on spiritually. First go— at the risk of being thought fanatical you must obey what God tells you.