Talkng About Praise

One of my favorite part of Scripture is Psalm 34, especially verses 1-3; "I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together."

My fascination with this Psalm lies in David's determination to bless (praise, salute) the Lord no matter what. So many times we allow our emotions to influence our praise, but here we see the Psalmist making the conscious decision that he would bless the Lord at all times; the two important phrases being "I will" and "at all times". We cannot always trust our emotions, and there are times when it feels like we are passing through endless valleys, and that may be the case for some, but even then, we can resolve to bless the Lord. To praise or not to praise is a decision that we make. When and how often we praise are also decisions that we make. In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Nothing external to you have any power over you," and once we realize this, we will also realize that there is nothing, nor no one, that can stop our praise but ourselves.

We cannot afford to be "situational praisers." True worshippers see praise as an offering to God for who He is; a celebration of His attributes. Inspired by the Holy spirit, David wrote, "Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in His sanctuary: praise Him in the firmament of His power. Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet: praise Him with the psaltery and harp. Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD" (Psalm 150).

I am with David. "From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the LORD's name is to be praised" (Psalm 113:3), so come and "magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together." Praise ye the Lord!

Radical "Surgery": Doing What is Necessary

Some of Jesus' hearers must have wondered what He was talking about. How did a teaching that started with the ethics of the kingdom of God got around to include plucking out an eye? Cutting off a hand? Would God's kingdom be filled with one-armed and one-legged people? The voice of the Teacher echoed across the audience: "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee . . . And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell" (Matthew 5:29-30, KJV).

Of course, Jesus was using hyperbole, exaggeration, a common method of teaching then in order to make a point. Using the analogy of an amputation, He wanted to teach yet another important spiritual lesson: "If a person, in order to save his or her life, will remove an eye or amputate a limb, should he or she not also amputate an evil desire/tendency in order to save his or her soul?"

A malignant tumor is not one that is treated with the intent of saving it. Because of its tendency to become progressively worse and to potentially result in death, such a tumor must be removed. As such, physicians and specialists radically deal with it one way or another. As it is in the physical, so it is in the spiritual. The attitudes and behaviours that threaten our spiritual health cannot be allowed to proliferate in our lives without getting our attention. It is easy to dismiss and excuse these "diseased" attitudes and behaviours as insignificant, yet they are the ones that could potentially keep us out of God's kingdom. For that reason alone, they require radical surgery; they require "amputation"! To Jesus’ point, if we would do everything to save our lives, we should be more than willing to do everything to save our souls. “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).

There is nothing easy or pleasurable about an amputation, but it often saves lives. From a spiritual perspective, isn't it better to face the pain – possibly severe pain - of dealing with the issues that threaten us now, than to face the eternal pain of being separated from God due to a stubborn, persistent refusal to live life His way? Whatever is going to keep me out of the kingdom, I can do without! What say you?

The Unspeakable Gift

Christmas is over. Soon the trees will come down as will the decorations and the lights. For some, there is really nothing quite like the excitement of Christmas morning - anxious kids, sleepy-eyed adults, the exchanging and opening of gifts. Some were opened to much delight as the peeling away of wrappings revealed something much desired or delightfully unexpected. Others were opened to a twinge of disappointment. Yes, the recipient was grateful but it was not quite what they were hoping for, and so some gifts will be returned and others will be exchanged. Such is some of the drama around Christmas.

Yet amidst all of this, the celebration of Christmas for some was more than just trees, lights, decorations, presents, or even family and friends. It was a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, God's gift to the world. The wrappings on that gift wasn't fancy. Born in a stable to a virgin girl and her startled husband, wrapped in strips of cloth and placed in a feeding box, how could one believe that this was no ordinary baby but rather the "Saviour, which is Christ the Lord"? But it was true! This gift, so nondescript as it seemed then, was one that superseded all other gifts imaginable. It could not be returned or exchanged, only refused, and to refuse it would be the biggest mistake that an individual could make. It was impossible to be fully reconciled to God without this gift as He later said of Himself, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6, ESV). While we may not be particularly thankful for some of the gifts we received at Christmas, here was one we could always be thankful for. By sending His Son into the world, God flung the doors wide open for our redemption. Judgement and condemnation were escapable because while the wages of sin is death, the gift of God, obtainable through Jesus Christ, was everlasting life. Given our spiritual alienation from God and the things of God, could there have been a greater gift?

As we leave this Christmas behind us, may we be constantly reminded that God's gift to us is not only good at Christmas, but all throughout the year. Accepting that gift makes the world of difference in our lives and so like the Apostle Paul we can say, and should say, with a heart of gratitude, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift" (2 Cor. 9:15).

Abiding in the Vine

Several days after cutting the grass in my backyard, I noticed that the grass clippings were no longer green, but brown. Of course, that made perfect sense because having being cut off from their source of food and nutrients, they could not survive. As I looked out at this natural occurrence, I thought of the words of Jesus: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman....As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me....I am the vine, ye are the branches...without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:1, 4b-5, KJV).

In our increasingly secular humanistic age where reliance on self and one's abilities are highly touted, the Christian, if not careful, can lose sight of this profound spiritual truth. I am sure most of us know, or at least have heard, those words spoken by Jesus, but have we taken the time to really understand them? The word "abide" implies staying or remaining in a given place or state, and Jesus used the word seven times in the first seven verses of John 15. Talk about emphasizing a point! The successful Christian is not the one who sings and prays the loudest, has the biggest Bible, speaks "spiritualese", or has a perfect record of Church attendance. It is the one who constantly stays connected to the source of all that pertains to life and godliness, Jesus Christ, the true Vine.

The aforementioned grass clippings didn't have a choice to stay connected to their life source, but when He spoke the words "If ye abide in me" (v.7), Jesus made abiding in Him a matter of personal choice. Amidst the hustle and bustle of our days and the many distractions we experience, sincere Christians have to make the time to nurture this most important of relationships. Disconnected from Christ we wither away spiritually, yet it doesn't have to be that way. Jesus made it possible for us to experience the richness of being sustained and kept by the richness that flows from Him, for as long as we choose to stay connected to Him. As you examine your own life, what choice does it reflect?

"Without me ye can do nothing." Lord, may the profoundness and reality of that truth provoke us to do whatever it takes to stay connected to you.

Showing Jesus to the World

Back when I was a undergraduate student and in a personal evangelism class, the professor talked about the importance of living our lives in such a way, i.e. as Jesus commanded, that invited questions from the unsaved. Of course everyone agreed. However, a classmate pointed out that some of the laziest people in his place of work were Christians. It got me thinking:

- Why is it that some of the most miserable and stressed out people are Christians?
- Why is it that some of the most sarcastic and rudest people are Christians?
- Why is it that some of the people who worry the most are Christians?
- Why is it that some Christians are some of the unfriendliest people?
- Why is it that some Christians are among those most insecure?
- Why is it that some Christians are among those most unforgiving?
- Why is it that some Christians are among the most arrogant?
- Why is it that some Christians have the worst work ethic?
- Why is it that some of the people most likely to make excuses for what they do are Christians?

Why?

Have you ever been cut-off on the roadways by someone with a "Smile, Jesus Loves U" bumper sticker on their car? Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Just maybe that is a part of the reason the world seem so indifferent, and in some ways hostile, to those who say they are Christians? The professor at the time said that whenever someone asked him if he was a Christian, he replied, "I am a follower of Jesus Christ." Ouch! Yet his statement, as uncomfortable as it may make us feel, was consistent with the observations of Mahatma Gandhi who reportedly once said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Inherent in that statement is the message that Christians are expected to be like Christ. He is the standard against which His followers are judged, and quite rightly so.

Jesus urged His disciples, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16, KJV). Everything about the way we live and the attitudes we display should point to the Lord we serve. To do so effectively is to invite questions from those who do not know Him; it opens the door to sharing our faith.

As you live your life in your sphere of influence, how would those looking at you sum you up? Like my professor, I am not so much hung up on the word "christian" as that is, unfortunately, a relative term. "There goes a faithful follower of Christ!" Personally, I would be humbly satisfied with that.

Seeing Through the Eyes of Faith

The servant must have wondered what Elisha was talking about. For sure, after he (the servant) had woken up that morning and looked outside, he saw that "an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city" in which he and his master were staying. He knew that the Arameans were angry at Elisha who was warning the king of Israel about their plans of attack. Now they had found him (2 Kings 6:8-14). Filled with consternation he said to his master, "'Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?'” To which Elisha replied, "Don’t be afraid ... those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (vv. 15, 16).

Of course, the servant could only see himself and his master. What did the prophet mean by those who are with us? Maybe the pressure had gotten to him and he had lost touch on reality because as far as he (the servant) was concerned, there was nobody else on their side and there was an army waiting to arrest and take them back to Aram to face the wrath of the king. While the servant stood processing all of this, the narrative continues, "And Elisha prayed, 'Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.'" and then in what must have seemed like an instant, "The Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (v. 17).

We are not told anything about the servant's reaction to what he was now seeing. However, it is fair to conclude that he probably breathed a sigh of relief. Now he knew why the army surrounding the city did not trouble his master; he was focusing on the “hills full of horses and chariots of fire” that surrounded him. What started out as two people standing in the same moment in time, looking at the same circumstances yet seeing different things, ended with both persons seeing the same things. The difference? Seeing with the eyes of faith.

Looking at the servant before Elisha's prayer, we see ourselves. We look around and we see our circumstances. Not only do we see them, we are intimidated by them. So much so that we echo the words, "Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?" Yet our Lord would have us look at our circumstances not with our natural eyes, "but my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him" (Hebrews 10:38, NIV). For the believer who desires to please God, living by faith is not an option; it is a mandate (Hebrews 11:6). Genuine faith is dead to doubt, dumb to discouragement, [and] blind to impossibilities; it is unwavering, holding fast even in the face of what seems like insurmountable odds. It makes all the difference in the world in how we see things.

As you deal with your day-to-day life and situations, where is your line of sight focused? How are you seeing?

More Than Lip Service and Rituals

Jesus was at it again. Going head-to-head with the scribes and Pharisees who, this time, were questioning why His disciples transgressed the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands when they eat bread (Matthew 15:1-2). Jesus answered their question with one of His own: "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?" (v.3), proceeded to give them an example (vv. 4-6), before delivering the finishing blow, "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 'This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men'" (vv. 7-9). That was some serious stuff!

Two thousand years later, the words of Jesus continue to resonate through time. How many of us are caught up in diligent observation of church and other traditions while being less than diligent in our observation of God's Word? For the religious leaders of the day, this custom of washing extended not just to their hands before eating, but in coming from the market; and also to cups, and pots, and brass vessels, and tables (Mark 7:3-4). On this point, Bible Scholar Albert Barnes observes, "They did this professedly for the sake of cleanliness. So far it was well. But they also made it a matter of superstition. They regarded external purity as of much more importance than the purity of the heart. They had many foolish rules about it respecting the quantity of water that was to be used, the way in which it should be applied, the number of times it should be changed, the number of those that might wash at a time, etc." It could be said that they majored on the minors. They failed to recognize that God's primary concern was not the cleansiness of their hands but rather the cleansiness of their hearts.

God's priority in that regard has not changed. Like the scribes and Pharisees, we may be regular in the forms of worship; strict in certain observances and doing things that demonstrates our religiousness outwardly; but God requires the heart, and that some of us have not surrendered. In other words, we honour Him with our lips but our hearts are far from Him. This is not true worship (v. 9).

True worshippers are those who "worship the Father in spirit and in truth," those who engage in the offering of the soul rather than the formal offering of the body - the homage of the heart rather than that of the lips. These are the people "the Father seeketh ... to worship Him" (John 4:23, KJV). How do you measure up? What kind of worshipper are you?

Pointing Fingers

Jesus was on a roll. As He taught the people in what we now know as the Sermon on the Mount, He moved through topics such as the "be-attitudes", divorce, love for enemies, oaths, adultery, murder, giving to the needy, prayer, fasting, worry, to name a few. To His captive audience, it must have seemed that His teachings left no area of life untouched.

Then as if He could not have gotten any more personal, He did. According to Matthew's narrative, Jesus admonished His hearers, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Matthew 7:1-2, NIV, 1984). However, He did not stop there, but continued, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?" (vv. 3-4). Some in the crowd were probably "experts" at pointing out the fault of others while being oblivious to their own faults. Maybe some of us know some people like that. Or, maybe, we are like that!

Jesus had strong words for this kind of behaviour: "[H]ypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye" (v.5). Being called a "hypocrite" was not a compliment. It speaks of putting on a false front or false appearance of virtue or religion. In other words, Jesus is not impressed with the hypocrite. Before finding and pointing out the faults of others, we first need to take care of our own. In Jesus' example, the faults were not even the same for the person with the plank in his eye was pointing out the dust in the eye of another! Now, that was being hypocritical for sure.

Steve Maraboli was right when he said, “When you're too religious, you tend to point your finger to judge instead of extending your hand to help.” It is that kind of religion that Jesus spoke against. Our awareness of our own faults should cause us to be gracious towards others struggling with their own faults. Let us, with God's help, see ourselves first in the mirror of the Word. As we trust Him to help us with our faults, we are then in a position to help our brother or sister with theirs. For in the process of pointing a finger at another, our thumb points to God, the only judge, and our remaining three fingers point directly back at us. Try it. I believe that's exactly how God intended it.

You Deserve the Glory - Terry MacAlmon

This song has blessed me tremendously from the very first time I heard it some years ago. There really is no one like our God and He deserves ALL the glory.

 

 

 

When Urgency Provokes Disobedience

Saul figured he could not wait. Earlier, in response to the Philistine threat, he had amassed Israel's first standing army of three thousand men - two thousand with him and a thousand with his son, Johnathan (1 Samuel 13:1-2). According to the narrative, Israel had become an abomination to the Philistines. As along as Israel stayed a weak and subjected people, the Philistines were fine with that. However, as soon as the Israelites show some boldness in the LORD and were willing to fight against the LORD's enemies, as Johnathan had shown in an initial attack, the Philistines considered them an abomination (vv. 3-4).

The Philistine army was formidable. "Thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude . . . When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead" (vv. 5-7). Samuel, the prophet who had months before anointed him before the people, had set a time of seven days to return to preside over sacrifices but he hid not come (v.8). Feeling he was in a crisis with a frightened people and a large enemy amassed against him, Saul did the unthinkable. He said, "'Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.' And he offered the burnt offering" (v.9).

There were two problems with this course of action. First, Saul plainly disobeyed Samuel. Second, he was a king, not a priest, and only priests were to offer sacrifices. He had no business doing what only a priest should do. When Samuel finally showed up, his first question was, "What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord [to seek His favour].’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, 'You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you'” (vv. 13-14).

What terrible consequences! We cannot allow what we deem to be urgent to take precedence over that which is right. The temptation to cut corners are many! Yes, the human mind will always try to rationalize and justify our disobedience, but the acts of disobedience remain. Undoubtedly, Saul's intentions were good but good intent that contradicts God's Word has no legs on which to stand.

God honours obedience to His Word. Had Saul remembered that, he would not have lost his kingdom and more importantly, God's favour. We are faced with the same dilemma today. Amidst the many competing priorities and decisions to be made, all not necessarily in keeping with God's standards, what choices do we make? How much are you prepared to lose?

When Prayer Becomes An Excuse

"I'll pray about it." Four words that often form the basis for what I call prayer paralysis. While prayer, and by extension seeking the will of God, is an important and appropriate first step in any endeavour, far too often our inability to develop and execute a plan of action to achieve a desired goal is hidden behind our spirituality. It is as if through prayer we expect God to do for us what we should be doing for ourselves. As a result, we miss walking in His plans and purposes for our lives because we fail or refuse to step out in faith, trusting we are being directed as we have prayed.

I thought about this form of paralysis as I reflected on the words of the Proverbs writer: "Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts" (Proverbs 24:3-4, Living Bible). Three practical steps are mentioned - plan wisely, use common sense [and I add, believing we are being led by the Holy Spirit], and stay informed on what is going on by seeking out good counsel. Nowhere in the Bible are we told to park our brains at the door. Mahatma Gandhi was right when he said, “To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest.” It is wonderful to be a person of faith; however, faith without works, the practical outworking of one's belief, is dead.

How many decisions have been put off because someone is still "praying about it"? Of course, there are times when a period of waiting is required, but what about those decisions that are not made because of fear, excuses, or laziness? Those are the ones we are expected to make using the three practical steps of the Proverbs mentioned earlier. For example, a person looking for a job, after praying, needs to send out applications, do some networking, and keep on checking current job postings. To pray for something, then sit back, and do nothing is presumptuous. Faith is about doing, and the answers to our prayers often come after taking the first step (see Luke 17:14). Jesus encourages us to "ask...seek...knock,” all action words that produces the desired results (Matt. 7:7).

To fail to plan is to plan to fail. Let us not confuse motion with action, or lack of planning and poor decision-making with destiny. In addition to prayer, God has given us the keys to succeed in any enterprise - plan wisely, use common sense, and stay abreast of the facts. Our destiny hinges on our ability, with His help, to consistently carry out these steps.

Military leader and strategist Napoleon Bonaparte said, "Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action comes, stop thinking and go in." That sounds like very good advice. What are you waiting for to get started?

Our Great Cloud of Witnesses

At the recently concluded 2012 London Olympics, over four billion viewers watched Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt enter the history books by becoming the first man ever to retain the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m Olympic gold medals. Eighty thousand of the viewers packed the Olympic stadium and witnessed the spectacular runs of this gifted athlete, and other performances by other gifted athletes like him in their respective sports across this and other venues. Though naturally and extraordinarily talented, the men and women were spurred on by the cheering of the crowds; giving of their best even when it seems there was no more left to give - emotionally, physically, and mentally.

There is something about positive encouragement that causes one to strive for what he or she is capable of being or doing. As Ralph Waldo Emerson puts it, "Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” That is because striving takes a lot of work. Henry Longfellow was right when he said, "The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained in sudden flight but, they while their companions slept, they were toiling upwards in the night.” In the midst of striving, there is often the potential for setbacks, discouragement, resignation, and defeat. We all need good encouragers.

The Christian is no different. Living in a world system that persistently challenges and wears on the believer, many have become weary in well doing. It becomes harder and harder to run the race; to remain true to The Call. However, the writer to the Hebrews reminds us that we are not without an audience that is watching and cheering us on. He writes, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1, KJV). It is instructive that this chapter follows Hebrews 11, the listing of some of the Bible's "Hall of Fame" faith-walking members. According to the writer, lets us run the race as if they are the ones who are cheering us on. What august company!

The Christian life is not a sprint; it is a marathon. It takes determination and perseverance to complete the race. Amidst the intensity of the race and the numerous distractions, if you listen intently enough you will hear the cheers. Not of eighty thousand voices, but those of all of heaven. Every single one of them saying, “You can make it!” All of them rooting for you to win. So, amidst the spiritual fatigue and exhaustion we often feel, let us keep stride, let us keep going, we must run this race to win.

Walking in the Dark

There is something about the dark that frightens some people. As J.R.Tolkien in his classic The Hobbit observes, “It cannot be seen, cannot be felt / Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt / It lies behind stars and under hills / And empty holes it fills / It comes first and follows after / Ends life, kills laughter.” It is no wonder some of us do not like being in the dark. It is the place of the great unknown, where every sound is amplified and where it feels like someone or something is watching and waiting to get us.

There are times in our Christian walk when it seems we are walking in and through the dark. Those difficult periods in our lives when the silence is loud and answers are elusive. We can relate to Job who lamented, "He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and He hath set darkness in my paths. ... When I looked for good, then evil came unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness" (Job 19:8; 30:26, KJV). Even as we cry out to God, we echo the words of the Psalmist, "Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps" (Psalm 88:6). The longer we are in the dark, the greater our discomfort. Times when it seems the LORD dwells in thick darkness (1 Kings 8:12), the more we question God. After extended periods in the dark, some stop trusting Him.

Corrie Ten Boom reportedly once said, "When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer." That is so because though inside the tunnel is shrouded in darkness, the engineer can see ahead because of the light at the front of the train, unseen by the passengers, that pierces through said darkness. The Christian walking timidly and fearful in the dark can take the same comfort. David said of our Engineer, the One we serve, "...the darkness and the light are both alike to thee" (Psalm 139:12). In other words, He sees in and through the dark. When we cannot see anything, He can. When we don’t know where to go, He does. Because of that, we do not have to be afraid; we simply need to trust Him.

That is the good news. He (the Lord) constantly watches over us, lovingly and protectively, working out His purpose in our lives (Romans 8:28-29). For He who orders your every step knows exactly where you are. Even in the dark.

Power in Unity

For some people, the biblical narrative surrounding the building of the tower of Babel speaks to the dangers and consequences of pride. However, there is a positive lesson that we can take from it that can serve us well; something that God Himself took a note of. According to the Genesis account, at a time when "the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech," a group of people journeyed from the east and found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there, resolving to build a city with a tower "with its top in the heavens ...lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the Earth" (Genesis 11:1-4, KJV).

As they embarked on their project, "The Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men built. And the Lord said, 'Behold, the people are one and they have all one language, and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be withheld from them which they have imagined to do'" (vv. 5-6). In these verses, we find a united people, having one language, with one determination, and the divine observation that with these attributes, "nothing will be withheld from them which they have imagined to do." In them, we see the power and possibilities in unity.

Having a collective common cause or goal is not unusual. Families and organizations have them as well. However, achieving the end goal is another matter. Jealousy, internal fighting, disagreements, greed, to name a few, often stall and cripple efforts to goal realization. Author J.K. Rowling succinctly observes, “We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided” and there is a lot of truth in that statement. Regardless of whatever it is that we endeavour to do collectively, a divided people is a liability to such efforts. A house [business, family, church] divided against itself cannot stand. "All for one, one for all" is the springboard for optimal success.

The power in unity was affirmed by the Lord regarding the builders of the tower. As we go about our day-to-day lives, let us strive for unity in the areas that matter most. Yes, there will be times of disagreements; however, if we keep our eyes on the end goal, what we are striving to achieve together, our individual preferences should yield to the greater good. One heart, one mind, one purpose. Taken together, that is a mighty unstoppable force. Just ask God.

Standing Up For God

When God rewarded the faithfulness of the three Jewish boys by delivering them from the fiery furnace, little did they know their stand and God's actions would transform, albeit temporarily, the Babylonians' worship practices.

According to the narrative, after the boys' miraculous deliverance, "Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort" (Daniel 3:28-29, KJV). In addition, like an afterthought we learn, "Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon" (v. 30).

Have you ever wondered what transformation would take place in our homes, our schools, our churches, our businesses, our nations, if Christians everywhere stood firm on their convictions? Being a Christian can sometimes feel like swimming upstream while everybody and everything else is going downstream. It would be great if God would somehow steer us away from those situations that require having to make those seemingly tough decisions to be fair and honest; to stand up for what is right, just, and true. As societies become more secular and unashamedly opposed to absolute values of right and wrong, Christians are called upon to stay the course, to lift Jesus even higher. To sacrifice all, even one's life if necessary.

However, God does not always steer or deliver us from challenging situations. As He did with Shedrach and his friends, He allows us to walk these difficult paths to demonstrate His power and His glory in and through us. As someone so rightly puts it, "Sometimes God calms the storm. At other times, He calms the sailor. And sometimes He makes us swim." One thing we are assured of is that when He makes us swim, as the fourth man in the fiery furnace was with the boys, we are never alone.

The Jewish boys' faithfulness produced results - their deliverance, their promotion, and a change in Babylon's worship practices. What changes does God have in store when you take a stand in your sphere of influence? Do you trust Him enough to find out even if you are the only one left standing?

No Deal!

Standing before king Nebuchadnezzar and facing his wrath for their refusal to worship the image as per the instructions heralded to all (Daniel 3:4), the three Jewish boys were offered a deal that would spare them being thrown into the burning fiery furnace. To compound the severity of their non-compliance, certain Chaldeans accused them before the king of having "not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up" (v. 12, KJV).

There was no ambiguity to the deal. When they heard the sound of the music, "Now if . . . ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?" In other words, dance or die. However, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not intimidated. They knew that this was a bad deal and so "answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up" (vv. 16-18). In other words, no deal! The fiery furnace is nothing for our God to deliver us from, and even if He doesn't, we will not compromise our beliefs or turn our backs on the God we serve.

What tremendous commitment! One could argue that such commitment is lacking among some professed believers who time and time again dance to the music and worship various images in an attempt to preserve popularity, their relationships, and personal ambitions. Instead of standing firmly for Christ regardless of cost, it is often easier to compromise our beliefs and values. Who wants to be ridiculed? To be obstracized?

What we know is that after being thrown in the furnace, heated seven times more than it was initially, the boys' faith in God was rewarded and they were delivered (vv. 19-30). Miraculously, "the fire had no power [upon their bodies], nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them" (v.27). God rewarded their faithfulness and their testimony was of such that it transformed the worship practices of the Babylonians (vv. 28-29). We should never discount the power of individuals standing for Christ and what He is able to do in and through them in those difficult circumstances.

 Christians everywhere are in somewhat similar positions today. Compromise or be ridiculed? Stand for Christ or be scorned? Oh, lest I forget, we get to choose. We must choose. Deal or no deal? How do you choose?

Denied By A Friend

Jesus had warned him but it seemed he had forgotten. In the aftermath of Jesus' betrayal and arrest, he sat outside the palace contemplating the turn of events when he was accused of being one of Jesus' followers. He denied it. Two more times similar accusations were made and on both occasions, he did the same thing. Immediately after the third denial, mixed with cursing and swearing, the cock crew. According to the narrative, "And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, ‘Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.’ And he went out, and wept bitterly" (Matthew 26:75, KJV).

Peter must have been devastated. He was one of Jesus' most solid supporters. It was he who had acclaimed of Jesus, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16). He was there at Jesus' transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-6). He had witnessed just about every miracle. Jesus was not only his Lord but also his friend. He had meant it when he said earlier, "Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee" (Matthew 26:35). Yet when faced with the reality of the cost of following Jesus, the pressure got to him. He denied his friend; denied even knowing Him.

Fast forward almost two thousand years and as disciples of Jesus living in a world increasingly hostile to Christ and His followers, our challenge is no different than Peter's. Filled with good intentions of standing up for and with Jesus, how do we respond when those around us challenge our stand? Do the people in our sphere of influence even know we are with Jesus? Peter knew that if he admitted being one of Jesus' disciples, he would be arrested and possibly killed. To save himself, he denied any association with Him. At a time when it is not cool to be a Jesus follower, do we take our stand with Him or do we give Him up when we deem the cost of standing with Him to be too high?

The next time you sing Israel Houghton's "I am a friend of God," ask yourself exactly what does that mean. Jesus was both betrayed and denied not by people who were hostile to Him but by friends. What kind of a friend are you to Him? Friend enough to say, regardless of cost and circumstances, "I am with Him"?

Knowing a True Friend

 If we have not said it ourselves, we have heard it said by someone - true friends do not intentionally hurt one another. At face value it seems a solid statement but is it really true? Are there times when a true friend intentionally hurts another with good as the end goal? I pondered these questions as I reflected on the canonical proverb: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Proverbs 27:6).

Very few people would argue that genuine friends look out for the best interests of each other. A part of that is affirming, complementing, supporting, protecting, and so on. We expect them to be our biggest cheerleaders. Yet every now and again we need that one person to tell us not what we want to hear, but rather the hard truth(s) we would rather not hear. Fully realizing that they will be hurting our feelings when they speak up or warn us about our behaviour or attitude, these friends also know some will become angry and tell them to mind their own business. Nevertheless, they risk the backlash and speak up anyway, loving us every step of the way. Without fail, they are willing to "wound" our feelings in order to save us from ourselves.

Some friends are enablers. These persons, by their actions, make it easier for someone to continue their self-destructive behaviours. In order to keep the friendship and the benefits they receive from it, they look out only for their interests even if it means standing by, watching and doing nothing while the other party rushes along destructive pathways. Enablers often tell us what we want to hear, stroke our egos, make excuses for us, and validate our insecurities. With friends like these, there is no need for enemies.

Enemies, on the other hand, really do not care about us. Some will even appear to be genuine friends, showering the unsuspecting with flattering words and interest while harboring ulterior motives. What they take from us pales in comparison to what they give, if anything. Because they come across as loving and caring, it is easy to become a victim of their deceitfulness.

Have you taken the time to evaluate your friendships? Just maybe the friend you have been avoiding because they are always in your face challenging your behaviours and attitudes is the true friend you have been looking for. The kisses of the flatterer that feed and satisfy your ego could be your undoing.

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." Can you tell the difference?

Hunger for God

In his book, A Hunger for God, John Piper begins the last paragraph with the startling claim: "Our hunger for God is too small. This is true not only because our capacities to desire are atrophied—like a muscle that lifts only feathers—but also because our capacity to see the Desirable is untrained on the telescope of God’s Word." He then asks the question, "On what do we exercise the muscle of desire?" and immediately answers it: "We are meant to desire the Great with great desire" - as per Psalm 42:1-2; Psalm 63:1; Philippians 3:8 - before concluding, "But we flex our desires for small things rather than for God. And so the very potential for desire diminishes."

The last two sentences are quite the indictment. Have we really flexed our desire for small things rather than for God? A deeper question could also be, "As believers, what do we desire the most?" The Psalmist left no doubt as to extent and object of his desire when he cried out, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God" (Psalm 42:1,2). In other words, just as the thirsty, dry-throated, lips-parched, panting animal desires or yearns for water to quench its thirst, in the same way my soul pants or desires you, O God. Without the desired resource, the deer stood a chance of dying. Without the One who is the Source of life, the believer is at risk of dying. Our greatest desire has to be, and must be, for Him.

Again we see the heart of the Psalmist as he writes elsewhere, "O God, Thou art my God; I shall seek Thee earnestly; my soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee, in a dry and weary land where there is no water" (Psalm 63:1). This is a cry of desperation. Yet is there any other way to seek Him? To covet His favour for our ultimate good and seek His glory as our highest goal? It is instructive that he uses the word "earnestly" to describe his search. In this instance, desperation drove earnestness. The need was so great that he could not afford to miss what he was looking for; he had to be earnest in his search. As it was with the Psalmist, so it should be with us. Our hunger for God should be of such that it becomes our greatest priority.

How do we get to the place of desiring God above all else? Piper suggests, "If we do not see Him in His greatness, we will not desire Him in His fullness." It is only as we see Him and His glory through the lens of His Word that we fuel our desire, our hunger, for Him. The central goal of studying God’s Word is to know God better, and the better we know Him, the more we should desire Him. Like the apostle Paul our position should be, "I count all things [everything that I have accomplished] to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:8a). Nothing else compares for "whom have I in heaven but Thee? And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth" (Psalm 73:25).

"As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God." How strong is your hunger for God? Are you even hungry for Him?

Dealing With Doubt

Have you ever had to wrestle with doubt? Those times when you silently question the spiritual truths you believe? Times when you wonder if the Bible is true and God is loving, fair, and omnipotent, then why are things still so hard in your life and the lives of others around you? "Why am I still sick?" "Why am I still unemployed?"

While most Christians would consider it blasphemous to voice these thoughts, the reality is that some people struggle with these and similar questions in the privacy of their own minds. Some of these people are seated in the church pews every Sunday. In some ways they are like the man who brought his son, who had a "dumb spirit" whom Jesus' disciples could not cast out, but when the father stood before Jesus he asked of Him, "If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us" (Mark 9:22b, KJV). The narrative continues, "Jesus said, 'If? There are no 'ifs' among believers. Anything can happen.' No sooner were the words out of His mouth than the father cried, 'Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!'" (vv. 23-24, The Message).

The fact that Jesus' disciples had failed caused the father to question Jesus' ability. However, Jesus turned the situation around by reminding the man that the issue was not His [God's] ability, but rather the lack of faith on the part of the one asking. In other words, with God all things are possible but do we have the faith to believe that? It is important to understand that belief is not a matter of mental assent or agreement, but rather a conviction in one's heart. Someone once said, "Until you believe the truth in your heart, all you have is information." Yes, God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent; nothing is impossible with Him, but is that truth in our heads or has it taken root in our hearts?

What we believe in our hearts will manifest itself in our thoughts, actions, and attitudes. The next time you find yourself doubting and worrying, ask yourself what is it that you truly believe. God is not intimidated by shaky faith and He can handle doubts, for He knows our frame and remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:14). We want to believe, we say we believe, but doubt saps the life out of our faith. However, God's abilities do not wane because we have trouble believing. He is who He say He is. Once we move that truth from our heads to our hearts, we have it on good authority that nothing in accordance with the will of God will be impossible to us. Still not sure? Just ask Jesus. You can trust whatever He tells you.

"Come and See"

In his book "The God Delusion," renowned atheist Richard Dawkins writes, "The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all of fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic [woman hater], homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilental, megalomaniacal [egotistical], sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully. Those of us schooled from infancy in his ways can become desensitized to their horror." Some Christians shudder at such a description of the God they believe and trust in, and that is exactly the point. For all the negativity he could muster in his assault on God and His character, Dawkins had not met God. He was describing someone he did not know.

There are many people who are like Dawkins. Without taking the time to know the One of whom they speak so authoritatively, they are content with their flawed and unproven characterizations. I am reminded of the conversation between Philip and Nathaniel as recorded in John chapter 1. According to the narrative, Philip found Nathaniel and said unto him, "We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" (vv. 45-46, KJV). In this instance, Philip was thrilled at meeting Jesus. His excitement was of such that, to borrow the words of Matthew Henry, he said to Nathaniel with a sense of urgency, "We have found Him whom we have so often talked of, so long wished and waited for; at last, He is come, He is come, and we have found Him!” Yet, Nathaniel saw things differently. He was prepared to write off Jesus simply because of his own prejudice towards the city of Nazareth!

Philip's response was one for the ages. He did not seek to reason with Nathaniel; he simply said to him, "Come and see." In other words, "Do not take my word for it, come and see for yourself. Put aside your prejudice and listen to Him; examine what He says." Of Him John says not only is He the Word, not only was He in the beginning with God, but this same Word "was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (v.14).

That is the God we serve, and that is the God we need to show to the world. Not the misrepresentation that Dawkins and company would project, but the God who is "full of grace and truth." He is the one in whom we believe, the One who is precious (1 Peter 2:7). It is only as mankind come to know Him that we can know who He really is. We will not convince skeptics with our arguments. The best thing we can do is to invite them to "come and see." Once Philip met Jesus, he could not help himself. The words from his lips are recorded for all times: "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel" (John 1:49).

If only Dawkins could take up Philip's invitation. Do you know anyone who needs to?

Redeeming the Time

For a while, I loved watching the introduction; the imagery and sounds of which come readily to mind over twenty years later. Still showing in some areas over 50 years after it first came to television screens, the title sequence of the popular soap opera "Days of our Lives" features an hourglass, with sand slowly trickling to the bottom against the backdrop of a partly cloudy sky. Along with it, the trademark voiceover: "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives."

Hourglasses measure the passage of time, a few minutes or an hour, and were commonly used to measure sermons, cooking time, and so on. Today, scaled down models are in practical use as timers for cooking eggs, teaching children how long to brush their teeth, and timing board games, to name a few. When the sand runs out of one end, time is up. If necessary, the hourglass is then inverted to re-start the timing process.

My mind went back to the previously mentioned voiceover as I reflected on the words from Proverbs 14:1a, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days" (KJV). Science and common sense tell us that if we eat properly, get in our recommended exercise, and take care of ourselves as best in the other domain of our lives, we improve our chances of living longer. They are many who can testify to the usefulness of such advice. However, in some ways we are simply postponing the inevitable. At the core, there is a frailty and feebleness to our nature that tells us eventually the sand will run out.

Our individual hourglasses are not uniformed; some will have more time than others will. Nevertheless, it is not so much the amount of time (though that is important) as it is what we do with the time we have been given. Christians are not called to live wasted lives but lives of purpose. Paul reminds us, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (KJV). We live purposeful lives when we walk in the purpose for which we were created. It is not enough to simply meet a need; it is important to walk in our purpose. Our reality is that we have only limited time in which to do so. For some of us the sand will run out while we are still trying to decide which steps to follow.

The challenge for us is to use our time wisely; to make the most of every opportunity. Let us purpose not to leave any God-given task undone. For like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives. Every day is important. Every minute counts.

Unfailing Faithfulness

Back in 1923 when Thomas Obadiah Chisolm put pen to paper and started to write, he had no idea that almost 90 years later, his poem, put to music by William M. Runyan, would continue to be sung by christians all over the world. As one of Chisolm's more than 1200 poems, "Great is Thy Faithfulness" stands as the standard on the theme of God's goodness and faithfulness. Kenneth W. Osbeck observes, "While many hymns are born out of a particular dramatic experience, this hymn was simply the result of the author's 'morning by morning realization of God's personal faithfulness.'"

According to Osbeck, in a letter dated 1941 Chisolm writes, "My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness." What a great attitude! Amidst the challenging circumstances, he did not lose sight of what God, a covenant-keeping God, was doing in his life. We sometimes forget that our relationship with our God is a covenant and not a contract. When we fulfill our side of this ‘two-way promise,’ He is able to apply His infinite power and wisdom to our problems and trials. However, in our imperfection and no matter how many times we fail Him, His mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness remains unfailing (Lamentations 3:22-23).

How great is this faithfulness? Chisolm writes, "Summer and winter and spring time and harvest / Sun, moon and stars in thier courses above / Join with all nature in manifold witness / To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love." Everything speaks of this faithfulness. Why is this important? Because we can rely on it! As God has been in the Scriptures, He forever will be. Remember, He is a covenant-keeping God; with Him, there is "no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17, KJV).

Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, God's faithfulness is the only constant. If you take the time to count your blessings, you will find many wonderful displays of it right where you are. Are you simply lucky or is it that God has been faithful?

Doing Whatever It Takes

The house in which Jesus was teaching was packed with people who had come from all over Capernaum to hear Him speak. It was then that the four men came. Even if they were by themselves there was no room for them because not only was the house packed, but its entrance was so jammed that "no one could get in or out" (Mark 2:2, The Message). But they were not alone; they had brought with them a man, perhaps a family member or friend, who was sick with the palsy and whom only Jesus could heal. The problem was they were not likely to receive any sympathy from those present; no one was going to let them in.

In an act of creative desperation, the friends decided there was only one way to get Jesus' attention. The narrative continues, "When they weren't able to get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher" (v.4). Back in the day, houses in the east were generally flat-roofed and people engaged in social activities on them (remember David strolling on the roof of the palace when he saw Bathsheba - 2 Samuel 11:2). A trap door led from the roof into the house and it was this door that the men removed. If they could not get him in through the door, they were going to use the next best available option. They would do whatever it took to ensure Jesus was aware of the man with the palsy. After all, the fact that he had to be carried said a lot about his condition.

We are not told that the man or his friends professed faith in Jesus' ability to heal him. In fact, up to this point no words were exchanged between them and Jesus. However, in this instance words were not necessary because their actions spoke volumes about their faith. It could not have been easy to get the man on his stretcher, which was "probably a mattress, or perhaps a mere blanket spread to lie on, so as to be easily borne" to the roof but they did it. The text tells us, "When Jesus saw their faith" and after responding to the religious leaders on some points of objection they raised, He said to the man, "Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion" (vv. 11-12, KJV).

The situation was desperate and it demanded desperate action. These men could have been easily discouraged by the crowd present but to have done so they would have missed Jesus's miracle. Nowhere in the text are we told that anybody else was healed while He was in the house. These men knew where He was and were not prepared to allow obstacles to stop them from reaching Him. Do you have that desperate kind of faith? Is there something pressing you need that only God can provide? No, we do not have to take off roofs to reach Him but what was true then is still true today; faith moves the hand of God and without it, it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6).

Are you prepared to do whatever it takes to get your miracle? If so, what is stopping you from doing it?

Learning What Not To Do

According to the narrative, on Jesus' instructions the disciples had taken a boat and were to meet Him on the other side of the lake. Sometime during the night, a storm rose up and the disciples were afraid. It continues, "And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered Him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And He said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me" (Matthew 14:25-30, KJV).

For years I thought Peter had failed and some may share that same thought. However, did he really fail? As a fisherman, he was probably used to storms on the lake but for sure he had never tried walking on water! Stepping out of that boat into the dark embrace of howling winds and raging waters, simply because he heard the voice of his friend and Lord say "Come," was quite the step of faith. Who could blame him for taking his eyes off his destination, the place from where he heard the voice, when faced with the reality of what was happening around him? In some respects, isn't Peter really us? We hear and have the Word of God and even after stepping out in faith, we are still overwhelmed by our different circumstances? Like Peter, some of us have not only started to sink but we have sunk! Yes, we heard the voice of Jesus say “Come” but … but … but ….

Interestingly, Jesus did not rebuke Peter for looking everywhere else except upon Him; He rebuked him for his lack of faith (v.31). No matter how the storm was raging, he should have kept his faith instead of being afraid. The presence of fear signals uncertainty; a weakness in faith. Despite our best intentions, our fear often gets the better of us. In one respect, Peter failed. However, in another aspect he had learnt what not to do. Faith in God allows us to look at our challenges without being afraid. When overwhelmed we turn to the rock that is higher than ourselves (Psalm 61:2).

The application for us? Whenever you have a "Peter moment", whether in your relationship with the Lord or with others, use failure as a stepping stone for success. How so? At least, now you know what not to do. Learning what not to do is just as important as learning what to do, and sometimes we do so through failing. Ralph Marston writes, "Failure is not the opposite of success. Failure is an important component of success." Just ask Peter.

TGIF!

Thank God, It's Friday! Four magic words greeted with exhilaration and which signal the end of the workweek for millions of working people. For some of us, tired from weekends that seem far too short, we start looking forward to Friday from the time we get up on Monday! No matter how bad a week we are having, there is something about the "magical" Friday that puts a pep in our step and seem to flood our bodies with feel good hormones. It is as if for the next two days we can leave behind the hustle and bustle of life and its challenges.

However, what if we were to wake up every day and declare TGIF? No, not as in "Thank God It's Friday" but rather, "Today God Is First"? Ezra Taft Benson puts it this way, "When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives." There is a lot of truth in that statement. Invariably, whatever we put first becomes our priority. There are times when it is our material needs that sit at the forefront of our minds and which consume our thinking. Jesus affirmed the importance of putting God first when He states, "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" Matthew 6:31-33, ESV).

It would be pointing out the obvious to note that if Jesus said so then it must be true; above all else, seek first the kingdom of God. Centuries earlier the proverb writer declared, "In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success” (Proverbs 3:5-6, TLB). There is no other priority that we can establish that is able to transcend that of putting God first. It is no wonder that Abraham Lincoln, while president of the United States, lamented, "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day." By putting God first, we can rest comfortably in the knowledge that He knows what He is doing. More importantly, He knows what is best.

So, how about it? TGIF - Today God Is First! You do not have to wait until Friday to reorder your priorities; you can start doing so any day of the week. Whatever you do, put Him first. Make it a habit to do so daily. No one or nothing else matters as much.

“He Gives His Beloved Sleep”

I love to sleep. For me, that is not as hard to admit as some people would think. This does not mean I advocate sleeping when one should be up and about being productive or engaged in “healthy” leisure, but there is a time for sleep; restful and restorative sleep. Even Jesus slept, so there is nothing particularly sinful about sleeping. In fact, one time He slept so soundly that not even a windstorm could arouse Him from His slumber (Luke 8:22-25). Some of us could definitely relate to that!

A good night's sleep is a gift from God. The anxious workaholic who strives to do everything in his or her own effort may disagree, but there is nothing virtuous about working long hours, regardless of vocation, that leaves one with little time for proper sleep. Psalm 127:2 reminds us, "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep." When feeling troubled and unable to sleep, we should remind ourselves that as long as we are right with God and other people, the Lord "replenishes every sorrowful soul." (Jeremiah 31:25). Jeremiah slept sweetly when he dreamt of the redemption of Israel and Judah (Jeremiah 31:26).

For those who have difficulty sleeping, for whatever reasons, it is important to examine if the inability to sleep in any way reflects a lack of trust in God in our circumstances that provoke such restlessness. Maybe there are areas in our lives in which we are experiencing conviction and like David, that is something we have to address (see Psalm 32:3-5). However, once we are secure in who He is, what He is able to do, and trust Him with the things pertaining to us, we can realize the truth of Proverbs 3:24, "When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet."

Our mental outlook not only affects our ability to sleep but also our spiritual well-being. D.A. Carson puts it this way: "We are whole complicated beings: our physical existence is tied to our spiritual well-being, to our mental outlook, to our relationships with others, including our relationship with God. Sometimes the godliest thing you can do in the universe is get a good night’s sleep – not pray all night, but sleep. I’m certainly not denying that there may be a place for praying all night: I’m merely insisting that in the normal course of things, spiritual discipline obligates you to get the sleep your body needs." I wholeheartedly agree.

So, how is your sleep? Remember, God promises His beloved sleep. Do what you have to do in order to walk in that promise. Trust me, it is an enjoyable experience and the benefits are many.

"Not My Will, But Thine, Be Done"

At some time or the other we have all heard it. To pray effectively is to pray in the will of God. If we regard God as our Source of the good and necessary things in life, as well as we should, James tells us there are two reasons we do not have the things we need: "Ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts" (James 4:2b-3, KJV). Bible Expositor John Gill states that to ask amiss is to ask "not in the faith of a divine promise; nor with thankfulness for past mercies; nor with submission to the will of God; nor with a right end, to do good to others, and to make use of what might be bestowed, for the honour of God, and the interest of Christ." To that end some of us end our prayers with the words of Jesus, "Not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42b). But just exactly does that mean?

The life of Jesus while He was on earth was a pattern of wanting to do only what God wanted done. To His disciples He affirmed, "My meat [purpose] is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work" (John 4:32). In other words, His sole purpose was to do the will of God (see also Hebrews 10:5-10), and everything about Him and His life lined up with that purpose. Even when facing death by what was then the most cruel of methods, crucifixion, He yielded Himself to the will of the Father. Fast forward over two thousand years later and there you are in prayer. You have a laundry list of petitions of things you really need. Do you trust your own judgement or do you trust God that what He wants for you transcends anything that you could ask or imagine for yourself (Ephesians 3:20)? It is not easy to yield our will to that of the Father; just ask Jesus. His Gethsename struggle was of such that "there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:43-44). Yet for those who desire to be in the nucleus of God's will, is there really any other way to pray? The flesh that seeks to satisfy itself is constantly at war with the Spirit that strives to do the will of God (Galatians 5:17).

Some of God's finest statesmen of our times have said much on the issue of praying in the will of God. Pastor and author A.W.Tozer puts it this way, "To pray effectively we must want what God wants-that and that only is to pray in the will of God." Gonville ffrench-Beytagh, late Anglican dean of Johannesburg, reminds us, "You are not drawn to God primarily for your own benefit but for His." Evangelist R.A.Torrey states, "The chief purpose of prayer is that God may be glorified in the answer." And here we are thinking it is primarily about us and our needs.

"Not my will, but thine, be done." Seven important words we need to bear in mind the next time we come to our Lord in prayer. While He can work all things for our good, it is never is about us; it must always be about Him, His will done His way in our lives.

My One and Only

Ask anyone who is really in love and they will tell you that the most terrible feeling in the world, or so it seems, is being away from the one they love. Taken to the extreme, lovers always want to be in each other's company and if they are apart, constantly being in touch with each other becomes a priority. Of course, technology has made it possible to reduce distance. Webcams and the internet allow us to see and interact with loved ones regardless of where they are. Instant and text messaging services allow for easy communication. Most of us use them all to maintain our communication and intimacy with those we love. These loved ones are special and in some cases, we think of them as "all we have."

These thoughts came to mind as I reflected on the words of Asaph, the Psalmist: "Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee" (Psalm 73:25). While his context is one of severe trial from the infirmities of his own heart, his words nevertheless echoes an awareness that nothing in this world brings as great a satisfaction as being secure in one's most personal and intimate of relationships – the one with God. To the person who loves God supremely, nothing in this world with all its pomp and splendour can truly satisfy. Like the lover who longs for the object of his or her affection, all other relationships pale in significance. So it is in the natural, so it should be in the spiritual. The committed believer is moved with the realization that no one else in heaven or on earth is as precious as our heavenly Father. In other words, among all of heaven and earth, and even if there were other life forms in any of the far reaches of the vast universe, He alone is our true "one and only."
The love of the committed lover for his or her beloved influences their behaviour towards others. Faithfulness abounds in the heart of such a one. The value placed on the relationship is of such that we guard our hearts and minds from resting on another. We are careful in our interactions with others and conduct ourselves accordingly. We should bring this same mindset to our relationship with God through Christ Jesus – one of trust and fidelity. We dare not forsake the fountain of living waters for broken cisterns (Jeremiah 2:13). After all, He is one of a kind; there is no one in heaven or on earth who is like Him and He is not worth giving up for anyone or anything.

Sometimes the enemy would have us believe that in devoting ourselves to the One we love, we are “missing out” on the fun things in life. However, this is definitely not the case for as another Psalmist reminds us: "Delight yourself also in the LORD; and He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4). Everything we need to satisfy us can be found in the Object of our affection, for in His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures for evermore (Psalm 16:11). No matter how far we can stretch our imagination, nothing else begins to compare as favorably.

"Here am I; Send me"

Have you ever had one of those moments when you long to be used by God but feel you do not quite measure up? You love the Lord, you are passionate about taking the gospel to the unsaved, but every time you think of your past, you start to doubt yourself and your "qualification" to do what you feel the Lord has placed in your heart. Maybe unresolved guilt from past actions has left you thinking, "There is no way that God could use someone like me." And so you slink off into the shadows, yielding your ground and spiritual mission as you wait for someone you believe to be more "qualified" to do what God had ordained for you to do.

First of all, did it ever occur to you that nothing about you surprised or surprises God? When He called you, He knew who you were. Even now, He knows you far more intimately than you could ever know yourself. He knew your past and everything wrapped in it, but He still called you. You may have done unspeakable acts, but that did not stop Him from opening His arms wide and embracing you as you yielded to His wooing. In other words, He pursued you and called you - warts and all.

The Scriptures provide many examples of people we would deem unqualified. In no particular order, Abraham was too old. Noah was a drunk. Isaac was a daydreamer. Jacob was a liar. Leah was ugly. Joseph was abused. Moses stuttered. Samson had long hair and was a womanizer. Rahab was a prostitute. David had an affair and was a murderer. Elijah was suicidal. Naomi was a widow. Isaiah walked about naked while preaching (we would say he had mental issues). Jeremiah and Timothy were too young. Peter denied Christ. And there are many others we could name. Take a stroll through the Bible's Hall of Fame (Hebrews 11) and some of these people are listed there! Despite their shortcomings and failures, God used them all.

We are not asked to clean up ourselves before the Lord can use us. We come to Him, just as we are, and allow Him to work out His purposes in our lives. Where we see failures, God sees successes; where we see obstacles, He sees opportunities. Why should God use imperfect people? Because it is through the imperfections of our lives that His light shines through to the rest of the world. When Paul asked the Lord on three occasions to remove his imperfection, the "thorn in the flesh," Paul writes, "And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 12:9, KJV).

We do not have to worry that we are not qualified. God qualifies those whom He calls. Our responsibility is to simply answer "Yes, Lord," and like Isaiah and the others, make ourselves available for whatever He has commissioned us to do. "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me" (Isaiah 6:8). Warts and all. Will you say the same thing?

The Unexamined Life - Part II

Renowned psychologist Albert Bandura states, "What people think, believe, and feel affects how they behave." In other words, our behaviours are the result of our thoughts. With great insight, someone summed up the interaction between our thoughts and our actions with the words: "Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits, Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” Reread those five sentences - slowly. Thoughts become words; words become actions; actions become habits; habits become character; and character becomes destiny.

When Bandura made his statement, he was not revealing to the world something new. He was echoing a truth the Bible made clear centuries before. Thoughts contrary to the Word make mischief in one's heart and because it is from the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks, our actions, spurred on by our beliefs and feelings, are tied to our thoughts. Careless words born out of wrong thoughts not taken captive to the obedience of Christ lead to mistakes and bad behaviours.

Recognizing the power of one's thought life in its impacts on actions and destinies, the Psalmist David was on to something when he prayed, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14). Everything starts at the root. To correct a behaviour without first changing the way we think about that particular issue is an exercise in futility. However, as difficult as it may be to wrestle ingrained thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit to help us in that regard, if we allow Him to.

That is why the unexamined life is a dangerous life. It is not enough to just live and act without understanding what drives our behaviours and whether or not those behaviours are consistent with the Word of God. Paul's advice was solid; "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Philippians 4:8). Everything starts with a thought; that thought eventually shapes our destiny. To that end, it is imperative that we examine our lives to determine if we need to change the way we think.

Again, "If you had friends who spoke like your thoughts, would you hang out with them?"

The Unexamined Life - Part I

If you could step outside of your body and listen to and watch yourself, i.e. observe your actions and listen to your words, for thirty days, what conclusion would you come to? How would you rate yourself as a Christ follower, a Christian? I got around to thinking about this as I pondered the signature thought a friend uses on her emails. That line, author unknown, reads, "If you had friends who spoke like your thoughts, would you hang out with them?"

Not surprisingly, some of what we think privately about ourselves, others, some situations, and even about God, we would never say publicly. For some of us, the very nature of some of those thoughts is enough to provoke guilt as our conscience reminds us that we should not be thinking that way. Yet our thought life seems to be one of the most difficult to control. In the quietness of our own thoughts, we cycle through feelings of doubt, fear, judgmental attitudes, negativity, condemnation, rebellion, to name a few. For sure, mentally we sometimes quote Scriptures, we sing songs, and we meditate on the Word. However, it is all well and good to do all these things – but to actively apply them is where the rubber meets the road. Like a thief in the night, the dark thoughts loom largely in the background of our minds just waiting to steal our joy and peace.

It is no wonder the apostle Paul reminded the believers in Corinth, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, KJV). In other words, every thought that is not wholesome, or is proud, or not in line with God’s word and purposes, or negative thinking, we need to “lead away captive into the obedience of Christ." This requires a transformation of our minds that comes only through consistently realigning our thoughts and thinking with the Word of God. We cannot do that by ourselves. It is only as we yield ourselves to being led by the Spirit that He will show us the way and provide the help we need.

How is your thought life? "If you had friends who spoke like your thoughts, would you hang out with them?"

"Not of Works"

The parable was simple yet profound in its truths. Two men with the same intent, the worship of God, but who were as different as night and day in their approach. According to the narrative, "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 18:10-14, ESV).

It is not enough to worship God. How we worship Him is equally important. The Pharisee, not wanting to be associated with the reviled tax collector, reaffirmed his strict adherence to pharisaic righteousness that required doing no harm to others and observing all the ordinances of God, then established in the Jewish economy. In other words, his strong opinion of his own righteousness was the basis on which he built his hope of final salvation. On the other hand, the tax collector, being repentant and feeling unworthy to stand before God, demonstrated a consciousness of his guilt by smoting his breast, a token of excessive grief, and threw himself upon God's mercy as his only claim to salvation. He realized something the Pharisee had not - that salvation was not something he could claim by his works, but only by God's work of redeeming grace.

The apostle Paul echoed this sentiment when he reminded the church at Ephesus, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9, KJV). On our best days, our best efforts at being righteous "are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6); we have nothing in ourselves to boast about. God is not impressed with our trying to remind Him of how good we have been or how good we are. Jesus made it clear that it was not the Pharisee who had professed his righteousness through his works that went away justified, but the tax collector who had come with a broken and a contrite heart.

It is true that today's believer is covered by the righteousness of Christ. Paul affirmed, "For He [God] hath made Him [Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (1 Corinthians 5:21). However, our position is not the result of our efforts, but all because of what He did. The next time we stand to pray, let us keep that in mind.

Praying With Thanksgiving

How do you pray? No, not the position you assume for prayer, the tone of voice or type of language used, whether loudly or quietly, for an audience of one or a thousand, but what do your prayers reveal about the condition of your heart? After all, as the Scriptures remind us, it is from the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45).

For some of us, prayer is the presentation of a laundry list of petitions to God. For sure, we add the right amount of religiosity to our petitions but the essence of those prayers remains the same. Always about us, our needs and wants, and for good measure we throw in that of some family members, maybe our local church, and a few other people we embrace as friends. Interestingly, when it comes to basic needs, Jesus was rather clear: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? . . . Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” (Matthew 6:25-26, 30, KJV).

This does not mean that we should not take our petitions and cares to our heavenly Father. He invites us to “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). However, lest we forget, ours is a relationship. God is not a cosmic genie catering to our every wish, but He is the King of kings and Lord of lords; one worthy of our praise and adoration. It is no wonder the apostle Paul reminded the church at Colossae, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2, ESV), or as The Amplified Bible puts it, “Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer [life], being [both] alert and intent in [your praying] with thanksgiving.”

We have much for which to be thankful. To paraphrase the words of the hymn-writer, were we to stop and count our blessings we would be surprised at what the Lord has done. The next time you pray, instead of just offering a list of petitions, how about wrapping those petitions in thanksgiving? Even when we do not understand the twist and turns along our paths, we can thank Him that He can use all things for our good and His glory. Remember, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). “In every thing” includes even while in prayer. Now is as good a time as any to start doing so.

Receiving Grace in the Tough Places

For twenty years Samson judged Israel (Judges 16:31) and for all of those years he was on the Philistines' most wanted list. For one of whom the angel announced to his mother would be a Nazarite, set apart to God from birth, and would "begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines" (Judges 13:5, NIV), he had a tremendous weakness for Philistine women. At a time when the Philistines had dominion over Israel, he had married a Philistine woman (14:1-7), later hooked up with a Philistine prostitute (16:1), and then there was Delilah (16:4).

The details of Samson's life and his foolish choices around these women and the resulting consequences are immortalized in Judges chapters 13-16. A man of incredible strength who once slew one thousand men with the jaw bone of an ass (15:15-16), he fell victim to the charm of Delilah. She was approached by the five Philistine lords with the promise of wealth to "entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him" (16:5). After three failed attempts, and with Samson inexplicably clueless, she finally got him to disclose the needed information which she gladly passed on to her leaders. After he fell asleep on her knees (v.18), "she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him" (v.19).

After twenty years, the Philistines finally had their man. After gouging out his eyes, they imprisoned him, and thanked their god, Dagon, for their good fortune. At a celebratory event, "Everyone was feeling high and someone said, 'Get Samson! Let him show us his stuff!' They got Samson from the prison and he put on a show for them. They had him standing between the pillars" (v. 25, The Message). But prior to that something happened that somehow the Philistines inexplicably missed. According to the narrative, while he was slaving away in the prison house, "the hair of his head began to grow again" (v.22, KJV). That was all Samson needed. He prayed, "O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes" (v.28) and with that he bowed his head, pushed against the pillars with all his might, "and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life" (v. 30).

What does all of this have to do with us? Everything! While the lessons from Samson's life are many, one of the most important is that no matter how much we make a mess of our lives, we are not beyond being used by God. After everything Samson had done that was contrary to the will of God, the growth of his hair while in prison was a demonstration of God's grace. Like Samson we may still suffer the consequences of our actions, but the plans and purposes of God will not be denied. In death, the promise of the angel that Samson would "begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines" was fulfilled. What he started, David would later complete.

No matter the number of mistakes we have made, God is still in the business of using those who make themselves available to Him. No one is so far gone that they are out of His reach; no one whose life is so messed up to whom He will not extend His grace. For that my heart bursts with gratitude. How about yours?

Exercising Our God-Given Authority

According to the narrative, the service went on until past midnight. Paul was leaving Troas the next day and not knowing when he would see the brethren again, his sermon lasted until midnight. One could forgive the young man, Eutychus, who had fallen asleep in a window on the third loft. Not only was he asleep, the Scriptures tell us he had "fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead" (Acts 20:9, KJV). The narrative continues, "And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted" (vv.10-12).

It is instructive to note that in what could have been a chaotic situation, the apostle was not flustered by the dramatic turn of events. Those around him must have been watching his every step as he walked towards the body on the floor. With each stride he probably recalled the Scriptures that told of Elijah stretching himself three times upon the body of deceased son of the widow at Zarephath and the miracle that followed (1 Kings 17:21-24), because here he did almost the same thing and got the same result. Remarkably, Paul did not skip a beat but went right back to the service, broke and ate bread, and talked “till break of day.” To him, what happened was no big deal.

The apostle Peter also had one of those matter-of-fact encounters. In going up to the temple with John, he met the lame man begging for alms. After commanding the man to look on them, "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God" (Acts 3:6-8). What stands out with incidents like these is that the men of God took control of the respective situations, and were so in tune with God that it was as if their actions were par for the course. In other words, there was nothing to it. It was just another incident they had to deal with amidst the hustle and bustle of their day. What made them so confident and so successful? They had their God-given authority and they exercised it, fully expecting God to honor His word.

What about your authority? Are you taking charge of situations you should be in control of? If you are at a place where there is confusion and brokenness, whether at work, home, school or wherever you might be, by the Spirit of God you can make a difference. You have been deputized by Christ to act on His behalf. Isn't it about time you started exercising that authority?

When Discomfort Speaks - Part II

The total body discomfort caused by the pebble in my shoe reminded me that Christ set up His body, the Church, the same way. When one member hurts, the whole "body" ought to hurt as well because we are all connected. But there was one other important enlightenment that resulted from my discomfort; it only stopped when I took the time to remove its cause.

As the child of God tries to make his or her way through this world, there are times when we veer off-track. Whether in thoughts, words, or deeds, we miss God's standard; we violate His word. For some people, this may not be that big of a deal. Like a callused foot, they seem void of any sensitivity to the fact that something is wrong. Paul's characterization of people "having their conscience seared with a hot iron" (1 Timothy 4:2, KJV) could easily apply to them. Bible Scholar Albert Gill observes that these are they "whose consciences are cauterized and hardened, and past feeling; and have no regard to what they say or do, make no conscience of anything." However, if we profess to be led by the Spirit, our consciences are sensitive to His promptings and veering off-track produces an inner discomfort. Like the pebble in the shoe, this discomfort persists until we do something about it.

The Psalmist David found this out only too well. After committing adultery with Bathsheba and then having her husband Uriah killed in an attempt to cover up his indiscretion, Nathan the prophet was sent to him by God to awaken him to a sense of his sin. His discomfort caused him to immediately acknowledge his sins, and he showed true repentance in the words immortalized in Psalm 51. Gill notes that this Psalm remains on record "for the instruction of such as should fall into sin, how to behave, where to apply, and for their comfort." With God, the kind of sin does not matter. What matters is that we be sensitive to the Spirit's conviction and that we do something about it.

The confession "Have mercy upon me, O God" (Psalm 51:1a) is the start of the correct response to spiritual discomfort. It sets in motion the process for relationship restoration with God and those we may have wronged. And lest we forget, that discomfort does not go away until we either become callused and insenstive or we do something about it. How do you choose?

When Discomfort "Speaks" - Part I

The feeling was as uncomfortable as it was annoying. The discomfort became worse with each step and the trek across the parking lot seemed like an exercise in torture. I do not know where it came from because had I felt it before, there was no way I would have left it there. It had happened before and I knew it would only get worse if I did not get it removed. The source of my problem? Something that felt like a very small pebble in my shoe. And it caused me a lot of hurt.

When I was able to finally remove it, I recall the feeling of relief. My whole body seemed to thank me because even though the pebble was only in one shoe, it was as if every other part of my body shared the hurt. Of course, that can be explained biologically. However, some days later it occurred to me that God, in Christ, set up His body, the church, the very same way. Every believer is a part of the body of Christ. The apostle Paul puts it this way, "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. . . . But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him" (1 Corinthians 12: 13-14, 18, KJV). That is as true today as it was in the first century when he wrote it. Because we are all a part of one body, when one hurts the whole body should hurt. Paul continues, "The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don't, the parts we see and the parts we don't. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance" (vv. 25-26, The Message).

My left foot was exuberant when I removed the pebble, and every other part of my body entered into that exuberance. To put it in simple form, the sensory nerves in the sole of my foot transmitted to my brain the problem my foot was experiencing. My brain processed that information in a way I could understand and I was able to call upon my hands, both of whom cooperated, to do something about the pain in my foot. Because they are all connected. That church brother or sister that we try to avoid, don't particular care for or couldn't care less about, is connected to us. We cannot be indifferent to the needs of any person in the body. We must share in each other's joy and pain. It is easy to do the former, but the latter is much more difficult. It is easier to believe that someone else's pain is not our problem, yet it is God's will that we be mindful of each other.

Do you know or know of someone in "the body" that is hurting? Can you feel that hurt? What are you going to do about it?