(March 21, 1990)
At least fourteen cars didn’t make it. Some stopped. Others piled into them. Still others missed the space between the lines. That fog a couple of weekends ago was so unbelievably thick.
Even driving in town required a measure of faith. It looked as if there was nothing left to drive on; the streets all but disappeared. The white “soup” didn’t just cover them, it completely swallowed the pavement and buildings.
I felt the same way about God that Sunday morning. Tired from doing all the usual chores plus hospital visits, plus traveling 500 miles in two days, plus cleaning someone else’s house besides my own, there was no physical energy left for my Bible class. Not only that, God seemed far away. How could I teach about Him if He was not there?
However, on the way to church, I noticed only by going on would we know for sure if the next block still existed, if asphalt would still firmly rise up beneath our tires and if neighbors still lived alongside the boulevards. Each meter we traveled brought another meter into view, until finally we reached our destination. If we had relied only on the visible, surely we would have stayed home. Obviously, not everything we see is “real.” Fog can make streets “disappear” and create a false sense of reality. However, just because we can’t see two hundred yards in front of us didn’t mean there is nothing beyond.
That reminded me of Scripture that encourages Christians to “...walk by faith, not by sight.” We are to concentrate on eternal things that are invisible and let those govern our actions, rather than let temporary things confuse us, even though they are easier to see. (2 Cor.4:18).
That morning, my fatigue was making the reality of Christ in my life “disappear” and creating a tremendous sense of emptiness. But, as with the fog, God wanted me to go on in faith, not depend on sight or feelings but believe He is always with me -- because He said so, so I determined to move on in obedience. Yet even with God’s promise to be with me and my determination, walking into class was like walking into a fog. I still felt weak and inadequate.
The Lord met that need too. When the apostle Paul had some kind of infirmity that slowed him down, he asked God three times to remove it. God told Him, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul said he had learned to glory in his weaknesses because when he was weak, the power of God rested on him, whether he felt like it or not. That verse (2 Corinthians 12:9) was repeated three times in our study material.
After the study time was over, I was still exhausted and didn’t “feel” much different physically, yet each of us recognized the Lord had brought our spirits through the “fog” and into the Son light. His strength is sufficient. Faith can depend on Him.
Not every day with God is foggy. Often the course ahead is clear and His strength, tired or not, is fully felt. But when our vision of Him socks in, that doesn’t mean He’s gone. His promises are just as reliable when we can’t see the end from the beginning, as they are when the sun is shining. We can safely put one foot ahead of the other, trusting He will be there, clearing the pathway ahead of us.
Monday, December 15, 2014
Friday, December 12, 2014
God: Beyond my Imagination ................. Parables 208
(March 14, 1990)
“If believing in God makes you feel good, then for you there is a God. But I don’t feel the need for religion. For me there is no God.”
This is relative thinking. What is real for you is real for you and what is real for me is real for me, no absolutes. But what is the Biblical response to relative thinking?
The Christian to whom this was said answered: “I am talking about a God who exists apart from me and apart from you. I am talking about a God who exists whether we believe in Him or not. If God does not exist objectively, according to true truth, then all my prayers, all my devotion, all my religious fervor cannot bring Him into existence... I have the power to imagine things that are not really there, but I cannot ultimately create such things out of nothing. By the same token, if such a God does in fact exist, then all of your unbelief does not have the power to destroy Him. The God of whom I am speaking does not pass in and out of existence at our whims.” (From One Holy Passion by R. C. Sproul)
The idea that man created God is not a new one. In fact, the creation of gods is one of our oldest activities. Every culture, every tribe and peoples of the world have gods of various sorts. Some are carved images, some are imaginative manlike creatures. Others are grotesque shapes with supposed powers. Yet out of all what man may call “god”, the God of the Bible stands utterly and wholly apart.
No one could imagine a Being like He. For one thing, we in our imperfection can’t relate to His perfect holiness. We cannot understand One who is all powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, holy, a hater of sin, just and yet merciful. Our gods, if we imagine them at all, are extensions of ourselves; but He is totally separate. We may resemble Him (we were made in His image) but He is not like us.
Hebrews 11:6 says that God, who is spirit (without a physical body), is pleased when we believe He exists. He even reveals Himself so we can believe... “The heavens declare the glory of God... there is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.”
Creation gives us no reason not to acknowledge God. The awe felt when we (as well as pagan jungle savages) look at the stars or the colors on the wings of a butterfly or the variety of plants and trees is an awe that ought to be called worship and given to the One who spoke all these into existence. But the intellectual evolutionist attempts to explain away the awe. He claims all this was only chance, that none of these things are anything more than cosmic accidents.
However, God’s revelation of Himself in nature is not His only disclosure. He also appeared in a body, a perfect man, who changes lives and changed history, who cannot be explained away with pat theories and scientific jargon. This man, God in human flesh, burst into our creation, then proved His identity by healing diseases, commanding the wind and the sea, walking on water, turning some of it to wine, dumbfounding the wise and transforming the simple. Then He died and rose from the dead. His tomb is empty.
What can the relative thinker or the evolutionist say about the historic Jesus? All the world’s theories do not affect Who He is and what He did. He also is a visible rebuke to any of our imagined gods.
Furthermore, the relativist thought Christians make up “God” because He makes them “feel good.” Not so. There are many times His holiness makes me feel awful. I’d never invent a god who convicts me so deeply of my sin and unworthiness. Nor would I invent one upon Whom I am utterly dependent. I’m too independent to do that. Besides, the person of Jesus Christ is beyond even the most radical imagination.
Reject Him, or say YES and put faith in Him, but never dismiss God as revealed in His Son as a mere religious whim. None of us are that creative.
“If believing in God makes you feel good, then for you there is a God. But I don’t feel the need for religion. For me there is no God.”
This is relative thinking. What is real for you is real for you and what is real for me is real for me, no absolutes. But what is the Biblical response to relative thinking?
The Christian to whom this was said answered: “I am talking about a God who exists apart from me and apart from you. I am talking about a God who exists whether we believe in Him or not. If God does not exist objectively, according to true truth, then all my prayers, all my devotion, all my religious fervor cannot bring Him into existence... I have the power to imagine things that are not really there, but I cannot ultimately create such things out of nothing. By the same token, if such a God does in fact exist, then all of your unbelief does not have the power to destroy Him. The God of whom I am speaking does not pass in and out of existence at our whims.” (From One Holy Passion by R. C. Sproul)
The idea that man created God is not a new one. In fact, the creation of gods is one of our oldest activities. Every culture, every tribe and peoples of the world have gods of various sorts. Some are carved images, some are imaginative manlike creatures. Others are grotesque shapes with supposed powers. Yet out of all what man may call “god”, the God of the Bible stands utterly and wholly apart.
No one could imagine a Being like He. For one thing, we in our imperfection can’t relate to His perfect holiness. We cannot understand One who is all powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, holy, a hater of sin, just and yet merciful. Our gods, if we imagine them at all, are extensions of ourselves; but He is totally separate. We may resemble Him (we were made in His image) but He is not like us.
Hebrews 11:6 says that God, who is spirit (without a physical body), is pleased when we believe He exists. He even reveals Himself so we can believe... “The heavens declare the glory of God... there is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.”
Creation gives us no reason not to acknowledge God. The awe felt when we (as well as pagan jungle savages) look at the stars or the colors on the wings of a butterfly or the variety of plants and trees is an awe that ought to be called worship and given to the One who spoke all these into existence. But the intellectual evolutionist attempts to explain away the awe. He claims all this was only chance, that none of these things are anything more than cosmic accidents.
However, God’s revelation of Himself in nature is not His only disclosure. He also appeared in a body, a perfect man, who changes lives and changed history, who cannot be explained away with pat theories and scientific jargon. This man, God in human flesh, burst into our creation, then proved His identity by healing diseases, commanding the wind and the sea, walking on water, turning some of it to wine, dumbfounding the wise and transforming the simple. Then He died and rose from the dead. His tomb is empty.
What can the relative thinker or the evolutionist say about the historic Jesus? All the world’s theories do not affect Who He is and what He did. He also is a visible rebuke to any of our imagined gods.
Furthermore, the relativist thought Christians make up “God” because He makes them “feel good.” Not so. There are many times His holiness makes me feel awful. I’d never invent a god who convicts me so deeply of my sin and unworthiness. Nor would I invent one upon Whom I am utterly dependent. I’m too independent to do that. Besides, the person of Jesus Christ is beyond even the most radical imagination.
Reject Him, or say YES and put faith in Him, but never dismiss God as revealed in His Son as a mere religious whim. None of us are that creative.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Removing the Masks ................. Parables 207
(March 7, 1990)
Our granddaughter was two when she first saw me wearing a mask. It was part of a costume and covered my face. It wasn’t a frightening mask but she recoiled in horror. The familiar grandmother had disappeared and something she couldn’t understand had taken my place.
An ancient theatrical Greek might use the word “hypokrites” to explain the wearing of a mask. From it comes our negative word, “hypocrite”, generally used to describe someone who pretends to be something different (usually better) than they really are.
In Jesus’ day, there were at several kinds of religious hypocrites. One was the Pharisees who loudly proclaimed they were godly but their hearts were far from God. They wore a mask of their own goodness, covering up their selfish inner intent. Jesus often warned those who were close to Him, “Beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.” (Luke 12:1)
It’s little wonder most of us dislike hypocrisy -- God Himself hates it. He describes those who engage in it as people who have a destructive mouth (Proverbs 11:9), make their rules more important than the needs of people (Luke 13:15), are insensitive to God’s discipline (Job 36:13), show off their “piety” (Matthew 6:2,5,16) and are seemingly discerning about a lot of things but miss the real issues (Matthew 16:3). They also refuse others the privilege of hearing God’s truth (Matthew 23:13), are long on prayers and short on compassion (Matthew 23:14), eager to convert others to their error (Matthew 23:15), and are big on giving money but low on obedience to God, mercy, and faith (Matthew 23:23).
A hypocrite may look good on the outside but Jesus sees they have extortion and indulgence in their hearts (Matthew 23:25,27). They might give public honor to great men of God but stab them behind their back (Matthew 23:29). Some will even honor God with their lips but their heart is far from Him (Mark 7:6). A few get away with their hypocrisy in that most do not notice anything but their “goodness” (Luke 11:44), however they have nothing to give the hungry and thirsty souls of those who seek God (Isaiah 32:6). Hypocrites can even tell lies without it bothering their conscience (I Timothy 4:2). Quite a list. No wonder Jesus said “Woe to you hypocrites...” Christians are told “the wisdom from above is... WITHOUT HYPOCRISY.” I Peter 2:1,2 tells us to “lay aside all... hypocrisies.” Why? What happens to the hypocrite?
Combining some verses from Job, here is the picture: “The... joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment... for the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate... so are the paths of all that forget God... for what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he has gained, when God takes away his soul? ... And the hypocrite’s hope shall perish.”
If genuine Christians fall into hypocrisy, God promises to chasten them. His intent is that we watch out for this sin and if it occurs, confess it, repent of it, and be honest with Him, others and ourselves.
Christians who refuse to cooperate with God in this confess/repent cure tend to transfer their guilt by judging others. Again Jesus warns: “You hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then you shall see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother’s eye” (Luke 6:42).
No one should let a hypocrite stand between themselves and God. If it is an erring Christian, guilty as he may be, that kind of hypocrite is closer to God than the one offended. However, if the unsaved Pharisee-type keeps anyone from God, what a shame -- that makes two people bound for a Christless eternity. Those who shy from God because of hypocrisy lose, either way.
Better still to realize, for whatever reasons, people will wear masks. The only person without any hypocrisy in Him, was the Lord Jesus Christ. And He is the only one that can help any of us take off our masks and allow Him to deal with what is really there.
Our granddaughter was two when she first saw me wearing a mask. It was part of a costume and covered my face. It wasn’t a frightening mask but she recoiled in horror. The familiar grandmother had disappeared and something she couldn’t understand had taken my place.
An ancient theatrical Greek might use the word “hypokrites” to explain the wearing of a mask. From it comes our negative word, “hypocrite”, generally used to describe someone who pretends to be something different (usually better) than they really are.
In Jesus’ day, there were at several kinds of religious hypocrites. One was the Pharisees who loudly proclaimed they were godly but their hearts were far from God. They wore a mask of their own goodness, covering up their selfish inner intent. Jesus often warned those who were close to Him, “Beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.” (Luke 12:1)
It’s little wonder most of us dislike hypocrisy -- God Himself hates it. He describes those who engage in it as people who have a destructive mouth (Proverbs 11:9), make their rules more important than the needs of people (Luke 13:15), are insensitive to God’s discipline (Job 36:13), show off their “piety” (Matthew 6:2,5,16) and are seemingly discerning about a lot of things but miss the real issues (Matthew 16:3). They also refuse others the privilege of hearing God’s truth (Matthew 23:13), are long on prayers and short on compassion (Matthew 23:14), eager to convert others to their error (Matthew 23:15), and are big on giving money but low on obedience to God, mercy, and faith (Matthew 23:23).
A hypocrite may look good on the outside but Jesus sees they have extortion and indulgence in their hearts (Matthew 23:25,27). They might give public honor to great men of God but stab them behind their back (Matthew 23:29). Some will even honor God with their lips but their heart is far from Him (Mark 7:6). A few get away with their hypocrisy in that most do not notice anything but their “goodness” (Luke 11:44), however they have nothing to give the hungry and thirsty souls of those who seek God (Isaiah 32:6). Hypocrites can even tell lies without it bothering their conscience (I Timothy 4:2). Quite a list. No wonder Jesus said “Woe to you hypocrites...” Christians are told “the wisdom from above is... WITHOUT HYPOCRISY.” I Peter 2:1,2 tells us to “lay aside all... hypocrisies.” Why? What happens to the hypocrite?
Combining some verses from Job, here is the picture: “The... joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment... for the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate... so are the paths of all that forget God... for what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he has gained, when God takes away his soul? ... And the hypocrite’s hope shall perish.”
If genuine Christians fall into hypocrisy, God promises to chasten them. His intent is that we watch out for this sin and if it occurs, confess it, repent of it, and be honest with Him, others and ourselves.
Christians who refuse to cooperate with God in this confess/repent cure tend to transfer their guilt by judging others. Again Jesus warns: “You hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then you shall see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother’s eye” (Luke 6:42).
No one should let a hypocrite stand between themselves and God. If it is an erring Christian, guilty as he may be, that kind of hypocrite is closer to God than the one offended. However, if the unsaved Pharisee-type keeps anyone from God, what a shame -- that makes two people bound for a Christless eternity. Those who shy from God because of hypocrisy lose, either way.
Better still to realize, for whatever reasons, people will wear masks. The only person without any hypocrisy in Him, was the Lord Jesus Christ. And He is the only one that can help any of us take off our masks and allow Him to deal with what is really there.
Monday, December 8, 2014
Choosing reality, choosing Life ................. Parables 206
(February 28, 1990)
This uncontrollable swing of weather from balmy thaw to bitter below zero and back again is hard on the system. My old body doesn’t know what to expect next. It would be nice to promise it a vacation somewhere in the sunny south... such a pleasant thought! But keeping that promise is beyond my present capacity. So body, you just have to take what comes. Ah, but my soul... that is a different matter.
Some people say we don’t have a soul. They usually mean there is no part of us that lives on after our bodies die. I’m not too sure why anyone would deny the existence of their own soul, but fear might have something to do with it.
The Bible talks about people who are so afraid of death that their fear has them in bondage. Death is the great unknown, but besides that, it is not easy getting away from the suspicion there is more after this life, whether more is wanted or not. Thus death - the event, might not be dreaded as much as death - the repercussions. As with a lot of uncomfortable topics, this one, some will just push aside and leave alone.
When it is -40 outside, I can easily turn my mind to anything other than going outside. In fact, I’d rather sit in front of the fireplace and look at a picture book of Hawaii and pretend I’m on Kihei beach. It doesn’t get me there nor does it change the reality of the temperature outside, it’s just easier. Maybe that is why some people prefer to convince themselves “when you’re dead, you’re dead”. That’s easier to handle than a question mark, judgment, condemnation or whatever else might be feared.
Nevertheless, just saying a thing isn’t enough. Just saying it isn’t cold outside doesn’t change the weather. Just saying I’m going to Hawaii, won’t get me there. Just saying I’m going to heaven when I die won’t get me there... nor will just saying there is no life after death make that a reality. We don’t call things into existence. Whatever I vocalize, apart from what God says about it, is mere wishful thinking.
However, He doesn’t want to leave anyone without hope. The Bible offers this: even though the issue of death and life after death are beyond our choice, we can decide where we will spend eternity! “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life...” (Deuteronomy 30:19)
Eternal life is a gift for those who choose to believe what God says. He tells us that if we want to spend eternity with Him, we need to believe in and receive His Son, not cling to our own ideas, however pleasant they may seem. God says, “He who has the Son has life...” and choosing to believe in and serve Jesus Christ NOW makes the difference in what happens to our soul LATER.
The Christian hope is not based on denying realities. We acknowledge we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We acknowledge we have a soul. We know we can’t handle the issue of death ourselves. We don’t make rash promises we can’t keep. (Such as, “Oh, you’re such a good guy, after you die, you’ll go to heaven.”) We admit it is “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us...” (Titus 3:5) Such reality may not feed the ego but better that than feeding it a lie and being horribly shocked when reality must eventually be faced.
Our expectation is on the One who has the capacity to keep all His promises, the One who promised “...whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” Instead of trying to escape God by denying our soul, we ought to deny any notions of trying to cross over death without Christ. He can change fearful uncertainty into confident expectation. But the choice needs to be made now, while we can choose.
Later, we have to take whatever we get.
This uncontrollable swing of weather from balmy thaw to bitter below zero and back again is hard on the system. My old body doesn’t know what to expect next. It would be nice to promise it a vacation somewhere in the sunny south... such a pleasant thought! But keeping that promise is beyond my present capacity. So body, you just have to take what comes. Ah, but my soul... that is a different matter.
Some people say we don’t have a soul. They usually mean there is no part of us that lives on after our bodies die. I’m not too sure why anyone would deny the existence of their own soul, but fear might have something to do with it.
The Bible talks about people who are so afraid of death that their fear has them in bondage. Death is the great unknown, but besides that, it is not easy getting away from the suspicion there is more after this life, whether more is wanted or not. Thus death - the event, might not be dreaded as much as death - the repercussions. As with a lot of uncomfortable topics, this one, some will just push aside and leave alone.
When it is -40 outside, I can easily turn my mind to anything other than going outside. In fact, I’d rather sit in front of the fireplace and look at a picture book of Hawaii and pretend I’m on Kihei beach. It doesn’t get me there nor does it change the reality of the temperature outside, it’s just easier. Maybe that is why some people prefer to convince themselves “when you’re dead, you’re dead”. That’s easier to handle than a question mark, judgment, condemnation or whatever else might be feared.
Nevertheless, just saying a thing isn’t enough. Just saying it isn’t cold outside doesn’t change the weather. Just saying I’m going to Hawaii, won’t get me there. Just saying I’m going to heaven when I die won’t get me there... nor will just saying there is no life after death make that a reality. We don’t call things into existence. Whatever I vocalize, apart from what God says about it, is mere wishful thinking.
However, He doesn’t want to leave anyone without hope. The Bible offers this: even though the issue of death and life after death are beyond our choice, we can decide where we will spend eternity! “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life...” (Deuteronomy 30:19)
Eternal life is a gift for those who choose to believe what God says. He tells us that if we want to spend eternity with Him, we need to believe in and receive His Son, not cling to our own ideas, however pleasant they may seem. God says, “He who has the Son has life...” and choosing to believe in and serve Jesus Christ NOW makes the difference in what happens to our soul LATER.
The Christian hope is not based on denying realities. We acknowledge we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We acknowledge we have a soul. We know we can’t handle the issue of death ourselves. We don’t make rash promises we can’t keep. (Such as, “Oh, you’re such a good guy, after you die, you’ll go to heaven.”) We admit it is “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us...” (Titus 3:5) Such reality may not feed the ego but better that than feeding it a lie and being horribly shocked when reality must eventually be faced.
Our expectation is on the One who has the capacity to keep all His promises, the One who promised “...whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” Instead of trying to escape God by denying our soul, we ought to deny any notions of trying to cross over death without Christ. He can change fearful uncertainty into confident expectation. But the choice needs to be made now, while we can choose.
Later, we have to take whatever we get.
Friday, December 5, 2014
Need a spiritual adjustment? ................. Parables 205
(February 21, 1990)
It didn’t fit at all. The arms were too far apart. The seat tilted wrong. The back hit my back in the wrong place. Worse yet, it seemed to aggravate the aches and pains that were still there from sitting in the old one. My husband was disappointed. He felt bad that he’d selected such an inappropriate computer chair for my birthday.
So I took it back. The lady in the store graciously ordered me another and called me a day later. On my way down to try out the new chair, I went to see my chiropractor and had my back adjusted. It was more out of alignment than it had ever been. What an adjustment!
A few minutes later, I arrived at the store, hoping this chair would fit. When I saw it, I remarked it looked just like the old one. “No,” she said, “this one is less expensive. Just sit in it.”
It fit. I was happy, even though I had to come back later for my refund. So I loaded it in the car and took it home. Later, when I returned, I was told there was a mistake -- it was the same chair as before! Obviously it was not the chair that needed adjusting.
The whole episode reminded me of an old cartoon depicting a mother watching her son march with his army division. As the soldiers went by, she proudly announced, “Oh look, everyone is out of step but my Johnny.”
Last week, my back probably wouldn’t have liked any chair. I could have shopped and shopped, got upset with the people who sell or manufacture chairs and never found anything that fit right. This happens in the spiritual realm too. Consider this parallel: “I am in pain and somebody told me to read the Bible, but all it does is make me feel worse. It tells me all my faults and points out everything I do wrong. I don’t like the Christian message... It makes me feel bad about myself. I’m going to shop around....”
Sore back or sore souls, a lot of folks are tired and carrying burdens too large for them. Broken homes, loss of employment and trials of all kinds are loads that can bend anyone over in pain. They may read the words of invitation Jesus gave in Matthew 11 to all who “are weary and heavy laden”, but cannot seem to follow through on the remainder: “Come unto me... take my yoke upon you and learn of me... and you shall find rest for your souls.” For them, there is simply no rest.
God says “Is my hand shortened that it cannot save...?” Is it God’s fault that some find no peace or comfort in the Scriptures? No. He says the problem is, “Your sins have separated you from me...”
His remedy would fit our need -- but we are out of step with God. Or, like my back, our lives first need adjusting. We have to get our sin dealt with before His blessings will fit. After that, Jesus can lift any burden. He promises that “whoever comes to me, I will in no way cast out.” He never pushes us away because our load is too much for Him to bear. In fact, He took our biggest burden on Himself at Calvary. There He willingly bore the punishment we deserved and broke down the barrier that separates us from God’s richest blessings.
When we come to Him first with our sin, we find that He makes us “new creatures” with a new nature, a new way of looking at life and a new capacity to deal with its perplexities. You might say He has “adjusted” us. After that initial adjustment, we will find His Word a comfort to our sore places and His promises a balm to our burdens. Sure, it still pinches whenever we sin, but the fault is not with the Bible.
“The natural man (the person without Christ) does not receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual discerns all things... he has the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2).... Now that’s an adjustment!
It didn’t fit at all. The arms were too far apart. The seat tilted wrong. The back hit my back in the wrong place. Worse yet, it seemed to aggravate the aches and pains that were still there from sitting in the old one. My husband was disappointed. He felt bad that he’d selected such an inappropriate computer chair for my birthday.
So I took it back. The lady in the store graciously ordered me another and called me a day later. On my way down to try out the new chair, I went to see my chiropractor and had my back adjusted. It was more out of alignment than it had ever been. What an adjustment!
A few minutes later, I arrived at the store, hoping this chair would fit. When I saw it, I remarked it looked just like the old one. “No,” she said, “this one is less expensive. Just sit in it.”
It fit. I was happy, even though I had to come back later for my refund. So I loaded it in the car and took it home. Later, when I returned, I was told there was a mistake -- it was the same chair as before! Obviously it was not the chair that needed adjusting.
The whole episode reminded me of an old cartoon depicting a mother watching her son march with his army division. As the soldiers went by, she proudly announced, “Oh look, everyone is out of step but my Johnny.”
Last week, my back probably wouldn’t have liked any chair. I could have shopped and shopped, got upset with the people who sell or manufacture chairs and never found anything that fit right. This happens in the spiritual realm too. Consider this parallel: “I am in pain and somebody told me to read the Bible, but all it does is make me feel worse. It tells me all my faults and points out everything I do wrong. I don’t like the Christian message... It makes me feel bad about myself. I’m going to shop around....”
Sore back or sore souls, a lot of folks are tired and carrying burdens too large for them. Broken homes, loss of employment and trials of all kinds are loads that can bend anyone over in pain. They may read the words of invitation Jesus gave in Matthew 11 to all who “are weary and heavy laden”, but cannot seem to follow through on the remainder: “Come unto me... take my yoke upon you and learn of me... and you shall find rest for your souls.” For them, there is simply no rest.
God says “Is my hand shortened that it cannot save...?” Is it God’s fault that some find no peace or comfort in the Scriptures? No. He says the problem is, “Your sins have separated you from me...”
His remedy would fit our need -- but we are out of step with God. Or, like my back, our lives first need adjusting. We have to get our sin dealt with before His blessings will fit. After that, Jesus can lift any burden. He promises that “whoever comes to me, I will in no way cast out.” He never pushes us away because our load is too much for Him to bear. In fact, He took our biggest burden on Himself at Calvary. There He willingly bore the punishment we deserved and broke down the barrier that separates us from God’s richest blessings.
When we come to Him first with our sin, we find that He makes us “new creatures” with a new nature, a new way of looking at life and a new capacity to deal with its perplexities. You might say He has “adjusted” us. After that initial adjustment, we will find His Word a comfort to our sore places and His promises a balm to our burdens. Sure, it still pinches whenever we sin, but the fault is not with the Bible.
“The natural man (the person without Christ) does not receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual discerns all things... he has the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2).... Now that’s an adjustment!
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Divine anger management ................. Parables 204
(February 14, 1990)
One quarter teaspoon salt dissolved in one cup of boiling water equals a handy, home-made saline solution. But the recipe is too big for my little container so I put one-half a measuring cup of very hot tap water in the microwave, pressed the buttons, and hoped to bring it to a boil and get rid of unwanted bacteria.
Because the container was small and I didn’t know how long it would take, I stood to watch. Suddenly, a large bubble formed in the bottom of the cup, rose to the surface and the resulting explosion blew the door of the microwave open and sprayed water all over the inside of the microwave, down the front of the cupboard and out onto the floor. No harm done just a mess to clean up.
Without a degree in physics, I’m not too sure what went wrong. All I know is that the water didn’t cooperate with the forces to which it was subjected. Sort of like me at times... like when life applies a little heat... and I explode.
There is an anger called “righteous indignation” which most of us never experience. Mine isn’t that kind of anger. I mean the kind that wells up from the inside, burns its way to the top, then blasts out the mouth like a sulphurous volcano. This is the anger that takes doors off at the hinges and spatters itself all over the lives of whoever might be handy. Maybe it should be called rage, or more appropriately, a temper tantrum.
Most of us don’t like having one -- and we certainly don’t enjoy trying to repair the damages. In fact, if we could come up with anger inoculations that prevented this explosive disease, it would be a great boon, not only to our emotional health but to our relationships with just about everyone.
This week I learned from experience how to avoid blasting open my microwave door, but anger is not as easily prevented. Since we seldom have control over those irritating circumstances, the best alternative reality offers is to learn how to control our volcanic eruptions.
Right up front, it helps to know that God can use all those provoking situations for our ultimate good. We just have to see His purpose in the thing. The Word of God helps me to do that -- and what should have happened to my saline solution provides an illustration. It should have been purified.
Job, probably the most “tried” man ever, alluded to another illustration when he said this: “He knows the way that I take: when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” He knew how a goldsmith uses heat to purify this valuable metal. As the heat is turned up, impurities rise to the top where he skims them off. Finally, when he can see his reflection on the surface, he knows the ore is pure.
In the same way, God may see some impurities in us, so He allows whatever “heat” is necessary (He knows what it will take) to bring that dross to the surface. Then, as WE realize it is there and confess our sin, bringing it to Him for His forgiveness and cleansing, He takes it from us.
The “heat” of life tends to bring selfishness and pride to a boil. When that happens, all the those areas where the Lord is not trusted become painfully obvious. In fact, whatever makes me blow up can be a very reliable spiritual barometer. As uncomfortable as they may be, these crucibles of life are part of God’s perfect plan. Through them, it is not His intention to push me to sinful anger but He is looking for His own image. Remembering He is using pressure to bring out the dross and produce greater Christlikeness in me, helps keep the lid on.
Anger still happens. After all, the Lord did say “Be angry and sin not...” but being open to His purifying process can result in fruit-bearing instead of going BANG!
One quarter teaspoon salt dissolved in one cup of boiling water equals a handy, home-made saline solution. But the recipe is too big for my little container so I put one-half a measuring cup of very hot tap water in the microwave, pressed the buttons, and hoped to bring it to a boil and get rid of unwanted bacteria.
Because the container was small and I didn’t know how long it would take, I stood to watch. Suddenly, a large bubble formed in the bottom of the cup, rose to the surface and the resulting explosion blew the door of the microwave open and sprayed water all over the inside of the microwave, down the front of the cupboard and out onto the floor. No harm done just a mess to clean up.
Without a degree in physics, I’m not too sure what went wrong. All I know is that the water didn’t cooperate with the forces to which it was subjected. Sort of like me at times... like when life applies a little heat... and I explode.
There is an anger called “righteous indignation” which most of us never experience. Mine isn’t that kind of anger. I mean the kind that wells up from the inside, burns its way to the top, then blasts out the mouth like a sulphurous volcano. This is the anger that takes doors off at the hinges and spatters itself all over the lives of whoever might be handy. Maybe it should be called rage, or more appropriately, a temper tantrum.
Most of us don’t like having one -- and we certainly don’t enjoy trying to repair the damages. In fact, if we could come up with anger inoculations that prevented this explosive disease, it would be a great boon, not only to our emotional health but to our relationships with just about everyone.
This week I learned from experience how to avoid blasting open my microwave door, but anger is not as easily prevented. Since we seldom have control over those irritating circumstances, the best alternative reality offers is to learn how to control our volcanic eruptions.
Right up front, it helps to know that God can use all those provoking situations for our ultimate good. We just have to see His purpose in the thing. The Word of God helps me to do that -- and what should have happened to my saline solution provides an illustration. It should have been purified.
Job, probably the most “tried” man ever, alluded to another illustration when he said this: “He knows the way that I take: when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” He knew how a goldsmith uses heat to purify this valuable metal. As the heat is turned up, impurities rise to the top where he skims them off. Finally, when he can see his reflection on the surface, he knows the ore is pure.
In the same way, God may see some impurities in us, so He allows whatever “heat” is necessary (He knows what it will take) to bring that dross to the surface. Then, as WE realize it is there and confess our sin, bringing it to Him for His forgiveness and cleansing, He takes it from us.
The “heat” of life tends to bring selfishness and pride to a boil. When that happens, all the those areas where the Lord is not trusted become painfully obvious. In fact, whatever makes me blow up can be a very reliable spiritual barometer. As uncomfortable as they may be, these crucibles of life are part of God’s perfect plan. Through them, it is not His intention to push me to sinful anger but He is looking for His own image. Remembering He is using pressure to bring out the dross and produce greater Christlikeness in me, helps keep the lid on.
Anger still happens. After all, the Lord did say “Be angry and sin not...” but being open to His purifying process can result in fruit-bearing instead of going BANG!
Monday, December 1, 2014
Unexpected Peace ................. Parables 203
(February 7, 1990)
It was 4 a.m. The telephone woke both parents instantly. The father answered, mother wide-awake beside him. It happened to quick for prayers. In fact neither of them remember even a Godward thought, yet before they found out the news wasn’t good, a strange thing happened inside their minds. They were instantly and completely filled with peace, a peace so incredible, it erased all the tension that comes when the phone rings in the night.
The call was from another parent. Their young daughter, best friend of this couple’s daughter, had invited her for a sleep-over. Both were missing. So was his vehicle. The caller’s voice was filled with fear. They were only 13. Neither of them could drive. Where would they go? They had no money. It seemed they had taken no extra clothing. He was in a state of panic. His wife could be heard crying in the background.
The recipients of this alarming news dressed hurriedly. They quickly drove the few blocks to the home of the other parents. They prayed with them first, then calmly began making plans to search the area. Both were concerned but serene. That serenity still didn’t make sense, not even to them, never mind to the parents of the other girl. Why would anyone, given the situation, be so calm?
Jesus made an incredible promise to those who trust in Him, “Peace I give unto you, not as the world gives give I unto you...” The Apostle Paul called it “the peace that passes all understanding.”
This couple were new Christians. God was teaching them all about turning their fears over to Him, about trusting Him with all their heart and that He would give His peace to those who do so. They were learning to turn to Him in need and not rely on their own understanding. But this was something new. His peace was there, without even a thought of asking Him for it.
It makes no sense that such deep peace can be experienced in such a traumatic episode of life. We may want it, but the normal reaction is fear and anxiety. However, our God is greater than our normal reactions. The above situation gives evidence that His ways are far beyond even what we can understand. No psychologist can explain it. No philosopher can decipher peace where there ought to be a storm.
No matter how often we reach out to God, no matter how often He responds to our cries, He must take great delight in meeting needs that we don’t even know we have, or meeting them before they come into our awareness. What joy in discovering Him through a surprise. What grace in His supply of protection and assurance during those times we least expect it. He knows how to build our confidence in Him.
Surely God’s invitation to: “Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you know not,” earns far more response from that father and mother after such a sovereignly bestowed blessing. Without calling, their experience of a great and mighty peace revealed to them the grace and power of God. He could now say to them: “You have seen what I can do in this... trust Me in all things”
The rest of the story? God already knew it. The girls drove only a few blocks, parked the vehicle, locked it, and spent several hours, chilly and frightened, wondering what would happen to them when they returned home. They walked in before breakfast, feeling foolish but nonetheless wiser -- and safe.
To God belongs the glory -- not only for their safety, but when it was threatened, He granted a deep and unexpected peace.
It was 4 a.m. The telephone woke both parents instantly. The father answered, mother wide-awake beside him. It happened to quick for prayers. In fact neither of them remember even a Godward thought, yet before they found out the news wasn’t good, a strange thing happened inside their minds. They were instantly and completely filled with peace, a peace so incredible, it erased all the tension that comes when the phone rings in the night.
The call was from another parent. Their young daughter, best friend of this couple’s daughter, had invited her for a sleep-over. Both were missing. So was his vehicle. The caller’s voice was filled with fear. They were only 13. Neither of them could drive. Where would they go? They had no money. It seemed they had taken no extra clothing. He was in a state of panic. His wife could be heard crying in the background.
The recipients of this alarming news dressed hurriedly. They quickly drove the few blocks to the home of the other parents. They prayed with them first, then calmly began making plans to search the area. Both were concerned but serene. That serenity still didn’t make sense, not even to them, never mind to the parents of the other girl. Why would anyone, given the situation, be so calm?
Jesus made an incredible promise to those who trust in Him, “Peace I give unto you, not as the world gives give I unto you...” The Apostle Paul called it “the peace that passes all understanding.”
This couple were new Christians. God was teaching them all about turning their fears over to Him, about trusting Him with all their heart and that He would give His peace to those who do so. They were learning to turn to Him in need and not rely on their own understanding. But this was something new. His peace was there, without even a thought of asking Him for it.
It makes no sense that such deep peace can be experienced in such a traumatic episode of life. We may want it, but the normal reaction is fear and anxiety. However, our God is greater than our normal reactions. The above situation gives evidence that His ways are far beyond even what we can understand. No psychologist can explain it. No philosopher can decipher peace where there ought to be a storm.
No matter how often we reach out to God, no matter how often He responds to our cries, He must take great delight in meeting needs that we don’t even know we have, or meeting them before they come into our awareness. What joy in discovering Him through a surprise. What grace in His supply of protection and assurance during those times we least expect it. He knows how to build our confidence in Him.
Surely God’s invitation to: “Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you know not,” earns far more response from that father and mother after such a sovereignly bestowed blessing. Without calling, their experience of a great and mighty peace revealed to them the grace and power of God. He could now say to them: “You have seen what I can do in this... trust Me in all things”
The rest of the story? God already knew it. The girls drove only a few blocks, parked the vehicle, locked it, and spent several hours, chilly and frightened, wondering what would happen to them when they returned home. They walked in before breakfast, feeling foolish but nonetheless wiser -- and safe.
To God belongs the glory -- not only for their safety, but when it was threatened, He granted a deep and unexpected peace.
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