Divine Sovereignty includes both a foreknowledge of all events, human decision, and subsequent dilemmas but is committed to the freedom of the human will.  In other words, God does indeed allow us to exercise our will and choose our path, but His Divine knowledge knows what path we will take, and though disapproving or disheartened by our choice, the act of His sovereignty insists on free will.  This leads to a second point of clarification.

Divine Sovereignty allows us to make choices and pursue paths that are not God’s best, but Divine Love establishes our steps along the way.  The picture of establishing our steps portrays God trying to make certain that our paths, however crooked, difficult, or misguided they may be, are as safe for passing as possible.  He provides instructions, pointers, warnings, and companions to assist us, even when we make the wrong choice.  From the perverted picture of an angry God lurking along the path ready to strike down the wayward traveler with plagues and befalling trial,  David knows God to be the One who even tries to make his wrong choices work out for his benefit.  He establishes OUR STEPS.  He allows us to choose them, and then He works to establish them.  And when we fall, because we will fall when left to our own humanity, we will not be hurled headlong because the Lord is the One who holds our hand.

Psalm 103:7 says that God “made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel.”  It is again a sign of spiritual immaturity to reduce God to His acts, acts of blessing or judgment, acts of reward or imposing penalty.  We must know Him in His ways.  One of His ways is to love us like a father loves his children, and even when the path being walked is not wise, He runs ahead and clears and prepares the path and when we fall, He picks us up!  This is the God from whose love we cannot be separated

First to be noticed is the theme of chaos that leaps at us in the opening lines.  An earth….formless and void….literally chaotic, without meaning, futile, and lacking purpose.  Chaotic that is until the spirit hovered and God began to speak.  Then purpose emerged.  The plants were to yield seed, the trees bear fruit, and the sun and moon were to shed light at just the appropriate time.  Oh, how much different the Spirit and Word make to our hopeless, chaotic, and futile circumstances.  Order emerges out of chaos when God acts!

Second, one cannot help but notice the special place humanity has in God’s creative work.  All else was created by the spoken Word but man came as a result of Divine intentionality (let us make man), Divine action (He formed the dust of the earth), and Divine unction (He breathed into him the breath of life).  Humanity however, was given a unique purpose to serve.  Stewardship over the earth, leadership over creation, and submission to the Divine mandate made up the purpose of humanity. 

Thirdly, it was the questioning of Divine order and the subsequent breach of that order that brought again the chaos, imbalance, and futility that God had previously countered.  The chaos was recognized by Adam and Eve and experienced metaphorically in the shame of their nakedness and in the reality of nature out of control.  But God would act again….this time, by means of a sacrifice.  Coats of skin from animals innocently slaughtered would cover their shame and a promise of Divine reversal would become the hope of our first ancestors and every human being since that day.

And so today….our choices and disobedience still bring chaos, fruitlessness, futility, and shame.  Every time we dare breach the Divine order the results are the same….chaos.  And far too often we repeat that same disobedience over and over.  But God has acted in the sacrifice of His Son.  If we confess our sin (breach of the Divine order), He is faithful and just; and the blood, not of some sacrificial animal, but of the innocent and perfect Lamb of God, once again covers us and the Word of His promise that, though it doesn’t yet appear, one day we will be like Him still comforts us and gives us hope!

James speaks of two types of wisdom, one that is earthly and sensual, self-seeking, and promotes disorder.  This is the wisdom followed by many in the secular, dog-eat-dog world in which we live.  It is imperative that believers shun this pseudo wisdom of the world (James 3:15, 16).

The other wisdom of which James speaks is “pure, then peaceable, gently, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy” (James 3:17). This wisdom does not always make earthly sense, it is from above.  It factors in the larger vision of God and does not pursue merely the quick fix of today.  This wisdom is available and accessible to the one who diligently seeks divine direction.  When we ask for this wisdom, God delights to give it to us (James 1:5, 6).

Large portions of the Gospel narratives are given to unveil the details of the Thursday before Christ’s ultimate sacrifice at Calvary.  While the synoptics give their primary attention to the Last Supper and Gethsemane, John’s Gospel focuses on the farewell discourse of Jesus.  Multiple truths emerge in these texts and a variety of approaches could be taken to unpack the great principles that ooze from these sections of Holy Scripture.  For our purposes here however, we will turn our attention to Luke’s account and three specific vignettes.  In each of these, we find ourselves saying, “If not for Jesus.”

The first section to which we will turn is the account of the disciples’ behavior at the close of the Last Supper.  Even after Jesus had shared such intimate moments with them, foretelling His death, they return to what seems to be their favorite pastime.  They argue about who is the greatest.  Luke records the kind correction of Jesus and John describes the illustrated sermon Jesus gave as He washed their feet.  Both writers paint a picture of Divine restraint.  As we read, we cannot help but say; “if not for Jesus,” the disciples would have consumed one another.  It is amazing how the patience of Jesus, then and now, spares us from such pain. 

The second section of focus follows immediately in Luke’s narrative as Jesus warns Peter of Satan’s desire to destroy him, to sift him as wheat, and leave him powerless and worthless.  “But I have prayed for you” is the marvelous word of the Savior.  As we read, we find ourselves wondering if the fate of Peter would have been disastrous.  “If not for Jesus” and His intercession, Peter’s life would have been doomed to end tragically.

The final portion of Luke 22 that captures our attention is the Gethsemane travail of Jesus as He grapples with the Father’s will.  “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).  Again, we find ourselves saying, “if not for Jesus” and His submission, all would be lost.

All of these lessons emerge from the previous text that describes the distribution by Jesus of the holy elements representing His broken body and shed blood and His announcement of the New Covenant.  It is from the New Covenant promise that Divine patience surfaces.  His law, written in our hearts, and His Spirit, indwelling in us, both work patiently to transform us from glory to glory into His image.  It is the work of the New Covenant paid for at Calvary, verified in the empty tomb, and carried out at the ascension that secures for us all an intercessor, the righteous Son of God, seated at the Father’s right hand, who pleads not only for Peter, but for us as well. 

Finally, it is the New Covenant, sealed by the submission of Jesus to the Father’s will, which guarantees for us eternal life and an escape from the eternal judgment that we rightly deserve.  We cannot help but say, “if not for Jesus,” how lost we would be!

Prayer:  Father, may we see more clearly, as we reflect on the events of that dreary Thursday, how perfectly and completely You secured for us the assurance of life, and that, more abundantly. Amen.

One of the more puzzling texts recorded in Scripture and certainly one of the most challenging sections of the passion narrative is the description by Luke of Christ’s triumphal entry into the Holy City, Jerusalem.  The challenges are many.  Readers are immediately called upon to obey as they hear of the disciples securing a colt from a total stranger just because Jesus needed it for His grand entry.  We are further prompted as Luke records no resistance by the colt owner who seems to give of his possessions when called upon by the Master.  The response of Jesus to the Pharisees’ complaint regarding the loud cries of His followers awakens us to the reality that the stones will cry out if we fail to praise.

Beyond the obvious challenges and conviction of this text, we find ourselves puzzled by the emotional polarization that we see in Jesus.  His entry into the city is marked by great rejoicing, grand celebration, and the electric atmosphere of lined streets and anxious crowds welcoming their King and exuberantly shouting His praises.  It was His entry that excited the crowd and the stirring scene was in fact intentionally initiated by Him.  Yet as you follow the narrative, you cannot help but notice that Jesus Himself is filled with pain.  There is no hand waving, victory signs, or political rhetoric.  Instead, He seems almost detached, subdued, and in pain.  And our suspicions are confirmed when Jesus draws near to the city and weeps over it.  How puzzling it is to see in this same scene, great rejoicing and great pain.

This, however, is the reality of our journey.  All who follow Jesus on their pathway to purpose and seek to pursue His presence will experience the very same gamut of emotions.  Rejoicing and pain did co-exist in the life of Jesus and still do with us as well.  We experience great thrills when we feel His closeness, enjoy His provision, and see His power demonstrated.  Yet, we know the heartache of pain when our dreams are shattered, our hopes become battered, and our world seems to unravel.  There is no escaping in this life the co-existence of both joy and pain.

The hope of the believer however is found in the words of the Psalmist, “weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).  In this life, we will continue to experience nights of pain, trouble, and hardship and mornings of great hope and joy.  For now, the two will co-exist, joy and pain in the same life. But we journey on toward a great hope.  We anticipate another day, a day when our Heavenly Bridegroom rises from His throne and wipes away every tear from our eyes.  In that moment, pain will be no more and joy will be unspeakable and full of glory!

Paul, when writing to the Roman Christians, invited them to rejoice in their tribulations because it was only in those trials that true patience could be developed.  Consequently we often remind one another not to pray for patience because of the hardship that such a prayer will likely evoke.  However, God is committed to our spiritual development, a maturity that requires patience.  Trials will come whether we pray for patience or not.  In fact, Paul goes on to say that our patience or perseverance is the only way that our character can be proven.  Anyone can behave properly, talk spiritually, or claim faith when all is going well.  It’s only in tribulation that the “stuff” of our spiritual maturity is exposed.

Tribulation comes in many forms.  It may be a challenge to our financial security, a personal failure, a betrayal of a friend, personal loss, unanswered prayer, physical struggle, or even tragic circumstances.  It is our response under these conditions that will truly prove our progress in the journey toward Christ-like character.  David, a man after God’s own heart, provides for us a model of the proper way to handle and patiently persevere in the midst of trial.

First, when confronted by his personal sin, a tribulation of great significance, David did not deny but repented.  He did not seek to garner support from those who would point out his rights as King or downplay his failure.  He didn’t wallow in self-pity, but instead he repented with no strings attached thus proving his character.

Second, when pride, arrogance, and self-absorption led him to disobey God by carrying out the forbidden census, he took ownership for his failure, placed no blame on others, and yielded himself to the justice and mercy of God.

Thirdly, when his enemies accused him, he refused to cry “foul”, cower in self-pity, or plead his case to God.  Instead he saw the hand of God in the trial and submitted himself to Divine chastening.

Finally, even when his son was sick unto death, David did not crumble.  He fasted and prayed, declared his trust in God, and yielded to His sovereignty.

Godly character is hard to find in the people of God today.  Most of us excel at denial, self-absorption, blame-placing, and self-pity.  We boast a faith that trusts God only when He acts as we would desire.  But God wants to develop and prove our character through trials and tribulation.  He is committed to our spiritual development.  May we, like David, learn the power of yielding instead of resisting, repenting instead of denying, and self-denial rather than self-preservation.

However, an awareness of the imperfections of both us and others must not serve as an excuse for apathetic inactivity or careless living.  The writer of Hebrews makes explicit God’s expectation that we “go on to maturity building upon the principles of Christian discipline” (Hebrews 6:12).  Settling for an immature state of Christian living is not an option for the sincere believer!

In addition to God’s expectation that we grow in our walk with Christ, we are also charged to encourage our imperfect brothers and sisters in Christ to do the same.  Again the Hebrews author gives us direction “But encourage on another day after day… (Hebrews 3:13) and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds….” (Hebrews 12:24).  It is not our responsibility to point out, criticize, and judge the imperfections of others.  It is however our high calling to point our partners in imperfection toward the perfect One who alone is able to fashion us into His likeness. 

Let us cherish our imperfect brothers and sisters and encourage one another to perfection!

The sources of pain are many.  The statistics are daunting and sadly, staggering numbers of women and children have been victims of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse and the deep pain resulting from that abuse leaves them broken and helpless.  Marital struggles, divorce, and the damaging impact of pornography have left many emotionally crippled.  The grief suffered with the loss of a spouse, sibling, or child also leaves scars that strike one’s ability to function normally within the context of a relationship.  Even the guilt of one’s past sin can leave deep wounds that seem to be visible for life.  It is not enough to deal with these wounds and scars superficially.  They must be confronted to bring healing at the source.

Healing from these deep wounds has always been a work of the cross.  It has forever been the secret of healing to God’s people.  When the camp of Israel was reeling from the poisonous bite of serpents, prevalent in the wilderness, God instructed Moses to erect a pole with a brass serpent so that all who looked upon it might live (Numbers 21:6-9).  In like manner, Jesus said that His being raised on the cross would bring healing to all who looked to Him and believed.

700 years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah prophesied the passion of Jesus (Isaiah 53:1-5).  In this great text, the provision for our healing is clearly manifest.  From His brow flowed the blood that provides healing for our anxiety and assures us of our peace.  From His back and the stripes He so brutally endured, flows the blood that brings healing in every dimension of my spirit.  From the nail-pierced hands comes the reminder that my transgressions, past failures, and deep disappointments have been taken out of the way and nailed to the cross.  From His wounded feet comes the declaration that our enemies, habits, and struggles have been subdued and placed under His feet forever.  From His side, blood and water flows, a reminder that the pierced heart of the Saviour brings healing to our broken heart, bitterness, and wounded souls.  Just as the people of God look forward to the cross and find healing from the poison of the serpent, so we look back at Calvary and find wholeness, liberty, victory, and health in Jesus’ name.

The Gospel is worthy of my full attention.  I need to search to know its fullness, plunge its depths, and experience its power in every area of my life.

The Gospel is worthy of my deepest piety.  If I am going to claim it as mine, hold it up as my model, and embrace it as my passion, my life should be one of holy character and godly pursuit.  I should be morally pure, ethically upright, and personally responsible to maintain a pure and upright heart.

The Gospel is worthy of my personal devotion.  I should strive to walk in it, live up to it, and model it in every walk of my life.

The Gospel is worthy of my willing participation.  To walk worthy of the gospel means not only to live up to it personally, but also to share it with others at every opportunity.  It is the power of God and walking worthy of it implies sharing it with all!

The principle is clear.  If you can keep peace, then you should do it.  Clearly there are cases where it is not possible or in which to do so would be to compromise or even sin.  Peace is not in those cases, the highest aim.  But in the majority of cases, if it is possible, we are to keep peace.  If it means saying we’re sorry or giving up our rights, we should do so.

The potential is even greater.  Imagine what the church would look like and what great things for God might be accomplished if this principle were heeded.  The churches that would not split, the relationships that would not break, the influence and testimony that would not be lost.  The potential is immeasurable.

Finally, obedience to this command carries a great privilege because Jesus said the peacemakers “should be called the sons of God” (Matthew 5:9), a status that according to John is a mark of God’s lavish love (1 John 3:1-3).  Let us strive to keep peace, see the church become what God intended, and walk in the lavish love of God, who has called us as His own!

It seems that buried deep within the heart of all humanity is a resistance to take counsel.  If offends our ego, activates our defensiveness and promotes our tendency to “turf-guarding.”  It seems that we are arrogantly unwilling to admit that we do not have all the answers.

This scenario is only heightened when the counsel comes from an unfriendly voice or person, renown for their harsh critique.  We most often react to the individual and disregard altogether the counsel.  Often our failure to listen is to our own detriment. 

The last source form which Balaam wanted to glean counsel was his stubborn donkey and yet the words from his beast of burden were wise words he needed to hear.  His defensive response and ego-driven posture could have cost him dearly.

Listen to the counsel rather than judging or profiling the vessel.  Perhaps God is waiting not only to provide you with divine direction, but also to teach you a lesson in humility.  “Listen to counsel….that you may be wise the rest of your days.”

There we find ourselves walking above these things which had previously overcome us but, to our utter dismay, our victory found only in a steadfast focus upon Christ begins to elude us as confidently we declare our freedom and foolishly forget the discipline that brought us out in the first place.

We begin to be overcome and find ourselves slipping into the morass and despair, depressed and distraught.  Was this not the experience of the great apostle Peter when after treading on the water, he began to slip as he took his eyes off Christ?  His defeat however was overcome when he called out, “Lord, save me, I’m sinking.”  This is what we must do.  Don’t hesitate, don’t debate, and don’t chide yourself for your frailty.  Just call out to Him and once again re-commit your heart to the one who came to heal, rescue, and restore.

Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; ² and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. ³ And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. ⁴ Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us^[a] make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁵ While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” ⁶ And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” ⁸ When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

2 Peter 1:16-21 (King James Version)

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. ¹⁸And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. ¹⁹We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: ²⁰Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. ²¹For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

One of the most profound markers of true spiritual maturity and healthy development in our lives is when the great experiences of spiritual ecstasy are no longer the anchors for our faith, without which we run the risk of spiritual despair, frantic fear, and emotional gloom. Instead, the seasoned believer is anchored by that which is steadfast, never-changing, and forever true…the riches of God’s Word. The life of Peter provides for us a priceless example of this most important lesson.  Just three years after his decision to abandon his seaside vocation and follow the master-fisher of men, Peter found himself in a moment of heightened spiritual glory beyond what he had ever known or even hoped he would experience.  There, on the mountain, Jesus was transfigured before his very eyes, radiating with another-world brilliance and flanked by Moses and Elijah, religious icons of the Jews, representing the finest of Israel’s history, both the Law and the prophets.  Peter quickly put words to his passion, as he, true to his impetuous nature, suggested that three tabernacles should be built where the three could be shinned, protected, and forever venerated.  That, however, was not the Father’s plan…he spoke… “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Listen to Him.” (Matthew 17:5)

Many years passed for Peter…many experiences were had….many promises broken…many disappointments known.  There was the rooster!   Then the empty tomb.  There was the dismissive rebuke by the risen Christ when he tried to pry into the future plans for John and was told to mind his own business.  Then the ascension as he watched the One upon who he had placed all his trust, leave this earth.  Then Pentecost.  Then many hard years of persecution…but deepened faith and maturing resolve.

And then Peter picks up the pen to write. He is much older now, much wiser, and far more mature.  “We were eyewitness of his majesty when He revealed His glory on the mountain,” he exclaims.  But, “we have a MORE certain Word.”  What is that Word?  It is Scripture and as Peter writes, it is not open to private interpretation but was breathed, spoken, and declared by the Spirit of God.  The experience was amazing. The glory was unspeakable!  But His Word ----It is PERMANENT!

Our experiences are so important and should be desired.  But heaven and earth, ups and downs, experiences and emotions will pass away.  But, His Word will NEVER pass away.  We must enjoy, relish, and embrace the mountaintops of glory but anchor our faith in the never-failing, always steady, and forever-living-SURE WORD OF GOD!

The shadow of my finger cast, divides the future from the past;
Before it stands the unborn hour, in darkness and beyond the power.
Behind its unreturning line, the vanished hour, no longer thine;
One hour alone is in thy hands, the now on which the shadow stands.

 How true are those words of an unidentified author!  “One hour alone is in Thy hands.”  What will we do with that one hour?  Will we use it to worry or fret about the hours and days before us over which we have no control?  Or, will we use it to bemoan our past failures and wallow in regret, self-pity, and the endless morass of “what-ifs”?  Or, will we use this hour to do as Paul instructed, “Redeem the time.” (Ephesians 5:16)

What impact can we make on others in this hour?  What insight can we gain into God’s character or what expression of devotion and worship might we show Him in this hour?  The Psalmist seemed to grasp the magnitude of this concept.  “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1).  “This is the day that the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).  A life of praise is a life of disciplined awareness that the time we have is given to us of the Lord and is spent most wisely when our hearts are lifted upward in joyful thanksgiving.  Today we can regret or worry, complain or speculate, or we can use this hour and this day to praise Him with a new intensity, rejoice with new fervor, and serve with new purpose.

Advent is a reminder of both the suddenness of change and the gift of God to help us endure that change.  The wedding plans of Joseph and Mary were abruptly brought to a halt with the angelic announcement that as a virgin, she would conceive.  But Jesus was the gift that made that change bearable and the hope that steadied Mary’s anxious heart through those months. 

A routine night of sheepherding and star-gazing suddenly changed into a cosmic choir concert that left the shepherds shaky and frightened.  But standing in the presence of the Christ-child, their fear turned into joy and their trembling was transformed into rejoicing. 

An angelic visitor appearing to the Magi and altering their travel plans wrought havoc to these men of order and routine.  But as they opened their treasures before the infant Savior, they became quickly aware that they were in the company of the King of Kings. 

And what about Simeon?  In a special and holy moment, his life of mundane and repetitive temple service took on new meaning as he embraced the tiny infant and announced his readiness to depart in peace for his eyes had seen salvation!  Change came but Christ transformed their change.

Christmas is about change.  God became man, hopelessness was turned to joy, fear became good news, a rustic manger became a throne, and profound darkness was overcome by unspeakable light.

Life does bring us change.  Often it is unexpected and frequently it is unwelcome.  But, in that change, there comes a gift: a gift of hope, joy, peace, and assurance.  For in every turn, unexpected detour, and unannounced twist, we see the changeless ONE, longing to draw near and fill our hearts with calm certainty, that all, in the end, will be well!

Once when attacked by a jealous adversary, anxious to undermine the ministry of Francis of Assisi and demanding a reason for his great popularity and band of loyal followers who hung on his every word Francis replied, “you want to know?  It is because the eyes of the Most High has willed it so.  He continually watches the good and the wicked, and as His most holy eyes have not found among sinners any smaller man, nor any more insufficient and sinful, therefore He has chosen me to accomplish the marvelous work which God hath undertaken.  He chose me because He could find none more worthless, and He willed to confound the ability and grandeur, the strength, the beauty, and the learning of this world.”

Oh, that we might live with such an understanding!  It is our admission of weakness that makes us candidates for greatness, and our utter dependency upon the grace, spirit, and power of the Mighty One that gives us hope to be used of Him!

First, they have been promised an “imperishable inheritance” that would not “fade away” (1:4), and was reserved in Heaven.  Nothing could strip them of this eternal hope.  Secondly, they were recipients of a salvation, so glorious and so mysterious, that even the angels stood in awe and wonder, amazed by the grace bestowed upon the willfully rebellious mortals (1:10-12).  Thirdly, this salvation had been secured, not with the blood of goats or bulls, nor with perishable commodities such as silver and gold, but rather with the precious and imperishable blood of the Lamb of God, the Saviour, Jesus Christ (1:18, 19).  Finally, these distressed believers, promised an eternal inheritance and assured of their glorious salvation secured by Christ’s blood, were also empowered with the imperishable seed of the Word of God, that unlike the flower, grass, or flesh, which would ultimately wither away, would endure forever.  This promise of power and assurance of salvation was that which Peter expected to invigorate the troubled believers.

We are no different.  Various trials threaten us and the enemy of our soul is on the prowl, seeking as a lion those whom he might devour.  But a prize awaits us, an imperishable inheritance is reserved for us in Heaven.  Yet in this life and today, we can glory in the assurance of our salvation that the angels long to look into that was purchased with the ultimate price of Christ’s imperishable blood.  Moreover, to sustain us in this struggle, the incorruptible seed of God’s Word has been planted within us and gives us the power to stand in the face of every trial.  Truly, it is a privilege to be a child of God!

Significantly, there was also for the apostles, a matter of business that needed their attention.  There was a void in leadership, Judas was gone and he must be replaced.  Prayer was offered, lots were cast, and Matthias was chosen. 

Interestingly, though no replacement for Jesus was necessary and this reality is tacit evidence, though they were conscious of His abiding presence.  His role as great High Priest is ongoing and He leads according to the author Hebrews, from the power of an endless life for He is the same “yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 7:16; 13:8).

Human leadership is important in the church.  It is vital to its growth and development but we must be careful not to overstate its significance.  Every human leader will reach the final season of their call.  Whether by transition, retirement, or death, each of us will someday write the final chapter of our leadership exploits.  But, the One who promised to build His church, who loves it as His bride, leads on.  Human leadership will come and go, fail and succeed, soar and stumble.  This must not shake us or bring dismay for the perils and distress of the church are on the very heart of the One who is our eternal leader, in whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning.  He leads His church and Hell itself cannot withstand its impact!

The second root of my spiritual impotency appeared even more disgusting and sinful to me this morning. Simply stated it is an ugly selfishness.  The times that I do make attempts to discipline myself in the practice of “abiding in Christ” are usually motivated by a desire to preach or teach better, navigate special challenges or ease some guilt for a recent failing.  Jesus said in John 15:8 that “my Father is glorified by this” (that is by my abiding in Him).  The reason I should commit to abiding in Him is not so that I will be more effective or do better in my calling or even that I can have liberty from guilt. I should abide in Him so that my Father can be glorified.

I was created for His glory and honor and only when His glory not my success is my aim, can I expect to abide in Him genuinely and bring forth fruit that will remain, namely His honor.  Jesus was willing to die, though the thought troubled him deeply, so that the Father might be glorified (John 12).  Who am I that I should want anything other than Him to be seen and honored? It is amazing love, lavished on me, that I should even have the privilege of being called His child.  He is not ashamed of me and I must live my life to honor Him and glorify Him.

If his glory and honor are my motivation for abiding in Him, rather than my success and blessed future, then His perfection can be demonstrated in my weakness and repeated failures might possibly be avoided.

I must confess my sinful selfishness and lay before Him my wilting weakness.  Then He may perfect His strength in me so that through my abiding, the Father may be glorified

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Romans 12:1 NASB

The opening chapter of Malachi is without question, one of the harshest divine critiques of God’s people found within Scripture.  The lukewarm remnant of Jews following the Babylonian exile was trying to carry out their traditional forms of worship and sacrifice under the tutelage of priests who were merely vocational religious leaders rather than men consumed with a passion for God.  The results were disrespectful, dishonoring, and despised by God. He even noted that it would be better to “shut the gates” to the temple and stop the charades of meaningless routine than to “uselessly kindle fire on my altar.”

The charges were simple and unmistakable.  The sacrifices they were bringing were sick and lame, rather than the best, offered pretentiously as if they had come at great cost when in many cases they were stolen, and ill-motivated, interested only in finding favor with God, not giving Him the honor He deserved.  In other words, the sacrifices were not sincere, were not costly, and were attached to selfish motives.  God called them evil and asked that they cease.

Much of our worship in the church is the same.  We bring our tired and worn out selves to the house of God and have little to give.  What we end up giving is not our best and the thought of giving up something that is dear to us or costs us something is rarely considered.  We often see worship as about us, a chance to get our needs met and our preferences stressed.  In some cases, we are no better than the failed remnant and God’s response is still the same!  He would prefer we shut the doors than offer useless and meaningless routine to Him that is void of cost, sincerity, and passion.  He is looking for our whole selves, presented as loving sacrifices, pleasing and acceptable to Him as an offering of worship!

The opening section of Isaiah 49 is nothing less than a divine call to the people of God, and indeed all of creation, to rejoice and shout for joy for the Lord has acted on behalf of His people.  Salvation, restoration, compassion, and a prepared way are just some of the great things that God declares He has done for His people. However, the people of God, in this text, are less than enthused.  Still remembering their failure, rehearsing their sin, and wallowing in self-pity and self-loathing, they assure the prophet that their sins are too grievous to be forgotten and posit that surely the Lord has forgotten them (Isaiah 49:14).

Many of us can relate.  Our failures have left us ashamed and embarrassed, certain that we can never do anything for the Lord.  Surely, the mess we have made has left us among the forgotten of the Lord.  But the prophet answers this concern with a question, an answer, and two incredible statements describing God’s grace.  He asks, “can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb?”  The point is clear; how ludicrous it is to think that a mother can disregard her infant child, no matter how frustrating or disappointing that child may be.  The answer however, is honest.  It is possible!  Though horrific, the depravity of our world is witnessed from time to time in a society where parents abuse, neglect, and abandon their children but still, the point is clear.  The relationship of a mother for her child is not severed by the failure or imperfection of that child. 

But then the prophet raises the standard as he declare the Word of the Lord.  “Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.  Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before me” (Isaiah 49:15, 16)

What a glorious promise!  The love of God has inscribed us, our pictures, and our names, in the nail-scarred hands of our loving Saviour and nothing can separate us from His love, erase us from His mind, or remove us from the loving safety of His impeccable grip!

“No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:4)

Before we too quickly generalize the notion of “everyday life” and write it off as a mere routine exercise, we should first look at the preceding text.

“Suffer hardship with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”  (2 Timothy 2:3)

In other words, the daily expectation of a devoted follower of Jesus, a solider of Christ Jesus, especially a leader, is one of suffering hardship like Paul.  That hardship includes for us as it did for Paul, misunderstanding, slander, loneliness, weariness, and sometimes even physical peril.  But, as Paul warns Timothy, a solider of Jesus Christ can not let those everyday expectations of a soldier entangle them or hold them back.  If too much attention is given to the suffering, the calling of the sufferer will be neglected.

It is so easy to be distracted and entangled with the everyday experiences of spiritual leadership and spend our energy trying to answer every miscommunication, explain every decision, or refute every critique.  If we do so, the Master who called us gets less attention, our calling receives less energy, and the ones to whom we are called are short-changed.  May we simply endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ and seek to please the One who called us.

After leaving the mountain splendor and the transfiguration of Jesus with Moses and Elijah in Luke 9, the disciples come face to face with their own shallow faith and inability to bring deliverance to the young son of the desperate father.  Rebuked for their little faith, the disciples, just four verses later, engage in petty squabbling and childish jealousies as they argue over who is the greatest.  Then John, in an attempt to set himself apart from the others, calls out an itinerant minister who is allegedly casting out demons in Jesus’ name but is yet to pledge his allegiance to the tiny band of Jesus followers.  Again, Jesus rebukes him saying, “Do not hinder him, for he who is not against you, is for you.”

Then, in an almost ironic turn of events and just twenty-seven verses later in chapter ten, the seventy commissioned disciples return from their first evangelistic tour with this bodacious report, “even the demons are subject to us in your name.”  One can only imagine the emotional upheaval this caused the twelve who had just failed in their own exorcism attempt and had been rebuked for their attempt to keep the ministry of Jesus within proper parameters.  Jesus, however, speaking a word of mild rebuke to the seventy, also sent a clear message to His own close circle of followers.  “Do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

The message remains clear for us today.  Results will vary, accomplishments will come and go, applause will be divvied out, sometimes unfairly, and emotions will rise and fall.  None of these transient outcomes bear eternal significance or provide an anchor to our frail faith.  What really matters is our walk with Christ!

Early twentieth century Wesleyan Pastor Samuel Chadwick once mused, “If successful, don’t crow, if defeated, don’t croak.”  Temporal success, even of the spiritual nature, is not what really matters and certainly not the stuff of which we should boast.  What really matters is that our sins are covered by His powerful and eternal blood, our wills have been placed in His capable and strong hands, and our future is safely secured in His unchanging faithfulness!

Mark notes that as Jesus left Jericho with His disciples, He was flanked by a large crowd.  One can almost picture a massive parade, without rank and order, chaotic, leaving the city on the dusty road headed to the countryside.  Along the sides of the road, at the city outskirts, the outcasts, lepers, beggars, and infirmed would linger hoping for a coin or a morsel of food from the merchants who would pass by.  One such beggar was Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, a blind man relegated to a life of begging and bound by the shackles of his disease.

Bartimaeus was told that Jesus was passing by.  He knew about the healer and he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  When reprimanded by members of the crowd and told sternly to quiet himself, he cried out even louder.  Above the noise of the crowd, Jesus heard the cry of the blind beggar and told His disciples to “call him here.”  Bartimaeus had been summoned by Jesus; invited near to His presence.  This invitation, a response to his desperate call, would change Bartimaeus forever.

Mark points to three seismic changes in Bartimaeus that resulted from the presence of Jesus.  First, there was a change in Bartimaeus expectation.  From sitting alongside the road lost in a cyclical chant common to the beggar, to jumping up and coming to Jesus, the hope and expectation of Bartimaeus had been radically changed by the presence of the Son of David.

His status was also changed.  The text says that he threw aside his cloak as he came to Jesus.  The cloak he was wearing was the common “beggar’s cloak,” an identifying mark of his beggar status.  But, now he was an invited guest in the presence of the King.

His future changed as well.  As he came to Jesus and offered his desire to see, he immediately regained his sight and began following Jesus.

What a difference the presence of Jesus had made!  Earlier that morning Bartimaeus had garbed himself with his common beggar’s cloak, stumbled and groped his way to his common corner outside of Jericho, and sat among the other beggars, relegated to an occasional coin or leftover lunch and the conversation of fellow outcasts.  But he had encountered the presence of Jesus.  His cloak was left behind, his seat on the side of the road was now vacant, and his opened eyes would now behold the lame walking, possessed delivered, the Saviour crucified, resurrected, and ascending.  His future had changed!

The presence of Jesus still changes us as we behold Him with unveiled faces, as in a mirror, we see His glory, and we are changed from glory to glory.  Our expectations are changed in His presence.  We CAN overcome.  Our status changes-no longer a SLAVE but a SON.  Our future changes, no longer WISHFUL THINKING but CONFIDENT ANTICIPATION!  All changes in the presence of Jesus.  Song Writer Chris Rice captures this truth and may have had Bartimaeus in mind when he penned these words:

Weak and wounded sinner, lost and left to die, O raise your head for love is passing by.  Come to Jesus, come to Jesus, come to Jesus, and live!

One of the great and recent pursuits of contemporary Christianity is spiritual formation or the development of personal spirituality.  There is, it seems, a new and commendable preoccupation among believers to grow in every aspect of their Christian walk.  The ways forward on this journey which have been suggested are many and diverse.  Charismatic experiences, contemplative spirituality, heightened self-denial, and the emerging of new forms of communal sharing are all ways being offered as possible paths toward the goal of spiritual growth and maturity.

As I have considered this notion and the emerging trends and fads designed to provide an answer to this spiritual hunger, I cannot help but think that maybe the answer is more easily attained.  It seems that Paul addresses the key ingredient to this quest when he wrote to the church in Corinth.

So then neither is the one who plants anything, or the one who waters anything, but God who causes the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7).

An honest reading of this text would indicate that growth is both a divine intention and responsibility…God who brings the growth.

The question then becomes, what means does God use to bring growth?  What actions does He employ, and what pressure does He apply in the life of the believer in order to bring the desired and prescribed growth?  Actually, the answer is rather simple.  Peter writes in 1 Peter, “Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, so that you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2:2).  The “pure milk of the Word” is literally the unadulterated, uncompromised, full force of God’s Word.  This is the means God utilizes to produce growth in our lives.

The author of Hebrews provides even more clarity when he likens the Word of God to a “sharp, two-edged sword” that is able to cut with precision, comfort, and intricately discern and judge the motives of one’s heart (Hebrews 4:12,13).  When this metaphor is coupled with the powerful picture painted by Jesus in John 15 of the Father as the divine vinedresser, pruning the branches so that that they may bear more fruit, the way to growth becomes more clear (John 15:1-7).

Growth comes, not by adding new trends, clever fads, or extraordinary experiences to one’s spiritual journey, but rather, as the Father skillfully wields the cutting edge of His Word in our lives, and instead of adding, He prunes so that we may grow even more.  The cutting can hurt, bring painful loss, and even create confusion and misunderstanding.  At times, the pruning process makes no sense and in pain, we scream to hold on to things, relationships, and vices that hinder our growth.  Still the Father works with His Word, lovingly and yet decisively cutting that which does not belong.  Ultimately, when the painful scars of that pruning process have healed, new and beautiful growth, characterized by the aroma and tenderness of a loving Father’s hands, emerges, announcing new hope, new possibility, and great potential.  This is the reality of authentic Christian growth.

Sadl,y however, when no attention at all is given to behavioral standards, dysfunctional differences within the church emerge and it becomes difficult to grow as a community of faith.  When everyone is left to their own code-making process and no standard is set forth, often the path of cultural standards is followed rather than regard being given to Christian values and virtues that should more appropriately shape Christian’s behavior.  Unfortunately, what ultimately surfaces is a church that is for all practical purposes, no different from the culture that they are called to impact and void of any power to bring significant transformation.

As difficult as it is, the church must set forth, at least in its proclamation, a call to a behavioral pattern that is markedly different from the world.  Paul called upon the Corinthian believers to “perfect holiness, in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). Two things are apparent in this text, first, a unique call and second, a particular context for that call.

The call is to “perfect holiness.”  It is necessary to understand both words.  To “perfect” is to mature, develop, or grow.  In other words, perfecting holiness is a process.  Holiness is the attribute of God that sets Him apart, which makes Him wholly other.  We are called upon to grow, develop, and mature in the process of becoming progressively other from the world and culture in which we live and are supposed to impact.

The context in which this call is to be lived out, where the development in holiness it to occur, is the “fear of God” or in the ongoing awareness of His presence.  Here, He becomes the standard, the goal, the measure of our behavior.  It is crucial for believers to remember that this world (culture) is not the context in which we perfect holiness, but rather in His presence or in the “fear of God.”

Matters of conscience, the proverbial “gray areas” or questionable behaviors that continue to push the boundaries of acceptable Christian conduct would certainly be appropriately addressed by the church, if it would become aware again of both its unique call (to perfect holiness) and the context of this call (the fear of God).  Our standards for behavior must not be determined by a world that is increasingly decadent and always in flux, but rather in the context of the presence of a God who is unchangeably holy. As we develop our code of behavior in this context, godliness without legalism, unity without pride, and pure power without compromise will emerge.  Then the church may again, “turn their world upside down.”

 The Psalmist knew well this angst and describes it beautifully in the Psalm 130.  “My soul waits for the Lord, more than those who watch for the morning-yes more than those who watch for the morning” (Psalm 130:6).  He goes on to say, “Hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption” (Psalm 130:7).

 No matter how long the night, morning always comes.  The darkness is always dispelled by the radiance of the sun rising in the eastern sky.  Even when the night seems unbearable, there is no doubting the sun’s ultimate emergence.  So it is with the mercies of God.  They are new every morning.  Even in our ultimate despair, we can know that the sun is rising, new hope is available, and His mercy is upon us!

Such was the case with the Judean remnant, returned from 70 years of Babylonian exile.  Their sin had put them in the precarious position of being Nebuchadnezzar’s slaves and no matter how hard they tried, their past failure and present weakness could not be shaken.  God’s Word in Isaiah 54 was sent to rescue them from despair.  Prosperity was to come, forgiveness had been granted, and God’s everlasting lovingkindness could not be escaped (Isaiah 54:1-8).  Nature might convulse and the earth be shaken but His lovingkindness would never be removed (Isaiah 54:9-10).  Enemies might attack and opposition taunt but “no weapon formed” against God’s people would prosper, and every accusation would be silenced (Isaiah 54:17).

May we, in our struggles, find hope in these words as well.  God has redeemed us, our sin has been judged at Calvary, and though our enemies refuse to back off, His lovingkindness overshadows us.  No weapon formed against us can prosper because we are clothed in the armor and righteousness of God and every word of accusation hurled at our doubting hearts will be silenced by the Word of the Lord, which endures forever and has already declared, “It is finished!”

There is a revelation of great irony in this text.  When Jesus ascends to the top of the mountain, He summons those He would have with Him that they might be with Him and He might send them out.  When He leaves the mountain and returns home, He is met with family members who think He’s crazy and religious leaders who are convinced He is possessed.  Those who have just met Him are able to learn from Him and carry His vision; those most familiar with Him discount His authenticity. 

Certainly, the experience is common.  The loneliness of familiarity is far too often the experience of those upon whom God has placed His call.  Their dreams, like Joseph, are scorned, and their motives repeatedly challenged by those closest to them.  Yet, those who are less familiar, sense quickly their call, vision, and unique gifting.

We must not be careless in handling the call of those near to us. May we not see one another after the flesh and through the lens of familiarity, but rather as vessels of God, fashioned and adorned under His anointing, His power, and His promise.  May those who lead us, even those most familiar with us, be viewed as God’s called rather than grandiose dreamers needing to be quieted.

This immaturity is manifest in several ways.  It comes often in the guise of a waffling decision-maker who must weigh the majority opinion before acting.  Or, in the individual who because of insecurity, makes so many promises to so many people, that his failure becomes evident to all.  Still other immature leaders find it impossible to grow beyond their present circumstances because they must be comfortable and some remain restless and reluctant to stay where God has led them because they have other desires that tug at them and call them away. 

Dietrich Bonheoffer once wrote, “It is the mark of a grown-up man, as compared with a callow youth, that he finds his center of gravity where he happens to be at the moment, and however much he longs for the object of his desire, it cannot prevent him from staying at his post and doing his duty.”  This consistency and steadfastness is what makes the mature Christian leader effective.

Scripture has much to say about this kind of consistency.  James says that a double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways.  The kind of consistency that overcomes double-mindedness does not emerge by chance.  It comes with effort, through pain, and with great discipline.  This discipline comes in the form of faith development.

This faith must be a faith firmly rooted in the work of Christ.  After unpacking the power of Christ’s resurrection and its implications for the believers in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul calls his readers to be “steadfast and immovable.” This is possible because their faith was in the finished work of Jesus’ death, burial, and triumphant resurrection.

This faith must be a faith fully trusting in the provisions of Christ.  Just before calling believers to a consistency that does not chase every wind or whim, Paul invites believers to grow together in the fullness of Christ.  In Him is ALL that is needed. There is no need of wavering-He will supply.

Finally, this faith must be a faith deeply confident in the nature of Christ in whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning. When our faith is Christ-centered, we can find stability and security.

The church is desperate for mature leaders.  It behooves us to dig deep, develop sincere faith, and become the leaders that God has called us to be.  Let us become leaders who are content with their calling, certain of their position, and patient for divine promotion.

These are the words of a seasoned and mature Peter who had learned the important truth that Christ’s victorious resurrection was more than an event on the calendar to celebrate but rather an invitation to a new life every day.  This lesson was not immediately learned by the sometimes tempestuous and often arrogant and presumptuous fisherman from Galilee.  The narrative of John 21 and Christ’s post-resurrection dialogue with Peter makes that clear. Peter, seemingly frustrated that Christ’s resurrection had made no apparent difference to date, decided to return to the sea where he was most comfortable, fulfilling his secular vocation as fisherman.

It was clear that Peter had no understanding about how Christ’s resurrection affected his past failure.  In an almost ashamed and embarrassed manner, he answered Christ’s three times-repeated inquiry, “Do you love me?”  Apparently he had no awareness that the resurrection of Jesus could transform his present circumstances.  The man to whom Jesus promised the keys to the Kingdom and the one whose name meant “rock” seemingly resigned himself to his former vocation without the hope of Kingdom usefulness.  And the future implications of Christ’s resurrection did not even register on Peter’s radar, a fact clearly seen in Peter’s preoccupation with the placement of John in the Kingdom rank and file.

Peter was doing what so many do today.  They see the resurrection as an event to celebrate.  It is in the mind of many a memorial to which we return annually in the springtime.  We are built up for the event, the celebration, the memorial; but when the hoopla is over, we return to our melancholy, sink into weary cynicism, and cower in the same fear, defeat, and self-pity we walked in before the grand celebration. This was the plight of the immature Peter and remains the experience of most carnal believers who treat their walk with God as a string of events designed to help them survive the toil and difficulty of life.

What a low view of Christ’s resurrection!  What a sad way to live.  Yet, it is the testimony of most Christians, even Christian leaders.  The reality is however that Christ’s resurrection is not an event to celebrate as a birthday or anniversary of some great figure.  It is not a memorial to which we return once a year.  The memorial stone was rolled away and so instead of commemorating the past accomplishments of a great figure and gathering around His remains, we are to enjoy His ongoing provisions and walk with Him in the newness of life. 

Christ’s resurrection is an ASSURANCE OF CHRIST’S VICTORY OVER SIN, DEATH, AND HELL upon which we are to MEDITATE!  There is a certain amount of reflection that is appropriate.  Thinking on the good things Christ achieved in His resurrection is certainly a worthy activity of the believer and one that should evoke perpetual praise.  “My chains are gone, I’ve been set free, My God, My Savior has ransomed me, and like a flood, His mercy reigns, unending love, amazing grace.”

Christ’s resurrection is a PROMISE OF RESURRECTION TOWARD WHICH WE ANTICIPATE.  The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead will quicken my mortal body and I will rise, see Christ face to face, and in a twinkling of an eye be transformed into His likeness.

 And, Christ’s resurrection is A WALK OF POWER AND VICTORY IN WHICH I AM TO PARTICIPATE TODAY.  Like Paul, we must know the power of Christ’s resurrection that is at work in us now, enabling us to live lives of joyful and peaceful victory.

If Christ’s death is nothing more than the death of some great historical figure, than the days after His memorial celebration should no doubt be filled with melancholy, evaluation, and reminiscing.  But if the angel’s report “He is not here, He is risen” is true, then we should live like Easter people, walking not in the shadow of a great memory, but in the power of a living reality.  Christ is risen!

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life...”

It is clear in this text that one great cause for heartsickness is the delay of heart desires being fulfilled.

There is however, a cure for the disease of heartsickness.  It is plain and simply, delight in the Lord.  The Psalmist made it clear, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”

When we make His presence our primary pursuit, the heart desires either change, meld into His, or experience full expression as an outgrowth of His loving care for us.

If your heart is sick, lonesome, hurting, or weary, delight yourself in Him and allow His life, joy, and power to fill your heart.

A study of the prayers of David found in the Psalms provides interesting and profound truth for the pursuing believer.  The petitions of the psalmist are instructive to us on our own spiritual journeys and at the same time, they offer penetrating theological truth.  For those who patiently ponder their words, the Psalms become a rich well from which Christ-followers can find great help.

One of the great insights found in the Psalms appears in the opening verse of Psalm 28.  It comes from a prayer of David in which he begs God to hear and speak to him… “do not be deaf to me, for if You are silent, I will become like those who go down to the pit.”  David’s concern was that if cut off from communion with God, his life would be void of hope, strength, meaning, and purpose.  For all practical purposes, his life would be like a dead man.

How true the insight of David is for us today.  Relationship with God through prayer is our only hope for meaningful existence and significant productivity.  We must keep our hearts and hands pure so that the lifeline of divine communion is kept open and so that the source of every believer’s strength, hope, peace, and joy is left unhindered.  Only as we live assured of His nearness to us in prayer, and hear clearly His voice of comfort, correction, and challenge, may we rise to become the people that He has called us to be.

Paul's first letter to the Corinthians was a stinging series of rebukes for their childish behavior, selfish attitudes, and ungodly posturing.  In this single letter, he confronts the ills of sexual sin, their self-absorbed stance on matters of conscience, their perverted understanding of the institution of marriage, their thoughtless and ridiculous abuse of spiritual gifts, and their heretical understanding of the resurrection.  Paul’s thoughts regarding the Corinthian believers are easy to identify.  In his mind, they were children, carnal, fleshly, and immature.

This characterization of the Corinthian church is readily depicted in the opening chapter.  The spirit of jealousy, party strife, disunity, and territorialism reigned in this particular church and frustrated the Apostle completely.  This nearly fanatical church prided itself in spiritual exploits, prophetic and mystical escapades, and demonstrative gatherings.  To Paul, these were of little value and merely sounding brass and clanging cymbals at best and poisonous at worst.

Three specific causes of this carnal and petty relational quagmire seem evident and each of them must be guarded against in the church today.  The first is POSITIONAL ABUSE.  When leaders play to a few, build their voting blocks, or stroke the needs of a specific group in order to ensure their own position of prominence, they have abused their call to spiritual leadership.  Christian leaders must decrease while Jesus increases.  They must point people to Jesus and never manipulate weaker persons to follow them.

A second cause is PERSONAL INSECURITY.  Persons in the church who are personally insecure or who need the strokes of leaders will live lives immersed in drama to garner the attention of leaders.  Carnal teachers will abuse that position in these instances in an attempt to secure their own position of strength.

A final cause is PRIORITY MISPLACEMENT.  When anything but Christ and the cross is set up as the priority of God’s people, strife, jealousy, and division will occur.  May Christ be our focus, His Spirit be our motivation, and His cross be our message! 

Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. Isaiah 49:13-16 NKJV

The opening section of Isaiah 49 is nothing less than a divine call to the people of God, and indeed all of creation, to rejoice and shout for joy for the Lord has acted on behalf of His people. Salvation, restoration, compassion, and a prepared way are just some of the great things that God declares He has done for His people.

But the people of God in this text, are less enthused.  Still remembering their failure, rehearsing their sin, and wallowing in self-pity and self-loathing, they assail the prophet, thinking their sins are too grievous to be forgiven and posit that surely the Lord has forgotten them (Isaiah 49:14).

Many of us can relate.  Our failures have left us ashamed and embarrassed, certain that we can never do anything for the Lord.  Surely the mess we have made has left us among the forgotten of the Lord.  But the prophet answers their question with a question, an answer, and two incredible statements describing God’s grace.  He asks, “Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb?”  The point is clear.  How ludicrous it is to think that a mother can disregard her infant child, no matter how frustrating or disappointing that child may be.  The answer, however, is honest.  It is possible.  Though horrific, the depravity of our world is witnessed from time to time in a society when parents abuse, neglect, and abandon their children.  Still, the point is clear.  The relationship of a mother and her child is not severed by the failure or imperfection of that child.

But then the prophet raises the standard as he declares the Word of the Lord, “Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.  Behold I have inscribed you in the palm of My hands.  Your walls are continually before me” (Isaiah 49:15, 16).

What a glorious promise!  The love of God inscribes our picture, and our name in the nail-scarred hands of the loving Saviour and nothing can separate us from His love, erase us from His mind, or remove us from the loving safety of His impeccable grip!

The sources of pain are many.  The statistics are daunting but sadly staggering numbers of women and children have been victims of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse and the deep pain resulting from that abuse leaves them broken and helpless.  Marital struggles, divorce, and the damaging impact of pornography have left many emotionally crippled.  The grief suffered with the loss of a spouse, sibling, or child can also leave scars which stifle one’s ability to function normally within the context of relationships.  Even the guilt of one’s past sin can leave wounds that seem to be visible for life.  It is not enough to deal with these wounds and scars superficially.  There must be a commitment to bring healing at the source.

Healing from these deep wounds has always been a work of the Cross.  Calvary has forever been the secret for healing for God’s people.  When the camp of Israel was reeling from the poisonous bite of serpents prevalent in the wilderness, God instructed Moses to erect a pole with a brass serpent so that all who looked upon it might live (Numbers 21:6-9).  In like manner, Jesus said that His being raised on the Cross would bring healing to all who looked to Him and believed (John 3:14).

Seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah prophesied the passion of Jesus (Isaiah 53:1-5).  In this great text, the provision for our healing is clearly manifest.  From His brow flowed the blood that provides healing for our anxiety and assures us of our peace.  From His back and the stripes He so brutally endured, flows the blood that brings healing in every dimension of our soul!  The nail prints in His hands are the reminder that our transgressions, past failures, and deep disappointments have been taken out of the way and nailed to the Cross.  From His wonderful feet comes the declaration that our enemies, habits, and struggles have been subdued and placed under His feet forever.  From His side, blood and water mixed flows as a reminder that the pierced side of the Savior brings healing to our broken hearts, bitterness, and wounded souls.  Just as the people of God looked forward to the Cross and found healing from the poison of the serpent, so we look back at Calvary and find wholeness, liberty, victory, and health in Jesus name.

Sadly, today’s parents excel in the transmission of athletic skills, literary and musical appreciation, worldly wisdom, counsel, and advice but fail miserably when it comes to biblical instruction.  Despite the reality that being immersed in the Word of God guards young people from sin (Psalm 119:111), provides direction (Psalm 119:105), enhances wisdom (Psalm 119:88), and illuminates both soul and spirit (Psalm 119:130), most parents today give at best, passing attention to the discipline of biblical instruction.  Well did the prophet say, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).

One can quickly become astonished when the biblical illiteracy of this generation is realized.  This glaring deficiency may have been aided by secular laws and exacerbated by a misguided church, but the responsibility for the biblical training of our youth stands squarely on the shoulders of parents.  Christian parents have failed to teach the Scriptures to their children and in so doing have taken fire to their bosom and are now being burned.

Only a return to the Word and a willingness to assume the divinely commissioned responsibility to teach our children the Word, will bring the revival of hope and life to this present generation.

This statement brings to the fore an important truth, one that bursts with huge implications for today’s society.  While the efforts of multiple individuals and diverse resources are helpful in the nurturing of children, the role of the father is indispensable.  This suggestion is made strikingly clear when one considers the compelling statistics that suggest that without a father influence, children are far more vulnerable to societal ills, psychological and pathological troubles, and deviant behavior.  One cannot argue in the face of the overwhelming statistics, the veracity of this claim.

The Bible has much to say about this issue.  When Jacob was forced to pose as something he was not by dressing and acting as his brother Esau, just to get his father Isaac’s attention, his phony behavior, stemming from a deep father wound, set in motion a series of chaotic events that still affect our world today.  When beautiful Esther, orphaned and at a monumental risk in the Persian Empire, was taken under the wing of her cousin Mordecai who built a bridge to her heart and provided wisdom, nurture, protection, and care, she soared to her potential and selflessly saved the Jewish nation.  Where a healthy father figure emerged, victory came, but where the healthy father figure was absent, chaos reigned. Throughout the Old Testament, God makes clear his concern regarding this issue as He promises to be the father to the fatherless.

There is no more influential role than that of the father.  Fathers define masculinity, demonstrate priorities, pattern behavior, and reveal the nature of God to their children.  What children see in their fathers is what they understand to be true. Today more than ever, Christian men need to seek God’s strength and forgiveness and diligently pursue the call to godly fatherhood.  Those who have been wounded by their fathers need to receive the healing that can come only from God through the shed blood of Jesus, and many need to accept the call to become a Mordecai, ready to invest in the lives of wounded young people and become, by the power of Christ, the fathers to the fatherless.

Many different things present in the crowd may have hindered Zaccheus from seeing Jesus.  Possibly, the ones who ran to the front to be seen themselves, or those quick to judge who deemed the despised tax collector unworthy to meet Jesus, or the disciples who were self-appointed guardians of the Master’s space were to blame for Zaccheus’ struggle to see Jesus, or perhaps it was a group of Jesus’ followers who felt they had been wronged by this keeper of the tax that made it their business to keep him away.  We can’t be sure exactly who, but the crowd tried to keep Zaccheus from seeing Jesus.

How careful we must be in the church that our desire to be seen, tendency to judge the motives of others, arrogant attempts to keep the presence of God pure, or refusal to forgive those by whom we have been overlooked are all dealt with at the cross and never become a barrier to others seeing Jesus!

One of the most destructive forces within the family is the poison of unforgiveness. It stems from hearts that have become calloused, inflexible, and shut off from the touch of others and even worse, insulated from the gentle and sweet prodding of the Spirit of God.  Unforgiveness produces a life that is bitter, angry, full of resentment, and which exudes with criticism, cynicism, and contagious pessimism.  Parents, who model unforgiveness and bitterness before their children, rarely know until it is too late what damage they have produced in their children.  Often, their grown children are plagued by a lifetime of failed relationships, physical and emotional pain which results from the root of bitterness, and a sour and depressed disposition that plagues every aspect of their lives.

The answer to this disparaging practice of unforgiveness is found in Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus. It is a call to personal responsibility and the putting off of the old unregenerate nature and tendencies. Paul pleads with the redeemed believer to “let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you…and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.…” (Ephesians 4:31, 32).  It is a choice.  It is a choice that sincere Christians, desiring to positively influence their families must make.

The living out of that choice, while challenging, is made possible when believers maintain the proper focus.  Rather than dwelling on the offense, nursing the pain, or feeding the bitterness, followers of Christ are called upon to turn their attention toward Christ, who modeled for all, the true life of forgiveness.  Owing humanity nothing, He gave them His all. Bearing no responsibility for the sin of the world, He bore it all.  Having all rights as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, He laid them all down to display the ultimate act of forgiveness.  To this we have been called!

Divine justice was served when Bin Laden was executed.  Justice was also served when the wrath of God was poured out on Jesus for us.  We rejoice in Christ’s death, not because death is lovely, but because His death was an act of a just God who does everything right. Certainly there is much more but may we at least reflect upon these truths in these difficult and perplexing days.

Pastor Kevin

One of the sad and frightening realities of that which is called Christian teaching today, is the denial of the foundational truths that have served as the very cornerstone of the Christian faith since the first century.  The one orthodox truth most challenged today is that of Christ’s resurrection.

It has become both trendy and wise, even in many evangelical circles, to reshape or reframe the meaning of Christ’s resurrection.  Few fail to talk about resurrection, but many are distancing themselves from declaring “The Resurrection.”  The Gospel accounts of the empty tomb and the repeated announcement that “He is not here, He is risen” are being reinterpreted to mean that He is not really there anymore, but in a better place, much like we speak of a passed on loved one.  This way of handling the claims of Christ’s resurrection have become normative, even in many church circles.

Without Christ’s resurrection however, both our assurance and our hope are dismantled.  The bodily resurrection of Jesus is the proof-positive that Christ’s sacrifice paid the price for our sin.  Christ, as Paul says, was “delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25).  Had Jesus not raised, the ASSURANCE of our forgiveness would be lost and as the Apostle declared, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still dead in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).

Our HOPE is also tied to Christ’s bodily resurrection.  Christ is the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20) and as such we have hope that we too will one day be raised.  The resurrection is an absolute declaration of victory over death, sin, and Satan, who has made every attempt to destroy that which God created as good.  When God created the human body, He declared it was “very good” (Genesis 1:31).  Through sin, the body has been corrupted but because of Christ’s resurrection, we have the hope of resurrection as well, and in that resurrection, God will declare this victory.

For some it is more scholarly, more intelligent, and more acceptable to deny the miraculous aspects of our faith and write off Christ’s resurrection as metaphorical or poetic rather than literal or physical.  To do so however, one has to avoid the biblical texts that have Jesus eating with others, touching them, appearing to over 500, all after His resurrection.  It also undermines the very fabric of our faith, removes all assurance of redemption, and cancels out our hope of resurrection.  Even worse, to do so is to make this work ours instead of God’s.  He knows what He did.  He sent Jesus to die for our sins and raised Him up to prove His sacrifice effective and our hope valid.  Without the resurrection, we have nothing.  With it, we have all we need-assurance and hope.  The Lord is risen!  He is risen indeed!

Prayer:  Father, may our hearts be lifted in faith to stand against the tide of biblical reconstructionism and declare-Thy Word is truth!  Amen.

As Jesus breathed His last breath and yielded His Spirit to the
Father, the sky grew dark. Those standing near the cross were awestruck.  The heavy veil in the temple was ripped in two and the Roman Centurion put words to the thoughts of many, “Truly this was the Son of God!”  The followers of Jesus stood numb in the distance and wondered what would happen next.

Joseph, a wealthy man from Arimathea and member of the Sanhedrin, who like Nicodemus seemed to be a secret follower of Jesus and passionate pursuer of God’s Kingdom, approached Pilate and asked permission to bury the body of Jesus.  As permission was granted, he took Jesus from the cross, removed the spikes from his hands and feet, wrapped the Master’s body in linen, and placed Him in the fresh rock tomb, which had never been used.  The women, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, watched closely where Jesus was placed. They did so because their intention was to return to the tomb on the Sabbath and properly tend to His body before the final burial.  As Luke records, “then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils, and they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment” (Luke 23:56).  They would return on Sunday after resting on the Sabbath.

As I reflected on this text, I wondered how the women must have felt leaving the body of Jesus without proper burial for an entire day.  Surely, there must have been something within them that wanted to bypass the Sabbath commandment, if only for a few hours, and take care of their Lord.  Likely, they could have even justified such an act as a godly response of care, love, or deep devotion.  But, “they rested on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.”  As I further pondered the possibility, I quickly realized what would have happened if they had decided to tend to Jesus on the Sabbath instead of waiting until early Sunday morning.  They would have missed the empty tomb and the angelic declaration!  Worse yet, they would have missed Jesus!  What a tragedy it would have been had they forsaken the God-ordained order of rest and hurried prematurely to do a good act.

How often do we get impatient and want to hurry up and do the good things, even when we know God is asking us to wait?  How many times have we justified our impetuous behavior because to us it seemed worthy of our action and dependent upon our quick response?  Sadly, however we may have often missed Jesus and the miracle that He wanted to perform because we moved ahead.  To bypass the divine order of waiting on God and resting in His presence may mean to forfeit the miracle of the resurrection.  To act in disobedience, even when our actions themselves are honorable or praiseworthy, is to sacrifice the best for the good and settle for a lifeless reminder of times gone by rather than experience the living reality of Christ today!

Prayer:  Father, help us to rest, to wait, and to patiently settle our heart in the assurance that in Your time, we will know the glorious power of Your resurrection!  Amen.

As I read through Luke’s account of Christ’s arrest and crucifixion, I was once again struck by the horrific brutality and tortuous treatment to which Jesus was subjected between Gethsemane and Calvary.  Arrested in the middle of the night by the betrayal of Judas’ kiss, Jesus was first beaten, blindfolded, and mocked by His custodians who had whisked Him away from Gethsemane early in the morning.  Jesus was arraigned by the Jewish Council who cleverly and strategically framed the three-fold charge against Him of insurrection, disobedience to Caesar, and blasphemy.  These charges, along with a beaten and bloodied Jesus, were carried to the Roman governor, Pilate.

Pilate quickly saw through the phony charges and the evil motives of the Jewish leaders and sought to dismiss Jesus without incident.  It was soon apparent that a dismissal would not be easy and so after learning that He was a Galilean and under Herod’s jurisdiction, he handed Him off to him.  Herod had been anxious to meet Jesus so that he might be amused by a miracle or two.  Again, Jesus was mocked, beaten, and treated with contempt but refused to answer Herod, even a word, and so He was hastily sent back to Pilate who would be forced to deal with Him.

Pilate explained to the growing crowd of accusers that neither he nor Herod had found guilt in Jesus and offered to release Him as the custom of the Passover allowed.  Jesus would be flogged one last time and then released.  The Jews however, rejected Pilate’s offer and demanded the release of the convicted criminal Barabbas instead.  Jesus was sentenced to death by crucifixion at the hands of the cruel Romans.  Luke recounts the ominous and ironic words, “he delivered Jesus to their will” (Luke 23:25).  We know, of course, that it was the divine plan of the Father that Jesus be crucified; He was in fact delivered to the Father’s will.

Luke then writes, “They led Him away” (Luke 23:26).  This is the third time this phrase appears in this narrative.  This time He is being “led away” to Golgotha where He would be crucified.  By this time, Jesus has gone through the agonizing torture of His Gethsemane prayer, experiencing the rare weakening of the skin tissue and blood cells known as hematidrosis, which caused drops of blood to leak through His skin.  He has had at least two brutal beatings with a whip consisting of leather thongs, sheep bones, and iron balls which would penetrate deeply into the victim’s back and in Jesus’ case, caused profuse bleeding from the already weakened skin tissue.  The mock king’s robe has been placed on and torn off of His deeply wounded back twice and now for a third time is removed and the heavy wooden cross is placed on His back as He is “led away” toward Calvary.  There He would become sin for us!

As I pondered these words, “they led Him away” I could not help but say, “No they didn’t!”  Jesus made it clear that no one would take His life from Him…He would lay it down! (John 10:18)  In some sense, the Jews, or Pilate, or Herod, or the Roman soldiers may have felt that they were in control, leading the devastated Jewish Rabbi back and forth between judgment halls and to a cross, but in reality they were not leading Him…He was leading them.  He was leading them to carry out His PURPOSE-a substitutionary and sacrificial death on the cross for us!

Prayer:  Father, how thankful we are that You sent Jesus who laid down His life for us.  Thank you for Your love, for Your grace, and for Your determination to purchase our pardon!  Amen.

Large portions of the Gospel narratives are given to unveil the details of the Thursday before Christ’s ultimate sacrifice at Calvary.  While the synoptics give their primary attention to the Last Supper and Gethsemane, John’s Gospel focuses on the farewell discourse of Jesus.  Multiple truths emerge in these texts and a variety of approaches could be taken to unpack the great principles that ooze from these sections of Holy Scripture.  For our purposes here however, we will turn our attention to Luke’s account and three specific vignettes.  In each of these, we find ourselves saying, “If not for Jesus.”

The first section to which we will turn is the account of the disciples’ behavior at the close of the Last Supper.  Even after Jesus had shared such intimate moments with them, foretelling His death, they return to what seems to be their favorite pastime.  They argue about who is the greatest.  Luke records the kind correction of Jesus and John describes the illustrated sermon Jesus gave as He washed their feet.  Both writers paint a picture of Divine restraint.  As we read, we cannot help but say; “if not for Jesus,” the disciples would have consumed one another.  It is amazing how the patience of Jesus, then and now, spares us from such pain. 

The second section of focus follows immediately in Luke’s narrative as Jesus warns Peter of Satan’s desire to destroy him, to sift him as wheat, and leave him powerless and worthless.  “But I have prayed for you” is the marvelous word of the Savior.  As we read, we find ourselves wondering if the fate of Peter would have been disastrous.  “If not for Jesus” and His intercession, Peter’s life would have been doomed to end tragically.

The final portion of Luke 22 that captures our attention is the Gethsemane travail of Jesus as He grapples with the Father’s will.  “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).  Again, we find ourselves saying, “if not for Jesus” and His submission, all would be lost.

All of these lessons emerge from the previous text that describes the distribution by Jesus of the holy elements representing His broken body and shed blood and His announcement of the New Covenant.  It is from the New Covenant promise that Divine patience surfaces.  His law, written in our hearts, and His Spirit, indwelling in us, both work patiently to transform us from glory to glory into His image.  It is the work of the New Covenant paid for at Calvary, verified in the empty tomb, and carried out at the ascension that secures for us all an intercessor, the righteous Son of God, seated at the Father’s right hand, who pleads not only for Peter, but for us as well. 

Finally, it is the New Covenant, sealed by the submission of Jesus to the Father’s will, which guarantees for us eternal life and an escape from the eternal judgment that we rightly deserve.  We cannot help but say, “if not for Jesus,” how lost we would be!

Prayer:  Father, may we see more clearly, as we reflect on the events of that dreary Thursday, how perfectly and completely You secured for us the assurance of life, and that, more abundantly. Amen. 

Luke’s account of the Passion Week Wednesday records only one progression in Jesus’ pathway toward Calvary.  This contribution to the unfolding plan of God is brief, but both woefully sad and frighteningly applicable to everyone who would follow Christ today.  The narrative describes the final submission of Judas to the plan of Satan and his commitment to betray Jesus at the first convenient moment.

The decline of Judas and his ultimate selling-out to Satan has been a subject of great debate for centuries.  Many have offered up complex theories as to why Judas fell and what dynamics were at work.  Some have viewed Judas as a pre-destined pawn in the plan of God (a theory I reject) doomed to eternal damnation.  Others see Judas as actually an advocate of Jesus, trying desperately to expedite His rise to the throne by handing Him over so that He might prove Himself the Messiah.  I reject this theory as well and one has to do a great deal of interpretive gymnastics to arrive at this understanding.

It is not my intention to add to the speculation or posit some further or advanced theory, but rather I want to address the obvious truths that emerge from the biblical text.  First, Judas was driven by an undisciplined focus.  The Bible records that he was a zealot, one who sought to bring an overturning of Roman tyranny.  Jesus, he had hoped, would bring about that result and bring freedom to the people of God.  His agenda was clear and his focus sharp, but it failed to account for the wisdom and the plan of God.

This led to a second component of Judas’ decline.  He was consumed by unfulfilled dreams and what he longed for was not happening.  The Roman grip was tightening and Jesus was not helping his cause. 

Thirdly, Judas was motivated by an uncontrollable greed.  To waste expensive perfume on Jesus was unthinkable.  The chance to hand over Jesus for that which would satisfy his desire for riches was quite compelling. 

These are issues that we all must address.  In Judas were found attitudes and passions that are reason for pause for all of us who journey toward our destiny.  What is our focus?  Are our eyes fixed on Jesus, or do our personal agendas and selfish ambitions drive us?  Have we been disappointed by unfulfilled dreams?  Have we been hurt and let down to the point of turning on the ones who have failed us?  Are we hungry for the things of this world and greedy for selfish accumulation or are we content with the blessing of God?  These are all questions we must ask ourselves and issues we must address. 

How amazing it is to know that Judas, even with all his failures and stumbling, was met with the unrelenting grace of Jesus. On the night of His betrayal, Jesus washed Judas’ feet.  Sadly, Judas recoiled and missed the grace afforded to him.  We however, need not be so foolish.  His unrelenting grace is available to all who will turn to Him.

Prayer:  Father, give us grace to overcome all improper focus, strength to lay aside all disappointments, power to defeat our greed, and wisdom to lay hold of Your merciful grace.  Amen.

Standing over against the masses of temple worshippers rebuked for their lifeless and formal worship routines that lacked authenticity is the refreshing act of the widow, observed by Jesus as she gives her all.  This narrative seems to have occurred on Tuesday, after the triumphal entry, the day many have called the “silent day” of the Passion Week because of its relative quietness.

Each day of this final week, Jesus would leave Bethany which sat outside Jerusalem to the east, where He found temporary housing with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, and would re-enter Jerusalem and teach in the temple.  His disciples, who had rarely been in Jerusalem, were amazed by the vast architecture of the temple structure and marveled at its towering beauty.  The focus of Jesus was also on the temple, but not its beauty or strength, but rather its impotence and spiritual emptiness.  It saddened the Master, but He predicted its imminent ruin.

The rebellious leaders seized the occasion of Jesus’ teaching in Jerusalem to challenge His authority and question both His motives and mission.  With grace, but penetrating power, Jesus fielded every accusation and used the accusations of the religious to expose their own spiritual poverty.  Their strategically poisoned questions were no match for His wisdom and purity.

After issuing a strong rebuke to the religious leaders of Israel whose apparel spoke of reverence and purity but whose hearts reeked with greed and selfishness, bent on extorting the poor and helpless, Jesus positioned Himself near the treasury where He could observe the giving of the worshippers.  No one knows how many placed his or her offering in the collection, but the gift of the widow aroused the interest of Jesus and evoked a stunning commentary.  “This poor widow put in more than all of them; for they out of their surplus, put into the offering, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (Luke 21:4). 

Note Jesus did not say she gave more than any one of them.  She gave more than all of them-all of them put together.  Her offering, equal to 1% of a daily wage, was deemed greater than the collective giving of all the other donors for two reasons.  First, the spirit in which she gave set her apart.  There was no stinginess or doubt but rather a sense of reckless trust in the God she worshipped.  Second, her giving was sacrificial.  It didn’t just cost her something-it cost her everything.

As we journey with Jesus toward our purpose, we too are called upon to give.  Not only do we bear the responsibility of giving of our monetary resources, but we are also called upon to give of our talents, our time, our energy, and our very beings.  Is our giving like the temple masses?  Do we give the leftovers so that we might manage the surplus to our benefit?  Or do we, like the widow, give in reckless abandon that which cuts deep, costs us greatly, but earns the favor of the Master who watches?

Prayer:  May we Father, be found faithful and receive favor as we seek to present ourselves, wholly to You in reckless trust and deep consecration.  Amen.

When asked to complete some famous proverbs they had never heard, a group of first graders came up with some interesting words of wisdom.  For example: 

“No news is...impossible!”

“Where there’s smoke, there’s…pollution!”

“Children should be seen and not…spanked or grounded!”

Pretty funny!  There is nothing quite as preposterous to children as an old word in a new world.  Often, those of us in the church are the last to understand that things have changed around us.  That was the case in our text today.  Jesus speaks a new word to the leaders of the temple, a word that they cannot seem to hear because they are so steeped in tradition and completely resistant to change under any circumstance. 

The story of our text is one of the few accounts in the life of Jesus that is told in all four Gospels.  The day after the grand entry into the Holy City on a colt, Jesus re-entered Jerusalem and made a beeline to the temple.  There He found merchants and temple worship regulars alike, busying themselves in the temple tradition with temple sacrifices and shady business deals.  He made a whip out of chords, entered the area around the Temple Mount, and drove out the people selling things for the Passover.  He then predicted the destruction of the temple and an end to this form of worship.  Jesus was right on both counts.  Sixty years after His death, the temple was destroyed and an end came to that form of worship which reeked with form and tradition but lacked the authenticity and purity that the Father was seeking.

This action of Jesus created a stir among the religious leaders and they sought to destroy Him.  Interestingly Jesus had only one other direct confrontation with the religious authorities which led to their desire to kill Him and it was following the resurrection miracle of Lazarus.  Worship reform and resurrection will always stir up the religious.  Jesus was merely re-affirming His earlier promise that a new day was coming; a day where place or style, tradition or routine, would no longer matter when it came to worship.  The Father was seeking worshippers who would worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

This is a new word for a new day as well!  Jesus continues to enter our places of worship and the temples of our lives.  He is not looking for those married to form, gripped by tradition, or fixed on their own agenda.  Rather, He is seeking those who pursue His Presence and whose aim is the Savior’s heart.

Prayer:  Father, may the pursuit of Your Holy Presence and the joy of knowing Your heart be our highest aim.  May we willingly lay down our personal ambitions, realms of comfort, and selfish determination to have our own way and present ourselves wholly to You in humble devotion.  Amen.

One of the more puzzling texts recorded in Scripture and certainly one of the most challenging sections of the passion narrative is the description by Luke of Christ’s triumphal entry into the Holy City, Jerusalem.  The challenges are many.  Readers are immediately called upon to obey as they hear of the disciples securing a colt from a total stranger just because Jesus needed it for His grand entry.  We are further prompted as Luke records no resistance by the colt owner who seems to give of his possessions when called upon by the Master.  The response of Jesus to the Pharisees’ complaint regarding the loud cries of His followers awakens us to the reality that the stones will cry out if we fail to praise.

Beyond the obvious challenges and conviction of this text, we find ourselves puzzled by the emotional polarization that we see in Jesus.  His entry into the city is marked by great rejoicing, grand celebration, and the electric atmosphere of lined streets and anxious crowds welcoming their King and exuberantly shouting His praises.  It was His entry that excited the crowd and the stirring scene was in fact intentionally initiated by Him.  Yet as you follow the narrative, you cannot help but notice that Jesus Himself is filled with pain.  There is no hand waving, victory signs, or political rhetoric.  Instead, He seems almost detached, subdued, and in pain.  And our suspicions are confirmed when Jesus draws near to the city and weeps over it.  How puzzling it is to see in this same scene, great rejoicing and great pain.

This, however, is the reality of our journey.  All who follow Jesus on their pathway to purpose and seek to pursue His presence will experience the very same gamut of emotions.  Rejoicing and pain did co-exist in the life of Jesus and still do with us as well.  We experience great thrills when we feel His closeness, enjoy His provision, and see His power demonstrated.  Yet, we know the heartache of pain when our dreams are shattered, our hopes become battered, and our world seems to unravel.  There is no escaping in this life the co-existence of both joy and pain.

The hope of the believer however is found in the words of the Psalmist, “weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).  In this life, we will continue to experience nights of pain, trouble, and hardship and mornings of great hope and joy.  For now, the two will co-exist, joy and pain in the same life. But we journey on toward a great hope.  We anticipate another day, a day when our Heavenly Bridegroom rises from His throne and wipes away every tear from our eyes.  In that moment, pain will be no more and joy will be unspeakable and full of glory!

Prayer:  Father, give me eyes to see more of who You are.  May what I behold still my anxious heart.  Give me grace to see beyond this moment here, to believe that there is nothing left to fear (Hillsong-The Greatness of Our God). Amen.

With face set steadfastly toward Jerusalem, Jesus made His way to Calvary with dignity and grace.  He became, with every stride, a model for all who would follow in His footsteps and pursue their purpose.  Many lessons were taught but none so profound or more helpful than those passed along in regard to human relationships.

Luke 10 stands out as the premier text depicting relationships for the people of God.  Two separate vignettes form this portion of the biblical text and are rich with meaning and truth.  The first is the parable of the Good Samaritan and the second, the dinner in the home of Martha and Mary.

In response to the lawyer’s question regarding the attainment of eternal life, Jesus pointed him to the law.  The law, which required a love for God that was marked by reckless abandonment and a compassionate love for neighbor, still left a loophole in the interrogator’s mind.  Hoping to be provided with a list of those deserving of his compassion, the lawyer asked, “Who then is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:25-29). This question prompted the telling of the parable.  When finished, Jesus had successfully dismantled the scribe’s hope and confronted him with the penetrating truth that all of humanity is the neighbor of the believer and we are called to demonstrate neighborly compassion, unlimited grace, and mercy without boundary to all.

The second piece of teaching comes from the subsequent text where Jesus is welcomed by Martha into her home.  Martha is doing many things and is distracted by the responsibilities and her sister’s failure to join her in busy-ness.  Mary is planted at the feet of Jesus listening to Him, while Martha does all the work.  Martha’s appeal to the Master for help in this matter earns her instead only a rebuke from Him.  “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part…” (Luke 10:41, 42).  What was the good thing?  Tending to her guest!

In these two adjoining texts, Jesus teaches us what the pathway to purpose will look like.  We will have the opportunity to be distracted by many things, but our call is to be a welcoming neighbor.  Whether it comes in the form of a hurting enemy or in the glorious manifestation of God’s presence, we must slow ourselves and be attentive to those who God places in our way as we pursue our pathway to purpose.

Prayer:  Father, may we excel in the grace of hospitality whether it is an enemy, an angel unaware, or Your beautiful presence.  May we be welcoming and in so doing, receive Your grace and favor.  Amen.

Nowhere in the biblical text is the exacting call to radical obedience and following Jesus more dramatically portrayed and more precisely articulated than in the ninth chapter of Luke’s Gospel.  Luke, the inspired physician, given to detail, powerfully describes the high expectations of the Master for His followers and their predictable reluctance to follow so unreservedly.  The reader is left with a clear conviction that following Jesus is no trivial matter and that the demands of discipleship are far greater than our lukewarm society has led us to believe.

Jesus is at a pivotal moment in His ministry.  His Galilean crusade is drawing to a close and He now sets His sights on the Holy City where He will challenge the carnal and status quo religious machine, experience ultimate rejection at Calvary,  and be vindicated by the Spirit in His resurrection.  He will then return to the Father leaving His tiny band of followers to take up His mantle, experience His promise, and set out to revolutionize the world!

With a determined resolve to go to Jerusalem, Jesus begins His journey and many seek to align themselves with this teacher, miracle-worker, and seeming revolutionary.  One quickly confesses, “I will follow You wherever You go” (Luke 9:57).  To this one, Jesus replies, “the foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Luke 9:58).  Jesus Himself calls a second one to follow, and while this would-be disciple makes his desire to follow Jesus known, he requests a delay so that he might give his father full burial rights (Luke 9:59).  The stern word of the Master is to “allow the dead to bury their own dead” (Luke 9:60).  Finally, Luke records another anxious soul yearning to be numbered with the Galilean rabbi but who first sought permission to return home to bid his family farewell (Luke 9:61).  The words of Jesus could be no clearer, “no one after putting his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

The message is rather plain.  Delayed obedience that seeks to follow, after one’s personal agenda is carried out, is not the obedience Jesus is looking to secure.  Partial obedience which gives up some, but clings to the dear and loved treasure is not worthy of our Lord.  Negotiated obedience that seeks to strike a deal of compromise with Christ will never pass the test of authentic devotion demanded of a true follower of Jesus. 

Jesus calls us to radical obedience-to follow Him wherever He leads, to give up whatever He asks, and to respond without hesitation to His call.  It is easy to confess Him as Lord, but far more difficult to live a life of consecration that matches the confession we proclaim.  It is however, the only way to walk in the power, freedom, glory, and thrill of the Kingdom.

Prayer:  Father, help us to recognize that a life of obedience, though at times difficult, is the only way to experience true joy.  May we, without reservation, give ourselves to Your plan, follow Your path, and experience Your purpose for our life.  Amen.

The thought of Jesus leaving them was to the disciples, an unwelcome and frightening proposal.  Peter, as the spokesperson for this motley band of Christ-followers, did not veil his opposition to Jesus’ insistence that He must leave.  It was this very opposition to the plan of departure revealed by Jesus that earned Peter the strong rebuke from the Master (Matthew 16:21-23). 

Just a week later, Peter flaunted his disapproval of Christ’s intention to leave by suggesting the erecting of three tabernacles for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah on the mountain where they could dwell undisturbed by the crowds below.  This attempt to thwart the Divine plan earned Peter yet another rebuke, this time from the Father in heaven, who directed Peter to lay aside his agenda and listen to Jesus (Luke 9:28-36).

 Interestingly, readers of the Gospels are not left to wonder about the subject of discussion between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration.  They discussed His “decease”, the very thing to which Peter stood in protest (Luke 9:31).  The word rendered “decease” is the Greek word “exodus” and it speaks of departure, or a coming away from the journey.  Both Elijah and Moses understood what that entailed and what possibilities it provided.  It was not until Moses died and the baton of leadership was handed to Joshua that the people of God were able to enter and inherit the land of promise.  It was not until Elijah was swept away by the chariot of God that a double portion of God’s Spirit in him was released in Elisha.

The departure of Jesus which would come by way of Calvary, a vacated tomb, and a majestic ascension which would leave the disciples gazing into the sky, would afford to them greater power, potential, and possibility than they had ever known.  It would be to their advantage that Jesus leave and go to the Father because with His departure, the Spirit would descend, and His followers would do greater works than even Jesus had done (John 14:12; 16:7).  If Jesus had not gone, the greater works would not be possible.

Two powerful truths confront us when we understand this reality.  One, we are still living in the day of advantage-the day when Christ has gone away but His Spirit has come.  We are empowered and indeed called upon to do greater works.  His departure was necessary and affords to us a marvelous and rich world of possibility.

Two, we must reject the human tendency displayed in Peter, to unrelentingly embrace the known and comfortable.  To do so is to our own peril.  Peter tried to cling to the earthly and physical presence of Jesus and refused to let go.  Had he succeeded, the power of God’s Spirit would never have been unleashed and the ministry of Peter, the apostles, and the New Testament church never realized.  May we be willing to let go of the comfortable and the known so that we might experience the glorious advantage that comes when the Divine plan and purpose are unveiled in us!

Prayer:  Father, help us to be like Paul, who willingly laid aside all things, all rights and aspirations, considering them all as rubbish, that he might gain Christ.  Amen.

This text speaks profoundly to the societal and cultural worldview of many of our leaders. They say that only those who “are bigoted, biased, or can’t think straight” would consider abortion, murder, or same-sex marriage as detrimental to society, and view pornography as a protected right rather than a destructive and perverted degradation of the divine plan for human sexuality. Wisdom has eluded all of society and will laugh as calamity comes.

Closer to home is the folly exercised in the modern church. The preaching of the Word has been exchanged for soft-stepping and ego-driven talks on success and prosperity, sin has been re-defined as weakness, worship has become a spectator sport submitted to Olympic-style judges whose grades are determined by ascetics, style, musical “tightness” and flair, and the call to live as people from another world has been hushed by a push to appear as much like the world as we can to maintain significance or leverage. This is our wisdom! True wisdom will laugh as calamity strikes the foolish church.

Today, like never before, the church needs the wisdom of God in powerful proportion. How may we find wisdom from above to turn us from the path of weak and impotent religion to a path of vibrant and effectual Kingdom living again? Four simple reminders will be helpful.

First, it begins by a return to a sincere and vital relationship with Christ, for “the fear of the Lord is the beginning (foundation) of (true) wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7). Management guru Steven Covey says “whatever is at the center of our life will be the source of our security, guidance, wisdom, and power.” Unless Christ is firmly established in the center of our lives, divine wisdom will elude us. Intimacy with Christ is the foundation for all true wisdom.

Second, the Word of the Lord will reveal divine wisdom. The Psalmist, speaking of the Law of the Lord, said it “makes wise, the simple” (Psalm 19:7). Relationship with Christ void of a relationship with His Word will leave us still worldly, and lacking in divine wisdom.

Third, the generosity of the Lord should give us great hope. James, after exhorting readers who lacked wisdom to “ask of God,-” reminded them that God will give to them liberally (James 1:5)! God is a generous giver, His mercy is new daily and never-ending, His grace super-abounds our sin, His faithfulness reaches to the heavens, and His love cannot be quenched. His meting out of wisdom to those who ask also comes in generous portions.

Finally, the reliability of divine wisdom can be trusted because it is anchored in the steadfastness of His character. James further notes that “every good and perfect gift,” including wisdom “cometh from above, from the Father of lights in Whom there is not variableness and shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

Contrasted with the celestial lights (sun, moon, stars) over which the faithfulness of God stands firm and there is not even a slight turning in Him, His wisdom therefore is reliable and stands the test of time. May we turn again to Him, rooted in the Word and confident in both His generosity and faithfulness, and express our need and desire to experience His wisdom in a greater dimension than ever before!

The life of David reveals beautifully what the godly response to accusation should be. When David was down, chased from his throne by his own disobedient son, his enemies seized the opportunity to further exasperate the reeling king. Shimei, the descendant of Saul and great antagonist of David, opposed David with cursing, accusation, and stone-throwing meant to bring harm. Abishai, David’s servant, sought permission from David to confront and take out Shimei. Not only did David refuse Abishai’s request, he noted the possibility of Shimei being an instrument of Yahweh and in so doing modeled the key characteristics of the godly when accused (2 Samuel 16:5-14).

First, we must retreat from those who only stroke our ego and try to insulate us from the criticism of others. It is comforting to have those like Abishai who have our backs and try to keep us from the accusation of others, but too often, they hinder us from spiritual growth. Second, we must listen to the Lord’s voice, even in our accusers. Perhaps, David thought God was teaching him something. Finally, we must entrust ourselves to the defense of the Lord, allow Him to be our vindication, and rest in the assurance that He is at work in our lives, making us to be like Him!

What makes church life so difficult is us. We are a combination of big-mouth “know-it-alls” like Peter, critical busy-bodies like Martha, passionate but weak-willed dramatics like David, powerful but stubborn like Paul, super-spiritual and position-hungry like James and John, and cynical doubters like Thomas, all thrown together with only one thing in common-we have recognized that we need the grace of God to be saved. Somehow…we are supposed to turn our world upside down for Christ. How in the world will that ever happen?
Paul gives some keys in 1 Corinthians 12 when he unpacks the metaphor of the Body of Christ. Several reminders from this text will be helpful. First, God is given full responsibility for the hodge-podge of people that have been brought together. We didn’t pick this team, He did. We probably shouldn’t question His judgment. Second, every part is different. Hands, feet, elbows, and kneecaps are all important parts but all play vastly differing roles. There are creative geniuses, plodders, relational giants, spiritual-gurus, and methodical wizards that add to this messy thing we call the church. Third, Paul says every part is necessary. Try text messaging without your fingers, balancing your glasses without both ears, or walking straight without your big toes and you will get the picture. We need one another. Four, every body part will have days of honor and days of suffering and like it or not, both the honor and the suffering are to be mutually shared. There is no place to distance ourselves from one another for if we do, we may find ourselves sadly alone when we suffer.

Finally, to ensure that such loneliness and separation do not occur, Paul calls us to “have the same care for one another.” This “care” is a reflection of Christ’s character who calls us to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).Godly care is not demonstrated by the 3 friends of Job who came along in his pain to point out error, identify fault, and criticize his life. Instead, it is perfectly modeled in the Good Samaritan, shown as the example by Jesus of authentic care. He had compassion, not a critical spirit. He saw the man’s pain as a call to mercy, not a chance to gain advantage. He gave without receiving what the man couldn’t do for himself and risked his own reputation for the healing of the bruised man on the roadside; this is authentic care and that which Scripture calls us to in the Body of Christ.

Just as the Samaritan made sure that the wounded traveler was taken to an inn where he was in a position to find wholeness, we have that responsibility to one another. The Psalmist speaks of the anointing that is poured on the High Priest’s head and drips down to cover every aspect of the body (Psalm 133). We are called to care for one another by keeping the hurting attached to the body so that the healing that flows from Christ’s own head, might flow without hindrance and bring hope and healing to their pain.

Sometimes it’s easy to be spiritual like the Levite and priest and pass by the broken on the roadside, even those in our own church body. However, God has called us to care for one another. May He teach us what authentic care really looks like.

However, their hopes were dashed and their dreams quickly faded as Saul’s poor choices, foolish presumptuousness, and undisciplined character proved fatal to his leadership and Israel’s future. A new king, according to Samuel the prophet, would rise to the throne and breathe new hope and promise, a greater and brighter future than the Benjamite star could ever offer. This new leader of God’s people was unassuming; the youngest child of Jesse, known for an ambition that was greater than his sense of royalty, and a tender of his father’s sheep. But one thing he possessed that others did not was a heart after God.
His heart after God recognized divine destiny. His Psalms reveal his conviction that God shaped him in his mother’s womb with a purpose in mind. His encounters with the lion and bear and the showdown with Goliath were all part of God’s destined creation.

His heart after God was honest. His prayers pulled no punches and hid no conviction; if he was angry, he said it, if he was afraid, he confessed it. Always however, God was invited to search the inner recesses of his heart and show him his frailty and sin.

His heart after God was tender. As a shepherd, he knew the work of leading gently the wayward sheep and the importance of shaping them while they were hurting. David allowed God to shape his heart in pain.

Finally, his heart after God was intensely aware of God’s working in his life and His inescapable presence. He knew that creation revealed His handiwork that the heavens declared His glory, and that even in the depths of the earth, he could not be shaken. He was always aware of God at work.

Leadership certainly demands skill and competence. It necessitates great attentiveness and ongoing learning but more than anything, it calls for a heart after God. A heart that recognizes God’s destiny, demonstrates integrity, submits to loving correction, and looks for God’s activity. You may lead others without all the skill you think you need, but without the heart after God, you will never lead others to higher ground!

Peter’s faith journey began with a simple and unrefined curiosity regarding the things of the kingdom explained by Jesus as He taught the multitudes from Peter’s boat. That curiosity, still untested, became cynicism when the Master bid Peter to change the location of his nets to have a better chance at success. This cynicism sprung from a proud heart who thought he knew best how to master his own profession. Soon the cynicism melted into fear when the Master’s suggestions yielded a miraculous catch of fish. The fear gave way to unreserved abandonment when Peter recognized that Jesus was inviting him to enjoin His heart and mission. Peter forsook and followed the One whom moments before he had asked to depart. 

Where do we find ourselves on our faith journey? Many that we minister to are either curious or cynical and need desperately to encounter the power of Christ to bring meaning, vitality, and hope into their mundane life circumstances. Many, like Peter, are gripped by fear and paralyzed by the presence of the One who makes them fall prostrate in fear. But God is calling us to push beyond the curiosity, the cynicism, and fear and press on to a deeper and more meaningful faith; a faith that is manifest by a total abandonment of all that we possess and hold dear. May we answer that call to be fishers of men.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 73:26

There is a reality that often befalls those whose greatest desire is to please God, whose fondest hope is to know Christ, and whose life call is to serve the people for whom Jesus died. That reality is many times characterized by the unfair criticism of others, the cynical questioning of personal motives, the surprising abandonment of those thought to be friends, and a profound loneliness that threatens to overwhelm the one striving to draw close to God. Sadly, after twenty-five years of pastoral ministry, I can attest to the fact that these realities are far too often the rule rather than the exception. If however, we explore the truth of Scripture, we will find that this has been the case for those who are in active pursuit of God since the dawning of time.

Abraham certainly understood this reality. Though wealthy and by many, well respected, he longed for an heir-a son that he could call his own and with whom he could share life. Decade after decade passed and still this great father of faith continued childless and his faith-filled longing for the companionship of a son remained unfulfilled. Likewise, consider the Levites, that special and uniquely equipped Hebrew tribe called to lead the chosen people of God into the divine presence through song, praise, and sacrificial worship. Yet the Levites were outsiders, owned no land of their own, and found themselves lacking fellowship with other tribes of Israel. Their call was special, their responsibility great, but their sacrifice was significant. Or what about David? He was a daringly brave warrior, anointed king, passionate worshipper, and a man after God’s own heart. Yet one mis-step and David quickly found himself on the outside looking in, despised by his enemies, ostracized by his friends, betrayed by his family, and left to experience perpetual loneliness. He was the fallen, forgotten, criticized, and ridiculed man of God who had unfortunately had his humanity exposed. Abraham, the Levites, and David had much in common. All were called to great and unique tasks, specially gifted, and deeply human. And, because of their call and often as a result of their exposed humanity, they were forgotten and left alone, misunderstood, wrongly criticized, and in most cases without one to whom they could turn. Many today, resonate with this description and feel the sting of such overwhelming loneliness. What Abraham, the Levites, and David all found however, was that while their human relationships often suffered as a result of their unique calls, a beautifully fulfilling intimacy with the God who had called them was available. When Abraham sought desperately for an heir to be his companion, God’s response was “I am your exceedingly great reward” (Genesis 15:2). While the Levites had no land to call their own, God promised, “The Lord shall be your inheritance” (Deuteronomy 10:9). And David, though forgotten by his friends and family, lifted his voice in exuberant praise and exclaimed, My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Psalm 73:26) Portion (cheleq) in the Hebrew, means “allotment, share, sufficiency.” Though David’s flesh would fail him and his friends forsake him, still the Lord was his portion, his “more than enough.”

The life of leadership may be heavy and lonely. It may grow even more wearisome when we expose our humanity and the grace with which we have handled others is not extended to us. Nevertheless, still He is our exceedingly great reward, our inheritance, our portion forever and with that assurance, we can rest, knowing that we are never alone.

As one reflects on these ancient and inspired musings, a tender and profound portrait of God’s love for us emerges. It is likely that David penned both of these Psalms and if so, he was quite aware of what it meant to have a broken heart. He lost children prematurely, experienced the rebellion and utter betrayal of his son Absalom, and had been singled out for destruction by a king to whom he had given nothing but loyalty. Yet, more than any of these tragic and seemingly unfair life experiences, David’s own human frailty had brought him pain and left him with a broken heart. His unbridled passions, determination to succeed, and unchecked ego had stolen from him the joy that had often erupted in song as he sat on the hillside with his sheep under the stars. Gone was the expectation of a promising future that first stirred in his spirit when the prophet’s oil, poured from the ram’s horn, dripped on his yielded head. The joy and expectation had fled and David was a broken-hearted man.

However, as he sang, the emerging portrait of his God re-kindled his hope. Yahweh drew near to the broken hearted. Unlike David’s friends and family that abandoned him in his hurt, the faithful God of David remained close. David also found that God not only positioned Himself near to the broken hearted but He pitied them as well. Instead of hurling accusation, finding more fault, shaming or condemning, as did those close to David, the Lord healed the hurt and bound up the wounds of David. The awesome power of David’s God, capable of counting the stars and remembering their names, could have with a wink, snuffed out the failed and broken shepherd turned king, but instead, stooped to have pity, show mercy, and bring wholeness to him again. Yes, great is His power, but INFINITE is His understanding.

God is no respecter of persons and in Him, there is no variableness or shadow of turning. He is still near the broken hearted, healing their hurts, cleansing their stains, and demonstrating not ruthless criticism, but infinite understanding.

F.B. Meyer so brilliantly articulated this ministry of Jesus.

Constantly we need to repair to the laver to be washed. But do we always realize how much each act of confession on our part involves from Christ on his? Whatever important work He may at that moment have on hand; whatever directions He may be giving to the loftiest angels for the fulfillment of his purposes; however pressing the concerns of the Church or the universe upon his broad shoulders--He must turn from all these to do a work He will not delegate. Again He stoops from the Throne, and girds Himself with a towel; and, in all lowliness, endeavors to remove from thee and me the stain that His love dare not pass over. He never loses the print of the nails; He never forgets Calvary and the blood; He never spends one hour without stooping to do the most menial work of cleansing filthy souls. Moreover, it is because of this humility He sits on the Throne and wields the scepter over hearts and worlds. (F.B. Meyer in The Life of Love)