The Eye of God

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.
Psalm 33:18-19

This is a wonderful promise, and one that made me think of this image. My friend Simon first showed me this photo from the Hubble Space Telescope at the end of last year, and explained how it had been titled "The eye of God."

It is a composite image of the Helix Nebula, a distant relic of an exploded sun, stretching over one million million miles in diameter.

If that blows your mind, just think how much more awesome it is that the real eye of the eternal, almighty, infinite God is fixed upon you.

It illustrates why, if we walk in the fear of the Lord, we need fear nothing else!

The Law: Not under, not outside, but in Christ.

To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. (1Co 9:19-20)

I'm not trying to reopen a debate on the nature of the Old Testament Law to the New Testament believer... but I did think this was a helpful insight.

Paul, in the midst of his discourse on how he has become all things to all men in order to win them, mentions, almost as an aside, his relationship to the law. This gives a valuable insight into our relationship to it too:

We are not under the law
We are not outside of the law
We are under the law of Christ

Although we are no longer under the law, we are not outside of it either. It still applies to us as it finds its fulfilment in Christ. All of the law must pass through Christ before it applies to us.

Some of the law gets added to, because the real issue is one of the heart and not of observance of the letter. e.g. the commandments against adultery and murder.

Some of the law does not pass through because it has already been ultimately fulfilled in Christ. e.g. the sacrifices for sins, the cutting off of the flesh in circumcision.

Some of the law becomes a matter of conscience, because it was to illustrate a principle that is now better illustrated in the New Covenant realities, and the issue is not one of observance, but of faith. e.g. eating or not eating certain foods, observing or not observing special days.

And some of the law passes through unchanged. e.g. honouring ones father and mother.

Whilst we might disagree on the finer details of interpretation and application there are some things that are very clear:

First, no-one is justified by observing the law. We cannot earn our salvation or favour with God by observing the law. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

However, those who love God will obey his commandments. Whilst we cannot earn favour by obedience, we can grieve the Holy Spirit by disobedience.

A correct understanding of the law plays an important part of our walk of faith. It makes the difference between observance and obedience on the one hand, and between liberty and licence on the other.

We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. (1Ti 1:8 NIV)

Speak it clear and make it plain

They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. (Nehemiah 8:8)

This passage in Nehemiah refers to a group of Levites who assisted Ezra in instructing the people from the word of God.

In many ways, the Old Testament Levites and priests are a foreshadow of the New Testament ministry of the Teacher. It was they to whom the people were instructed to go if they had a difficult question they did not know the answer to. It was they who were charged with instructing the people in the Law of God. And, importantly, it was they who were anointed in the presence of God to do the job. Nowhere, Old or New Testament, do we get the notion that such ministry was ever to be purely intellectual or academic. They had an anointing in the Spirit to impart spiritual truth.

As such, the activity of these Levites is a great example for all of us who teach or preach amongst God's people. They were to read clearly from the word of God, and to make the meaning of it plain to those who heard.

The public reading of Scripture should never be underrated. Could it be that we value our own words more than God's? I know that this would never be something we would consciously be guilty of, but what do our actions say? How much Scripture is in our preaching? How much time do we give to God's word before we prepare our own?


Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. (1Ti 4:13)

[I say this as a challenge to myself, and to anyone else who will receive it. I don't have anyone else in mind.]

On Darwinism, Creationism and Petitions

There has been a recent petition and counter petition to the Prime Minister that has brought the issues of Creationism and Darwinism to the fore again.

Those who are familiar with this blog will know that I have posted on the topic of faith and science and Darwinism in particular several times. Check my archives under "faith and science" if you want to see what I have had to say.

In this particular case I have not signed the petition. Not because I don't have strong feelings on the subject of faith or science - as a Christian with a first-class honours degree in Physics, I care about both - but because the petition is primarily about faith schools. Something I am ambivalent about. It is people who have faith, not institutions. I did not attend a faith school, and I don't know much in the way for or against that would persuade me to petition the Prime Minister about them. People should have the freedom to make up their own minds on scientific theories and the claims of Jesus Christ, regardless of what type of school they attend.

The original petition, despite its emotive wording and obvious atheistic bent, basically said that creationism should not be taught as science in schools. This may come as a shock to some, but I actually agree with that statement!

Don't get me wrong. I believe absolutely that the Universe was created in a literal seven days by the one true living God as revealed in the pages of the Bible. But I believe this not because of any scientific theories I have studied, or which school I attended, but on the basis of my own personal faith in Jesus and in the authority of the word of God.

Simple logic dictates that if the Genesis account is true, then the act of creation was a miraculous act by the hand of God himself. It can no more be explained by science than how Jesus rose from the dead, walked on the water, or turned water into wine. To attempt to come up with scientific explanations for the miraculous acts of the divine hand is both foolish and futile.

Faith and science are not enemies, but they are distinct. Faith should be taught as faith, and science as science. They are not mutually exclusive. When did you last hear the argument that Shakespeare should not be taught at school because it is not scientific? The Genesis account does not need to be scientific to be true. Nor does it need any scientific bolstering to make it more acceptable. It stands on its own merit.

The opposite side of the scale is where the problem with Darwinism lies. I don't have any problem with evolution being taught in schools. Indeed how can you argue against what you are ignorant about? There is much good science bundled up with Darwin's speculative nonsense about the Origin of the Species. Where the problem lies is when it is presented not as theory but as unquestionable fact. It then crosses the line from science into dogma.

Having said all that the counter-petition is worded well, and is careful to promote the teaching of creation rather than creationism. But it doesn't change the fact that both these petitions are primarily about faith schools, and concerns about them setting their own scientific curriculum. If you care deeply about faith schools then by all means sign the petition, but if you don't then don't feel obliged to respond in a knee-jerk way. Save your energies for the real battle.

"Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honour as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread." (Isa 8:12-13)

Upward Sparks

Most people know that lightning is a massive discharge of electrical energy from the heavens to earth. It's power is so intense that it momentarily heats the air in the path of the surge hotter that the surface of the sun! This causes the brilliant flash we see as lightning and the shock-wave through the air we hear as thunder. In actual fact they are one and the same event but because light travels so much faster we see it essentially instantaneously, whereas the sound takes a while to catch up. Roughly four and a half seconds for each mile travelled.

But not many people know that a lightning discharge also, almost always, involves a small discharge upwards from the earth before the main strike occurs. These upward sparks are known as "positive streamers".

What happens in a lightning storm is that the base of the thundercloud accumulates a massive negative charge as electrons are knocked off the rapidly ascending ice particles in its core. The earth underneath the cloud is thus positively charged with respect to the cloud-base. The earth and the cloud-base become like the two terminals of a giant battery, super-charged with energy.

As the energy in the cloud seeks to find a way down to the ground, the energy in the ground is also seeking to find a way up to the cloud. Think of them like the jump-leads attached to the two ends of the battery. When the leads touch, that's when the sparks fly!

The interesting thing is, that whilst it is the heavens that holds all the energy, it is released in response to an "upwards spark" from the earth.

I was thinking of this yesterday in connection with prayer. These "upward sparks" are a wonderful illustration of how God uses our prayers. All the power is his, but he chooses to release the awesome power of heaven in response to these little "upward sparks" of prayer send up from the earth!

Our prayers may not seem like much, but all the power of heaven is waiting to be discharged in response in a way that will connect heaven to earth, and make an impact that will be felt for miles.

[If you would like to see a picture of one of these upward sparks, have a look at this picture, and look carefully at the telegraph-pole on the left-hand side of the main lightning strike]

Philologus

Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. (Romans 16:15)

I have been doing a bit of reading into New Testament Greek. I bought myself a book on the subject, which, geek that I am, I'm finding fascinating! I'm only on chapter 4, so I'm still a total novice, but I'm already finding helpful insights as a result.

Take the name Philologus in the passage above. Never meant anything to me before, but as I read it yesterday, I thought, "What a great name!"

[This is where I show off] It comes from two Greek words: philos, meaning friend and companion; and logos the Greek word used for both the Word of God, and Christ himself as the eternal Word in John's Gospel. So Philologus literally means Friend of the Word. [I double-checked my amateur Greek at Studylight, and was gratified that I got it right.]

You can see why I thought it was such a great name. One that should apply to all of us who belong to Jesus.

We are friends of the Word. Walking in companionship with God's written word. Walking together because we are in agreement (Amos 3:3). Spending frequent time in the company of the Scriptures. Going to them for advice and council and support. Being familiar with them as with a closest friend.

We are friends of The Word. Walking in companionship with Jesus himself. Walking together because we are in agreement; my will submitted to his. Spending frequent time in his company. Going to him for help, advice, council and support. Being familiar with him and what pleases him, as with a closest friend.

But Philologus doesn't just mean The Word is my friend, it means I am the Word's friend! How amazing, incredible, and mind-blowing is that. We can be friends of the Scriptures because they are living and active, and our lives, if we are submitted to them, testify to their eternal truth. And we are friends of the eternal Logos himself, Christ... because he says that we are!

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:13-15)

What awesome privilege it is to be a philologus.

Baby comes back from the dead

This news story from the BBC caught my attention!

I have been listening to the news a lot lately, and so many stories are bad news of loss, tragedy, war and hatred. Stories involving children can be especially heart-wrenching. So it was so uplifting to come across this wonderful, miraculous story of tragedy turned into joy.

All good things come from God. Though he isn't mentioned in this article, everyone involved acknowledges that it was a miracle!

I wonder who was praying

To bring them back to the Lord

Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them.And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention. (2Ch 24:17-19)

It's always tragic when you read the account of a good king who turns bad. Joash after doing such great work in restoring the house of the Lord falls under bad influence when his good influence, Jehoiada the priest, is gone.

Yet here we read of the mercy and forbearance of God. He did not act in wrath straight away, but sent prophets among them, with the purpose of bringing them back to the Lord.

This is a simple phrase, but it communicates a lot about the purpose and nature of the prophetic gift. The prophets were not sent to write new scripture, as some suppose is the inevitable outcome of prophetic utterance. Nor were they sent to make bizarre and fanciful predictions about the future. They were raised up, from among the people themselves, to turn the hearts of the people to the Lord.

This is the true nature, not just of prophecy, but of all the gifts that the Holy Spirit distributes to his people. They operate among the people and they point them to the Lord.

Believe his Prophets

And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed." (2Ch 20:20)

Very often the test of our commitment to the Lord is worked out in our relationships to others. It's easy to say we love the Lord, give him our all, are submitted to his rule and believe his word. But our loving, giving, submitting and believing are not tested when we are in isolation.

John says we cannot truly love the Lord, unless that love is demonstrated towards our fellow man.

Offering God all we have is, in one sense, easy. It is in the specifics, when God asks us to give sacrificially above any beyond what we normally set aside that that commitment is really tested. And it is when those whom God has placed in spiritual authority over us make a decision that we disagree with, that the measure of our submission is truly revealed.

Equally, it is easy to say we believe God's word, when what we really mean is we believe in our own interpretation, emphasis, and outworking of that word. Our own exegesis of the word rarely challenges us out of our comfort zones, because we so often see what we want to see, read what we want to read, emphasise what we want to emphasise, and outwork that which is already familiar to us.

We all, as believers, have the same Word of God, yet the interpretations and emphasis throughout the body of Christ differ dramatically. How do we know that our emphasis is the emphasis that is important to the Lord?

Our belief in God's word is most often challenged, not through our own reading of the Scriptures, but in response to the prophetic word. When the prophetic word challenges our emphasis, shakes our comfort, and demands we engage our faith, we have a choice: to accept it and embrace it as the word of God, or to reject it.

A counter example to the one of Jehoshaphat above, is that in Jeremiah 42, where the people claimed to have total commitment to do whatever God commanded them, and that they would obey whatever word Jeremiah brought to them, but they had already decided in their hearts what they expected God to say. When Jeremiah brought them a word that was contrary to what they wanted to hear, they rejected it.

For you sent me to the Lord your God, saying, "Pray for us to the Lord our God, and whatever the Lord our God says declare to us and we will do it.’ And I have this day declared it to you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God in anything that he sent me to tell you. Now therefore know for a certainty that you shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in the place where you desire to go to live." (Jeremiah 42:21-22)

The prophetic word always demands a response from us. It is the response of faith that leads to success.

Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed.

The Law of First Mention

I received this anonymous question via my "Off the record" box:

The Law of first mentions? Where on earth did this come from? And does it extend beyond "Genesis has special details"? Because what about Job? Does that count as a first mention, seen as it could be older than genesis (in terms of being written) or do we just rely on the abilities of some old monks to put the bible in order for us. ; ) I have heard a number of teachers refer to this, but I cannot yet make use of it myself. So what better place to clear it up than where thousands of people can read it!

I'm flattered that this reader thinks I am able to give a definitive answer, (and that they think I have thousands of readers!)

Well, I'm more than happy to offer my thoughts on the subject, and to open up the comments section so that others with wisdom on the matter can chip in with their contributions too.

First, what is the Law of First Mention?
It is a principle in Biblical Hermeneutics (The framework for understanding and applying the Scriptures) that states that the first mention of something in the Scriptures is especially significant and sets the stage for how it is to be understood in the rest of the Word.

I have to say here, that I think "Law" is a misnomer, as it implies that it is something fundamental that can be appealed to to establish other truth. I think that the reader is right to challenge and question this. I think it is better to think of it as a "principle" or a "rule of thumb", because more often than not, the fist mention of something in the Word is highly significant. Not because there is an inviolable law that says it has to be so, but because that is what we observe to be the case.


Why should first mentions be significant?
So, what is the principle behind this principle? Why should there be special significance with how something is introduced in the Word?

Whatever you think about the first-mentions principle, one thing that is clear from the Scriptures is that Origins are important. The Bible begins with Genesis - the book of origins. And in this book are the origins, not just of the Universe, but of every major theme of Scripture: Sin and Redemption, Covenant, Prayer, Worship, God's people, God's ultimate purpose for his world, and even the Gospel and Christ himself, if you know how to look.

God begins at the beginning for a reason. We have to understand where we have come from if we are to appreciate where we are going. For example, you need to understand the problem of sin and the fall of man in Adam, if you are to appreciate forgiveness and our redemption in Christ. We see that God's commission to the Church is fundamentally the same as his commission to Adam - to go out into all the world and fill it with people in the image of God who will represent the Kingdom rule of God on the earth just as it is in heaven. God does not have many plans for this world, but one eternal unchanging plan. That is why origins are important, because what God purposed from the beginning is exactly what he will accomplish at the end.

Thus the first mention is significant, because more often than not, it is also the point of origin.


What constitutes a first mention?
In this context, we understand that it is the origin, rather than textual position in a compiled book, that is significant. Although the events of Job predate much of Genesis, Job deals with the issue of suffering rather than the issue of origins. To carry maximum significance, the first mention should be traced to the Book of Origins itself - Genesis. This is not to say that first mentions elsewhere are insignificant, but they certainly carry less weight.

There are other passages outside Genesis that deal with origins. Acts 2, for example, which is highly significant as a reference of origin when considering the nature of the Church. [Which in turn is the New Testament expression of God's called-out people, which can be traced back to Genesis.]


Usage and Abusage
Like any other principle, the First Mention principle can be both used and abused. It is absolutely right and proper, when studying any theme in Scripture, to make sure you trace it back to its first mention, to ensure you understand and grasp the context in which it is introduced, and any significant light that this sheds on the subject. However it is totally wrong to use this principle like a law that can be applied in isolation without reference to the rest of Scripture, to give a distorted emphasis to a verse of first mention, and to make it mean something that is not borne out by how the progressive revelation of Scripture fills out the details on this subject.

There is a wise old saying that goes: If all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a nail!

The principle of first mention is just one of many tools we have in understanding and getting the most out of the Scriptures. Used correctly it can help frame our understanding of Biblical themes. Misused it can distort verses beyond what was ever intended.

Another day, another snowman

Our best snowman yet! This one was bigger than Michael.

The Belt of Truth

Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth (Eph 6:14)

I'm no expert in Greek, but I do know how to use the resources over at studylight.org! In the Greek having-fastened-on-the-belt is all one word. So the emphasis here is not about some mysterious object, "the belt of truth", but on an action: "belting-ourselves" with truth. So here, as well as in the rest of the passage concerning the armour of God, is not about some metaphysical protection that we have to don to engage in spiritual warfare (found here and nowhere else in the word), but about how we apply the spiritual principles clearly laid out in the rest of the Scriptures.

Another interesting fact from the Greek is that the word for belt, the root for the word used here, is "zone", from which we get the English word... erm... Zone! So we could also understand this instruction as "zone yourself in the truth".

Some limitations are bad. When we limit our faith or our expectations in God, these are limitations we were never meant to have. But other limitations are good. It is good to have proper boundaries. Proverbs says: "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls." (Pr 25:28). Self-control is setting up good and righteous boundaries for our behaviour. Even God is "limited" in this way: it is impossible for him to lie. Why? Not because it is too difficult for him or beyond is power, but because it is outside the "zone" of his perfect nature.

In this context to belt-ourselves with truth, means to confine ourselves, in thought, in behaviour, and in confession, to the truth. And the ultimate truth, of course, is the truth of God's word.

It's not about being "honest" about how I feel, or how I assess my circumstances (that might lead to a whole other set of confession and behaviour), but to refuse to think of myself or act in a way that is outside of what God declares me to be. That is the truth that I "zone myself" with. So that to use an expression of Keri Jones, "I am framed by the word of God," and anything that comes in (what I receive) and anything that goes out (what I confess) has to pass through the filter of the Word of God and what he declares me to be.

Waiting and hastening

...what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God... (2Peter 3:11b-12a)

I wrote yesterday on how some of God's servants of Old, Joseph and Habakkuk, and some of his servants today, had to wait with patience and endurance, maintaining their faith until the promises in the word of God were fulfilled for them.

But Biblical waiting is not a passive activity. It's not like waiting for a bus. Our lives are not on hold until the promise is fulfilled. Peter talks about waiting and hastening. Because for God the right time is not about the passage of days, months and years, but about the fulfilment of all he intended a given season to accomplish.

It is this tension that many fail to grasp, and either get discouraged and give up when they pray once and nothing happens immediately, or they become passive adopting a "It will happen in God's time" attitude. "It will happen in God's time" is absolutely true, but we need to grasp that we have a vital part to play in the hastening of God's time. It's not that he is slow and we need to twist his arm to move him along. Peter spells it out quite categorically that that is not the case. But in fulfilling the purpose of God in the season we are in we bring it closer to completion, and bring the next season closer to its appearing.

With each prayer we pray, with each day we live seeking first his Kingdom and his righteousness, we are one step closer to the fulfilment of the promise of God over our lives than we were before.

The prophet Habakkuk was given a vision that awaited the appointed time, but he was not instructed to sit on it, but to run with it! He was a man who knew of God's fame, all the mighty acts he had done in the past. And he was the one who saw that despite all the evil amongst the nations of his day, the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea. Yet he did not live in nostalgia of the past, or daydreaming of the future - he passionately cried out for God to move in the midst of the years - in his time, and in his day.

This is at the very heart of what it means to be God's prophetic people. Not just to see what God wants to do tomorrow, but to lay hold of it in faith and bring it into today. Both waiting with patience and endurance, and hastening with passion and zeal.

The revelation and the appointed time

For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end - it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3 ESV)

Richard Gamble gave a great word at our congregation in Coventry, yesterday. He spoke on the life of Joseph and how he was tested in prison by the word of God he had received that said he would rule (something I have written on myself - see categories: meditations/joseph). For Joseph, like Habakkuk, the revelation of God's word, and the appointed time of its fulfilling were far from immediate. Joseph had to persevere in faith and not give up in order to see the fulfilment of God's word over his life.

One of the things Richard shared on, in a moving way, was his own struggle with sickness, and claiming the promises in the Bible for healing. This is an area where I too have a testimony of perseverance and God's faithfulness - a testimony that is long overdue being shared...

When I was 15 year old, 4 years after I became a Christian, I was diagnosed with an incurable disease: Crohn's disease. It is an inflammatory condition of the bowels. I was told that I would always suffer with this condition - a statement I refused to accept. You can call it denial, you can call it foolishness... I call it faith. For over ten years I did suffer with this condition, on occasions very acutely.

I was prescribed drugs that for a while prevented the progression of the disease. These drugs have well documented side effects - side effects I never developed.
However, after years of living my life as normal, and refusing to give any ground to this disease I didn't have to, it seemed for a while as if it got the upper hand over me.

In 1995, while I was in America on business, I developed acute gut pain. No prayer or medicine could shift it. On my return I was admitted to hospital, and a scan revealed that my bowel was now almost totally obstructed. The nurses were incredulous, that someone who on paper was so seriously sick had walked into hospital under their own steam. Never the less, I was seriously ill, and I required a week on a liquid diet just to build my strength and weight up to the point where it was safe to operate.

I praise God for the surgeon who operated on me. A man of great skill. All good things, and means of healing come from the Lord. In the operation I lost half a meter of my small intestine, but all the disease was removed from my body, and no more was removed than was necessary.

I made a good, but slow recovery. I'll spare you the horror stories from that time. But like Joseph, I knew a low ebb, where the word of God tested me. Yet I clung to my faith in the goodness and healing power of the Lord I serve.

Because of the part of my bowel that was removed, I was told that I would need injections of vitamin B12 for the rest of my life. A statement that I also rejected in faith; although I don't believe that it is wise to refuse medication unless one has a specific and clear word from God, so I took these injections every month for a year.

In 1996 I went to Bible College, almost completely restored to health, but still taking the injections. At the induction I fully intended to ask the Principal, one Roger Aubrey, where the local doctors was so I could continue to receive these injections, but it was on this day that I received a word of faith that released me from these injections.

Roger simply said: "The details of the local GP is on this sheet, but I'm in faith that none of you this year will need it." To me that was not just an off-hand remark, but a word of faith that found a deep resonance in my own spirit.

That was the last time I had a B12 injection... over 10 years ago! When I applied for life-insurance with a new mortgage a couple of years ago, the medical questionnaire flagged up that I had had Crohns. They were incredulous that I no longer needed any medication and wrote to my GP (who I had not had any need to visit for any reason for over 5 years). He sent me off for a B12 test which came back without any abnormality.

I can honestly say, that I am healthier now that I have ever been. I do more than fifty press-ups every morning, and swim half a mile most weeks. A far cry from that pale emaciated figure in 1995 lying in the hospital bed with tubes stuck in him from every angle. Yet that pale man had something that no illness can take away - faith. Faith that God is good in every situation and is always faithful to his word, no matter how bleak the circumstances.

Praise God for his faithfulness to his word. God's word will always be fulfilled. Though it lingers wait for it. It will certainly come.

Grace for tonight

O Lord, since we have feasted thus,
Which we so little merit,
Let Meg now take away the flesh,
And Jock bring in the spirit! Amen.
~ Robert Burns

Happy Burns Night! We shall be celebrating the Bard's birthday tonight with good friends over the traditional meal of Haggis, neaps 'n' tatties. Living south of the border, I can get away with my rendition of "To a Haggis", and no one is any the wiser! And of course there will be a wee dram or two to finish off.

Looking forward to it. :-)

Return of the Snowman

Ephesians feeds fixed

Apologies to everyone who is still subscribed to my Ephesians Every Month feeds. They are working again now, but had not been updated since 21 December. <techie-bit>The cron job on my server that generates the feeds hung on this day.</techie-bit>

For those readers who don't know about these feeds: I generated them a while ago for those who want to read through the book of Ephesians every month in a rolling Monday-Friday four week programme. Anyone is welcome to subscribe.

I also have a couple of light-weight reader applications to display the daily reading on your desktop:

The .NET version (Windows XP with .NET framework 2.0 installed)
The Java Version (All platforms with Java Runtime Environment installed)

On Circumstances and the Favour of God

When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live." He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god. (Acts 28:3-6 ESV)

Circumstance is no way to judge the favour of God on a man's life. Good people are not immune to the evil in this world. Christians are not put out of reach of the serpent's attacks. Too many believers think like the Maltese in Acts 28, and whenever something bad happens, they assume that God has it in for them. Utter nonsense. God proved the extent of his love for us on Calvary, and even if he were never to show us another act of love, it would be enough for all eternity. How dare we question the love and favour of God in the light of Christ's sacrifice?

But it is not whether a man goes into trial that shows whether God is with him (for Jesus said we would all face trials), but it is how he comes out of them! The promise of God is not that no weapon forged against us will ever touch us, but that they shall never prosper - they may hurt us for a moment, but they can never do us any long-term harm if God is working all things for our good. We will come out stronger, and the enemy will face another defeat.

God delights to turn the attacks of the enemy on his own head. Paul was bitten by the serpent, but it was the snake that died, Paul was unharmed. David fought the Philistines with Goliath's sword. Haman was hung on his own gallows. Benaiah killed the giant Egyptian with his own spear. And Jesus transformed the cross - the worst form of execution devised by the evil of man, into the greatest source of life and the blessing of God.

How do we know the favour of God? It is the cross, not our circumstances that tells us how much he loves us. It is his promise not our prosperity that assures us that he is with us for our good. It is our victory over trials, not our delivery from them that shows the power of God at work in our lives.

We are shielded by the power of God, not to escape every bad circumstance, but to overcome them.

[We] through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (1Pe 1:5-6 NIV)

The Three

Now these are the chiefs of David's mighty men, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel. This is an account of David's mighty men: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against 300 whom he killed at one time... (1Ch 11:10-11)

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. (Mtt 17:1)

And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. (Mk 5:37)

There is a striking parallel between David's and Jesus' inner circle. Although they both had many followers there were three specific men of faith that they sought out to be with for specific times and tasks.

I can't help but think there is a kingdom principle here. Just as there is an importance to our large corporate gatherings, our small groups that meet in the home, and our own personal devotions, it would seem that there is also a time to draw to yourself two or three like-minded men of faith to achieve something focused and specific for the advance of God's kingdom.

Blogger Recent Comments Widget

A friend recently asked me to install the code for my "Recent Comments" widget on his Blog. One of the benefits of the new Blogger layouts and feeds, meant it was relatively easy to do. I have had a Recent Comments section for some time, but I used to have to jump through some pretty clever hoops to do it, involving a separate server running helper scripts.

But now anyone can have one! To prove how easy it is, if you are on the new version of Blogger using Layouts, then all you have to do is to click the button below. Yes, that's all. And you too can have a Recent Comments section exactly the same as mine.

Enjoy.