All posts by Luella Campbell

FOUNDATION STONES – 13

Christian Life, ,

RETURN TO THE PATH

Psalm 23:3 KJV
[3] “He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

Today, I’m using the King James Version of this wonderful foundation stone to try to capture its real meaning. The Hebrew word “shub” has the root meaning of “return”, often translated “repent” or “restore”. This word is used in many contexts in Scripture. However, in David’s psalm, he celebrates the Good Shepherd’s work in his inner being, constantly bringing him back from the treacherous wilderness of sin to thinking, choosing, and doing life God’s way.

The meaning of repent, in Hebrew thought, is to return to the path. The children of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness helps us to understand this journey through life. We are all born into an unknown way. The path ahead is marked by signposts that help us to keep on track. When we wander from the path, we are lost and in danger of dying without God’s protection and provision of food and water. To repent means to return to the way of life God has shown us in His Word.

The signposts that show us the way are God’s instructions that teach us how to live. He has given us His Word and His Spirit to guide us through every dark valley and over every obstacle until we reach our heavenly destination.

Sin, essentially unbelief that results in disobedience, is a dangerous wilderness full of poisonous creatures that are intent on devouring us. Unless we stay on the path, we will perish in our unbelief, our choice to disregard God’s instructions and go our own way.

When we wander away from the path, when we trespass into dangerous places, the Shepherd will rescue us and to lead us back to safety. As God’s children, we have His promise that He will finish what He started. He will protect us from sin and its consequences but…there is a condition.

Only as we submit to Jesus as Lord and subject our will to His will can He keep us safe and on the way to His eternal presence. If we deviate from His way, we must “shub”, return to His path by changing our minds about Him, us, and our relationship with Him. Yes, we call Jesus “Lord” but even this confession means nothing without willing submission to Him in all things.

We must build this “stone” into our foundation if we want the solid rock of His instructions under our feet. His promise to restore our souls, like the “reset” key on our computer, will quickly put us back into fellowship with Him and on the way to His home in glory of we choose to walk in humble submission to His will. He will restore when we return, a very necessary reassurance to keep us following Jesus all the way to glory.

1 John 1:6-9 NIV
[6] “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. [8] If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

So, life is full of foolish wandering but, He will restore, patiently and whenever we “return”, forsaking our way for His until we reach the destination He promises.

FOUNDATION STONES – 12

Christian Life,

GUIDE YOUR CHILDREN

Proverbs 22:6 NIV
[6] “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

Now here’s wise counsel for young parents who have been entrusted with a precious gift but without the maker’s manual! This is not about telling your children about the Lord and His ways so that, when they grow up, they will be good Christians! This is about guiding your children along the way they were created to go, and they will continue on that way when they are adults.

The King James Version translates…

Proverbs 22:6 KJV
[6]”Train up a child in the way he should go: And when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Every child is born wrapped in irresistible cuteness but also with enormous potential for good or evil. Left to himself, his natural bent towards evil will eventually destroy him. Frustrated by misguided parents, he will rebel either against too many or too few boundaries.

Discipline correctly applied will help a child along the path of functional living…

Proverbs 29:15 NLT
[15] “To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.”

…but, too much or too harsh discipline will frustrate a child.

Ephesians 6:4 NIV
[4] “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

So, what’s the answer?

As much as the Bible is a guidebook for everyday adult living, it also provides wise counsel for parents who desire to raise their children in God’s ways.

To apply correct guidance to a child who is unknown at birth, takes time to learn, to know, and to understand one’s offspring. He/she is a mix of our ancestors. What their genes and yours produce is a unique new person, full of potential but vulnerable to the influences that will shape and direct that potential.

Solomon’s wise instruction takes into account the specific bent of each child, not only towards good or evil but also towards the direction that child will take in life.

Foolish parents try to mould their children into the predetermined life they want for their son or daughter. Instead of studying the child as he/ she grows up, recognising likes and dislikes, desires and aspirations, they try to force their child to follow the path of their choice.

Yes, parents do influence their children through participating in parental activities and even careers but…the final choice must never be forced on them.

This consideration is pivotal for a child’s mental and emotional wellbeing as he/she moves along the path towards responsible adulthood. Put it this way, a son who enjoys playing cricket should never be forced to play rugby because his father was an international rugby star! That’s an exaggerated example but, in everyday terms, a child should be given every opportunity to cultivate what he loves and does well within the boundaries of faith in Jesus and good character.

We live in a society which is continually dispensing with boundaries. So-called freedom is measured by throwing off the restrictions put on people from the outside. The fewer the laws, the greater their freedom, so they think.

Trouble is that this kind of “freedom” encroaches on the freedom of others. So, for example, people who think they are free to throw noisy, all-night parties disregard the freedom of neighbours who have the right to a peaceful night’s sleep.

So, parental guidance and discipline includes both the broader, all encompassing boundaries of good morals and ethics, godly behaviour, consideration, and good manners as well as the boundaries of their choice of career path they will follow.

True freedom is inward…freedom from guilt, fear, and shame…through self-discipline and self-control. These are the boundaries in which a child will flourish when he/she moves through childhood into the adult world of work and career.

God creates each person unique and suited to their part in the bigger scheme of His kingdom. Each has a niche to fill that no one else can fill. If wise parents understand this principle, they will study their child, understand his/her unique traits, and guide their child along the path God has prepared for them.

To understand this process and carry it out will produce a happy and fulfilled adult rather than a frustrated and rebellious child who will kick over the traces as soon as he/she is out of the home.

Solomon’s proverbs also provide the nuts and bolts of this training process. Across the book, he gives counsel to parents to shape the way they carry out their mandate to accompany and guide their child towards the place God has prepared for them to occupy.

So, we do well to put this instruction book to good use. Not only does God hold our children accountable for their contribution to this world, but parents also for the part they play in helping their children achieve His purpose.

FOUNDATION STONES – 11

Christian Life, ,

TAKE THE LONG LOOK

Hebrews 9:27 NIV
[27] “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment…”

Here is a stone we may not like but it is one that we must include in our selection of foundation stones.

Why?

A tightrope walker crossing a chasm must be conscious of the danger of losing his balance. So also, every child of God, walking the tightrope of truth (who is Jesus), must be aware of the chasm of eternal judgment that we are crossing. If we forget about the danger of falling from faith in Him, we will forget the consequences of unbelief and disobedience.

The fear of falling should never be the motive for remaining faithful to Jesus but rather the signpost that guides us to a glorious future and a reminder of the grace and mercy of God that allows us to cross the chasm.

Whenever I read this warning note in Hebrews, I rest in the next statement which forms the whole truth.

Hebrews 9:28 NIV
[28] “… so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”

Yes, judgment is real because our God is holy, righteous and just. He must deal with all people, obedient or disobedient, to be true to Himself. Yes, hell is real, the place of eternal punishment for those who refuse to obey the gospel. Yes, God will also punish those who have persecuted His people. We know that His holy character demands retribution for all wrongdoing.

To the Thessalonian believers who were suffering for their faith, Paul wrote,

2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 NIV
[6] “God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you [7] and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. [8] He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. [9] They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might [10] on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.”

How important it is for us, then, who have chosen to walk the tightrope of obedience to Jesus, that we stay on course by keeping in mind the dire consequences of falling. How thankful we are that we are safe and secure because of the one who died for us and lives in us by His Spirit to guide us safely to our destination. What a motivation to warn others of the cisrquences of unbelief!

This stone, together with all the stones in the foundation that is strong enough to hold our lives as we build on them, will be a steadying influence as we navigate through a dangerous world to our heavenly home. We need both the promises and warnings to provide hope and security that we will safely arrive at our destination.

FOUNDATION STONES – 10

Christian Life, ,

SUBMIT TO THE LORD

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
[5] “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; [6] in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Wise Solomon! If only he had heeded his own words!

This stone, together with the fear of the Lord, should form a foundation strong and solid enough to built an entire edifice that can withstand the worst of storms in life. After all, submitting the Lord instead of putting our faith in our own faulty ideas is the way to go. Every other way, outside of submission to God’s ways and wisdom, will inevitably land us in disaster.

Look at this “stone”! What does it contain? Trust (confidence in God i.e., the fear of the Lord), heart (everything that we are), our own understanding (our own foolishness), submit (exchange self-will for God’s will), path (the way that leads to our eternal destiny).

What could be simpler than these few words that form the foundation of a life lived with the right attitude, under the right guide, on the right way, to the right destination. If the Bible had nothing else to say, we would still have enough wisdom to get us to where we want to go.

What the Bible does have to say, which takes up the rest of Scripture, is both the history of humanity’s departure from God’s way, and God’s solution that reveals His true nature, His love that underpins His mercy and grace. He intervened, at His own expense, to rescue us from self-destruction and set us back onto the path of submission, obedience, and eternal life.

The trouble is, for many of us, that we try our own understanding first, fall into the deep hole of consequences with no way out, and then only, dragging with us a load of trouble, we turn to the Lord to rescue us.

When we submit to the Lord, we give up the power struggle between His will and ours, adopt His will as good and perfect, and give Him the right and freedom to choose our way for us. That’s the way to go for a destiny that will take us to the Father. We will spend our entire lives, if we don’t heed these words, learning and unlearning the folly of independence and the wisdom of doing things God’s way!

FOUNDATION STONES – 9

Christian Life,

HONOUR THE LORD

Proverbs 3:9-10 NIV
[9] “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; [10] then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”

Here is a principle that is equally as fundamental as the ones we have already set into the foundation of our lives.

However, we may not realise how important this is to us as it is to God because we don’t always recognise the power of the one we serve.

You see, what we do with our money is THE basic test of our attitude towards God and to our material possessions. If money drives the world and the love of money is the root of all evil, then we have a serious decision to make regarding our attitude to and our use of our money.

Jesus put His finger on the real, heart issue…not, you will love whom you serve but, you will serve whom you love!

Matthew 6:24 NIV
[24] “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Can you see the subtle difference?

Jesus pointed out that it is impossible to serve two masters who have opposing values. God is a good Father who meets all our needs as we obey and trust Him. Mammon uses money as the tool to drive our motives and actions through greed. God or Mammon, the choice we make depends on the one we love because of whose values are more important to us.

The answer to our decision depends on to whom we give our allegiance. If we love God, money and possessions will be our servants. If we love money, money will be our master and we will be the slaves of money.

When we love God, it will be our delight to honour Him with our wealth because, after all He is the source of our resources.

Thinking that is directed by His Word will lead us to living that is according to His Word. Together with our obedience to His instructions come the benefits and blessing of His promises.

Jesus reiterated the same principle in His instruction to His disciples about living in God’s kingdom.

When we love God and trust Him implicitly because He knows our needs before we ask Him…

Matthew 6:31-33 NLT
[31] “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ [32] These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. [33] Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

…we will live carefree in the care of God.

All the burden of having to strive to gain wealth, or wheel and deal at the expense of others, is lifted from us. We can gladly share our bounty with those in need because we shift the responsibility of our care from our shoulders to God’s.

God’s economic system, like many of His ways, is opposite to the world’s system. In the world, we work for gain or profit. We invest for interest at a limited percentage. We lend our money to make it grow.

How different in God’s way of doing things! We sow to reap. We share to multiply. We give to create the current that comes back to us. Let’s examine a few of the ways in which God blesses and multiplies our resources when we are generous.

Psalms 33:18-19 NLT
[18] “But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. [19] He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.”

Psalms 37:21 NLT
[21] “The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers.”…

Psalms 37:25-26 NLT
[25] “Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread. [26] The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing.”

The Apostle Paul gives us the clearest picture of how to use our money as a servant.

Giving is an act of love to God.

2 Corinthians 8:8 NLT
[8]”I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.”

God desires equality, not taking from us through taxes but encouraging us to give from our bounty and receive when we have need.

2 Corinthians 8:13-15 NLT
[13] “Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. [14] Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. [15] As the Scriptures say, “Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough.”

Giving is planting seed. Your harvest depends on the amount of seed you plant.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 NLT
[6] Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. [7] You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

Planting for a harvest meets your needs and provides for the needs of others.

2 Corinthians 9:8-9 NLT
[8] “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. [9] As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

God is the source of our seed. He has two purposes in mind.

2 Corinthians 9:10 NLT
[10] “For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.”

The way we use our money to help others has spiritual benefits.

2 Corinthians 9:12-14 NLT
[12]”So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. [13] As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. [14] And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you.”

So, God’s economic policy, the way of giving and receiving, creates a current that gives everyone an opportunity to share in God’s bounty. This way of doing money frees us from greed. It is a vivid reminder of God’s gift of salvation. He gave us His Son. We share His gift with others and the harvest of precious souls for Jesus grows and grows.

2 Corinthians 9:15 NLT
[15] “Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!”

When we build this stone into the foundation of our lives, we have the assurance that God will always provide for us, no matter what happens in the economy of our country.