Category Archives: Christian Life

DON’T EAT FROM THE WRONG TREE – 1

Christian Life, ,

Genesis 2:8-9, 16-17 NIV
[8] “Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. [9] The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil…
[16] And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; [17] but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

What was this “tree” from which God forbade His first son to eat? For what purpose was this tree “created”? Was it a literal tree or is it the symbol of a principle that reappears in Scripture?

I lean towards the idea that this “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” represents a kingdom, headed by God’s sworn enemy, the devil, in which God’s authority is replaced by self-rule. Adam rejected God’s instructions for life, the “eating” of which guaranteed the good fruit of lives of peace and harmony, in favour of Satan’s challenge that self-determination and self-rule would make them like God.

The man and the woman bought the lie, stepped over the line, and found themselves trapped on the wrong side. Satan had excluded the “small print”. They were in enemy territory in which they now lived under the “forced labour” of their chosen master.

This new life of slavery to the god of this world was not what they thought it would be. They had freedom, so they thought, but it was the “freedom” to live in the kingdom of “the knowledge of good and evil”, to make their own rules which enslaved them to selfishness and would inevitably lead to death.

Ezekiel 31 is a graphic description of the “tree” of Egypt which was destined to fall, like the tree of Assyria, because of its wickedness.
Egypt would also lie fallen among the “trees” of the nations. God would hand Egypt over to His arch rival to be destroyed as He did the great “cedar” of Assyria.

Ezekiel 31:2-3, 8-11, 16-18 NIV
[2] “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes: “ ‘Who can be compared with you in majesty? [3] Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest; it towered on high, its top above the thick foliage…
[8] The cedars in the garden of God could not rival it, nor could the junipers equal its boughs, nor could the plane trees compare with its branches— no tree in the garden of God could match its beauty. [9] I made it beautiful with abundant branches, the envy of all the trees of Eden in the garden of God… [10] “ ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the great cedar towered over the thick foliage, and because it was proud of its height, [11] I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside…
[16] I made the nations tremble at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the realm of the dead to be with those who go down to the pit. Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, the well-watered trees, were consoled in the earth below. [17] They too, like the great cedar, had gone down to the realm of the dead, to those killed by the sword, along with the armed men who lived in its shade among the nations. [18] “ ‘Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword. “ ‘This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign Lord.’ ”

God’s plan of redemption begins with a transfer out of this kingdom of darkness ruled by “the god of this world”. This god holds people in his iron grip through deception and enslaves them to sin through their own fallen nature.

John 8:34 NIV
[34] “Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”

2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV
[4] “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

By grace, through faith in Jesus, God transfers us out of the kingdom of darkness, “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” influenced by Satan but ruled by self. He reinstates us into the kingdom of light, the “tree of life”, ruled by Jesus and governed by love.

Colossians 1:13-14 NIV
[13] “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Back in the kingdom of “the tree of life”, God’s children are once again under God’s authority and live by His standards through His grace. Jesus said that this life is the only way of real freedom.

John 8:31-36 NLT
[31] “Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. [32] And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” [33] “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?” [34] Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. [35] A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. [36] So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

In debate with His opponents, Jesus made it clear that those who are in God’s kingdom are not citizens by natural birth but only by the new birth.

John 3:5-7 NLT
[5]”Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. [6] Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. [7] So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ “

This transfer from the kingdom of “the knowledge of good and evil” to the kingdom of “life” involves and incudes a spiritual transformation. The old nature controlled by self remains but it is overridden by God’s nature of love.

The old nature still demands attention but the new nature reciprocates by choosing submission to God’s authority in the kingdom of “life”. Although this competition continues throughout our lives, the new nature gradually grows stronger and overrides the old when we confirm our citizenship by living within its constitution.

This spiritual growth, though initiated and sustained by grace, still demands choices. We cannot live with one foot in each kingdom.

Although we might still trespass into the rival kingdom, our new life is essentially firmly planted in God’s kingdom of light. It is up to us to choose life through our obedience to Jesus, our chosen king.

Love is the principle by which God governs in His territory. We find our cue in the way Jesus does things. Jesus showed us both the Father and His ways, during His earthly life. He gave us the blueprint and the power to live by the kingdom’s constitution…

… but the choice us still ours. Choose life and the Holy Spirit empowers us to follow through with our choice. Choose self and we’re on our own.

Galatians 5:16, 22-23 NLT
[16] “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves….
[22] But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

To be continued…

SECURE!

Christian Life, ,

There’s a channel on my Openview decoder called People’s Planet which is essentially dedicated to conservation and animal programmes. “Monkey Helpline” airs the work of a rescue centre near Durban that cares for injured and orphaned vervet monkeys who fall victim to dogs and vehicles in the urban area.

This facility cares for and raises many orphaned baby monkeys because they are left abandoned through the loss of their mothers in the dangerous urban areas. One gets to see just how well equipped they are for life in the trees from birth by their life in the care of a surrogate mother.

Baby monkeys are born with strong fingers with which they cling to the underside of their mother’s fur. She puts a protective arm around him now and again as she moves on the ground or leaps in the trees. Very seldom does a baby monkey fall except when mother is injured or killed.

I am constantly amazed at God’s intimate provision for every creature He has made so that they fit perfectly into the life and habitat He has made for them.

So carefully has God also planned and created us for now on this earth and for eternity with Him.

However…

Eternal security is often debated among theologians and the rest of us. Once saved, always saved? Can we lose our salvation? Can we be lost if we have been saved?

Like the never-ending debate on election and free will, there are two seemingly irreconcilable sides to the story. The Bible is full of reassurances that He will keep us safe on this earth until we enter our eternal home. Yet, there are also stern warnings against falling away. So, how is it possible that anyone can fall away who is being protected by God’s power in this life?

Once again, there is no easy answer since both sides are true although unexplained. Like the issue of election and free will, we are to believe the truth and leave God to be God in His sovereignty and wisdom.

Deuteronomy 29:29 NLT
[29] “The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.”

So, let’s look at what God’s Word has to say so that we can obey rather than question His wisdom.

Firstly, we have every reason to believe that those who trust God and obey His word to the end of their days will be received with joy into His eternal kingdom. The assurance we have is that God holds onto us.

John 10:27-30 NLT
[27]” My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, [29] for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. [30] The Father and I are one.”

What can be more secure than that! God holds us with such a firm grip that no outside force can separate us from Him.

Colossians 3:3 NLT
[3] “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Romans 8:35, 37 NLT
[35] “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?”…
[37] No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

No earthly circumstance, however dangerous or threatening, can ever drive a wedge between us and God’s love.

How much more reassurance do we need than this?

Now, let’s look at what Scripture says about the possibility of being lost.

2 Peter 1:10-11 NLT
[10] “So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never FALL AWAY. [11] Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Does this mean that we can fall away?

Hebrews 6:4-6 NLT
[4] “For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, [5] who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— [6] and who THEN TURN AWAY from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.”

It seems that people can fall away by deliberately turning away.

There is a bridge between being secure and not falling away.

“DO THESE THINGS , and you will never fall away.”

What “things” is Peter referring to?

2 Peter 1:3-9 NLT
[3] “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. [4] And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. [5] IN VIEW OF ALL THIS , MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO RESPOND TO GOD’S PROMISES. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, [6] and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, [7] and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. [8] The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.”

Although God’s promises are powerful and true, they are only effective when we believe and apply them to our own lives. Baby monkey is only safe when she clings onto mommy’s fur. Faith is only faith when we activate that faith by clinging to the One who promised.

Galatians 5:19-21 NLT
[19] “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, [20] idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, [21] envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”

Can you see the picture now? We declare the sincerity of our faith in Jesus by our attitude to His Word. He will hold on tightly to those who love Him enough to do what He says.

John 14:21 NLT
[21]”Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

Forget theology and theological debates!

Our security, then, depends on faithfulness, God’s faithfulness to us and our faithfulness to Him. In partnership, we are assured of a “grand entrance” into His eternal kingdom.

So, again…

2 Peter 1:10-11 NLT
[10] “So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. [11] Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Election and free will are not contradictory but work in partnership… God chooses us and we choose Him. So also, our salvation is secure because God holds on to us and we cling by faith to Him.

There is a another aspect we need to consider. Salvation is also a two-way street. Although God chose us before time, when we turn from sin to the Lord in faith, He responds by restoring us to sonship. He makes us alive, forgives our sin, cleanses us from unrighteousness, gives us His own nature, and adopts us into His family as true sons and daughters.

Is it possible, in this new standing with God, that a son or daughter of God, once born again, can never be unborn? That child may become estranged from the Father through his rebellious behaviour but he will always be a son.

Scripture seems to make a distinction between “sons” who live sinful lives, obeying the dictates of the flesh, and children of God who live in obedience to the Holy Spirit. The former will not inherit the kingdom while the latter will receive a grand welcome into the kingdom.

Life in the kingdom includes the promise of rewards for faithfulness, i.e., positions of authority and responsibility in God’s kingdom. Does this mean that God’s children, though saved, will receive no reward in eternity if they persist in sin? We can only ponder these things.

However, John gives us yet another angle to our assurance of eternal security. He makes a case for those who do not sin as a way of life. First, he says that those who walk away were never part of us.

1 John 2:18, 19 NIV
[18] “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.”
[19″These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.”

Apparently, “these people”. refers to those who were “antichrist” because they denied the true humanity of Jesus.

1 John 4:2-3 NLT
[2] “This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. [3] But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.”

John’s test is simple…

1 John 3:7-9 NLT
[7] “Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. [8] But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. [9] Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.”

…and his test is…

1 John 3:10, 14 NLT
[10]”So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God….
[14] If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead.”

Since the “law” of the New Covenant consists of two commandments in place of the 613 laws of the Old Covenant,

1 John 3:23 NLT
[23] “And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.”

we can easily recognise those who are God’s true children. These are those who cannot live habitually in sin because…

  1. They have been born again through the Word of God.

1 Peter 1:23 NIV
[23]” For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

  1. They cannot continue in sin because God’s Word (seed) is in them.

1 John 3:9 NIV
[9] “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.”

As a young man, David learned this truth.

Psalms 119:9-11 NIV
[9]”How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. [10] I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. [11] I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

So, for John, the case is closed.

Those who believe and receive God’s Word are born again into God’s family. They have God’s Word in them which keeps them from habitual sin. They will not fall away.

Those who do fall away show that they were never born again. They left because they were never part of God’s family.

So, we have the assurance, if we have truly been born from above by the power of God’s Spirit,

1 John 3:1 NIV
[1] “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!…”

How do we have this assurance?

Romans 8:14-16 NIV
[14] “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. [15] The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

The lives we live either corroborate the witness of God’s Spirit in us or deny that we are truly God’s children.

HUMILITY OR ADMISSION OF GUILT?

Christian Life, ,

Something has caught my attention in recent days as I have thought and written about pride and humility. Is there such a thing as false humility? Is it possible that, by drawing attention to our spiritual failures, we are admitting guilt rather than being humble about our weaknesses?

Confession of our faults to a trusted friend is one thing but airing our failures in public is something different.

Paul counsels his Corinthian readers not to receive God’s grace and then ignore it.

2 Corinthians 6:1 NIV
[1] “As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.”

“God’s grace is God’s unmerited favor toward us. One of the greatest ways He shows us grace is through the forgiveness of our sins after our heartfelt repentance and submission to God’s laws. But this verse warns we can “receive the grace of God in vain.” This essentially means we can begin to live in such a way that nullifies the grace we have received. The Bible is clear that we must obey God in order to receive His grace (Romans 6:1-2, 14-15).”
https://lifehopeandtruth.com>blog

By harping on our failures as though they show how humble we are, we are exposing our disobedience to God’s word by not availing ourselves of his grace.

Let’s look at Paul’s life and witness to see how this worked out for him.

Paul both admitted his failure, on occasion calling himself the worst of sinners, (although he was referring to his pre-conversion life), and spoke of his spiritual growth as an overcomer.

He penned the story of his struggle with the flesh in Romans 7. However, this chapter is neither a show of humility nor an admission of guilt. It is a description of his progress from struggling to understand his old nature and its hold on him to the discovery of victory through the power of God’s grace in Christ.

Much of his understanding of God’s grace in salvation and sanctification came through his own experience. So, he could write more than once, “We know…” Paul neither denied his weakness nor used it as an excuse not to apply God’s grace in his own life through obeying God’s Word.

He unashamedly testified to those times when he advanced in knowledge and experience to overcome the power of his old nature and grow in God’s grace.

Philippians 3:12-14 NIV
[12] “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

I love Paul’s attitude. “I’m not there yet but I’m sure doing everything I can to get there!”

At the end of his life, in anticipation of his reward, he said to Timothy, and to us who read his letter…

2 Timothy 4:6-8 NLT
[6] “As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. [7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. [8] And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”

Paul’s humility lay in his confession, “I’m not there yet…” and his testimony, “I’ve completed my assignment.” The two together make up the story of his life.

What about us? Are we telling the truth or drawing attention to a false humility when we speak of our failures? Do we accept our weaknesses and avail ourselves of God’s grace to overcome or do we hide behind our weaknesses as an excuse for our failures?

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT
[8] “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. [9] Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. [10] That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

As our quote reminds us, God provides all the grace we need when we obey His word.

YOKED WITH JESUS

Christian Life, ,

Matthew11:28-30 NLT
[28] “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

For us who live in the age of mechanisation, the idea of ploughing with oxen in a yoke is unfamiliar except, of course, to those who function in simpler cultures.

How does a young ox learn to accept a yoke? He is paired with an older, more experienced ox who patiently teaches him by example how to plough in harmony with his partner in the yoke.

If the young ox resists the discipline of the yoke, he will find that the yoke has chafed him and caused raw spots that hurt as he pulls the plough. Only when he learns to keep in step with his mentor will he find the yoke easy and comfortable. The ploughman does not adjust the yoke to suit the ox. The ox must surrender to the shape of the yoke.

After much patience, trial and error, the young ox eventually learns to buckle down to authority and to pull the plough in step with his partner. Once the yoke has done its work, the young ox is refashioned into a seasoned ox who knows and understands what the ploughman expects of him.

What a marvellous picture of our journey through life yoked to our great mentor, Jesus, the “OLD OX” in the yoke.

Jesus has fashioned a yoke for His followers that is both easy and light, a way of life God intended for us from the beginning. Obedience to His yoke, though contrary to the world’s ways, and difficult to do at times, brings peace of mind, heart, and conscience.

He gave His twelve apostles the authority, through the Holy Spirit, to understand and teach His yoke to all who come after them. God’s prophetic revelation of the nature and work of His Messiah in the Old Testament Scriptures, formed the foundation of those who wrote the New Testament. The apostles perfectly matched Jesus with the Old Testament blueprint. They recognised that He fitted the image and yoke of the one about whom God foretold.

It was specifically His yoke, His character and ways, that matched the God of the Old Testament, and that alerted the apostles to Jesus’ true identity. It was the Father’s love, vividly replicated in Jesus’ love for all people, that revealed the true nature of God, and set Jesus apart from all other people.

How best can we describe Jesus’ yoke? How can we know the nature of that yoke? We gaze at Him. Everything He said and did is a revelation of His yoke, best described in two words, mercy and grace.

The Hebrew word, “chesed”, untranslatable by one word in English, sums up Jesus’ yoke perfectly. The meaning of our English word, “love”, has been so corrupted by sin that it falls far short of its true meaning. However…

“Chesed” is God’s love, in all its dimensions, for His people in a covenant relationship, and expressed in His mercy and grace. Mercy rescued us from a well-deserved eternity in hell and grace provides everything we need to live godly lives in an ungodly world. Jesus lived this yoke in His dealings with all people and He requires that all who would follow Him, do the same.

Jesus intends for us to wear His yoke by believing who He is, submitting to His absolute authority, and treating others as He treats us. Through us, our words and actions, He replaces the yokes of bondage to which people are subject by what they believe, and how they behave, with His yoke of freedom….from every thought and action that produce guilt, fear, and shame.

Belief systems and their practices take many forms. Religious yokes tie their devotees to legalistic bondage by observing rules and rituals of do’s and don’ts in order to please their god or gods. Denominational yokes impose the restrictions of specific interpretations of Scripture on their followers. Then there are cultural yokes, political yokes, and even family tradition yokes which all result in bondage of some kind or another. People are born into or forced under these restrictions that eventually shape conscience and character.

Jesus swept all these false yokes aside by offering a way of life that frees us from the inward bondage these yokes, or failure to observe the requirements of these yokes, incurs.

I think that the yokes humans have invented are many ways to deal with sin, or what we consider to be “sin” in the eyes of whatever authority under which we fall. So, we must observe all the provisions and restrictions of our particular yoke to have inward peace. However, it doesn’t work that way. Whatever we do in the form of behaviour can never change our hearts.

Jesus insisted that sin – everything we are, say, and do contrary to God – comes from the heart and affects our behaviour, not the other way around. Before we can enjoy the inward peace (rest) His yoke provides, we must first embrace His teaching, i.e., exchange whatever we believe for the truth.

John 8:31-32 NLT
[31] “Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. [32] And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Now, that’s a revolutionary statement if it is true! Jesus declared that, if we ditch every other yoke, and believe and live by His teaching, we will enjoy an inward rest no other yoke promises or provides. No guilt, shame, or fear!

Is this true? Ask the millions, down the generations, who have believed and done what Jesus instructed. There is no other “freedom” better than the freedom Jesus offers to those who believe in Him. This freedom includes freedom from worry and anxiety, freedom from the fear of punishment, of the future, and even of death, and the freedom from the tyranny of conscience when we invade other people’s lives with our intrusions.

The reality is that those who choose to wear Jesus’ yoke without altering it in any way, enjoy a life of inward rest despite the chaos of outward circumstances. This yoke includes absolute confidence in the unconditional love of a perfect Father, and a life of unselfish service to others out of love for Jesus. He set the standard by His earthly life and we watch and follow Him through the influence of His Spirit in us.

The New Testament fleshes out His yoke so that we have every provision for living under His authority and enjoying the rest He promised.

It’s up to us to receive by faith and live by grace under the yoke that frees us from all other yokes.

Galatians 5:1 NIV
[1] “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

LIFE – A TAPESTRY OF LIGHT AND DARK

Christian Life, ,

THE TAPESTRY

Life is but a weaving
Between the Lord and me;
I cannot choose the colours
He weaveth steadily.

Oft times He weaveth sorrow
And I, in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside.

Not ’til the loom is silent
And shuttles cease to fly
Will God unrol the canvas,
And reveal the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful
In the Weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.

He knows, He loves, He cares,
Nothing this truth can dim:
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice to Him.
(Attributed to Corrie Ten Boom)

Life is full of questions and few answers. Stuff happens and we try to ease our pain by finding reasons but, like Job, we hear nothing and are left floundering in the darkness of our own confusion.

I guess Corrie Ten Boom must have lived through much pain and God’s deafening silence during the years of her suffering in a concentration camp. Her testimony is to a good God who knows what He is doing.

The saying, “Life is lived forward but understood backwards” comes alive when we reflect on our times of hardship and suffering.

Imagine a painting or tapestry done only with light and bright colours. How pale and insipid it would be! Dark colours bring out the design, highlighting the artist’s skill with colour and contrast.

The late Thomas Kinkade became known as the”Painter of Light”. His quaint paintings emphasised the beauty of light against the background of dark streets, dark gardens, and dark houses.

Imagine the picture of our lives painted only in pastels, no dark colours, no hard times, no problems to solve, no obstacles to overcome, no weaknesses needing strength from above, no sorrow to comfort, no pain or suffering to endure to make our faith muscles strong. Our character would be as colourless as our picture.

Suffering is a contentious issue for those who have no faith in a good God. Suffering seems to confirm their mistrust. However, we who trust the God who said that He works IN ALL THINGS for the good of those who love Him, learn that hardships, trials, tests, and suffering are the very experiences He uses to strengthen our faith in Him, and hone our character. How can we ever know the greatness of His mercy and grace without the need to call on His name when life throws us a curveball?

Truly, God is weaving our life’s tapestry to reveal His skill and wisdom. Only He can produce the inner beauty of lives that endure, grow, and blossom out of an environment as dark as lilies growing in the dirt.

So, let’s not question His wisdom or His love. Let’s submit to His discipline and wait patiently for the day when He unrols the canvas to reveal His exquisite masterpiece.

Ephesians 2:10 NLT
[10] “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”