Monthly Archives: November 2024

FURIOUS GRACE, AGGRESSIVE FAITH

Bible Study,

1. Am I a soldier of the Cross—
  A follower of the Lamb?
And shall I fear to own His cause,
  Or blush to speak His name?

2. Must I be carried to the skies
  On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize
  And sailed through bloody seas?

3. Are there no foes for me to face?
  Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
  To help me on to God?

4. Since I must fight if I would reign,
  Increase my courage, Lord!
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
  Supported by Thy Word.

In the name, the precious name
  Of Him who died for me,
Through grace, I’ll win the promised crown,
  Whate’er my cross may be.
https://www.hymnal.net

The words of a hymn like this makes us feel uncomfortable, don’t they?

I often sang this hymn in my youth thinking, “I feel like a hypocrite when I sing these words!”

Everything we do in life, in the end, flows from the way we treat God’s grace. How often we drift back to the idea that our obedience to Jesus puts Him under obligation to us. We give of our resources to help others, not because His furious grace provided and provides everything we need in this life but because we think He owes us.

No way is Jesus obliged to do anything for us. We forfeited that possibility forever, long ago, by confirming Adam’s choice in our own lives. Rebels we were and rebels we will always be but for God’s “furious” grace.

What do I mean by “furious”? Look at the dictionary definition.
“Full of anger or energy, violent and intense…”

How can we use this definition to describe God’s grace?

Was God’s grace full of anger and energy when He sent His Son to save us? Yes, it was!

God’s anger was directed at the sin that destroys us….so angry in fact that He turned His anger on His own Son. Jesus bore God’s wrath in His own body on the cross so that the Father’s anger was spent and satisfied forever. Since Jesus paid our debt, the Father is free to lavish His grace on His children.

Isaiah 53:5-6 NLT
[5] “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. [6] All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.”

1 John 2:2 NIV
[2]”He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Is God’s grace “violent and intense”? Yes, it is!

Since through His grace, the Father made a way to forgive our sin and to restore fellowship with Himself, will He not also provide, through His furious grace, the power to maintain the fellowship we have with Him?

What is the use of a provision so costly that His own beloved Son suffered untold agony for us, only to leave us to our own devices to navigate all the obstacles to that fellowship He made possible by His grace?

Paul urges us not to waste the grace God has provided.

2 Corinthians 6:1 NLT
[1] “As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it.”

God’s grace in salvation is only the beginning of His supply. His offer of divine provision is part of the package. If we ignore His furious (violent and intense) grace when we step out in the morning, we have no excuse for the failures we accumulate in the course of our day.

When we humbly acknowledge our utter inability to live apart from Him,

John 15:5 NLT
[5]  “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing”…

Jesus assures us that grace steps in to provide every resource for us to move on unscathed by tests and trials.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT
[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.”

No only does God plough down the obstacles through us but, through His powerful interventions, He also shines the light on Himself.

“…so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

God’s grace is as many-faceted as the most intricately cut diamond that unveils its hidden beauty. The Bible calls it,

1 Peter 4:10 NIV
[10] “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its VARIOUS forms.”

The Greek word “poilikos”, translated “various” has the idea of “multicoloured” or many-faceted.

This reminds me of the octopus which has the ability to change its form at will to blend into its surroundings. Whatever the shapes and colours of its environment, so it takes on the same.

God’s grace takes on the form of the needs it meets. We become stewards of that grace as we use the Spirit’s gifts flowing through us to meet the needs of others.

God’s grace is not the gentle flowing stream we think it to be. His grace is a violent torrent of power we tap into by faith that sweeps us along with Him in our journey towards our eternal destiny. If we fail to avail ourselves of that power, we may be swept aside into the backwater of His purposes. We may be left to flounder in the shallows of grace and miss the of a life plugged into Jesus and the grace He provides.

To be continued…

GUARD YOUR HEART!

Christian Life, ,

Saved as we are, sin is still a horrible possibility in our human lives. The Bible warns of many ways in which we can be entangled in the web of sinful thoughts and behaviour. Like the seals that face the danger of entanglement every day as they follow the lines and nets of fishing boats for scraps, so we, surrounded by temptation, can easily fall prey to our old desires from which Jesus saved us.

Is it possible for us to “escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires”?

God has given us many solutions to the issue of temptation and sin.

First, how does sin catch us out?

James 1:13-15 NIV
[13] “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; [14] but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. [15] Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

God is never the author of temptation. He may allow us to be tempted for good reasons. We never win over temptation through our own will-power. If God left us to resist temptation, at some stage our will power would give way.

God has promised us the power to resist temptation only by His grace.

Romans 5:17 NIV
[17] “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!”

Just as we rely on God’s grace to forgive our sin, so we must rely on His grace to say “No” to temptation.

The entire process of learning to live pure lives, then, depends on our participation in God’s grace to win the battle over the flesh

However, before we can ever move purposefully in the direction of holiness, awareness and attitudes must change.

Again, the Bible gives us the prescriptions that help us to change, in our thoughts and behaviour first.

Our attitude to holiness and sin, first, must be shaped, not by what we feel or what is convenient at the moment, but by what the Word says.

We are to fear the Lord in every detail of life, taking Him seriously and living by His instructions.

Habakkuk 1:13 NLT
[13] “But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil….”

Proverbs 8:13 NLT
[13] “All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.”

If God is holy, that is…consistent with His own perfect and pure character, devoid of every perverse and corrupt thought and deed, …then everything that contradicts who He is, is evil.

He calls us to share His attitude to evil, to hate evil and to disassociate ourselves from every taint of evil.

We learn this process, unfortunately, mostly by trial and error. Sinful attitudes, thoughts, and actions produce inward pain. We lose our peace and face the consequence of a disturbed conscience. Only as we put right through confession, forgiveness, and restitution if necessary, can we return to the rest in Jesus that He provides.

Such experiences prompt us to avoid repeating what caused us pain…a lesson learned if we heed it. These experiences help us to move away from experimenting with sin and to reinforce the desire to live by God’s grace that enables us to tame our unruly hearts.

Paul advised young Timothy to deal with fleshly desires.

2 Timothy 2:22 NLT
[22] “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.”

What wise and sound counsel! We canonly run from sinful desires by replacing them with holy desires. We can only change the way we behave by changing what we think and believe. To escape sinful desires, we must pursue what is pleasing to the Lord.

The Holy Spirit is in us as our resident Helper. We call on Him for His power to say “no” when the desires of our flesh threaten to overwhelm us. Sometimes, we find ourselves faced with situations that corner us, arousing desires too big to overcome. Only grace can supply the strength to say a meaningful “No!”, and effectively shut the door to sin.

Romans 8:12-14 NLT
[12] “Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. [13] For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if, through the power of the Spirit, you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. [14] For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”

As sons of God, we have the right to call on the Lord and to anticipate His grace to keep us walking in obedience to His Word.

God has also given us a plethora of promises, each one suitable for each situation, to answer every need need, for one purpose…to live godly lives in the world.

2 Peter 1:3-4 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.”

God’s passion is for us to share in His nature, free from corruption and fit for His holy presence. To achieve His goal, He has promised to meet us with His power at every turn. Whatever the situation, whatever the need, He is there to carry us across the chasm of our weakness. We have every opportunity and no excuse for not becoming overcomers in this “war of the spirit”.

There is a love we must kill and a love we must nurture. Jesus said that it is impossible to serve two masters. Whoever we love, we will serve. Love for the world and love for God can never function in one life. God will not share His temple with idols.

If we love the world and its trinkets, we will share its fate. Despite its apparent permanence, the world and its ways, standards, practices, and philosophies, is transient…here today and gone tomorrow. God alone is eternal, and all who are joined to Him by faith will survive the purging.

1 John 2:15-17 NLT
[15] “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. [16] For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. [17] And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”

To follow Jesus is, to walk in the light.

John 8:12 NLT
[12]”Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

” Light” in Scripture often refers to God’s Word. David, for example recognised the importance of following the guidance of the portion of the Word he had in his possession to keep his life on track with God.

Psalms 119:105 NLT
[105] “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”

Since Jesus is the Word in the flesh, to follow His example and to obey His teachings is the safest way to walk in the light.

Walking in obedience to Jesus keeps us in fellowship with the Father and the Son through the Holy Spirit, and with God’s family.

1 John 1:7 NLT
[7] “But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”

Even for those times when we inadvertently follow the flesh, the Word enables us to chamge our behaviour to remain clean because of the blood of Jesus at work in us.

1 John 1:7 NIV
[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.”

The prophet Micah learned God’s simple prescription for a godly life. If we follow his directives, we leave no room for ungodly behaviour.

Micah 6:8 NLT
[8] “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

Likewise Solomon, despite his own failure, provides another simple way to overcome sin in ourselves.

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
[5]”Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. [6] Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Only by God’s grace, once again, can we follow the directives of His Word. Living life this way takes deliberate attention to what we think, what we believe, and what choices and decisions we make that help or hinder our progress towards the Father.

With this in mind, how imperative it is that we follow Solomon’s wise counsel. Whether we win or lose in this war against sin and its effects on our eternal destiny depends on one thing!

Proverbs 4:23 NLT
[23] “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

What we do in life… how we behave, how we deal with life’s tests and temptations, what we choose or renounce …depends on the condition of our hearts.

As David prayed, so should we, every moment of our day,

Psalms 139:23-24 NLT
[23]” Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. [24] Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

GUARD YOUR HEART

Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see.

What appears to be harmless glance
Can turn to romance
And homes are divided;
Feelings that should never have been
Awakened within
Tearing the heart in two,

Listen, I beg of you,
Guard your Heart!
Guard your Heart!
Don’t trade it for treasure;
Don’t give it away;
Guard your Heart!

Guard your Heart…
As a payment for pleasure
It’s high price to pay!

For a soul that remains sincere with conscience clear,
Guard your Heart.

The human heart is easily swayed
And often betrayed at the hand of emotion.
You dare not leave the outcome to chance,
You must choose in advance
Or live with the agony…
Such needless tragedy…
Guard your Heart!

Guard your Heart.
Don’t trade it for treasure;
Don’t give it away.
Guard your Heart!

Guard your Heart,
As a payment for pleasure
It’s high price to pay.
Guard your Heart!
Guard your Heart!
Don’t trade it for treasure;
Don’t give it away;
Guard your Heart!
Guard your Heart!
As a payment for pleasure
It’s high price to pay…

For a soul that remains sincere, with conscience clear,
Guard your Heart!

For a soul that remains sincere, with conscience clear,
Guard your Heart!

Author: Steve Green
Source: LyricFind
Guard Your Heart lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing

GOD’S PATCHWORK QUILT

Christian Life, ,

Life is like a patchwork quilt. The fabrics and colours seem random and disconnected. Each day is different. We may engage in a similar routine, do the same things, keep to the same timetable, but no two days are identical. We follow the course of the days as they unfold.

Who holds the pattern for this patchwork existence that we blindly follow…not because we necessarily have no direction or purpose but because we cannot see beyond the moment? How is it possible for us not to shrink back in fear of the unknown, go to ground because we cannot face the next moment, or step into our day with apprehension because our next breath may be our last?

The ancient Hebrews had an interesting way of viewing the future. For them, unlike for us, the future lay behind them because they was unknown and they could not see it. Their past lay in front of them. They could view their lives to date from the pictures etched in their memories, draw lessons from their experiences, and gain assurance from their knowledge of God’s faithfulness in all their circumstances. The past, for them, was a record of life from which they could receive courage to face the unknown future.

From God’s Word, we learn that God has a pattern for each “patchwork quilt” He is fashioning. From His perspective, nothing is random or unplanned. He has written every page of our day before we step out of bed each morning.

Psalms 139:16 NLT
[16] “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”

This does not mean that God planned our faults and failures. It does mean that God saw and knew how we would live and what we would do and become. With His perfect knowledge, He ended them into the “quilt” He is creating.

God leaves nothing to chance. He has a perfect design for every “quilt”. So meticulous is He that He prepared the unique design for every life before He breathed one creative word into empty space.

Ephesians 1:4-5 NLT
[4] “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. [5] God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.”

Before time, God had every human in sight, lovingly preparing each design and setting it aside for its time and place in history. It is difficult for us to envision such a mind-boggling process. We are not God. We have no capacity to understand the intricate workings of the divine Mind. We can only read and believe what is incomprehensible because God said it and God wrote it!

Does this mean that God has a plan even for every child born out of wedlock? What of the millions of children who have no father, no home, no identity, no inheritance? Does He include them in His perfect design for every life?

What about people who live wasted lives, and die in shame? Did God plan it so for them? Did He purposely design their “quilt” in dark and ugly colours? What of those who have never heard His name? These are questions we cannot answer. Perhaps God puts them into the same category as Peter’s meditation.

2 Peter 3:9 NLT
[9] “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”

What God desires will not always be. Many times, human perversity crashes headlong into divine purpose yet, somehow, God accomplishes His will on earth through people. It is not for us to figure out the details…only to choose for ourselves to live within the provisions and purposes of His Word. We cannot answer for another but we are accountable for our own destiny.

God’s Word and His assurances give us the courage to face our next moment without fear. We view our past with awe, seeing in it a hand so big and so secure that it has guided us unerring along every predetermined way. What of the serious mistakes we have made, poor judgments that have landed us in serious trouble, sin that has obscured our view of the Father and caused us pain and sorrow? Are these also part of the divine plan?

We can never blame God for our foolishness but, because of His Word, we can assert with absolute confidence,

Romans 8:28-30 NIV
[28] And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. [29] For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. [30] And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

Not only does He include the dark and dismal colours in His creation but, somehow, He also fashions them into our patchwork quilt to reveal a design of contrasts which reveal the beauty of His creative skill.

Only as we view our past can we recognise in it the hand and heart of the divine Craftsman. Only as we trust Him to work on His masterpiece can we step into each day confident of His love and His power to accomplish what He set out to do.

A startling day is coming! God will put all His glorious “quilts” on display. Even those who hated and opposed Him, all those minions who served in Satan’s army of rebels, will be forced to view and admire His handiwork.

Out of the blur of shapes and colours, will emerge His grand design…the face of Jesus overshadowing every human face!

In amazement, we will discover that those dark times od fear, guilt, and shame are the very contrasts God used to form His portrait of Jesus over our lives. We can look at our past from a new perspective, not with the regret we feel for our sin, but awe for the skill of the sovereign God. He blended the words and deeds of our old selves into the background of His grace to present His Son as the design of the finished product.

2 Thessalonians 1:4-10 NIV
[4] Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. [5] All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. [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.”

Imagine that! Every fabric, shape and, colour God uses to fashion His quilts will reveal one overriding design, the image of Jesus! Throughout all the ups and downs in our lives, God is recreating His Son in us so that, in the end, we shall al be part of His forever family.

Hebrews 2:10-11 NIV
[10] “In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. [11] Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”

WHO TRAPPED WHOM?

Bible Study, ,

Jesus’ public ministry was littered with conflicts with His opponents. In fact, many of His profoundest teachings came from these heated debates. John’s gospel, in particular, records many immortal words of Jesus spoken to His adversaries, that steady and guide us through the various mazes of our lives.

Some of the people who claimed to believe in Jesus, fell foul of His insights. Claiming to be “free” and never enslaved to anyone, they
received a severe tongue-lashing from Jesus for their hypocrisy.

John 8:30-32 NLT
[30] Then many who heard him say these things believed in him. [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.”

Their retort revealed their true heart condition.

John 8:33-34 NLT
[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.”

First, Jesus gave them the condition for true discipleship. Their “faith” must be translated into obedience to His teaching. Only this walk of obedience would contribute to a life of inner freedom.

They claimed descent from Abraham as their passport to God. Jesus saw right through them.

John 8:37, 44 NLT
[37] Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message….
[44] For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

However, it was not only Jesus’ words that revealed His impeccable character but also the attitudes and the principles He displayed that give us glimpses of the Jesus we know and love.

The wily Pharisees and religious boffins tried hard to trap Him, both in His words and actions, but Jesus was never fooled by their trickery.

Let’s look at some of the ways in which these men were caught in their own traps.

The story of the woman caught in adultery is a familiar one. The entire scenario was a setup designed to lure Jesus in making a judgment against the law of Moses. They knew that Jesus’ bent was, always towards mercy. How would He react to someone so undeniably guilty of adultery? Would He release her when stoning was the required penalty for her sin?

Without hesitation, Jesus’ response was both clever and effective. He could not deny her guilt because there were more than “two or three witnesses” to testify against her. He could, however, get rid of the witnesses by shining the light on their guilt.

Jesus was steeped in the Word. After all, He WAS the Word. Using Jeremiah’s words, He showed them His intimate knowledge of their names and, by implication, their darkest secrets. He bent down and wrote their names in the dust!

Jeremiah 17:13 NIV
[13] “Lord, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water.”

In the discomfort of His exposure, they melted away, witnesses gone, leaving Jesus to show the woman mercy, forgiveness, and the freedom to live a new life.

Jesus…one, Pharisees … nought!

Jesus showed these scheming hypocrites that they could never trap Him. He knew the law of Moses AND the mercy of God. He caught them in their own guilt.

On another occasion, they tried to lure Him into overturning the demands of their Roman oppressors by ruling against paying taxes.

Matthew 22:16-17 NIV
[16] “They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. [17] Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

Jesus saw through their ploy and turned the tables on them. (Have you noticed how often Jesus answered a question with a question?)

Matthew 22:18-20 NIV
[18] “But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?
[19] Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, [20] and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

How smart was that! They had to admit that the coins they used belonged to Caesar. It was obligitary to give to Caesar what belonged to him. Much as they hated paying tax, it was the right thing to do and this they could not deny.

Matthew 22:21 NIV
[21] “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Jesus added a bit that caught them unawares.

“…and to God what is God’s.”

What were they doing with what belonged to God? They were spending their very lives in doing what God hated, defrauding and deceiving His people by masquerading as His representatives and milking them of their money.

Jesus…two, Pharisees…nought!

A third trap, this time testing Jesus’ allegiance to their revered rabbis, Hillel or Shammai. Hillel was the liberal, Shammai the strict interpreter of Torah, the Law of Moses. “Which one do you support, Jesus?”

Matthew 19:3 NIV
[3] Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

Again, Jesus was smarter than they! Ignoring the opinion and teaching of the rabbis “with authority”, Jesus, went straight to the heart of the matter. “What does the Word say?”

Matthew 19:4-6 NIV

[4] “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’” [5] And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ [6] Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”

Case closed! What Moses had to say was irrelevant. What God said in the beginning was what mattered.

But no, they persisted. Moses again! Their revered authority above the Scriptures.

Matthew 19:7 NLT
[7] “Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?” they asked.”

Again, Jesus, went straight to the heart of the matter, the matter of the heart. God, not Moses, had the final say.

Matthew 19:8 NLT
[8]” Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended.”

Who could argue with that!

Case closed.

Jesus…three, Pharisees… still nought.

The final trap… arrest, trial, conviction, and death. Not even Jesus could wriggle out of their clutches this time…or could He?

Acts of the Apostles 2:23-24 NLT
[23…”With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. [24] But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip..”

Jesus…complete and utter victory forever, Pharisees (and every other opponent for all time)…complete and utter loss!

No one can ever take Jesus on and win.

DAILY STOCKTAKING

Christian Life, ,

To determine the value of their stock, shopkeepers must do annual stocktaking. In this way, they can keep an account of what’s on their shelves, the value of their assets, and what losses they have incurred during each year.

The Bible encourages God’s children to do stocktaking as well, not to keep account of material assets but to determine the condition of our eternal benefits. We need to take stock of our lives, not annually but daily, to keep short accounts with God and with our fellow humans, to check our gains and losses and to ensure that we are up-to-date with our daily payments.

A few Scriptures will guide us in this stocktaking exercise.

Romans 13:8 NLT
[8] “Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.”

Paul reminds us that we have only one recurring debt…to love one another. Loving one another in practical ways, i.e., meeting each other’s needs at our own expense, takes care of every requirement in the Old Covenant.

What if we took a few moments each evening to review our interaction with others? What did I do today to benefit another? What did I not do today that I could have done for someone in my circle? Did I show love to another by a friendly smile or a kindly word? Did I forgive another’s debt as Jesus has forgiven mine?

This exercise is not to bring us into bondage but to alert us to the importance of the words we speak or the attitudes we display in our interaction with others.

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.”

Our stocktaking must also include our review of the place our Helper occupies in our daily activities. God has graciously provided for us the supreme Teacher, Advocate, and Companion, to be in us as our “paracletos”, a beautiful Greek word meaning, “the one called alongside” to help us carry the load. He is our divine our Helper. The Holy Spirit is God’s presence in us, nearer to us than our breath. He is the perfect Representative of the Father and the Son.

Have I been so aware of the Spirit in me today, that I have consulted Him for help and guidance in every choice and decision I made? Did I live today in the Spirit or in the flesh? Do I need to repent of my independence? Did I offend or grieve the Spirit today by my attitudes, words, or behaviour? Did I tarnish His name today?

If I forget who is Lord in my life, I can easily lose my way and get lost in the wilderness of selfish indulgence and self-preservation. The Holy Spirit is in me to keep my heart focused on Jesus.

John 16:12-14 NLT
[12] “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. [13] When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. [14] He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.”

How imperative it is for us to be “joined at the hip” in spirit to Jesus.

Matthew 16:24-25 NLT
[24″Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [25] If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.”

I must take stock of my use of God’s Word. God has entrusted to His church a body of truth, a deposit He has made into our account, to be guarded and kept intact, to be used responsibly and wisely, and to be passed on to the next generation. His Word is the light that guides our feet in our daily walk.

God has provided His “treasure trove” of promises to ensure that we have all the equipment we need to become who we are, sons and daughters of the Father.

2 Peter 1:3-4 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.”

Jesus has underwritten every promise by fulfilling all the requirements of God’s Covenant, including the penalty of death for the debt we owe Him. All His promises are now freely available in Him to ensure that we reach our destination.

2 Corinthians 1:20 NLT
[20] “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.”

God did not give us His Word to get what we want or to manipulate Him to do what we demand. He gave us His promises to guide us on our way to becoming like Jesus.

Of what use did I make of His promises today? Did I believe what He said and act in faith on His Word? Did I experience His grace in difficult moments because I believed His promise for enough grace in my weakness? Did I trust His Word when He warned me against sinning and and glorify Him when He applauded me for doing the right thing? Did I take His Word seriously?

The last area of stocktaking, at least in this short meditation, is an examination of my beliefs, and the way I apply them to my daily life. How important this is because beliefs guide our thoughts and actions but, in themselves, they are empty and meaningless without application.

2 Peter 1:5-11 NLT
[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. [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.”

Daily stocktaking, reviewing our assets and acknowledging our losses, will go a long way towards enabling us to live lives that are up-to-date with our progress towards God’s goal for us. His intention is clear – likeness to Jesus. His provisions are clear, His Spirit and His Word. He has removed all the obstacles and provided the perfect model and mentor, Jesus.

The rest is up to me. He cannot submit, obey, and trust for me.

I must not carry any losses I made today, into tomorrow. I must assess my assets today, increase and use them to provide what I need for my journey towards eternity. Through God’s grace, He provides everything we need to live godly lives in this world.

Hebrews 3:7 NLT
[7] “That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice…” Today is the day of salvation.”

Before we reach our conclusion relating to spiritual stocktaking, I would warn us all, dear readers, to beware of the notion that we must indulge in self-awareness and self-condemnation. Self-awareness only has value when we know and acknowledge our fallibilty and our need for God’s help. Self-awareness is dangerous territory when we indulge in self-absorption. He has not instructed us to become more self-aware. He wants us to be more Christ-aware.

We must learn to do what David did…invite the Holy Spirit to search us. He alone knows the full extent of who we are in our human fallenness. He alone can shine the light into all the dark corners of our lives.

Psalms 139:23-24 NLT
[23] “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. [24] Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

We can have every reason to be secure in our fellowship with Jesus when we keep short accounts, do our daily stocktaking, correct our errors, and stay close to the heart of our Master.