"An End to Despair"

Have you ever known the darkness of despair?  In Pilgrim’s Progress it’s referred to as the “the slough of despond.”  Have you ever thought life a bit absurd?  Have you ever felt yourself to be on a “dead-end express” traveling at a frightful pace going nowhere?  Have you ever thought, “I just can’t face tomorrow?”  Of course, that at least speaks of a good case of depression, which, if seriously persisted in, could lead to suicide.  But hang on.

But first, let me tell you what doesn’t help—being admonished to look deeper into “self” for some royal, untapped resource.  That’s fruitless because much of despair can come from looking within.  As if almost on cue, Dwight L. Moody, a great evangelist of another day said, “I’m my own worst enemy.”

If the answer’s not within, then where?  Keep in mind Robin Williams who was about the business of making everybody laugh, when inwardly he was trying to make sense of life—and couldn’t.  You must radically shift your focus from self to God.  Why?  You’ve tried to “work it out” on your own and it hasn’t and doesn’t’ work. 

It’s all or nothing.  You have to declare ego-bankruptcy—there is no other way.  You can’t find the solution to inner despair partly in self and partly in God.  Listen to a spiritual leader, the Apostle Paul, on this subject, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.  For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice” (Romans 7:18, 19).  In this Scripture “flesh” refers to the “self” (the I, me, my, mine principle) and not to the body.  In sum, you must have absolutely no confidence in self.

Therefore, seen rightly, when you are in greatest despair you’re on the possible threshold of coming face to face with God.  That’s because turning from self, one can then fully seek God.  Try it.  Cry out to God with all your heart, fully seeking Him.  If so, then you can prove true what the prophet Jeremiah said to Israel (speaking for God) after seventy years of judgment in Babylon, a terribly low point in Israel’s history:  “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

Having found Him, you abide continually in Him and so bid despair goodbye.

A Person After God's Own Heart

David, the sweet “Psalm Singer” of Israel, was said to be a “Man after God’s own heart” (I Samuel 13:14)    which was evidenced by his continual “crying” after the Lord.  In anguish and distress, for protection and deliverance, for succorance and comfort, David “cried” unto the Lord.  But most of all, out of heart hunger, David “cried” unto the Lord.

This continual crying after God was what made David a man after God’s own heart.  This meant generally David could not function without the sense of God’s benediction.  Such times as he did try to function without God’s approval ended in disaster.  This “cause and effect” sequence, God’s approval for successful action, was true for David and for all others who are highly placed in God’s kingdom, simply because “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required” Luke 12:48b.  Further, this “cause and effect” rested so heavily upon David because his was to be a proto-type of a throne (or government) that was to last forever.  Therefore, God would not tolerate in David what He might in others.  But there’s a lesson here for us, though none of us are so significantly placed as David.

It’s this.  If the type of person whom God wants to raise up is “a man after His own heart” and if “the eyes of the Lord run to and from throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (II. Chronicles 16:9), then, like David, how much ought we to “cry” unto the Lord and seek to become “people after God’s own heart.”

So, what is a person after God’s own heart like?  Let me pose a contrast and perhaps make the point more clearly.  David’s predecessor, King Saul, was a man who did what was right in his own sight.  He followed the type of counsel that was designed to help achieve his own, selfish desires.  His reign ended in personal shame and disaster.  David, by contrast, sought the type of counsel that was designed to help him achieve God’s desires.  The result was that God Himself declared David to be “a man after His own heart” (I Samuel 13:14) and that David’s style of government would become the model of benevolent government for all ages to come.

Not bad for a shepherd boy become king, but it all began with an attitude of heart that kept David crying out unto the Lord.  It’s this same attitude that can make you a person after God’s own heart.

 

"Wanted: Moral Courage"

The Honorable George Thomas, Speaker of the House of Commons, The British Parliament, said in 1976 at a college commencement address:  “There is no limit to the potential of the dedicated life.  No formula can measure the depths that the world owes men committed in their faith, for it is committed men and women who shape history.  The world owes nothing to the moral neutrals.  It owes everything to people who have deep convictions and moral courage born of their faith.”

At present many who hold certain religious and moral convictions see themselves swimming against a seeming tide of moral looseness, sufficient to cause them to feel like the prophet Elijah of ancient Israel.  After doing protracted battle with God’s enemies he cried, “It is enough!  Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers” (Old Testament, I Kings 19:4b)!  He thought himself the only faithful servant of God remaining.

How different are we?  We need the same assurance God gave to Elijah, “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal” (I Kings 19:18)—that is, they had not served other gods and whose lives therefore were unblemished by the moral pollution of the day.

Followers of God today commit the same error as Elijah:  underestimating their own strength and overestimating that of the enemy.  It is time for God’s people to realize the victory is God’s and their task is simply to be faithful to the truth as they now know it, as was Queen Esther of Old Testament Israel.

When she was confronted with the possibility of the total annihilation of her people, the Jews, Queen Esther was given this challenge by her uncle, Mordecai:  “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews.  For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish.  Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this” (Esther 4:13, 14)?

Queen Esther was faithful and spoke out for the truth of God as she understood it.  This led to the downfall of the enemies of God and Israel.  It’s no less true for God’s people today, be firm for the truth as you see and understand it and in due time God will bring the deliverance.

Remember, the world “owes everything to people who have deep convictions and moral courage born of their faith.”

 

 

Form Follows Function

Each era produces its own flock of teachers who rush in and say, “This is the way, walk in it.”  Much later and perhaps with a certain amount of sorrow, those who lept in to follow some modern teachers discover afresh the ancient Biblical truth, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). 

Sadly rebuffed by a teaching which seemed so promising we’re slow to follow after another, but at this point why not let nature be our instructor?

One idea constant in nature and a foundational principle for architecture is that “form follows function.”  That is, a thing is designed to allow a certain function.  Accordingly nature programs on “TV” are at pains to demonstrate how the given physical characteristics of a certain animal enable it to survive in its environment.

Now in the human situation we are not talking about mere survival, but about purposeful and productive lives.  Therefore, if form follows function, we must ask the question, “Why am I here?” or, more specifically, “Why was I created?”

The old Presbyterian catechism got at this issue directly with its method of teaching by posing questions and supplying answers and said, “What is the chief end of man?” and the response was, “To know God and cherish Him forever.”

If this be true, and multiplied millions over nearly 2,000 years have found it so, then it follows that everything I can do to get to know God would supply meaning to my life.  It also follows that those lives are most purposeful and productive that are most closely aligned with the purposes of God.

Do you find life purposeful, or, are you just floundering about?  Why not seek out someone whose life radiates something of joyful purpose and ask them their secret.

"Truth or Consequences!"

Beyond a long running radio and then “TV” game show in America (1950--1988), the title bespeaks a sobering fact.  When confronted with truth one does not have the luxury to make up his/her mind about its acceptance.  A decision must be made at the moment. This issue came sharply to the fore in the last days of his life when Jesus was ministering in Jerusalem.  It was when He wept over Jerusalem.  The passage of Scripture that tells of His weeping also tells of two things that make it clear why He wept (Luke 19:41-44).  First, He said, “If you had known even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace!  But now they are hidden from your eyes” (19:42).  Second, He said, the very difficult things that are going to happen to you will do so, “because you did not know the time of your visitation” (19:44).

History lets us know exactly what happened with these two warnings:  absolute and total destruction of Jerusalem with massive loss of life and catching away into captivity of those left.

Truth personified had walked into Jerusalem’s midst and most of the official leadership and many of Jerusalem’s people refused to acknowledge it or, Him, Jesus.

Israel’s privilege, or, burden, depending on one’s perspective, from her founding to the present was to be “captive to the Truth”.  This could be said of no other peoples or nation, because their God was the only one, true, living God and Jesus is His Son.  In fact, Jesus boldly said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except by Me” (John 14:6).

The peril of rejection of “the truth” is further highlighted in the “Sending Out of the Twelve” (Matthew Chpt. 10), on sort of like a “test journey”. Amongst other instructions Jesus said, “And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” (vss. 14 & 15).  Sodom could plead some degree of ignorance, not so the cities of Israel.  Heavy would be God’s judgment upon them.

So immediately it has to be concluded that there are consequences to turning away from the “truth”.  Those consequences may not show up within 24 hours, but be sure what “light” may have been presented with the truth to you, will begin to turn to darkness.  And, if not repented of, gross darkness will overtake you.

Exhibit “A” of this whole process is the Jews.  From the time of Christ to the present theirs has been a hard walk, never knowing when a given host country might turn upon them.  However, word is coming in from many quarters that Jews world-round are embracing Jesus as their Messiah in unprecedented numbers, coming to “the Truth”.  But, for the nation, as a whole, they will not know peace until they say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 13:35b).

Would you walk in “truth”?  You can, but it’s not of yourself.  It’s in Him Who is Truth. You trifle with this only in peril of your soul.

God's Risk Takers

God's "risk takers".  Biblical Noah was an enormous "risk taker", suffering much at the hands of his contemporaries to accomplish God's purpose.

After Noah, there was Abraham, a tremendous "risk taker".  He began by pulling up stakes and leaving his home community in an era when folk just didn't readily do that sort of thing.  And to compound matters, he didn't know where he was going in a specific sense; but, generally, Abraham had in mind a spiritual objective.  It was a mighty high objective and would require of him that he be willing to put his Son of Promise, Isaac, to death.

This was all part of the journey Abraham was on and with the act of  being willing to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, he demonstrated that his was a radical faith in which he would hold nothing back from God.  Thankfully, the actual sacrificing of Isaac was not required, but, in type, Abraham had done the actual deed in his heart and God saw it.

Similarly, all other persons who would come to "know" God in a very personal, and vital way must take a risk as did Noah and Abraham.  If you've not known yourself ever to have taken a "leap" of faith, then simply check a dictionary definition of the word, "faith".  Happy "risk taking".

"Where's the World Headed? Do the Jews Offer a Clue?

“In the United States for example, various polls show the nation is “headed in the wrong direction”.  That’s the “U.S.”  What about the rest of the world?  Do other peoples and nations question the direction in which their nation may be headed?

Of course, the Muslims have their notion about where the world ought to be headed and the radical Muslims are trying to make it so.  Is their vision of the future the correct one?  If so, life ahead is going to be rather unpleasant for non-Muslims.

How about another vision?  Perhaps the Judaeo/Christian view.  This, incidentally, is a commonly shared vision between the two, though Jews would be the last to acknowledge it.  In fact, Christians know more about history’s conclusion for the Jews than the Jews do.  That’s because Christians read the Tanakh and the Book of Revelation; Jews restrict themselves to the Tanakh (generally parallels the Christian “Old Testament”).

In trying to sort out religious claims and visions of the future a guide might be the words of Shakespeare, “What’s past is prologue” (“The Tempest”, Act 2, Scene 1).  This pithy statement can take us to Israel’s history that can cast light on present events.  First, a reminder.  As a political entity, for virtually 2,000 years the nation of Israel did not exist, after having previously existed for 1500 years.  Then suddenly, on May 14, 1948, Mr. David Ben-Gurion declared Israel to be a nation.  Wow!

That “Wow!” moves to a whole new level when coupled with the words of the classical prophet from the Tanakh, Isaiah: “. . .the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people who are left,. . .” (11:11). (Emphasis mine.)  The first time was under Darius after the 70-year period of Jewish captivity in Babylon.  The second time is in our own day.  Jews are returning to Israel from all over the earth and have been since Mr. Ben-Gurion’s declaration.

There’s another “clue” to the significance of the Jews returning to their land, it’s a matter of timing; highlighted by the prophetic words of Jesus:  “And they (the Jews) will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles (non-Jews) until the time of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24).  Since the “Six-Day War” of 1967, the City of Jerusalem has not been under gentile domination.  Note.  Though Jewish forces conquered the whole of the City of Jerusalem, political maneuvering has nearly cost them control of it.

It has to be declared that the past is thrusting itself into the future and that future will see Israel and Jerusalem exalted though all the world should move against Israel—and it will—then Israel’s Messiah shall come.  Indeed “What’s past is prologue” and many of us now living may get to see its fulfillment.  That’s where the world is headed.

Life Without God--a Vain Protest!

One of the pretensions of this age is that man can live without God.  In fact, the rallying cry of today might well be straight from the Book of Psalms, “Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords (of restraint) from us” (Psalm 2:4).  More and more ours is becoming an age when all restraint is cast off, anything goes.  God’s response:  “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh (that’s ominous); the Lord shall hold them in derision.  Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure” (Psalm 2:3 & 4).

God’s reality is not threatened by our lack of restraint, He is displeased and mightily grieved; but threatened? No, never.  In fact, His response to our attempts at lawlessness invoke first a laugh; then, His scorn.  Next comes His wrath and His distressing of rebellious man with His deep displeasure.

It’s not a fun thing to have the Lord of the Universe set His face against a man, or, a nation.  But that He does is an awesome fact of history, but not with great pleasure for He is “. . . not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (II Peter 3:9b).

If you have not sought the Lord with repentance, He is against you.  Think not?  The church of Ephesus was told, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4).  God goes ahead to call the church to repentance else He would “unchurch” them, meaning they should no longer have those things that communicate God’s grace nor the presence of the Lord Jesus.

Are you the least bit weary of the way you’re walking? Hear this invitation:  “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).  It’s your choice.

"jubilee" and the New Year

 

In Israel’s ancient past “Jubilee” ideally meant being set free from debt, servitude and having one’s land returned.  The principle of “Jubilee” was first set forth in Leviticus Chapter 25; spiritualized in Isaiah 61 and was prophetically enlarged upon in the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke).  Frankly, and practically, the original law did not work often or well, but what an ideal!

Something of “Jubilee” notions spring to mind with the birth of each new year.  These notions are characterized by a fervent desire in the hearts of many to “start fresh”, “turn over a new leaf”, or, at least do something different.  Immediately as if to shoot down such notions the Bible rhetorically asks, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots” (Jeremiah 23:13a)?  This is with the clear implication that self-improvement is vain, if not simply impossible.

By marvelous contrast, when a person comes to Jesus Christ in a spirit of brokenness and repentance (with sorrow and a turning away from sin), he or she becomes a new creation in Christ Jesus, old things pass away and all things become new (II. Corinthians 5:17).  A person can be set free from all his/her sins (there may be consequences on the human level to be dealt with) and God promises to remove them from us and deposit them in the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19b).

This is a large part of what “evangelical” Christians mean by being “born again” of the Spirit of God, or “Saved”.  This can be a year of “Jubilee” for you.

"Law"? Who Needs It?

Without “law” in our lives we are quite naturally “lawless”.  “Lawlessness” can also characterize a town.  Historically, certain western Kansas towns (in which state I dwell) had this dubious distinction.  Stability and lasting growth could not come to these towns until functioning law was in place.  As with a town, so with an individual, for growth and stability to take place, “Law” must come.

In what does this “Law” consist?  Spiritually speaking, actually the most fundamental issue, “Law” brings the “knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20).  “The Law” in this case is the “Ten Commandments”; “sin” is a breaking or transgression of “The Law”.  Contained within this “Law” are things like prohibitions against “lying” (even a little, “white” lie); “stealing” (even of a very small thing); or, “adultery” (even doing it within one’s own heart—as Jesus updated “The Law”) and other items.  It’s critical we understand, according to the Bible, that to transgress (break) one law is to be guilty of breaking all of them.

The Bible goes on to teach that “the Law” is of God and that when we “break the Law” we put ourselves in line for God’s wrath.  God is the “sheriff”, as it were, and He will apprehend and punish all law-breakers. 

What’s one to do?  Be sorry for your sins, turn away from them and seek the Savior, Jesus, because He paid the price for our sins.  What is that price?  Death (Hebrews 9:22).  Not just death of any animal or human being, but the death of a “sinless” human being which sacrifice a Holy and righteous God accepts.  When this sacrifice is applied to our sin debt it is marked “paid”.  Jesus’ sacrifice, His laying down of His life for us, is the only sacrifice the Heavenly Father will and does accept.  The demonstration of the Father’s acceptance of this sacrifice is the fact He raised Jesus from the dead.

Acknowledging your sin, accepting Jesus as your Savior from sin, enables you then to become a “law-abiding” citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

Looking for Peace?

What has proven more elusive than peace in the world and subsequently peace for the individual?  Could that quest for peace be simpler than one might think?  Consider this.  Cattle grazing in a pasture, speak peace to our spirits.  Why is that?  Further, why should a stroll in a forest, or, along a beach equally speak peace to our spirits? Because in each of these settings, all these elements, apart from the human, are doing the will of God.  A cow grazing in a pasture is similar to an ant scurrying about its work, both are acting consistent with their being and are thus doing the will of God.  The seas are obedient to the will of God as are the trees.  All nature is obedient to the will of God.

To the human situation.  It’s not that exercising one’s will is so wrongful and hurtful, it’s exercising it apart from acknowledgment of and submission to a higher will that provokes so much of the hurt amongst humankind.  Is it not interesting that Jesus, a superlative human by every estimate, had a most unusual relationship with God the Father?  Two of His own statements on this subject demonstrate it:  “I do nothing of Myself; but as My (Heavenly) Father taught Me, I speak these things” (John 8:28b) and “The (Heavenly) Father has not left Me alone, for I always to those things that please Him” (John 8:29b).

The key to your knowing “peace” is entering into a relationship with the Heavenly Father akin to the one Jesus had.