The God Of Small Things

Posted on by August 13, 2013
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August 13, 2013

Zechariah 4:10 — For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

There’s nothing particularly Christian about Arundhati Roy’s novel, “The God of Small Things” but its theme of how the small things in life affect people’s behavior and their lives does resonate with me. God is a mighty, all-powerful Lord — and yet He cares so deeply for small things and small people. Remember how he separates the sheep from the goats? The sheep — “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren” … The goats — “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these.”

The Lord is of course capable of mighty and grand effects … When Elijah raced Ahab to Jezreel, there was “a great rain.” But how did it start? “Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea”. A little later in 1 Kings we find “a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks” and “after the wind an earthquake; … but how does The Lord speak to Elijah? …in “a still small voice.”

Jesus was a lover of small things too … little children, a widow’s mite, the lowest place at the feast — all those things met with His approval.

Small things often have another place in God’s economy. Are you a shy witness? Do you avoid talking to people about your faith because of your ordinariness, your unimportance? I must admit that’s often the way I feel. It’s a lot of effort to get over a sense of not wanting to push my beliefs on others. Dr. Bill Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ wrote “The Transferable Concept: How You Can Introduce Others To Christ”. In it, he gives eight reasons why God wants you to witness. He writes “Sixth, God wants you to witness because of the benefits to those who witness. Witnessing stimulates your spiritual growth. Witnessing leads you to pray and to study God’s Word and encourages you to depend on Christ.” Witnessing takes our small selves and turns them into the greatest channel for good the world has ever known!
There is another side, too, to this business of despising small things in witnessing. Sometimes those we try to talk to about Jesus hold themselves too lightly to listen. Charles Spurgeon puts it like this:

They cannot believe that salvation can come by ordinary means, or through their present knowledge and emotions: these are too small in their esteem, they crave for signs and wonders.

They are wrong to despise small things, and so are we! God will use small people and small things to have His greatest affect on lives if we will only put the same value on small things as He does!

Let Us Not Seem To Come Short!

Posted on by August 12, 2013
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August 12, 2013

Hebrews 4:1 — Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

Yesterday, I spoke about the ways “entering into His rest” can be read:

  • The rest of God, after He finished the work of creation
  • The promised land
  • The peace of God

    • There is still more to consider in this verse. On the face of it, “come short” is simple. But not so fast! I’m not much of a Greek scholar (3 year at High School 40 years ago!) so I rely on some of the wonderful tools available to the unlearned — interlinear Bibles, dictionaries and word studies. Kenneth Wuest produced a fine set of Greek word studies and in it I found:

    The words “come short of” are the translation of a verb which could be rendered either “should seem to have fallen short, should be judged to have fallen short, or, should think that he has fallen short or come too late.

    We can fall short, like the Hebrews of old, by lack of faith so that we fail to finish — or we can fall short by failing to realize that our opportunity has arrived!

    In the first sense, The writer of Hebrews is warning his readers specifically about falling short of realizing that their work is finished — of continuing to depend on temple worship rituals for their justification. “Listen”, he is saying, “that work is finished. Like God who rested eternally after His work, you can rest from justification by works.” Saint Augustine, following Jewish Rabbis, points out that the seventh day of Genesis, symbolizing this rest of God, has no end — in his “Confessions” he says “But the seventh day is without any evening, nor hath it any setting, because Thou hast sanctified it to an everlasting continuance“. Like the Hebrews of the letter we need to avoid the mistake of thinking that we are justified by anything but grace. Good works are good, but they are not good for salvation!

    In the second sense, the writer of Hebrews is warning his readers — and us — not to be slack in our efforts because God’s grace has passed us by. One of my favorite writers, William Barclay, puts it splendidly:

    The writer to the Hebrews sounds a trumpet-call. ‘Never think’, he says, ‘that you have arrived too late in history; never think that the days of great promise and great achievement lie in the past. This is still God’s “today”. There is a blessedness for you as great as the blessedness of the saints; there is an adventure for you as great as the adventure of the martyrs. God is as great today as he ever was.’

    So much in one verse! So much promise, and so much warning. Let us never seem to come short!

    Let Us Therefore Fear!

    Posted on by August 11, 2013
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    August 11, 2013

    Hebrews 4:1 — Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

    It originally seemed to me that there was one devotion I should write about Hebrews 4, but when it was finished it seemed unclear and when I talked to the Managing Editor, she suggested separating it into bite sized pieces, and that triggered another thought? — so here is the first bite!
    There is something a little mysterious about this opening — for the Hebrews of old did, eventually enter Canaan … so did they not enter their rest? And what “rest” is it that we may enter or come short of?

    The writer of the letter to the Hebrews uses the word “rest” to convey three different images:

    • The promised land — the resting place
    •  The rest of God, after He finished the work of creation — the rest from work
    • The peace of God — restfulness

    Let us look at that first usage. It’s made clear when you read Hebrews 3, and see the reference to Psalm 95. Here are verses 8-11 from the Psalm:

    Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.

    The Jews made the first of the two most tragic mistakes in their history. Arriving at the border of Canaan, they did not go straight ahead and occupy their promised home. They cautiously sent spies to check out the lay of the land. When the spies brought back a mixed report they did not “proceed with caution” but balked. Their reaction is recorded in Numbers 14:3 — “And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?”

    The Jews had misunderstood the character of God, and missed the promise. Missing the promise, they did eventually come into the resting place — but they did not rest from their works, continuing to seek to get right with God through temple works. Nor yet did they reach the peace of God, shalom …
    The second tragic mistake, of course, was that the Jews misunderstood the person of God, the Messiah, and missed the promise again! The Gospel of Matthew tells of the arrival of the King, His denial, and His final rejection. You probably know that final rejection, written in Matthew 27:20-23 —

    But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

    The Jews missed, once again, their chance to enter God’s rest. Let us fear lest we, either by misunderstanding the person of God or misunderstanding the character of God, should do the same. Jesus is the Messiah, and God is trustworthy! Take Jesus as Lord if you have not already done so, trust the promises of the gospel, cease from work, and enter the rest of God!

    How God Reveals Himself

    Posted on by August 10, 2013
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    August 10, 2013

    John 20:31 — But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

    1 John 5:13 — These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

    A while ago, I said that as the Spirit moves, I’d write about things that the “Baptist Faith and Message” says. They are, so to speak, the articles of faith that we should stand by – or know why we might not. As I contemplated today’s devotion it seemed right to pick up on the promise, and start with Article 1, “The Scriptures”. Here’s what it says:

    The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.

    All of this is like gold to me – but I especially like the definitive statement that “It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter.” That tells me with great and poetic conciseness who wrote it, what it’s for, and what it contains. God who loves me wrote this book to show me to Himself perfectly and save me so that I can live with Him forever. Of course scripture is for more than ensuring salvation (as though that were not gift enough!). 2 Timothy 3:16-17, one of those scriptures everyone should know, provides a list of the other precious gifts; for teaching or communicating instruction; convincing us of our sins and of the truth and claims of religion, for restoring and reforming us and instructing us in regard to the principles of justice, or what is right. No wonder it is described as “a perfect treasure of divine instruction”!

    The Bible has sometimes been described as “the Owner’s manual”. I’m not always a fan of these slightly flippant references to holy things. Are you? But this one seems fairly appropriate. The Bible tells us how we should live, how we will be judged, and what the rules are. It tells us about the Law-giver, and the judge. The Bible has an author who is perfect. No Christian then, should ever doubt its perfect truth.

    The Baptist Faith and Message rightly starts by identifying its foundation and source. We stand on Scripture. I know of no better platform!

    Slow Down!

    Posted on by August 9, 2013
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    August 9, 2013

  • Ezra 7:8-9 — And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

    • I’m startling to write this in an airline lounge, on my way home.I just flew South to North nearly five thousand miles … and I missed nearly all the scenery.
    Myra and I have been reading the book of Ezra, and Ezra’s journey came to mind. The point-to-point distance from Babylon to Jerusalem is about five hundred miles … but the route Ezra’s party took would be closer to nine hundred. They took about 120 days, and allowing for Sabbath’s, when they surely stopped, we could say that they covered — at best — ten miles a day. They didn’t miss the scenery!

    My long flights weren’t completely wasted. I had a couple of great conversations, but the odd thought about my trip and Ezra’s prompted some reflections about faith and relationships. Do I have some “fly over” or at least “drive by” in these areas? Do you know what I mean?
    For example, how about when I’m reading the Bible? Are there times when I just read? When I don’t worship, or look for application, but just drive by the verses, and fly over the chapters?
    Or how about “drive by” evangelism? No, I don’t mean driving to neighborhoods and dropping tracts in mail boxes. What I mean is, are there times I witness to someone and don’t make sure I can follow through? Am I just flying over, dropping a verse or two, tweeting a text and moving on?
    How about prayer? Ouch, it really hurts to think about this one, but … Do I ever just “pray through the list”?

    When I look at the verse that comes next in Ezra it says “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” Ezra prepared his heart … And then there was Ezra’s successor, Nehemiah. When he came to a crisis in his life the Bible says “And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven”. Nehemiah wept and mourned and fasted and prayed.

    Ezra, Nehemiah, Peter, Paul … No “fly over” or “drive by” for them. Now please don’t get me wrong. I know I’m not a great man like one of those! But they are great examples … I’m going to try to slow down, and stop the “fly over and drive by” faith life. If you’re like me, perhaps it’s time to move over to the spiritual slow lane?
    I’m home now, with my beloved — who is also my editor. She’s read and approved … Time to let it fly.. Slowly!

    Still Afraid?

    Posted on by August 8, 2013
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    August 8, 2013

  • 2 Tim. 1:7 — For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

    • I am not fearless — but I’m getting better. I’m afraid of far fewer things than I used to be! Several things play into this happy state of mind.
    The first, is my knowledge of where I will spend eternity. Before I became a Christian I wavered between two states. Optimistically, I hoped there was no afterlife .. I could “eat, drink, and be merry”. Pessimistically, I feared that I was wrong and that I might be laying up an eternity of trouble for myself. Becoming a Christian changed all that. I know that whatever happens in this life is a prelude to a great future.
    The second, to be honest, was something very pragmatic that someone told me, and that my own experience confirmed. “Listen”, he said, “95% of the things we fear never happen, and the other 5% are out of our control.” It’s true. And I’m reminded of the words Shakespeare put into Caesar’s mouth — “Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once.”
    The third reason for my increased confidence is my knowledge of scripture. As well as his advice to Timothy, Paul wrote to the Romans:
    “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
    He was really only repeating an assurance and an instruction from Jesus:
    “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
    I am not so far advanced that I never fear. When I hear of terrorist threats that might affect flights, or of horrid murders in the streets, I cannot deny a concern. Though I look forward to an eternal future, still there is much about this present that I do not wish to leave behind — but I am trying to come closer to Paul’s profile of a believer.
    What does Paul say we should be?
    Fearless — because, knowing the truths of the gospel, what is there really to fear?
    Strong — we are to be strong of will, intent on doing what is right and following the Holy Spirit’s guidance to avoid wrong choices
    Loving — we are to be loving, for “by this shall they know you, that you love one another”
    Self-controlled — for most of us, perhaps, the hardest challenge! Alexander MacLaren, that great commentator of the late 19th and early 20th centuries provides the answer — “Brethren, there is only one thing that will give complete self-command. If you make trial, I will guarantee that it will not fail. Trust to Jesus Christ; ask Him to govern, and He will help you to control yourselves. ”

    Will you take up the challenge with me, and seek to lay aside fear and put on the strength, love and self-control that our God will provide if only we will ask?

    Glory!

    Posted on by August 7, 2013
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    August 7, 2013

     2 Cor. 3:18 …But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

     The truth in this verse is one that overwhelms me with its wonder. We are being transformed into the image of Jesus! It is a glory greater than that which illuminated Moses’ face, on which his people dared not look. We see in one another that image, reflected from one to another and as each grows in holiness, so the church grows ever more beautiful — the bride preparing herself for her Husband.

    “All we, with open faces” — other translations make the meaning clearer. “Open faces” is “unveiled”. The idea is that before Jesus, believers, the Jews dare not look unveiled on the face of God, but now, believers “all we (Christians)” need no such defense. Then, we are “beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord” — we are seeing the image of God and, like the unveiled Moses, we are being imprinted with the glory of that image! Does that not make you gasp in wonder? Has someone ever said to you, “there’s something different about you … I don’t know what it is …”? In your best moments perhaps, like the Jews of old, they are glimpsing that reflection of glory. Does that strike into your heart the fear that you should ever reflect anything but honor back to Him whose image you bear? As I think about this, perhaps for the first time I understand why I should work out my own salvation with fear and trembling!

    “We are changed” — like Jesus with Moses and Elijah, we are being transfigured (the same Greek word is used). We are “changed into the same image”. Changed, into the image of Jesus …does it not bring you near to tears at the holiness of the thought? Man was made in His image, and the image, corrupted in us by sin, is being restored.

    “Changed … from glory to glory”. Perhaps a double meaning. The first idea is that glory is being multiplied from God to us (I’m sorry that I could not find a better way to say it, but “transferred” and “copied” don’t quite catch the idea of the spreading of unlimited glory to every Christian). The second idea is that the process is by steps. As we go through life, little by little, so we grow more like Jesus.

    I really did not expect this devotion to be a phrase by phrase reflection on the verse, but as I contemplated it, so the understanding of the promise became richer … and so we come to the last phrase “even as by the Spirit of The Lord.” It is the Holy Spirit that works in us … but this last verse, this last truth cannot be read in isolation (of course no verse can really be read in isolation!) It must be taken with the previous verse … “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” Here is the intimate association of Jesus with the Holy Spirit. By His sacrifice, He has made our salvation possible. By His work He makes our sanctification actual. Grace upon grace! Glory upon glory! He is wonderful, and all His works are marvelous. Praise Him!

    Amen.

     

     

    Which Mission Field?

    Posted on by August 6, 2013
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    August 6, 2013

     Acts 1:8 — But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

     This is, of course, one of the great “missions” verses. How are we to interpret it? It was a subject of a talk I had with an excellent young man in the seat next to me on the very long flight to Brazil yesterday. Unlike me, he grew up in a Christian home and has got far enough in his walk, by the age of 28, to be asking himself questions about his share in building the kingdom. It was a rare pleasure for me to meet someone who was so thoughtful about his future. Here’s what he said:

    “I need to decide whether to go and get my law degree, or to carry on with my present job, and hopefully build some wealth. But I’ve got a passion for a ministry. Did you know there were 150 million slaves in the world?”

    Now as it happens, I did have a fair idea. Indeed those of us in Florida ought to be peculiarly sensitive to the issue as slavery, or human-trafficking, which is another name this ugly trade goes by, is a plague in our own state. But that did not seem to be the point. How should I advise this young man — if indeed it was any of my business? It seemed it was, for it was then that the verse above came to mind. We talked about the idea that every mission field does not have to be overseas. The old idea of Americans going to Africa to convert the Africans may soon be replaced by Africans coming here to convert Americans!

    There are some interesting contrasts between the verse in acts and the “Great Commission” found at the end of Matthew’s Gospel.

    And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

    Do you see the contrasts? The Great Commission is a command, and must surely be addressed to believers collectively. The verse from Acts describes what will happen. It can be interpreted, perhaps more narrowly — some to Jerusalem, some to Judea, some to Samaria, and some to the ends of the earth. How are we to think about this? Every believer is commanded to be part of the Great Commission –but every believer may play a different part in it. Not everyone is called to an overseas mission field.

    So what has my fellow-passenger decided to do? He still not sure — more prayer required! But now he has a starting point. He’s going to consider the “what” and “where” of his mission — is it his task to go, or to help others go by being able to finance missions activity? Is he called to have influence locally, or far off?

    Most of us are not so thoughtful. We do what comes to mind from time-to-time, but not in any very planned and structured way – and that’s ok too I think. We are all called to the Great Commission — but it is not the center of our life’s work. Perhaps it’s time to pray about the “what and where” of our own missions activity – go, enable, or send; local, nearby, far away, or the “ends of the earth”?

    Always Be Ready!

    Posted on by August 5, 2013
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    August 5, 2013

     1 Peter 3:15 — But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

     Myra asked me to look at a question that bothers her, and it’s so important that I immediately knew I should write about it: “Why is it that we as Christians, when we are confronted by nonbelievers, don’t stand up and answer the questions they throw at us?” It’s a great question. Why do many of us all the time, and all of us some of the time, just say nothing? Are we not sure of what to say, or are we just not real Christians? Paul never retreated, and neither did Peter once he had met the risen Jesus.

    I think the heart of the issue is that we take too little responsibility, and we take too much responsibility!

    How do we take too little responsibility? We don’t take Peter’s command to “always be ready” seriously. It’s not optional. It’s a command. Peter is repeating Jesus’s instruction, given several times — for example “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

    How do we take too much responsibility? We assume that the success or failure of our mission depends on us. No such thing! It is God alone who is active — Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws
    him.”

    It is our responsibility to show up, to be ready to provide a reasoned response to questions (the Greek word used for “answer” is “logos”, an intelligent statement.) of course, that means we need to know what we believe! Many believers, especially newer believers, have only a slight view of what Christianity really is. If that’s you, then two things are necessary. First, don’t let it stop you from answering — do the best you can, and trust the Holy Spirit to do the heavy lifting. Second, get busy — see what you can learn. (Anybody want a little help? Let me know!)

    It is not our responsibility to conduct theological debates with skeptical experts, or to argue cosmology with clever scientists. We should know what we believe, and why — what teachers, the Bible, the Holy Spirit and our own experiences have taught us. The Gospel can be attacked, and should be defended, on many fronts. How can we be experts in them all? When we come up against a heavyweight questioner, it’s our job to call in heavier guns. There are some pretty good pastors for that! It’s not our responsibility to be the experts — but it is our responsibility to know how to find them!

    Peter defines our responsibilities a little more — we are to answer “with meekness”, that is with gentle strength, and courtesy. We are also to answer with “fear”, that is with due respect for God. To answer aggressively or to be failing in reverence will deprive our words of all value.

    Let us take on our share of responsibility, fearlessly, knowing that God will do the rest. The fruits will be amazing!

     

    Solid Ground?

    Posted on by August 4, 2013
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    Solid Grounds for Confidence

    August 4, 2013

    Psalm 26:1,11 — Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide. But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.

    At first glance David makes some large claims in this Psalm! But close inspection reveals that he has solid grounds for his confidence.
    David was, in some ways and at some times in his life, a bit of a rogue. His banditry when he was living among the Philistines was just that – banditry. His taking of Bathsheba, involving as it did the murder of Uriah, was simply wicked. Yet David claims, “I have walked in mine integrity.” How can this be? There are three possibilities.
    First, perhaps David was little more than a wicked hypocrite? This cannot be. In 1 Samuel 13:14 we find Samuel telling Saul that God is replacing him as king with a man “after God’s own heart”.
    Second, perhaps David is depending on his general record and his many good qualities — he was after all loyal, hard-working, worshipful, and brave. Perhaps he could stand on that ground, before the emergence of a Christian awareness of salvation by grace — but David is claiming integrity, a word that in the Hebrew carries ideas such as uprightness, perfection, completeness and innocence. It is clear from his powerful expressions of repentance in other Psalms that David was powerfully and painfully aware of his failings. David was not standing of the shifting sands of his own righteousness.
    It is with the third possibility that we reach David’s ground. Psalms 25-29 are all, in one way or another, expressions of the believers confidence and its foundation.
    Let’s look at the whole of Psalm 26.
    David begins by offering himself for testing, basing his claims on his trust in God’s lovingkindness and truth.
    Next, he sets himself firmly apart from the wicked — he will have no part with the worthless or dishonest.
    Thirdly, David declares his devotion with his intent to spend time honoring The Lord in His house, which he loves.
    David then enters his plea for God’s mercy and redemption, that he be separated from sinners because of his integrity.
    Finally, comes the confident statement: David stands on level ground, and will proclaim God’s goodness.
    David’s confidence is well-founded, but not arrogance. Well might we, especially as today as is Sunday, as he does that God look into our hearts, and test us — so that we too may confidently spend time in His house blessing Him for His works. Verse 2 says, “Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.” It is said that “examine, prove, and try” originally carried the ideas of trial by touch, smell, and fire. However that might be, David is asking God to find any faults he is unaware of, and to establish his integrity. We could well do the same. Combine that with a dependence on grace for the redemption and mercy David requests in verse 11 and we, like him, can know we stand on solid ground!