Changing my mind?

 

This morning the news tells that 200 books will be banned from the libraries in our province. These are mostly sexually explicit and the banning is to protect young minds. I ran a search “history of book banning” and AI gave me this:

The history of book banning is a recurring phenomenon driven by political, religious, and moral motives, with examples ranging from ancient China to the present-day United States. Key historical moments include China's Emperor Shih Huang Ti burning texts in 259 B.C., the 1637 banning of Thomas Morton's New English Canaan in America, the Comstock Act of 1873 against "immoral" materials, Nazi Germany's book burning, and the apartheid era in South Africa. Recent trends show a significant increase in bans, with organized groups challenging books on topics of race, racism, LGBTQ+ issues, and sexuality, highlighting the ongoing struggle for control over ideas and narratives.

The search result gave the reasoning: “to control public thought and enforce religious or political ideologies, suppressing dissenting views.”

My first thought is that the Word of God could easily, in some minds, fall into this category. While even many Christians do not realize it, the ways of God are “dissenting views” to the ways of the world. We are told:

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17)

The Bible also says:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1–2)

My next thought was that the ideas of banning books to change the way people think and act may have an effect, but only God can do a true mind-renewal. He can change how a person thinks, as well as change their entire life and behavior. This is not a DIY project. His Word says:

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil. (Jeremiah 13:23)

God says that only those who put their trust in Him have the full guarantee of being able to live this changed life He calls us to. I noticed these two verses today because they illustrate the contrast between our thinking and His:

The desire of the righteous ends only in good, the expectation of the wicked in wrath. One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. (Proverbs 11:23–24)

God's way is opposite to ours. He even says that devising anti-God schemes may appear to ‘win’ for a time, but their end is not what is expected. Those who are generous may appear foolish to others but in the end, God takes care of their prosperity and contentment. On the other hand, the stingy of this world never stop wanting more and are never content. As far as banning books goes, that will not change human nature either.

However, urging readers toward wholesome material, even to reading the classics written by those who love and trust God could change the trajectory of their lives, but only if the Creator touches their heart and mind in mercy and grace, and does what we cannot do on our own.

PRAY: This is my prayer today, Jesus, that You will use this book banning for good, and also protect Your Word from being included as a book with “dissenting views.” It certainly goes against the way the world thinks, yet the goodness and love of God is revealed in it. What folly it would be to try and keep Him from all who are showing signs of a deep need for the One who can provide all that we need. I am encouraged by Your promise: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)

I Spy God…

Wildfires aside, we still love to drive through the mountains only a few hours from our home. Besides looking up at the grandeur of the peaks accented by incredible forests and color everywhere, a detail never fails to amaze me. How do trees grow out of rocks? Think of the power of a seed, and most of them do not even look like seeds, yet they sprout and roots reach through to nourishment and the trees grow, some of them even splitting the rocks apart.

Today’s reading likens the power of Christ in His people to that seed. It is a power that works in our weakness, meaning without Him we are unable to do the will of God. Not only that, it is a power that rules over all else, even those events and circumstances that threaten to overcome all goodness and the desires of our hearts.

I witnessed this power at our family reunion. People who seldom talk chatted with ease. Those who never met the others prior to this gathering were amazed by the love shown to them as were the others amazed by their interest in everything new. So many God-things happened that I felt like a bystander watching Him work — the same sort of feeling I get looking at a tree sprouting up through the rocks of an overwhelming mountain. God, how do You do that?

One thing I’m noticing in myself and in others is that we need to have a fuller concept of who God is and what He can do. If my ideas about God are faulty or inadequate, I don’t even notice His power at work.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. (1 Chronicles 29:11)

For nothing will be impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)

I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. (Job 42:2)

Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. (Psalm 147:5)

These and other verses say it, but I also need to say it, to ask God to open my eyes to His wonders. This is needed because it is not part of my sinful nature to want this or see it.

When one granddaughter was about three, we went for a walk. I pointed to various things such as the sky, the grass, the flowers and said, “God made this for us to enjoy.” Finally I added, “And God made you too.” At that, she put her little hands on her little hips and declared, “No he didn’t.”

This is the built-in attitude of sin — a refusal to acknowledge God. I need to fight it. I need to look at the trees and think of them waving praise to God. I need to see His handiwork in creation and His mighty work to change lives in His people. Even those who do not believe will somehow display that they are made in His image, and even those who disagree and try to change what they are, I need to be thankful that only God can change lives.

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil. (Jeremiah 13:23)

If we cannot do good without Him, I can be certain that even the evil anyone may do is under His control and supervision. I may not understand why or what God is doing or allowing, but I can be certain that He is at work: “I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7)

PRAY: Jesus, seeing Your hand in all of life has changed my life. Fear gives way to confidence for I know that You know what You are doing. Wars and tragedies, crime and human evil seem to win, but  You are not finished yet. The Bible is clear that at the end of it all, You are the winner, the One who is able to sprout seeds in a rock and make sense of a world that seems out of control. Keep my eyes on You.

A Prerequisite for Making Decisions

Our church is making a very important vote today. Instead of a regular service, we will pray, have communion and worship. As I sat down with my Bible this morning, I asked the Lord for guidance. He gave me a verse that I consider the most important verse in the New Testament. If I do what it says, I stay close to God, can grow in my spiritual life, and can better understand His will. If not, I fail and fall.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

The operative word is that little one: if. If I do what this verse says, I experience the faithfulness of God. He promises to forgive confessed sin and He keeps that promise. He also cleanses that sin, meaning that He does wash it out of His books, but also out of my heart. 

A little voice in my head says, “Yes, but what about the times you confess then do the thing again?” Ah, I’ve learned that there are different kinds of confession. Sometimes, particularly for the many first years of being a believer, I confessed the actions of sin without realizing that buried under those actions was a sinful attitude, an “I want” that went unrecognized or ignored. If that stayed as it was, then the actions would pop up again.

For example, I’ve had a proud and competitive spirit. It might show up playing games with my children — I must win the game. Or it might show up in entering a competition, or on the highway with other drivers. Whatever the action, confessing it did not rid me of pride with its desire to boost my own ego by defeating someone else. It has only abated as I recognized the root of it and began confessing that root. And these roots of sin go deep into the core of human identity. God repeatedly speaks of it in words like this:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way. . . (Isaiah 53:6)

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil. (Jeremiah 13:23)

For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person. (Mark 7:21–23)

The Word of God also speaks about the nature of God. It says He is faithful. He does forgive sin, not because I deserve it, but because Jesus died on the cross for it. This is why 1 John 1:9 says God is just. My sin has been punished — only He did not punish me. His justice has been satisfied at Calvary. Because of Jesus, He can pardon sinners.

In my prayers this morning, I will ask the Lord to reveal to me any attitudes or actions that have violated His will. Before I make any decisions, small or large, I want my relationship with Him clear and uncluttered. I want all selfishness purged and any foolish or prideful thoughts forgiven and cleansed. How can I decide any matter if I merely want my own way? How can I know the will of God if my own will has my fist clenched or my lips pursed? How can I vote for God if I am wanting and going my own way? 

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Lord, some may think that it is possible to simply change, to move from “me” to “God” without dealing with sin. This is like saying a leopard can change his spots to stripes. Sin is a barrier. It separates me from You and from others. Only You can deal with my sinful heart. To insist otherwise is to say that I don’t need Jesus — and that would be a lie, and darkness, and a foolish decision.

To Live is Christ — secure in the One who never changes

I’ve heard people say that the God of the Old Testament is much sterner than the God of the New Testament. They say the old covenant was about strong demands and harsh laws, and a God who was intolerant and loved war. But the New Testament is about Jesus Christ who loves everyone.

After decades of reading the Bible through each year, I’ve found that God does not change. He even says He is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) How can perfection be anything more or less or different? He is God and does not change.

Sometimes people change, but even then, God is the one who works changes in the lives of His people. We are like the leopard who cannot change his spots (Jeremiah 13:23) and stuck in our sin without divine intervention. I know this is true because I tried to change and could not. Then, when He came into my life, I noticed right away that I had different thoughts. Sin suddenly became a serious matter and I cared if I pleased God or not. I also cared more about others.

As for God being less loving in the Old Testament, when I read it, I see many instances where God shows mercy. For instance, Moses killed a man. God could have struck him down, but instead worked in his life and made a leader out of him. David committed adultery and killed the woman’s husband. God hates sin and could have removed David from his throne, even from this earth. Instead, He worked in his life and David became Israel’s most beloved king.

When the entire nation of Israel abandoned worship of the one true God, He could have wiped them out. Some were destroyed, yet God had mercy on these people. Through one of His prophets, He made wonderful promises to them:

Israel, I, the Lord, will lure you into the desert and speak gently to you. I will return your vineyards, and then Trouble Valley will become Hopeful Valley. You will say “Yes” to me as you did in your youth, when leaving Egypt. I promise that from that day on, you will call me your husband instead of your master. I will no longer even let you mention the names of those pagan gods that you called “Master.” And I will agree to let you live in peace—you will no longer be attacked by wild animals and birds or by weapons of war. I will accept you as my wife forever, and instead of a bride price I will give you justice, fairness, love, kindness, and faithfulness. Then you will truly know who I am. I will command the sky to send rain on the earth, and it will produce grain, grapes, and olives in Jezreel Valley. I will scatter the seeds and show mercy to Lo-Ruhamah. I will say to Lo-Ammi, “You are my people,” and they will answer, “You are our God.” (Hosea 2:14–23, CEV)

A verse in the New Testament says that through His kindness God brings people to repentance. Surely this is what He describes in this wonderful passage. He is wooing them as a man woos a woman, drawing them back to love Him and be His people. He does not do it with a big club, but with kindness, faithfulness, and mercy.

Mercy is giving to others what they do not deserve. God is merciful. The New Testament says that the wages of sin is death. Is that not harsh and a strong demand? Yet the same verse also says, “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

The sin-hating God of the Old Testament still hates sin in the New Testament. The difference is that the Messiah promised and foretold in the old covenant arrives in the new, bringing with Him the hope and good news of forgiveness and change. The people who had abandoned God would be able to return to Him. He offered them new life and a new relationship with Him, one in which He would change their lives. No longer would they be lured away by pagan idols and be slaves of sin. Instead, God enables them, and all who will say yes, to joyfully proclaim, “You are my God.”

No, God has not changed. However, because of His mercy, I have changed. He reveals His grace to me from Genesis to Revelation, and throughout recorded history. I know that because His mercy endures forever, I can depend on Him from now into eternity.

To Live is Christ — yet I still must confess my sin

Yesterday’s struggle is no more. It was not that I yielded up my will. All I did was confess my sinful attitude, and God does what He always does. He changed my heart.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8–9)

Many times I have behaved as if I were the Savior. I became aware of sin and tried really hard to overcome it, but that does not work. For one thing, it misses a step. Without confession, there is no forgiveness. God will not help me overcome unless I acknowledge to Him (and agree with Him) what I have done.

In confession, I cannot merely mouth the words. I’m also to think the way He thinks about sin. One clue about that is in Jeremiah . . .  

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. (Jeremiah 13:23)

No human being can save themselves. Even those who possess eternal life and have Jesus Christ living in them still need the power of God to do overcome temptation and sin. When I violate the will of God, He will give me that power, but I first have to confess (say the same thing) as He does about whatever I have done.

I also have to admit my helplessness. Part of trying to fix things on my own is a form of God-playing, and that is quite the opposite of faith and salvation by grace. I am not God.

Today will bring new challenges, but His message to me is always the same. He is the Savior and I am the sinner. As long as I keep that straight, I can move on and have His grace to do whatever He asks. He also grants the ability to rejoice in His will.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. He forgives all my iniquities. He heals all my diseases, He redeems my life from destruction. He crowns me with lovingkindness and tender mercies. He satisfies my mouth with good things, so that my youth is renewed like the eagle’s . . . Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. (My paraphrase based mostly on Psalm 103:2–5)