When human thinking ceases …

 

Two stories about abortion illustrate how human thinking apart from what God says is rather confusing. It is okay to abort in parts of the world, but in several parts of the world if someone murders a pregnant woman, it is considered two murders. So it is legal to kill an unborn baby as long as it is not illegal. Huh?

The legality depends on the will of the mother. If she does not want the baby, she can have it destroyed. We watched an episode of Inspector Linley last night in which the unwanted baby was allowed to live but was sold to someone who wanted it. Later, the mother of that child arranged another baby to be sold so she could profit, but that mother wanted the child so she murdered the first woman. Huh?

Human ‘I wants’ make life messy. In the OT, this phrase is often seen: “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17:6) In our world, the prophets could say, “In these days there is not much faith or obedience to God. Everyone does whatever they want to do.” Huh?

“Not much faith” grants that the God who created us is still at work. There still is some faith, but daily news does not broadcast how thousands put their faith in Jesus Christ as they repent of their sin and are forgiven and have new life and a life-changing relationship with Him. Those who meet Jesus are changed but their family members are upset and try to kill them. Thousands flee for their lives and many others die for their faith. Huh?

God is still at work even as His work seldom hits headlines, and if it does, humans may get the credit, or mock it, or misinterpret it. Today’s verse for the day comes from a passage that describes the kind of God that is being neglected and rejected:

Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take with you words and return to the Lord; say to him, “Take away all iniquity; accept what is good, and we will pay with bulls the vows of our lips. Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses; and we will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy.” I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon; his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow; they shall flourish like the grain; they shall blossom like the vine; their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress; from me comes your fruit. Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them. (Hosea 14:1–9)

Reading it slowly, it is a surprise. The people of God had not only sinned but were guilty of apostasy, yet God says, “I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them.” Huh?

This is the God who longs to restore those who turned away. He welcomes those willing to  confess their guilt and how they had taken credit for what God had done, but vow to not sin like that any longer. 

For those who have not slid away and remain as His faithful servants, this is a passage of hope. God does not change. He can heal the mess in our world, open blind eyes and turn away His anger. My role? Listen and be faithful to what He says. Tell others. Challenge darkness with prayers of full faith. My Redeemer is not dead — He lives and He is still able and willing to change lives.

PRAY: Jesus, just as You called Israel out of bondage in Egypt, and You called Your faithless people to come to You for healing, my prayers are for those near and far — that You will call and continue to call people from darkness and extreme, God-playing thinking to repentance and faith in You… for that will produce in them blessings that they will never otherwise realize or understand apart from Your great grace.

Faith in Christ helps me think in new ways

Some say men think like a rifle shot — one shot at a time and straight to one target. On the other hand, women think more like the spray from a shotgun. We hit the target but go all over the place doing it. Another analogy likens the female brain to the way a computer uses RAM or random-access-memory by gathering information from all over the place to solve the problem, while men use a more logical and linear method. Both may come to the same answer or conclusion, but it’s easier to follow the linear method.

Of course there are exceptions. I had a seminary professor who gave lectures using the shotgun method. Following him was not easy and taking notes almost impossible, but he was a splendid teacher.

For myself, I like point form now and then. My mind is not only scattered but easily distracted. A logical thought process keeps me organized and able to make sense of complicated issues.

When it comes to Bible study, much of its teaching is scattered. If a person wants to know what God is like, there are many places that describe Him, not just one section dedicated to that doctrine, or any other for that matter. Systematic theology is the study of bringing all the information on one topic together to make sense of it and to declare it plainly.

Tozer points to a single part of a passage today and makes one point about it. As usual, his writing reveals a knowledge of other passages, but he often uses one to make his case or state his thoughts. For me, I tend to look at the context of a statement and glean what I can from that, sometimes linking it to other passages on the same topic as Tozer does.

Today’s Scripture is part of a longer one that is laid out logically with helpful transitions between its several and important points. Passages like this bless my scattered mind and give me greater ability to make logic out of a broad spectrum of information.

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:1–5)

God justified me through the death of Christ and through faith in Him. Since I am justified, I have peace with God, also through Christ. Along with being justified and having no more animosity between myself and God, I have continued access by faith to God’s grace. This grace makes me stand firm in faith before God and gives me great joy. I am joyful because I know that God will be glorified. This joy sticks with me when I suffer because I know that suffering produces endurance. I also know endurance develops my character, and in that character my hope increases. It is the kind of hope that assures me because it comes from the love of God. He pours that into my heart to overflowing. This happens through the power of the Holy Spirit, with whom God has also blessed me.

Take it the other way. God gave me the power of the Holy Spirit who pours into me the love of God — so much so that it overflows. His love takes away all my shame and replaces it with hope and the marvel of a new and changed character. That character is developed through endurance in trials and suffering. This process has deepened my desire that God be glorified. I hope in that result as I stand in the grace given to me by faith, faith that has declared me justified before God and given me peace.

Tozer says that we cannot love God or love others as He does apart from the work of the Holy Spirit in us. By reading the context, I can see why. The love of God comes in through the Holy Spirit and the love of God flows out through that same power. It cannot happen any other way. If I try to love as I should without the Spirit, that love will be interfered with or ruined by shame, hopelessness, impatience, selfishness, personal worries and agitation. His love never thinks of itself. The only way I can love like that is by drawing it from Him and spilling it out to others. That only happens when the Spirit of God has His way in me — through trials and through the marvelous grace of God.

^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, faith in You is more than a promise of eternal life. Faith in You changes everything. I might remain in the female mind-set or think more like a rifle shot, but either way, You are the one who keeps my aim on giving You glory, forgives me when I step out of line and brings me joyfully back on target.

Illogical prayer . . .

So much of what God does is opposite to what we would do. While we tell ourselves to be confident and strong, He provides strength in weakness. We boast of our skills and position in life, and He says, “Consider your calling . . .  not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong . . .” (1 Corinthians 1:26–27)

Human thinking says contentment is about having all you need, but God gives contentment whether that is true or not. Paul knew this contradiction . . .

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11–13)

We think we have no power over things like the weather, but “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.” (James 5:17–18)

We feel helpless in the face of death, and for the most part, we are, yet God is not limited by what is impossible by our logic. Elijah stayed at the house of a widow who was very poor and God stretched her meager resources to take care of her, her son, and this prophet. This was another opposite to human thinking for a small bottle of oil and a small container of flour should not last as long as it did.

But then another disaster struck. The boy became ill and died. The widow called the prophet. Elijah prayed, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?  . . .  O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.”

God heard Elijah’s prayer and answered by doing the impossible . . . “And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, ‘See, your son lives.’ And the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.’ (1 Kings 17:17–24)

Elijah’s prayers resulted in God doing what was contrary to reason. In another situation where Baal worship pulled the people into idolatry, this prophet challenged the prophets of Baal. He had a “sacrifice competition” by preparing two bulls . . .

Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” (1 Kings 18:22–24)

This was not a stunt. Elijah was outnumbered, but he prayed that what happened would honor God . . . “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” (1 Kings 18:36–38)

Again, God did the opposite of what seems logical, but fire fell from heaven, consuming the sacrifice and even the copious amounts of water Elijah had poured on it, plus the wood, the stones, and the dust. Who would dare to have prayed like that? Only someone who understands that God can do anything. His power is unlimited.

God, I know that nothing is too difficult for you. Keep my logic and reasoning out of my prayers. Let my requests honor You and may all Your answers bring You glory.

The Strength of my Heart

The last couple of weeks have presented a trial that I did not expect (or want). I have a heart condition known as A-fib, for short. My heart skips beats or flutters, or beats rapidly during an episode. In the past several years, I’ve had an episode 1-2 times a year, at most. Caffeine is an instigator. I’ve never enjoyed coffee or colas, etc. so it is not difficult to stay away from caffeine. Chocolate is another issue. Mild chocolate seemed okay, but rich chocolate (the good stuff) became a no-no. Then, before Christmas, so did mild chocolate as it also aggravated my pulse.

On Christmas day, I took Tylenol Ultra without realizing that the Canadian version is loaded with caffeine. After that reaction, my heart soon calmed down, but since then, I’ve had many episodes without identifiable causes. As soon as we go home, I need to get medical attention. This is not deadly; the A-fib websites tell me that, and also that there are several solutions (from pills to a pacemaker). In the meantime, I’m not sure what each day will bring. I do know that God is in charge of my life, even my heart. Years ago, I memorized this verse:

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26)

Of course I’ve been asking Him about this problem. If I’m doing something I should not be doing, I want to know. If there are reasons for this, I want to know that too. What is God trying to teach me through this unpredictable and annoying affliction? I woke up this morning with a strong, regular pulse, but still asking questions. This is what God gave me from the passage in today’s devotional selection.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4)

God, in this or any other trial, wants me to be steadfast. This word means a cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, a constancy. It is about being patient and enduring during troubles, waiting on God for the answers, solutions, or resolutions, instead of trying to get away from or out of the situation. Of course this does not mean that I skip seeing a doctor. What it does show me is how I should be thinking while I wait for an appointment.

This is where Christianity becomes supernatural. No one in their normal mind can be gleeful under trial because they are excited about becoming more patient. Most of us want our situation to be “fixed” as soon as possible. Enduring is the last thing that we think of. However, the Bible says that I have the mind of Christ. This means that I can think as Christ thinks.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1–2)

 Christ faced the most horrible trial anyone can imagine. Crucifixion is a painful way to die, never mind bearing the weight of all sin committed by all people for all time. Yet He endured it, not even considering the shame of it, nor letting the horror of it keep Him from trusting His Father or from going ahead in obedience. He anticipated great joy and honor so He endured.

I don’t know what my near future holds, but I do have the promise of God that He is testing my faith in trials of various kinds. These tests are not to break me in pieces, but to produce in me the same kind of endurance that Jesus has, an attitude that James says will give me a maturity that lacks nothing. With that promise, I might not be dancing in delight, but because spiritual maturity seems so unlikely for me, at the very least, I can smile broadly.

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Lord, these verses from James were a surprise in answer to all my questions. However, just knowing that You are in control of all that happens to me, including personal health and the state of my heart, gives me great comfort. You are a great and wise God. I desire to cooperate with whatever You are doing. Forgive me if I’m somewhat lacking in the “count it all joy” department, but even that becomes easier as I focus on Jesus instead of myself.

Freedom

Before I go any farther into the year, it seems important to use a devotional guide rather than rely on my feeble attempts to glean something from reading through the chronological Bible. The first problem is that I struggle with the NIV translation. Second, I have blank spots in my thinking and need the challenges given by other writers.

I’ve selected Truth for Today, a book written by Pastor/teacher John MacArthur. We were members of his church in California in the 80's and I know he will not only challenge my mind, but bless and feed my spirit.

Today’s reading is based on Colossians 2:8-10, a warning by Paul to the church at Colosse. The Christians there were being wooed by human philosophies and needed a reminder that they must evaluate everything by Jesus Christ. This passage says:

Beware lest anyone cheat your (or plunder you, or take you captive) through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

MacArthur notes that human philosophies often consider this world locked in a closed system, a time–space dimension where God, if He exists, is outside of the box. In this way of thinking, mankind cannot escape the box since the natural cannot enter the supernatural. If God did create this world, then He is watching things happen but never involved.

As the devotion points out, human beings have this longing to know what is outside their box. Some invent deities and thus religions proliferate. These represent that human desire to escape the box, but sadly, no matter what we invent, we are confined by our time-space nature to the box.

Thinking this way is more than frustrating. For even the mildly curious, there is no hope. Yet the desire persists. Besides spawning religions, it is likely at the root of all science fiction and many other philosophies. Yet that desire to get out of the box (and being unable to do it alone) is God-given. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.”

This desire has been also described as a God-shaped void, a place of longing that cannot be filled by anyone but Him, making the desire to get out of the box actually a yearning to know our Creator and heavenly Father.

MacArthur asks if there is a way to escape this box, then goes on to say that Christianity acknowledges that no one can by their own efforts. However, because God has invaded the box from the outside, we have great hope. Jesus Christ entered into our world to show us how we can live forever with God.

This is the good news of the Gospel, so familiar to me, yet so thrilling. Jesus, who is God in human flesh and the fullness of God, not only choose to come to earth to die for sinners like me, He also humbles Himself to live in my heart and make me complete in Him.

Our church chose John 8:32 as a theme verse for 2009. It says: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Knowing and experiencing truth is just another way of saying that Jesus took the lid off the box that had locked me into bondage to sin and set me free to know God.

I need no other philosophy, no other source of grace or hope. Jesus rules over all other ideas and authorities, and because He took the lid off, He alone is my freedom.