Prayer that "works"!

When I was in the British Mercantile Marine (aka the Merchant Navy), I was a very immature disciple of Jesus. However, I attended the on-board Sunday "Divine Service" as a witness to my feeble faith. This, of course, marked me out, and I would sometimes be asked if I would pray - not for healing, or guidance, or spiritual strength, but that such and such a horse would win such and such a race, as my shipmate had placed a large bet on that happening! 

I suspect that there are even fellow disciples of Jesus who think of prayer in the same way! It's asking for something, and expecting to receive it. This has led to the situation in which prayer is only answered if we receive that for which we asked!

Now, some might point to the words of the Lord Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 7:8 - "For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." However, it is always dangerous to lift a single verse, and base any decision on it, without recourse to other parts of God's Word that explain, and qualify, the verse in question.

It is not all asking that receives, for there is asking - such as I was requested to make - that is not true prayer. Some ask merely in word, with no real desire in their hearts. Some - like my former shipmates - ask selfishly, that they may use this wonderful privilege to satisfy their own desires. Others ask rebelliously, without submission to the will of Father God. Then there are those who ask without faith - not really expecting any answer. Some ask in laziness, not ready to play their own part. Yet others ask ignorantly for things that would nt be a blessing if they were to receive them. It is surely clear that those who ask in any of these ways will not receive!

Similarly, not all who seek find! The seeking must be earnest. Speaking through His prophet, Jeremiah, YHWH says: "You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart," (29:13; emphasis added).The seeking must also be for good things. If we seek that which is sinful, or that would work spiritual harm in us, Father God will not give us what we seek. Then, again, we must be living lives that seek to honour Him. The Sons of Korah remind us that: "No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly." (Ps.84:11; emphasis added). The thing that we seek must be good, and we must walk in the path of obedience, or there is no promise of reward for our quest.

Finally, Father God does not open the door to all knocking. There are knocks like those of mischievous children, who knock at a door (or ring the door-bell),and then run away, not really having wanted to enter! It is also all too easy to knock at the wrong door! It is when we knock at the right door, with expectancy, and faith, and persistence, that the door is graciously opened. 

Thus, in interpreting the wonderful prayer-promise that the Lord Jesus gave, we must read into those words their true meaning. If we are to receive positive answers, then our asking, seeking, and knocking, must be true prayer! 

We'll continue with this topic, DV, next time!

In the Beginning, Pt 2 ...!

In the previous post, we looked at the first 19 verses of the 1st chapter of the Book of Genesis (the Book of Beginnings). As we continue, let us imagine that we are an audience. We are in our seats. The Overture has finished, and the curtain has gone up to reveal the backdrop. Now, from "stage left" and "stage right"; from above, and below; the characters enter. First of all there is the crowd scene; then the heroes arrive on stage.

The Creator has made an environment that is capable of supporting life. Now, He lets loose a flurry of fin, feather, and fur  to fill it. Do notice that human beings don't get a creation day to themselves, being created on the sixth day with all of the other «beasts of the earth» (Gen.1:25) - the creatures that inhabited the land. From one perspective, we are a part pf the animal creation.

However, Almighty God planned a very special role for us in the world. «Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” ... And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”» (vs. 26, 28). He appointed us to be His agents, or stewards, to run the planet for Him. This is the work He has designed us to do. 

But that is not all. He also desires that we reflect His own character! «Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; ... So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.» (vs.26, 27). Being like God means treating the natural world both responsibly and constructively. Notice, too, that in spite of the claims of some in our contemporary world, there were, and are, only two genders - male and female. That is the Biblical position and, I would contend, the position of common sense and observation! What does it mean to be «created in His image»? That, too, is a subject on its own, and something to which I may return!

He also created us to rest with Him. «And on the seventh day God finished His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all His work which He had done in creation.» (2:2-3). God's "rest" is not idleness! He has finished a perfect job - «And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good.» (1:31; emphasis added) - so there is no more creating to do. Of course, He has been busy ever since, with other work - sustaining, guiding, feeding, etc. He is not the "god who creates, and then ignores" that some propose! And we must never forget His great work of redemption through the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross at Calvary, and His glorious resurrection. But the Creator built into human nature the need to make one day of the week different - to break off from our daily work, to celebrate His work, and to turn to things for which there may be no time on other days.

Sadly, as we look around, we see much abuse of God's plan for the world. We see exploitation of the environment, and cruelty to animals. We see indignities to people who are made in His image, including man's dominance over women, rather than partnership with them. We see waste and misuse. We see some who have little or nothing, while others have far more than they need. How can this be? That is a question that the Book of Genesis answers shortly - but it is for another post!

The return of - not the Jedi, but "yours truly"!

Well, after a very lengthy absence - four months to be precise! - I have again gained access to my Google accounts - including this one. I confess to not even having been aware that this was a Google site and, when I lost access to my gmail account, thought that I could, at the very least, keep up with posts here. How wrong can one be?! I have actually been able to access since Dec.15th, but "inherited" more than 3,400 emails that awaited my attention and, of course, as quickly as I deleted those that were out of date, others were coming in!

So, here I am, on Ne'erday (New Year's Day for those unfamiliar with the Scottish expression!), with the first of what I trust will continue to be my weekly posts for 2022.

In Luke 5:4, we read these words of the Lord Jesus to Simon Peter: "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." A carpenter telling a fisherman where to catch fish! The background to the advice is that Peter, and his friends had been fishing all night, and caught nothing (v.5). Indeed, when Jesus had arrived at the spot on the shore of the lake of Gennesaret, they were washing their nets, and it was Peter's boat that Jesus had used as a "pulpit" to teach the crowd of people who were wanting to hear the Word of God. Peter, however, responded: "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." The result was miraculous! "And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, " (vs.6-7).

Why did these fishermen have to go out to the deeper water? Because when you want what you don't have - in this case, fish! - you've got to risk going where you haven't yet been! Some may have heard of, or even read, the book by John Ortberg - "If you want to walk on water, you've got to get out of the boat". This also involves dear Simon Peter and, again, he has to be obedient, even if all of his previous experience tells him that what he is about to do is a waste of time!

This is, of course, for many businesses a time to take stock. In such businesses, the directors wish to find out how their business has fared – has it progressed; has it done better than it did last year; can they report an increase in profits to the shareholders?

I suggest that it is a good time for us, too, to take stock spiritually.  We should ask ourselves if there has been any improvement, any progress, in our spiritual lives; if we are walking any closer to the Lord now than we were a year ago? That, of course, has to do with our sanctification. And sanctification may be simply defined as “becoming more like Jesus – day by day”, something that happens only by the working of God the Holy Spirit within us.

If a business is failing, or if there has not been satisfactory progress, then new policies, or a new manager, will be required. If there has been no progress in your spiritual life, or in mine, then the same solution will apply.

For the true disciple of Jesus, the new policies will often centre around our attitude to, and out time spent in, prayer and Bible Study. It is even possible that there are some who would refer to themselves as “Christians” for whom the need is greater submission to the true ‘Manager’ – the Lord Jesus. For the unbeliever, I would claim that that is the only solution. 

A new year! What will it bring? That is something that I am unable to say - indeed, that no-one is able to say with absolute certainty! However, as I quoted at the end of our annual newsletter, sent out just before Christmas, “I don't know what the future may hold, but I know Who holds the future.” (Ralph Abernethy, Martin Luther King's chief aide and closest associate.). For those who are disciples of the Lord Jesus, the Christ, that is our great strength and encouragement. 

I wish each and all, a happy, healthy, and hope-filled year. 

Two certainties.

In  “The Cobbler of Preston” (Christopher Bullock; 1716) appears the line, “Tis impossible to be sure of any thing but Death and Taxes.”, and the sentiment has been echoed on a number of occasions, by a number of well-known people.

However, I would suggest that there are two other certainties, referred to by the prophet Hosea, in the book that bears his name. He writes, concerning YHWH "... He has torn, that He may heal us; He has stricken, and He will bind us up." (Hos 6:1).

I know that Almighty God punishes those who deliberately break His laws - those who are sinners in His sight. And that, as I stated on Wednesday, included my friend; it includes me; and it includes every person who has ever lived - with the solitary exception of the Lord Jesus. "... all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ..." (Rom 3:23) writes Paul - and that "all" includes you and me.

However, I also know that Almighty God forgives those who repent, and turn to Him, through the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus at Calvary. These are two certainties that I have sought to preach, clearly and distinctly, throughout my pastoral ministry.

On Wednesday of the past week, I conducted the funeral service for an English friend who, with his wife, had been living in France for some seven years. A brother in the Lord; John had been suffering from cancer for many months but, on the previous Thursday, his mortal body had succumbed. His widow asked that I would conduct the service because, to use her own words: "We sing from the same hymn-sheet"! She knew that I would bring the Gospel message into whatever I said at the funeral. And I did!

I commenced the message by possibly shocking some of those present with the announcement that John was not dead! What was in that coffin was the mortal body that he had been given and that he used for almost 80 years. The man that we knew – some of us better, and for longer, than others – was not there.  He was, and is, with Jesus! How could I be certain? Simply because at 45 years of age, John recognised that he was a sinner! That's the first certainty.

John had a 'church background'; He believed in the existence of God. He knew about Jesus. But, as he shared when he gave his own testimony, he didn’t have a personal relationship with the Saviour. However, in middle age, he discovered that the very God against Whom he sinned, loved him so much that He had already done something about the situation! In the Persona of the Son, Almighty God took upon Himself human flesh – that very flesh that He had created – and came to live among mankind. He lived a quiet, unassuming, hard-working, life for about 30 years but then became a wandering Teacher and, eventually, as we shall shortly be recalling at Pâques (Resurrection Day), was crucified, and buried in a borrowed tomb.

John confessed his sins, and his sinfulness; he acknowledged that he could never do anything about them; he accepted that, at Calvary, the Son paid the penalty that he deserved to pay; he was born anew of God the Holy Spirit; he became a true son of Almighty God – joint-heir with the Lord Jesus, the Christ; he moved from death to life – a life that continues even although his mortal body has reached the end.

One of John's favourite Bible verses is found in John’s account of the Gospel, in 14:6. It reads « Jesus said …, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.” » There is only one way – and that is through the Lord Jesus. Anything else is counterfeit. I cannot earn my salvation; I cannot buy my salvation; I do not deserve my salvation. It is, as Paul wrote to the Ephesian believers “… the gift of God …” (2:8).

Two certainties: As surely as the sun rises in the morning, the judgement of Almighty God will come. But His mercy is just as certain for those who turn from their sin, to the new life in the Lord Jesus.

May all who read this post find that new life for themselves.

Lessons from the "House of Mirrors"!

I don't honestly know if such places still exist. I certainly haven't seen one for many, many years. However, when I made a quick search for one, I did discover that they are based on "The Galerie des Glaces" (Hall of Mirrors) - perhaps the most famous room in the château of Versailles. It took the place of the rooftop terrace overlooking the gardens which formerly connected the apartments of the king and queen. The construction of the room began in 1678 and finished in 1684. The gallery is more than 70 metres (230 ft) long, and it is lined with 17 wide arcaded mirrors, designed to match and reflect the windows opposite facing the gardens. (from Wikipedia).

Of course, the Hall of Mirrors of which I am thinking is the one in which multiple mirrors combine to make a kind of maze, through which visitors must pass. The mirrors, themselves, are of different shapes, and planes, and cause one to see oneself in all kinds of shapes and sizes.

I have read of a Moorish palace with a beautiful, grotto-like, entrance which is, apparently, quite intriguing. Notices at the entrance announce the wonders and beauties that may be seen inside. However, upon entering, the visitor discovers that the interior is simply a mass of strange mirrors! Regardless of which way he turns, he sees himself from a different angle. 

Glancing ahead, the visitor appears to be tall and thin; looking to the right, he encounters a curved mirror that makes him appear to be broader than he really is. Different mirrors provide differing reflections, deceptively luring him onwards, and bringing him face-to-face with strange reflections of himself - some flattering; others much less so! 

Of course, some people seem to spend their whole lives in this way! No matter in which direction they turn, they see nothing but 'self', until sometimes the view becomes exaggerated, and completely unrealistic. A little success, and they become so gratified that, in their own twisted imaginations, they grow to huge proportions! They need to take some heed to the words of Rabbie Burns, the Scots Bard: "O wad some pow'r the giftie gie us, tae see oorsels as ithers see us"! (To a louse).

God's written Word warns us to guard against pride in self. So Paul writes to the early disciples of Jesus in Rome: "Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us." (Rom 12:3; The Living Bible)

"Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves," Don't take yourself too seriously, or nourish your ego on every compliment you receive. If you do, the distorted mirrors of pride will often make you appear taller than you really are. However, a bloated opinion of yourself is both unhealthy, and unspiritual, and may even prove to be embarrassing! Jesus said: "When you are invited by any one to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honour , lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him; and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher'; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 14:8-11).

May we tend, more, to the attitude of John the Baptiser who said, with regard to the Lord Jesus: "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30).

A past long gone.

I have tried to find the story online - but have been unable to do so! Of course, it may be entirely apocryphal, but even if it is just a parable, it has an important lesson. It is the story of a nun who had, in her youth, committed what she considered to have been a grievous sin. She had, as a Romanist, gone to her priest, and had received 'absolution'. However, this brought her no peace at all. Day after day, she would mentally chide herself for her foolishness, and seek forgiveness.

One day, as she prayed and, again, asked for forgiveness from the only One Who can truly grant it, she believed that she heard a voice asking: "For what do you require forgiveness?" She named the sin, and the voice responded: "But why. I forgave you that sin on the first occasion on which you asked!"

According to the English novelist, Aldous Huxley, "There are no back moves on the chessboard of life"! Yet is it not true that we remain aware of things that we have done in the past, and things that we failed to do? Often, our sins worry us. They motivate us to wish that we could undo the past!

That is why those of us who have placed our trust in the Lord Jesus can be thankful for the message of Father God, found in both the First and Second (aka Old and New) Testaments. The great prophet, Isaiah, urges us to "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." (Isa 55:6-7).

Another of the Hebrew prophets asks: "Who is a God like thee, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? ... ... Thou wilt cast all our sins into the depths of the sea." (Micah 7:18-19; emphasis added). 

When Paul preached in Antioch, he said: "Let it be known to you therefore, brethren, that through this man [Jesus] forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by Him every one that believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:38-39; emphasis added).

John, on whose letters my third book - Defending the Faith - is based, writes: "... if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:7-9; emphasis added).

Are you worried about your past? Rejoice! God has cast all of your sins into the depths of the sea. Are you still concerned about your sins? Rejoice! If you are in Jesus, and He is in you, (in other words if you are His true disciple, born again by the work of God the Holy Spirit in your life), they are forgiven, and you are cleansed from all unrighteousness. 

Permit me to share just two further scriptures. The writer of the great Letter to Hebrew disciples of Jesus quotes from the prophet Jeremiah when he states: "I will remember their sins and their misdeeds no more." (Heb. 10:17); while the psalmist-king, David writes: "... as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us." (Ps. 103:12).

If you have truly put your faith in the Lord Jesus, and received the salvation that He gained for you at Calvary, then the past is truly forgiven and, as the Spirit does His sanctifying work in you, the future is assured!

I love singing, and have many favourite songs and hymns. But if I was forced to choose just one as my "favourite favourite", it would be "When peace, like a river, attendeth my way" (aka "It is well with my soul".) Of that hymn, my favourite verse - and one that I seldom sing without a tear in my eye - is the one that reads:

"My sin; O the bliss of this glorious thought; My sin, not in part, but the whole is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord; Praise the Lord, O my soul."

May that be your personal testimony as well!

God's blank cheque

John Wilbur Chapman is not a name known to many, today. He was a Christian pastor, and evangelist in the late 19th century, and commenced his evangelistic ministry alongside the better-know D.L. Moody. From 1907, Chapman's partner in the Gospel was the well-known singer, Charles Alexander. However, he also spent the his first twenty years of specific Christian service, in pastoral ministry.

At a time of great personal sorrow, Dr Chapman was preparing to go on a trip to the far West of the United States of America. One of his elders, who was a banker, came to speak with him. As he was leaving, he slipped a piece of paper into the minister's hand. When Dr Chapman looked at it, he saw a cheque, made out to him, and signed by the banker. However, there was no sum of money mentioned! The minister looked at his elder. "Are you giving me a signed blank cheque, to be filled in as I please?", he asked. "Yes!", replied the banker. "I don't know how much you might need, and I want you to draw any amount that will meet those needs."

As events transpired, Dr Chapman did not need to cash that cheque for any amount - but he confessed that it gave him a comfortable feeling to know that he had, quite literally, millions of dollars at his disposal.

As he ended his letter to the early disciples of Jesus, in the Roman colonial city of Philippi, the apostle Paul wrote these words: "And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory, in Christ (Messiah) Jesus." (4:19). That is a promise that goes beyond even millions of USA dollars! This is the God Who is described, in a pastoral society and culture, as owning "the cattle on a thousand hills"(Ps.50:10). 

But, of course, not all needs are material, and able to be met with sufficient financial resources. How may one buy true love? How much does it cost in financial terms? What is the price of a genuine friendship? Where may I purchase real peace? What will I have to pay for a big load of happiness? Does a billionaire have any stronger a claim on life than a pauper? 

That is why, as this Covid-19 pandemic - however it was caused, and for whatever (possibly nefarious!) purpose - continues to affect so many of us, we need resources that have no relationship to the size of our bank balance. Such resources are found only in the Living God, the Creator of all that exists, the Father of the Lord Jesus, the Christ, through the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit.

He, and He alone, is our Certainty in uncertain times.

Kindness - it's a characteristic of love.

In the home of the Roman centurion, Cornelius, Peter shared about the Lord Jesus. One of the things that he said about Him was that "... He went about doing good ..." (Acts 10:38). Jesus was, in fact, kindness and goodness personified, for He was full of God the Holy Spirit. When the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, we too will want "... to walk in the same way in which He walked." (1 John 2:6), and spend our lives ministering to others.

Let's face it - everyone can perform some deed of kindness each day. A pleasant greeting; an expression of sympathy; a visit to a shut-in person (perhaps with a couple of cakes to go with a cup of  coffee!); even a good book passed on to gladden another's heart. A lunch shared; an errand done; a word of affection, or encouragement. These are the kinds of things that are within the power of almost everyone. Larger opportunities may not come our way, but those smaller ones are almost always to hand.

I read, recently, of an Arab who was chauffeur for a lady travelling in the Holy Land. Noticing an obviously Jewish driver experiencing difficulties with his car, and having received permission from his employer, he stopped to offer assistance. It didn't take him too many minutes to realise that he didn't have the parts necessary to get the other car moving again, so, having once more sought permission, he invited the Jewish man to ride in the front with him so that he could take him into the city where he could get further help. 

After he left the Jew at a garage, the lady expressed her surprise at the kind treatment the driver had given one who, she had supposed, was his enemy! "I didn't know that Arabs were so friendly with Jews!", she remarked. The chauffeur's reply was accompanied with a joyous smile. "Things like that don't make any difference to me since I've been converted! The Lord Jesus wants us to treat everyone as we would wish to be treated."

Now I appreciate that one does not require to be a disciple of Jesus in order to be kind. However, those of us who have become identified with Him should be so filled with His grace that we constantly overflow with compassion and consideration for others. Writing to his fellow-believers in the Galatian churches, the apostle Paul declared that: "... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;" (Gal 5:22-23). I have long contended that, if the apostle had been writing using modern punctuation marks (which he did not!), there would be a colon (:) after the word "love". You see, the word "fruit"is singular, meaning that there is only one "fruit of the Spirit". The other characteristics, I suggest, are ways by which that love is expressed! You may have noticed that one of them is "kindness"!

Will you seek to express love by acts of kindness, today? Will you? 

Wheat - and weeds!

Today, my wife and I drove up from our static caravan in The Gironde (S.W.France) to Arques (close to Calais) - a distance of some 475 miles (almost 800 kms).  As we did so - leaving the warm sunshine of the South-west for the colder, dull, windy weather of Pays de Calais - we passed, not only field after field of regimented rows of vines, but also many fields of golden grain.  As we sped past one particular field, I saw something of which I had often read but, as far as I can recall, had never before seen!

The high grasses at the roadside, combined with the speed at which we were travelling, meant that I cannot be absolutely certain that the main crop in the field was wheat.  However, there was no doubting the large clumps of green growth that towered above the grain.  They were certainly weeds!

In Matthew 13:24ff is recorded one of the parables of the Lord Jesus.  In it He refers to weeds that are growing in the midst of wheat.  The parable is one that is illustrating the Kingdom of God - on earth.  So how may it be interpreted?   The usual interpretation is that the weeds (more properly a degenerate type of wheat) represent hypocrites in the church. Strongly resembling Christians in their experience, and, in some respects, their lives, it is well-nigh impossible to distinguish them from genuine disciples of Jesus, nor can they be separated until it is done by Father God at the day of judgment.

How may I be assured that I am wheat, and not weed?  By living my life in full accordance with the written Word of God; by walking closely with my Saviour; by confessing every sin, and claiming the forgiveness that was gained for me, at the cost of the precious blood of Jesus, at Calvary; by keeping in touch with my Heavenly Father, in prayer; by reading His Word, and studying it, to the best of my ability.

The great day of Reaping is, I am convinced, very close.  It is certainly closer, today, than it was yesterday.  Let us be certain that we are gathered into the Father's granary - and not cast off to eternal damnation!