Blame Shifters

‘And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”’ [Genesis 3:11-13 NIV]

1406450_24653656I have been reading Genesis recently, and loving the story of creation all over again. But when I got to what happened in the Garden of Eden, something stood out to me.

God told Adam and Eve not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It was the one thing He asked them not to do. But the serpent came, Eve was talked into it and then passed the fruit on to Adam. When God came looking for them, they hid — something I’ve seen my children do when they know they’ve been naughty.

Then, the blame shifting started. Adam said ‘it was that woman you gave me – she made me do it.’ And, of course, Eve passed the buck on to the serpent – ‘that slimy snake tricked me.’ No-one wanted to take the blame for this act of disobedience.

1340355_50366791The thing that I noticed more than other times I’ve read it is that all three of them received discipline for their part in it. None got away unscathed. The serpent was cursed to slither on his belly all his days and be at enmity with the woman. Eve was punished with pain in childbirth. And Adam was forced to labour and groan over weed infested soil, to provide food for his family.

When something goes wrong, an argument ensues, or a relationship is broken, there is always more than one side to the story. Usually both sides (or more if more are involved) have a degree of fault to be owned. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all own our own responsibility for mistakes, rather than blame shift? Relationships would be restored much quicker if we did.

Published in: on 14th January, 2013 at 10:02 am  Leave a Comment  
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Immediate Reward

” These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” [Hebrews 11:39-40 NIV]

These two verses are at the end of a chapter which summarises many of the Old Testament heroes of the faith. These men and women lived by faith in a God whom they couldn’t see and couldn’t relate to in the way we do now. They only had the Law and the occasional visitation by an angel to go by. And yet, they held fast till the day they died.

The Promised Land from Mt Nebo

The Promised Land from Mt Nebo

They believed in the promises of God. They believed in something that none of them saw the complete fulfilment of in their lives. Even Moses, who was given the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey, never saw it except from a distance. He never entered the fulfilment of the promise. But it didn’t change his deep faith in the God of the promise.

Today, we have seen much fulfilment of the Old Testament promises. We have the promised Salvation by Christ’s death on the cross. We have the promised Holy Spirit, so we can communicate daily with the God of heaven. We can see His power at work in those around us — indeed, we can see a little of the Kingdom of God on earth. Our faith, here and now, has immediate rewards, even while there is still a future promise ahead of us. How fortunate we are!

Does our faith rank up to those Old Testament heroes though? Do we still keep faith and believe on God as our rock and foundation even when we don’t see the answers we want? Something to think about.

Published in: on 17th December, 2012 at 7:21 pm  Leave a Comment  
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A Whole New Way

“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” [Ephesians 2:14-16 NIV]

Image by Tijmen van Dobbenburgh

Image by Tijmen van Dobbenburgh

As I read Ephesians recently, it occurred to me that after Jesus’s time on earth, the whole church experienced a revolution — well those who accepted who He was anyway. No longer was knowledge of God only available to Jews — the chosen people — and no longer were God’s children bound by a heavy burden of law and sacrifice.

Freedom swept through Israel and surrounding nations as the Gospel was spread. People could have a relationship with Christ — people everywhere. The barrier between Jew and Gentile was removed, so that anyone can now come to the Father. The law was broken wide open, becoming a heart response to a love relationship with the Almighty God, instead of a list of rules you dare not veer from.

Those early Christians must have felt so liberated, so excited about this new way of living. It is no wonder the Good News spread like wildfire with thousands coming to Christ all the time. And the apostles burned with it. They went to extraordinary lengths to keep on spreading the Gospel, even in the face of persecution and death.

It makes me wonder. Are we so used to this freedom that we have now taken it for granted? Do we burn with zeal for the gospel like those early Christians? Are we willing to face persecution to see more people saved? God, stir up the fires within our spirit and give us your heart for the nations.

Published in: on 10th December, 2012 at 10:25 am  Comments (2)  
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Thief in the Night

‘Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.’ [Thessalonians 5:1-3 NIV]

iStock_000014304825XSmallWhen you think about a thief breaking in to your home in the middle of the night, it conjures up frightening thoughts. It is sudden, unexpected, terrifying — much like a nightmare. According to the verse above, that is what Jesus second coming is likened to. Sounds intimidating? Definitely for those who have rejected  Christ, or if they don’t know about Him.

However, for those of us who walk with the Lord in our daily lives, the outlook is much different. In Thessalonians 5, verse 4 goes on to say ‘But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief’. In other words, we live in expectation of Christ’s return. Every day could be THE day. So, when Christ does appear it will not be such a shock. It will be a surprise, yes, but a pleasant, exciting one. Not scary, not unexpected, not a nightmare at all. A day for celebration. And we who know Him get to go and meet Him in the air.

I, for one, look forward to that day. How about you?

Published in: on 3rd December, 2012 at 10:35 am  Comments (2)  
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Amazed

‘When Jesus had finished saying these things,the crowds were amazed at his teaching because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.’ [Matthew 7:28 NIV]

The Sermon on the Mount Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834-1890)

This verse is written at the end of the sermon on the mount, which covers three chapters of Matthew’s gospel. It is one of the most revolutionary pieces of teaching in the bible, especially for the people living in the time of Christ. Those people were used to the Pharisaic teaching which exaggerated minor details of the biblical law while ignoring the important heart attitudes those same laws tried to instill.

Jesus took everything they knew and turned it upside down. Or rather, he set the standard much higher, showing that kingdom living was more than just keeping a bunch of rules. It is easy to get caught up in the ‘if I follow the ten commandments, I’ll stay on God’s good side’ thought process. But, the way Jesus taught, it’s not enough to just not murder, or not lie, or not commit adultery.

Jesus showed that the heart attitude behind those kinds of sins need to be dealt with as well, not just the physical act. He said that if we hold anger toward someone, we are still in the wrong. He said that if we lust after someone other than our spouse, we are thinking in an adulterous manner.

And while it is good to give to good causes, and while it is good to fast and pray, if we do it for the world to see and therefore to boost our egos, we’ve got the whole concept wrong. God sees that as pride, not an act of humility.

No wonder the people in Israel were amazed at Jesus’ teaching. His words are still just as powerful, challenging and life-changing today.

Published in: on 26th November, 2012 at 10:28 am  Comments (4)  
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A Beautiful Exchange

“I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” [Galatians 2:21 NIV]

Photo by Bren Leslie

All of Galatians emphasises that we are no longer under the law, or the curse that goes with it. We live by the grace, believing in the salvation that Christ bought on the cross. It is a powerful message.

In Galatians 3:19 Paul says, ‘Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come.’ So the law was never intended to be a permanent thing. It was only put in place to help people in their quest for righteousness until the time was right for Jesus to come and offer Himself as the perfect lamb for once and for all.

If we think about modern law, we see that new statutes are formed constantly to try to keep society as peaceful and ordered as possible. For example, too many people take to hunting a certain animal and pretty soon, regulations are put in place to make it illegal in order to protect that species. If a better solution comes along, regulations are changed.

Photo by Niels Timmer

In our case, the better solution was Jesus’ death on the cross. Through His sacrifice, the whole of the law was fulfilled and we were free to live under the grace that was given. The law is now written on our hearts in love, and we live out of a love relationship in obedience to His Word, not in fear of punishment, but to honour Him who sits on the throne.

It was, and still is, a beautiful exchange.

Published in: on 12th November, 2012 at 10:22 am  Leave a Comment  
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Being Sure of the Future

‘They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him.“We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles,who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.”’ ‘ [Mark 10:32-34 NIV]

Two thousand odd years after the fact, we can look back and see all the prophecies in Scripture that were fulfilled in Jesus. But it occurred to me when I read this passage, that Jesus predicted His own death, the treatment he would receive and His resurrection. Yes, He would have read all of those Old Testament prophecies too, but that means that He knew beyond a shadow of doubt, that He was the promised Messiah. Unwavering in His confidence, He declared how and when He would die and how and when He would rise.

Now, the Bible is full of promises that God has made over us. If we believed and had confidence in those promises to the same extent that Jesus did, we should have a fair idea of what is in store for us. Can we, based on the promises of God, make declarations about our own lives? For example, ‘I am healed,’ ‘I will prosper,’ ‘I am chosen for a purpose.’

You may even have received some personal promises from the Lord. Why not speak them over your life as though you expect them to happen any day? God’s word is sure. Jesus trusted in it enough to speak it out, why can’t we?

 

Published in: on 5th November, 2012 at 10:27 am  Comments (2)  
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He Will Do It

“The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” [1 Thessalonians 5:24 NIV]

Photo by Chris Gilbert

I have seen and heard this Scripture around my home church for years and yet, this week it has been renewed upon my mind. Last week I talked about how we can only live out our calling in God’s perfect time, not in our own strength. This week, it seems befitting to encourage that it will come to pass, even when time seems to stretch out before us with little change.

Once God has given the call, handed over the vision and dream, He does not take it back again. Even if we make huge mistakes in trying, much like Moses did, and though we might wander in the proverbial ‘desert’ for what seems an eternity, God will bring us back to the fulfilment of the promise.

That’s one of the great things about our God. He is faithful. You can depend on His word. But again, it doesn’t happen in our own time or strength. Like the verse above says: He will do it. So, in that promise we can rest and enjoy the journey. We don’t need to strive or strain to reach the goals He puts in our hearts. We just have to walk in obedience to Him and loving Him, and He will make it happen when the time is right.

Isn’t God awesome?!

Published in: on 29th October, 2012 at 10:35 am  Comments (4)  
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In God’s Time

‘“After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to get a closer look, he heard the Lord say: ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.

“Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’

“This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. He led them out of Egypt and performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the wilderness.”‘ [Acts 7:30-36 NIV]

Something stood out to me as I read this passage recently. Earlier in the story, when Moses was still living in Egypt, he had gone down to see his people and seen a man being mistreated by an Egyptian. Taking matters into his own hands, he killed the Egyptian. The Bible says that ‘Moses thought that his own people would realise that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.’ [vs 25]

It occurred to me that Moses already had it in his heart to see the Israelis delivered from slavery. He already had the vision and the desire to see it happen and believed he was the man for the job, BUT the big problem here is that he tried to do it in his own strength, not with God’s favour and timing.

God places the desires in our hearts (see Psalm 37:4) and he brings them to pass, but it is all contingent on one thing: that we live a life committed to Him and trusting in Him. At the point where Moses killed the Egyptian, he had never even encountered God, let alone have a relationship with Him.

It wasn’t until after some time in the desert, a change of heart attitude and a revelation of who God is, that Moses was ready to be sent back to Egypt to complete that which was in his heart for so many years.

So, my encouragement for you today is, wait on God and He will bring those dreams and visions to pass in His perfect time. Listen to Him and lean on Him and He will guide you into fulfillment of those desires.

Published in: on 22nd October, 2012 at 10:25 am  Comments (2)  
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Without a Doubt

‘At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.”

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”

They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”

He replied, “You say that I am.”

Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”’ [Luke 22:66-71 NIV]

Photo by fabioslave

As I read this passage last week, something stood out to me: Jesus was absolutely sure of who He was and what He had to do. There was no room for doubt.

He stood, first before the chief priests, then Pilate and then Herod. They all asked Him if He was the Messiah, the King of the Jews. In each case, He either remained silent, or confirmed His claim. And such a huge claim it was — one that was punishable by death in Jewish law.

If He knew what would befall Him by holding to this assertion that He was the Son of God, and if there were any doubt in Him, surely He would have backed down, admitted a mistake, something.

This reminds me of the statement ‘liar, lunatic or Lord,’ which was said by CS Lewis. If Christ was a liar or a lunatic, certainly He would have given in under the pressure, or at the very least, screamed against the persecution He received. But He did none of these. He quietly stood His ground and went to the cross without a fuss or fight.

My question is, do you and I have that much certainty to who He is, and to our purpose in life? Are we willing to lay down our lives for the cause, and not give in to the pressure of hardships? It’s worth a thought.

Published in: on 15th October, 2012 at 10:26 am  Comments (2)  
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