Archives for June 2020

Ownership is an interesting thing. We all have things we own or want to own, and we are all owned in various ways too. A parent owns children, but the children also own the parent. A husband owns a wife and the wife owns her husband.

We each own a certain citizenship, so we own certain rights in a country, but the country owns us, as its citizen too.

We can be owned in the nicest way, such as part of a loving family or caring relationship. Yet we can also be owned in a form of slavery, trapped by our ‘owner’ and denied freedoms.

Note King Solomon’s warning that we are bound to the one we borrow from.

“The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the lender’s slave.” Proverbs 22:7

A husband and wife could argue over who belongs to who. Is she his wife, or is he her husband? Apostle Paul reveals that each owns the other.

“The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.” 1Corinthians 7:4

I want to direct your attention now to your relationship with God and Jesus. There is a two-way ownership established between you and your Saviour. King Solomon reflected that in his Song of Songs.

“My beloved is mine and I am his.” Song of Solomon 2:16

We can understand the idea of God owning us, since He is God Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. He is vastly greater than all of us put together. We can accept that He could own us and everyone else. But can we ‘own’ God?

Wonderfully, when we put our faith in Christ and become God’s child, we effectively own God as our Heavenly Father, and as our Saviour, and as the one who will be faithful to all His promises. That gives us amazing privileges, to call out to God and ask for things we need, and even to come boldly into God’s presence.

“Call unto Me and I will answer you, and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

“Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:24

“Let us then approach the throne of grace boldly, so we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

This puts us in relationship. Note that Christianity is not strictly a ‘religion’, but it is ‘relationship’ with the Living God. You are not bound to a set of religious practices, but you are welcomed into God’s family to relate with God and Jesus as Father and Brother.

In relationship there is consideration of each other. A wife gets to claim her husband and depend on him, while the husband also gets to claim the wife as his delight. A child gets to claim protection, love and care from a parent, but the parent gets to require the child to fit in with the family and obey the parent.

A boss gets the labour and skill of his employee, but the employee gets a guarantee of payment and a safe working environment. A country gets to claim its citizen as part of its corporate wealth and as one to be called on for the good of the country, but the citizen gets to claim protections and provisions from the country.

You can legitimately say, “God is MY God!” You can claim God as yours, because you ‘own’ Him as your Heavenly Father. You own Him as your saviour and protector. You own Him as your guide and provider. You own Him as the one who will watch over you and bring you into His presence in due time.

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, both now and ever. Amen.” Jude 24,25

At the same time, God owns you. You are His! God claims you as His child, and as part of His Kingdom. You are under God’s command and Lordship. That’s why acknowledgement of Jesus as ‘Lord’ is such a significant thing.

“No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” 1Corinthians 12:3

“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10,11

Jesus is your Lord. He is Lord of all. All things have been put under His feet. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. So you certainly are ‘owned’ by God. There is no escaping the right God has over you.

In a mutually loving relationship, such as should be between parent and child or husband and wife, there is no problem in being ‘owned’. Whatever loss there is in being owned is completely made up for by being able to ‘own’ the other. It is a mutually rewarding relationship.

That’s certainly how it is with God. We live our lives to glorify Him, because He owns us, and we get to enjoy Him and His eternal blessings forever. We are delighted to be His, because He is ours.

The wonderful shared connection between us and God was conveyed beautifully in the most famous hymn of Irishman George Robinson, written in 1876.

Loved with everlasting love, Led by grace that love to know;
Gracious Spirit from above, You have taught me it is so!
Oh, this full and perfect peace! Oh, this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.

Since faith is a foundational element of our Christian life, let me help you see a significant aspect of how you can take hold of things God has for you. I want to point out for you a distinction between asking and believing.

We are told to ask for things from God. That is a wonderful privilege we all have. We are to pray for things and to ask and keep on asking.

“Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:24

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

“Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11

When we pray we are to do so in faith. We ask, believing that God hears us and that God will answer our prayer. Here, then, is a link between asking and believing.

“Therefore I tell you, whatever things you ask for in prayer, believe that you receive them, and they will be yours.” Mark 11:24

“And all things, whatsoever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Matthew 21:22

Note the idea of asking and, separately, of believing.

Prayer can be prayed in times of hopelessness and despair, as the only option left. We can feel so helpless and the problem so difficult that we pray in desperation, rather than faith. God understands that. The disciples called desperately on Jesus, such as when they thought they would drown in a storm.

Jesus heard their desperate cry and saved them, even though they didn’t have faith.

“The disciples went and woke Jesus, saying, Lord, save us! We are dying! Jesus replied, You of little faith, why are you so afraid? He rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm.” Matthew 8:25,26

God will do the same for you too, since God doesn’t show favouritism. Those who call on the name of the Lord will be rescued.

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:17

However it is possible to learn to pray and not actually have any faith. Prayer can become a ritual, or a nice religious thing to do, without any true expectation that God is listening and will do anything to answer the prayer.

Often people will ask for prayer, but their plan of action is to do all in their power to solve their problem. They ask for prayer because it is the right thing to do, not because they are relying on God’s help. It’s good to pray, but remember that praying is meant to be linked to believing.

To give you a practical example, let’s imagine two people who need to be well, maybe because they have exams coming and can’t afford to be distracted by sickness. They both agree together in prayer, asking God to keep them well.

One of them goes away, hopeful they won’t get sick. The other goes away thankful that they won’t get sick. Both have prayed, but only one has connected ‘believing’ with the prayer. One actually expects God to answer the prayer, while the other only hopes they won’t get sick.

Some days later both of them develop a slight sniffle. The one who prayed for health, in hope, feels defeated and quickly doses up on all the medication they can, because God hasn’t answered their prayer.

The other, keeps praying, maybe like this, “God, I asked for health and I believe you heard my prayer and are keeping me well. So this slight sniffle is an enemy attack to get me to give up trusting You. I won’t give up. I choose to continue to trust You and thank You for keeping me well. I reject this sniffle as nothing but a lie from the enemy to tempt me to give up. I call on the name of the Lord to save me and to keep me well.”

Over time a pattern will emerge of one of those two getting prayers answered, while the other, who asked for the same things, won’t seem to have God listening to them. God hears both prayers, but God looks at our heart. He is looking for our faith.

When we activate faith, and choose to believe God, our asking takes on a different quality to those who pray the same prayer in hope, not in faith. Faith is the key to our ongoing Christian life.

“The righteous ones live their life by faith.” Romans 1:17

Next time you pray for something, make your request then stop and assess what is going on inside you. See if you really believe God will answer. If you don’t, then simply tell God that, like praying, “God I really want to have faith and to trust you, but I don’t seem to find that faith inside me. Please help me. Help me become someone who always believes, and always trusts You and always expects You to answer.”

God is ready to help you as you put your trust in Him. Call to him and offer Him the combination of Asking And Believing.

Are you the type of person who gasps or leaps up in reaction or stews over things that upset you? It’s normal for us to feel offended and to feel like doing something in response. However, the Bible shows that reacting quickly is unwise. In fact, reacting at all can be quite a problem for us. We need to ‘act’ not ‘react’.

Solomon, in his wisdom, extols the value of being slow to respond, rather than hasty to react.

“Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” Proverbs 14:29

“A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.” Proverbs 15:18

“Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.” Ecclesiastes 7:9

“Do not rush out hastily to an argument, or you’ll be confounded in the end, when your neighbour has put you to shame.” Proverbs 25:8

A person of wisdom and self-control does not need to react to things. They know they are better off to act wisely, despite provocations. If you react quickly you are vulnerable to those who provoke you.

I joined a group of friends many years ago for their weekly meal. After the meal, as the men sat around chatting, someone picked up a topic that quickly stirred debate. One man in particular became quite animated, much to the amusement of the others. Later I was told that the man always reacted like that, so every week someone would provoke him into his agitated ravings. That man never realised he was being mocked, too set on reacting to even realise what was going on.

King Solomon points out that it takes great strength and understanding to resist reacting.

“He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.” Proverbs 16:32

“A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding keeps a cool head.” Proverbs 17:27

And a key aspect of being an ‘action’, rather than a ‘reaction’, is to be able to overlook and even forgive offences.

“A man’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offence.” Proverbs 19:11

In New Testament times Christians are instructed to avoid being a ‘reaction’. Rather than reacting in kind, we are to be an action of Godliness.

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger” James 1:19

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” 1Peter 3:9

Jesus was a wonderful example of not being provoked, despite the terrible things done to Him.

“When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued trusting himself to him who judges justly.” 1Peter 2:23

“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He kept silent. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is mute, so He did not open His mouth.” Isaiah 53:7

Some people don’t react outwardly, but they stew on things inwardly. If you do that, then realise that the offence you suffered is eating you up. You may not be reacting publicly but you are reacting just as much. In fact it’s probably worse to be eaten up inside than to erupt outwardly.

When you are stewing on what someone said or did, or how you’ve been treated, those thoughts dominate you, taking up mental and emotional energy, provoking you to thoughts of getting even, or clearing your name, or getting some advantage. You are being controlled by the offence, instead of by the Lord. You have given up control of your life and actions and handed the reins to a bad feeling.

Your answer is to give your upset feelings to the Lord and trust God to look after the matter.

“Do not say, I will get revenge! Wait on the Lord and He will deliver you.” Proverbs 20:22

Jesus taught that rather than reacting to an offence, we are to be ready to be offended again, absorbing it and not reacting. We refer to that as ‘turning the other cheek’.

“If someone slaps your cheek, turn the other to them as well. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.” Luke 6:29

Some people think its is noble to react, such as standing against injustice. There are people who are quick to run to someone’s defence if that person is insulted or offended. Noble as that seems, it must be measured against the word of God. It is much better to take action against injustice than to react to it. A reaction tends to be hasty and spontaneous, causing you to get involved in the argument. An action can be thought out and guided by wise counsel.

If the problem is not ours, be very careful about jumping into it. It is not wise, but it can also get you caught up in strife that is no good for anyone.

“Someone who meddles in someone else’s quarrel is like one who grabs a dog by the ears.” Proverbs 26:17

If you jump in to defend someone and end up in a fight then you are effectively a brawler and fighter yourself. It’s no use saying ‘He started it’ because you are caught acting like an angry, aggressive and quarrelsome person.

If you see the problem and get wise counsel about how to tackle it you can do much more good for those who are being oppressed.

If you are given to reacting, with a quick tongue or hasty response, that reveals something is out of order inside you. At least, you don’t have wisdom. So catch yourself and note your outbursts. Ignore the excuses you use for doing it, and find out what you need to give to God so you can be wise and have self-control. As you journey in your walk with the Lord, Beware Reacting!

One of the most famous of six thousand hymns by Charles Wesley starts with a question: “And can it be that I should gain an interest in my Saviour’s Blood?”

According to the Oxford Edition of the Works of John Wesley, Charles Wesley wrote this hymn in May 1738, immediately following his conversion to Christianity. Charles had been raised to know the Bible well, but he had not found faith and new birth until he was thirty.

His personal wonder at coming to faith was that so great a salvation was given to an ordinary man who did not deserve so wonderful a blessing.

The song basically asks with amazement, “Is it possible?”

Wesley’s hymn continues asking questions, which I paraphrase for those who might struggle with the older use of language.

Did Jesus really die for me, the one who caused His pain?

For me, who pushed Him to the point of death?

Amazing love! how can it be that You, my God, should die for me?

Obviously Charles Wesley had caught a revelation of the wonder of our salvation, that God would pay our price, dying for us who are totally unworthy. Charles also realised that God’s overwhelming love is the source of such willingness.

For us who commit ourselves to Christ there are many other times when we could ask ‘Is it possible?’ Our journey in God’s blessing prompts a number of amazing provisions for which we are unworthy.

Is it possible that someone like you could be used by God to do the work of God on earth? Yes it is possible, because God calls you to serve Him, with His authority and power.

“I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” John 15:16

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Is it possible that the problems which have messed your life for years could be completely done away with? Could you be delivered and become new?

Jesus “became human, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” Hebrews 2:14,15

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2Corinthians 5:17

Is it possible that those who deserve to be rejected are welcomed and made part of the family of God, cherished and given full rights in God’s presence?

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has joined us into one and broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.” Ephesians 2:13,14

“God puts the solitary (those out on their own) into families.” Psalm 68:6

Is it possible that despite our weakness and failure we could become effective and valuable? Is it possible there is hope for the hopeless?

“God said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.” 2Corinthians 12:9

“When I am weak, then I am strong.” 2Corinthians 12:10

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

“He gives power to the faint and increases the strength of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29

How is any of this possible?

It is possible because God loves you with a compassion beyond your understanding. God’s plans for you are amazing, and God has paid the price so you, weak and unworthy as you are, can be blessed with all the glories of heaven.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love” Jeremiah 31:3

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38,39

May the wonder of God’s love impress you as profoundly as it impressed Charles Wesley nearly three centuries ago and may you, with delight and wonder, be amazed as you ask, “Is it Possible?”

While we are usually distracted with our present day living, most important things in life have a long history and a foundation in the past. Ancient contracts and dealings are the basis of our modern world. Most of us don’t care for musty old books and ancient history, so we live as if there is nothing but the present, yet that does not negate the significance of things established long ago.

In English history various challenges to wrong actions led to decrees by the Kings which we know as Imperial Acts. Freedoms enjoyed in the western world are often based on those ancient agreements. Not so long ago school students were informed about these things, but I recall in my school years there was almost universal disinterest. I only realised in later years how valuable those things of the past can be.

Disputed lands, title to property, right to privilege and so on, have to be traced back to past legal transactions. It might seem surprising to some that the will of dead people is very important. Yet every will ever enacted is done once the person who wrote it, the testator, is dead. So death of a generation does not remove their significance, but leads to the enacting their will.

If someone were to come and show that they owned land you thought you owned, they would have to prove they held some title from before you thought you owned the land. They might show that whoever sold the land to you did not have right to sell it. Their ancient documents would be more important than your fresh new title to the land.

Yet someone might come along to claim and show they have a more ancient claim. Ultimately, the one with proof of the original claim holds right to the land.

With that perspective in mind, let’s consider a prophecy given to the prophet Daniel around four centuries before Christ. He was shown visions about the end of the world, and the whole of creation being brought before God for judgement. Daniel’s revelation refers to God as the ‘Ancient of Days’.

“As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.” Daniel 7:9

Daniel’s vision relates to the end of human history. This is after all the nations have come and gone, international corporations have done all their expanding, the devil has done his worst and every possible wrangle, deceit, corruption and evil has had its day. In that world there would be multitudes who believed whatever lies they had been told, and thought they held claim to all manner of rights to do this or that.

What would cut across all their ideas is the ancient truth, the original contracts and foundations of the earth. So the one who gets to sort it all out and judge man and the devil is called the ‘Ancient of Days’.

No one knows more about the foundations of the world than the one who founded it. No one knows more about the origin of nations than the one who was there overseeing it. No one knows more about what is right and wrong than the one who watched every theft and every deceit and every manipulation through history.

On that day many may wish to make claim of right, based on ideas that are delusions, or on rights their government gave them, which the government had no right to give. On that day many may wish to wave their piece of paper (so to speak) to show that what they did was covered by some supposed privilege given them, but the Ancient of Days will not be fooled by such things.

Note in Daniel’s vision the reference to Books being opened.

“The court was seated, and the books were opened.” Daniel 7:10

All of the important legal documents of human existence, and all of the correct lawful claims are in God’s hands. Along with that is the record of every thing we have done and even every idle word we have spoken.

“I say to you, every idle word that men speak they will give account for in the day of judgment.” Matthew 12:36

The prophet Isaiah also spoke of God as being from ancient days and having ultimate authority.

“Even from ancient days (eternity) I am He, and none can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?” Isaiah 43:13

I heard the other day of someone who ran a scam and took off with a lot of money. They were apprehended in some foreign country. It struck me that their scam was no good if they didn’t get to keep the money. And that thought applies to our various schemes as well.

It is vain to pass a law making something ‘lawful’ when God has declared it wrong. It is vain to make claim to something not yours, when God knows who really owns it. It is vain to fortify your position with all manner of new rules and permits, when God holds the ancient documents in His hand.

You may not like this idea, but all the new fangled things of our world have no value and no authority unless the value and authority come from God. All the fancy ideas that man can overthrow God or do away with His laws, or escape accountability before God, are vain and foolish. They are delusional.

We are led to understand from Bible prophecy that in the end of time there will be a world ruler who is the AntiChrist, who will dominate the world with satanic power. Daniel was told about this world ruler.

“He will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws.” Daniel 7:25

Yet, in the end, even this global ruler and the devil, getting to have their way over the whole earth, cannot overcome the ancient truth and the ancient foundations and God’s ancient laws.

Whoever you are and whatever you think you can get away with and whatever idea you have that modern times have done away with old morals, or old standards, let me warn you that you will stand before one who is ancient, who has ruled this world from day one. None of your foolish ideas of overturning the times and the laws will have the tiniest impact on ancient truth and ancient laws and standards.

The only wise thing to do is to live today and all your days, in humility and submission to the one who is the Ancient of Days.