Finding Fault

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I find fault with those who find fault.

OK, so that’s an oxymoron, but I’m unimpressed with those who think their calling in life is fault finding. I’m sure for some it’s their favourite past-time. Maybe they find meaning and value in such things, but I can’t believe it’s good for their spirit.

The world-wide-web has delivered us the ‘world-wide-whisper’ – speaking evil of all and sundry. And the purpose is the same today as it was in the days when King Solomon spoke against it. Oh Yeah, King Solomon had a word about the ‘web’ before it was ever invented.

“A froward man sows strife: and a whisperer separates chief friends.” Proverbs 16:28

Perverse and Cruel

King Solomon talks in that verse about a person who is “froward”, translated from a root word meaning perverse or fraudulent. He is also talking about a slanderer or talebearer.

The purpose of such perverse passing on of adverse opinions is to create “strife”, such as argument, tension, disagreement, quarrel, contention, discord and division. And that’s what the web has been widely used for.

Opinion Fest

Everybody has an opinion. They even have opinions about other people’s opinions. The web has become an ‘opinion fest’ forum. Now, that’s great for freedom of speech, but it’s unhealthy in many respects too.

People speak from their heart, and the heart is perverse.

“O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34

So the readily supplied opinions of people fit easily into Solomon’s category of froward (perverse) people sowing strife. And the gossip passed on about this one or that is devilishly destructive.

Poison Pen

In the days of snail mail the term ‘poison pen’ letter described a letter that passed on slanderous information to poison the opinion of the reader. Whether the information shared was true or not its purpose was not to bless and edify but to cause the reader to take offence against the person being exposed or accused.

Now, thanks to the wonder of modern technology, we can be baptised in poison, drinking it as readily as mother’s milk. Just do a search on anyone who has reached some prominence and discover to your dismay that a bunch of people are committed to tearing them down.

No matter how wonderful the preacher, politician, leader, businessman, philanthropist or hero there is someone in search of their dark side, ready to immerse us in a baptism in their negative opinion.

Shut Down

The problem is that negativity causes a shut down. It “separates close friends”. It causes something that was positive to wither and die on the spot. It is toxic. And it’s the devil’s favourite game.

As soon as you become negative about something you are shut down, at least to some degree, from the potential, blessing and benefit of that thing. I continue to be impressed with how effective toxic attitudes are.

I once bought a newly released translation of the Bible. I enjoyed its language and style and enjoyed reading my way through it. Then someone happened to mention that particular translation and gave a scathing summary of its flaws and defects.

I am experienced enough as a Bible scholar to know that no translation is perfect. They all have their limitations. I did not expect that version to be wonderful, but I was enjoying it. However, from that very moment of hearing the scathing put down I lost all heart for reading that version.

Building Walls

The negative comments built a wall between me and the book I enjoyed reading. A form of separation was created in an instant. And that’s what King Solomon described. The whisperer, the talebearer’s report, “separates” good friends. I was separated from the good friend I found in that translation.

And now we have millions of web sites, blog posts, forum articles and the like which are intent on separating people from things which someone has an opinion about. The addiction to finding fault has become an epidemic of offence, slander, false accusation, poison pen writings and baseless violence against the accused and those who would otherwise respect them.

Search Your Heart

If you are one of those given to tearing down others please take a moment to search your heart. Your pen is writing “out of the abundance of your heart” and it is showing your heart to be toxic. You will be a far greater blessing if your tongue and pen brought forth ‘sweet’ water, instead of the bitter water you are spouting over others.

If you are blessed with the capacity to write, why use that gift as a weapon? You are supposed to turn your weapons into farm implements that bring forth a good crop and a blessed harvest. If your tongue is a poison pen ask God to heal it and make it a source of life-giving water to those who have already consumed too much toxin.

The Lord is opening up fountains of blessing. It is His heart to bless, and to cause His rain to fall on the just and the unjust. Join the Living God in one of the most blessed professions you can ever fulfil. Join Him in being a source of blessing to others.

Bring out that which is good, noble, or good report, edifying, encouraging, enriching, comforting and God glorifying. If you find you must splash poison, then maybe writing is not your calling as yet.

Separated Life

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At a recent Youth Retreat many youth responded for prayer. The first person I went to pray for was one of the young men. I immediately sensed a strong impression that he was called to a “Separated Life”. I sensed that he was called to such high and holy things that God wanted him to avoid all contamination that could spoil his future destiny.

I prayed with him and encouraged him to receive my exhortation as from the Lord that he was to protect his heart and mind from grimy things of this world that would spoil the high destiny on his life.

As I stepped to pray for the next young man in line I had exactly the same impression. He too was to protect his life from contamination and from things that would take from him the glory and wonder of what God had for him.

At that point I realised that this was not only a message for individual lives, but a calling across a generation of young men and women, called by God to live a separated life and distance themselves from the tacky and dishonouring things of this world in the life they would otherwise be drawn into.

Nazarite Vow

Living a ‘separated life’ was so much a part of God’s chosen people in history that Moses made provision for a vow to be taken by a person to live for a time under special restraint, set aside to seek God and worship Him. This was the Nazarite vow.

The Nazarite vow meant that no alcohol was to be consumed and the hair was not to be cut for the duration of the vow. After the time set aside for special devotion was completed the person could cut their hair and drink wine and eat grapes again.

Samson and John

Two famous Nazarites in the Bible are Samson and John the Baptist. Both were set apart for God before they were born. They lived their whole life under the Nazarite vow. Their whole lives were separated for God’s purposes.

When Samson’s parents were visited by an angel and told they would have a son the mother was warned not even to eat grapes, let alone drink wine while she was carrying the baby. Not only was the boy to be separated from wine and grapes, he was even to be protected from them while in his mother’s womb.

John the Baptist’s birth was also announced before he was conceived and he was dedicated for God’s calling from that very moment.

Crumpled Lives

Several years ago I hosted a series of Impartation meetings in which a ministry team prayed for those who waiting on the Lord. The ministry team members sought to hear from God and share a personal word of encouragement or Biblical truth that would be beneficial to those on the prayer line.

One church I visited I had never ministered in before, so all of those who responded were unknown to me. As I stood before a young woman who would have been in her high school years I had a fleeting impression of a beautiful flower meant to bloom for the Prince. The image had a fairy tale quality of a Prince riding his horse through the forest and coming across the beautiful blossom and choosing it for himself.

However in that fleeting moment I also sensed that there was a bear nearby in the forest who was simply stomping around and messing things up. My heart went out to the young lady that the Lord wanted to protect that which was beautiful and precious in her life from the ignorant and selfish bear that would simply crush and mangle her.

I prayed earnestly for her protection.

Many at Risk

What troubled me that night was that as I went on to pray for the mixed crowd of men and women, I found that each time I came to pray for one of the young ladies I had the same sense of their danger. I spoke with my wife about it later, sensing that there was a high level of moral danger for today’s youth. They were in danger of being trampled on and having all that is precious in them crumpled.

The Prince was not going to find their beauty and be delighted with them once they had been trodden under foot by the careless bear.

I became concerned for those Christian youth who consume the world’s messages about who they are and what they are to expect in life. They are being lied to so they can be trampled on and miss out on the blessedness which God has for them.

Separation

There are many reasons to live a ‘separated life’ and one of them is to be protected. Dads and mums don’t have the same sense for protecting their children and youth today as we saw in past generations. Family break-up contributes to that, but so too does the intimidation pushed at parents who want to hold to healthy standards and who believe they have a responsibility to protect and guide their children into adulthood.

There is a calling on today’s youth. God intends to do amazing things in the earth in the coming decades and young Christians today will be at the vanguard of that awesome work. However, those who have become entangled, broken, polluted, distracted and mired by the world will not be in the place of mighty men and women of God when the time comes for them.

Call To Separation

It has never been easier to be entangled and damaged. The internet, mobile phones, social networks, ubiquitous media messages, self-serving people in every place you turn, and the lax social norms of today combine with the evil in man’s hearts to make it tough for those who don’t take care.

Unless you are choosing to live a separated life you will almost certainly be damaged by compromise and much more.

So hear the Word of the Lord to your heart. Come out from among them and be separate. Don’t do it because you think you’re special. Do it because Jesus IS special. God’s call on your life and the destiny He has for you in His kingdom are far more precious than all the trinkets and shallow amusements that will tempt you this way and that.

I don’t promise you any special joy and spiritual experience. It’s not about you and what you get from doing this or that. It’s all about Him. It’s about God being God in your life. It’s about you humbling yourself and submitting to God.

Your part in the years ahead may be hard and unrewarding in human terms. This is no calling to a party or a glory ride. I call you to set yourself apart for the Master’s use as something dedicated to Him. It’s an act of worship. It’s your reasonable service.

And it’s the best thing you can possibly do with your life.

Training or Spite

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Parents are instructed by God to “train” their children. The whole process of child discipline is the same process as child training. Discipline and training are so intertwined that you cannot have one without the other.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

Getting in Your Own Way

Some parental discipline is hardly training, but much more like anger, frustration and even spite toward the child. What is happening is that parents are getting in their own way. Instead of training their child the parent’s feelings and frustrations become more important than the good of the child. That’s when parents move from Training their child to Penalising the child for annoying the parent.

Here are some tell-tale statements from parents that let you know the parent is not thinking about “training” the child, but venting their own frustrations…….

“Get out of here. You make me sick.” “I’m sick of hearing your whining voice.” “I’ve had just about enough of you for one day.” “One more noise out of you and I’ll let you have it.” “Make yourself scarce!” “You just SO annoy me!” “Get to your room. I don’t want to see you.” “Get out of my way.” “I ought to give you a whipping.” “I’m going to feel so much better when I’ve given you a thrashing.” “You’ve pushed me too far this time!”

Train the Child

Godly discipline is for the good of the child. It is not to make the parent feel better. When parents deal with their child based on what will placate the parent’s upset state, those parents are not training their child, but taking out their frustrations on the child.

So let’s remind ourselves that Biblical discipline has the good of the child in mind at all times. The Rod and Reproof give wisdom. The Rod of Correction drives foolishness from the child’s heart. That’s why godly discipline, including smacking a child with a rod, is an expression of love to the child. Those who will not smack their child with a rod are described in the Bible as hating their child.

Godly discipline gives wisdom, removes foolishness and affirms the parent’s love to the child. It is all for the good of the child.

Correction not Anger

The Rod of Correction is not the Rod of Anger. The two are completely opposed. The rod of Correction drives foolishness from the child, but the rod of Anger simply does not work.

“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” Proverbs 22:15

“He that sows iniquity will reap vanity: and the rod of his anger will fail.” Proverbs 22:8

The Rod of Correction is for the Good of the Child, which trains the child’s heart and directs the child’s life. The Rod of Anger is used by parents for the good of the parent, venting anger, frustration, resentment and spite.

Spite

I have seen parents act in cruel spite toward their children. Such parents usually choose to banish their child, rather than smack the child. They also speak horrible words of rejection and cursing over the child. They make threats, lash out, bring fear into the heart of the child and leave emotional scars.

A planned discipline regime, using the rod of correction, where you smack the child, give explanation and give plenty of affirmation, is much better than the banishment which some parents think is more humane. Children feel secure when they know the parents will not lash out or respond in anger. They also feel loved when they are not rejected and sent away.

I encourage all parents to look to the Biblical pattern of child training and to clear their own hearts of things that lead to anger and spite.

Ultra Vires

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Have you ever heard of a judge, policeman or official overstepping their authority? It’s common enough and it’s the focus of this discussion.

Ultra Vires means “outside the law” and it has to do with the Rule of Law. It also relates to the abuse of official power. I trust that none of you ever have to deal with such matters, but this discussion is for those who want to think about the matter or who may have to deal with it in some way.

Scot Free

I chatted with an elderly man today who I met while on my daily exercise walk. He is of Albanian extraction but was born and raised in Kosovo, back when it was part of Yugoslavia. Since I have been to both Kosovo and Albania we had much to chat about.

He related the various troubles the nation of Yugoslavia endured due to ethnic rivalries. One case prompted me to write this post. He told of a man who convinced a friend to assist him commit a burglary. Both men were caught and brought before the judge. The judge was of the same ethnicity as the first man and he instructed that man to go through a particular door. That door led the man to complete freedom. He was let off “scot-free”. The other man, however, was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

scales

Now, that’s an example of the abuse of office. The judge had acted “ultra vires”, outside his official authority. Either both men were guilty or both men were innocent. Favouring his own kind was an abuse of official power.

Rule of Law

Back in 2004, when I was in Cape Town waiting to travel to Zimbabwe I was shocked to see a newspaper headline declaring complete collapse of the Rule of Law in Zimbabwe. I read the article with keen eyes, concerned about whether I should cancel my travels there. I had visions of rioting and looting in the streets as we saw in the LA race riots.

What had occurred was that Prime Minister Robert Mugabe rejected a decision of the High Court in Zimbabwe. The dramatic headline was targeted at Robert Mugabe, not the ordinary man on the street. When we arrived in Harare we found it perfectly safe and a great place to minister to people.

In the Zimbabwe situation the PM resisted the lawful finding of the courts. He wanted to operate “ultra vires”, outside judicial restraint.

Model Traffic Rules

Kenneth Wayne tells of his experience as a young officer in the late 1970’s watching a political lobbyist advise politicians about the Model Traffic Rules which the  lobbyist wanted them to implement. When it was pointed out that the rules violated the American Constitution the lobbyist responded by pointing out that most people will never realise that the rules are unlawful and until someone successfully overturns the rules the government will rake in much more money.

That legislation, which did come into effect some time later, was “ultra vires”. It was outside of the law. The politicians who put it in place ignored the law, knowing that the public would be easily duped and would be powerless to stop them.

Going Ultra Vires

Operating outside the law is an appealing option to those in power, those who wish to get their way and those who have personal agendas to push. Whether it is letting someone off lightly or duping others into giving in to your demands, the act of going ultra vires is common enough.

Such terms as nepotism and discrimination reflect the human tendency to use positions of power and influence to cater to their own agendas. In most such cases the person has had to violate the rules and regulations, thus they have gone ultra vires.

Here Lies the Law

In some places the rule of law has been buried long ago. People do not get justice and those who can bribe and push their way forward get all the advantages.

In other places the law appears to be alive and well, but the laws have been adapted and morphed into laws that are outside the lawful constraints put on the Governments or officials.

The surest proof that the true rule of law is alive and well is that everyone is effectively held accountable for their handling of the law. Where people resist calls to account for themselves, then you can be certain they are operating ultra vires and don’t want to be stopped from doing so.

“Alas poor law, I knew him well…”

Truth Versus Facts

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You would think that Truth and Facts are the same thing. Surely if you know the Truth and you know the Facts you know the same thing. But that’s not so. While the facts and the truth have much in common they are also at times the antithesis of each other.

So I want to stir your faith by getting you to recognise the wonderful superiority of Truth over Facts. Are you ready for that?

Facts are Data

facts

At one level facts are meaningless bits of information. Every discreet piece of data is a fact. The table is flat. The table is brown. The table is new. The table is broken. The table is clean. All these tiny bits of information are facts.

A list of facts sounds like a first grade reader. Bill is a boy. Bill is a big boy. Bill has a dog. Bill hit the ball. And so on it goes.

[Which reminds me of a cute joke about a woman at a social event answering questions about her husband, saying: Bob writes books. Bob writes many books. Bob writes big books. Bob writes books for children.]

Facts Are Interpreted

facts2

While we think of facts as something like bedrock that cannot be challenged we can easily see that facts are open to interpretation and misinterpretation. People mix facts with their interpretation of those facts until the same fact can be seen as evidence for opposite claims.

The fact of similarity between species was interpreted by Charles Darwin as evidence for each species evolving from the other. But Behe pointed out that those features had to devolve and re-evolve for each new species which is quite ridiculous. Christians realise that the similarity between the species shows that there was a single designer who utilised the same design concepts in diverse and unrelated species.

darwin

In view of the diversity of interpretation given to the facts they become somewhat lame and end up like putty at times, being moulded to suit the ideas of the interpreter, rather than the reality behind the facts.

Truth is Dynamic

While facts are mere data that can be interpreted in different ways, Truth is a living and powerful entity of vastly superior force. Religion and philosophy have done little with facts, but the subject of Truth is a most compelling one.

The Bible asserts that Truth has the power to liberate people. Jesus Christ declared the potency of Truth when He asserted that “the Truth will set you free”!

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (Jesus Christ) John 8:32

It cannot be equally said, “You will know the facts and the facts will set you free”, because the facts may lead to various interpretations. The Truth is not subject to personal interpretation.

When people realise the Truth about a situation they are released from misconceptions, fears, doubts, and so on. Truth has a liberating power.

Truth Has Personality

What sets truth far apart from facts, despite the times when a fact appears to be the same as the truth, is that the Truth has personality. Jesus Christ personally declared Himself to be “truth”. So Truth is not a static fact, but a living personality. That’s why the Truth is dynamic, filled with liberating power.

“Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.” (Jesus Christ) John 14:6

The Truth is so awesome. It is an expression of the very personality of Jesus Christ. To know Jesus is to know Truth. To know Jesus is to be set free, because the Truth sets people free.

“If the Son therefore makes you free, you will be free indeed.” (Jesus Christ) John 8:36

Truth Blitzes Facts

The most exciting thing about Truth is that Truth completely blitzes the facts. While the facts can line up with truth and while they can be thought to be equivalent with the truth, they are proven to be empty when they come up against the Truth.

Have I confused you? Let me see if I can unpack that for you.

The facts may be that you have no money and no food. That’s a sad reality that should have you distressed and fearful. But those facts are mere data which can be blown away by the Truth. The Truth is that “my God will supply all my needs” and “let the poor say I am rich” and “with God nothing is impossible”. As you stand on the Truth you can see the facts dispensed with in an instant.

Millions of people have experienced that, and testimonies abound of people who confidently rested on the Truth, despite the facts, and saw God come through time and time again. George Mueller and Heidi Baker are famous examples of this kind of faith.

The facts may be that you have a terminal disease. That’s the sad reality the doctor tells you. But those facts are mere data which can be blitzed by the Truth. The Bible declares that you were healed by the whipping of Jesus (1Peter 2:24). There are thousands of testimonies of people who rejected the facts in order to claim the Truth, and the Truth set them free from the facts.

What is Truth?

Pilate famously asked Jesus “What is truth?” Ironically the one who was truth stood before Pilate. Pilate did not find truth because he did not realise that Truth is a divine personality, not an interpretation of the facts.

Truth is not dependent on the facts. Truth is not a product of man’s powers of deduction. Truth is supernatural and eternal. It is “out of this world” and enters the world as a work of God’s grace. We receive the Truth when we receive Jesus. We find the Truth in God’s Word, because Jesus is also the “Word of God” and the “Word made flesh”.

You can live above the facts and explore the divine possibilities provided by the Truth, when you recognise that Truth is not a “what” but a “who”. Truth is a person. What is true about Jesus is True Truth.

Get to know the truth about Jesus, because when you know the Truth, the Truth sets you free, and you are free indeed!