The Carpenter's Chapel (5)

Brother Roger,

How right you are. We expend more energy troubling about others that we wholly neglect even our own estate before God.

We tend to forget the whole counsel of God.

Cheers, and thank you,

Jim

 

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

Ephesians 2:21

“In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the
Lord.”

It is the job of the architect to design a building with integrity in structure,
appearance, durability and in conformity to the wishes of the owner. None of these
principles may be compromised. Over my lifelong ministry, I have often compared
the ministry and indeed the Christian life to architecture. It is not a stretch of the
imagination to do this. It is a comparison easily digested by the person in the pew.
Even children can understand these principles.

Integrity in structure

Thinking beyond the physical building we call a church, it is not a random choice of
stones thrown together. Each stone is selected for a specific designation. So it is
with each believer. We are called to a specific purpose. When one believer fails, the
whole body suffers. Think of the many scandals that has bruised the church down
through the ages. Time and time again, I have been asked to justify the actions of
the church in history. Each time it has taken away from the integrity of the church
at large. So, in building this structure, we must be given to the promotion of unity
within the church body. We are called to teach, to edify the body, toward this end.
The holiness of the brethren is of primary importance.

Integrity in appearance

Sometimes we neglect our personal appearance. Especially in these modern times,
we give little importance to what appearance means. It shows respect. Many a man
will say “I can worship God in rags” and that is true, but does he? He may very well
behave rightly in worship, but does he appear to do so? What does the unsaved
person really think? Now, I understand not wearing a three-piece suit where the
climate is unbearably hot, but this does not excuse one looking like the world at the
beach. I compare this to the modern entertainers who take the stage with torn
trousers and such. They show no respect for the people who have paid to hear them
perform. Frankly, I lose all respect. Even a poor soul can dress decently in the house
of God

Integrity in durability

If the building is not durable, what is the point in building it? It must endure the
storms of time. The believer must take on the whole armour of God as he does
battle in the world. He who does not so prepare himself will fail. Study the word,
pray and forthtell the gospel of grace.

Integrity of conformance to the owner’s wishes

If we design a building without regard for the owner’s wishes, we will fail in our
job, no matter how beautiful the building may appear. We will fail no matter how
strong the building may seem. We will just plain fail. The Lord is the master
architect of the church and conforms Himself to the Father’s wishes. He did His
bidding throughout His life. We are called to do no less with our lives. This cannot
be achieved by mediocrity. We must be totally dedicated to His will. As Jesus
prayed, Not My will, but Thine be done.

Lord, help us to be the best architects we can be as we try to conform to Your word
that we might reveal You to this old world.

Cheers,

Jim

 

We would be moving mountains!

Cheers,

Jim

 

Friday, August 2, 2004

Ephesians 3

"for this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles..." Ephesians 3: 1

One of the most humiliating things to happen to a man or woman to-day, is to be seen with shackles on arms and legs as they are led off to prison. Some will drape an overcoat to hide e chains. Still others will hide their face when the shackles might be revealed to the viewing public.

Here we see the apostle Paul jubilantly writing from a Roman prison, but rather than the humility of jail, he speaks of the greater comfort afforded by the Lord Jesus Christ. "For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ..."

I remember, as a student, the great pride we took in our sermons. We had chosen the best of words, and the very best of phrases. As a student, I wanted to demonstrate all the new words I had learned. I had been signed to preach at a particular rural church. I mounted the pulpit and expounded the word with great ease, whilst the audience sat dumfounded at such brilliance.

I was taken home for lunch by a simple hog farmer. He said, "Before lunch, preacher, please come with me." He took me down to the pig barn, placed some grain into the trough and immediately began to use the familiar call for pigs, "Suey, suey..."
"The pigs," he said to me,"recognize the words, come instantly, are fed and go away content. This morning, I came hungry. I went away unfed, still hungering for a simple feeding of the word."

I learned the greatest lesson of my life at the pig barn. I Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ...He would rather be the prisoner of Jesus Christ than the wealthiest of free men. The greater the saint, the less he thinks of himself.

Lord, help us to see more of Paul, in the sense that he sees less of himself, and more of Jesus each moment, that we too might accomplish great things in Jesus' name.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Right Charles, And ye shall know the truth and this truth will set you free.

Cheers,

Jim

 

A very good question, Sheila.

Trust is an interesting word. It means "a firm belief in the reliability or truth or strength of a person or thing...the state of being relied on; a confident expectation."

A son or daughter takes the father's hand and fully trusts that they will be led in safety. I climb a ladder believing that ladder will support me. I cross over a bridge with absolute trust in its strength and durability. Trust comes from knowledgeable faith.

One pill I take is rat poison. It kills rats. Yet, I trust my physician that it is also a help for me, so I take it faithfully each day.

I have often said it is sin to walk away from the foot of the cross still bearing the burdens we just disclosed and committed to the Lord Jesus; that is trust. We trust the Lord to do exactly what He said He would do, and we step out believing just that. It differs to fatalism, which is a blind step into the unknown. Our steps are directed by a loving God and demonstrated by trust in Him. Trust and truth go hand in hand. Trust is the vehicle that carries truth into reality.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Hi Sheila, that is why I make the equation of trust and truth. We cannot have one without the other. Truth comes by knowledge and trust comes by truth. The more we learn about truth, the more we can trust. It is never a blind trust, even though we may step out blindly by times. We all have weak moments when we allow folly to overcome what we know. This is where faith comes in, but again, faith comes by hearing the word of the Lord; truth and trust.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Tuesday, August 31, 2004

Ephesians 3:20

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us."

Sometimes the familiar is too comfortable. Times get tough and we cite this verse and walk on in our life of gloom and doom. It is a comforting doxology, but all too familiar. Familiar in the sense that we know it so well, we take it for granted.

Now you may think, as you read this, not me. Friends, I have been a Christian for many years now, and I have preached comforting sermons to the saints. I have seen their faces. I know what they have been thinking, and it is much as I say here now. We are far too familiar with what we might deem quaint sayings. Our God is able. He will supply all our needs. He will give us strength when we are weak. The list goes on and on.

Let's have a look at what Paul is saying. He is saying that God will provide "vastly more than more." (E.K. Simpson) God will exceed our imaginative expectations. This is the bounty of our beloved Lord Jesus. He does pour us out a blessing. He doesn't just spill a taste of blessing, but He pours us out a blessing. Vastly more than more. You ask for this and He gives you that. This is the Lord and His grace is limitless according to His riches in glory. Now this is a truth.

There is a condition, however. "According to the power that worketh in us." The disobedient child can expect correction, chastisement or even the rod. It is no different in the Christian life. God's bounty to us is limited by the "power that worketh in us." If we come to Him in prayer with serious doubt in our mind, we can expect the same in return. These prayers echo beautifully off the ceiling. If we are to gain victory from heaven, then we must come "according to the power that worketh in us."

It is said that John Flavel was so taken back by the realization of this verse that he totally became disoriented as he travelled by horse to his next charge. Imagine that! When was the last time you or I became totally disoriented by the truth of God's word? We come to Him in prayer and we have not a word to utter. We are totally lost in mind and thought. We are overwhelmed in His spiritual presence. Would to God that this experience were more frequent.

Prayer can be a habit. Reading from scripture can be a habit. Witnessing can be a habit. We do these things because they are proper things to do. Now there is nothing wrong with doing them. But what we need is to daily experience that "power that worketh in us." That power should exceed what we have petitioned for.

Lord, help us each one to experience such power in this day when often religion is reduced to philosophical thought and platitudes. Help us to experience You afresh day by day, moment by moment.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Thursday, September 2, 2004

Ephesians 4

"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord......"

It is interesting, when in this modern world, we deem freedom to be of utmost importance. We are willing to die in war for freedom. We claim this as an inalienable right. Paul says he is "the prisoner of the Lord."

A prisoner is a captive. His freedom has been removed. Now, we can say that Paul became a voluntary prisoner, but did he? Do we become prisoners when the Lord Jesus enters our lives? If this is true, what does it mean?

We are prisoners to the truth. The truth becomes our guiding light in all things, and we surrender our captivity to sin and all its delights. We surrender our own personal goals and ambitions for the leading and direction of the Lord. It becomes an individual thing and not limited to those who are called to specific offices such as pastors and missionaries, and those committed to Christian service. It applies to all Christians. Here we must separate the political ambitions of individual countries and the personal lives of those so changed by the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence in our lives. "I am a prisoner of the Lord."

Now we have the seeming contradiction in scripture. Paul says he is a prisoner, and the word also says, "If the Lord shall make you free, then you shall be free indeed." The gospel of Jesus sets us free. Again, we must ask what this means. Are we really free to do as we please? This is not what this freedom means. Just as in the free world, we are free under law. Our freedom does not encroach upon another's freedom. If it does, then are they free? We cannot gain freedom at another's captivity. We cannot allow anarchy to rule, or we have no rule. God is not the author of chaos and disorder.

There must be another meaning to this freedom. We are free from the penalty of sin, which is that final death with hell as its penalty. We are free from the bonds of sin. We are free from satanic dominance over our lives. But we become prisoners of the Lord.

We have duties under this freedom. We are captive to holiness of living. We are captive to prayerfulness, and we are captive to the word.

Paul knew well what it meant to be a prisoner, a physical prisoner. It meant restriction. It meant control over his physical movement. Now Paul equates this physical bonding to the spiritual realm and he becomes a "prisoner of the Lord."

Have we truly become a "prisoner of the Lord"? I ask myself this and wonder just how committed I really am to what this means in my life. Am I really a prisoner of the Lord? Am i prepared to surrender my all to Him? Until I reach this state, I can barely scratch the surface of spiritual blessing. And when I do reach this state, then am I free indeed.

Lord, help me to become a prisoner for Jesus' sake.

Cheers,

Jim