|
How precious these little ones are, and how important it is that we don’t cause one of these little ones to sin. Our example must be as perfect as we can. A sharp word, an unkind look, is remembered and should make us all fear and tremble as we deal with the children in our families, schools and churches. That doesn’t mean we let them do what they like, but as is often the saying, ‘It’s not what you say, but how you say it.’ Be strict, but be kind. Reassure your children repeatedly: it is for their good that you set the boundaries.
We can make children stumble and fall not only by sharp words but by our choices and how we live our lives. How often have I heard it said in church circles, “Well, he was doing it, so I thought it was okay for me!” Or, “Why shouldn’t I? They got away with it!” Do you not realise that others are watching you all the time? Every decision we make is observed by others, who may decide to follow our example. We may say, like Cain, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” and the answer is “Yes!” We are all connected in Christ, and when one drifts, then others may follow suit. We are all like sheep led astray. We follow one another. Take courage, my friend, and hold fast to the commitment you made at the beginning. Don’t let yourself grow lukewarm. We surely don’t want to cause anyone to stumble because they may follow our lead. Remember: “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.’ Matt 11:6 NKJV When you are offended and walk away from a situation, another will surely follow you. You have caused your brother or sister to stumble. We must never allow ourselves to grow lukewarm. When offended, see it as an opportunity to tighten your grip on the Cross. Learn to draw closer to our Lord Jesus. Embrace the Cross. You will find it very sweet.
0 Comments
The name of the Lord is a strong fortress, the godly run to him and are safe. Proverbs 18:10 NLT8/9/2024 This is such a lovely verse for Christians at any time in their life, but how special when the Spirit gives us this promise just before the arrows start flying.
The godly run to Him. Like a child that runs to his parent for comfort, we run to our God. There is no other place we want to be and no other place where we can find the comfort and love we need. In the arms of Jesus, we are safe and blessed. The arrows stop when we are hidden in His strong arms, and enclosed in the quietness of His being. There is no sound of whizzing arrows, fiery darts or the clash of swords. There is silence, stillness and peace: the peace that passes all understanding. All disappears as we hide ourselves in Him. There is no friction, tensions or opinions, there is only Christ. And there we are safe. We can relax. Blessed be His Name, He is not only our strong fortress, but He is our home. He is the place where we rest and are made strong. This is the Christianity that I love! Not this softly-softly approach we have nowadays of pampering ourselves and being wrapped up in cotton wool!
What a clear clarion call to the Gospel. It is better to enter eternal life maimed than lose the light of His presence. Is this the Gospel we know? That brings truth, reality, life and light into our hearts, and eternal and abundant joy that will thrill our souls. Where has the fight gone out of our Christian hearts nowadays? If one is offended, then all are offended. What has happened to those who follow where no one else has gone? Those who follow alone without mother, father, brother, sister, husband, wife, son, daughter, friend or colleague. Christ did not mean for us to cut ourselves off from our families, but we are meant to be able to give our loyalty and love to Jesus Christ first, whatever that costs. If one offends us, cut them off. That does not mean you never speak to them again, but you refuse to allow them to affect your spiritual life. If they refuse to follow Christ, does that mean you will refuse? If your sister compromises, does that mean that you will compromise also? Come on, friend! Get the fight in your soul again. We are not called to be chocolate soldiers. We are meant to cut off the offending thing: whatever prevents us from serving Christ wholeheartedly. We follow Him with all our heart, strength, and mind, rejoicing even if we walk alone. Here is your opportunity to prove to Him how much you love Him. Set your face to the high calling in Christ Jesus. Whether you walk a lonely road or a crowded road, it matters not. He is the prize, and for that, we strive. Let us look for anything that can pull us down. Cut it off within yourself and then do as Jesus asks, ‘throw it away’. Hallelujah, what freedom is ours! We may follow maimed, disfigured, criticised and isolated, but we will follow to the end, where we can lay our crown down at His feet and worship. When you feel unsettled, afraid or anxious, learn to call on Him. Make it a habit you develop over the years.
You don’t need to use your voice when you are afraid: you can call on Him from within your spirit. Learn to direct your thoughts and desires heavenward, reaching out for His help and knowing His way. Take note of this verse: God comes near when we call. He will not force Himself on us but He will respond to us. He watches over us from the beginning of the day until the end of it. He is never far away and will draw near when we call. Immediately, our Heavenly Father responded, “Do not fear.” There was an immediate response to comfort and console the one who was in need. How close He must be for this to happen. How trained the soul must be to look to God immediately and to find the help needed. Let this be a lesson for us. When we are afraid of the future, train yourself to turn Godward. You may not be in a position where you can physically call out, but you can call out within your spirit. He will draw near, reassuring us and giving us the confidence to be the person we should be. Practice this every day until there comes the absolute confidence that He is with you the moment you turn to Him, right to the very last day you have breath. What a comforting thought to think He will be with you even when your eyes are closed in death and when you breathe your last. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NIV What a beautiful picture this is. Here was a small, beautiful child whose big brown eyes would have been filled with wonder and trust as they looked at Jesus.
Here was this important teacher, calling this child. Would Jesus beckon with His hands, eyes, or voice? Would there have been a smile on His face and would His eyes have been friendly? I am sure they would, or this little child would never have gone so willingly to Him. He came without hesitation. We don’t read that Christ had to say his name twice. Imagine growing-up knowing that Jesus had looked at you and beckoned you to come to Him. Wow! What a wonderful memory for this little one. The child would never have been the same again. He would always have had a warm memory that this Man had called him to Himself. Did he see the same Man again? Was he there when Jesus taught the crowds on the Mount of Beatitudes, healed the sick, or even raised the dead? Did he see Him crucified and remember how kind He had been? I am sure he would have remembered Christ differently from other children all his days. He was the one who had been called to come to Christ and experienced the touch of His kindness and gentleness. What a memory! This week, it has been with great sadness we have closed our church school. There have been mixed feelings: some parents were upset, some were grateful for the provision made, and some were angry at the suddenness of the closure. Knowing the teachers, I know they will be upset too. Not only because they have lost their jobs but for the pupils they have worked with and loved for many years. One parent said, “Cedars, which my oldest son attended, provided a haven for children failed and damaged by the state system.” I know there will be huge concerns from the staff for these children. Let this thought be a comfort to us all who are troubled by such events. One touch from the hand of Christ can make all the difference. These children, now former pupils of Cedars School, have experienced the love and kindness of Christian teachers. They were brought into a safe atmosphere, where many have experienced a place of safety from the harsh winds of life. As far as we know, this little lad in the gospels had only one encounter with Christ, but it would have been a lifetime memory. Let us put our trust in God. These children may have suddenly been thrust out there back out into society, but they have experienced, even for part of their childhood, a safe, caring and loving environment in which to grow. It may be for some of them that it will be their happiest memories of schooling. One touch, one encounter with Christ, can affect all of life. How blessed are we who experience His presence every day? May He be with those who have gone forward. May their memories of Cedars always be happy ones. This poor child had suffered terrible seizures, which were life-threatening for years. One moment in the presence of Jesus, and the boy was well. Calm was restored to the equilibrium of life.
We would do well to learn this truth. With the stresses of busy life and social media clamouring for our attention, we need to take a moment to be quiet and alone with Christ. If we do, all will be well. It is an age-old lesson and yet one that we need to be reminded of again and again. Turn to Him in the crisis, when all is up in the air, and chaos seems to follow everything you touch. Turn to Him and find peace. From the moment you do, all will be well. You will be well. Our situation isn’t worse than this poor child who was gripped by the most horrific seizures which tried to throw him into the fire or the water. You might feel stressed inside. You might even suffer from panic attacks, gripped by a terrible fear of the future and the uncertainties that are before you. One moment in the presence of Jesus will bring you calm and make you well again. Is He not the God of the present, the past, and the future? Is He not the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end? Then, if He knows all things, He knows all your days from the beginning even to the end of them. Trust Him. As you abide in His Spirit, He will guide you to the right place at the right time to the right person. The right door will open to you, and you will find yourself in the perfect will of God. One moment in the presence of Jesus, and all will be well. When you have time to stand and consider the beauties of nature and see the high, solid Scottish mountains that have been around for thousands of years, it can give one a sense of the strength of the eternal Godhead. His righteousness never changes and is never in any way affected by circumstances. He is the Lord and need not be questioned by us over anything. He has His reasons for doing all that He does but does not need to choose to submit them to our foolish questioning.
Whether the seas be calm and sparkly or dark and stormy, it is His decision, and our response should be, like the wind and the waves, to obey. We must never forget that He is the Lord of all our lives and that ours is to obey without question or retort. We do not bow to the will of the church, nor of a priest or minister, but to the will of God. When you are confused, puzzled or even angered by the events thrown on your pathway, learn to recognise His Lordship and unquestioningly accept His will and way for your life. It will lead to peace in your heart and contentment in His will. The sooner we learn that we are but nothing, like the tiniest creature on the highest mountain, then there will come into our hearts a security and safety that we are blessed beyond measure, for we are held in the safety of His hand. “The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.” John 3:30 NIV I read this on a rainy day. Looking out the window, I could see the heavens were filled with dark clouds, and the promise of rain was in the air. It was appropriate, but what struck me most was the last part.
“He ... makes the grass grow in mountain pastures.” Have you ever wondered about the miracle of growth: every blade of grass and seedling planted brings such life? Every year, I grow courgettes from a tiny seed; it looks like one of the seeds you get inside a melon. Before too long, green shoots appear, followed by massive green leaves with thick, prickly stems, gorgeous yellow flowers, and finally, courgettes appear. What a miracle that such a big plant can grow from such a tiny seed. The town I live in is not mountainous but is 149 metres above sea level. It catches some of the wilder weather in winter. Yet there is all around us the miracle of green: nature at its best. Everywhere you look: the Campsie Fells in one direction to the Ochils in the north, the fields in between, or the gardens, there is green. “He ... makes the grass grow in mountain pastures.” It is symbolic of the life of God that springs up like the grass. With only rain and sunshine, greenery is abundant everywhere; so in the spiritual world, there is overflowing life. There is abundant life and spiritual food on the mountain tops, in the fields and amongst our dwelling places. He brings new life everywhere. Without human intervention, strain or effort, growth will be in every high and in every lowly place. What a glorious sensation this brought me. All I had to do was to stand back and survey the land and, in so doing, would see the blessing of God in abundance for ‘He makes the grass grow’ in the remote places and in the accessible. Grass grows in the mountain pasture and amongst the mighty trees in our glens; there is life and life abundant in God. He will make His work to thrive. The tax collectors and critics had cornered Peter to discover whether Jesus paid the Temple tax. Peter answered quickly with just one word before escaping into the house.
He never had a chance to speak to Jesus and tell Him of the incident before Jesus turned to Peter and asked him what he thought of paying taxes. It is a familiar situation to many of us when one is asked an awkward question, and the briefest answer is given before getting away. Then, partly because of the awkwardness of that moment, we want to share it with someone who understands, but we don’t get a chance to because life is so busy. But He, the Lord of all who knows all, didn’t need to wait for the right moment to speak to Peter. He knew what His enemies were saying without hearing their words, and He would have known how awkward it would have been for Peter. Not only does He clarify the position, He resolves it. In a moment, and by miraculous means, He provides the necessary amount to pay the Temple tax. But the part I like in this story is the fact that Peter was the one assailed by the enemies of Christ, and he is the one who is rewarded. Not only did he catch the fish with the coin in its mouth, which was a miracle, but Christ stood with Peter and paid the tax for both of them. Christ treated him like a brother and friend, standing with him against their enemies. It reminds us of the verse: ‘but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.’ Proverbs 18:24 NLT In this instance, blessed was Peter, for to him belonged the friendship of Christ. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” Matthew 16:23 NLT14/7/2024 These words were said to Peter shortly after he had declared that Christ was the Messiah. He had got it very right, and now he had got it very wrong.
How quickly we slip back into the natural after we have understood the spiritual. We only need to look at the church structure today to see how it is formed of spiritual and natural traditions. There is safety in structure and organisation, but spiritual things don’t work that way. They refuse to be structured and organised. We read: “The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 NLT Nicodemus, a well-respected Jewish teacher, asked, “How are these things possible?” John 3:9 NLT Man cannot understand the moving of the Spirit of God. We can only observe from a human point of view. The Spirit of God will not be contained within any church or denomination. He is free to move at will. The first insight we have into the real spiritual world is given to us by the Holy Spirit. We are born again by the Spirit. “The Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.” John 3:6 NLT We should not revert to the natural order of things. “You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom.” Galatians 5:7 NLT Peter had been running so well. He had understood that the Lord Jesus was the Messiah; the Father had revealed that to him. Jesus had declared that he was blessed! And now, he was looking at things merely from a human point of view. Why? Because he was trying to keep them all safe, especially Jesus. He didn’t want Jesus to go to Jerusalem because he could see it was dangerous. His kindness and forward-thinking had got in the way of his spiritual insight. It is a lesson for us all. We may have a divine revelation at some point and think we’ve got it sussed, but how easy it is to revert to the natural, safe way, especially in today’s culture of getting everything just right. We must learn to be spiritual creatures and be “as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” Matthew 10:16 NLT |