Has God Ever Challenged You

to broaden your horizons? It can be a time of fear, insecurity, and soul searching. This is especially true if we are crossing into some new area of endeavour. We may fervently wonder: Is this really God speaking to me?

The Apostle Peter had to deal with such a situation in his life. He had been proclaiming the gospel in the seaside town of Joppa. Many had believed in Jesus because the Lord had used him as the human agent in raising Tabitha from the dead (see Acts 9:36-45). However, God realized it was time to broaden the scope of Peter's preaching and teaching activities.

There was a Roman army officer living in Caesarea named Cornelius. He was a devout man who feared God along with everyone in his household (Acts 10:2). An angel appeared to him in a vision instructing him to send messengers to Joppa. These men were told to seek out Simon Peter instructing him to return with them to Caesarea (Acts 10:5). This gentile officer was about to have a divine appointment with Jesus and an apostle was about to experience the broadening of his world view.

God realized that if Peter was to expand his missionary vision some of his major attitudes would require changing. To a Jew Cornelius had two strikes against him. One he was a gentile — Jews would have no dealings with gentiles. Secondly, he was a Roman soldier involved in the occupation of Israel a situation which the Jew's found intolerable.

As Cornelius' messengers were approaching where Peter was staying God gave the apostle a vision. It consisted of a number of creatures that were ceremonially unclean. A voice from heaven then commanded him to kill and eat. Peter's response was: No, Lord, I have never eaten anything that is impure and unclean (Acts 10:14). A response came from heaven instructing him not call something unclean if God has made it clean” (Acts 10:15). Three times this vision was repeated. Peter was puzzled.

Almost immediately the messengers arrived looking for him. The Holy Spirit indicated to Peter that he was to go with the men "for I have sent them" (Acts 10:20). This event clarified Peter’s understanding of the vision.

Willingly, the apostle travelled to Cornelius' house. He entered the gentile home which was against his Jewish tradition because God had divinely revealed to him this was the appropriate attitude. As Peter preached and taught about Jesus and the forgiveness of sins "the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message" (Acts 10:44). This event clearly indicated to Peter that God's message of salvation was not only for the Jew. It was to be universal in scope. This truth perfectly coincided with a promise given to Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, many years earlier when God promised that all the nations of the world would be blessed through him (Gen 18:18).

When God widened Peter's horizons it was major in scope. It included crossing cultural, nationalistic and traditional boundaries. For many the new horizons God has in mind may not be nearly a dramatic. We need to be sensitive to God's Spirit as new potential horizons open before us. When God’s ordained opportunities arrive we need, as Peter, to accept the new vista confidently in the power of Christ..

Copyright. Bruce October 2006

Note: All quotes taken from the New Living Translation Second Edition.

Lodged

The rain to the wind said,
'You push and I'll pelt.'
They so smote the garden bed
That the flowers actually knelt,
And lay lodged--though not dead.
I know how the flowers felt.

Robert Frost --- Lodged

When You Finally Arrive In Heaven

which biblical characters would you like to sit down with for a good conversation. All believers undoubtedly long to meet Jesus. Beyond that lists would take many forms Let's consider three Old Testament characters who will be fascinating to meet.

First, there are some sailors. These men were on a ship heading to Tarshish with Jonah on board. In dealing with this reluctant prophet the Lord stirred up the sea with a wind that was so strong it threatened to destroy the ship (Jonah 1:4). The sailors cast lots to see who was responsible for bring this disaster upon them. Jonah was identified as the guilty party. To stop the storm he told the sailors to throw him into the sea. The sailors were hesitant to take this action but ultimately they had no choice. Immediately the storm ended (see Jonah 1:11-15).

The sailors response was whole-hearted and spontaneous. They “offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him" (Jonah 1:16). That day those ancient mariners became a part of the household of God.

Another character with a fascinating story to tell will be Rahab. Before attacking Jericho, Joshua sent two men to spy out the vicinity. Rahab hid them from the city officials. In return the spies promised her protection when Israel attacked the city (see Josh. 2:1-14).

Her story will be fascinating as she describes life in Jericho before the battle. Scripture tells us that the city and the entire nation were terrified of the armies of Israel (Josh 2:9). It will be interesting to find out what factors motivated her to risk her life to protect the spies. In time she married well and became the mother of Boaz (see Ruth 2:1) making her the great, great, grandmother of King David thereby putting her in the direct line of Jesus.

A third interesting person to meet will be king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He is a person we would never have expected to experience a relationship with God Most High. The story chronicling his journey from a virtual mad-man to saint will be spell binding.

He was a vicious and proud man. Those in his royal court were frightened of him. A chief-of-staff when confronted with a difficult situation admitted that he was afraid of the king (Dan. 1:10). His fear was well founded as on another occasion the king had threatened his astrologers with death and the destruction of their homes (Dan. 2:5) if they didn’t comply with a request of his. Finally, his pride led to God's judgment. Seven years of insanity (see Dan 4:32-33)! Judgment fell as he was proclaiming that the incredibly beautiful city of Babylon was built by his own might to display his own majestic splendour (Dan 4:30).

The seven years of discipline made a profound change in Nebuchadnezzar. When his sanity returned he "praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever" (Dan 4:34). These are the words of a man who has met God. How interesting it will be find out Daniel’s role in turning the king's life around.

There will be millions of people whose “God” stories we will want hear in the heavenly kingdom. It will take an eternity to hear all of them and, come to think about it, that is about the amount of time we will have available.

Copyright. Bruce October 2006

Note: All quotes taken from the New Living Translation Second Edition.

On Looking Up By Chance At The Constellations

You'll wait a long, long time for anything much
To happen in heaven beyond the floats of cloud
And the Northern Lights that run
like tingling nerves.
The sun and moon get crossed,
but they never touch,

Robert Frost.
"On Looking Up By Chance At The Constellations"

Sometimes God Deals With Disobedience

in ways that may seem extreme to us. The children of Israel had wandered in the wilderness for forty years. They had experienced God’s provision of their every need. Now the Lord was preparing to put the people to the ultimate test.

Joshua was ready to lead the people against the city of Jericho. Before the battle God specifically stated that everything in the city must be totally destroyed as it was to be an offering for the Lord (Josh 6:17). The city was routed but a man named Achan stole some precious items from the city (Josh. 7:1). Because of this sin Israel was defeated when they next attacked the smaller city of Ai. The reason for the defeat? The sin of Achan! God tells Joshua that unless he destroys the stolen items he will not remain with him any longer (Josh. 7:12).

The next day Joshua sets in motion a plan to discover the culprit. Finally, Achan is isolated as the thief. He admits his crime and indicates that the items are buried in his tent. Now comes the punishment. "Then Joshua and all the Israelites took Achan,...his sons, daughters,....and everything he had...And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies" (Josh. 7:24,25). Why the need to destroy the whole family? Because it would have required family compliance to hide the stolen goods and perpetrate the ensuing cover-up.

Another example relates to Aaron the High Priest. His son’s Nadab and Abihu had been made his assistants. These two men were among those who were in God’s actual presence for the ratification of the Covenant on Mount Sinai (see Ex. 24:9-11). At the initial Tabernacle offering they had witnessed fire blaze forth from the presence of the Lord (Lev 10:24).

In spite of these experiences the sons were careless in their duties. They disobeyed God’s instructions given to Moses by burning the wrong kind of fire before the Lord (Lev 10:1). Their punishment was severe. Fire blazed forth from the presence of the Lord and so they were burned to a crisp (Lev 10:2).

During the early days of the church in Jerusalem many people were selling possessions and giving the money to the work of the Lord. A couple named Ananias and Sapphira sold some land. They wanted the Apostles to think that they were giving the total proceeds of the land as a gift. Actually they held some back for themselves.

Ananias told the Apostle Peter they were giving the entire amount However, the Holy Spirit advised Peter this was not the case. The apostle confronted him with the words "You lied to the Holy Spirit" (Acts 5:3). The result? Immediately upon hearing these words Ananias fell dead at the feet of Peter. (Acts 5:5). The same deadly scenario was acted out three hours later with Sapphira his wife (see Act 5:7-10).

Does God always deal with sin in such a dramatic way? Fortunately, for us he doesn't. If he did we would all be dead. In each of these cases major sin occurred at historical turning points. Therefore, God needed to make definitive statements about the importance of avoiding willful disobedience. God never messes around where sin is concerned. Sooner or later he will deal with it! It is our personal responsibility to keep our lives free from the filth of sin.

Copyright. Bruce September 2006

Note: All quotes taken from the New Living Translation Second Edition.

Blueberries

"You ought to have seen what I saw on my way

To the village, through Mortenson's pasture to-day:
Blueberries as big as the end of your thumb,
Real sky-blue, and heavy, and ready to drum
In the cavernous pail of the first one to come!
And all ripe together, not some of them green
And some of them ripe! Your ought to have seen!"

Robert Frost. "Blueberries"

Do You Sometimes Get Frustrated

by the actions of our political leaders? Their godless moral and ethical positions and so called political correctness often bring a sense of vexation. Many continually act as though God does not exist..

The children of Israel experienced the vicious hand of Pharaoh when they aliens in the land of Egypt. Jacob had taken his entire family to Egypt at the request of his son Joseph who was the second most powerful man in the nation. Over the years the Israelites became numerous and powerful (Ex.1:7).

This became a problem when a new king came to power in Egypt who had not heard of Joseph and his important national contribution. The Pharaoh’s reaction was that Israel’s population most be kept from growing and they must be prevented from joining Egypt’s enemies in a time of war. His solution: Enslavement, crushing labor, thereby making them of no use to the nations enemies (Ex 1:8, 10, 11).

But God had a different plan. He sent Moses to Pharaoh demanding Israel’s release. Pharaoh retorted that he not know the Lord and therefore would not listen to him. Israel would not be allowed to go! Why such a response? The Bible states that God had chosen to make the king’s heart stubborn for the purpose of displaying his miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt (Ex. 7:3). In the final act Pharaoh's army chased the Israelites into the Red Sea and not one Egyptian survived the watery grave God had prepared for them (Ex 14:28). God had accomplished his purpose — to bring his people out of slavery and punish the Egyptians.

Another king --- Nebuchadnezzar --- was also a cruel and proud man. When dealing with rebellious king Zedekiah of Israel he forced him to watch the slaughter of his sons. After this atrocity his eyes were gouged out, he was bound in chains, and led a prisoner to Babylon (2 Kings 25:7).

On another occasion Nebuchadnezzar threatened his personal advisers when commanding them to tell him his dream and its meaning. If they didn’t comply they would be torn limb from limb and their homes demolished (Daniel 2:5). But God had a plan for Nebuchadnezzar. After a number of twists and turns, and the godly influence of Daniel his senior advisor, Nebuchadnezzar met God personally and was able to testify I "looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever” (Daniel 4:34).

God’s plans even at the highest echelons of earthly power cannot be thwarted. To one king and nation he brought destruction. To another king he brought seven years of insanity (Dan 4:25) followed by restoration and a personal knowledge of himself. In his testimony Nebuchadnezzar makes this significant statement: “All the people of the earth are nothing He (God) does as he pleases...No one can stop him” (Dan 4:35). King David supports this view by describing the king’s heart as a stream of water which the Lord guides as he chooses. (Ps 21:1).

Do the words of Nebuchadnezzar and David comfort you? Well they should! These inspired statements are designed to remind us that God has his hand on the affairs of state. He is at work accomplishing his ultimate purposes.Copyright. Bruce September 2006

Note: All quotes taken from the New Living Translation Second Edition.