An Atheist Notion of Evil?

I just finished watching this interview (about an hour and 10 minutes long) between Christian theologian and apologist Alister McGrath and atheist Richard Dawkins (author of The God Delusion). One of the things I was struck by in Dawkins’ responses was his reference to morality, good, right and evil. In fact, this interchange was originally shot for Dawkins BBC documentary, which was entitled The Root of All Evil, although it was not included in the final edit. At one point, Dawkins speaks of something he considered to be “deeply evil.”

To speak of morality, of course, implies that there is also immorality. Talk of what is right implies that there is also that which is wrong. And Dawkins, in the course of this piece, spoke of both good and evil.

What strikes me about all this is that Dawkins is an atheist. That is, he believes that there is no God; that the universe has no personal creator, that it is all nothing more than a matter of … well, matter.

So where does the idea of morality/immorality, good/evil and right/wrong come from? If the universe is nothing more than a material conglomeration, then all that exists simply exists. It is what it is, neither good nor evil, moral nor immoral, right nor wrong. To say that something is moral or immoral requires a standard that goes beyond the material world. Such distinctions as good and evil do not arise from the world itself.

In short, all talk about good and evil, etc., implies the existence of an arbiter which transcends the natural realm, a lawgiver, the dictates of which must be followed, even a judge to whom we owe accountability. Such an entity sounds very much like what we would call God.

It seems that Dawkins wants to have it both ways. On the one hand, he wishes to be an atheist, denying the existence of such a being as God to whom he must be accountable. On the other hand, he wants to hold on to the notion of good and evil, which implies an accountability that the material universe does not and cannot require. Of course, inasmuch as Dawkins does speak of good and evil, and even of morality, it would appear that he reserves the role of arbitration to himself, in effect, making himself his own god.

That is the ancient deception offered by the serpent in the Garden of Eden. He tempted Adam and Eve to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, promising that they would be like God (Genesis 3:6). There were a number of problems with that, or course. For one thing, God specifically commanded them not to. For another thing, they were trying to be like God all on their own, quite apart from God — which was quite ironic because God created them to be like Him (Genesis 1:26-28), but it could only work in relationship with Him. Likewise, they were trying to know good and evil apart from relationship with God, instead of in relationship with Him, and that is always a disaster.

That is the Dawkins delusion.

The Table of Good Things

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.

(Psalm 84:11)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17)

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:11)

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

The Table of the Lord is the Table of God’s Son. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Seeing that He has given us His own dearly loved Son to die upon the cross for our sakes, is there any reason to suppose that He will not now freely give us all things? He who is the giver of every good and perfect gift, shall He withhold any good thing from those who are made righteous in Jesus Christ?

In the Table of the Lord, the bread and the cup speak of God’s great love poured out in the body and blood of the Lord Jesus. It tells us of the righteousness that is now ours through faith in Him. It proves that the will of the Father for us is good in every way, to save us, free us, heal us, and restore us to wholeness and right relationship with our loving God. It demonstrates that He will not withhold any good thing from us.

The Table of the Lord is the Table of Good Things, where we may come to ask and receive all that we need in this life. Thanks be to God.

The Table of Covenant Mindfulness

He will ever be mindful of His covenant. (Psalm 111:5)

God is always mindful of the covenant He has made with His people. This speaks of more than just God’s omniscience; it is about intentionality. He keeps His covenant promises continually set before His eyes.

David made a covenant with Jonathan (1 Samuel 18:3). When David became king, he looked around and asked, Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1). He was mindful of the covenant he made with Jonathan.

The Table of the Lord is a table of covenant. When Jesus took the cup and gave it to His disciples, He said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20). The essence of covenant is exchange. When we, by faith, enter into this covenant with Him, all we have belongs to Him and all He has belongs to us. The cross is where this exchange took place:

• Jesus took our sin upon Himself and gave us His righteousness (Isaiah 53:6; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
• Jesus took our sickness and pains and gave us His healing power (Isaiah 53:4-5).
• Jesus took or chastisement and gave us His peace (Isaiah 53:5).
• Jesus took the curse of the from us and gave us the blessing of Abraham (Galatians 3:13-14).
• Jesus took our poverty and gave us His prosperity and abundance (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Jesus is always mindful of His covenant and He is always presenting it before the Father by the testimony of His blood. When we take of the Table of the Lord, it is a powerful moment for us, also, to be mindful of the covenant He has made with us. The bread and the cup show us the body that was given and the blood that was shed for our benefit. They demonstrate that, in Jesus Christ, we are blessed with all blessing. It is a time to declare, with David,

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them,
they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.

(Psalm 139:17-18)

God is always thinking about the covenant He has made with us in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Table of the Lord is an opportunity for us to mindful of all He has done for us and all we have in Him. For this reason, it is the Table of Covenant Mindfulness.

The Table of Quieting Love

He will quiet you with His love. (Zephaniah 3:17)

This morning I took the Table of the Lord with this verse, with this line in particular: “He will quiet you with His love.” In context, the prophet is speaking about how the Lord has taken away the judgments that were on us (v. 15); He will not bring them up any more. In another place, the Lord, “For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:34). Our sins, and the judgments we deserve, are all removed from us, as far as the east is from he west (Psalm 103:12). Paul put it this way: “There is now therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

How is it that God takes away the judgments and no longer remembers our sins? We behold the answer whenever we receive the Lord’s Table. The bread reveals to us the body of Jesus, given for us; the cup shows us the blood of Jesus shed on the cross for our sins. All the judgment of God, all His anger on sin and unrighteousness was poured out on Jesus at the cross. Jesus took our condemnation, the death and judgment that rightfully belonged to us. Now it is no longer ours, and God remembers our sins no more.

Nor does He remind us of them. The devil, however, dearly loves to remind us about our past, our failures, our sins. He even makes things up about us and accuses us of them. That is why he is called the “accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10).

God will have none of that. When we do sin, He has provided a way for us to deal with it: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”(1 John 1:9). There is no condemnation on us, though; it has all been laid upon Jesus, and fully dealt with at the cross.

The Table of the Lord is a place where He quiets us with His love, where He silences the voices of the accuser that come and whisper in our ears. Even as we behold the bread and the cup, God Almighty beholds the body and blood of His Son — and that settles the matter! For Jesus was made to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21), and that is how God now sees us in Jesus Christ. And that is how the Table of the Lord teaches us to see ourselves — in Him.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? …

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39)

The manifestation of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ is overwhelming — deeper, wider, higher than we can imagine. The Table of the Lord is a wonderful opportunity to dive in and explore it, relax into it, find cleansing and healing in it, and let it quiet our hearts before Him.

God Rejoices Over Us

The LORD your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.

(Zephaniah 3:17)

Many Christians think God is mad at them or sad about them, but the truth is that He is neither — He is glad about us. He is bright and cheerful about us (that is what the Hebrew word for the first “rejoice” means). He rejoices with gladness over us. He whirls and twirls and spins (the meaning of the second “rejoice) over us with singing — literally, with shouts of joy, even creaking. He celebrates over us with wild dancing and jubilation.

Paul tells us that we are “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). That is, God accepts us in Jesus Christ, His Beloved. When Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River, the Spirit descended like a dove and the voice of the Father said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). When we were baptized into Jesus Christ, we were baptized into His love, and the voice of the Father said over us what it said over Him: This is My beloved, in whom I am well pleased.” God delighted over us with dancing and singing.

The Lord also quiets us with His love. In context, this demonstrates that God does not remember our sins against us. As He said in another place, “For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:34). God silences the memory of that, and so quiets our trepidations before Him with His love. Martin Luther said of this, “He will cause you to be silent so that you may have in the secret places of your heart a very quiet peace and a peaceful silence.” God’s perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).

Who is this who rejoices so over us? He is called The Mighty One. Some render it “A mighty one who will save” (ESV, RV), or “Mighty to save” (NIV). The NASB has “A Victorious Warrior.” He is in our midst, not matter what we are going through. Paul said, “In all these things [tribulations, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril and sword] we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

If you know the Lord Jesus, God rejoices over you with singing and dancing. He is mighty in your midst to take care of you in every way, and He will quiet you with His love.

Speaking about baptism, here is a song I wrote about how Christian baptism is a sign of God’s love and acceptance of us into the body of Christ: I Have Been Baptized.

Living the Christian Life

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

For to me, to live is Christ. (Philippians 1:21)

For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Living the Christian life is not my job; it is His job. I cannot do it myself, but He can do it in me. The fruit of the Spirit is His fruit — I cannot manufacture it; He must manufacture it in me. I am not the vine; Jesus is the vine, and I am merely the branch.

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)

The Christian life is not my life at work for Him; it is His life at work in me.

Our job is not to live the Christian life. Our job is to live by faith in the Son of God — to believe His life, His strength, His fruit at work in us, and yield to it.

The Table of Blessing

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:13-14)

The Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross to deliver us from the curse of the Law. As Isaiah said, “The chastisement for our peace was upon Him” (Isaiah 53:5). He took our chastisement and gave us His peace. Paul said, “He [God] made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. He took our sin and gave us His righteousness.

In the same way, Jesus took the curse that belonged to us, bore it in His own body to the cross and nailed it there. He cursed the curse for our sakes, but that is not all. In place of the curse, He made it possible for the blessing of Abraham to come upon us. This is the blessing that belongs, not only to Abraham, but also to all his “seed.”

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29)

What is the blessing? It is the favor and power of God at work in your life.

What does it look like? It is too much to tell in this short space, but there are some wonderful descriptions of what God has planned for His people, all who are the seed of Abraham through faith in Jesus Christ.

• Deuteronomy 28:1-14
• Psalm 1:1-3
• Psalm 103:1-6
• Psalm 112:1-10
• Malachi 3:10-12
• 2 Corinthians 9:8
• 3 John 2

It was at the cross, where Jesus gave His body and shed His blood, that He exchanged the curse that was on us for the all the blessing the comes with being Abraham’s seed. It is at the Table of the Lord that we receive the signs of His body given and His blood shed for us. When we eat the bread and drink from the cup, we are showing the Lord’s death, which has redeemed us from the curse and opened up to us all God promised Father Abraham.

The Table of the Lord is the Table of Blessing.

Great and Unexpected Acts

Who does great things, and unsearchable,
Marvelous things without number.

(Job 5:9)

Doing great things, and there is no searching.
Wonderful, till there is no numbering.

— Young’s Literal Translation

Qui facit magna et inscrutabilia et mirabilia absque numero.

— Latin Vulgate

After all, he’s famous for great and unexpected acts; there’s no end to His surprises.

— The Message

Mortgages are collapsing. People are being laid off. Iran is trying to go nuclear. And you probably know the problems and difficulties you are facing personally.

But remember, God is famous for great and unexpected acts, and there is no end to His surprises. When we look to Him and believe His promises — oh, how quickly things can change! The improbable and impossible start happening. God reveals His magnificent favor to those who trust in Him.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.

(Psalm 84:11)

That’s why Jesus came — to make us righteous, so that we may know the grace and glory of God in our lives. It does not matter how dark things may appear, when you know the Lord Jesus, the grace and glory of God will show up to guide, provide and protect you. God is famous for it.

God is famous for great and unexpected acts. There is no end to His surprises.

The Table of Divine Power and Glory

So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.

(Psalm 63:2)

So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory.

The Message

This morning, as I took the Table of the Lord, I meditated on this verse. I sought Him in His sanctuary, the holy place, the tabernacle of His the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, symbolized by the bread and the cup. I sought Him also in the tabernacle of my own being, for as believers in Jesus Christ, we are His holy temple (1 Corinthians 1:19; Ephesians 2:21; 1 Peter 2:5). I looked and I saw the Lord Jesus — His life, His power, His glory — within me.

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20)

To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27)

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:2-4)

“Power” is strength, the ability to do things. The Hebrew word for “glory” is kabod, and literally means “weightiness.” It is used for the value of every good thing. We have the power and glory, the divine ability to accomplish every good thing, at work in us through Jesus Christ.

Come sit at His table. As you partake of the bread and the cup, let it remind you that you partake of the divine nature, the life of Christ now at work in you. For the Table of the Lord is the Table of Divine Power and Glory.

Getting There from Here

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

God is not mad at you. He has planned a future and a hope for you, and Jesus came so that you could enter into it — that you might have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). He was not talking just about heaven, but about heaven on earth.

You might look around at your current situation and think, “But how can I ever get there from here.” You may not see the way, and you may even think that there is no way.

The truth is that you and I cannot get there on our own. But that is only half of the truth; the other half is that God not only knows the way, but if we will trust in Him, He will lift us out of were we are and bring us into the wonderful future and hope that He has planned for us from the beginning.

I will bring the blind by a way they did not know;
I will lead them in paths they have not known.
I will make darkness light before them,
And crooked places straight.
These things I will do for them,
And not forsake them.

(Isaiah 42:16)

He raises the poor out of the dust,
And lifts the needy out of the ash heap,
That He may seat him with princes —
With the princes of His people.

(Psalm 113:7-8)

Paul tells us that God is “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think” according to His power at work in us (Ephesians 3:20). The NIV has it as “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” Often, we let our current situation limit our thinking and our imagination. But God’s thoughts are not limited at all, and if we ask, He will share His thoughts with us by His Word and the Holy Spirit. That is what Paul prayed for the Ephesians, that God would give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so they could realize the joyful anticipation of what God calls us to, to know the riches of the inheritance He has placed in us, and to understand the greatness of His power toward us who believe (Ephesians 1:15-20).

God has a plan and a future for each one of us. We do not know how to get there from here, but God does, and that is all that matters. Our job is to believe His promise, receive His wisdom and revelation, and to ask and imagine — in the name of Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen!

The Foundation of Prosperity

And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things.

(Psalm 45:4)

Christians recognize that this psalm speaks about Jesus, who is King over all. The hymn, “Fairest Lord Jesus,” is based on this psalm, especially verse 2, “You are fairer than the sons of men.” Jesus is King, and there is no one who is more prosperous than Him.

The Hebrew word for “prosperous” here means to advance, progress, move forward, break out, come mightily, go over, and even to be profitable. God’s desire for you and me is that we have prosperity in all things. That is how the apostle John prayed:

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 2)

Notice that this prosperity is based, first of all, on how we are prospering in our souls. That is, prosperity is first a matter of the heart. And that is what we find in this psalm: Prosperity is founded upon truth, humility and righteousness.

• Truth — the Hebrew word for “truth” refers to that which is solid, steadfast and dependable. That is the same thing John referred in 3 John, where, in context, we see that prosperity of soul has to do with walking in truth.
• Humility — this is often translated as “meekness” and speaks of a gentleness toward others, especially toward those who are weak or oppressed. Those who walk in meekness or humility do not conduct themselves in arrogance or pride, but in love. John speaks of this same thing in his letter.
• Righteousness — this is, simply put, that which is right, especially as it pertains to the ways of God. The Hebrew word also refers to prosperity. Jesus taught us to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). When we know the Truth, that is, come into a personal relationship with the Truth, it sets us free (John 8:32). Not only that, but when we receive Him, we gives us the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth (John 16:13).

Jesus is the perfect example of humility. He did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45), and He taught His disciples that whoever desires to become great must become a servant (Matthew 20:26). Paul said,

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)

Jesus Christ is the righteousness of God, for He obeyed the Father perfectly in all things. He did only what He saw the Father doing, and said only what He heard the Father saying. He came to do the will of the Father, His human will in complete alignment with the divine will. Not only that but He came to replace our sinfulness with His righteousness.

For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

When we receive the Lord Jesus Christ, we become the righteousness of God in Him. As we follow Him, He will lead us into all truth, humility and righteous freedom and prosperity.

The Joy of All Creation

In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

(Psalm 16:11)

Joy is nothing more than the creation imitating its Creator.

—Rav Ashlag, 20th century Kabbalist

Q. What is the chief end of man?
A. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

—The first teaching from the Westminster Catechism

Joy is all about God; it is at home in His presence. All creation was made to manifest His pleasure, and we were created to enjoy Him forever. The earth is longing for this fulfillment, which has been delayed by the rebellion of Adam in the Garden, but is now back on track in the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. The apostle Paul said

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. (Romans 8:19-22)

All creation groans and waits in anticipation of sharing in the joy of the Creator as it is revealed in the joy of His fully-grown sons and daughters.

El Simcha Gheel: God, My Exceeding Joy

Oh, send out Your light and Your truth!
Let them lead me;
Let them bring me to Your holy hill
And to Your tabernacle.
Then I will go to the altar of God,
To God my exceeding joy;
And on the harp I will praise You,
O God, my God.

(Psalm 43:3-4)

When God sends His light and truth to lead us into His presence, it is a cause for exceeding joy. That is why the Sons of Korah, in this psalm, call Him El Simcha Gheel — God, My Exceeding Joy. El is the Hebrew for “God.” Simcha is one of the words for “joy.” It means gladness, blithesomeness, mirth, pleasure and joy — not just a little, but a lot. Gheel is another word for joy and literally means to spin, whirl and twirl. It is a dancing joy. Together they are a powerful combination. God is Our Exceeding Joy, or as Young’s Literal Translation has it, “The Joy of My Rejoicing.” David also experienced this truth. He said to the Lord,

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

(Psalm 16:11)

This is why Jesus came. God sent Him into the world to be the Light that gives light to everyone who comes into the world (John 1:9). He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, the only one who can lead us to the Father (John 14:6).

Jesus is the path of life that leads us to abundant and exuberant joy, joy without limits. He is God, Our Exceeding Joy — the Joy of Our Rejoicing.

More Than We Can Imagine

Not only is the universe stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine.

— Sir Arthur Eddington, astrophysicist

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

The divine power that created the universe is at work in us through Jesus Christ. It is more than we can imagine. Glory be to God!

The Reciprocity of Sowing and Reaping

There is one who scatters, yet increases more;
And there is one who withholds more than is right,
But it leads to poverty.

The generous soul will be made rich,
And he who waters will also be watered himself.

(Proverbs 11:24-25)

How can one scatter and yet increase? How can another hold on tight to what he has, and still end up broke? It is the reciprocity of sowing and reaping, of seedtime and harvest: Sow a seed, reap a harvest. The one who is scattering in this verse is actually broadcasting seed.

Paul talked about this in his letter to the Corinthians: “He who sows sparingly, will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6). Seeds work only when you plant them. Hold them in your hand, or keep them in your pouch, and they will bring you no return. Sow a little, reap a little; sow a lot, reap a lot.

“The generous soul will be made rich.” Or as Paul said, sow bountifully, reap bountifully. He was speaking in a financial context, but the principle is applicable in every aspect of life. Jesus said,

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. (Luke 6:38)

Now, the principle works both ways, both positively and negatively. Give out judgment and condemnation, and you will get a boatload of it back. That is actually what Jesus is talking about here. But sow kindness and mercy, and that is what you will reap. Help others to prosper, and you will end up prospering also. Or as the proverb says, “He who waters will also be watered himself.” When you refresh others, you will also be refreshed. Paul tells us that “whatever a man sows, the he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

Eugene Peterson translates these proverbs this way:

The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.

Whatever you sow, that is what you will reap. Sow sparingly, reap sparingly. Sow bountifully, reap bountifully. The choice is yours.

Divine Planting, Divine Results

He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:3)

First day of a new month, and here I am again considering Psalm 1. I’ve written about it quite a few times; perhaps I will write a book about it someday.

This verse is talking about the man who does not walk, talk and think like the world, but instead focuses his himself on the Law of the LORD, the Word of God. It changes Him profoundly and sets the arc of his life in a wonderful direction.

“He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.” It is not a scene in the wild that he describes here, but an intentional planting. God is cultivating something in his life. He is divinely placed and divinely nurtured. God has carefully chosen that spot for him, and him for that spot, to bring forth maximum results, optimal blessing.

Because this man has made his bread out of every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4), because he is a doer of the Word and not just a hearer (James 1:22-25), he comes to find himself in this place of freshness and fruitfulness, of provision and prosperity. He is a planting of the LORD (Isaiah 61:3).

Those who live according to the divine pattern find themselves in a divine place and receive divine results.

Love and Trust Release Great Joy

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.
For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

(Psalm 5:11-12)

True joy is released into your life by loving and trusting God. To trust means to go to God for everything, knowing that it will be taken care of. Love His name means to love Him, because the divine name stands for the divine Person.

The Hebrew word for “rejoice” used here is samach and means to be lighthearted and glad. The word “shout for joy” is ranan and means to creak, to give out a ringing cry of exaltation. The word for “joyful” is alats and means to jump for joy and be triumphant. The joy David talks about in this passage is a joy that fills and overflows the heart, and becomes very expressive. It is like the joy he expressed when he danced before the Lord with great vigor as the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem. “Then David danced before the LORD with all his might” (2 Samuel 6:14). The word for “danced” literally means to whirl and twirl — his wife was mad because he “uncovered” himself (v. 20). Such was the greatness of his joy, he neither noticed nor cared.

Why such joy? Because when we trust in God, when we go to Him as our refuge, He defends us. When we love His name, He blesses us and surrounds us with His favor as with a shield. You see, the ones who love and trust Him are the ones who are considered righteous. It is not about us, but about Him. His favor is not something we earn but something we believe and receive. He surrounds us with it; it is His pleasure and desire for us lavished upon us.

God is looking for those who will trust in Him and love His name, to show them His protection and provision, and shower His favor upon them. When you make that connection, get ready for a download of joy in your life that cannot be contained.

Set Your Expectation on God

Lord, my heart is not haughty,
Nor my eyes lofty.
Neither do I concern myself with great matters,
Nor with things too profound for me.
Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
Like a weaned child with his mother;
Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, hope in the Lord From this time forth and forever.

(Psalm 131)

Sometimes we don’t know why certain things happen, and we can drive ourselves nuts trying to figure it out. But sometimes we don’t know because we don’t really need to know. And sometimes, even if God told us why, we still wouldn’t understand.

This is the revelation David had. He realized that there were things that were beyond him, and so he learned to be content trusting them to God alone. Had he pursued them, he would have ended up in pride and arrogance, or else been overwhelmed by their depth.

So he calmed and quieted his soul. He became like a weaned child in his relationship with God. A little baby cries and wails until he is comforted and his perceived need is met. A weaned child knows that he will be taken care of at the appropriate time. He is patient.

Some Christians pray like a crying infant, weeping and wailing continually until they get what they want, and wondering why it is taking so long. But as they mature (if they mature), they learn that they can bring the matter before the Lord, and then leave it there with Him, knowing that He cares and that He will bring about their solution at the proper time.

In other words, they have learned how to set their hope in Him. The Biblical words for “hope” they speak of solid and positive expectation. It is joyful anticipation. Hope does not need to know all the answers. It does not need to establish a timetable. It is enough to know that He is God and He is good.

Hope trusts in God. Faith is the substance, the underlying reality of the things we hope for. It is the evidence of the things we do not yet see, but fully expect to manifest (Hebrews 11:1).

Set your expectation on God from now on; He will take care of you in every way.

Talking to My Air Conditioner

• Adam commanded the animals.
• Moses commanded the Red Sea.
• Joshua commanded the Sun.
• Elijah commanded the rain.
• Jesus commanded the wind and the waves
• and the fig tree
• and taught His disciples to do the same.

And this morning, I commanded the air conditioner in my car. I was taking my car to the dealership to have the oil changed. The air conditioner was not blowing well, and had been like that for many months. It was hot out and I was not getting very cool inside the car. So I decided to have a word with my it. I put my hand on the dashboard, looked at the A.C. vents and said, “I tell you to blow properly.” It continued to blow as it had done for the past few months. I was not surprised by that because I walk by faith, not by sight. I simply trusted that things would somehow change and that A.C. would somehow end up blowing properly before long.

So I got to the dealership and had my car serviced. After about 40 minutes, the supervisor came and told me that my car was ready, and oh, by the way, the air conditioning filter needs to be changed. After I okayed that, I remembered how I had spoken in the car, and then I thanked the Lord for answered prayer.

“Big whoop,” I’m sure someone is thinking. My air conditioner wasn’t blowing well and the dealership simply discovered that it needed a new filter. But here’s the thing: The last time we had the oil changed, about 3,500 miles ago, we asked the dealership to see what the problem was the with A.C. They looked it over but could not figure it out! I guess it had just never occurred to them back then to check the filter. Then today I spoke to that thing — I didn’t even think to ask the service manager to check it out — but within the hour, my A.C. was blowing as good as new.

By faith, I know that the world is framed by words — the Word of God. That is what the author of Hebrews says (Hebrews 11:3). Since the world is framed by words, it also responds to words, as many of the Old Testament saints found out, and as Jesus taught His disciples.

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” (Mark 11:22-23)

I know I did not part the Red Sea, cause the rain to come, or calm the wind and the waves, or move anything like a mountain. But this morning I spoke to the air conditioner in my car, and now it is blowing perfectly. I don’t mean to trivialize any of those other things, but this morning I spoke words, and the world, being composed of words, responded.

The Table of Covenant Mindfulness

He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will ever be mindful of His covenant.

(Psalm 111:5)

The Table of the Lord is the table of covenant. When Jesus took the cup, He said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 20:20). If God was mindful of the old covenant He made with Israel, a covenant cut with the blood of animals — how much more mindful will He be of the new covenant which He made in the blood of His holy Son Jesus.

You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19)

But now we see that Christ “has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).

God will ever be mindful of His covenant. David realized this in Psalm 103, where he wrote:

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

(Psalm 103:1-5)

These were benefits of the old covenant (see Deuteronomy 28:1-14); the benefits of the new covenant are even greater. God was ever mindful of them in the old, and David instructed his soul to be ever mindful of them, too. How much more is God mindful of the benefits and promises He extends to us in the new!

When we commit ourselves to God, which is what it means to trust in Him, He commits Himself to take care of us in all things. That is the essence of covenant — exchange. We give Him all that we are; He gives us all that He is, and He is ever mindful to do so.

So I come to the Table of the Lord to remember, to be mindful of the covenant God has made with me through the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is ever mindful of it; Jesus is always before Him, as the perfect Lamb that was slain for our sake. In the Table of the Lord, the bread and the cup put us in mind of the same thing. As we partake of this covenant sign, so may we also partake of the covenant benefits, freely and by faith.

The Table of the Lord is the Table of Covenant Mindfulness, both God’s and ours.

(You can listen to the benefits of Deuteronomy 28:1-14 in streaming MP3, in this track called “Choosing Life,” from one of our Healing Scriptures and Prayers CDs.)

The Table of Union

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)

The Table of the Lord is the table of His body, and His body is one. At His table, we all eat of the one bread and drink of the one cup. We do not just partake of Him individually, but together as His body. No matter where we are geographically, we all share in communion with Him, and therefore with each other. We have this communion not only with those of His body who still walk this planet, but also with all the saints who have lived since the beginning of the Church. The Table of the Lord is the sign of this unity.

When I was young, I used to see an old cartoon, which featured a number of vignettes. One of those scenes showed a mailman sorting mail. In this cartoon world, this mailman was actually an octopus, busily sorting the mail into a wall full of slots. It was funny enough watching the him going at it with all eight tentacles, but then we were shown that, on the other side of the wall, all the slots emptied into one mail pouch.

Sometimes I think about that at the Table of the Lord. We all take of the bread and the cup, each of us “sorting” it into our own individual mouths — but then, behind the scenes, it all enters into the same body, the body of Christ.

In the passage above, Paul speaks of the unity we have in Christ, and how we shall walk in view of it. We should be humble, gentle and patient with each other, even putting up with each other for the sake of love.

We are to be diligent to hold on to the unity we have in Christ, who is our peace. For we do not create this unity; we receive it through faith in Jesus Christ, who has given His Spirit to each one of us. Our job is simply to live that out. The Message puts it this way: “pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.”

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul describes this unity, and how to keep it, this way:

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:1-8)

This is the mind of Christ for the body of Christ.

All those who come to faith in Jesus Christ are made one in Him. We are His body. We see this in the Table of the Lord, the Table of Union with Him.

Years ago, I wrote a little song about the Table of the Lord and the unity we have in Him. It’s called “Celebration” and you can listen to it in streaming MP3. It's from our first CD, Walking Barefoot.

Asking in Jesus’ Name

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. (John 14:13-14)

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (John 15:16)

And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:23-24)

Many people seem to think that asking in Jesus’ name means tacking “In Jesus’ name” onto the end of our prayers. That is nothing but magical thinking, treating the name of Jesus as nothing more than a charm.

Asking in Jesus’ name really means asking according to His purposes and the things He would ask. Jesus said only what He heard the Father saying, and did only what He saw the Father doing (John 5:19, 30). He was all about pleasing the Father and doing His will (John 8:28-29). Asking in Jesus’ name is really about asking in agreement with the Father’s will.

Many Christians think of the will of God as a terrible burden that we must submit to and somehow learn to live with, as if the furthest thing from God’s mind was for us to enjoy life. Nothing could be further from the truth. God’s will for us is good. Paul says of those who believe that God has “predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will” (Ephesians 1:5), and God is not a child-abuser.

Jesus came that we might have life and that we might have it more abundantly (John 10:10). When He announced His ministry and what it would be about, He said,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19)

This is the will of God, and it is nothing but good for you and me. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

Praying in Jesus’ name is asking according to the will of God. The apostle John, who preserved for us the promises about asking in Jesus’ name, understood very well how powerful it is to pray according to the will of God:

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15)

John understood equally well how good the will of God is toward us. We see this in his prayer for Gaius: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 2).

Jesus authorizes us to ask of the Father in His name, and whatever we ask, the Father will do. The purpose is that the Father may be glorified through His will being done on earth as it is in heaven. The result is that we may bear much fruit, the kind that lasts. The Father is glorified by that also: “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15:8). When we ask in Jesus’ name, we will share in His joy, just as He shares in His Father’s joy: “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

God’s will is to bless the world through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not a dark and gloomy imposition that we have to, somehow, come to terms with. No, it is a wonderful promise that we can count on to bless us, and others through us. It is even powerful enough to take those things that might otherwise be a burden, and turn them into a revelation of His joy at work in us, filling us with His pleasure.

Asking in Jesus’ name is asking according to the will of God, which is nothing but good for you and me. When we ask as Jesus would ask, we can be confident that we will receive whatever we ask.

Pleasing God: Faith

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Faith pleases God; without faith, it is impossible to please Him. Faith begins with believing that God is, that He exists. Paul addresses this in Romans 1, where he shows what it means to be without this kind of faith:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. (Romans 1:18-23)

Faith acknowledges who God is and responds to Him with glory and gratitude. The author of Hebrews takes it a step further: Faith is not only properly acknowledging that God is, it is also believing that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. As Paul noted, we can know that God is, and even understand His attributes and power, by the witness of His creation. But the knowledge that He rewards those who seek Him comes to us by the revelation of His Word.

But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29)

Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. (Isaiah 55:6)

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

To diligently seek God is to seek Him with all your heart. When you do, He promises that you will find Him, and that is the reward. “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward’” (Genesis 15:1). This resulted in great blessing for Abraham, and for all the world through him.

Faith pleases God because it comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). How could God be pleased with us when we don’t believe what He has said? Faith is receiving the Word of God and believing that everything He has said is true and will come to pass. God has no pleasure in those who doubt Him and His Word.

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” (Mark 11:22-23)

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. (James 1:6-7)

The Greek word for “doubt,” diakrino, literally means to be of two judgments. Part of you says Yes, part of you says No — it is a mixed signal that adds up to unbelief. Some Christians try to sanctify their doubt as a sort of godly humility. To them, the certainty of faith is an arrogant thing. However, the Scriptures teach that God rewards those who seek Him with the whole heart, believing they will find Him, just as He promised. But there is no guarantee for those who doubt; they should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Fortunately, when we find ourselves in doubt, we can turn to the Lord, just as the father of demonized boy did. Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” The man answered, “I believe; help my unbelief.” We can take our doubts to Jesus and ask Him to do something about them. We can get into the Word and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the mind of Christ. Faith will come, and that pleases God.

Faith — believing God and His Word — pleases God. Seek Him with all your heart, and you will receive the reward: You will find Him.

The Table of Joy

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

(Psalm 16:11)

The Table of the Lord is a table of joy because it is the table of His presence, and in His presence is fullness of joy. The Hebrew word for “presence,” panim, refers to the face. God’s presence is His face turned toward us.

Jacob experienced this presence on the night he wrestled with the angel of the Lord and would not let Him go until he received a blessing. That is when his name was changed to Israel He called the name of the place Peniel, “The Face of God.” He said, “For I have seen God face [panim] to face [panim] and my life is preserved” (Genesis 32:30).

Many people fear the presence of the Lord because they think He is out to destroy them. But the truth is that He wants to show them the path of life. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). He is the path of the life.

David declared that at the right hand of the Lord there are pleasures forevermore — lasting happiness, delight that never ends. Paul tells us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 1:20), and that we are seated together there in Him (Ephesians 2:6).

Everlasting life and endless joy are found in Jesus Christ. In His presence is fullness of joy, and the Table of the Lord is a sign of His presence, given to us by the Lord Jesus Himself. It is a powerful manifestation of His presence, when we receive it in faith.

When He took the bread, He blessed it and gave it to His disciples, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19). Likewise, He took the cup and said, “This is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20). When we take the bread and the cup, we are receiving the sign of His presence. That is why this table is often called “communion,” because we are together with Him, face to face. And that is pure joy.

The Table of the Lord is the table of joy, the table of His presence. Go to this table often and let Him fill you with His life and joy.

How to Give Thanks in Everything

In everything give thanks. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

The Bible tells us to give thanks in everything. It is easy enough to give thanks when times are good and things are going well, although we often neglect to do so. But how are we supposed to give thanks when times are hard and nothing seems to be going right?

First, notice that we are to give thanks in everything, not necessarily for everything. Bad things happen; we do not have to give thanks for them, but we can give thanks in the midst of them, knowing that God is in still on His throne, and that He is much greater than any problem that could ever come our way. Giving thanks to God is a very effective way to begin relating to His solution instead of focusing on the problem. Paul expands on this in his letter to the Philippians:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

Bad things happen, but we do not have to be full of worry and anxiety about them. We can go to God in prayer. To some, that may seem to be nothing more than acquiescing to or retreating from the problem. But it is actually addressing the problem head on by taking it to God, the One who can do something about it.

Supplication is prayer that presents a definite need to be met by a definite provision. Problems require solutions; supplication goes after the solution. Make your requests known to God. Don’t be vague; ask with specificity for whatever is needed. Wrap it all up in thanksgiving, knowing that God hears, that He cares and that He will answer you and take care of the situation.

Paul adds this, “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). When you give thanks in everything, you will not be anxious, but filled with the peace of God.

Give thanks to God in everything, even the bad things, for your prayers and thanksgiving will bring the power, provision and peace of God to bear. When the solution appears, you will be thanking Him for the opportunity of seeing His glory displayed on your behalf.

How to Rejoice Always

Rejoice always. (1 Thessalonians 5:16)

The Greek word used here for “rejoice” means to be glad, full of cheer, joyful. Paul tells us not only to rejoice, but to rejoice always — to always be full of cheer and gladness.

How is that possible? We find Paul saying that same thing in his letter to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:6). Notice the prepositional phrase “in the Lord.” The kind of joy Paul is talking about is supernatural — the joy of the Lord. Nehemiah said, “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

This joy is an inside job; it does not come from outward circumstances. Real joy is not based on what is happening around you, but on what is happening in you. You can have the greatest joy in the worst of situations, and that joy will be the strength you need to prevail in the hardest of adversities.

We receive this joy, first of all, through faith in Jesus Christ, who came that we might reconciled to God. Through faith in Him we receive the new birth, born of heaven by the Holy Spirit. By that birth, we are born into the kingdom of God, and that has everything to do with joy. For one thing, Jesus said that when we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, everything else will be taken care of (Matthew 6:33). For another, the Bible tells us that “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

The kingdom of God is full of joy because the Spirit of God is the source of joy. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). If you know Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you; if you have the Holy Spirit, then you already have the fruit of the Spirit at work in you. It may not yet be apparent in your life, but it is a work in you, ready to be released.

How do you release this joy of the Lord in your life? You release it by yielding to it, and since it is a fruit of the Spirit, you yield to it by yielding to the Spirit. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul put it this way:

Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. (Ephesians 5:18-21)

Let the Holy Spirit fill you, control you, lead you. Then you will be filled with so much joy, you will not be able to contain it all, but it will overflow to others. Your heart will be filled with gratitude and your mouth with praise, regardless of whatever difficulties you may be facing.

True and lasting joy is all about God. David said, “In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). In Jesus Christ, God is present in us by His Spirit, and when we yield to the Spirit, that presence begins to manifest in our lives. Not only that, but Paul tells us that we are seated in the heavenlies in Jesus Christ, who is seated at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 2:6). When we become aware of who we are in Jesus Christ, and where we are seated in Him, it is hard not to rejoice.

Father, I thank You for Jesus Christ, who came to save me and make me Yours. I thank You that I am already seated in the heavenly places in Him, at Your right hand, where there is fullness of joy, and pleasures forevermore. I thank You that the fruit of joy is already at work in me through the Holy Spirit. I yield to Your Holy Spirit of Joy, and I thank You in Jesus’ name, Amen.

How to Pray Without Ceasing

Pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Many Christians wonder how one can pray without ceasing, without interruption, without omission. Sounds daunting, doesn’t it? But that is because we often think of prayer as that thing we do in a religious meeting, or when we pull ourselves away from all other activity, assume a certain position, or time, or place and speak religiously appropriate words to God. Who can do that all the time? In fact, most people, including me, find it mind-numbingly hard to keep it up for fifteen minutes. Even after only five minutes, our eyeballs start to glaze over.

Fortunately, that is not what Paul had in mind. He was not speaking of duty, but of relationship—and that changes everything. Prayer as a duty is something you perform, and when you’re done, you’re done, until it is time to do it again. But prayer as a relationship is continuous. It is being constantly aware of and enjoying the presence of God.

It is like my relationship with my wife. There are plenty of times when we sit and discuss things, verbally relating to one another. But there are also many times when we are simply together, knowing each other is near, even though no words may pass between us. We may each be doing different things, but we enjoy being together.

In the same way, praying without ceasing is being together with God. This will come as a shock to some people, but not only does God love us, He actually likes being with us. He has many things He wants to say to us, and if we will listen, He will whisper them to us. He is also ready to listen to us when we speak to Him. We can have constant fellowship with Him, even in the middle of whatever else we may have to do.

David understood about the constancy of this relationship; the Book of Psalms is largely a collection of his prayers and praises to the Lord. He said, “My eyes are ever toward the LORD” (Psalm 25:15).

Another psalm makes this promise: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). Dwelling and abiding speak of the continual awareness of the presence of the Lord.

Clement of Alexandria, who was a teacher of the late second and early third centuries, understood that the life of prayer is 24/7. He said, “For the saints, even their slumber is prayer.” Psalm 127:2 says, “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so He gives His beloved sleep.” When we spend our days in the secret place with the Most High—whatever else we may have to do—we will find our rest under the shadow of His wings. It is all prayer.

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection stumbled upon this truth. He was a 17th century Carmelite monk who wanted to know God more, but none of the spiritual guidance he received seemed to be of any help. Finally, he decided that he would not do anything at all except out of love of God. In this way, he developed such a continual awareness of God and His love that he found himself just as much at home with the presence of God in the kitchen as he was in the chapel. It was all the same to him, all part of a constant fellowship with God. He discovered the secret to praying without ceasing, and recorded it in his famous little book, The Practice of the Presence of God.

The Lord Jesus was in constant fellowship with the Father in everything He said and did. He said nothing He did not hear His Father saying and did nothing He did not see His Father doing. Everything He did was out of the desire to please God. He did have many times of special communion with the Lord, as we all should, but even in the heat of ministry, He was continually aware of the Father’s presence and purpose.

Praying without ceasing is continuing in fellowship with the Father. When your heart is always toward Him, even your slumber is prayer.

Faith is Declaring the End from the Beginning

Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure.” (Isaiah 46:9-10)

This is how God operates — He declares the end from the beginning and has no doubt that it will manifest at the appropriate time. That is faith.

The author of Hebrews said, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). That is, faith is the underlying reality of things which are not yet visible, but which we fully expect to see. It is declaring the end from the beginning.

Jesus demonstrated this in Mark 11 when He spoke to the fig tree which should have brought forth fruit, but did not, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again” (Mark 11:14). Then He continued on His way. He did not wait around to see if it would happen. He had spoken what the end of that tree would be and He had no doubt that it would come to pass just as He had spoken. He fully expected that no one would ever eat from that tree again.

Coming back by the next day, Peter noticed that the tree had withered. “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away” (v. 21). Jesus then talked about faith and how it works.

Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (Mark 11:22-24)

What was Jesus doing? He was teaching them how to declare the end from the beginning. When you declare something with your mouth, and do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will be done, then whatever you say will be done. When you declare the end from beginning, you do not have to wait until the end to see if what you said came to pass.

Likewise, when you pray, believing that you receive (the NASB says, “have received”) whatever things you ask, you will indeed have them. When you declare the end from the beginning, you do not have to wait until the end to see if you received what you asked. If you prayed in faith, then you have already received it, and it will be revealed at the proper time.

Faith is declaring the end from the beginning. That is how God operates, and how He created you and me to operate, too.

When We Pray, Things Change

"When we pray, things change."

—my friend Wally at breakfast this morning.

Simple, but profound.

The Table of Abundantly Available Help

God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.

(Psalm 46:1)

Concerning “a very present help,” the margin of my study Bible notes that it means “an abundantly available help.” In other words, God is always there for us with more than enough help to take care of any and every situation fully and completely. He is our refuge, our strength, and our help in all things.

Today I took the Table of the Lord using this Scripture, because Jesus is not only my refuge and strength, He is my abundantly available help — my provision — in all things. In Him I have more than enough to meet every challenge.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39)

We are more than conquerors in Jesus Christ. Everything about Him means abundance for us, for He came not only that we might have life, but that we might have it “more abundantly” (John 10:10). In Him the love of God is “shed abroad” (literally, “gushing out”) in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:11). In Him we receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness (Romans 5:17). This grace is more than enough so that we might not only be blessed ourselves but also become a blessing to others.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

All this we have in Jesus Christ, who poured out the love of God for us by His own body and blood on the Cross.

The Table of the Lord speaks to us of the abundantly available help we have in Jesus Christ.

Pleasing God: His Word, His Will, His Way

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. (John 5:19)

I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. (John 5:30)

Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” (John 8:28-29)

Jesus was all about pleasing the Father. Everything He did, He did to please God. He did not do anything or say anything that He did not see or hear the Father doing or saying. He did not seek His own will, but always yielded Himself fully to the Father. He is the perfect expression of the will of God.

When He was baptized by John in the Jordan river, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him and the voice of the Father said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Afterward, the Spirit led Him out into the wilderness, where the devil tried to lure Him into an agenda that did not from God — and anything that does not come from God comes ultimately from the devil.

• Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (Matthew 4:3).
• Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’“ (Matthew 4:5-6)
• Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:8-9)

First, notice how the devil tries to introduce doubt by the use of “if.” In the first two attempts he says, “If you are the Son of God.” But Jesus was quite secure in His identity; He knew exactly who He was and why He came — to do the Father’s will — and He did not have to prove Himself to anybody.

“Turn these stones into bread,” the tempter says. Jesus answers, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’” (v. 4). We do not need to heed any word that comes from the devil, but true life comes from hearing, believing and obeying everything that comes from God alone.

The devil tries again. “Throw Yourself down from this pinnacle; God’s angels will rescue You.” It is a perverse appeal to the Word of God; perverse because it is not according to the purpose of God. Jesus answers very simply, “It is written, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God” (v. 7). It does no good to believe God’s promises if we are not following His will.

In the third attempt, the devil uses “if” to introduce doubt about God’s plan. “I will give You all the kingdoms of the world if You will fall down and worship me.”God had already declared His will to give Jesus all the nations for His inheritance (Psalm 2:8), but it would come by God’s plan, not the devil’s. The glory would be to God alone. So Jesus says, “Away with you, for it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve’” (v. 10).

Jesus had no agenda of His own, but was fully committed to that of the Father, and that greatly pleased God.

Pleasing God is about believing His word and following His will in His way.

Understanding Prosperity

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 2)

Alongside every country road there are usually two ditches, one on either side. Controversial issues are generally like that; there are extremes and reactions on either side. I find this to be true about how Christians react to the Biblical teaching concerning prosperity. In 3 John 2, we see the will of God, as expressed in the prayer of the apostle John, is for His people to prosper in all things and be in health, according to how they are prospering in their souls.

That seems pretty straightforward, and it is just one of many equally clear Scriptures in the Bible concerning prosperity. But, oh how Christians can get into the ditches concerning this.

On the one hand, there are some Christians who, by their preaching, seem to think that it is all about money, and who appear to live it out as greed and self-aggrandizement. Some of the televangelists fit into this category and very often earn the harsh criticism they receive.

On the other hand, there are some who react so vehemently to this first group that they actually fall into the same error: They think that prosperity is about money and greed. They see the ditch on one side of the road and back so far away from it that they stumble into the ditch on the other side. Since, to their reactionary way of thinking, prosperity is all about money and greed, they wonder God could possibly want prosperity for His people? Or as one fellow asked, “How does that benefit the kingdom of God?”

Show them the Scriptures which reveal God’s desire to prosper His people, such as Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:1-3, Psalm 35:17, Psalm 112 or Proverbs 3:9-10, and the response will likely be, “Oh, but that is Old Testament.” As if God has somehow changed His mind and that the new and better covenant that was instituted in Jesus Christ and which is based upon better promises is in some way inferior to the Old Covenant (see Hebrews 8:6). Not so.

Others will resort to the old standby, “Yes, but that is spiritual prosperity” when the Biblical context reveals that it is about all kinds of prosperity. (Part of the error I see here is the mistake that sees the spiritual realm as good but the natural realm as evil. The Bible, however, teaches that the natural realm derives from the spiritual realm, because God, who is Spirit, created the natural realm. But that is a discussion for another time.)

Many of those who oppose prosperity teaching from the Scriptures and who reject the Old Testament promises of prosperity, when it comes to the same teaching in the New Testament, they are oblivious to it. They have learned how to gloss over, ignore or otherwise explain away. It is not intentional, but reactionary. They do not mean to do it, but their disgust with those who think prosperity is all about money and greed causes their eyes to be blinkered to what the Scriptures actually have to say.

So what does the Bible really have to say about prosperity? Simply put, to prosper means to do well. What is the extent of the prosperity God has for us? I think the apostle John said it pretty well: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” Note, first, that God wants us to prosper in ALL things (even as He already said so many times and in so many ways in the Old Testament). Since John adds, “Just as your soul prospers,” we can see that this is not only about inward, spiritual prosperity but about outward, physical prosperity as well. Truly, it is prosperity in ALL things that God desires to release into your life and mine. It is not limited to finances — that is probably the least of what it is about—but finances are by no means excluded from the promise.

Second, and this is very important, the measure and qualifier of outward, physical prosperity is inward, spiritual prosperity. Again, we see that when John says, “Just as your soul prospers.” It is a comparative statement. If you are not prospering in your soul, in your inward man, you will not truly be able to prosper in anything else. But when you are prospering in your inward being, you are positioning yourself to receive prosperity in all things.

Prosperity of soul, as we learn from the context (3 John 3-5), has everything to do with walking in love. So, greed and self-aggrandizement are out. Jesus taught us that when we make the kingdom of God our priority, everything else will be taken care of (Matthew 6:33). That’s prosperity!

Paul gives us a good description of prosperity in 2 Corinthians 9:8, which happens to be in a financial context. In exhorting the Church about giving, Paul gives this promise:

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

When we put God first in all things, He will cover all the bases — even the financial ones — with plenty more besides in order to support good works. For His desire is not only to bless us, but to bless others through us. Or as it has been so frequently expressed, “We are blessed to be a blessing.”

Prosperity is not something to be feared, not when it comes from God’s hand. And that is exactly what He has promised for you and me. It is not just about you, but about God and what He wants to do in and through you.

Faith and the Sovereignty of God

It has been said that prayer is not about overcoming God's reluctance, but about laying hold of His willingness. It is the same way with faith. Faith is believing the Word of God. Indeed, faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). So faith that is divorced from the Word of God is not the biblical kind of faith. Apart from the Word, it can be very dangerous and is, at best, presumptuous.

But whenever God has spoken, we can believe to the fullest extent whatever He has said. To expect God to honor His Word and keep His promises does no violence whatsoever to God's sovereignty. Rather, it honors God in His sovereignty, for God has exalted His Word even above His name (Psalm 138:2). Whenever He promises something, it is because He fully intends to do it.

Now, notice how Jesus begins His discourse on mountain-moving faith and prayer that gets results:

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (Mark 11:22-24)

“Have faith in God.” Mountain-moving faith has everything to do with God. It is not contrary to God but in alignment with Him.

Jesus then explains how to engage that faith: “Whoever says to this mountain ... and does not doubt those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” Here is faith at work in the heart, and here is confession made with the mouth. That is how faith works, and it gets results without violating the sovereignty of God.

Next, Jesus relates it to prayer: “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” The NASB has “believe that you have received them.” This must be in line with the sovereignty of God because Jesus said it, and He never did anything that was contrary to the will of God.

Faith is all about believing the Word of God and therefore honors His sovereignty.

Believing the Prosperity of God

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 2)

The will of God for His people is that we prosper in all things and be in health, even as our souls prosper. From the context, we see that prosperity of soul is about walking both in truth and in love.

For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. (3 John 3-6)

To prosper means to “do well.” When the Bible says “prosper in all things,” that means His purpose is for us to do well in all things. This echoes His promises from the Old Testament:

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:8)

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:2-3)

Prosperity, or doing well, in “all things” is by no means limited to finances, as some seem to suppose, but includes every aspect of life. By the same token, “all things” by no means excludes finances, as others seem to suppose, but are included as much as anything else. God wants to prosper all His people in finances as well as in everything else. Again, this is all related to soul prosperity — doing the truth and walking in love.

To those who love and trust in Him, God promises, among other things, that He will command the blessing on us in our storehouses and in all we set our hands to (Deuteronomy 28:8). He also promises that wealth and riches will be in our houses (Psalm 112:3). He promises that, when we honor Him with our possessions and with the firstfruit of all our increase, our barns will be filled with plenty and our vats overflow with new wine (Proverbs 3:9-10). Psalm 35:27 tells us that God takes pleasure in the prosperity of His people.

So, there is no question that God wants all His people to prosper in all things, including our finances. His Word confirms it repeatedly. This is not some extraneous “prosperity gospel,” but the consistent teaching of the Scriptures. These promises, being the Word of God, who cannot lie, are therefore sure and true, and can be fully relied upon.

Now, along with all that, Jesus promised that there would also be persecutions. We see this in the promise of hundredfold return:

Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time — houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions — and in the age to come, eternal life. (Mark 29:30)

Because Jesus has said this, it would be foolish for anyone to think that there are not going to be persecutions. But by the same token, it would be foolish to think that there is not also going to be the hundredfold return of all that is given up for the sake of Jesus and the Gospel. Jesus explicitly states that such return is to be received “now in this time” as well as eternal life in the age to come.

You can confidently rely upon the promises and prosperity of God.

The Holy Spirit Pulling With You

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26)

No matter what life throws at you, if you know the Lord Jesus, you can make it through. Because all who no Him have the Spirit of God dwelling in them. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses (of which we have many). The Greek verb for “helps” is synantilambanomai and means, “to take hold of together with.” It is like working the oar of a boat. The Holy Spirit takes hold of it with us, and we row together, pulling hard. He does not do it all for us, but He helps us. We do it together. Whatever you are dealing with, you are not dealing with it by yourself. The Holy Spirit is taking hold of it with you.

Paul speaks of this particularly in the context of prayer. “For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought.” By ourselves, we really do not know how or what to pray. This is true all the time, but we become painfully aware of it when we encounter situations we have never seen before or are overwhelmed by difficulties. Fortunately, the Spirit lays hold with us. We do not know how to pray, but He always does. This may manifest in a number of ways.

• There may be no words at all, only groaning or weeping. Sometimes as I have prayed for someone, I have suddenly found myself weeping almost uncontrollably for him or her. That is the Spirit releasing the burden of my heart to the Father. Some people call this “travailing prayer.”
• There may be Scriptures that suddenly come to mind which pertain to the situation. The Holy Spirit is leading you by the Word of God, not only giving you direction, but stirring up your faith as well, because faith comes by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). As those Scriptures come, and faith arises in your heart, turn them into prayer.
• There may be words in a language you do not understand. This is called “praying in tongues.” Though you may not know exactly what you are praying, the Holy Spirit does, because it is a gift from Him. He knows exactly what needs to be said, and He will say it through your tongue, if you allow Him. If you have never experienced this gift,, you can even ask Him to release it in you.
• There may be no special manifestation whatsoever. But that’s okay because the Holy Spirit is laying hold and interceding with you nonetheless. Pray out what you know and trust that the Holy Spirit is pulling on heaven with you.

In whatever way the Spirit works with you in prayer, you can be sure that the Father will hear and honor it, for you will be praying according to the will of God.

Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:27)

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15)

You and I do not know how to pray, but the Spirit of God does. When you pray, trust that He is there laying hold and pulling with you. Listen for how He may be leading you. Then pray with great expectation.

Confessing My Happiness

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

(Psalm 1:1-3)

My Confession: Today I am deliriously happy because I do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the path of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. Instead, I take great delight in the Law of the Lord — the Word of God. I think about it all the time, letting it tune my heart, train my thoughts, change my will and fill my mouth — to make me more like Jesus! Therefore, I am like a tree planted by rivers of living water; I bear fruit in season; my leaf does not wither, and whatever I do prospers. I thank the Lord for the deep happiness, great success and rich prosperity I have now because of Him.