I Form the Light

I form the light, and create darkness:
I make peace, and create evil:
I the LORD do all these things. Isaiah 45:7

How can God, who is good, create darkness and evil? And we know that God is good; His goodness does not stop, but continues without change or end. His Word proclaims that …the goodness of God endureth continually… Psalm 52:1

The light that God creates is not just physical light. His Word, which is truth in spiritual matters, is light. Think of a room in late afternoon, when the light of the sun begins to dim. At first, your eyes adjust to the dimness, and you continue as when the light was brighter. But when you turn on the first lamp, shadows are created in the corners. The difference between light and dark becomes distinct. The far corner is no darker than it was before the light was turned on, but it appears darker because of the contrast with the light.

So does God’s Word reveal the untruth of the world around us. God does not create evil any more that you created darkness when you turned the light on. It is simply that His light reveals the darkness and makes it distinct from the light. We often become used to the uncaring world. We begin to expect the worst from people, and shrug off evil as something we must get used to. But like turning on a light in a dim room, the light of God’s Word reveals the evil around us, and makes us realize that it is evil. God also gives us a way out of evil; He promises us His goodness.

Our Help

I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

The pagan altars were located on the hills. The Psalmist looked up and saw that he was surrounded by the worship of idols. But he knew that God does not dwell on the hills. God is not worshipped on the hills, and so our help does not come from there. Instead our help comes from God.

The Goodness and the Willingness of God

Why callest thou me good?
there is none good but one, that is, God: Matthew 19:17

No one is as good as Jesus, and Jesus said that only God is truly good. But we all know what goodness is. We know what it is to be good to our own children. If any of us has a child that is cold or sick or wounded, we will try to help. We will not deny a child food if we have it, or allow a child to feel lonely if we can provide comfort. The goodness of God will always exceed the goodness of a person.

When my father and my mother forsake me,
then the LORD will take me up. Psalm 27:10

As parents, we know that our willingness to provide for our children is always there. We are willing to give to our children. If a child has a real need, and not just a desire, we do not make them wait. And we do not condition our comfort on the goodness of our children. If a child is sick, we do not wait to provide comfort because the child was disobedient earlier. Can God be less good than this?

God is always willing to heal, always willing to comfort, always willing to hear our prayer. It is we who are unable to receive from God. Our own unbelief in the goodness and the willingness of God prevents us from receiving from Him. Even our disobedience does not prevent God from be willing to bless us, it only prevents us from being able to receive. Did you wait for Salvation? Did you have to work to become a better person before God would grant it to you? Just as Salvation is immediately available to all who believe and is not dependant on our goodness, God’s blessings are immediately available. He never wants His children to be sick or hungry or brokenhearted. Open your hearts to receive the blessings of God.

Youthful Authority

An elder must not be a new Christian,
because he might be proud of being chosen so soon,
and the Devil will use that pride to make him fall.
Before they are appointed as deacons,
they should be given other responsibilities in the church
as a test of their character and ability.
If they do well, then they may serve as deacons. I Timothy 3:6, 10

When I was eleven, I thought I was a real hot-shot horsewoman. At the stable where I rode, I was given extra free time riding as a helper in large groups. I groomed and saddled horses, and then helped their riders, many of them adults, to mount. I showed them how to hold the reins, and adjusted the stirrups for them. During the ride, if anyone had trouble with their horse, I would switch and ride the problem horse. By the time I was thirteen, I was riding horses no one else dared to try. I started riding privately owned horses to retrain them for owners (usually adults) who did not have either the time or skill for the horse.

But I began to realize that skillful riding involved more than managing a problem horse. I didn’t have the least idea how to take a horse smoothly over a course of jumps or perform complex maneuvers with a minimum of effort. All my efforts in managing horses involved strength, determination and the ability to calm the animal. After riding for more than ten years, I finally began to learn some of the true skills of horsemanship. My lessons included jumping, cross-country and ringwork. I learned how to show and win in different classes. And yet, although I’m a good rider, I’m not really outstanding. I’m certainly not as good as I thought I was when I was eleven.

When I was young, I didn’t know how much I still had not learned. I simply thought that I knew a great deal. Once I learned more about horsemanship, I realized that there was so much to know, and I had only begun. What seemed great knowledge was really the knowledge of a beginner. For every field this is true. A little knowledge at the beginning seems great wisdom. If the beginner is given responsibility without guidance from a more knowledgeable expert, the beginner becomes prideful, thinking that their quick rise to authority is proof of their superior abilities.

A person wishing to be a leader of God’s people, whether a pastor, teacher or mentor, is subject to this kind of pride when he is elevated too quickly. He becomes quite sure of his own words of wisdom, and knows that he perceives deep truths that others see only dimly. Unchecked, this attitude leads to arrogance and a rejection of experienced teachers. This kind of youthful pride is not limited to those young in years. Any new or inexperienced Christian may fall into this error.

A new Christian is often bold and eager to serve God more completely. This worthy aim must be nurtured by knowledge of the Word, in study and in practice. Everyone who wishes to serve God should be given the opportunity to do so. They should be mentored into greater responsibility and into acting through the love of God for the good of the Body of Christ.

The Sand for a Bound of the Sea

Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not: Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain…
Jeremiah 5:21-24

Fire in the Valley 2007

Photos from Fire in the Valley are available here. This annual event will be taking place on August 15-19 this year. For the schedule and directions, look here.

Why Do the Wicked Prosper?

The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalm 1:4-6

The first Psalm contrasts the ways of the Godly and the ungodly. But there seems to be an inconsistency here. The Psalm says that the wicked are not like the Godly, but they will be like chaff in the wind. But we see the ungodly every day, and they seem to prosper. They have positions of power and honor, acquire great wealth, and are praised by others. Why is this so?

There is more than one kind of prosperity. Prosperity can be in spiritual matters or it can be in worldly matters. The ungodly often prosper in worldly ways, but never in spiritual matters. But those who strive to follow God’s ways will grow in spiritual prosperity. And God promises that our needs in this world will be met.

So why does this verse declare that the wicked will be as chaff? When do we get to see them blow away like chaff in the wind? Verse 5 says that the wicked will not stand in the Day of Judgment. They will not be among the righteous. The ungodly may prosper in the ways of the world, but that prosperity is a small and tarnished prosperity compared to the spiritual prosperity of God’s people, and the prosperity of the wicked is only for a short time. On the Day of Judgment they will be gone, but we will enter into everlasting life.

Integrity

Where does your integrity lie? What are you loyal to, and which allegiance do you choose above another? In an ideal world, this would be an easy choice. Being honest and having integrity should not result in a conflict. So how should you choose, when loyalty to two friends pulls you in two directions? What do you do, when the demands of a job cost you time with your family? And when you have two obligations, but can only fulfill one, can you retain your integrity?

“This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” Daniel 3:4-6

Now there’s a choice! Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were government officials, dedicated to serving the King. Their integrity obligated them to obey all of the King’s commands. But they had another loyalty – one to God. So these three young men had only two choices: obey the King or obey God. No matter which they decide, they will be disloyal to one authority.

There really are only two choices in life: obey God, or obey the way of the world. Don’t choose between two friends: make the Godly choice. Don’t try to satisfy the needs of a job and the family: make the Godly choice. Whatever your obligations, choose God first. Your choices may never be as obviously dangerous as the one faced by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, but God can still bless you and protect you when you make the right one.

Blind Eyes

And he said, Go, and tell this people,
Hear ye indeed, but understand not;
and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Make the heart of this people fat,
and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart,
and convert, and be healed. Is 6:9-10

This was part of Isaiah’s charge from God – that Isaiah should go to the people (the Israelites) and speak to them for God. God acknowledges that the people will be slow of understanding, but Isaiah is to go and speak anyway. God knows that many people will never hear and understand and believe His Word, but Isaiah went and spoke it anyway.

People have not changed very much. This verse is quoted by Jesus and by Paul to illustrate the people who hear and see God’s Word, but do not understand or believe it. Because they have not believed, they are robbed of the blessings and the healings that God wants to give. People even now are the same. Many hear the Word, see miracles before their eyes, but they are blind and deaf to the Truth. Many never understand and believe the salvation and power available from God.

And those of us who have believed in Jesus’ resurrection, who have accepted him as Lord, still have our blind moments. There is power and peace and forgiveness from God, just waiting for us to claim. But our blindness to portions of God’s grace and bounty keeps us from obtaining this power and peace and forgiveness. God is able to open our understanding, if we simply go to Him and ask for His insight when we study His Word. He will open our eyes and ears to His Truth.